Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Ephesians 5:4 "…Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God." - GNB

Paul was giving instruction on the conduct and manner of life befitting the Christian as they are transformed into Christ likeness. Among these is discouragement from use of a language that doesn’t reflect the nature of God, and therefore shouldn’t characterize His children. Obscenity, profanity, cursing, or vulgar language are not for the believer in Christ.

Language is one key sign of the character of a person. It brings out who they really are, and what manner of spirit is in them. It is a reflection of the spiritual kingdom one belongs to, of God or the devil. When God transforms a person, their behaviour and language as well changes. Even under provocation, the Holy Spirit gives self control to avoid ungodly speech.

Instead, the believer’s speech is to be graceful, thankful and seasoned with salt. It brings love, peace, hope and life to its hearers. Listen to a person’s speech, and you can tell what is in them, and who controls them. May you be so full of good inside that it overflows through your mouth. Then you become a blessing to others.

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Numbers 6:24-26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." - NIV

This priestly mode of blessing God instructed Aaron to use while blessing Israel reveals God’s heart towards His people. He desires to bless and keep us. This speaks of having sufficiency and protection from all harm and alarm. He desires to make His face shine upon us. He wants us to reflect His glory and nature as His light shines in and through us.

He is gracious to us, bearing our weaknesses, restoring us to Himself. When His face is turned towards us, we obtain and walk in favour and things fall into place for us. And He wants to give us peace, first with Himself and then for us to be channels of His peace to our world.

Because God wanted this to happen for His people all the time, He instructed Aaron to bless them that way. He added,  “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Vs. 27). As Aaron would pronounce this blessings, indeed the people would be blessed.

I pray this blessing be true to you and your loved ones, and in your various endeavors today and always.

The LORD bless you.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Proverbs 19:2 " It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."

The wise man underscored the importance of not just having zeal, but balanced with knowledge. There are people so committed and sold out to what they do. But for lack of proper knowledge, wisdom, guidance and timing, they hit dead ends, get so frustrated and lose heart on an otherwise good cause.

Life is not a straight line. Just like driving a car, there are straight parts of the road. There are also corners, rough, slippery and bumpy portions which require one to slow down, seek guidance and be very cultulative. It’s the first and slow, and sometimes brief stops that ensure you eventually get to your destination safe. Speed at a time you need to be slow or stop, may kill. The scripture above says it is neither good to be hasty and miss the way. Some in their zeal even run ahead of God’s timing and miss the way.

Zeal should always be guided by faith, knowledge and wisdom so as to achieve its objectives. We don’t know it all. We should not be wise in our own eyes and ignore the warning signs along the way. Some have gone ahead of us and their counsel is important for stability and longevity in life. Above all, God, Who knows the end from the begining, is willing to lead and guide us in the right paths for our safety and peace. Trust and allow Him lead.

Proverbs 3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."

Psalm 23:3 "…He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Kings 21:27-29 "When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” - NIV

King Ahab was on record for giving himself over to evil and sinning against God like no other, spurred on by Jezebel his wife. God’s judgement was imminent. When he learnt about it, Ahab humbled himself before God and put on sack cloth, a sign of humility. God saw it and told prophet Elijah. He postponed the judgment He had purposed to bring to Ahab’s family.

God quickly accepted Ahab for his humility, although he went back to his idolatry. This gives a picture of God’s heart towards the humble and brokenhearted. One condition He gives for our prayers to be acceptable before Him is humility. Before God brings any judgement to any people, He always warns them, and gives them time to repent, acknowledge their shortcomings and recognise Him alone as God. By the time any judgement falls, it is clear the people didn’t respond in humility and repentance.

So much disaster could be avoided if people learnt to be humble before their God. David came to be called a man after God’s heart because of his humility despite the scandals. Jesus taught and demonstrated humility. He calls His followers to the same path of humility. Humility is recognition of our true position in God, and the acknowledgment that without God’s help, we cannot be what He created as to be. We thus obediently and willingly submit to Him. The humble will always touch God’s heart.

Psalm 51:17 "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Philippians 2:3-5 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…" - NIV

In following in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord and Savior, developing the same mindset He had is key. Apostle Paul advices that this attitude should manifest in our relationships with others. Attitude is the reason we see, interprete, say or do things the way we do them. It is the underlying motive beyond the superficial cover ups and hypocritic pretenses. And it is what God looks at, because it is the true reflection of the heart. Attitude determines everything else, good or bad.

Anyone can claim to be godly or good. This may be covered up for a while. But the true character of a person can’t be hidden. It soon somehow somewhere shows up especially in times of adversity. But when the attitude of Christ reigns in those called by His name, they will manifest it at all times. The fruit of their lives never lies, in all seasons and times. People’s mindsets are influenced by several factors; cultural backgrounds, education, religious systems, values, etc. Best of all should be a mindset the God, Who created us, intended for for us. That’s what we should pursue.

We should thus see people and things from His perspective. Developing this attitude is enhanced by the Holy Spirit working in each of our lives. None of us in our own human abilities can do so, given the influence of the sinful nature. It was the reason the Holy Spirit came, to help us become Christ-like including in our attitudes towards others. But the Holy Spirit requires our obedient corporation. Will you allow Him transform your attitude?

