The Word

Theme: Partiality Convicts  Text: James 2:9   9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.   In previous devotions, we learned that partiality or discrimination against the poor is a sin and God is not pleased with such behaviors. Dear beloved in the Lord, we commit sin if we show partiality against others, are selective in the laws of God, and do not have a balanced life. To show partiality against others is to give preference to some people whereas others are maligned. Being selective in the laws of God implies choosing laws that suit us and rejecting the ones that we feel are not attainable. This means we obey some of the laws and disobey some. Not having a balanced life means not having a good scale for one's life. That is to say, failing to apportion the right time to every sphere of our lives (marriage, family, education, career, finances, etc...).   The law convicts us as transgressors if we are partial in life....

Theme: The Royal Law Text: James 2:8 8   If you really fulfill  the  royal law according to the Scripture,  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”  you do well Anyone who professes Christ is a royal and a priest therefore must be acquainted with the law of the Kingdom. The law in the Kingdom of God that is mandatory to abide by is the royal law. The premise of the law is love. Love for one's neighbour as himself. If the royal law which is love is fulfilled, then such a person is said to have done well. Why will it be said a person has done well to keep the royal law? We are constantly tempted by our own desires or the deeds of others to go contrary to the royal law. It is not easy to fulfill the royal law with a carnal mindset.  The royal law is more an action than just mere words. Love is full-time work without rest. You can't give excuses in love. This law is fully summed up in 1 Corinthians 13 where love is described as; patient, kind, not jealous, ...

There is an awesome name that is above all names and in this name, all dominions bow. If you possess this name and run into it, you are sure to overcome every obstacle in life. Ephesians 1:21-23 states; " Now Christ is  far above all   principality   and   power and   might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come .  And  He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things  to the church,  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Declare "The Name of Jesus is a strong tower the righteous run into it and are safe. I run into this Name and I surrender to Him in every area of my life wholeheartedly. Therefore every burden I carry falls off me right now for you have been put under Jesus' feet and He is Lord over you. Christ is the head of my soul, body, mind, heart, and spirit: I no longer suffer from afflictions...

Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus Christ and was faithful to the end. An account is given of her that the Lord Jesus cast out seven demons from her and she became His follower wholeheartedly. Although the Bible never mentioned what became of her after the ascension of Jesus her acts before and after the death of Jesus are remarkable.  Some Characteristics of Mary Magdalene: ✔ She was delivered from demonic power by Jesus Christ. We should understand from this that only Jesus can deliver us from the clutches of demons. Just as Mary Magdalene received her liberation, we can also experience the same if we surrender to Jesus Christ.    ✔ She did not allow her past to hold her back from following the Lord. She was possessed by demons but immediately after she received her deliverance she put the past behind her to embrace the new life. We must also learn to let go of the past (deeds and attitudes that are ungodly) to embrace the mercy of God.   ✔ She did not jus...

Theme: A Noble Name Text: James 2:6-7 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? In yesterday's devotion, we learned that both the rich and poor have been richly blessed equally in faith. The rich blessing of Christ Jesus has given us a noble name to be called children of God. We are Christians and should not be ashamed to say so. Unfortunately, we have allowed evil judgment (dishonoring the poor) to ruin this noble name. When we hypocritically invite the affluence to take the right place of honor at our events, their dictates often make us chicken out before them thereby giving them room to blaspheme the noble name we are called. If we learn to avoid partiality and to ensure we treat both the poor and rich equally, then we can have the right judgment. A rich bully uses his wealth to intimidate others. Therefore an association with such a person only spells doom...

Theme: Rich in Faith Text: James 2:5 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those who love Him?  In yesterday's devotion, we learned that if we discriminate then our judgment is guided by wrong motives and we were given a good example of how we give the highest place of honour to the rich and streamline the poor. God loves both the poor and the rich and His provision has no distinction when the two are applied (the former and the latter). Faith is equally given to the poor as the rich and God has given the poor the privilege to inherit the Kingdom if they believe in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, amid the congregation or place of worship, we need not look down upon the poor or deny them the right to take up leadership positions.  The positions in the service of God should be given to those to whom the Lord wills and not what money can pay for. We are being asked: " Has God not c...

