The Word

Theme: Laid on Jesus  Text: Isaiah 53:6 6  All we like sheep have gone astray;  We have turned, every one, to his own way;  And the  Lord  has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The joy of the Lord is to see us return to Him in penitence. He never takes delight in the death of a sinner. To make the soul of man devoid of damnation, God sent Jesus to die on our behalf. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way. Our hearts are not in agreement with the Lord's will for our lives. We all have become cynical in our ways and what we desire to see is what pleases us and not what makes life comfortable to all. In order to deliver us from our cynical ways, God manifested His love through Christ unto us (John 3:16). The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all on the cross of Calvary. Dear beloved, let us lay aside every iniquity in us by choosing the path of love that we may have the mind of the Holy Spirit. Prayer: Dear God, h...

Theme: By His Stripes  Text: Isaiah 53:4&5 4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. In our previous devotion we saw how Christ became a man of sorrows whom the world despised. He did not present Himself in the way the world expected Him to so he suffered terribly in the hands of men. Why would the innocent suffer for the guilty and of what benefit is that to you and I? This will be our discussion today dubbed, "By His Stripes".  The sins of our fathers of old and our own sins can only be atoned for by Jesus Christ a man without blemish. He borne our  griefs and carried our sorrows that we may be saved through His death. Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. His soul is an offering for sin. To those who eagerly wait for Him ...

Dear God by Your mercies another week has began unto You be the glory. I am grateful for the breath of life in me and for all Your provisions for my life.  I declare today, I am a child of God, and I choose to believe who God says I am. I will trust only in the assurance of His word because it is life to those who believe! In the name of Jesus Christ, all things are working out for my good and to the glory of God. AMEN! 

Theme: Man of Sorrows  Text: Isaiah 53:2&3 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Divinely the prophet Isaiah foresaw what will become of the Saviour of the world. This Saviour is Jesus Christ that had a humble beginning to the end of His life. He wasn't born among the rich neither was He raised as a Prince that men should serve Him all His days but He came as a normal man born and kept in the Manger. How the world thought He will rule did not turnout that way for that reason, He was despised my His very own people. Christ suffered the death on the cross not because He was guilty, but for the will of the Father to be done in saving the lost souls (of which you and I are...

Theme: The Report  Text: Isaiah 53:1 53 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? The message of salvation is a report we are told or better still we reach out each day to those around us. We report of the saving grace of Christ daily yet people fail to adhere to the teaching. Who has believed our report about living for Christ? In our homes, community, and political spheres, we have seen how many have made mockery of the message of salvation. Some have even wrongly twisted the message of Christ to suit their listening ear than what actually it is. God has chosen and empowered us to be filled with understanding so as not to fall prey to the deceit of the world and agents of darkness. Dear beloved in the Lord, the study of the Word of God and abiding in the Holy Spirit is the sure way to be saved from fables of this age. Our lives should give a vivid report about God not just our lips that men will see our good deeds and glorify our God. Prayer:...

Theme: Strengthen in the Lord  Text: Habakkuk 3:19 19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments. In yesterday's devotion, we saw how we ought to rejoice in the Lord even when our lives do not blossom. In the Lord our strength is established. Our source of strength both physically and spiritually is drawn from the Lord. He sustains us when our own strength seems to fail us. Just like the deer, the Word of God makes us steady and ready for battle at any given time. We are prepared to surmount every challenge or obstacle that comes our way. We possess a divine spiritual confidence that helps us to walk on the high hills (places of challenges or troubles) victoriously. Our song at all times should be to sing of God's strength at work in us. Prayer: O Lord my Strength, I bow before Your presence for keeping me secured in all that I do. Abba! Father, by the power o...

Theme: Though the Fig Tree Does not Bud  Text: Habakkuk 3:17&18 17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. This last verses of Habakkuk is concerned with his hymn of faith. The prophet's word is an enlightenment to all believers that faith is much and well exhibited in moments of nothingness. For that reason our theme for today's devotion is, "Though the fig tree does not bud". We all need to be encouraged not to give up on our faith for by it the men of old obtained a good report. We are encouraged by the hymn of faith not to give up in trusting the Lord.  The Fig tree is a symbolism of our lives on this earth. Is your life blossom (do you have it all and lacks nothing)? Does it feel sometimes the labour of your hand...

Theme: Divine Troops  Text: Habakkuk 3:16 16 When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops. In yesterday's devotion, we saw how God backfires the evil arrows of the wicked to senders. When the presence of the Lord manifest in our lives, it is like troops invading a land. He is the God of the armies of heaven. By the presence of God at work in four leapers, the Assyrian army fled when they heard them approaching their camp. God's troops put fear in the lives of our adversaries.  When we have the presence of Christ, the carnal nature is laid to bare. We easily identify our flaws and the rottenness of the lives we've lived. It is left of us to repent and follow the Lord faithfully. On the day of the Lord, His troops will gather the righteous to the Lord while the unrighteous to perpetual damnation. ...

