daily scripture and prayer - Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries

Transcription

Covers (Final).indd 1
J A N/ F EB 20 16
Publisher: Dr. Chad Audi
Writer/Chief Editor: Rev. C. Paschal Eze
Send all correspondences to: Better Days, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
150 Stimson Street Detroit MI 48201 USA
http://drmm.org
Phone: 313-993-4700
DETROIT RESCUE MISSION MINISTRIES
Rebuilding our community, one life at a time.
Email: [email protected]
Better Days
Vol. 1 No. 1 Jan - Feb 2016
DAILY SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER
• Provides 4000 quality meals to the hungry;
• Serves over 1800 men, women and children in its facilities in
metro Detroit;
• Delivers highly-rated detox and treatment services;
• Helps veterans overcome drug addiction, homelessness and joblessness;
• Provides vocational training and job readiness support that result
in employment;
• Strengthens neighborhoods through blight removal;
• Supports the community of Roseville MI with a food bank;
• Supports poor families with free food items, clothing and furniture
at its Detroit warehouse;
• Uplifts young people at its 240-acre camps in Howell and Gregory MI;
• Rehabs sex trafficking victims;
• Offers prayers, chapel services, spiritual guidance to clients; and
• Rehabs donated homes and cars for onward donation to
low-income families.
B E T T E R D AY S – A B I - M O N T H LY D E V O T I O N A L J O U R N E Y
EVERYDAY, the 1909-founded nondenominational DRMM:
D RMM
The entire Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
(DRMM) family prayerfully wishes you
a year of all-round blessings.
A BI-MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL JOURNEY
12/23/15 11:50 AM
© Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, 2016
All Bible verses are taken from the New International Version.
Layout and Design: Rick Bratto
Better Days is brought to you by the special grace of God,
and the kind donations of discerning individuals,
families and groups across the State of Michigan and beyond.
We say thank you.
For free copies, prayer requests, suggestions, testimonies,
content submissions and donations,
please contact us at:
Better Days
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
150 Stimson Street Detroit, MI 48201
USA
Phone: 1-313-993-4700
URL: http://drmm.org
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Table of Contents
Message from the Publisher
3
February 1: People versus technology
35
January 1: God’s doing a new thing
4
February 2: The lone tree
36
January 2: Start the year with kindness
5
February 3: Good examples may be few but
37
January 3: Your plans for 2016
6
February 4: Wise financial stewardship
38
January 4: Mind your promises
7
February 5: When your godly routine is challenged
39
January 5: Set them free
8
February 6: Doubt is not your friend
40
January 6: Walk your good talk
9
February 7: The day that changes everything
41
January 7: The grateful gets more
10
February 8: Your family needs you
42
January 8: Because you really care
11
February 9: This is the gift of God 43
January 9: The treasure called hope
12
February 10: As Lent begins
44
January 10: Seeking right things wrongly?
13
February 11: Like little children
45
January 11: Making that tough decision
14
February 12: Give and receive wise and loving advice
46
January 12: Hard work still pays
15
February 13: Think with God
47
January 13: Humble like Jesus
16
February 14: Let Him lift you up
48
January 14: Get your focus steady
17
February 15: On this Valentine’s day
49
January 15: Great things start little
18
February 16: To beat prejudice50
January 16: One thing you owe your leaders
19
February 17: Seeking your RUTH? 51
January 17: When impossibility strikes
20
February 18: At the appointed time
January 18: Keeping your faith busy
21
February 19: Strength in purposeful numbers53
January 19: Yes, true miracles still happen
22
February 20: When they serve
54
January 20: Everyone is carrying a cross or two
23
February 21: As yourself
55
January 21: Be exemplary in well doing
24
January 22: Beware!
56
January 22: Place immense value on others
25
February 23: Nothing new
57
January 23: Resilience required 26
February 24: Wiped clean
58
January 24: God will not reject you
27
February 25: Search your heart
59
January 25: How joy comes
28
February 26: First in what?
60
January 26: Are your thoughts the problem?
29
February 27: Then come, follow me
61
January 27: Rest in His love
30
February 28: A happy home
62
January 28: Your best conversation today
31
February 29: Take responsibility 63
January 29: Difficult people can be blessings
32
January 30: U-turn is allowed
33
January 31: January ending so soon?
34
52
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35
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Message from the Publisher
37
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Dear Friend,
40
A devotional journey
41
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It gives me great pleasure to present to you the maiden edition of our
bi-monthly devotional, Better Days.
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The purpose is to encourage and support you in your daily journey with
God and service to your neighbors and community.
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Each day’s experience begins with a scripture to meditate on,
followed by exhortation and brief prayer.
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Use Better Days in your personal or group devotion, and feel free to share
your testimonies and prayer requests with us by email at:
[email protected].
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May the God of mercy and grace guide, protect and favor you
and your family each day in 2016 in Jesus’ matchless name. Amen!
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Dr. Chad Audi
President and CEO
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
http://drmm.org
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January 1
God’s doing a new thing
God’s Word: Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV): “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a
way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Each of us obviously knows a woman who was pregnant, is pregnant or trying to be
pregnant. As beautiful as pregnancy is, it comes with weeks of cramps, pains and other
forms of discomfort. But one blessed day, the pregnancy ends and a wonderful child
is born.
A new life coming out of the womb is amazing. It is the quintessence of freshness
and fervor, pleasure and possibilities. The joy of the mother towers so high above the
discomforts that they become insignificant and beg to be forgotten.
Likewise, the first of the year is a day of independence from the past, a day to open new
chapters of hope and determination, and especially a day to thank God and ask for
wisdom and grace to do His will and fulfill His specific purpose for our lives.
So, happy Year 2016 from all of us at nonprofit Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries! Thank
God the year 2015 is gone for good. It is not coming back. There will never be another
year called 2015. And the Lord God Almighty is urging you not to dwell on its pains,
disappointments, betrayals, failures or losses. He wants you to trust Him to perform
His word in Isaiah 43: 18-19. He wants you to begin this year knowing that He loves
you immeasurably.
Yes, He wants the best for you in 2016, and to have and enjoy it, you should remember to
apply God’s Word to Zerubbabel, which is still instructive to us today: “‘Not by might nor
by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
Brace up for God’s guidance. Brace up for favor. Brace up for a wonderful year.
Prayer: Father, I thank you in the precious name of Jesus for bringing me and my family
and friends into yet another year. Thank you for 2016. Give us the grace to do what
honors the Rock of our salvation. Use us as channels of abundant blessings, and protect
us daily from all forms of evil. Amen!
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January 2
Start the year with kindness
God’s Word: Nehemiah 8: 10 (NIV): “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and
send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not
grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Choice foods and drinks are usually part of New Year festivities in homes, halls,
restaurants and parks around the world. But while there are those who have more than
enough to savor, there are others – including children, seniors, the physically challenged
and veterans – who don’t.
Interestingly, they are not far away from you. They could even be relatives, friends and
next door neighbors. Orphanages, homeless shelters, nursing homes and hospitals near
you are full of people who need kind words, prayers and material gifts; people probably
wondering if their life was worth living.
The big wedding feast of Matthew 22 was not a who’s who event. There was no marquee
guest. Attendees were people - both the good and the evil - brought from street corners.
Apparently, the host had no prior contact or relationship with them. Again in Luke
14, Jesus underscores the importance of showing kindness to those who do not have
the capacity and (feeling of) obligation to repay us. In verse 13, He advised: “]W]hen
you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be
blessed.”
Festivities are never truly joyful until we show kindness to others. So, as you make
merry today, show kindness to the less fortunate. God wants to use you to make them
feel loved; He wants to give them a sense of belonging through you. Your gift may help
deliver them from melancholy and suicidal thoughts. Your invitation to dinner may be
the only one they’ve received in a very long time. As you show them kindness, God’s
awesome joy will be your strength this year.
Prayer: In Jesus’ name, I ask You, Almighty Father, to help me remember the poor,
destitute and oppressed this festive period and throughout the year. Amen!
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January 3
Your plans for 2016
God’s Word: Proverbs 16: 1-3 (NIV): “To humans belong the plans of the heart, but
from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure
to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and
He will establish your plans.”
It’s a good thing to make plans – good and smart plans – for the new year. As Alan
Lakein put it, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Because you don’t want to fail this
year, you have made plans or resolutions for your progress, peace and happiness (and
those of your loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbors).
Proverbs 16: 1-3 is reminding you that as good and smart as your 2016 resolutions and
plans may be:
1.It is God who knows what is best for you;
2.You should pray concerning your resolutions and plans; and
3.God – in His inestimable wisdom and love - will weigh your plans and give you the
guidance, providence and favor you need.
Put differently, there is no true success without God. Any plan or effort that excludes
God may seem amazing in the beginning but eventually end in repulsion and regrets.
But the plan and effort that are God-centered and God-driven will succeed. Jesus made
it abundantly clear in John 15: 5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in
me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
A Godless plan is an empty one.
When we ignore or exclude God in anything we are doing, we set ourselves up for
confusion, failure and heartache. When we include Him, He leads us on the path of
accomplishment, joy and peace.
Prayer: Father, I acknowledge that without Your help, my plans and efforts will be
fruitless and frustrating. Therefore, I invite You to take Your rightful place in my plans
and resolutions for this year. Direct my path and guide my actions in Jesus’ mighty
name. Thank You Lord for answering me. Amen!
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January 4
Mind your promises
God’s Word: Proverbs 20: 25 (NIV): “It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only
later to consider one’s vows.”
Many often give promises on the spur of the moment. Without considering their
capacity and ability to perform, they agree to give financial assistance to a relative in
need, pray for a colleague in difficulty, donate to a worthy cause in town, promote a
dutiful employee or marry a nice and loyal friend of the opposite sex.
But when time comes to fulfill the promise, they feel upset and frustrated and start
avoiding the would-have-been “beneficiaries.” Then, to save face, they give fancy
excuses and complain about being pestered. How miserable! That’s certainly not the
way to live happily in 2016.
Bogus promises may instantly give hope (on the part of the hearer) and boost ego (of
the promise giver) but they undermine trust and credibility. Nobody easily forgets broken
promises – not even kids. That’s why many partisan politicians are not trusted. They
craft and deliver bogus promises just to win the election, instead of delivering dividends
of people-powered governance. When was the last time you heard a politician or elected
official give a straight yes or no answer?
As a Christian, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes
from the evil one,” according to Matthew 5: 37. Apostle James adds in James 5: 12
that doing otherwise is inviting condemnation. So, don’t promise before you think, but
rather think before you promise. And if for any cogent reason you are unable to keep your
promise, don’t keep the other party in suspense or guess mode. Tell them why you are
no longer able to keep it. In fact, Leviticus 5: 4 says you should admit your guilt, even if
you had promised with good intention. Also, pray that the awesome Lord will touch their
heart to forgive you.
