The Word

Theme: The Lord, Our Restorer!  Text: Jeremiah 33:12-18 12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord. 14 ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 15 ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ 17 “For thu...

Theme: The Burden Bearer Text: Psalm 55:22 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Our Lord is good at taking up our burdens. And so if He asks you to cast your burdens on Him, He isn't kidding. Jesus in Matthew 11:28, calls on all who are heavy laden to come to Him. Whatever your burden is, just lay them before the Lord with thanksgiving and He will sustain you through the rest He gives you.  If you trust in His deliverance, no evil shall come near you. He will uphold you in all circumstances. Prayer: O God, into Your Hands I commit all my life's burdens. Thank You for keeping to Your Word in my life in Jesus name. AMEN!

Theme: The Enduring Soldier in Christ Jesus  Text: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Our Christian life is a warfare, not carnal but spiritual (Ephesians 6:12). The Apostle Peter has equally admonished as to be steadfast as our adversary the devil is roaring like a lion seeking whom to devour ( 1 Peter 5:8). It is for this reason, if you are a soldier in...

Theme: Beware of Conspirators Text:Nehemiah 6:10-14 10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.” 11 And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. Yesterday's devotion enligh...

Theme: Avoid Being Distracted Text: Nehemiah 6:1-9 6 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed ...

Theme: The Potency of Prayer Text: 2 Kings 19:14-19 14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. 15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. 17 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.” Prayer is the believer's weapon. It is a means of comm...

Theme: Be Kindhearted Text: Psalm 41:1-3 1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed The poor are usually the less privileged in society. Having consideration for such people in society attracts the blessings of God. Christ in Luke 14:12-14 outlined those we ought to invite to our feast; 12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” No wonder the psalmist today proph...

Theme: Pride Goes Before Destruction   Text: 1 Samuel 17:43-44 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” The proud pronounce their own doom even before the doom approach them. The uncircumcised Philistine Goliath thought he had it all because of his stature. His pompous words led to his death. Indeed pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before  a fall (Proverbs 16:18).  The weapon of the devil that destroys the human race is pride. Pride is of the devil and you're not his candidate so you must not avail yourself for pride. The fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12-17 explains further what pride can do to you; 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For...

Theme: Don't Give in to Despise Text: 1 Timothy 4:12 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. To Despise is to make someone look or feel worthless though he/she is of significance. It distorts the emotions of an individual and cripples the will power to accept oneself as being capable. This has led many with shuttered dreams. If the Apostle Paul mentions this to Timothy, that he should not allow anyone despise his youth, then dear beloved in the Lord, you need to heed to that equally. Being youthful in the Lord, means availing oneself for the Holy Spirit to use him/her for the Kingdom work. In availing, circumstances position themselves through others to draw you back. Just as in the case of Moses where his own siblings Miriam and Aaron spoke ill of him because of his wife (Numbers 12:1-2). If the adversary can't find fault with you, then your household will be a target. Be mindful how qui...

Theme: A Royal Can't be Intimidated  Text: 2 Timothy 1:3-7 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Through Christ Jesus, you are called forth as a chosen generation and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). You can't be intimidated by anything for you're hundred percent safe in the presence of God. Dear beloved this bond in Christ needs to run through your family line and not just solely you. The Apostle Paul gave a background of himself an...

Theme: Living as an Elect  of God  Text: Colossians 3:12-17 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Having surrendered to God to live wholly for Him, you need to live worth of that divine declaration. The Apostle Paul admonished the Colossians church on how to live as...

Theme: The Overtaking Tools  Text: 1 Samuel 17:40 40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. On the field of battle, it is important to note the weapons or tools to use so as to win the battle. The Philistine leader Goliath dared the Israelites to select for themselves a man who will fight with him. Little did he know that, the anointed king was on the field of battle. The son of Jessie was anointed by Samuel in the previous chapter (1 Samuel 16:11-13). David in the fullness of God's anointing decided to take up the challenge despite the discouragement from his brothers. Saul wanted to cloth him in his attire yet it just couldn't work. When the anointing speaks in your life, you know just what to use as weapon in battle and that's just what David used. The following tools were used by David in t...

Theme: The Shepherding Staff Text: Psalm 23:4 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. The shepherd's staff is used not just to control the sheep but also as a divine weapon against the enemy. It is designed such that, it has a hook and this hook is there to serve these purposes. David understood that, in the valley of the shadow of death, there are many challenges that the ordinary mind cannot fathom. It creates moments of helplessness and hopelessness but if you know who you are in Christ Jesus, you can confidently use this weapon to overcome the fear and evil in those valleys. The valley of the shadow of death could represent ill health, lost of job, educational challenges, financial bankruptcies, failures, spiritual and physical battles and the likes. These situations usually present themselves as though, there's no way out. But beloved in the Lord, rise up and tell th...

Theme: The Lord's Deliverance  Text: Psalm 31:1-2 In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. 2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily;  Be my rock of refuge, a  fortress of defense to save me. It is good to trust the Lord in all things irrespective of the situation. God's saving grace is sufficient unto all people. There's no record of Jehovah putting His own to shame. Though the Lord may chasten us, yet He will not give us to the will of our adversaries (Jeremiah 30:11). The deliverance of the Lord is great. The Israelites experience His hedge covering by day as a pillar of cloud and by night as a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21). Daniel saw the deliverance of the Lord in the lion's den (Daniel 6:21-22). Likewise the other three Hebrew boys; Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were divinely saved from the ferry furnace (Daniel 3). What is your trouble? If you lay it before the Lord, you'll be delivered. The Lord is atten...