The Word

Theme: Neither Do I Condemn You Text: John 8:10&11 10  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,  “Woman, where are those accusers   of yours? Has no one condemned you?”  11  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her,  “Neither do I condemn you; go   and   sin no more.” In the previous devotion, we learned about a woman caught in adultery brought to Jesus by her accusers. Jesus asks whoever is without blemish should cast the first stone causing the accusers from the mature to the young ones to leave until the woman was left alone. Christ is merciful and He shows it to anyone who comes to Him in penitence.  His concern about where the adultress accusers are and whether they have not condemned her is out of mercy. Who then is our accuser in this dispensation? The devil and his agents are the accusers of the brethren. But when they bring us before Christ, mercy will speak on our behalf. He has ...

Be glad in the  Lord  and rejoice, you righteous;  And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Hallelujah! For the Lord is faithful and His mercies endure forever.  Lord,  You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. I declare no evil shall come near me or all that You've blessed me with (family, friends & neighbours). Deliver us from trouble and fill our mouths with new songs of Your deliverance. Thank You, Lord, that You are true to Your Word. Glory be to Your Name in Christ Jesus have I prayed. AMEN! Supporting Scripture:Psalm 32:7&11

Habakkuk was a prophet of God in the dispensation the Lord intend to punish His people for idolatry when evil increased greatly in the nation. He was concerned about how evil is prevailing but more worried when the Lord revealed He will use the Babylonian nation to punish His nation.  Lessons from the Prophet Habakkuk; ¶ Be concerned about your environment especially when evil is prevailing. Seek God's face for divine intervention.  ¶ Build a mutual relationship with God by having ceaseless fellowship with Him. When Habakkuk questioned God, he faithfully wait for His response. He had a mutual conversation with God which we all ought to emulate.  ¶ Know who God is. Habakkuk knew God is Holy so using a godless nation to punish His nation was not pleasant to him. He understands honour will not be given to God but to the idols of the Babylonians. So he questioned God to know if God will let such an evil nation get away without being punished.  ¶ Prayer should be directed...

Theme: Convicted by their Conscience  Text: John 8:9 9  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is therefore impossible amongst the accusers to cast the stone. One by one they left the adulterous woman from the elderly to the youngest. They did not leave because Christ was not paying attention to them but were convicted by their conscience. Maturity comes to play to discern right from wrong. Avail yourself for the Holy Spirit to prompt you of your sins. This will constantly guide you to have a good relationship with God.  PRAYER: Dear God, help me to become conscious when I'm being judgemental towards others. I pray for strength to learn to encourage others in the Lord than to scatter them from Your presence in the Name...

Theme: Cast the Stone If You're Without Sin Text: John 8:7&8 7  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them,  “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”   8  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  In yesterday's devotion, we saw how Jesus failed to respond to the accusers of the adulterous woman. The people persisted until Jesus raised Himself and gave them a response:  “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  Who can say he/she is without sin? We all try hard to live a holy life but sometimes even doubt or fear can cause us to sin against God. It is only in Christ we can boast we have no sin, not of our own doing. Stop casting stones at others because their sins have come to light. Instead, assist them to overcome the weaknesses that push them into sin. As you do that, you must also focus on how to build a better relationship with God.  P...

Theme: As though You've Not Heard Text: John 8:5&6   5  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  6  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. In yesterday's devotion, we saw how a woman was caught in the act of adultery and dragged to the temple where Jesus was. Her accusers in today's text want to fulfil what Moses stated in the Law but want to know the mind of Christ to accuse Him. Beware, not every issue laid at your disposal is to take your opinion but to trap you. Jesus gave a good approach to giving opinions:  ¶ analyse the issue critically before you respond and; ¶  act as though you've not heard this will give room to hear more from the people. Be guided by these principles so you do not fall into the snare of the wicked....