Prayer: Father, please forgive me for the times I have given bogus promises. Touch the
heart of those I have given such bogus promises to forgive me. Give me the grace and
courage to give straight yes or no answers, and to fulfill my promises to people. Thank
You for answered prayers in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 5
Set them free
God’s Word: Colossians 3: 13-14 (NIV): “Bear with each other and forgive one another
if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
We often hear social justice advocates complain about the high rate of incarceration
in the United States - especially for non-physically violent offences. And there are
innumerable accounts of how family members, friends and neighbors who were
incarcerated find it very difficult to rebuild their lives, get good paying jobs and fully
integrate with the community.
So, many of them go back to their comfort zone – the prison system – where they are
held again in captivity. That’s really sad.
But there is another kind of prison system we scarcely talk about, and we may be
holding our family members, friends, colleagues, associates and neighbors in it right
now, perhaps without knowing it.
When people offend us and we fail to forgive them, we put them in the prison of our
heart, which can hurt us and them. Therefore, we need to forgive them – and the
beginning of the year is a good time to choose to do so. Yes, it’s not an easy thing to
do, but the bible assures us that when we partner with God, impossible things become
possible (Matthew 19: 26).
God forgives us our sins, and in doing so, He shows us the good example to follow. It was
His example that Tai, a woman who lost her husband and children in a car accident,
followed when she forgave the drunk driver whose reckless driving took the lives of
people she loved so dearly. Today, that woman passionately teaches the pertinence and
power of forgiveness. Are you ready to forgive?
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, I ask for your divine help in releasing anyone I
have bound with anger and resentment for offending me. I choose to forgive that person
now by Your amazing grace. I pray that those I have offended will also find the grace to
forgive me. Thank You for answering me. Amen!
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January 6
Walk your good talk
God’s Word: Micah 6: 8 (NIV): “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what
does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with
your God.”
There is nothing wrong with desiring and expecting others to treat us with fairness,
dignity and respect. That’s good but not enough. We should also let them know about
such desire and expectation. That’s why each country has a constitution that lets
leaders and the led know what is desired and expected of them, and each legitimate
organization has code of conduct for everyone - from their board members to employees.
What’s best though is to demonstrate how to treat others well.
You’ve heard the saying “action speaks louder than words,” and that’s true. When Jesus
went to the Cross, He walked the talk to secure our salvation. John 15: 13 reminds us
that “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Paul
reiterates that truth in Romans 5:8, saying “But God demonstrates his own love for us
in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Justice, mercy and humility are things to be demonstrated, not just desired or talked
about. The same is especially true of love, which is why to a female eagle, there is no
love at first sight. She puts prospective male eagle mates through rigorous catchthe-stick tests in the air. The successful male eagle is the one that catches all the
sticks she drops. By catching them, he clearly demonstrated the ability to catch their
future eaglet when it starts to fall while learning to fly.
So, how do you treat your family members, friends, colleagues, next door neighbors and
even strangers? Don’t just talk; show them your deep-seated love.
Prayer: Father, I repent in Jesus’ name for the times I have treated my fellow human
beings without fairness, dignity and kindness, and I ask that you help me treat everyone
well from this moment. May I bring glory to your holy name by so doing. Amen!
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January 7
The grateful gets more
God’s Word: Luke 17: 17-19 (NIV): “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are
the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then
he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Gratitude is a powerful and pleasant thing. Many people – young and old, highly
educated and less educated - limit and undermine themselves with their attitude of
ingratitude. Yes, we should not show kindness to others for the sole purpose of fetching
their praise but gratitude gladdens our heart and encourages us to show more kindness.
In Luke 17, only one (1) out of the 10 lepers Jesus healed came back to him to show
appreciation. And that’s the one that got his body fully restored. The body-altering
disease ceased in the others but their scars and deformities remained.
Gratitude expands your blessings. Even if the person who showed you kindness is your
best friend, parent, spouse or subordinate at work, it is helpful and honorable to show
appreciation. It is really a matter of integrity.
For Chad Audi, president and CEO of America’s largest rescue mission, the Detroit
Rescue Mission Ministries, no month passes without men and women approaching him
at community events and thanking him and his organization for helping them get back
on their feet and move ahead in life. Dr. Audi doesn’t shop around for gratitude but it
encourages him to help more people in dire need.
If you’ve been limiting and undermining yourself by showing ingratitude to people who
have been kind to you, it’s time to change the situation. God wants you to be grateful to
Him and your fellow human beings.
Prayer: My God, help me lead a life of gratitude to You and everyone who shows me
kindness. Give me the wisdom to appreciate the power and pleasure of gratitude. Thank
You for answering me in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 8
Because you really care
God’s Word: Luke 3: 10-11 (NIV): “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one
who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
We don’t give to others because we have more than enough. In fact, some of the
greatest givers around us do not have more than enough. They give because they really
care for the safety, wellbeing and happiness of their fellow human beings. They give
because they have empathy and compassion.
Of course, anybody can easily find fancy reasons not to give help to people in need but
God in His awesome wisdom and love has made available to each of us the desire to
help and the ability to be our sister’s and brother’s keeper.
On YouTube is an interesting video of kids who, given the option to buy hard-to-resist ice
cream or give money to nearby homeless persons, they chose to do the latter. The kids
chose to do the right thing – using money given to them by adults.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr rightly noted, “The time is always right to do the right
thing.” Right now, there is someone around you who needs your prayer, advice, words of
encouragement and support or material and monetary assistance.
Rise to the occasion and help, even if it is inconvenient to do so. Help that person for
Christ’s sake. You might need someone’s help tomorrow.
Prayer: In Jesus’ mighty name, I ask, Merciful Father, that you enable me to give
cheerfully to those around me who really need my help. Help me to overcome the
reluctance to be compassionate. Amen!
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January 9
The treasure called hope
God’s Word: Romans 15: 13 (NIV): “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
It is not uncommon to wonder how people in joblessness, debilitating sicknesses,
genocide and violence-ridden relationships could ever have hope of a turnaround. Yet,
some of them do – and we find them inspiring and commendable.
Hope is indeed a treasure we deeply appreciate when found amid a blazing need.
Abraham had no reason to hope he would become the “father of many nations.” After
all, his wife Sarah was old and barren – and children don’t fall from the sky.
But He and his wife believed the God who had promised, and did not trust in their own
resources or abilities – or lose hope because of their physical limitations. Then God
showed Himself mighty on their behalf. Hebrews 11: 11 says “Sarah, who was past
childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful
who had made the promise.”
Is Abraham the “father of many nations” today as was promised? Of course!
The bible rightly calls God the source of hope (and every other thing that is good). The
hope He gives those who trust Him comes with joy and peace. The hope He gives is
infectious. So, why not trust Him today to meet your needs – as He promised?
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the hope you give those who trust in You. May I be filled
today with that hope and the joy and peace that come with it. This I ask in Jesus’ mighty
name. Amen!
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January 10
Seeking right things wrongly?
God’s Word: Acts 8: 18-19 (NIV): “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the
laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this
ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
There is nothing wrong with desiring and working toward good things. Who doesn’t
want good things to come their way? Every normal person desires good things –
spiritual and material - in their life, and usually takes action towards achieving
such desires.
In 1 Corinthians 12: 31, Paul enjoins us to earnestly desire gifts that are helpful.
But the gifts and blessings of God are not for sale. They are not to be sold and bought –
as people like Simon the sorcerer think.
Simon sought to buy God’s gift with money, as if God ran a gift superstore. And Apostle
Peter wasted no time in telling him that his heart was not right before God and that he
was “full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Simon was seeking the right thing the wrong way – as we do at times and hinder
ourselves. The blessings you seek from God will come as you trust Him to perform His
Word concerning you, and follow the path He shows you.
God loves you so much and desires the best for you at all times. So, don’t seek good
things in ways that dishonor Him.
Prayer: Almighty Father, your Word says in Psalm 25: 4-5: “Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.” That is my prayer today in Jesus’ mighty name.
Amen!
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January 11
Making that tough decision
God’s Word: Psalm 25: 12 (NIV): “Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will
instruct them in the ways they should choose.”
Facing tough choices is part of being human. We all grapple with difficult issues. For
instance, in the area of finance, we are concerned not only with how to earn (higher)
income but also where, when and how to wisely spend, give from, save and invest such
income. Choosing clothes to wear to a signature event in town could be as difficult for
some as deciding who to hire or partner with. Yet, we have “a Friend that sticks closer
than a brother” Who can help us make every decision.
In Acts 1 when the apostles thought it necessary to choose a replacement for Judas who
had betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, they turned to God for guidance. First, amid
prayer, Peter recalled what God had spoken in Psalms concerning the situation
(Judas’ replacement).
That was to say, no matter what had happened, God was in control and had a plan
for the future. Then, after Peter had set forth the criteria for the replacement, they
prayed and cast lots. The result was Matthias, the 12th apostle – who was evidently
God’s choice.
So, before you make that tough decision, find out what God has already said about
your situation, and what is required of you, and pray for His help. Then decide, as the
apostles did.
Prayer: Father, according to Your Word in Psalm 25: 12b, help me to make the best
decision regarding... (mention the issue) ...in Jesus’ mighty name. I pray that my
decision will glorify you and benefit me. Amen!
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January 12
Hard work still pays
God’s Word: 2 Timothy 2: 6 (NIV): “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive
a share of the crops.”
Throughout human history, hard work has paid good dividends to people. It has built
great organizations, products, cities, and nations. That’s why “work hard” remains one
of the best advices people give their loved ones.
Teachers love students who work hard just as employers love employees who work hard
and investors love corporate CEOs and hedge fund managers who work hard with
their money.
Nonetheless, hard work should go along with wisdom. It should be done with
knowledge, understanding and good judgment. It should also be in the area of
one’s calling.
Thus, if you are called to be a bus driver and you work hard as a singer, you may not
be successful. Proverbs 12: 11 puts it best: “Those who work their land will have
abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.”
Working your land is staying on your own lane, and chasing fantasy is working outside
it. So ask yourself: Am I working hard in what God ordained for me to do or am I toiling in
what seems good to me? Remember Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that appears
to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
Prayer: Father, I ask in Jesus’ mighty name for knowledge, understanding and good
judgment to work hard in the area of my calling and to reap the abundance you
promised. Amen!
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January 13
Humble like Jesus
God’s Word: Philippians 2: 8 (NIV): “And being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”
Arrogance may get someone on the elevator but hardly to the crowning chamber.
Overbearing pride has destroyed lots of people around us. And many people we know
can’t stand arrogant people. They are disgusted by their arrogance – the same way they
are disgusted by a foul-smelling dead fish.
But think of Jesus – who was full God and full man – leading a humble life while here
on the same earth we walk today. Imagine the Master making “Himself of no reputation”
and living like a servant to save the servants. That’s what Jesus did. In being so humble,
He set a perfect example for us His followers. “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest
place and gave him the name that is above every name” (Phil 2: 9).
That means humility should not just be an option for us Christians. It should be our
lifestyle, and it has its own remarkable rewards.
