Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:7 “If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! …" NIV

To every message to particular churches, Jesus added the phrase above. Whatever He said to one church in a one location, He said to all the others through the church age. There were seven churches addressed. The number seven speaks of completion. There were different categories of messages; warnings, rebukes, corrections and encouragements. All of them were/are geared towards building a complete church as Jesus had said He was building His church.

The challenges to our faith have been the same through the years. It is the same enemy orchestrating them with with similar strategies, and the same human nature. What happened to churches in Asia minor in the first century happens to the church in the twenty first century. And so Jesus’ message to them is applicable to us too. The Spirit spoke to them then, but was speaking to all churches too.

What God says should be taken seriously. On using the lessons of the past to teach us today, Paul said, "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did…These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come." (1 Cor 10:6,11).

And Jesus, not to limit what He said to only that time, but to be emphasized for all generations to come, said, "What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:37).

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:7 "…To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." - NIV

Jesus’ common message to the seven churches has promises of rewards to those who overcome. These promises include access to the tree of life(2:7), not to be hurt by the second death (2:11), partaking of the hidden manna (2:17), authority over the nations(2:26), their names never to be removed from the book of life and acknowledgement before the Father(3:5), a pillar in God’s temple and their names written on it (3:11), and to sit on the throne with Christ (3:21). Hallelujah!

These are eternally significant promises from the One Who never lies. As we engage in the fierce battles of life orchestrated by the devil and his human agents and worldly systems, as we go through mountains and valleys, and run the race, let’s persevere and not give up. Overcoming implies going against forces that are fighting and resisting our progress. It means enduring even at points when the easiest thing to do as others are doing, is to give up.

There are many who fall along the way. They yield to trials and temptations. Some are lured by the glittering deceptions of the enemy. To others, the journey seems so long and tough and they lose hope. But cheer up child of God. Jesus we believe in also overcame. The heroes of faith who went ahead of us overcame and are cheering us on. We too shall overcome. Let the joy of victory and the rewards ahead encourage us to go on. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first began. Let’s stick there till we see Him face to face!

Hebrews 12:2-3 "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right-hand side of God's throne. Think of what he went through; how he put up with so much hatred from sinners! So do not let yourselves become discouraged and give up."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 3:19 "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." - NIV

Jesus not only knew everything good about the churches for which He gave encouragement and praise. He also knew their shortcomings where they needed to repent and correct their ways. He had things against some of the churches and detailed out what it was He didn’t like. He called them to repentance. The good things they were doing was no excuse to overlook or ignore wasn’t going right. It was out of love that He sharply rebuked and corrected them.

In the process of perfecting the church He is building, the Lord will leave no stone unturned in our lives. He will point out the falling from first love, compromise with sin and the evil worldly systems, doctrinal compromises and errors, and anything else that is not going as He wants it in us. He appreciates the good, but can’t ignore the wrong, the imperfect. He does this in love.

Thank you for every good thing you are doing to the glory of God. Don’t let that make you ignore your blind spots. The all seeing and searching eye of God before Whom nothing escapes, desires to bring us to perfection in all our ways. Allow Him to search, correct, rebuke and present us to Himself as a church without spot or wrinkle. The Holy Spirit through the Word is doing this in each of our lives. I pray we cooperate with Him in humility and repentance as He points them out.

Ephesians 5:27 “… and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:3-5 "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

The church at Ephesus had endured alot for the Lord and not grown weary. They didn’t give up the faith. While persevering in hardships, working hard, resisting false apostles, they lost their first love for God. For forsaking their first love for God, they had fallen, although within the faith. They no longer did what they did at first out of love for the Lord. They were now in a form of religious routine out of duty, but without intimate relationship with God.

How true this is for many a professing believer in God! First love is marked by genuine, pure trust, commitment and unreserved loyalty to God. Lose of it makes service and commitment to God a routine burden out of duty with no joy of salvation. Your body is present, does what you do, but the heart isn’t in it any more. Soon people strive, fight, compete, compromise and lose track.

Jesus took this fall seriously and challenged them to consider how far they had fallen, to repent and do what they did at first. God appreciates what we do for Him, but wants it done out of first love. How is your devotion to God now as compared to the past? Would He challenge you as He did the Ephesus church? Repent and get back to it. This was the very reason God rebuked Israel.

Isaiah 29:13 "The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me  is based on merely human rules they have been taught."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:9 "I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." - NIV

The church in Smyrna was commended for enduring much afflictions, especially from those who claimed to be Jews in religion, but were a synagogue of Satan. They were yet to suffer more as some would be imprisoned. Materially and outwardly, they were poor. But Jesus noted and informed them that they were actually rich. Can one be poor and yet rich, or rich and yet poor? It means there is unseen riches or poverty that is not measured by material physical standards.

The riches they had was in their relationship with God. This church was not corrected for any particular shortfall. It means they were found faithful to God. They were therefore rich with God though outwardly poor. In Jesus’ eye, they were rich. Some in our day are in this state, but with a beautiful love for God. And some are materially wealthy and yet poor. This is not to justify material poverty but to put it in right perspective.

True satisfying riches that lasts into eternity is in one’s relationship with God. Material wealth is good, and has its place and purpose. But it is temporary and doesn’t meet the deepest longings of a human soul for joy and peace. As we seek for these things, let’s be aware of their limitations. But for the welfare and peace of our souls now and into eternity, let’s invest in building our relationship with God. For this, we can be sure of everlasting rest. That’s true riches friends.

Luke 12:21 “…This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Philippians 3:7 "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."

Shalom children of God.

The call to be faithful to the end!

