Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 2:4-5 “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” – NIV

Paul had in no uncertain terms expressed God’s anger towards those who deliberately reject and pervert the gospel, given themselves to gross evil despite being fully aware about the truth, and were judging others and yet practicing the same things. He let them know it was God’s unprecedented kindness, tolerance and patience which had sustained them before His judgement fell. God was patient, giving them time to repent and change their ways.

But they instead showed contempt for this grace of God by remaining sturbon and unrepentant. Certain judgement awaited them. When God seems quiet as men continue in evil, despise His kindness and patience, and doesn’t seem to react to their hardness of heart, it may be taken for weakness. But in His mercy and grace, God is instead giving people time to realise their fallennes, repent of their wicked ways and turn to Him.

May we not be tempted to take God’s patience, grace and kindness for granted and assume He has ignored our disobedience. Remember Samson! Let’s heed His loving correction and restoration as He brings us back to righteousness and holiness. When we stumble, allow Him raise us back to our feet. He is a gracious compassionate God, not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance and be saved.

Revelation 2:21-22 “I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Back to the vomit!

2 Peter 2:20-22 “If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in a worse state at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been much better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred command that was given them. What happened to them shows that the proverbs are true: “A dog goes back to what it has vomited” and “A pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud.” – GNB

Being in Christ makes one escape the corruption of the world, all its evils and ways. But Peter addressed false teachers who had had known the Lord, but turned back from Him and were in a more dangerous state than they were before they came to Christ. They went back to their former ways as a dog goes back to its vomit or a washed pig going back to wallow in the mud.

As Jesus pointed out, whoever turns from God gets more demons than they had before, making their state worse than it was (Matt 12:43-45). All this is brought about by the decisions people make to continue in the Lord or not. God has made every provision for us to stand in the faith and not fall away regardless of the magnitude of the trials we face. To give in and be lured back into the world is a choice. God’s grace is sufficient to sustain even in most painful situations of life.

Choose to remain in the Lord and not go back to the detestable wicked ways of the world. Paul stated that nothing in all creation shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ(Rom 8:38-39). Should you fall victim, return to the Lord. He promised to forgive and heal our backsliding. He committed not to lose any who are in Him. He prayed and continues to interceed for us to stand. We can stand till the end.

Hebrews 10:38-39 “My righteous people, however, will believe and live; but if any of them turns back,  I will not be pleased with him.” We are not people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith and are saved.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

I know and have these things…

Revelation 3:15-17 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 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

They felt they had arrived. They told themselves that they were now rich and wealthy and didn’t need anything anymore. They lost their thirst and hunger after God and saw no need to seek Him. But in God’s eyes, they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked! Because of that, the church in Laodicea became detestably lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, to their Master who would best spit them out unless they repented of this attitude. They developed the attitude of the rich young fool in Jesus’ parable who thought material wealth was everything (Luke 12:18-21).

A clear sign that one is retrogressing rather than progress is to think they now know and have it all and despise or refuse to learn. They criticise others, seeing how he is better than them, and settle for what they already have and in the process, lose even the little they had got. Their pride blinds them to anything new God is doing, ideally cutting them off a living relationship with God. They dwell on, and boast about their past glory and achievements with no new experiences with God. Now blind!

How often the experienced, older, knowledgeable, famous fall into this trap! Escape comes from the realisation that no one knows everything alone. God is ever doing new and better things. We can never exhaust His vast treasures, however great revelations you have so far acquired. Acknowledging this in humility always keeps us at the feet of Jesus, going deeper as we learn from Him Who is meek and lowly in heart. It also gives the right attitude of love and respect, never despising others. May God help us!

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Familiarisation and Contempt of God!

Malachi 1:6-7 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible.” – NIV

Prophet Malachi was rebuking the unprecedented levels of dishonor that the people had shown to God. God used day to day examples of a son honouring the father and a servant honouring his master. But to God Almighty who deserved all the honour from His people, even the priests had led the way in disrespecting Him. And God asks, ‘Where is the honour due to me as your God and Master?’ This contempt of God manifested through defiling the altar with animals not worth for sacrifice; the blind and lame.

