The Word

Theme: Inward Circumcision  Text: Romans 2:25-29 25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. The Jew of old hold on to the promise of the circumcision and condemns anyone who isn't circumcised. But their circumcision amounts to nothing when they fail to keep the law. Likewise is anyone who continually continue to sin under the umbrella ...

Theme: Instruct Diligently 2 Text: Romans 2:21-24 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. We are continuing yesterday's devotion on the theme, "Instruct Diligently". Dear beloved in the Lord, as we mentioned yesterday, it's not just about lip-services but actions to demonstrate how efficient you are as an instructor. Be what you teach or preach and not otherwise. For what you teach speaks back at you; you're the example of what you teach others. If you fail to live that examplary life, your instructions do not carry weight. What it does is, to lead those who you Instruct to blasphemy the name of the Lord...

Theme: Instruct Diligently  Text: Romans 2:17-20 17  Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,  18  and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,  19  and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,  20  an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. The Jew take pride in the law and Abrahamic covenant believing they have a place with the Lord. Some Christians of today also have that pride that they are children of God but their deeds are contrary to the will of God. If you claim you're a Christian but your ways otherwise, then you cannot instruct others to do God's will. As an instructor, you should not just know the Word of God but be a doer of the Word. Your judgment in issues should not be bias. Conduct you...

Theme: The Secrets of Men Text: Romans 2:15&16 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. In yesterday's devotion, we looked at the theme, "Not hearers but doers". God is pleased with those that hear His Word and do as He commands. He will bring to judgment everything done by all humans; the good and the bad even things done in secret. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct your life so as to always do what is right. When the Word takes seed in you, you're able to serve the Lord in truth and in spirit. Yes the law is inscribed in your heart, awakening your conscience anytime you're nearing sin. This spiritual awareness reminds you of the judgment of the Lord as the philosopher puts it in Ecclesiastes; 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fe...

HAPPY FATHERS' DAY TO ALL MEN!  You may never be noticed but your actions speaks volumes in the heart of your children. You're loved and cherished as a man who knows what's right for his children at any given time. The little time you spent at home makes the spine shiver yet makes your children much better people in society. They may have said you are mean or unlovely, yet as they distance from you, your voice gives them the victory in life. Don't ever quit being the man you ought to be at home. Model your children with love and care and see them become the stars of society. Charity begins at home; thanks to all daddies that transformed their children to becoming noble men and women in societies. Much love from THE WORD blog to all who have touched lives as fathers not necessarily their own children. God bless you all and do have a blessed day under open heavens. AMEN!!! 👱‍♂️🧔🙍‍♂️🙎‍♂️🙅‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙋‍♂️🙇‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️👨‍⚕️👨‍🎓👨‍🏫👨‍⚖️👨‍🌾👨‍🍳👨‍🔧👨‍🏭👨‍💼👨‍🔬👨‍...

Theme: Not Hearers But Doers  Text: Romans 2:12-14 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves The message of our Lord Jesus Christ must not only be heard but must be put to practice. Doing what the Word requires is what makes us true children of God. The lable Christian isn't enough until the Father’s will is done. God hasn't called us to just listen to Him but to do His will.  To keep the law or command, then you must have the love of God in you. Don't let the things of the world consume you into doing that which is abominable before God. Don't give room for disobedience to lead you astray from the grace of God. As the Word enters...

Theme: No Partiality  Text: Romans 2:8-11 8  but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,  9  tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;  10  but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  11  For there is no partiality with God. The cynical is partial in both services either to God or mankind; the cynical soul is self-seeking but that should not be the case of those that believe in the Lord. Every child of God desires righteousness and the well-being of others making him/her walk in the Truth of the Word of God. However, the self-seeking soul walks far away from the truth least he/she be exposed.  The nature of God knows no partiality as His judgment are purely truthful. To those who walk in evil ways, He will condemned with; indignation and wra...

Theme: The Impenitent Heart Text: Romans 2:5-7 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality Our hearts leads us either to a better end or otherwise. It is therefore necessary to consider what's taking root in it. The Lord requires of us to have a penitent heart; acknowledging our sins and repenting from them all. When we harden our hearts, it makes us not to hear or see the gift of God given to us freely. That's the outcome of an impenitent heart. Life must don't be lived as though there's no day of reckoning. Dear beloved in the Lord, we will account for the live we've lived here on earth. Let's therefore be reconciled to the Lord in all purity and holiness. Our ultimate goal ...