Theme: Caught in the Act Text: John 8:3&4   3  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,  4  they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Many of us are quick at pointing fingers at others when they go wrong. One thing we often forget is the fact that, though we have not been caught by our fellow human beings, God knows of every deed of ours whether clean or dirty. Have you ever been caught in an act? How did you feel?  May we not possess the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees who are good at detecting people's guilt but not their very own. Instead of trying to make a public show of people's acts of guilt, show them the love of Christ and guide them to the path of His Righteousness. PRAYER: Be merciful Lord unto me for the moments I failed to be a neighbour to others. Deliver me from the spirit of accusation and judging others. May the Holy...

Theme: A Lifestyle to Adopt  Text: John 8:1&2 8  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  2  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Our habits often become a lifestyle and if it's negative, it is sure to end in a disaster. However, a positive lifestyle brings health and vitality to the individual and those around him/her. It is the custom of Jesus Christ to always go into solitude after a hectic day's work. He uses that moment of solitude to commune with God and be energised for the task ahead. In the morning, He returns to teach the people. We also ought to learn to have personal fellowship with the Father before reaching out to others with the Gospel. In so doing, we become well-equipped to deliver without fail.  PRAYER: Dear God, breathe upon me Your perfect nature and lifestyle so that I may reflect the image of Christ in all areas of my life. Help me to adopt the ...

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;  And to You, the vow shall be performed.  O You who hear prayer, to  You all flesh will come. May Your Name be praised from generation unto generation for great and marvellous are Your works. O God according to Your Word, "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the  Lord  your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame". Hear us Lord, and satisfy us in all areas of our lives. Put Your praise in us and may shame and reproach be far from us in the Name of Jesus Christ. AMEN! Supporting Scripture: Psalm 65:1&2; Joel 2:26

Hananiah was the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon. During the reign of king  Zedekiah king of Judah, he gave a false prophecy which later resulted in his death. It's as if his descendants have his traits of falsehood when his grandson Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, accused the prophet Jeremiah of defecting to the Babylonians.  Some Characteristics of Hananiah's lifestyle; ¶ He was a false prophet. He gave prophecies of his imagination than from the Lord. Be careful not to contradict God's purpose.  ¶ He never weighed the consequence of his action. He took the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and broke it when he knew it was the Lord's instruction for Jeremiah to have it on. Act wisely whether in the house of God or not so as not to incur the wrath of God.  ¶ His false prophecy and misleading of the people caused his death. He died that same year. We must learn to speak only the truth for the wages of sin is death.  Supporting Scripture: Jeremiah 28 ...

Theme: You are Preserved  Text: Psalm 121:7&8 7  The  Lord  shall preserve you from all evil;  He shall preserve your soul.  8  The  Lord  shall preserve your going out and your coming in  from this time forth, and even forevermore. To be preserved means to be kept safe from danger or any form of harm. The psalmist knew it is only the Lord that can preserve us from evil. The Blood of Jesus Christ preserves our souls from harm. He holds the key to our lives and so watches over us. Whether we are at home or not, God's preservation cannot be limited in our lives. God will watch over His Word to keep us safe no matter where we go. You are preserved dear beloved in the Lord so walk in this confidence at all times. PRAYER: Thank You Lord that You preserve me from evil. I commit my way to Your care to guide me in all that I do. I declare the Lord shall preserve my going out and coming in from this time forth and foreverm...

Theme: You Shall Not be Stricken Text: Psalm 121:6 6  The sun shall not strike you by day,  nor the moon by night. The psalmist declared in yesterday's devotion, the Lord is his Keeper. By this, he is declaring in today's text the sun shall not strike him by day nor the moon by night. The wickedness of the wicked and all forms of evil that happen during the day and night cannot harm anyone who trusts in the Lord as his/her Keeper. The day and night shall favour him/her and bring glad tidings. When evil surrounds you, declare the sun shall not strike me by day nor the moon by night.  PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the power of Your protective shield over my life, my family, friends and neighbours. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the sun shall not strike us by day nor the moon by night. AMEN!