Theme: Judgement Guided by Evil Motives Text: James 2:2-4   2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?   In yesterday's devotion, we learned that we have to avoid partiality as children of God. The text for today gives a perfect example of showing partiality. Most people feel their judgment is perfect but when we see it through the lens of God's Word, we come to the realization that such was guided by evil motives. When we discriminate against the less advantageous, less privileged, poor, orphans, widows, or people with some form of disabilities is an example of unfair judgment. Giving preference to the ri...

Theme: Avoid Partiality Text: James 2:1 2 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. Anyone who decides to follow Jesus must be ready to do away with anything that brings division (to distinguish or discriminate against people of races, colour, status, etc...). This is because, in Christ, we are all one so there are neither Jews nor Gentiles. We cannot claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if we favor some people over others. That contradicts our faith in God. We must hold our faith in Christ with unconditional love to show we are sons and daughters of God.  PRAYER: Dear God, help us to hold our faith in Christ Jesus with unquestionable love. Help us to overcome the instances that often push us to be partial to our fellow human beings who are less privileged. May partiality never be mentioned amid the body of Christ. This we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. AMEN!     

Theme: The Lord Will Keep You Text: Psalm 1:6 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.  In previous weeks' devotion, we have been learning about the godly and ungodly. The text for today brings the curtain down on our study and gives an overview of the end of the godly and ungodly. A godly person walks in the will of God so the Lord watches over his going out and coming in as well as his lying down and rising up. Evil cannot overpower such a soul because the mighty Hands of God keep him from destruction as the Lord will not give him as prey to his adversaries. This soul also attains eternal life in Christ Jesus. Unfortunately, this is not the same case with the ungodly. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Therefore, any soul that treads the ungodly path is heading for destruction. Dear beloved in the Lord, Which way are you on, and is the Lord with you on this path? If He is not, it is not to...

The sovereign Lord is mighty and powerful and He never fails in the use of His power to deliver His children. It is stated in Ephesians 1:19&20 "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places ". Declare in the Name of Jesus Christ, "By the power of God that raised Christ from the dead, I am delivered from the hand of untimely death, powers of failure, retrogression, and evil orchestrations. I can no longer be bound by them because the power of God that raised Christ to life is at work in me. Therefore, I have the mark of honor, and grace speaks on my behalf to be honored in every sphere of my life. My week proves the mark of honor of God in my life in the powerful Name of Jesus. AMEN"!     

Dorcas also known as Tabitha was a pious woman who lived in Joppa. She died and was resuscitated by the Apostle Peter.  Some Characteristics of Dorcas: ✔ Dorcas was a disciple who learned the way of the Lord and lived according to the teaching of Jesus Christ. We must not just bear the name, Christians our deeds must show clearly to all. ✔ It was recorded of her to have fallen sick. Her dispensation and ours are not different when it comes to health issues. We need to understand both the good and wicked fall sick so we should not characterize the sick as people who have offended God. ✔ She died and was laid to rest. This also teaches us that our days are numbered and when it is up, we will account for what we used it for. We should also understand, that we will need people around to perform our final funeral rites: It is said after she was washed, they laid her in the upper chamber.    ✔ She was eulogized with pieces of evidence; coats and garments she made for the widows...

Theme: Chaff Driven by the Wind Text: Psalm 1:4 4 The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. In previous devotions, we talked about the righteous or the man who walks according to the precepts, instructions, and teachings of God listing the benefits of being faithful in the Lord. Today's text is about the ungodly. The ungodly is anyone who does not embrace the precepts, instructions, and teachings of God but rather finds pleasure in the counsel of the ungodly, walks with sinners, and takes a seat with the scornful. Such a man is described as chaff driven by the wind. That is to say, he is easily influenced or carried away by every doctrine or falsehood. He has no purpose for life and is spiritually worthless. Therefore, the ungodly will be condemned in judgment. Unlike the righteous whom the Lord's grace will pardon, the ungodly shall not g...

Theme: Rooted to Prosper  Text: Psalm 1:3b 3  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season,   whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. In yesterday's devotion, we learned that a tree planted by rivers of water is never dehydrated and is fresh at all times. Indeed, so long as the tree has sufficient water to keep it fresh from the roots, the whole tree including its leaves shall not wither. Trees survive from the roots and manifest their blossoms and withers through their leaves. In the same vein, man can blossom or wither depending on the ground of his spiritual life: If he is rooted in the Living Water (John 4:10-14) will blossom but will wither the moment he departs from the Living Water.  To wither means to be challenged by circumstances above your control and it will take the intervention of God to turn the situation around for good.  The success    (ability to overco...