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:10 "Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory." - GNB

The Smyrna church was going to face many challenges. Some would be imprisoned and severely tested for their faith. Because of this, some of them would be tempted to give up their faith. But Jesus told them to remain faithful even if it meant dying for what they believed. They were not to be afraid because the One Whom they trusted already knew and had everything under control. The crown of life, the prize of victory, was promised to those who would hold on to the end.

Across the world, many face severe trials for their faith in the Lord in various ways. The forces of Satan are out to use every and any means to make the disciples fail and cease to be faithful to God. To such, and those yet to be tried, the call from the Lord is to be faithful to the end. Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, Lystra and Antioch encouraged the disciples to be faithful saying, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22).

The Lord promised to be with us when we go through the waters, the fire, valleys and thickets. Jesus taught that storms will come, and we shall be tested. But with the right foundation of our faith in the Rock of of salvation, Jesus Christ, we can be sure to stand till the end. He has no pleasure in those who fall along the way and turn back. The grace to sustain us in this journey to the end with perseverance is fully sufficient. Let’s hang in there even if strength seems little.

Revelation 3:8,10 "… I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name…Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 3:1-2 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: “This is the message from the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know what you are doing; I know that you have the reputation of being alive, even though you are dead! So wake up, and strengthen what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God." - GNB

The church in Sardis had a reputation of being alive in God according to their onlookers. But to Jesus, the story was different. He saw them as dead before Him. How could this be? It probably means they cared more about what others saw and said about them than how God saw them. Their desire to impress and please men externally was given more attention than their actual state of heart with God. And their relationship with God suffered to the point of dying. Alive to people. Dead to God!

They were asked to quickly salvage the little of their relationship with God that was even dying. Many there are whose main concern is public opinion. They live their lives by how others view them. They ignore God and the state of their hearts with God suffers and dies. There is no benefit in pleasing people, being well spoken of as your connection to God dies. Jesus warned of gaining the whole world and losing your soul.

God’s report of how we really are before Him is more to concern us than what people say. At the end of it all, it is what matters than anything else. Let the public fruit of our lives be a result of a living relationship and God’s working in us. Then our works will be complete before God and a blessing to others. Consider the state of your relationship with God!

Mark 8:35-37 "For whoever wants to save his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. Do people gain anything if they win the whole world but lose their life? Of course not! There is nothing they can give to regain their life."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 3:16-18 "So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked… " - NIV

The church in Laodecia was lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. Jesus detested that and was to spit them out, wishing they were either hot or cold. They were double dealing, neither fully in God nor fully in the world. They told themselves that they were rich and needed nothing anymore. They mistook material wealth for spiritual wealth as well. Blinded by that, they completely lost track of how God saw them, as wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked!

They thought they had arrived on the basis of wealth. As they prospered materially, they became poor in relation to God. The prosperity gospel risks reducing riches towards God to materialism. Eventually, people edge God out or ‘use’ Him as a cover to attain what they want and yet out of touch with Him. That’s a dangerous state which the enemy rides on to keep people in a form of religion and yet without God. It gives false hope and assurance.

A lukewarm state of relationship with God leads to this. Let it again be clear that true riches is in good relationship with God. Material wealth is good and has its place, but should never be used as a measure of spiritual health too. The Laodiceans thought they were rich, but God saw that they were in very bad shape. What would He say of your state before Him? Beware of the deception of wealth and danger of arrival in it!

Psalm 62:10 "Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."
Luke 12:15 "Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:14-15 "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans." - NIV

Jesus chastised the Pergamum church for tolerating doctrines of Balaam which encouraged idolatry and sexual immorality Likewise, the Thyatira church tolerated the teachings of Jezebel which enticed even servants of God into sexual immorality (2:20). The warning strongly came to these churches for repentance. We live in an era where such twisted and compromised doctrines of God not only sugarcoat sin, but don’t take a clear stand on holiness among believers. The pulpit and pew have been defiled!

But God calls us to both doctrinal and moral integrity as His children. There are no short cuts to this even with the increase of evil in our time. God has not adjusted His standard of holiness and righteousness. Those who twist His word to suit their evil desires and encourage doctrinal compromise are strongly warned as the churches of Pergamum and Thyatira were warned.

Paul told Timothy to watch his life and doctrine. A life driven by other motives than to solely glorify God is very susceptible to doctrinal compromises. There are those who start right and derail along the way. It requires diligence and perseverance in what the word of God teaches, sometimes at a high price. Those who teach others God’s ways are encouraged to remain morally and doctrinal upright. May God help us to do so!

1 Timothy 4:16 "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 2:3-4, 19-20 "You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up. But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first… I know what you do. I know your love, your faithfulness, your service, and your patience. I know that you are doing more now than you did at first. But…" - GNB

The Ephesus church had lost the first love. The Thyatira church were doing more now than before. To all these churches, there were good things they were commended for and what they were not doing well. They were fluctuating in their faith. The reason Jesus was pointing out all these, the good side and the areas to correct, was so that they may be consistent and balanced in their salvation.

At any one point in our lives, there are areas we are doing well and those we need to improve. As God corrects us, He wants to instill in us the quality of consistency as it is Him. He is God Who does not change like shifting shadows, and always true to His character. An inconsistent life is inbalanced, and susceptible to manipulations of enemy deceptions. Great men and women have been brought down by little things they didn’t attend to.

The churches were doing well in some areas while others were badly off and would lead to their downfall. Our areas of excellence should not overshadow the weak ones. Let’s cooperate with the Spirit as He helps us in our weaknesses, so that we can be focused, straight and consistent in our walk with God.

Hebrews 12:12-13 "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

Shalom children of God