Theme: The Keeper  Text: Psalm 121:5 5  The  Lord  is your keeper;  The  Lord  is your shade at your right hand. In yesterday's devotion, we learned that God never slumbers and He protects us at all times. This makes Him the perfect Keeper of our lives. The psalmist says the Lord is our shade at our right hand; He is a protective shade to us. If we eliminate God, we are exposed to danger. It is just like not taking heed of a manufacturer's instructions on how to preserve a product. The product will go bad and cannot be used.  PRAYER: Thank You Lord that You are a protective shade over my life. My Great Keeper, help me to know I am safe in Your Hands. In the Name of Jesus Christ. AMEN!  

Theme: God Never Slumbers  Text: Psalm 121:3&4 3  He will not allow your foot to be moved;  He who keeps you will not slumber.  4  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. When we put our trust in the Lord, He takes care of us every step of the way of life. His protection will deliver us from deadly mistakes so our feet will not be moved from the path of safety. He also makes provision for our safety by keeping His eyes on us always, He is present wherever we go and charges angels over us. The divine presence of God is not limited to us as individuals alone but to our families, friends, and neighbours. Dear beloved in the Lord, the God who is our Keeper never slumbers and so take heart when you are in the valley, for He will bring you up to the glorious mountain of abundance according to His glorious riches.  PRAYER: Thank You Lord that You never sleep nor slumber because of me. I commit my way to You, guide me in all that I do ...

Theme: Whence comes Your Help? Text: Psalm 121:1&2 121  I will lift up my eyes to the hills—  From whence comes my help?  2  My help comes from the  Lord , who  made heaven and earth. Everybody does require some level of help at every stage of life. The help could vary and range from family, finances, academics, etc. Where does your help come from in times of need? The psalmist confidently declared, he will lift up his eyes to the hill for his help comes from the Lord. God created all things and has dominion over all elements of His creation. Learn to commit your worries to the Lord in prayer. For He is an ever-present help in times of trouble. AMEN! PRAYER: Jehovah Jireh, thank You for Your unfailing provision in my life. I lift up my eyes to You to perfect Your glory in my life, family, church, ministry, workplace and every area of my life in the Name of Jesus Christ have I prayed. AMEN!

To God be the glory, great things He has done. The powerful Hand of God has given me the confidence to look up to Him without fear for my help comes from Him. Thank You Lord that You will not allow my foot to be moved; He who keeps me will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps my household, friends and neighbours shall neither slumber nor sleep. It is written; "May the  Lord  give you increase more and more, you  and your  children.  May you be blessed by the  Lord ,  who made heaven and earth". Therefore I declare the Lord is giving me and all that is mine (spouse, children, families, colleagues, friends, etc) divine increase in our homes, workplaces, schools, community and the church. I speak the blessings of the Lord over all areas of my life in the Name of Jesus Christ. AMEN! Supporting Scriptures: Psalm 115:14&15; 121:1-4

Delilah is a beautiful lady who stayed in the valley of Sorek. Sampson loved her and she was employed by the Philistine lords to lure Sampson to tell her where his strength lies so that they may prevail against him. She succeeded after a continuous attempt to get an answer. Characteristics lessons from Delilah * She is cunning. Her request to know the strength of Sampson was done as though she loved him. Be mindful of unfriendly friends around you. * She traded her love for pearls. There are many out there who would do just anything to gain worth even if it means losing love ones. Ask God to open your eyes to see such people.  * She offered her lap as a place of comfort to Sampson but that was for his doom. Just as Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus with a kiss, she also betrayed Sampson on her lap. She called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Supporting Scripture: Judges 16:4-20

Theme: Not Unto Us Text: Psalm 115:1 115  Not unto us, O  Lord , not unto us,  but to Your name give glory,  because of Your mercy,  because of Your truth. Have you ever considered how you were able to come out of that difficult challenge you faced? Even look at your current state and ask yourself how did you make it? It's not because you can, neither is it your intelligence. It is God's grace! God's Word is the truth and He has assured his mercy. He has demonstrated His mercies in every area of our lives. To this, we can confidently say, "This ought to be God's doing!" PRAYER: Thank You Lord for Your unfailing love and mercy. Not unto us but unto You be all glory, honour and adoration. My heart rejoices in Your mercy and I declare You are faithful. In the Name of Jesus Christ have I prayed with thanksgiving. 