Theme: Fruitful in Season  Text: Psalm 1:3a 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The text today highlights the nature of the man who delights in the law of God and meditates on it. He is likened to a tree planted by streams of water.  Every plant has its season of fruition but it can be unfruitful in its season if it does not have the right amount of water to keep it fresh. Likewise, the human race cannot flourish outside the will of the Living Water for they may seem to flourish but are actually dried inside and quickly wither due to dehydration. A tree planted by the stream of water is never dehydrated and so has enough water to keep it fresh and ready to bear fruit in its season. Keeping the precepts, instructions, and teachings of God waters our lives for the season of drought (when evil springs) so that we can produce the right fruit (fru...

Theme: Delight in the Lord Text: Psalm 1:2 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. In previous devotions, we learned that three plagues usurp our blessings in the Lord; the counsel of the ungodly, the path of sinners, and the seat of the scornful. Any man who rejects the enticement of these plagues is led by the Spirit of God. His desire and delight are in tune with the law of the Lord. He no longer lives to gratify the desires of the flesh but rather to diligently look at the precepts, instructions, and teachings of God through a careful study of the Word. He does not just study the Word but also ponders over it to walk the talk of his faith in God. His meditation has become a lifestyle (day and night) and not just when he feels like meditating.  Dear beloved in the Lord, how often do you meditate on the precepts, instructions, and teachings of God? Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable to please God amid people? Then you have to guar...

Theme: The Scornful  Text: Psalm 1:1c 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful In previous devotion, we learned that the way of sinners ends in destruction while the narrow way of godliness brings life. Today we will look at the final plague in Psalm 1:1 which talks about the seat of the scornful. The scornful has no regard for people and despises others either in words or by their actions. Sitting in the seat of the scornful means associating and indulging in the act of the scornful. Dear beloved in the Lord, if you give a little room to ungodly counsel, it guides you to the path of sinners and finally settles you in the seat of the scornful where you disregard the warnings of other believers as well as the Word of God contemptuously. You need to avoid the seat of the scornful because you do not mock men but rather God when you express yourself or act scornfully. Do not be deceived, G...

Gaining understanding is key to life. Anyone without understanding often falls into unnecessary arguments, fights, wars, and disassociation from the right people due to misunderstanding. The Apostle Paul in  Ephesians 1:18 offered a prayer for the Church in Ephesus, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints". We have a future glory in Christ Jesus which we must hold onto till the end but without understanding it will be difficult to.  Declare in the Name of Jesus Christ, I receive the spirit of deeper insight in my walk with my Saviour. I no longer live in ignorance, I reject every evil offering of the devil and his agents to steal my spiritual insight. My hope in the Lord will never fail concerning my spiritual health, ministry, marriage, children, education, career, finances, businesses, investments, projects, and every sphere of my life in the power...

In our previous week's devotion, we mentioned that there are three ladies named Tamar in the Bible: first the daughter-in-law of Judah, second David's daughter, and the third Absalom's daughter. We also learned that Tamar means date palm tree. Today, our focus will be on the daughter of King David.  Some Characteristics of Tamar the Daughter of David: ✔ She was the sister of Absalom and she is said to be fair. She shares the same mother as Absalom and she is a half-sister to Ammon. ✔ She should be a good cook that is why her father will ask her to fix her brother some meal in his house. She personally baked the cakes before her brother. This should teach us to train our children to be responsible irrespective of our status in life. Tamar was a princess yet she could cook.   ✔ When her brother wanted to have sexual relations with her, she showed her displeasure and she outlined the consequence of such acts. “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be...