Theme: Reflections  Text: Romans 2:3&4 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? No matter how you choose to live, you must always reflect on the outcomes of our decision. Before you pass a judgment on someone, do well to reflect on your own life. God is solely the Righteous Judge and so we ought to draw near Him to learn. Dear beloved in the Lord, God has called us to taste of His goodness in Christ Jesus. A walk with the Lord through His Word brings you to penitence. It opens up your spirit to reflect on your deeds by the knowledge of the Word of God. You become spiritually alert in distinguishing between evil and good. The meditative spirit of the righteous shall take diminion in you to constantly reflect on who you are in Christ Jesus. Pray...

Theme: New Life in Christ Text: 2 Cor. 5 :16-19 16  Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  18  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,  19  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. To have a new life in Christ Jesus, one needs to be born again. This is from the anchor scripture of the Messiah's interaction with Nicodemus (John 3). To be born again implies total surrender to God through Jesus Christ in physical and spiritual baptism. Even...

Theme: Inexcusable Judgement  Text: Romans 2:1-2 2  Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.  2  But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. Have you ever pronounced a harsh judgment on someone only to realize you're also guilty of that crime? How did you feel about the judgement you've pronounced? I guess you gave yourself justifiable reasons why in your case the sentence should not be harsh. But dear beloved in the Lord, no amount of excuse can justify your actions. You condemn yourself by pronouncing judgment on another. Judge not for you shall also be judge by the measure you employ. The Right Judge is God as He judges in truth. God knows us too well that whatever He has to say concerning us is perfectly true of our nature. Conduct yourself well so that you do not incur the jud...

Theme: Revive Me O Lord!  Text: Psalm 119:159 159 Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. Revival is needed daily in our lives  that we may be stired in spirit to yearn more and more for the things of the Lord. When we become conscious of God's immeasurable grace upon our lives, it revives us to worship Him the more. The psalmist mentioned how he loves the precepts of the Lord. This love for God's precepts makes him walk faithfully with God. God is able to quicken us in the affairs of His Kingdom if only we also avail ourselves to work for Him. In God's lovingkindness, He ensures we are brought back on track when we are going astray. Dear beloved in the Lord, we all need revival at a point in our Christian journey. Go before God and ask Him to revive you. Prayer: Dear God, send forth Your Holy Spirit to revive every area of my life that needs the touch of Your glory. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation even now and forev...

Theme: Abominable Prayer Text: Proverbs 28:9 9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. Prayer is communicating with God; You get to hear God louder through His Word. If you don’t have any interest in hearing or studying the Word of God, you are not ready to pray. Praying what God has said or written down encourages or builds up your faith. You know what God is capable of doing so you don't doubt His promises. However, if sin entices you to do evil or not to hearken to God's voice, then your prayers shall be an abomination before the Lord. You can't be of one mind with the Holy Spirit because your ways are of the flesh. Your carnallity does not please God; The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the  Lord , but the prayer of the upright is His delight. Dear beloved in the Lord, avail yourself to hear God's Word so that, yoyr prayers will not become abominable before Him. Prayer: I come before Your presence my L...

Theme: Tasteless Salt  Text: Luke 14:34&35 34  “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?   35  It is neither fit for the land nor for the   dunghill,  but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” As dear beloved children of God, we are the salt of the earth. We seasoned the world with the Word of God and His love to all humanity. It is in our actions that people get to know us as Christians not by saying it. Salt is tasty and makes food pleasant for eating. However, when it is tasteless, it is worthless. It will not be good for preservation or any significant thing again.  Any child of God who lacks the nature of God is as a tasteless salt. The absence of God's nature gives room for the devil to manipulate the individual. You can't be seasoned to conform to the will of God unless you avail yourself for the Holy Spirit to manifest in you. You cannot serve two masters, you either lov...