Theme: God Will Prosper You Text: Nehemiah 2:20 20  So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.” In the heat of opposition, we need to rely on God to prosper in all that we do. In yesterday's devotion, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem falsely accused Nehemiah of rebellion against the king after they made a mockery of him. The text for today is Nehemiah's response to his opposers. Indeed it is the Lord that prospers every work we do. Unless He prospers it, it cannot end well. Just as Nehemiah made mentioned to Sanballat and Tobiah of not having any heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem, and in subsequent verses Sanballat was denied shelter. We must also continually declare the wicked will have no heritage, or memorial in the places we have built the broken wall.  PRAYER: Thank You Lord for prospering the works of my hand. I...

Theme: Beware of Sanballat & Tobiah Text: Nehemiah 2:19 19  But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” We are often faced with opposition in whatever we lay our hands to do. Nehemiah faced strong opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. They made a mockery of the rebuilding of the wall. Do not be surprised when people try to laugh at you and despise you for choosing to build the broken walls of your life(refer to yesterday's devotion for examples). It is their insecurity that is pushing them to discourage you before you succeed.  Clueless Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem asked, “What  is  this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” The king has given his approval already and so Nehemiah and his team have not rebelled in any way. Watch out for...

Theme: Let Us Rise and Build Text: Nehemiah 2:18   18  And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.  So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work. In yesterday's devotion, we learned how Nehemiah laid to bare the reproach of his people. We established that to reverse the reproach, we ought to build the walls. Nehemiah continued in today's text to give encouragement and hope to his people on the building of the walls. Every broken wall of our lives ought to be rebuilt. The broken walls could be our unfaithfulness in the things of God or family, mismanagement of funds, pride, envy, greed, backsliding, immaturity in spiritual matters, broken homes, increasing rate of divorces, increasing rate of promiscuous behaviours, high level of indiscipline, etc. To stir up the desire to build the broken wall, Nehemiah identified God to...

Theme: No Longer a Reproach  Text: Nehemiah 2:17 17  Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”  Nehemiah nailed it right when he uncovered the destruction of Jerusalem to the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the others who did the work. His word points out how distressed we become when the wall (the security or peace of our homes, workplace or even country) is destroyed. These broken walls of our lives pave way for reproach (disappointment or failure to meet good expectations). The sure way to reverse reproach is to build. If we learn to bounce back to doing the right thing and ensuring we do away with the things that destroy our walls then we shall no longer be a reproach.  PRAYER: Dear God, stir in me the desire to build the walls of my ministry, marriage, family, ...

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!  Sing out the honour of His Name;  Make His praise glorious.  Say to God,  “How awesome are Your works!  Through the greatness of Your power,  Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.  All the earth shall worship You  and sing praises to You;  They shall sing praises to Your name.” According to Your Word o Lord, You instructed us "And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the  Lord  for it; for in its peace you will have peace". In the Name of Jesus Christ, I declare peace, healing, prosperity and goodness over my life, my family, my community, my hometown, my nation, and the entire world. By the power of the Holy Spirit, our testimonies shall not cease to God's glory. AMEN! SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: PSALM 66:1-4 & JEREMIAH 29:7

Nathaniel means God has given. He was a disciple of Christ. His friend Philip brought the message of Christ to him. Though sceptical at the beginning, he became a disciple of Christ when he had an encounter with him. He is least talked about after his encounter with the Messiah.  Some Characteristic qualities of Nathaniel * He was a true Israelite and knows much about his people. This knowledge made him ask Philip if anything good can come out of Nazareth. We ought to also know our history (family, village, community or nation). It gave him an avenue for Jesus to say of him, "he was an Israelite in whom is no deceit". * He was curious. His curiosity urges him to follow Philip to find Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  * He believed when he encountered Christ. That believing heart should work in us also to trust and follow the Lord diligently.  Supporting Scripture: John 1:43-51 & 21:2