Theme: The Path Text: Psalm 1:1b 1  Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,   nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful In yesterday's devotion, we mentioned three plagues that usurp our blessings from God and delve into the first plague. Today, we will have a look at the second plague which is the path of sinners. The path of sinners is a lifestyle, a state of being, or a carnal mindset. When one is conformed to worldly pleasures and acquainted with the counsel of the ungodly, he/she soon walks the path of sinners. He is enticed by the lifestyle of sinners and willfully adopts such lifestyles. He no longer sees anything wrong with his way of life that displeases God and calls it normal forgetting that "T here is a way that seems right unto a man but its end is destruction (Proverbs 14:12)".  Dear beloved in the Lord, if there is a path of sinners then there is sure to be a path of the godly. The path of the godly ali...

Theme: Blessed are You  Text: Psalm 1:1a 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful The journey of life always presents choices for us but unfortunately, it never gets to choose for anyone as we are all freely allowed to make our own choices. The first Psalm enlightens us on the way of the righteous and the terrible end of the ungodly. Let's delve into the three deadly plagues of life that can be a hindrance to our blessings in the Lord. These plagues are the counsel of the ungodly ; the path of sinners ; and the sits of the scornful . Our focus today will be on the counsel of the ungodly. The ungodly counsel is an evil one and takes an individual far off the path of truth. It gratifies the flesh and seems normal among sinful people but its end is destruction. Examples of ungodly counsel include but are not limited to the crafty advice of Jonadab to Amnon (2 Samuel 13); Ahithophel's...

Theme:  Rejoice  Confidently in Everything Text: 2 Corinthians 7:16   16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything. The Apostle Paul had every reason to rejoice and be confident in the church of Corinth because he had come a long way with them in the knowledge of truth in Christ Jesus. We need to build confidence in others through the Word of truth so that the bond of trust can keep us together under the same mind in Christ Jesus. The text began with "Therefore" to emphasize that the Apostle Paul had done his work well and so had every reason to affirm the statement that follows the word "Therefore". If we do not train our children or disciple new converts well, we will not rejoice or have confidence they are firmly rooted in the Lord. However, if we diligently lead them in truth, then we will confidently rejoice in all things they do.  PRAYER: Dear God, let Your rod and staff guide me in the path of truth, and may I also guide all those that ...

Theme: Deepest Care Transforms Text: 2 Corinthians 7:15   15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.   Titus' affection for the church in Corinth grew deeper because of their obedience and warm reception. We can apply this in our lives to bring about a good bond to build our homes and communities. If we care about others and accord them respect, we are imprinting in their hearts acceptance and belongingness. It will go a long way to heal society from the menace of drug addictions, immorality, crimes, and other juvenile delinquencies. This kind of change begins with you and me. Let us give a warm reception in the Lord to the hurting, guests, and everybody we encounter. Keep in mind the deepest care transforms lives.  PRAYER: Dear Lord, we pray for change in our homes, communities, and the world at large. A change that promotes Your glory and brings about touching lives to transform soci...

 Theme: You Shall not be Put to Shame  Text: 2 Corinthians 7:14 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so, our boasting to Titus was found true. In our previous devotion, we learned the Apostle Paul was comforted by Titus' return from the church in Corinth. He made mention of the Corinthians' good deeds to Titus and was confident they would uphold the truth in all things. Titus' report confirmed what he said about the church in Corinth. Dear beloved in the Lord can there be an honest report about you which will prove true when those who do not know you encounter you?  The Corinthians persisted to live to the expectation even in the absence of Apostle Paul.   If you live a double life, you would be put to shame but if you abide in the truth, you shall never be put to shame. Likewise, we must train new converts and our children in truth so they live truthful lives. Correct and prai...

 Intercessory prayer is required of every child of God. We need to step in the gap to pray not only for ourselves but for others that they may be strengthened in the Lord. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:15-17 mentioned; "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers : that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him". Declare in the Name of Jesus Christ that you receive the tongue of an intercessor and step in the gap to pray for the church, backsliders, addicts, sick, family, friends, neighbours, nations, and every soul on the surface of the earth. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may the Lord God Almighty grant them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God. Declare your week shall produce divine results of your intercessory prayers in the Name of...