Theme: Backfired Arrows  Text:  Habakkuk 3:14&15 14 You thrust through with his own arrows the head of his villages. They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret. 15 You walked through the sea with Your horses, through the heap of great waters. In the past few days, we've seen how God mightily works to deliver His own from the hands of the wicked. In today's devotion, we will be looking at the destruction of the wicked by their own arrows. Whatever evil the wicked plot against the righteous, God backfires it back to the sender. We need to remain in the Lord to enjoy all the benefits of being in the Lord. As the adage goes, "He who laughs last, laughs best". The wicked rejoices in his/her evil deeds but it does not last long because, the Hand of God will visit him/her to his/her own destruction. Every life whether good or evil, the Lord passes through; You walked through the sea with Your horses, through the ...

I'll enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; I will give thanks to God and praise His name from the depth of my heart. O God, You are Yahweh, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end on all things. I give thanks to the Lord, for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Glory be to the Name of the Lord.  It is written, "For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover him with favor as with a shield": Abba! Father, bless me in all that I do and let Your favour cover my life, family, ministry, career, business, finances, education, and every sphere of my life as with a shield. Deliver me and all that is mine from the wicked. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your presence in my life to uproot whatever You have not planted and waste the wasters of my destiny.  Dear God, it is written, You do not withhold any good thing from those who walk up rightly. I decree all throughout thi...

Theme: When the Lord Marches Through Text: Habakkuk 3:12&13 12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger. 13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah In yesterday's devotion, we learned that the presence of God brings an end to the challenges live present to us. In today's devotion, we will be looking at the theme; "When the Lord Marches Through". It is written, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. That's exactly what's evident in our text for consideration today. (Psalm 68:1) When the Lord arises in our lives, His wrath goes forth against those who suppress, oppress, and mislead us on the evil path. Whenever the Lord arises to march in any area of our lives, His aim is to bring about the salvation of our souls. The accuser of our d...

Theme: God's Presence  Text: Habakkuk 3:10&11 10 The mountains saw You and trembled; The overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; At the light of Your arrows they went, at the shining of Your glittering spear. All we ever need in our pilgrimage on this earth is the presence of God. God is omniscient and omnipotent, by these virtues, He is able to do all things with ease. The mountains, seas, sun and moon are elements He has total control over. The mountains tremble when they saw Him; likewise will the burdens of our lives tremble at the presence of Christ in our lives. It is written by the mention of the name Jesus, every knee must bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. There's power in the name of the Lord. The sea parted in the dispensation of Moses, during that of Joshua, the sun and moon stood still because God listened to the prayer of Joshua. We have an ...

Theme: Chariots of Salvation  Text: Habakkuk 3:8&9 8  O  Lord , were You displeased with the rivers,  was Your anger against the rivers,  was Your wrath against the sea,  that You rode on Your horses,  Your chariots of salvation?  9  Your bow was made quite ready;  O aths were sworn over Your arrows.  You divided the earth with rivers. The anger of the Lord is accompanied with mercy towards those who acknowledge their sins and repent. His mercy has kept the Judgement Day hidden to ensure all souls attain salvation; if the day was fixed, it would have happened long time ago but God's being compassionate on those still in darkness. Is the Lord pleased with your life? Will you incur the wrath of God if He should come? You can best answer these questions if you have a good relationship with Christ. In Christ, we become vessels used to advance the Gospel (the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ). The Lord...

Theme: Everlasting Ways Text: Habakkuk 3:6&7 6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian trembled. What can exist outside the plans of God? He has total control over every life be it human or not. He judges the earth and everything in it by the deeds performed therein. The good receive their reward and the evil ones do not escape their earthly punishment. When we trust the Lord with all our hearts, He will help us to overcome the challenges of life. Whatever challenges in our lives that seems like everlasting mountains would be scattered by the power of the Holy Spirit. Likewise will the perpetual hills be bowed to the command of the Lord. The perpetual hills could represent suppression from a superior, intimidation from others, sickness, failure, disappointment, hardship, and/or a...

