The Word

Theme: God's Chosen  Text: 1 Peter 2:9&10 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Today's text happened to be one that we've studied last year February, on the theme, "Who you are in Christ Jesus". If you know who you are, you'll only rely on God for all things to fall in pleasant places for you. Dear beloved in the Lord, the below are your portion as God's chosen: i. A Chosen Generation: The Lord chose you in particular for a purpose. Jesus specifically emphasized on it that you did not choose Him in John 15:16. If you have been chosen by someone to help in a task, you need to be obedient and submissive to the individual. This is what you need to do before God too. Be humble not arrogant...

Theme: A Stumbling Stone Text: 1 Peter 2:6-8   6  Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”  7  Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”  8  and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. As we learnt yesterday and a week ago, Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone (reject by those in darkness but precious before God and those who receive the Light). In today's devotion, we will be looking at Christ as a stumbling stone to those who are disobedient to the Word of God. God has made divine provision to ensure man is safe and delivered from his wicked ways. Anyone who believes or trust God, he is never put to shame. For it is s...

Theme: A Living Stone  Text: 1 Peter 2:4&5 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Couple of days ago, we learnt about Jesus being the Chief Cornerstone upon which believers are laid. In today's devotion, we will be looking at Jesus being the Living Stone. He is the Rock of ages from creation, through the dispensation of Moses to this very age. Whoever draws near Him does that to attain life.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life, a precious Vessel chosen by God to bring life to as many as believe in Him. Though the world rejected Him, He is the hope of the world. Anyone who believes in Him, He transforms to have the nature of the Living Stone. Dear beloved in the Lord, you're a living stone because you've been laid on Christ Jesus. It is therefore expected ...

Theme:The Pure Milk Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3 2 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. The journey as a Christian begins with birth; being born again is the sign of this new birth. It's not a carnal birth but a spiritual one though we could clearly see how one surrenders to God. As an infant in the Lord, it is expected of you to behave as a child in malice, and all forms of evil by not engaging in them but in understanding of the Word of God, you ought to be matured. (1 Corinthians 14:20) You're called to resist the edge to do evil by desiring the pure milk of the Word of God. Just us you obtain nutrients in food so does the Word of God in nourishing you. It becomes your standard of living and shapes you to become a better child of God. The pure milk of the Word is the joy of the believer in the Lord. ...

Theme: Fasting and Prayers  Text: Ezra 8:21-23 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. Have you ever boasted in doing something successfully only to realize you need a little help to accomplish it? I'm sure your response is yes. We all in one way or the other need help in our lives' journey. In the dispensation of Ezra, he saw putting a request before the king for protection as a shame especially to God's glory because of the testimonies he gave the king about God. H...

Theme: God's Manifold Works Text: Psalm 104:24&25 24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— 25 This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. It's an awesome thing taking time to consider the works of God in your life, family, and the entire world. Today happens to be the last Sunday in April 2021, can you number the wonders, miracles and signs the Lord has performed in your life? Great and marvelous things has He done and we will not have the memory to recall them in order as they unfolded. God is indeed Mighty. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By His power and wisdom, He has made the earth and established it. By understanding He established the heavens with all that dwell in it; He has stretched out the heavens at His discretion. If God has been good at putting things in nature in order, then you whom He has created in His image will by no mea...

Theme: The Chief Cornerstone  Text: Ephesians 2:19-22 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Having studied about how Christ's grace gave us access to God's Kingdom, we can confidently say, we are citizens of heaven. This is so because, we've been built on a divine foundation which is Christ Jesus our Lord. His journey on earth suffered rejection from His own and it was of Him the psalmist said, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone." (Psalm 118:22) He is the Chief Cornerstone upon which all others have been laid. For no other foundation can ...

Theme: Christ Our Peace Text: Ephesians 2:14-18 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. In today's devotion, we will be looking at one nature of Christ - peace. He is the Prince of Peace that has reconciled mankind to the Father. Sin brought separation between man and God; a wall of separation lies between man and God where man cannot have direct access to God. This wall of separation has been broken down when Christ's Blood touched the earth on Golgotha by tiring the temple...