It has been said familiarisation breeds contempt. To familiarise someone is to take them unseriously, despise them, ignore them, disobey with ease and have no priority for them. This happens when God’s people seem to treat God like their equal, dont take His commands seriously, disobey and ignore Him, don’t tremble at His words and take His corrections, rebukes and warnings lightly. There is no reverent fear of God in their hearts any more. Like Samson, they engage in willful sin and think God will always be there for them despite their stubbornness! (Judges 16:20).

Even today, some of those who profess God’s name show utmost disrespect to His holy name without remorse! Some treat God like their servant whom they can just order around to do whatever they want Him to do! Even with full knowledge of God’s word, will and instruction, they easily disobey to defend and protect their egos and selfish interests. They steal, murder, hate, abuse and pull others down, use the altar to manipulate and destroy others, even while calling on the name of God! May God heal us from this! While there is opportunity, let’s repent and return to God!

Exodus 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

Jeremiah 5:22-23 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;  they may roar, but they cannot cross it. But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Rituals without Relationship (31/1/2022)

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices– mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law– justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” – NIV

Jesus was addressing the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. It was one of those hard talks in which the Lord rebuked the hypocrisy of the religious folks of the day. He spoke seven woes. The one in the scripture above related to how their religion had gravitated to mere rituals without a relationship with God. They were now more focused on performance of outward activities of their religion(more to be seen by men), but had ignored what the God they claimed to serve valued most. Religious outwardly, but without a living relationship with God! Jesus called them hypocrites.

A lot of times, as we go through routine activities supposed to enhance our devotion to God, we end up doing them as a tradition but the spirit is lost. We pray, fast, read the bible, attend church and participate in other religious activities, dress, talk and generally look devout, but the heart has lost connection with God. When this happens, we are into rituals without a relationship with God. God wants us to relate intimately with Him beyond the usual rituals of our routine religious activities. He looks into the state of the heart, and that is what reflects our true standing with Him.

What is your current state with God? Many claim to be in right standing with God just because they attend church, are active members in a particular religious sect, adhere to the requirements of their faith, pray, give thithe and offertory, support the needy, do good, etc. But their hearts are not right with God. It’s fine to do some of these, but not neglect the true state of your heart with God. Get back to loving God with all your heart.

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 made up only of rules taught by men.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

A form of godliness, denying it’s power

2 Timothy 3:5 “…Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – KJV

Paul enumerated the several characteristics of the evils of the end times. Among these is people having a semblance of religion and godliness and yet ironically denying the power of the gospel to transform them. This is a state in which people have self styled godliness, talking about God, but the fruit of their lives clearly contradicts their claims. It was the same thing Joshua told Israelites who said they would obey God and yet continuing in idolatry (Josh 24:19-24).

God’s power saves the sinner, transforms from a worldly evil mindset, and enables us to live godly lives pleasing to God. But this power of the Holy Spirit works with our willing submission, humility and obedience to God. To have a form of godliness and yet deny the transforming power of the Holy Spirit which enables us to live godly lives is a contradiction. It can only imply having a form of self created godliness in which God is not at the centre. Such redefine, qualify and justify their ways before God like the Pharisee praying in the temple as he justified himself before God, confident in his own righteousness (Luke 18:9-14).

Today we see so much of this. Many no longer have the fear of God which hates evil (Prov 8:13). They claim to be godly and at the same time living in obvious evil, and yet comfortable with it! This is another sign that they have drifted from away from the God they claim to serve. May God, the searcher of mens hearts, search us. May we also examine ourselves in light of our godliness claims against what actually manifests in our lives. And where we have fallen short, let’s return to God in repentance.

Proverbs 14:14 “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.”

Shalom children of God.

As goes the world…

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – NIV

Paul sought to remind the believers in Rome that the new sacrificial system required the offering of ourselves as sacrifices which are still alive. The old system required animal sacrifices for worship. In Christ, we are out of the world system and into God’s kingdom. The believer then is no longer to conform to the pattern of the world under it’s god the devil and it’s way of doing things because he no longer belongs to it.

Although we still live in the world, the Bible teaches that we do not belong to it. One sign of of a deteriorating relationship with God is going back and becoming part of the evil worldly system, and enjoying it. The backsliden believer does everything as the world does. As the world goes, so does he. There is no difference between them and a none believer in thought, word and deed.