Theme: Strategy for Battle Text: Luke 14:31-33 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Life is a battle that needs to be strategically planned in order to win. There's no easy way to winning you must be ready to weigh the pros and cons of every battle before attempting to face it. Christ having talked about how one must budget for a building, went on further to talk about a king who prepares for battle. Dear beloved in the Lord, our adversary the devil roars like a lion seeking whom to devour. The devil is always waging wars in our lives and so we must also strategically position ourselves to win. As the king decides on the number of men to go to b...

Theme: Life is a Budget  Text: Luke 14:28-30 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? In yesterday's devotion, we studied on the cost of being a disciple of Christ. We are continuing with how to budget one's life. Nothing happens by chances rather based on the decisions we make in life. Whatever we intend to do, we ought to estimate the cost to be incurred and weigh with our ability to accomplish it successfully. The text for consideration looked at how one ought to plan for a building least he is unable to complete the building. Our experience in this world must also be budgeted well so we do not loose our salvation. We need to plan as disciples of Christ not to loose the crown of glory that awaits us on the Day of the Lord....

Theme: Disciple of Christ  Text: Luke 14:25-27 25  Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,  26  “If anyone comes to Me   and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,   yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.   27  And   whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. A disciple is a follower, such individual takes instruction from his/her master and act accordingly. After the period of learning, it's expected the disciple emulates the master in all ways. When we draw closer to Christ, we become His disciples but that comes with a cost.  Jesus' word to the multitude that followed Him is purposed to guide us on the outcome of our decision to also follow Him. Once we come to Christ, we become new creation and we outgrow the former life taking up new lifestyles. This often gets opposion from loved ones we've ever acquainted with in those e...

Theme: There's Room  Text: Luke 14:21-24 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ In yesterday's devotion, we studied how excuses have made us neglect God's invitation in our lives. We are continuing the study today to look at the beauty and glory of the feast we have been called to attend. The servants returned to tell the master of the house the replies of his invited guests. Their replies though made the master angry, yet opened divine doors in the lives of ...

Theme: Excuses Text: Luke 14:16-20 16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ Glory be to God for another blessed day in His presence. Our Devotion today will focus on excuses. The context under which we are going to study on excuses is based on our justification for not honoring the Lord now. Have you ever given yourself a good reason why the things of the Lord should take a hold as you do other things? The man who invited his friends to dine with him is the Lord whereas his invited guest...

Theme: The Kingdom Bread  Text: Luke 14:15 15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”  There's a great banquet awaiting us in the glorious Kingdom of God. It is not meant for just anyone but for those to whom it has been prepared. Our fathers' of old ate the manna but we will partake of a bread far nourished than the manna. The grace of God through Christ Jesus gives us divine access to this banquet.  Dear beloved in the Lord, God is calling out to us to draw near to Him in all holiness and purity. Our ticket to that great banquet is Jesus Christ. Let's embrace Him by heeding to His instructions given us so we can walk the talk of faith to God's glory. Christ our bread of life has stretched out an opened arm calling us to come enter His Kingdom. Do not draw back, move in faith and enter through the gate. Prayer: Bread of Heaven, feed me and nourish me in the perspe...

Theme: The Guest List Text: Luke 14:12-14 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.” In yesterday's devotion, we looked at carefully making rightful choices that will bring us honour (exaltation) at the end than being humbled by our pride. In today's devotion, we will be looking at the guests at our feasts. We often invite people to grace our memorable occasions. These guests usually are not just ordinary people but people we believe can add value to the event. But is that the right thing to do? It's no crime inviting such individuals but there's the need to also consider the marginalized in society when throwing ...

Theme: Humbled or Exalted?  Text: Luke 14:7-11 7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Choices in life either determine whether we are of a lowly spirit or arrogant. The humble seeks to serve whereas the arrogant hastens to be served. This parable of taking seats when invited to a feast has a lot to offer us in our decision m...

Theme: Immeasurable Blessings  Text: Ezra 9:8 8 And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. It is so great a blessing to be born in this dispensation, as grace abounds unlike the times of old where it was scarce. The presence of grace brings divine changes; it qualifies the unqualified, favours he who does not deserves it, and does the unimaginable. Grace found us when we were lost and same grace gave us sight when the sins of this age plagued it blind from God's love.  The blessings of God has made it possible for us to escape the penalty of death. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever (no exceptions have been given but to all) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. By this we have access to His holy place as coheirs to Christ Jesus. ...