Theme: The Blood of Christ  Text: Ephesians 2:11-13 11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Do you remember your first time being welcomed as a member of the faith, an employment/job, club or group? You kept hearing you're welcome to join us; you were being welcomed because, you met the criteria (born again, passed the interview, etc). Whoever does not meet the requirements cannot be called a member. So it was with the Circumcision of old; it was a seal of covenant between God and the seeds of Abraham. Anyone not of the Circumcision, is a Gentile (a non Jewish person or a person of the world). (G...

Theme: Grace, Not of Works!  Text: Ephesians 2:8-10 8  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9  not of works, lest anyone should boast.  10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Today's devotion is a build up of what we studied yesterday on being saved by grace. The theme for consideration is, "Grace, not of works!" The salvation of God to us is not merited on works but pure grace through faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. If we come to the Lord with faith in Him, we no longer depend on ourselves but on Him. This salvation glory is a free gift of God that's why we call it grace.  The salvation of the soul is not of works where we can take pride in saying we really deserved it just as we earn our wages or salaries at the end of...

Theme: Saved by Grace  Text: Ephesians 2:4-7 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. In yesterday's devotion, we looked at being made alive in Christ. The essence of being made alive is what we will be looking at today and that's saved by grace. We are made alive so as to be saved by the grace of God from the destruction that await those who are still walking in darkness if they fail to repent from their sins. (Psalm 103:8-11)  It is never the desire of God for any soul to perish. That's why in His mercies, He showed love to us while dead in our trespasses when He made us alive together with Christ Jesus. God sent His ...

Theme: Made Alive Text: Ephesians 2:1-3 2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Hallelujah! Another working week has begun, receive grace to be successful throughout the week. In our study today, we will be looking at how we have been made alive by the mercies of God. Sin brings to death things that ought to be alive in us since sin's wages is death. When sin abides in anyone, the individual does not avail himself for the Holy Spirit of God to dwell in him. Before the knowledge of Christ took seed in us, we wallowed in ignorance under the tyranny of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works...

Theme: The Invincible God  Text: John 1:18   18  No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. In yesterday's devotion, we learnt grace comes from Christ to us. Our access to the Father is through Jesus Christ. In today’s devotion, we will be looking at the Invincible God. We cannot use our ordinary eyes to see God, for this has been so even in the days of Moses. God is Immortal and Invincible in nature. (Exodus 33:20; 1 Timothy 6:16) So long as no ordinary eye has been able to see God, then no one has ever seen God at any time. The Invincible God can only be known better through Jesus Christ who came down from heaven. He has declared God in all His teaching and lifestyle while on the earth. The more we study the Word of God, the more familiar we become in the knowledge of God. Christ has the power to reveal God to anyone He pleases to reveal Him to. Do you desire to see God? Then draw near t...

Theme: Grace  Text: John 1:16&17 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Praise be the name of the Lord for another day. In today's devotion, we will be looking at grace. Grace means an unmerited favour from God towards humanity through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. When Christ the Word became flesh, He dwelt in our midst and the fullness of His grace abounds with us. He is the fullness of all things created. Nothing created can live without Him.  Moses received the law from God and instructed the Israelite with it. It has been difficult for anyone to fully fulfill the law. However, Christ came with grace overflowing and truth. The grace of God is not a tale or myth but it is purely based on the truth. It is true Christ died for all, and it's also true He resurrected on the third day and was seen by many. He ascended into heaven after forty days. Possessin...

Theme: Teach Rightly  Text: Psalm 25:8 8 Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. Glory be to God for granting us life to be amongst the living. Our devotion for today is on teaching rightly. As dear beloved children of God, we need to learn from Him and be like Him at all times. God is good and upright so we also ought to strive to be good and upright in whatever we do. The more we study the Word of God, the better our lives become. For the Word shapes us in the way we should go. There are still some in the world in our family, neighborhoods, workplace, the congregation amongst others that usually go wayward. God isn't pleased with the death of sinners, so we also shouldn't be pleased with such deaths. What then can we do to toe the line with God? We need to reach out to these individuals and teach them in the Lord. To teach rightly, you need to know the Word and daily apply its principles. Don't just watch people waste away in sin, give them ...

Theme: The Fruit of the Mouth  Text: Proverbs 18:20&21 20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. In today's devotion, we will be looking at the fruit of the mouth. The mouth is meant to speak and to decree. What proceeds from the mouth is powerful, if it is for good or bad the result shall manifest accordingly. We therefore ought to use it wisely so as to enjoy its fruit. What you sow is what you reap so do not think you will sow evil with your mouth and reap good and vice versa.   A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth. Whatever word you speak about your destiny, family, ministry and other areas of your life will show forth as such. The satisfaction you will see in your life, depends on what you say in prayer and/or as you talk with your fellow humans. From the produce of your lip...