Tamar is a Hebrew origin name meaning "date palm tree." There are three Tamar's mentioned in the Bible. First, the daughter-in-law of Judah and the second the daughter of David and sister of Absalom, and Absalom also named his only daughter Tamar. In our discussion today, we will learn about the first and do the second next week God willing. Not much has been given about the daughter of Absalom apart from her being mentioned among the children of Absalom so we will not delve into her.  Some Characteristics of Tamar (The Daughter-in-law of Judah): √ She was first married to Er the firstborn of Judah. He is said to be very wicked in the sight of God so the Lord slew him making Tamar a widow. √ She was given to Onan the second son of Judah so he could have children with her for his brother Er but he was unfaithful in that regard. The Lord slew him because he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he lay with Tamar.  √ She was unfortunate with her marital life as the Lord k...

Theme: Spiritually Refreshed  Text: 2Corinthians 7:13 13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.  The epistle of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians is full of lessons and today's text highlights their comfort, joy, and spiritual refreshment with the Corinthians. Amazingly, the Apostle Paul's comfort and joy came from the report he received from Titus about the Corinthians. Dear beloved in the Lord, we must live worthy of our calling in order to be an encouragement to others in the faith. How we welcome others either in our homes, the church (service), community, or wherever we gather is essential to refresh a soul. If the church in Corinth had ill-treated Titus, he would never have been at ease to stay with them. However, because they welcomed him and lived with him more than he expected, he was refreshed. When last have you asked about the well-being of the soul tha...

Theme: The Essence of Correction Text: 2 Corinthians 7:12   12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. The focus of reprimanding people should not be to just point out people's wrongs, but to draw them to God. If we correct others with the intent to make them know they are wrong without leading them to Christ, then we have done nothing. The Apostle Paul intended for the Corinthians not just the man who committed the wrong (a young man who slept with his father's wife) or his father whom he hurt to have a good standing with the Lord. We need to learn to bring the knowledge of Christ to evil-doers then it will guide them to truth and the truth will set them free.  PRAYER: Abba! Father, let Your Word keep me under checks and balances so that when I have the opportunity to correct others I may do it right by leading...

Theme: The Fruit of Godly Sorrow Text: 2Corinthians 7:11 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.   In yesterday's devotion, we learned that godly sorrow leads to a change in heart and salvation whereas worldly sorrow condemns us. The Apostle Paul throws more light on what godly sorrow produces in anyone who adopts such sorrow. Godly sorrow produces the seed of humility in believers: we are humbled, earnest, sincere, and very anxious to get rid of sin in our lives. The seed of the fear of God also sprouts in us: we become conscious of the enticement of sin and its consequences when not done away with and so we take the bold step to put an end to it. We seek to please God more than self: the old nature of self-centeredness gives way to God's wil...

Theme: Godly Sorrow Text: 2 Corinthians 7:10 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.  In yesterday's devotion, we learned that the letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians is not to cause them pain but to lead to repentance. This repentance is born from the kind of sorrow they felt upon reading his epistle. When they became aware of the guilt it grieves them, so they sought to reconcile with God which is godly sorrow. Godly sorrow brings about a change of heart and to embrace godliness by doing away with the sin that enticed us. However, worldly sorrow is a full display of crocodile tears without any remorse for the evil done. This form of sorrow leads to death because the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus if we confess and believe in Him. Amazingly, there is no regret with godly sorrow since it brings about redemption but worldly sorrow does not for...

Theme: The Epistle of Repentance Text: 2 Corinthians 7:8&9 8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.   The Apostle Paul is pleased his epistle to the Corinthians has led to godly repentance. As children of God, whenever we are rebuked or reprimanded, we ought to reflect on what we have done wrong and seek God's forgiveness. The emotional display of crocodile tears is not what is required of us that is why the Apostle Paul stated that he did not rejoice because his letter made them sorrowful but rather that it led to a change of heart and to win them to God. Dear beloved in the Lord, how do you receive the message of God? Are you ever selective (you try to avoid sensitive messag...

  It is written in Ephesians 1:13&14 that, "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory". Thank You, Lord, for the Good News which is the power of Truth at work in me. I bless Your Name for the seal of the Holy Spirit to be a child in Your glorious Kingdom. I declare my divine seal can never be tampered with and my inheritance of eternal life in Christ can never be usurped. It is written that the Holy Spirit was given to us as a promise that we will receive everything God has for us therefore I declare I possess my possessions and whatever is my portion in the Lord, locates me wholly. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my fellowship with the Holy Spirit is established and settled therefore my week is spirit filled and spirit led to God...