The bible even warns us in James 4: 6 that “God opposes the proud but shows favor to
the humble.” What a terrible thing to be opposed by God! It’s agony, roadblock, drought
…It’s gloom and doom. You should never put yourself in a position where God opposes
you. Listen to Paul’s advice in Romans 12: 3: “Do not think of yourself more highly
than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment…”
Prayer: Father, I repent for those times I have thought of myself higher than I ought.
Please, forgive me. Give me the grace to lead a life of humility in Jesus’ mighty name.
Amen!
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January 14
Get your focus steady
God’s Word: Luke 9: 51 (NIV): “As the time approached for him to be taken up to
heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”
In our multi-digital device and multi-tasking world, it is not easy to have a steady focus
on a goal or project. We are pulled on every side by our various needs and desires. But
to accomplish a great thing this year, to make a big difference in your community, you
need to keep a steady focus on that your well-thought-out plan. Getting sidetracked
is postponing your success, which is why Proverbs 4: 27 specifically cautions against
being sidetracked.
In 1 Kings 13, we read the account of a prophet who traveled to Bethel from Judah with
a clear-cut job description from God, and an instruction from Him not to eat bread or
drink water in Bethel and never to return by the way he came. He heeded the instruction
until an old (and probably well known) prophet in Bethel lied to him that God had also
sent him with a counter instruction (to the prophet from Judah) to go ahead and eat
and drink.
So, he defied God’s direct instruction, and shortly thereafter, suffered the consequence.
He was killed by a lion on his way home. Sidetracking from our project and our purpose
hardly goes “unpunished.” There are consequences for our actions. Like Jesus in Luke 9,
resolutely set out to reach your destination.
Prayer: Father, I realize that sidetracking is inimical to my success, and I ask for the
grace and wisdom to stay the course and reach my destination in Jesus’ mighty name.
Amen!
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January 15
Great things start little
God’s Word: Job 8: 7 (NIV) “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will
your future be.”
It may not be wrong for us to believe we deserve something better, something safer,
something more rewarding. A good sense of self-worth could make us place high
expectations on ourselves and help us perform better. Yet, dismissing what we already
have, no matter how little, is bad. What you already have – your little knowledge of
scripture, current position at work, small bank savings or few trusted friends - may be
the seed that will germinate what you desire.
Jesus didn’t come to the earth as a grown man but as a baby in swaddling clothes. He
didn’t even a lot of earthly properties. Corporate giants like Facebook, Apple, Amazon,
Walt Disney, Microsoft and Dell all started small. Facebook did not start in a fancy and
expensive office on Madison Avenue but in a Harvard dorm room. Others – like Amazon
– started in a garage. Of course, the circumstances then were not the best but look
where these companies are today and how globally renowned their founders are.
As God says in His Word, we should not despise the day of small things; we should not
look down on or mock small beginnings (Zachariah 4:10). Great things usually start
small. Many great people in history had humble beginnings. So, work hard, and trust
God to help you gain that great future you desire.
Prayer: The Lord my God, I thank You for what I already have, and I pray that in Your
awesome love and power, You will grant me the opportunity and enablement for the
great and marvelous things I desire in my life. Amen!
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January 16
One thing you owe your leaders
God’s Word: 1 Timothy 2: 1-2 (NIV): “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so
that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
Your leaders in the social, political, economic and religious arenas may not be doing
what you like, but the bible says you owe them your prayers. You should always lift them
up in prayer.
First, doing so is an act of obedience to God. Apart from that, praying for those God has
placed in leadership over you is actually praying for yourself. The bible verse above says
it will help you “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” When they
lead well, you enjoy the benefits; you have peace, safety, progress and dignity.
Jeremiah 29: 7 puts it clearer this way: “[S]eek the peace and prosperity of the city ...
Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” You obviously don’t
live in isolation. What others do – especially policy makers and implementers – directly
or indirectly affect you and your family. So, you have a reasonable interest in what they
do, and how and when they do it. Thank God that through prayer, you can help make
their actions fair and just.
Another important thing to note is that when you occupy a demanding position of
leadership, you would want others to pray for you. Won’t you?
Prayer: Father, thank you for reminding me of the need to pray for those in leadership. I
pray right now that You bestow your gifts of understanding, wisdom, humility, empathy
and compassion on everyone occupying a position of leadership over me. I ask this in
Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 17
When impossibility strikes
God’s Word: Jeremiah 32: 27 (NIV): “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything
too hard for me?
There are times when you feel like nothing works, all good roads are blocked and every
good person you know has abandoned your or become your enemy. Jesus felt that way
too. In great agony, He cried “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew
27: 46). David also felt that way in Psalm 22, lamenting that he was “scorned by
everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking
their heads.”
But their stories didn’t end in such adversity. God raised Jesus from the dead and gave
Him a name above every other name in all of God’s creation. As for David, God not only
delivered but also lifted him up. The secret? They turned to and trusted the God of
impossibilities. They cried to Him in faith and total surrender and He showed Himself
mighty in their situation.
That same God is asking you today: “Is anything too hard for me?” Do you believe God
is able to deliver you from your ugly situation or secret pain? Your answer makes all the
difference – as you pray. And before you pray, take a moment to examine the truth that
when God called Himself “the God of all mankind” thousands of years ago, He had you
in mind because you are a wonderful part of ALL mankind.
Prayer: Father, I am grateful that nothing is too difficult for You. Thank You for being the
God of all the impossibilities in my life today. By faith, I cast all my impossibilities and
difficulties at the feet of Jesus. Grant me sweet victory in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 18
Keeping your faith busy
God’s Word: Luke 17: 5-6 (NIV): “The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He
replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”
Your home and office are most likely adorned with decorative items like wall art,
pictures, area rug and flowers. They are there to make your home and office look
beautiful and tasteful. And except the times you clean them, the decorative objects
probably stay on your shelves, walls and tables for a long time without being touched
or moved.
Faith must never be that way. Faith is no decorative item for the desk, wall or shelf. It
is meant to be applied daily. Habakkuk 2: 4 states clearly that the righteous will live
by his faith. And we are made righteous by accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord (1
Corinthians 1: 30, 2 Corinthians 5: 21).
The apostles thought they needed a super-sized faith to live in dominion and do the
great things Jesus did. So, they asked Jesus to increase their faith. His response must
have shocked them. They knew He had the power to do even the most difficult things
but instead of ordering the increase of their faith as they had asked, He told them they
had the power to do it themselves. Jesus’ response underscored two powerful truths:
(1) Little is not worthless; what you have now is precious; and (2) You will get where you
want to be by using what He has already given you.
Simply put, your faith increases as you use it well. So, what are you waiting for?
Prayer: Father, I thank You for the faith You deposited in me, and the admonition to
use it in accomplishing things that will glorify You and enlarge my coast. I declare that
by the faith You have already given me, I will accomplish those things in Jesus’ mighty
name. Amen!
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January 19
Yes, true miracles still happen
God’s Word: Daniel 4: 2-3 (NIV): “It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous
signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are His
signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion
endures from generation to generation.”
It is not strange to hear people say that true miracles ended 2000 years ago and all that
exist today are false miracles from the devil. Unfortunately, in believing and saying such
untruth, they hinder themselves from receiving their own true miracles from God.
Think of it, has God changed or diminished in His power and love for you? Certainly no!
His promise in Mark 16: 16-18 is that miracles will follow those who believe in Him. The
fulfillment of that promise did not end with first century believers like Peter and Paul;
it certainly extends to you and other followers of Christ today. As we are reminded in
Numbers 23: 19, “God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He
should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not
fulfill?” No, of course!
It is a miracle that you are alive today (the breath you enjoy is a gift from God) because
many of your peers are already in the grave. It is also a miracle – the greatest miracle
- that you are saved and counted among the children of God who accept and submit to
the divinity, redemptive love and lordship of Jesus Christ.
Friend, people still receive the miracle of healing and deliverance today because Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13: 8). As depressing as the
morning and evening news may be, you still hear of miracles of rescue and restoration.
So, don’t miss out. Claim your own miracle today by faith.
Prayer: Father, I believe miracles still happen today because You do not change or
renege on Your promises. I pray that in the mighty name of Jesus, I will receive the
miracle of (mention your need). Thank You for answered prayer. Amen!
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January 20
Everyone is carrying a cross or two
God’s Word: Phil 4: 11-13 (NIV): “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it
is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through
Him who gives me strength.”
A certain teenager thought his poor parents were glaring failures until he became an
adult and started shouldering the responsibilities of real adults. Then he realized it
wasn’t easy for most adults anywhere on the planet to earn money and thus gained a
better appreciation of his parents who had sacrificed a lot for him.
Many Europeans and North Americans have a ritual of winter season escape to tropical
tourist destinations to enjoy sunbath on sandy beaches and savor farm-fresh cuisine,
among others. Interestingly, many in the tropics believe life in Europe and America is as
fulfilling and close to the third heavens as anyone could imagine. But is it?
As the cliché goes, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” You may be thinking
your flashy car-driving next door neighbor is problem-free but wait until you come really
close. Everyone is carrying a cross or two. The difference is that while some are good at
dealing with and shielding theirs, others are not. Our coping abilities are not the same.
Yet, as God’s children, we all share equally in the opportunity to turn to God in prayer and
thanksgiving. We have the same God and the same opportunity to ASK HIM for help.
So, don’t run too fast – as impatient, money-worshiping and greedy people too.
Ecclesiastes 3: 11 says God “has made everything beautiful in its time.” If you trust
God, work hard and give honor to whom honor is due, your breakthrough will come when
God has ordained for it to come.
Prayer: Father, help me to patiently and wisely follow the path You have laid for me in
Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 21
Be exemplary in well doing
God’s Word: Matthew 5: 16 (NIV): [L]et your light shine before others, that they may see
your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
On its Stimson Street office building wall facing Detroit’s Cass Avenue is a banner
carrying Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’ guiding scripture, Matthew 5: 16. Two things
jump out of it: (1) Every child of God should shine as light – do good things - in the
community; and (2) Doing so will bring glory to God.
Apostle Paul puts it differently in Romans 16: 19, admonishing us to be wise in doing
what is right and be innocent about things that are evil.
One man who was wise in doing what is right is slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., in whose honor today is marked across the United States as MLK Day. Dr.
King set a good example for generations of leaders fighting nonviolently for the deprived,
oppressed and marginalized.
He did not just talk; he walked his talk. He did good deeds that we all remember and
feel inspired by today. But the torch has been passed on to us. We still live in an age and
time where many are homeless, hungry, hurting, jobless, abandoned and deprived. There
are many people in your community praying, hoping and waiting for their own Dr. King.
Will you answer the call?
You don’t have to be perfect. Dr. King was certainly not perfect. You don’t have to be very
wealthy. Dr. King wasn’t very wealthy. You don’t have to be celebrated. Dr. King wasn’t
widely celebrated in his lifetime. You just have to love God and your fellow human beings
enough and show it daily in your good deeds.