Theme: The Brightness of God  Text: Habakkuk 3:3-5 3  God came from Teman,  the Holy One from Mount Paran.  His glory covered the heavens,  and the earth was full of His praise.  4  His brightness was like the light;  He had rays flashing from His hand,  and there His power was hidden.   5  Before  Him went pestilence,  and fever followed at His feet. The God we serve is an awesome God to behold in all His doings. When the Lord arises, His majestic glory is revealed: His glory covered the heavens, and the earth full of His praise. We His creation worship Him and proclaim His glory to the world. The glory of God is bright bringing light where there's darkness.  Physical light will not be needed when the Lord appears in the midst of His people. He will be our everlasting Light. The outstretched Hands of God is full of His mercy, compassion, love, and redemption to deliver anyone who comes to Him...

Theme: O Lord, Revive Your Work  Text: Habakkuk 3:1&2 3  A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth.  2  O  Lord , I have heard Your speech and was afraid;  O  Lord , revive Your work in the midst of the years!  In the midst of the years make it known;  In wrath remember mercy. The Word of God is the standard of the Christian living nothing more or less to that regard. The response we give to the Word of God determines what kind of nature we possess. In the dispensation of the prophet Habakkuk, the fear of the Lord (wisdom) manifested in Him when he heard the Lord's voice. So his prayer was lifted for God to revive His works. Many Christians have lost their spiritual nature due to living in the flesh (the carnal nature). When God's Word comes to enlighten us, we ought to seek revival just as the prophet Habakkuk did. Revival is the awakening or quickening of God's people to their true nature and purpose. Let'...

Amen! Amen! Blessings and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving belongs to our God forever and forevermore. I bow down to Your Holy Name for to You alone belong the glory. You're the incomparable God, You reign O Ancient Zion King. Glory! Glory! Glory! To You in the highest. It is written, if only we will confess our sins, You're faithful and just to clean us from every unrighteousness. I confess my sins to You this day: I've failed woefully in obeying Your command and I've not even kept well the command to love my neighbor as Christ loves me. Have mercy on me and transform my heart to love as You have loved me. Father, my imagination, thoughts and deeds always go contrary to Your will. Forgive me for not allowing myself to be filled with the Holy Spirit rather entertaining the voice of deceit, lust, anger, retaliation, vengeance, malice, covetousness and all manner of evil to fill me. Let Your mercies speak on my behalf and take not away Thy Spirit from me. Renew the right sp...

Theme: Praise the Lord!  Text: Psalm 148:12-14 12 Both young men and maidens; Old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. 14 And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints—of the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the Lord! The praise of our God must proceed from every mouth whether male or female, young or old. God deserves praise for the many wonderful things He has done in our lives. Just consider the cost of oxygen and how we have freely been blessed with the breath of life. Does God not deserve praise? He deserves it even more than what we are doing. God has given us strength to carry on our duties (He has exalted the horn of His people). Have you considered where your strength came from to complete your project and what about the healing you received when you were at the verge of death? It is all the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Le...

Theme: Inseparable  Text: Romans 8:38&39 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the past few days, we've been looking at how God's love empowers us to triumph every challenge in life. In today's devotion, we will focus on the theme, "Inseparable". Having tasted the love of God and His conquering grace, we can confidently say, nothing can separate us from the love of the Lord. The Apostle Paul states emphatically that he is persuaded that neither death nor life can bring a division between us and God. The power of death has been extinguished by the power of Christ's resurrection. So death cannot lay hold of us. In Him is the fullness of life. Likewise, no angels nor principalities nor powers can demarcate us from God's lov...

Theme: More than Conquerors  Text: Romans 8:37 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. In yesterday's devotion, we saw how we suffer for the sake of Christ. Yet in all these things, we know that the love of God takes root deeply in us and His stream of living water flows on this root all year. This gives us strength to stand against the odds of life. For Christ has assured us of peace in Him as He has overcome the world.  We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus if we abide in Him. God has given us the victory through Him. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. By our faith in God, we attain the victory that has overcome the world. God uses us as a symbol of His Majesty to tell the world who He is. Dear beloved in the Lord, we need to stand firmly in the Lord that we can attain victory. Whatever rises against us in life, we have the power to conquer for the conqueror's potency is within us. Declare aloud, I am more tha...

Theme: For Christ's Sake  Text: Romans 8:35&36 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Following Jesus is not rosy neither is it a trouble free promised life. Those who have not tasted of His love will do whatever it takes to ensure we do not keep faithful to this love. Thanks be to God, we have grown in strength of the Holy Spirit ready to face every battle. The love of God takes root deeply in us and His stream of living water flows on this root all year.  For the sake of His love, we are ready to suffer. What then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Whether it be tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, we will stand faithful in the Lord. All these suffering are there to keep reminding us that the worst is in the world but w...

