Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Luke 4:7-8 "If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ”
Romans 1:25 "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."

Man is a spiritual being. Our natural tendency as part and fulfillment of our nature, is to worship. God made us to worship Him alone. Satan knows that, and seeks to divert man’s worship of God to himself. He gives man quick alternatives of worship other than God. This is how people worship idols and unique parts of creation like the sun, moon, rivers,trees, animals, etc. This is all to fulfill the natural longing in all men to worship.

Everyone is a worshipper, either of God, Satan, something or someone else, consciously or not. Even atheists are worshippers of something, but not God. Paul says the effects of worshipping the creature rather than the Creator, is perversion and God giving them up to all sorts of filth. Does that describe the blatant evil people are promoting today?

Eventually we come under the influence of what/whom we worship. The worshippers of God become more like Him. Those who yield and bow to Satan get filled with demonic spirits and manifest it in their lives. Worship is never innocent. It opens up a person to the spirit world of God or the demonic. Like it or not, whatever people do in their lives and leadership comes from their worship lives.

Worship only God Almighty!

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Exodus 20:3-5 “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…."- NIV

Idolatry is love, adoration and worship of anything else apart from God. Because worship is exclusively for God Almighty, He utterly detests idolatry. He gave specific commandments against idol worship. In nothing and nowhere else is God’s jealous anger expressed than in idol worship. He shares His glory with no other. We are to worship God the Creator and not the things He made.

An idol is anything which takes the due glory, praise, attention and the place of God in ones life, such as material things, self love, a sport, position, etc. It’s more than a physical image of an idol people worship. It is an attitude of the heart. Consciously or not, people have so many idols in their lives. This manifests when, rather than honor God, people divert the honour due only to God, to those things.

God calls us to love Him with all that we are and have. Out of love, we submit in loyalty and sacrifice to the object of our worship. Watch where, and on what you spend your most treasured time, money and company. That’s an indication of where your heart is and what or whom you worship. If it is anything apart from God, then it is an idol. Let everything we do arise from a foundation of our love and worship of God.

Mark 12:30-31 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Matthew 4:8-10 "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” - NIV

During the temptation, Jesus and the devil are atop a very high mountain. The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and material wealth. He offers it to Jesus if only Jesus would bow down and worship him. At that, Jesus chased him away, declaring that ALL worship is due only to God. Worship defines, and is at the centre of all spirituality, godly or demonic. God demands it. Satan also wants it by trickery.

Satan uses worldly things to lure people to worship him. He promises wealth, fame, influence and all the things people like and easily fall for. He gives what appears so simple and easy; ‘just bow down and worship me and all these will be yours! But the reality is that it will be at the cost of your soul! This is what many have done in all spheres of life: politics, business, sports, academia, social relationships, etc. They have fallen for the bait of Satan as they seek to succeed. And they pay heavily.

Friends, Satan gives nothing for free. It is ALWAYS in exchange for your soul. Watch out for the glittering ‘too good to be true’ offers he gives. He is a liar. In the end, it will NOT be as rosy as he promises. He is a terrible task master. Those under him are in torment. Getting out of his traps takes God’s grace. Learn to patiently wait on God and worship Him alone. In the end it will be well with your soul.

Psalm 95:6-7 "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God  and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care…"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." - NIV

The Israelites were about to enter the promised land. Moses instructed them on the kind of life and decisions they were to make so as to enjoy the blessings God had for them. The choices of obedience or disobedience they would make would lead to life or death, blessings or curses. They later failed and suffered the consequences of disobedience. Many died.

God still calls us to choose to obey Him. We are free to exercise our wills to obey or disobey. God never forces anyone to obey Him. Jesus said those who believe in Him receive eternal life. Those who disobey and reject Him are condemned already because they have not believed in Him. Those who believe cross over from death to life. Those who don’t remain in death.

Friends, our relationship with God is not a by the way matter. It is an issue of life or death, living with God or perishing forever! They are matters of eternal destiny! Unfortunately some take it lightly, despise God’s word, play double standards, ignore His warnings and think it is a waste of time. Rethink your ways before it is too late. Choose to obey God and walk in His ways while there’s still time. One day it will be too late!

John 3:18 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Proverbs 8:34-36 "Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For those who find me find life  and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.” - NIV

There are so many benefits of godly wisdom. They include safety from error, from wicked ways, bringing peace and a clear sense of direction in this life and eternal rest in the life to come. Solomon summarises these benefits in the scripture above. Happy are those who listen and seek for wisdom daily.