Prayer: My Lord and my God, I ask for your grace to function well as Your ambassador of
well doing, giving selfless help and hope to people who need them around me. This I ask
in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
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January 22
Place immense value on others
God’s Word: Philippians 2: 3 (NIV): “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
If you ask 30 people in a room what their favorite weather is, they won’t all have
summer as favorite. Some will say winter; others will prefer spring or fall. And there’s
nothing wrong or sinful about that. Our tastes and preferences are different because
God made each of us to be unique.
So, in relating to other full blown adults, it is wise to respect their right to have a good
taste or preference that is different from yours. You shouldn’t try and dictate to them
what to wear, where to eat, and which career to pursue, what type of car to drive. Though
you may give your suggestions and pray for them, the choice should be theirs.
That’s how to live at peace with full blown adults. That’s how to maintain your
relationship with them as friends, relatives, colleagues, associates or neighbors.
In Joshua 24: 15, Joshua did not say, “Today, I choose for you whom you will worship.”
Instead, he admonished the people to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve … [A]s for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Nobody receives Christ
on behalf of another person. Each person does so with the help of God (Hebrews 12:
2, John 15: 5b, Ephesians 2: 8-10). Again, in Matthew 12: 36, Jesus stated that on the
judgment day, each of us will give account of the idle words we speak.
Prayer: Father, I acknowledge that without You, I am nothing. So, I ask for Your help
in all my relationships. Give me the grace to treat others well. Thank you for answered
prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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January 23
Resilience required
God’s Word: Luke 9: 62 (NIV): “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit
for service in the kingdom of God.”
Every truly successful person has had a number of quit-trigger moments when they
were inundated with voices of discouragement and dismay. “Quit now!”, the voices
would say repeatedly. But they are voices of defeat.
Tragedies, betrayals, downturns and mockeries have a way of presenting quitting as the
most reasonable option to you. Interestingly, that moment you are considering to quit
may be when all you need to earn your breakthrough is a little more effort. You quit, you
lose! That’s why wimps are hardly celebrated.
When you put your hand on the plow of family, ministry, salaried work, community
service, philanthropy or entrepreneurship, don’t look back in regret. Don’t wish you were
Mr. A or Miss B. Don’t conclude your best days are behind you. If success were easy, fools
would be super successful. Success is rooted in perception, patience and perseverance.
You keep working at your vision, pressing forward, tweaking your action plans until
you succeed. Imagine what could have happened to all mankind if Jesus had given up
in Gethsemane or on Via Dolorosa. We would all remain in the bondage of sin and the
consequential spiritual death.
So, have the mind of Habakkuk 3: 17-18: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there
are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the
Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” He powers your resilience.
Prayer: Father, You did not give me my precious assignment to give it up now. You want
me to run my race to the end. So, give me the grace to do so. Bring me men and women
to help me. Make me resolute and resilient in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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January 24
God will not reject you
God’s Word: Psalm 27: 10 (NIV): “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord
will receive me.”
Ever heard someone say something like “My goal this year is to be rejected and
abandoned by many people?” You probably haven’t. And you shouldn’t. No sane person
seeks and welcomes rejection and abandonment because they are painful, especially
when coming from people close to us. But at different times in our lives, we face
rejection and abandonment from people close to us – even our best of friends
and relatives.
A teenage girl gets pregnant and her parents abandon her to suffer untold hardship
(except rescued by a teen mom program). A man loses his factory job of 25 years and
his marriage crumbles like a pack of cards. A woman is battling to overcome 7 years of
childlessness and her husband files for divorce. A popular politician is embroiled in a
scandal or loses his reelection bid and his friends and associates do everything they can
to avoid being seen with him in public.
Even some of the most sanctimonious persons around you can be chameleonic, blowing
hot or cold, depending on the pros and cons of any situation. If the situation brings them
benefits, they stick with you, but if it doesn’t, they reject and abandon you.
The good news is that though Jesus is still being rejected and abandoned in society
today – as was the case in His time of earthly sojourn (Matthew 13: 54-58, John 1: 11) He will not reject or abandon you.
Prayer: Father, I thank You for Your promise in Isaiah 49: 15 that You will not forget me.
Romans 8: 31 says “If God is for us, who can be against us?” So, Lord I pray that I will
always seek and find reassuring comfort and peace in You. Amen!
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January 25
How joy comes
God’s Word: Psalm 30: 5 (NIV): [W]eeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing (joy)
comes in the morning.
If something has been making you to weep, God is saying the end of your weeping is
near. He wants to exchange your weeping with joy soon. The question then is: How? Let’s
turn to the bible for answers.
In Romans 15: 13, Paul prays that “the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you
trust in him…” We learn three things here:
1.Joy is a gift from God;
2.Joy does not come alone, it comes with peace; and
3.Joy comes as a product of TRUSTING GOD.
Peter reinforces this truth in 1 Peter 1: 8 thus: “Though you have not seen him, you love
him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy.”
You are gifted with glorious joy because you trust God, you trust God because you love
Him, and you love Him because He first loved you (1 John 4: 19). Joy is something that
should be synonymous with followers of Christ because “the kingdom of God is not a
matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
(Romans 14: 17).
Ready to receive or renew that “joy in the Holy Spirit?” Pray one of these prayers:
Prayer 1: Father, I realize and repent of my sinfulness, and ask Jesus to come into my
heart and be my Savior and Lord. Give me the joy of Your salvation. Thank you Lord for
saving me. Amen!
Prayer 2: Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, I ask You to forgive my sins, and exchange my
weeping with joy. As the Psalmist prayed in Psalm 51: 12, “restore to me the joy of Your
salvation” for according to Nehemiah 8:10, “the joy of the Lord is [my] strength. Thank
you Lord. Amen!
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January 26
Are your thoughts the problem?
God’s Word: Philippians 4: 8 (NIV): “[W]hatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever
is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”
Our thoughts are not inconsequential. They shape and determine most, if not all, the
things we do, and as well as the things that happen to us. Thus, thoughts of fear do not
produce faith. Thoughts of hurt do not produce peace of mind. Thoughts of irredeemable
failure do not produce success. Thoughts of helplessness do not produce breakthrough.
We are indeed what we think about. We knowingly or unknowingly invite and experience
the things that dominate our thoughts. Like factories, our thoughts produce directly
related things – good or bad - in our lives. In Matthew 15: 18-19, Jesus says “the things
that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For
out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false
testimony, slander.” Also, in Jeremiah 4:14, we read: “Jerusalem, wash the evil from your
heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?”
Harboring wicked thoughts against others and expecting God to bless us is a waste of
time. That’s why Romans 12: 2 talks about renewing our mind to align with the will of
God. That’s also why our reference scripture exhorts us to think about things that are
excellent (true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable); things that glorify God, uplift
our neighbors and benefit us and our household. If God doesn’t care about what you
think, Ephesians 3: 20 won’t say He can do beyond not only what you ask but also what
you imagine.
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, I ask for Your divine help in renewing my mind
today, and thinking excellent thoughts that honor You and benefit me. Amen!
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January 27
Rest in His love
God’s Word: Psalm 4: 8 (NIV): “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.”
Remember the times you came back home very tired and famished because of the
demands of work or study? Remember those nights you couldn’t sleep because your
thoughts were consumed by some problems – your problems or those of others?
Perhaps, in those moments, you felt alone and defeated. Perhaps, you imagined or heard
people mocking you.
We have good news for you. Such situations are not permanent. It is not every day that
you come back home tired and famished. And it is not every day that you are beset with
very difficult problems. Things might not be as bad as they seem. Even if they were,
living near you are women and men in worse situations – who may not have a place to
work or study or good home to come back to, and nice and warm bed to lie in. Many near
you are hungry, homeless and hopeless.
So, your rest starts with thankfully realizing that, according to Matthew 6: 25, your life
is worth more than the things you are worrying about. The dead have no need for money,
recognition, vacations, food, clothes, latest car and better relationship. Your being alive
today is in itself a big miracle to celebrate.
And the Almighty God who owns the earth and everything in it is assuring you in
Hebrews 13: 5 that He will never leave or forsake you. He wants you to enjoy the true rest
that comes from Him alone. Augustine of Hippo highlighted it in his widely cited prayer:
“You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they can find rest
in You.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for all the things You have done for me. Thank You for the gift
of life and my salvation through faith in Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name, “I will lie down
and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Amen!
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January 28
Your best conversation today
God’s Word: John 10: 27-28 (NIV): “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they
follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them
out of my hand.”
Conversations with your spouse, children, tax preparer, family doctor, customers or
colleagues are very important. But the best conversation you should have today is with
the God who kept you alive and gave you many other blessings.
He wants you to be a great communicator and, as you probably know, every great
communicator is a great listener. As He says in today’s theme verse, “My sheep listen
to my voice.”
Conversation is a two-way thing. Sometimes, we tend to behave as if prayer is just a
matter of casting our laundry list on God. Asking Him to do something for us is just
a side of the conversation we call prayer. We should also hear His voice through His
Written Word (the bible) as illuminated by His Spirit living in us (John 14: 16-17,
John 15: 26, John 16: 13).
Asking for His help (which should not exclude praising and worshipping Him) is the
other side of the conversation. And even on that side, the bible makes it clear in
Romans 8: 26 that we need the help of the Holy Spirit to ask the right way.
Questions abound as to whether we should lie down, walk, sit, kneel or stand to pray,
and whether our prayer should be long or short. Again, it is the Holy Spirit that should
guide us in determining the best approach. The bible has many accounts of people
praying effectively in different postures, and getting answers for both short and long
prayers. Jesus Himself prayed both short and long prayers.
Prayer: Father, I want my daily conversations with You to be rich and effective. So, in
Jesus’ mighty name, I ask for Your help to prioritize and enjoy listening to Your voice.
As Psalm 19: 14 says, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight...” Amen!
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January 29
Difficult people can be blessings
God’s Word: Matthew 7: 4-5 (NIV): “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the
speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite,
first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother’s eye.”
You may not know it but the neighbor you think has the most fantastic life may have
been having sleepless nights dealing with a very difficult spouse, co-worker, child or
aging parent. Nobody really has it all. While some are good at masking their problems,
others are not. They let it glare.
But whether masked or glaring, problems present a good opportunity to show your love
and care toward others. How? Through prayer. Matthew 5: 44 says “love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you…” If someone is being too difficult to deal with,
pray for the person as often as you can.
Your prayer can bring the needed change. It can also help you understand yourself
better, and seek your own change by God. What if the difficult person has been reacting
to your attitude? Perhaps, your words have not been loving and respectful
(Ephesians 4: 15).
Or maybe, your well-intended words of advice have been sounding irritating, insensitive
or condescending. Proverbs 15: 1 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh
word stirs up anger.” Gentle words are soothing and endearing but harsh words sting
like scorpions, and strain or ruin relationships.
That’s why Paul advises in Colossians 4:6 that “your conversation be always full of
grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Too hard to
do? Don’t worry. The Holy Spirit can help you through prayer and practice.
Prayer: Father, in the wonder-working name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray
that my words to others would be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Help me to pray
effectively for those who offend me. Thank you for answered prayer. Amen!
