Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Jude 1:3,22,23 "My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people…Show mercy towards those who have doubts; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and to others show mercy mixed with fear, but hate their very clothes, stained by their sinful lusts." - GNB

Whenever the Lord and the apostles addressed the issue of deception, it was always urgent and serious. Much was written to warn about falsehoods and their dangers. Jude was to write about salvation but quickly changed the subject to address falsehoods. The call is to fight for the faith, and key in this fight is against deception. Some victims were even to be snatched as from the fire. That’s how serious it was/is.

Satan, the master deceiver, is not playing as he seeks to draw multitudes away from God to his side, and towards eternal damnation. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. The wolf is not joking when among the sheep. These are matters of life and death, including affecting destinies forever! Beyond a seemingly casual conversation between the serpent and Eve, were eternally significant consequences we experience to date.

Don’t down play any deception and laugh it off as a minor thing! Satan is dead serious, is after your soul and eternal destruction! Paul didn’t take this matter lightly and made very strong statements in all his letters condemning falsehoods. Contend for the faith entrusted to us through Christ. Deception leads astray, wastes resources and lives, leaves the victims miserable, and affects destinies. When detected, flee for your life!

Shalom.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 John 4:1 "My dear friends, do not believe all who claim to have the Spirit, but test them to find out if the spirit they have comes from God. For many false prophets have gone out everywhere." - GNB

Apostle John clearly warns the believers about the deception already in the world. It is masterminded by the devil who is a liar from the begining. As previously seen, he masquerades as an angel of light to decieve those who don’t discern. John gives the solution as testing all, including those who claim to have the Holy Spirit in them. It therefore goes, that if you don’t test, you will fall victim of deception.

Deception primarily thrives on ignorance. If one is equipped with the truth and awareness of deceit, it becomes very easy to counter deception. But whatever one receives requires testing against the standard of truth. God’s word rightly read, interpreted and applied is the standard. Paul mentions another reason for deception; when people who already know the truth choose to ignore it and opt for ways contrary to God and sound teachings and defend them as their rights.

When men deliberately refuse or rationalize the truth and live in their evil ways, there is no more remedy. God gives them to strong delusion. Then right becomes wrong and vice versa. They live in lies by choice. This explains some odd practices around the world today which are promoted and defended as human rights even when their own conscience testifies against such. Until we embrace and allow the truth of God’s word to guide our ways, deception will continue to prevail. The choice is for each one of us.

Romans 1:25 "They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised for ever! Amen." - GNB

Shalom

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

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

Exodus 32:19-20 "When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain…" - NIV

Moses had been in the mountain forty days with Joshua. When people saw that he delayed, they asked Aaron to make for them gods of gold shaped like a calf which they worshipped. Moses, with the heart of God, couldn’t stand seeing the idolatry. He was angry and zealously set out to destroy the idol and those who promoted it.

When our hearts are ablaze with true love for God, we cannot stand what He hates. We shall love what He loves and hate what He hates. To love, enjoy and promote what God hates and claim to know and live for Him, is hypocrisy. Elijah was zealous for God, and fought idolatry in Israel. Jesus was consumed with zeal for God’s house of worship, and aggressively drove out those who had turned it to trading centre and den of thieves.

Zeal is a driving force into what we are consumed with. It enables whole hearted action, gives perseverance in battle, and is the secret to any significant achievements. Without zeal in service, people easily give up, compromise, play double standards, backslide and become easy targets to enemy forces. We are called to be zealous in whatever we do in God. If you have lost it, service isn’t enjoyable. Ask God to restore it, or else you soon fade out!

Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 42:8-9 “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” – NIV

One of the things God vehemently hates and sharply rebukes, is idolatry. Idols take many forms, including curved images, things and people we love more than God. God hates idolatry because it takes His place and due glory which cannot be shared. In comparison with idols, God declared that He speaks of things past and those yet to come and they happen. He is God Almighty Who knows the end from the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise.

To God, nothing is hidden. If we want to know what the future holds, the things yet to happen, we ought to listen to God. Men may predict the future based on previous trends and projections. Many times that fails miserably. It is to God’s glory that a matter is concealed and revealed when men seek Him. But many in their folly and pride, ignore God and fall into the same pitfalls others have fallen into.

God owns time. He created it, but His existence is beyond time, from eternity past to eternity future. He is the begining and the end, the first and last, the Alpha and Omega. He sees and knows it all. And He calls us to seek guidance, wisdom and direction to life from Him. And we would never fail. What a privilege! May we cease from being wise in our own understanding and trust in God Who knows it all.

Proverbs 3:7-8 “Do not be wise in your own eyes;   fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body  and nourishment to your bones.”