Theme: God's Elect  Text: Romans 8:33&34 33  Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  It is  God who justifies.  34  Who  is  he who condemns?  It is  Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  Dear beloved in the Lord, we are God's elect as He has predestined it and called us through Christ Jesus. If there's any one who can bring a charge against us, then that is God. No evil power, human beings or any other force not of God can bring a charge against us. For whom the Lord calls He justified with the righteousness of Christ. If a charge cannot be brought against us, then we cannot also be condemned. Christ our High Priest makes intercession on our behalf daily. Brethren in the Lord, there's no sin the Blood of Jesus cannot wipe clean. Stop condemning yourself and confess your sins to the Lord. Live in God's justification and not the ...

Theme: If God is for Us  Text: Romans 8:31&32 31  What then shall we say to these things? If God  is  for us, who  can be  against us?  32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? In this journey of life, all that keeps us thinking is security. Once we have a good security, we are at ease to be ourselves. The Christian's security is in God. Knowing that if God is for us; keeps us in His embrace, then we are safe from every form of harm. As we dwell with God, who can be against us? No body is capable of standing up against God for He is mighty in battle. God did not call us in our perfection but while we were still sinners. He sent Jesus Christ to redeem us through His death but was raised on the third day for our justification. Out of love for us, God  did not spare His only Begotten Son. He is also able to give us all things freely. Let us take...

What shall I render unto You O my God for Thy mercy and goodness in my life? I'll sing Your praise and honour Your Name in the midst of the brethren and even before the heathens. I'll tell of Your marvelous works in my life. It is written, likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered: Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I receive spiritual strength to overcome every weakness in any area of my life. Fight for me O Spirit of the Living God and extinguish every satanic flame, arrows, weapons, and projections against my life and those that concern me. By the power of Your calling, I enter into divine rest. I established my week is peaceful, glorious, sickness free, testimony filled, manifestation of signs and wonders. I walk in liberty never to be tangled by any evil spirit. My week is blessed and I will be answered speedily when I pra...

Theme: Called According to God's Purpose  Text: Romans 8:28-30 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. There's a purpose for our existence. We've been called by God to fulfill a purpose on this earth. If we walk in the will of God, all things will work out for our good. It's not automatic that things will work out for our good, it will work out if it's in conformity to God's plans and purpose for our lives. Before we were formed in our mothers' wombs, God knew us, He sanctified us and ordained us. (Jeremiah 1:5) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son...

“Have your heart right with Christ, and he will visit you often, and so turn weekdays into Sundays, meals into sacraments, homes into temples, and earth into heaven.” ― Charles H. Spurgeon

Theme: Spiritual Intercession  Text: Romans 8:26&27 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. As human as we are, we have weaknesses in waiting patiently on the Lord. Usually, our hopes when deferred cause us to be unable to pray. This explains what's in Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Likewise, we are unable to ask our needs rightly; we often put our request before God in the wrong way. It's a reason we don't get the right or swift response to the prayer. What then can we do to solve the challenge? We have no power of our own but to depend on Him who has been promised to be our Comforter, Adovocate, Co...

Theme: Hope  Text: Romans 8:24&25 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Our expectations as believers is in the glorious liberty Christ will give to us when He returns to judge the world. This is what we hope for knowing that, our Redeemer lives. Our hope is characterized by faith as faith  is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We have no clue the time of manifestation, yet we believe it will surely come to pass. We trust the faithfulness of God so we hope in Him. (Hebrews 11:1) By faith, we walk, talk and manifest in hope not by what we see. We are not shaped by circumstances or events happening around us but we are moved by the Word of God. The Word gives us an assurance which we hope in persevering until it is established. No one struggles further to get something that has alrea...

Theme: Glorious Liberty  Text: Romans 8:21-23 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.   Liberty is what everyone seeks for in this struggle of life. There's none that enjoys being in bondage nor in affliction. In our study yesterday, we saw how the sin of Adam had brought pain unto the human race. Our liberty does not lie in our strength but in Jesus Christ. It is not only the Christian that yearns for liberty but the non-Christian also does. But we who believe in God, have hope of the glorious liberty where we have freedom to the fullest. We look forward to the Day of the Lord, where this body will be transformed from w...

Theme: The Revealed Glory  Text: Romans 8:18-20 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; The demand in following Christ is taking up one's cross and drinking from His cup of suffering (denial, rejection, mockery, beating, death, persecution amongst others). The focus must not be on the suffering, but on the glory to be revealed on the Day of the Lord. The glory of the Son judging the world and granting salvation unto all who believe in Him. The sin of Adam has caught up with the human race and we have paid dearly without being able to settle it. But thanks be to God, who has given us redemption through Christ Jesus. The curse of the earth, labour and child pangs will cease when Christ is...