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January 30
U-turn is allowed
God’s Word: Isaiah 55: 7 (NIV): “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous
their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our
God, for he will freely pardon.”
A preacher once shared the story of how his wife had coaxed him into agreeing –
very reluctantly - to attend a revival service on a farm about 3 hour drive away. But
unfortunately, they followed the wrong direction, driving in futility for about 45 minutes
until they stopped at a gas station and got the right direction.
Arriving on the farm about 30 minutes late, host pastor approached him, saying:
“Pastor, I’m so glad you came and I’d like you to give the sermon. The bishop who was
scheduled to speak canceled due to sudden illness.” Surprised and unprepared, the
preacher prayed for Holy Spirit’s guidance and strength, and subsequently delivered one
of the best sermons and ministrations of his imperfect ministry.
Like that reluctant preacher, you may have at times taken the wrong exit on the highway
of life. Who hasn’t? Wrong exits tend to take a toll on one’s time, work, finances and
relationships. So, find and follow the right direction in God’s Word. Going the wrong way
is bad but remaining there is worse. God freely pardons those who turn to Him when they
realize they have been going the wrong way.
Would He have pardoned Judas if he had turned to Him for grace and mercy? Of course!
Judas had remorse and not only returned the money he had received for betraying Jesus
but also declared in Matthew 27: 4: “I have sinned for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
However, Judas made that confession to the callous chief priests and elders, instead of
the God of mercy. And obviously distressed, he hurried off and committed suicide – just
as some do today.
Prayer: Father, please forgive the wrong exits I have taken in my life, and give me the
grace and mercy to follow the wright way that will give You glory and bring help and
hope to my family and community. This I ask in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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January 31
January ending so soon?
God’s Word: 2 Peter 3: 8-9 (NIV): “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead, He is patient with you...”
Though January ends today, the year is still fresh. You could still find people wishing
others a happy and prosperous 2016. And some Christmas and New Year presents sent
by snail-speed mail may have just arrived – delayed but still putting smiles on the faces
of male and female recipients.
Until 12 midnight today, you are still in the January 31 the Lord has made for you to
rejoice and be glad. He has a special purpose for you today, and when you understand,
accept and run with that purpose, the day becomes fun, and you can see clearly how
today’s purpose fits into God’s overall plan for you. The often cited verse, Jeremiah 29:
11, comes handy here: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
So, even if it may seem as if the year is running too fast, and you have not achieved the
things you had hoped to achieve by now, it is important to bear in mind that God is the
master of time. He controls the past, present and future (Hebrews 13: 8) and He is able
to help you recover the grounds you may have lost.
In 2 Kings 8, we learn how the Shunammite woman who had sojourned abroad for seven
years had all her possessions and earnings restored. The king’s express order was to
“Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that
she left the land until now.” Such an order can be yours now by faith.
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, I ask that all my January possessions and
produce be restored to me. Let them come from wherever they are detained in the north,
south, east and west. I will testify You as the Source of all I have. Amen!
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February 1
People versus technology
God’s Word: Isaiah 10: 15 (NIV): “Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings
it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who
lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!”
We start and end our day - from the alarm that wakes us up to get ready for work to
the switch that turns off the light as we go to bed – with technology. We have technology
all around us 24/7. Can you imagine a day without your smartphone, tablet, social
media, car or refrigerator? Can you imagine a news cast or presidential address
without a teleprompter?
Some religious services can be so technology dependent that you wonder what would
happen if electricity were gone for a week. Would the sermons be preached without PA
system? Would the choir still sing praises to God without the keyboard playing? Would
there still be congregational prayers without microphones and cameras? First century
Christians didn’t have the benefit of smart technology but they still served God. Our
long gone ancestors didn’t depend on technology to be good parents, entrepreneurs,
employees, community leaders and neighbors.
So, while technology is very important and helpful, it must not take us hostage. It
must not take the place of face-to-face conversations between siblings, parent and
child, employer and employee, mentor and mentee, pastor and church member. Just as
Jesus cautioned in Mark 2: 17 that the “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath,” technology is made for people; people are not made for technology. Being too
dependent on technology is suggesting that people are made for technology. Don’t drive
all the time. Try walking sometimes for health’s sake. Don’t always use the calculator.
The old way of running the numbers can nourish your brain. Your phone has a switch-off
button. Using it sometimes can help you find the peace and tranquility you need.
Prayer: Father, grant me, I pray Thee, the grace to use smart technology wisely. May
I always place people around me above the smartest of technologies. Thank You for
answered prayers in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 2
The lone tree
God’s Word: Exodus 17: 12 (NIV): “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and
put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side,
one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”
How would you feel about an image of a man standing alone on a beautiful hill and
looking down callously on tens of people wallowing in a valley? Bad, of course! You
might even come to the justifiable conclusion that such a man deserves both pity
and prayers for not helping those people climb the hill as well.
Certain individuals who stand alone in the community may appear strong and smart
but in reality, they are vulnerable and miserable. Standing alone is standing weak.
Try breaking a broom and see how difficult it is but a broom stick breaks with great
ease. There is strength in standing together with others – friends, relatives,
colleagues, neighbors.
As powerful and venerable as Moses was, he got tired - because every human being
gets tired at one point or another. Machines get tired too, and need human touch in
getting back on track. Lions don’t leave their cubs all alone but maintain a physical
presence to protect them from harm, and teach them to survive and thrive.
Instructively, the tired Moses had Aaron and Hur there to help him. Aaron and Hur were
not strangers to Moses. They had been his partners in the worship of God and service
of community. They were people he had helped in the past. And they couldn’t just stand
by and watch Moses bear the big burden alone. They had to step in, and in doing so,
they played their crucial part in the victory Joshua had over the enemy – the Amalekites
army. Galatians 6: 2 advises us to bear “each other’s burdens, and in this way you will
fulfill the law of Christ.” Romans 12: 13 also enjoins us to “Share with the Lord’s people
who are in need. Practice hospitality.” In other words, do not stand like a lone tree. Help
others and be helped as well.
Prayer: Father, I do not want to be a lone tree in the community. I want to help others
and be helped as well. So, give me the grace to understand, accept and fulfill my
obligations to others. This I ask in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
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February 3
Good examples may be few but…
God’s Word: Hebrews 13: 7 (NIV): “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of
God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
If you keep yourself abreast of ceaseless reports, commentaries and propaganda on
radio, television and social media, you’ll be tempted to conclude that everyone on earth
is completely evil and toxic.
The world may be full of evil, and people of evil deeds may be all around you but there
are still some God-fearing people who are good examples. They may not be in large
number as they should but they are not just a matter of imagination. They live, serve,
pray and inspire in your own community – a big lesson God taught Prophet Elisha in
1 Kings 19.
Now, according to Hebrews 13: 7, here are three important things to note about such
good examples:
1.They speak the word of God to people (because they believe it reveals the
righteousness of God and His power of salvation – Romans 1: 16-17);
2.They do what they say (because they are Christ’s ambassadors – Colossians 3: 17);
and;
3.What they do and how they lead their lives produce good outcomes (because “A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” – Matthew 7: 18).
Therefore, you should imitate their total dependence on God. Remember, it didn’t say
you should worship them. It said you should imitate their faith in God. The only person
worthy of your worship is the Lord Jesus Christ because He alone paid the ultimate price
to save you from the bondage of sin, shame and death.
Prayer: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask You to show me God-fearing men and women
whose faith in You I should imitate. Thank You for answering me. Amen!
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February 4
Wise financial stewardship
God’s Word: Luke 14: 28 (NIV): “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you
first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”
It was Christmas, and an under-employed American woman had the options of buying
more toys for her lovely children or paying her due rent. She chose to buy more toys
for her kids and was kicked out of her apartment. So, she and her children became
homeless in cold winter. Did she do the right thing? You decide.
She’s not alone in making such preference. Many in our society run their lives that way,
spending money on things that are not very important and sacrificing things that are
very important. They place more value on their wants than on their needs.
How many times have you heard people criticize the government for living above its
means, and borrowing to discharge its duties? Yet, those who level the most criticisms
are probably living above their own means too. They borrow, borrow and borrow again,
treating their multiple credit cards as if they were debit cards. If low-earning persons
must have exquisite lunch dates, Caribbean vacations, lavish birthday parties and
Christmas gifts, shouldn’t they try and save enough for same?
In developing countries of West Africa, many people would demand financial assistance
from friends and relatives to host big wedding receptions and birthday parties they
know they couldn’t afford. Some would even borrow money to host such events just to
give false impression about their “success” or to avoid the shame of not measuring up
to expectations of people in the neighborhood. And when guests go home, the hosts start
gnashing their teeth in lack and misery.
Thus, some financial hurts are self-inflicted. You don’t need to inflict harm on yourself by
living above your means. Save and use your financial resources wisely.
Prayer: Father, I pray in Jesus’ mighty name for the grace to live according to my means.
And for the things I really need, I ask that You provide in Your awesome love and power.
Thank you for answering me. Blessed be Your holy name. Amen!
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February 5
When your Godly routine is challenged
God’s Word: Daniel 6: 10 (NIV): “[W]hen Daniel learned that the decree had been
published, he went home to his upstairs room … Three times a day he got down on his
knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
His was what you could call an infectious upbeat persona. When asked how he was
doing, he would usually say, “I’m doing great.” But one day, while under a lot of stress,
he responded differently. “I’m trying to be fine,” he retorted, without the usual smile. The
inquirer noticed and noted that she had never heard him speak in such a gloomy tone.
Then it dawned on him that the simple things he did and said had impact on others,
especially close relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbors.
In our bible verse for today, Daniel did not allow the evil decree of King Darius, and
the threat of imminent death in a lion’s den to stop him from his daily routine of
WORSHIPING GOD. The decree was simply promulgated to stop him from worshiping his
God but Daniel knew quite well that God alone was his shield and strength.
Daniel also knew that though situations change and kings change their moods,
methods and manners, the Lord God Almighty does not change or fail. As Numbers 23:
19 reminds us, “God is not human …that He should change His mind. Does He speak
and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”
Difficult situations test our resolve. Proverbs 24: 10 puts it this way: “If you falter in a
time of trouble, how small is your strength!” But resolve is not enough. The best way to
stay calm and hopeful in times of trouble is to remember that the God that promised not
to leave or forsake you is forever faithful. So, cling to Him.
Prayer: Father, when difficult situations try to rattle me, help me to remember that You
are standing behind me, and You remain the ever loving and faithful God. Thank you for
answering me in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 6
Doubt is not your friend
God’s Word: Luke 24: 38 (NIV): “He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do
doubts rise in your minds?”
When the challenges of life cause us to host doubt in our heart, we get troubled by
its quickly released toxins. Doubt acts like a parasite which sterilizes and kills its
host. It occupies the space meant for faith alone – a point clearly underscored in
James 1: 6 and Mark 11: 23.