Theme: Bless the Lord  Text: Psalm 106:8 48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord! Every passing moment reveals God's great works in our lives. He performs His wonders both spiritually and physically. We ought to praise Him. Exalting the name of the Lord should be a part of us daily. For just as the psalmist puts it, from everlasting to everlasting, God's name must be praised. We must be glad when the name of the Lord is mentioned amongst us.  Indeed we must all accept the honour of God's name and honour Him as such. Amen means let it come to pass. So, for the name of the Lord to be honored come to pass, we must cheerfully open our lips to praise His name and our actions must also speak volume of who God is. Join the brethren to sing the Lord's praise wherever you are. Prayer: Unto You alone will our praise rise to. Take glory, honour and adoration for all You have done and still doing in o...

Theme: Seek Salvation  Text: Psalm 106:4&5 4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh, visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance. It's another awesome day the Lord has granted unto us, we need to give Him thanks. In today's devotion, we will be looking at seeking salvation in the Lord. We often go before the Lord with requests in prayer. This should not be a routine of just asking for things that will satisfy the flesh but we ought to seek spiritual things as well. Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things shall be added unto it.  The psalmist is pleading with the Lord to remember him with the favour God has towards His own. The favour God has towards us is the grace to be saved from damnation. For God loves us that He gave Jesus to die in our place that if we believe we will not perish but...

Theme: Justice & Righteousness  Text: Psalm 106:3 3 Blessed are those who keep justice, and he who does righteousness at all times! Our world is gradually becoming more corrupt than we can imagine. People claim they are not corrupt yet their actions expose them easily. How well do you keep justice? This should be a question you must daily ask yourself in every action you take; is the action appropriate and just? By so doing, you can keep the level of justice high. Justice means living a just behaviour or treatment towards others. A just life ushers you into righteous living.  The responsibility you must perform but failed to, the one you ought not to do but you did and other bad moves you've taken have made you reduced your score on justice and righteousness. There's blessing that comes with justice likewise punishment for not being just. The blessings from those you've been just to will speak positively in your life. The sigh of those you've denied justice brings c...

Theme: A Grateful Heart  Text: Psalm 106:1&2 106 Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise? We're not complete if our praise to the Lord isn't heard. We need to give Him praise at all times and in all circumstances whether pleasant or unpleasant. That's the attitude of the grateful. A grateful heart appreciates even the little offered him/her. Praise the Lord dear beloved in the Christ. For He has been good to us. Consider your state a year ago and this very moment. Indeed God has been good and His mercy endures forever.  His mercy is what  is preserving us in this pandemic. The mighty have fallen, the rich and poor were not spared. But God has been with us and given us life. Can anyone ever utter the mighty works of God? No! His works are full of awe and we lack the words to express how great they are. We can therefore not declare all the pra...

Theme: One Mind in Christ  Text: Philippians 3:15&16 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. As dear beloved children of the Most High God, we ought to have His full nature manifest in us. It is out of this characteristics others will identify who we are and draw near to the Lord. Just as a child grows into an adult, it is also expected of us to mature in the faith. Being matured in the faith directs how we think and react to issues. The power to distinguish what to do or not do, lies in the divine direction of the Holy Spirit. It isn't every issue a matured Christian must react to, there are some we must allow wisdom (from God) to direct us on what to do. The next time you're unsure what to say or do, communicate with God in prayer.  There's a divine rule tha...

Theme: Delivered from Death  Text: Psalm 56:12&13  12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, 13 For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Our confession to the Lord binds us forever in all that we do; accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour is a vow we've made to God. We need to keep to the vow by doing away with sin and pleasing God. Praise must proceed from our heart and mouth to God continually for sending Jesus to die for us. The death on the cross brought victory to us over death. Death has no hold of us because we have eternal life through Christ Jesus. We have also been positioned well through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to walk in the presence of God. Dear beloved in the Lord, the deliverance of the Lord works in every sphere of our lives so we ought to be grateful. (Hebrews 4:14-16) Prayer: Our hearts sing of Your glorious work...