Paul urged that the believer be transformed by the renewal of his mind so as to test and know God’s will to guide living to please God. This transformation is from the worldly system into godly thinking. When the church, individually and corporately, reflects more of the world and copying its ways, than reflect Christ and His kingdom principles, something has gone wrong. Returning to God through repentance needs to be emphasized.

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Joel 2:12-13 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart  and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” – NIV

Prophet Joel’s key message in his book was that disaster was coming upon the land and people needed to repent of their sins and return to the Lord. The people had forsaken the Lord and turned to idols. The leaders and priests alike had drifted away from God’s ways to the extent that judgement was inevitable. But He gave them warning and opportunity to avert God’s judgement by returning to God through whole hearted repentance and brokenness.

To return implies you left or forsook something or someone and you need to get back to them. Human hearts are very susceptible to drifting away from God to other things, including the cares and pleasures of this life. Many have backsliden from the faith, forsaken God and His ways. They have loved the world and its evil ways, the easy broad way instead of following the narrow path to life. To all such people, the call to return to God comes.

God set conditions for the return that He accepts. These are; returning with one’s whole heart, in humble and broken hearts, and coming back to Him. External hypocritical actions of repentance which are not from the heart are not recognized by God. In response to whole hearted return, He promises to heal and restore in compassion and love. God, the searcher of mens hearts knows each one of us. You too know the state of your relationship with God. Have you drifted away in some way from Him? Come back to God. He is willing to recieve you back to Himself.

Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake their ways  and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

Revelation 2:5 “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.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

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John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – NIV

A story is told of some artists who were asked to paint a picture of peace. One painted an animal comfortably resting in its hide out atop very calm, secure and quiet snow capped mountains, apparently free from all harm. Another painted a little bird resting in its nest, built on a tree branch which extended over a roaring waterfalls. The later won the contest. The idea was that peace is not the absence of trouble, but within it.

We all want peace. Whether we are conscious or not, all the things we do and pursue, are intended to ultimately bring us peace of mind. But many times even after doing and acquiring them, we realize peace has eluded us, and yet those who don’t have even a fraction of them, look peaceful. Each one of us has a picture of what we call peace. There are things in our environment that we wish to work out in a certain way so that we have peace. But the fact is, our world may never settle from all the troubles and turmoil to give us that tranquility necessary for peace of mind.

True peace is primarily in the mind, not in the external environment. Even if the waterfalls and storms of life roar day and night, we can have peace of mind. Only Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can give such peace which defies the ever present troubles of this life, to those who seek Him. He gives it not as the world gives. You can rest in God amidst the troubles of this broken evil world, feeding us with bad news every day. Put your hope in Him. He will rest your heart and mind in Himself.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam  and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” – NIV

Moses was so privileged, one could say, to have been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter as her son after picking him from the water. That entitled him to the best of everything in the then most powerful kingdom in the world. But Egypt was a heathen idolatrous kingdom in which other gods were worshiped and alot of sin against God Most High was committed. Despite all those privileges and sensual gratification, Moses deep within wasn’t satisfied because his God was not honoured. He decided to join and suffer with his people than remain and enjoy temporary pleasures of sin in the palace. He opted for the eternal.

Sin offers temporary enjoyment. But the victims don’t normally think about the bitter sting of its consequences to themselves, their families and generations to come, into eternity. Yes, you may enjoy that moment as you cheat on your spouse, as you plan that deal to steal, to bring down or even kill others so that you take the plunder or win favours, as you hide in those dark corners doing some mischief. You may even emerge as heros from a ‘successful’ mission, having left others mourning and totally devastated, because of the harm you dealt on them.

Government/organisational/community programs under your jurisdiction could be grumbling because you diverted and enriched yourself with the funds, and millions of would-be beneficieries continue to suffer – as you watch them!  And you give all sorts of excuses and doctored reports to justify your evil. Please turn away from evil and come to God. It would be good to always remember what the wise man Solomon said about the effects of temporary enjoyment of evil:

“Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.” Proverbs 9:17-18.

Shalom children of God.