In addressing the question of whether Christians should eat foods dedicated to idols,
Romans 14: 23 says “whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their
eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
Thus, doubt brings condemnation. It can also make one suffer serious decline.
Matthew 14 tells us how Jesus had invited Peter to join Him in experiencing the miracle
of walking on water. As long as Peter focused on Jesus, the infallible Word of God, he
walked with Jesus on water, but when doubt set in, he started sinking; he started going
down. “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him,
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14: 31.
To doubt is to lose focus on Jesus and the love and power of His Word. To doubt is to have
reservations about what God has promised He will do in your life. That’s why in Proverbs
3: 5-6, God offers a reminder that the reward of trusting Him with all your heart, and
submitting to Him in all you do, is a straightened path (in all aspects of your life,
including your relationships and finances).
So, what’s the solution to your doubt? It’s simply allowing Jesus to take hold of you and
speak His love and power to you – just as He did to Peter in Matthew 14.
Prayer: Father, as Jude 22 says, “Be merciful to those who doubt.” Be merciful to me
for doubting Your promise. Help me overcome doubt with total trust in You. Thank you
in Jesus’ name for Your perfect love and plans for me. Amen!
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February 7
The day that changes everything
God’s Word: 2 Corinthians 6: 2 (NIV): “For He says, “In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is
the day of salvation.”
The horrible and reprehensible Pearl Harbor and September 11 attacks changed
everything in American defense strategy and posture. Widely condemned and
ceaselessly referenced in public and private discourse, the events claimed thousands of
precious lives on American soil.
Yet, it’s not only terrible events like those that change everything for nations, groups
and individuals. Beautiful events change things too – most preferably. For instance,
American independence on July 4 1776 was a beautiful thing that changed everything.
A new nation was born on the remarkable ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. The
formation of United Nations on October 24 1945 also changed everything for the global
community as it pursued meaningful peace and security.
Until the day Jabez prayed the often quoted prayer in 1 Chronicles 4, his life was full
of pain. Then, he prayed and God answered – blessing him, enlarging his territory
and removing his pain. Jacob’s life was marked by deceit and turmoil until that day in
Genesis 32 that “he was left alone” and an angel wrestled with him. His life changed
forever.
This could be the day your life would change forever. This could be your day of victory
over that problem that has been afflicting you. If it happened to Jabez and Jacob, it
could happen to you if you believe and act. Ask God. Trust God.
Prayer: Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, I pray that You would have mercy on me
and change my situation – as you changed that of Jabez and Jacob. Thank you for
answered prayer. Amen!
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February 8
Your family needs you
God’s Word: Proverbs 11: 29 (NIV): “He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only
wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.”
God comes first; then your immediate family comes second. Putting career, quest for
fame, community and social media engagements as well as political ambition and
financial pursuits above family is absolutely wrong and wrecks the family.
Members of your immediate (and extended) family should not only be a source of
strength and succor to you but also a primary focus of your attention, presence, prayers,
financial support and different forms of sacrifice. You need to be there for them, just as
they need to be there for you.
If you look at it closely, when you get your family right, you get other things in your life
right. Your family is your primary support system. It is also a good barometer of your
sense of responsibility, discipline, courage, love and leadership. “Charity begins at
home,” says a cliché that has remained true. That’s why, according to today’s scripture,
“He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind.” In other words, a person
that troubles his family would be unstable, unhappy and unsuccessful. One can trouble
one’s family in different ways – from alcohol and drug addiction, adultery and crime
to financial recklessness, voodoo, bribery and greed (Proverbs 15: 27), abandonment,
idleness and envy.
Writing to his mentee Timothy in 1 Timothy 3, Paul admonished that anybody who
wants to be a church overseer must be “faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled,
respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle,
not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well...”
He maintained that anybody who “does not know how to manage his own family”
would be unable to “take care of God’s church.”
Prayer: Father, I ask in Jesus’ name that You put in my heart a strong commitment
toward everyone in my immediate family. Help me to love them dearly, and to discharge
my responsibility towards my extended family. Thank You for answering me. Amen!
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February 9
‘This is the gift of God’
God’s Word: Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV): “I know that there is nothing better for people
than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink,
and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
In 2011, notable Christian singer Matt Redman released a powerful hit song titled
10, 000 Reasons (Bless the Lord). Part of the lyrics say:
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
Therein is an acknowledgment that today may not be as hitch-free as desired; it may
have an abundance of challenges and even disappointments but one thing it should
not have is lack of appreciation of God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31: 8 never to leave
or forsake you.
Such an appreciation will help you guard against discouragement, hopelessness and
moodiness. Yes, knowing who God is, what He has promised to those who fear Him, and
His unfailing love toward them, should make you praise and worship Him not only when
“it’s a new day dawning” but also “when the evening comes.”
Luke 1: 47 says “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” and Psalm 118: 24 enjoins us
to “rejoice today and be glad.” Why? You have been saved by Jesus. You are not in the
grave. Truly, you are not empty-handed. And no matter how bad you think your situation
is, there are many in worse situations who, in adherence to 1 Thessalonians 5: 18, are
thanking God for the great gift of life. So, why complain?
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ name, I thank You for the blessings You are bestowing on me
today. Thank You for my salvation, life, family, health, work, home and other things
You’ve given me. May I always appreciate Your love for me. Amen!
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February 10
As Lent begins
God’s Word: Joel 2: 13 (NIV): “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the
LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in
love, and He relents from sending calamity.”
A Christian can choose any time or season to fast and abstain from things like meat
and chocolate (and give the savings to the poor) but during the penitential season of
Lent, one does so in communion with other Christians.
Wondering why you saw “give the savings to the poor” above? The answer is in Isaiah
58: 6-8. There, God reminds us that the fasting that is acceptable to Him entails setting
the oppressed free, sharing food with the hungry, providing homeless persons with
shelter and clothing the naked. Those are precisely what the men and women of Detroit
Rescue Mission Ministries do daily in metro Detroit.
So, whether you observe Lent or not, it is important as a Christian to commit yourself at
times to fasting, abstinence and prayers for yourself, others especially your relatives and
friends, and your community, including the leaders and the lost.
An often quoted scripture that comes to mind is 2 Chronicles 7: 14 (NIV):
“[I]f my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I
will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The call here is to all Christians (from pew to pulpit). It’s a call to collective repentance
and prayer. In fasting and abstinence, we humble ourselves before the Almighty God,
seeking His face, and turning from all our acts of rebellion against Him. Being merciful,
He forgives us and heals our ailing community and nation. And as Jesus advises in
Matthew 6, we should not broadcast it like praise-seeking hypocrites but should rather
do it in secret so that God “will reward you.”
Prayer: Father, I choose to humble myself before You today in repentance. Heal me and
heal my ailing community and nation. Help me to be merciful and charitable to others
today. Thank you for answering me in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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February 11
Like little children
God’s Word: Matthew 18:3 (NIV): “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
In their epistles, Paul (in Galatians 4: 19) and John (in various places in 1 John
and 3 John) referred to adults who were Christians as “little children” or “dear children.”
And they were repeating what Jesus had called them in John 13: 33.
As we learn from Mark 9: 42, those who believe in God will always be His little children in
need of His guidance, protection and provisions. Being His “little children” has nothing
to do with the biological clock. Be you 25, 50 or 75 in age, you are still a very precious
child before the eternal King.
But what is required of us as children? John H. Sammis gives us a helpful clue in his
1887 hymn titled Trust and Obey. The refrain goes thus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
We tend to trust and obey people we highly regard. As you know, little children think so
highly of their moms and dads. No human being could be as strong and protective as
their dad, and none is as understanding and caring as their mom. As they see it, their
parents are always willing and able to resolve their fears and needs. When Goliath
shows up, their dad becomes David. When neighbors are in dire need, their mom is
the Dorcas (Acts 9: 36). When strangers need water and shelter, their mom is Rebekah
(Genesis 24). Yet, their parents are not God!
Children believe so much in possibilities. Do you? A boy saw a Volkswagen Beetle car
as he was taking a walk with his dad. “Dad, look at how this small car is running so
fast. How fast will it run when it grows up?” His dad may not have an answer about the
future of the car, but God has answers to all your questions, fears and needs. Jehovah
El-Shaddai is His name and He supersedes all your limitations.
Prayer: Father, help me see and embrace all the possibilities in your awesome love
and power. Thank you for answering me today in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 12
Give and receive wise and loving advice
God’s Word: Romans 16: 19 (NIV): “Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I
rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about
what is evil.”
In our reference verse for today, Apostle Paul gives us a good example of how to advise
people we love. He starts by commending them for something good they are doing.
“Everyone has heard about your obedience,” he says. And as you can guess, it should
make them happy. People like to be commended. Don’t they?
Paul goes on to issue a personal stamp of motivation, saying, “I rejoice because of you.”
That’s obviously powerful. It’s like a CEO telling his management and staff “I am proud
of you. I boast of you wherever I go.” Imagine how motivating such words can be. Paul
is happy here not only because of the obedience of the Roman church but also the fact
that such obedience has come to the awareness of “everyone,” thus making the Roman
Christians good global examples.
Then he advises them to “be wise in what is good, and innocent about what is evil.”
Simply put, he wants them to continue on the path of obedience, and avoid the path of
evil. They should keep doing what is good and shun what is bad. How could any sane
person frown at or reject such wisely given advice? But just as it takes God’s help to give
good advice, it also takes His help to receive the advice and act wisely on it (John 15:
5b). So, a person giving advice should pray for both.
You probably remember the very short but effective prayer David prayed in 2 Kings 15:
“LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” Ahithophel was David’s remarkably
wise counselor who betrayed and deserted him to join Absalom’s rebellion. David prayed
that his counsel to Absalom would be seen as foolish. God answered. Absalom preferred
David’s friend Hushai’s counsel to that of renowned Ahithophel who, feeling ashamed
and humiliated, committed suicide.
Prayer: Father, grant me the grace to always advise others with easy-to-perceive
wisdom, humility and love. Also, bring me wise and timely advice from those who truly
love me. Thank You for answering me in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 13
Think with God
God’s Word: Amos 4: 13 (NIV): “He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind,
and who reveals His thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on
the heights of the earth—the Lord God Almighty is his name.”
Google has a website called Think With Google that provides marketing leaders with
“insights, trends and research in digital media and marketing.” And that’s good. But
is there a place to get the best insights and tools on how to lead a successful, peaceful
and honorable life? Yes. It’s called the BIBLE.
Interestingly, just as Think With Google is online, the Bible is online too. You can Think
With God on the go; at the push of buttons on your smartphone or tablet. You can Think
With God anywhere, anytime – if you want.