Theme: Don't Let Them Know  Text: Nehemiah 2:15&16 15  So I went up in the night by the valley, and viewed the wall; then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.  16  And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work. We established yesterday that Nehemiah employed a divine strategy of inspecting the level of damage on the wall and gates. As he carried out this task, he never mentioned it to the  Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work. We need to also be careful how we easily disclose our strategy to others without analyzing it critically. Don't let them know your strategy if God has not approved it.  PRAYER: Dear God, fill me with wisdom even as I take up the task of building the broken walls of my home, community, church and nation. Grant me the wisdom to know ...

Theme: Divine Strategy  Text: Nehemiah 2:12&13 12  Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.  13  And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire. Nehemiah began his mission after resting for three days. He did not announce the purpose of his return rather he went around to inspect the level of damage on the wall and gates. To avoid being detected, he went with a few men and an animal to seven as a means of transport. We need to also cultivate the attitude of silence. Do not announce every step you take. We need to also evaluate every project we intend to undertake before starting. In assessing the level of damage, it was carried out at night - what we also ought to ...

Theme: Take a Rest  Text: Nehemiah 2:11 11  So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days.  To the glory of God, Nehemiah safely arrived in Jerusalem. Though time-bound yet he had three days of rest. Dear beloved in the Lord, taking rest refreshes us. It gives us the inner strength to carry out duty diligently. No matter the task you have ahead, do well to take a rest. PRAYER: Dear God You instituted rest from the time of creation when you rested on the seventh day. Help me to make time to rest and as I take rest kindly reveal great and mighty things to me in the Name of Jesus Christ gave I prayed. AMEN!

Theme: Your Well-Being  Text: Nehemiah 2:9&10 9  Then I went to the governors  in the region  beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.  10  When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard  of it,  they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel. Nehemiah began his journey in today's text by having the king's letter as a point of reference. The King was kind to him by sending captains of the army and horsemen with him. This royal entourage is sure to give Nehemiah protection from any form of danger. Though Nehemiah had all the support in seeking the well-being of his people, his arrival is not good news to Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite. Likewise, not everyone is concerned about our well-being and that of our families. We need to be mindful of how we easily relay critical family ...

Theme: Letters Text: Nehemiah 2:7&8 7  Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah,  8  and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me. Understanding the need for approval is key to advancing in life. Nehemiah does not want to give chances at all despite the king having granted him permission to go and rebuild the ruined walls of Jerusalem. He requested of the king for letters to be given to governors of the region and Asaph the keeper of the king's forest. Dear beloved in the Lord, we need to be wise like Nehemiah. The lette...

Faithful God, may Your Name continually be hallowed in every part of the world for great is Thy faithfulness.  I decree in the Name of Jesus Christ, I am unstoppable, the cords and chains of limitations have fallen off me in every area of my life. I walk in liberty and victory for Christ in me is the hope of glory. My week is filled with good news all around. AMEN! Supporting Scripture: Lamentation 3:21-23; Luke 13:12-14; Colossians 1:27

Oholiab is a Hebrew name meaning Father's tent. He was the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He was chosen by the Lord to support Bezalel in the design of the Ark of Covenant. He was an engraver, a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen.  Some qualities to learn from Oholiab's character:  ¶ We need to learn to have livelihood skills. This will lead us to higher places and open divine doors in our favour. Learn a skill for life.  ¶ The way is paved to gain in-depth knowledge if we Avail ourselves to work. As he availed to do the work of the Lord, and encountered more skilful people. ¶ May we be equipped for every good work wherever we find ourselves.  Supporting Scripture: Exodus 31:1-38:29