Those who find wisdom find life and favour with God. This is the climax of all our endeavors, to find life. And it is in wisdom. Those who don’t seek and don’t find godly wisdom harm themselves. They die and perish eternally for rejecting God. Why die of foolishness when God is more than willing to give you His wisdom liberally?

People will do everything in their means to seek for money and all it offers. But far greater than the nice things money and wealth, fame and pomp gives, are the benefits of wisdom. They truly satisfy beyond this life. In godly wisdom is life. If only men would realise this, they would seek for it and escape many temporary and deceptive traps of the devil. Find wisdom, find life!

Proverbs 8:12,14 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;  I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo.

Colossians 2:2-3 "My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." - NIV

In Proverbs 8, Solomon states how wisdom was involved at creation, in bringing out all that we now see. John states in John 1:3 that it was through Christ that all things were made. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17) and was involved at creation. So the wisdom personified is Christ. Paul in the scripture above notes that in Christ dwells all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Him then, is all wisdom.

Several scientific discoveries have been made over the centuries by the knowledge and wisdom that God gives man. Alot of this has immensely benefited man. Some of it has been manipulated by the devil to cause harmful destruction to man and creation. Whatever the case, all this knowledge comes from Christ.

All godly wisdom can only be found in union with Christ. Those who reject Christ and the Holy Spirit reject wisdom and subject themselves to worldly demonic wisdom. We can benefit from this wisdom by dwelling in Him, rooted and established in the faith, walking in love and unity with each other. Unfortunately, the opposite is seen in much of today’s church which, despite having Christ, manifests alot of worldliness because the Spirit has been grieved away!

Colossians 2:10 "…and in Christ you have been brought to fullness…"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

James 3:13,17-18 "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom… But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." - NIV

James in his comparison of Godly and worldly wisdom, gives characteristics of the God kind of wisdom. It includes living a good life in humility. Wisdom from God is pure, with no hidden ill intentions as drawn from God Whose heart is pure. It is also peace-loving, seeking peace and not chaos in whatever the person does.

This wisdom is considerate, feeling for others. It is also submissive, respecting and appreciating the value in others. In bearing with the failings of others, wisdom makes people show mercy to others. Jesus said the merciful are happy people, and they will be shown mercy too. Wisdom makes a person produce and be filled with good fruit. People will enjoy your company.

God’s wisdom is impartial and sincere in dealing with others. These are becoming rare traits among people. Only God enables us treat others without favouritism and in sincerity of heart without compromising with evil. All who have God’s kind of wisdom, can be identified by these characteristics. Are you wise from God’s or worldly perspective?

Proverbs 3:13-14 "Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

James 3:14-16 “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” – NIV

James compares two kinds of wisdom: godly and worldly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is characterized by bitter envy selfish motives, pride, leading to disorder and every form of evil practice. He calls it earthly, unspiritual and demonic. It doesn’t come from heaven, but from Satan who inspires all these traits in people. Whenever you see people who claim to be wise, and yet manifest them, they are not wise in God’s sight.

Not all that appears wise and appealing, is from God. There are many intelligent people, shrewd, skilled in deception and manipulation as they commit evil of all kinds. Others may applaud their ‘wisdom’ as heroic. As long as it promotes fights, divisions, hatred and other evils, that’s demonic wisdom, because Satan’s mission is to steal, kill and destroy.

James says no one should boast about such kind of wisdom. It denies the truth and righteousness as it uses lies to promote wicked schemes. It is what characterises much of our world today as people plan evil and work towards bringing others down using their positions, intellect and other advantages. Desist from such.

Proverbs 1:10, 15-16 “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them…my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Kings 3:10-12 "The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be." - NIV

King Solomon had just replaced his father David as king. God asked him for his wishes. He asked for wisdom to rule with justice and righteousness. God was pleased. Because he asked for wisdom, along with it came wealth, protection, fame, long life and all other good things. No one superseded his wisdom. Solomon later wrote about wisdom and its supremacy over everything else we may seek for in life.

We spend so much time doing many things in life, and keep failing in the process as we try to meet our goals. If only we learn to first seek God’s wisdom and allow His leading, we would waste far less time and gain much more. We would live better and healthier long lives. It is wisdom that God used to design and make the entire creation. Solomon advised that we shouldn’t be wise in our own eyes, but trust God’s wisdom.

Let’s esteem wisdom and seek it out more than gold or silver, more than the treasures of life. Within wisdom are all the things the nobles and kings of this world seek for, and much more. There is peace beyond measure. There is life. It pleases God and makes our lives much happier and easier.

Proverbs 8:10-11 "Choose my instruction instead of silver,  knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."

Shalom children of God.