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."- NIV

In the old covenant, the high priest would access the holy of holies in the temple only once a year to offer sacrifices to atone for the people’s sins, begining with his own. Jesus, the high priest of the new covenant, didn’t enter a physical temple, but the very throne of God Most High in heaven. He shed His own blood to once and forever atone for all human sins. One never needs to offer animal blood or other sacrifices for their sins any more. Jesus blood is forever enough to wash away sin, confessed and repented of. 

The other wonderful news is that it’s  not only the priests who have access to  God’s throne on behalf of others, but anyone can now access God’s holy  throne by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, Who takes away our sins. To confirm this, when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain which separated the most holy (where the ark of the old covenant representing God’s presence was), and the holy place in the temple, was torn from top to bottom(Matthew 27:51).

This implied a broken barrier between man and God. Now at any time, we can access the throne of grace and commune with our loving Father,  and to find help for our needs without fear of judgment or rejection, but with confidence of acceptance by God on account of the atoning work of Jesus. Access, moreover to God Almighty, is a great gift! We come to God in Jesus name, not on the basis of any good works. That is grace, to be accepted for what we didn’t even deserve in the first place! Glory to God! So come to God as you are.

Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Samuel 1:14-16 "… and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." - NIV

The woman Hannah had had no children. Her cowife Penninah, took advantage and tormented her every year. Even the consolation of her husband Elkana could not help. After yet another bout of provocation by Penninah while in Shiloh, she couldn’t bear it any more. In bitterness and heaviness of heart, she went to the temple to pour out her heart to God. The priest Eli, seated at the temple watched this woman silently pray with only her lips moving and no words coming out. He mistook her to be drunk.

In life we meet and see people who, according to us, behave weird, appear uncultured and many times quickly pass judgment over them. Yet if we took time to understand why they behave so, we would be seeking to help them instead. There are many troubled wounded hearts around us, pushed to the extremes of life by the circumstances they face. Many are rejected, wounded, hopeless and challenged in ways we could provide a listening ear, prayer or material support or give godly counsel. Even the priest Eli was too quick and mistaken to judge a troubled Hannah, thinking she was drunk. But on listening and understanding her, he blessed her.

We misjudge others many times because we dont seek to first understand why they behave the way they do. It’s appropriate to first understand before we conclude. It’s until we put ourselves in their shoes that we respond appropriately, to coreect, rebuke or to be compassionate and helpful to them.

Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Shalom children of God. 

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 21:34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap." - NIV

Jesus was concluding the teaching on the signs of the end. He had mentioned many things that would characterize the end. These include increase in deception, false christs, wars and revolutions, earthquakes, pestilences, famines, fearful signs in the heavens, increase of evil, moral degeneration, persecutions among others. Anyone following world events can testify that these are present day realities around the world. It means we are in those last days.

In the scripture above, Jesus warned His disciples (including us) about the things that could make them miss out on the day of His return. These are; dissipation/carousing (too much fun, wasteful spending for pleasure), drunkenness (out of alcohol or improper behaviour out of excitement or anger over things) and the cares of life (fear or nervousness out of what might happen). These things dull one’s sensitivity, alertness and readiness to the coming of the Lord. That’s why Jesus warned us to be careful not to let them weigh our hearts down, or else the day of the Lord will catch us unexpectedly.

Friends, Jesus is coming soon. Every sign is pointing to it. As we do what is required of us by the demands of life, let’s look beyond to the imminent return of Christ. Be alert, do not allow fear, pleasure, anxieties of life weigh you down and dull your sensitivity to the times we are in. Watch the signs and expectantly look up for His coming. It will be well in the Lord.

Luke 12:40,46 "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."… The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

The author of this letter had just taught about the importance of faith, its accomplishments and those who endured and did great things by faith. They were ahead of us, stood in the faith amidst very severe trials, and are now our witnesses, cheering us on to endure to the end. The Christian journey of faith is compared to a number of life endeavors. In this case, it’s compared to a race.

In a race track, every competitor has a marked out lane or route they are expected to follow. If they cross the lines, they are disqualified. Likewise, our race, in the time and actual assignments to accomplish in our generation have been marked out for us. We are responsible to God for what happens in our lanes for the time we are here. Those who were here before us, or will come after, are responsible for theirs. God made each for his time to accomplish specific purposes. He makes no mistakes and gives grace for the purpose.

The challenges in the race necessitates running with perseverance and focus on Jesus. There are temptations to be diverted or give up, but the great cloud of witnesses who overcame and went ahead are cheering us on, the same way competitors in a physical race are cheered by their funs and supporters. May we all run to the end to win the prize and be recieved by our Master with a ‘welldone good and faithful servant’ grand reception. Nothing in all the world will compare with this joy! And so shall we share in the joy of our Master forever.

Revelation 2:10 "…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

Shalom children of God.