Our reference verse today tells us about the God that “reveals His thoughts” to us in
our various circumstances. Whether you are facing the mountains (rigid situations,
challenges that have lingered for a long time), experiencing the wind (temporary
challenges, instability, doubt, indecision), excited at the dawn (the start of a project,
new opportunities) or disturbed when darkness descends (tiredness, discouragement
and loss of hope), know that His thoughts toward you are always “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Such thoughts – like Jeremiah 29: 11 quoted above - are found in the Bible, which is
presumably readily available to you now. In it, you will find revelation of how your needs
and your challenges are not beyond the inestimable love of the God who “treads on
the heights of the earth.” Yes, He is greater than your greatest needs and desires. He
is bigger than your biggest troubles and challenges. He is higher and more valuable
than the famous people - the newsmakers - you admire and emulate. That’s why the
instructive Amos 4: 13 ends by declaring that “the Lord God Almighty is His name.”
So, Think With Him today and triumph.
Prayer: Father, I want to think with You through the Bible. So, I ask that You deepen my
desire to study the Bible and grant me helpful understanding in the mighty name of
Jesus. Thank You Lord for answering me. Amen!
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February 14
Let Him lift you up
God’s Word: 1 Samuel 2: 9 (NIV): “It is not by strength that one prevails.”
It is not bad to be admired and applauded, especially in one’s community. Consider
the benefits: Getting invitation to the choicest events in town, bagging juicy deals,
hanging out with the high and mighty, and gaining resplendent and regular news
media attention. Those partly explain why some people go to any length to be counted
as “happening.” They manipulate, betray, twist arms, blackmail and even maim or kill
others just to be reckoned with. Should the quest for admiration and applause be such a
merciless or gory affair?
The Bible gives us a perfect example of someone who would do anything just to be
admired and applauded in the community. Acts 8: 9-11 states:
“[F]or some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and
amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed,
“This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”
They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.”
Simon the sorcerer manipulated everyone in Samaria – educated and less educated,
rich and poor - into believing he was super-human. How gullible people can be (even
in our present information age)! When the people of Samaria eventually received the
gospel and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Simon made a move to preserve his standing in
the community. He offered Peter money to give him the power to remain relevant and
famous. Peter’s response was swift and piercing: “May your money perish with you …
your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in
the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart…you are full
of bitterness and captive to sin.” God does not want you to be a slave of any ambition.
Allow Him today to exalt you.
Prayer: Father, James 4: 10 advises me to humble myself before You so as to give You
room to lift me up. So, I ask that You help me to be humble and lift me up in Your loving
kindness. Thank You for answering me in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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February 15
On this Valentine’s Day
God’s Word: 1 John 3: 18 (NIV): “[L]et us not love with words or speech but with actions
and in truth.”
There is a place for sincere words in love. After all, the Bible has been rightly described
as God’s love letter to us. Prudent words of love are always comforting and reassuring.
They make us feel very special. Yet, words alone do not satisfy the requirements of
love. They must be accompanied by intentional positive actions. It was in practical
demonstration of God’s love for us that He sent Jesus Christ to die a shameful and
excruciating death on our behalf. John 15: 13 puts it thus: “Greater love has no one than
this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Love always entails sacrifice. When you love an individual, group or community, you
certainly make sacrifices. Jacob demonstrated that in Genesis 29: 20: “So Jacob served
seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of
his love for her.” That’s how love acts.
Exactly 107 years ago today, David C. Stucky began the Detroit Rescue Mission in his
old poultry store in Detroit, ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of people.
He had to borrow chairs for that first chapel service. As for the organ he played on that
cold winter day, it was made possible by a donation of $30 he had received. Rev. Stucky
didn’t have much money but he had much love for people in his community. He gave his
best in the service of the homeless, hungry and hurting of metro Detroit. That’s how
love acts.
To mark the organization’s 106th anniversary in 2015, its president and CEO, Dr. Chad
Audi, didn’t host an expensive bells and whistles event. Instead, he braved the subzero
temperature and went to the streets of Detroit to seek and minister to the homeless
and hungry, offering them the opportunity to take advantage of the free services at
his emergency shelters. He had rose flowers and sandwiches in his hands, words of
compassion in his mouth, and, of course, a waiting van to take them to his shelters.
That’s how love acts. So, how will your love act today?
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask for Your divine help to love others sacrificially not
only today but always. Thank you for answering me. Amen!
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February 16
To beat prejudice
God’s Word: Revelation 7: 9 (NIV): “After this I looked, and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
Cultural and class prejudice bedevil our world today. People are despised not only
because of the way they look, the sound of their last name and the language they speak
but also because of their inglorious past, low level of education and poor economic
status. And it is not as if some who are poor and weak do not also despise the rich and
powerful. They do. You can even find prejudice among Christians, with some orthodox
Christians despising evangelicals and vice versa.
But are we not all made in the image and likeness of God, and did Jesus Christ die
for only one race, tribe, economic class or gender? No! He died for all of humanity (2
Corinthians 5: 15), and all of us were created in the same image and likeness of God
(Genesis 1: 26-27). Anybody who gets a clear revelation of those two incontrovertible
truths will overcome the temptation to practice prejudice and discrimination. Yes,
anybody who realizes that a neighbor, colleague or passer-by is so precious that Jesus
Christ left His holy habitation in heaven to die for him/her, will successfully push back
against the better-than-thou complex.
Now, consider our reference verse, Revelation 7:9. No nation, tribe, people or language
was left out of the heavenly celebration before King Jesus. Even those who did not
speak your English, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Igbo or Swahili made it to the
celebration as did those who lacked smart phones and modern health care. Also not
left out were those who only dreamed of having decent church buildings and different
translations of the Bible. They made it there by the same grace of God that is available
to all (absolutely free of charge). That’s why James 2 warns us against favoritism.
We are all equal before the Lord God.
Prayer: In the mighty name of Jesus, I ask You, merciful Father, to forgive all my acts
of prejudice and favoritism against others. Help me to see everyone through Your lens of
love. Thank You Lord for answering me. Amen and Amen!
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February 17
Seeking your RUTH?
God’s Word: Ruth 1: 16 (NIV): “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
In the Bible verse you’ve just read, Ruth was replying to a passionate plea from Naomi,
the refugee mother of her late husband, to seek green pastures in her conversant zone of
Moab. Naomi wasn’t just trying to get rid of her. She loved Ruth, and Orpah, the widow
of her other son. But Naomi was also a widow in great need, and had concluded, in her
own words, that “the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” She thought she was giving
Ruth and Orpah the best advice a mother could give her daughters, more so when she
didn’t know what would await her when she finally returned from Moab to her resurgent
homeland in Bethlehem.
“Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.” Orpah left but
Ruth vehemently refused to leave Noami, even though traveling with her to the foreign
land of Bethlehem meant traveling to uncertainty. It’s like a 30-year-old secretary – who
could stay and grow in a small company - choosing to follow the retiring 65-year-old
expatriate CEO to her home country, without any safety net or assurance of soft landing.
Many would call it stupidity, but in the good books of Ruth, it is called LOYALTY and
it is priceless.
David had obviously yearned for someone with Ruth-like loyalty when he wrote in Psalm
12: 1-2: “Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished
from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but
harbor deception in their hearts.” Remember, Ruth was his great- grandmother. Today,
his woeful words provide us the important lesson that bringing faithful people into our
lives could just be a Help, Lord away. Has someone been disloyal to you? Say Help, Lord!
Are your employees or co-workers lying? Say Help, Lord! Has your spouse been cheating
on you? Say Help, Lord! Are you searching for a loyal spouse or business partner?
Say Help, Lord!
Prayer: Almighty Father, bless me with people like Ruth who are truly loyal. This I ask
in Jesus’ mighty name. Thank You for granting my request. Amen!
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February 18
At the appointed time
God’s Word: Romans 14: 8 (NIV): “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die,
we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
There are millions of pictures on Facebook (some of them understandably offensive
to a decent mind) but there is one that is particularly instructive about the futility of
vanity and the fragility of human life. The upper part of the two-in-one picture shows
an apparently vanity-driven wealthy Nigerian politician in a glitzy office while the lower
part shows his dreary unmarked grave about two weeks after his sudden death. All
the glitters, all the pomp, all the toadies and lackeys, all the air of importance were
completely gone. And the inside of his grave apparently boasted of nothing but a
decomposing body and worms feasting on it.
That’s why the wise Solomon laments in Ecclesiastes 1 about everything being
meaningless and Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 1: 24 that “All people are like grass, and
all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,”
echoing James 4: 14, Psalm 103: 15 and Job 14: 2.
At the appointed time, death will come our way but it should not meet us kingdomempty, with nothing truly commendable and God-honoring to show for the life we led.
Thus, the only problem with death is a Godless life. If somebody dies without making
peace with God, and leaving behind a good legacy, that person’s life was wasted, and
there is no repentance or redemption in the grave. Hebrews 9: 27 makes it clear: “people
are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
So, if you have friends and loved ones who are yet to make Jesus Christ their Savior and
Lord, the time to pray and preach to them is now, not in the grave. And if your life is all
about fun, fame and fortunes, it’s time to let Christ change you.
Prayer: Father, in the words of Philippians 3: 10, “I want to know Christ–yes, to know
the power of His resurrection and participate in His sufferings, becoming like Him in
His death.” Help me to obey and imitate Christ. I ask the same thing for all my friends,
relatives, colleagues and neighbors. Thank you for answering me. Amen!
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February 19
Strength in purposeful numbers
God’s Word: Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 (NIV): “Two are better than one …If either of them
falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help
them up…Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of
three strands is not quickly broken.”
Like or dislike politicians, you have to give them credit for giving honor to whom honor
is due in their stomp and victory/concession speeches. Win or lose an election, they
acknowledge leading party men and women present, and commend family members,
special advisors, staff members, donors and volunteers for supporting their campaign.
And that’s a good thing to emulate.
It’s true that nobody succeeds alone. It’s also true that greater success hardly comes
without acknowledging those who’ve contributed to our success. It takes a painstaking
community to succeed, and a pleased one to be more successful. So, who’re in your
circle, how committed are they and how appreciative are you?
When we turn to Nehemiah 4: 16-18, we readily see a picture of siege, heavy anxiety and
stress occasioned by intense opposition from enemies of their God-given project. But
it also paints a different picture of a coherent community with a collective focus and a
consistent determination under a good leader, Nehemiah.
“[H]alf of my men did the work…the other half were equipped with spears, shields,
bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who
were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and
held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side... But
the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.”
Yes, Nehemiah’s men performed different functions under such a horrendous
circumstance but refused to give up partly because they had more like-minded and
motivated co-workers than their vicious enemies led by Sanballat.
Prayer: Father, bless me with a good community of people and the wisdom to appreciate
them. This I ask with thanksgiving in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 20
When they serve
God’s Word: Ephesians 3: 7 (NIV): “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of
God’s grace given me through the working of his power.”
Frank, a middle aged man in Houston Texas, goes on street evangelism on Saturdays,
winning souls for Christ. Ebuka, a 6-year-old boy in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, goes with
his aunt every Saturday to clean their Anglican church auditorium for Sunday service.
A woman and her daughter volunteer at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’ men’s shelter
on Third Street every Thursday, contributing their quota to the important work of helping
homeless and jobless men gain the stability and self-reliance they need. And every day,
a New York woman reaches thousands with her Bible-based messages on Facebook
and Twitter.