Theme:The Lord Sustains 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. The world presents us with diverse burdens; Marital, academic, financial, family, career, amongst others. Keeping an eye on the burden often brings health challenges our ways. We could even die in the process. In that regard, the Lord is ready to relieve us of our burdens if we call on Him. We've been called to cast our burden on the Lord. Irrespective of your burden, Christ says come to Him. He will sustain us to overcome it. We need not fear casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for us. When faith is activated in us, we behold the glory of God not the burden. For He will not permit the righteous to be moved; in place of worry, we shall worship, in sorrowful moments, we shall serve faithfully, and our tears shall be replaced with laughter. The Holy Spirit will empower us to stand firmly so as not t...

Theme: The Proof  Text: Luke 24:40-43 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence. In yesterday's devotion, we looked at the Living Jesus meeting with His disciples and others in an enclosed room. They doubt He was the one that appeared to them. We are continuing with the proof Christ showed them He was actually the one before them. As we said in yesterday's devotion, the fresh wounds on His feet, hands and side are still fresh and speaking too. There's no scar on the Lord rather the wounds are still as they were when He was crucified on the cross at Golgotha. It is for this reason He showed it to the disciples and others to see and believe.  Dear beloved in the Lord, God has given us enough proof of the salvation of our souls. We need to wo...

Theme: The Living Jesus  Text: Luke 24:36-39 36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” How will you feel seeing someone you least expected appear in your room? I guess you'll be frightened and the next thought will be the person is a spirit/ghost. Exactly how the apostles felt when the resurrected Jesus appeared to them. Jesus' greeting, “Peace to you” reveals His nature yet His disciples and the others couldn't welcome this peace. Dear beloved in the Lord, there are distractors along our lives' journey. To do away with them, we need to concentrate on the Saviour and what He has to say about our situation. ...

Theme: Women, Divine Tools  Text: Luke 24:8-12 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. Hallelujah! We're still recalling the account of the resurrection in the perspective of women. Women have been with the Lord from the time of His arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. On the first day of the week, these women visited the tomb and returned with the Good News of Christ's resurrection. Having been spoken to by Angels, they got the understanding of the reason of an empty tomb. The Ministry of Christ after the resur...

Theme: Christ is Risen  Text: Luke 24:4-7 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” Today marks the resurrection of Christ on the Christian calendar and it's Easter Sunday. Hurray! Our Lord overcame death, the grave and hades that we equally should be empowered to overcome them as well. There are great lessons from the encounter of an empty tomb by the women who first got there and later the disciples. The text for consideration today is on the women and their encounter with the Angels of God. We often become anxious and worry for nothing when in fact what we've hope...

Theme: The Burial Lessons  Text: John 19:38-42 38  After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.    39  And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  40  Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.  41  Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.  42  So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. In almost every tradition, it is family members that bury the dead. However the burial of Jesus gave a twist in this burial process. In toda...

Theme: Significance of the Cross Text: The Gospels  Today marks Good Friday on the Christian calendar, to recall the suffering of Jesus on the Cross at Golgotha. The Lord's death on the cross is to redeem lost souls of all humanity and to reconcile us to the Father. The message of the Cross is foolishness to those perishing (those still in darkness) but to us the Christians, it is a message of hope unto salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). Our Lord Jesus said seven things on the cross which we shall look into to shape us in this season. These sayings can be found in the Gospels and are represented as such;  1. Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 2. Luke 23:43: Verily, I say unto you today, thou shalt be with Me in paradise. 3. John 19:26–27: Woman, behold thy son. (Says to disciple) Behold thy mother. 4. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?  5. John 19:28: I thirst. 6. John 19:30: It is finished. 7. Luke 23:46: F...

Theme: Maundy Thursday - Gethsemane Text: Luke 22:41-44 41  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,  42  saying,  “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless   not My will, but Yours, be done.”   43  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  44  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Gethsemane is the place Jesus prayed earnestly before His arrest. The atmosphere at Gethsemane on that fateful evening was filled with sincerity, humility and love. Jesus demonstrated how we ought to approach circumstances in life. Gethsemane is a reflection on a Son who could just give a command to change situations yet refused to please Himself in order for His Father's will to be done. (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29)  Dear beloved in the Lord, in this season of Easter, you need to ...