Colossians 3:9-10 "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Proverbs 26:24-26 "A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,  but in his heart he habours deceit. Though his speech is charming,  do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception,  but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." - NIV

There is a lot of deception in this world. People speak one thing, so sweet, charming, and convincing, and yet they mean a different thing in their hearts. They flatter each other to get what they want. Nations, communities, organizations, groups, friends, families, individuals –  decieve and betray each other. This is one reason people never do what they commit themselves to, because they really didn’t mean what they said.

God who sees the actual intentions and motives in the hearts of men, knows all such hypocrisy concealed in men’s hearts.
He is a God of justice and righteousness. He tells us to make our yes, to truly be yes, and no to be no(Matt 5:37). That is what the bible calls walking in the light as He is in the light. Claiming to walk in the truth, and yet harbour malice, anger, unforgiveness or other forms of evil in the heart against others, is to live a lie. 

What we conceal  eventually comes out. Soon or later, and truth will be seen. May God help us to live honest lives, with no dark or grey hidden areas concealing sin against others. May what we say rhyme with what is in our hearts. Let our yes be yes, and no be no. In that way, we live by the truth and have nothing to worry about in the day of reckoning when things are laid bare including motives behind what we said or did.

"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (1 John 1:6)

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 8:37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - NIV

Paul laboured to give proper context to the many things the enemy uses to attempt to separate us from God’s love. Some of these are extreme life situations of death and life, battles between good and evil. And some give up in battle and fall into temptation.

But key to walking in this victory over all power of the enemy, is a proper understanding of what God has already done. He loved us to the end, and didn’t spare His only Son from dying for us. In Christ, no one can condemn if He, the final Judge, has justified us. We are His beloved, valuable to Him. He overcame the devil and we too will overcome.

These are very strong foundations to enable us stand against any trial of faith. Paul the asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”(V.35). And he answers, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…”(V.37). He was then completely convinced that nothing would separate us from His love. This is the same view we ought to have in all these things that face us. We are victorious through Him Who loved.

Revelation 21:7 "Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children."

Luke 10:19 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve." - NIV

To discern is to recognize what is not obvious and is hidden. In spiritual matters, it is the ability to sense what is presented as good and from God, and what is evil and from the devil, but disguised as good and harmless. Paul was battling with false apostles who came in the name of Christ, but purely under satanic influence. He notes that Satan too, pretends to be an angel of light, and so do his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.

This is the heart of deception. Not all that comes in the name of the Lord is from God. Because they are carefully packaged and designed to decieve the unsuspecting naive minds, many consume it without question like a bait. They may carry the same Bible, appear to teach from it, possess the same titles, and do many related things to the true servants of God. But within and behind them is Satan himself. Jesus too warned of false teachers and prophets who come in sheep skins, but are dangerous wolves.

As the we draw closer to the end of time, deception will increase. Any good and discerning bible student can see this all around us. There has never been a time we need the gift of discernment more than now, if we are to be safe and secure in the faith and our walk with God. Unfortunately, many have, and will still fall victims. And yet we have been given all that we need to discern and be safe. We look into this in the next days.

Matthew 7:15-16 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." - NIV

Paul, an old man and prisoner for the gospel, is soon dying. These words are among his last to his son Timothy. He charged him to preach the WORD in all seasons, using it to correct, rebuke and encourage. He prophetically sees a time in which men will not endure sound doctrine of the word, but will gather for themselves teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear and not what they need to hear. Such is the way out of the truth into error. All such actions are driven by their own desires, no longer seeking the will of God even though they use His name.

How true this is in our day! To many professing God’s name, the issue is no longer about what the truth of God’s word is, but what they can get out of it to suit their desires. The gathering of teachers follows what they want to hear. And the teachers also know what their listeners want to hear, and will give it, to their gain. This has led to gross misappropriation of God’s word to portray what it was never meant to mean. Unfortunately, Scripture is used to justify anything ill intentioned false gospel ministers want to give their eager listeners!

The purpose of sound doctrine is to keep us on track in God, transforming us into Christ’s image. It will rebuke and correct, directing us to the narrow, sometimes long path of God’s will. This will antagonize our pleasure seeking and easy life of the flesh. And Satan can’t fail to give those shortcuts to easy life, but at a cost to ones soul! It is incumbent upon each one who truly wants to live God’s way, to sieve what they hear, rightly preach and live by the word, sharp as it can be. Therein is our safety in these perilous times.

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Philippians 2:5-8 "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,  did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing  by taking the very nature of a servant,  being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" - NIV

This was the unprecedented humility of Jesus. He was and is God, but didn’t seek to show Himself as God. He humbled Himself to the lowest position, put on human appearance, went through all the sufferings men go through and suffered silently in the hands of the very men He created. He obeyed His Father to the most shameful death – on a cross meant for worst case criminals! He did this voluntarily, for our sake!

Paul calls us to have the same humility of Christ demonstrated in our relationships with others. This means not fronting and exalting positions, but purpose to serve others. Humility values others, seeks the best for them. Jesus used His position to display servant leadership to the utter shock of His disciples. It was contrary to how leadership was/is viewed. He calls us to follow His example.

In the scheme of things in our world, rights, positions, privileges, titles and other outward show of power and authority are encouraged and celebrated. Ministers of Christ have not escaped this trap! People will do anything to show they are powerful, at the top in control and above others. Would Jesus do this if He was around today? Power is given to order things right, and not for pride. Jesus asks us to learn from Him.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29

Shalom children of God.