Should we call them ministers – even though they may not have been ordained by a
formal institution, and thus lack high-sounding ecclesiastical titles?
Let’s turn to our reference scripture, Ephesians 3: 7, for answer. The NIV translation
uses the word “servant” but other translations like King James and Aramaic Bible in
Plain English say “minister.” A minister is a servant, and those people are serving. But
are they servants of who or what? After all, there are still domestic servants in many
least developed countries, and many salary earners are called public servants. To Paul,
servants are God-honoring. He calls himself “a servant of this gospel” and John 1 tells
us that gospel is actually Jesus Christ.
Paul goes on to say that being a Christian minister is a GIFT from God. It’s not
something rigidly earned through a formal process. It’s not like a tedious PhD that
one only earns after defending one’s dissertation. God makes one evangelize on the
streets of Houston and another clean the church auditorium in Abuja. He makes us
His servants – whether as suburban pastors, snow-or-shine street evangelists, TV
teachers, committed church cleaners, uncelebrated homeless shelter volunteers or
anonymous donors to widows and orphans. So, how’s your ministry doing today?
Prayer: Our Father, help me to know and keep to the area of my calling in Your kingdom
service, with or without a big title. Blessed be Your holy name. Amen!
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February 21
As yourself
God’s Word: Galatians 5:14 (NIV): “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one
command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Do you love yourself? It’s vital to answer that since our reference scripture suggests that
to love others, you’ll love yourself first. And that’s not selfishness.
A black man of middle class means was so kind that he would sacrifice his own needs
to help relatives, friends or neighbors in need. The more he helped others, the more he
was asked to help. In his local community, though there were some well-to-do persons,
the young and old would readily think of him when in need of financial assistance.
But his philanthropy was wearing him out, and it wasn’t as if the beneficiaries always
showed him gratitude. He felt so miserable sacrificing his own needs, and those of his
immediate family members who felt neglected.
Then one day, he found a solution. It wasn’t rocket science. It was simply that he started
focusing on his own needs and those of his immediate family. He started building his
own home. He got a good car that would serve his family needs. Next was a longawaited family vacation… and then strategic savings and investments.
1 Timothy 5: 8 makes it clear that a man should take care of his relatives, but it also
lays unambiguous emphasis on “their own household”. That simply means a man
should first and foremost take care of his immediate family – his wife and children
– before his other relatives and friends. But one California-based immigrant had a
contrary view. He would neglect his wife and children and commit most of his attention
and disposable income to his praise-seeking duplex building and SUV buying projects in
his home country that he hardly visits.
True success begins at one’s home. So, on this Sunday, think of ways to show your
spouse and children that you love them above your career and desire to be praised and
respected in the community. Be praised and respected in your home FIRST.
Prayer: Father, I thank You for the wonderful spouse and children You have blessed me
with. May I, through Your awesome grace, always appreciate and love them. This I ask
with thanksgiving in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
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February 22
Beware!
God’s Word: Psalm 143: 8 (NIV): “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust
my life.”
Maybe, someone betrayed your trust recently or you know someone whose trust was
recently betrayed by a relative or friend. Many people prove themselves unworthy of
trust. They betray to gain advantage over you or halt your success. That’s why Jeremiah
9: 4 warns: “Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of
them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.”
Some translations of Jeremiah 9: 4 use the word “neighbor” in place of friend, and
“brother” in place of clan. That means betrayers are usually people close to you. The
devil wasn’t a stranger to God when he led an unsuccessful coup against God. Judas
was Jesus’ treasurer, yet he sold Him for 30 pieces of silver to His enemies. Senator
Marcus Brutus was a friend of Emperor Julius Caesar, yet he stabbed him to death.
Athaliah killed her own children and grandchildren just to make sure she ruled Israel (for
six years). Remember who revolted against King David and slept with his concubines?
Absalom, his third son.
Does that mean we should never trust people? Is that what we should conclude from
Jeremiah 17: 5: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere
flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” No! One should, for instance, trust
one’s spouse. What the Bible is against is total trust of anything other than God; trusting
someone as an alternative to trusting God. Only God deserves our total trust, which,
according to 1 John 4: 16, is to “know and rely on the love God has for” us. When we
trust Him totally, we are blessed; we prosper like trees planted by the river (Jeremiah 17:
7-8). And as Psalm 143: 8, our reference scripture, points out, when we trust God, we
can expect Him to begin our day with expressions of His unfailing love, and guidance on
what to do and how.
Prayer: Almighty Father, I repent for all the times I’ve put idolatrous trust in people and
things. Help me in Jesus’ name to trust You above all. Amen!
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February 23
Nothing new
God’s Word: Ecclesiastes 1: 9 (NIV): “What has been will be again, what has been done
will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
Some fashion staples of the 70s and 80s (like patchwork jeans and wedges) have
made a vibrant comeback, satisfying our nostalgia. And history tends to repeat itself
when we fail to learn its inherent lessons. You must have seen individuals, groups and
nations repeating old mistakes and expecting a praise-worthy outcome. You must have
also heard new renditions of old hymns and pop songs.
But is there really “nothing new under the sun”? The ancients didn’t use smartphones,
tablets and online banking and they didn’t travel by air or fight enemies with drones. For
sure, they were communicating. Phidippides ran the first marathon to Athens to deliver
a message. The Romans and the Chinese had a relay method of delivering messages
to distant places, using humans. Egypt’s pharaohs used pigeons to send messages. So
communication is not new. People who lived when Jesus walked the earth were saving,
lending and borrowing money. They were also traveling from place to place on foot and
donkeys. Judah’s King Uzziah who reigned in 8th Century BC had a well trained and
equipped army with the most powerful defense system (2 Chronicles 26). So, there is
“nothing new under the sun.” We only have new and more efficient ways of doing
old things.
A lesson here is that we should not be so burdened about ambitious stuff that we forget
to appreciate the beautiful things around us. Another lesson Ecclesiastes 1: 9 teaches
us is not to think of ourselves as greater or better than everyone else. If you have an
idea, someone has it already – and it may be better than yours. If you think you have
accomplished a lot, others have accomplished a lot before you. That realization should
engender humility. And most importantly, if you have turned away from God, Jeremiah 6:
16 wants you to “ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest...”
Prayer: Father, from generation to generation, You remain the same. I thank You for
loving me. Give me peace of mind today in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 24
Wiped clean
God’s Word: Psalm 103: 12 (NIV): “[A]s far as the east is from the west, so far has he
removed our transgressions from us.”
Whether driving through town or browsing online, it’s so easy to come across signs/ads
that promise to erase bad credit or expunge one’s criminal record. Some of them may
keep their promise but others don’t, as the various complaint websites suggest. Besides,
“erase” and “expunge” services are hardly free. Some providers make it prohibitive for
target clients who are usually in financial mess.
With God, it’s the perfect opposite. Writing to Christians, Apostle John states in 1 John
1: 9 that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.” In other words, God’s forgiveness and purification
are ours for the asking. They are free and fully guaranteed. He not only forgives; He also
cleanses us. The Psalmist explains it in terms of the long distance between the east and
the west. We are wiped clean indeed.
In Psalm 52: 2, David echoes his exemplary prayer of repentance in Psalm 51. He asks
God to wash away all his iniquity and cleanse him from his sin.” The God who rightly
discerns our hearts answers, cleansing and making David, an adulterer and murderer,
“whiter than snow.” Yes, God is interested in our repentance and restoration, not our
spiritual death, self-righteousness and cover-up (Ezek. 18: 23).
If you examine your life, repent and come to God in prayer, He will restore you. No sin is
too big or too small to forgive and cleanse. In Isaiah 1: 18, He says:
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Prayer: Father, I repent of all my sins of thought, words, misdeeds and inaction.
Please, forgive and cleanse me, according to Your promise in 1 John 1: 9.
Thank You for answering me now in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!
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February 25
Search your heart
God’s Word: Matthew 21: 31-32 (NIV): “[T]he tax collectors and the prostitutes are
entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.”
We tend to ignore our own sins and describe and treat others – especially those who
are weak and poor - as the greatest of sinners. We condemn and even shame them for
doing in the open what we may have done in secret. That’s why Jesus admonishes us in
Luke 6: 42 to “first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove
the speck from your brother’s eye.”
In some countries where people still practice jungle justice, whereas corrupt politicians,
police and preachers are celebrated and treated as demi-gods, petty thieves are
mobbed and sometimes burnt to death by those who take it upon themselves to judge
and condemn others. It’s as if a thief is only the person caught red-handed stealing.
What of those who aren’t caught? What do we call them?
In December 2014, an Alabama woman went to a nearby dollar store and stole three
eggs to give her starving grandchildren. Thanks to technology, she was caught and
handed over to the police. But instead of arresting and putting this grandmother in jail,
the cop bought her a dozen eggs to feed her grandchildren.
Maybe the woman deserved jail but what of her starving grandchildren? Would jail bring
her redemption and rehabilitation? According to news reports, she was disabled and
homeless. On camera, she sounded repentant and particularly grateful to the male cop
whose generosity changed her life – far more than jail time could.
So, while nobody should condone sin, nobody should act as if only thieves, prostitutes,
wife-beaters and murderers sin. Anything that dishonors God is sin, anybody that
dishonors God has sinned, and the perfect answer to sin is found only in Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Prayer: Father, I repent for all my sins, and ask for Your forgiveness. Instead of
condemning others as sinners, I choose and desire to be a holy and acceptable
sacrifice to You, my Lord. I pray the same thing for my relatives, friends, colleagues and
neighbors. Thank you for answering me in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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February 26
First in what?
God’s Word: Genesis 38:28 (NIV): As she was giving birth, one of them put out his
hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one
came out first.”
In your family, office or community, there should be a good and interesting thing you are
first in. Were you the first to say prayers for that young relative in hospital who recently
lost his parents? When a church member going for a job interview needed someone to
babysit her toddler, were you the first to volunteer? Were you the first in your comity of
friends to give words of encouragement and financial assistance to that friend who lost
his job three months ago? Were you the first in your family to become a friend of Christ,
graduate from college or fully own a home? Or were you (sadly) the first to mock
a sibling going through hard times?
A middle-aged woman in a certain Detroit nonprofit is always the first to give Christmas
cards to her colleagues. Therefore, she is known for that. Once the holiday season sets
in, her colleagues expect her beautiful Christmas cards. Nice!
You may have a friend, relative or neighbor who is always the first to call and wish
you a happy birthday or happy New Year. That’s nice too. Isn’t it? And the person
becomes special to you as a result. Also, no matter how big a church is, there is a
family that noticeably comes to service before others. Hopefully, they leave each
service really blessed.
So, what are you first in? Does it make a difference in your family, church, office
or community? Being the first in something doesn’t always translate to making a
difference therein. As we learn from John 20, the “other disciple” who outran Peter and
reached Jesus’ tomb first did not enter. “Then Simon Peter came along behind him
and went straight into the tomb... Finally the other disciple, who had reached the
tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.” He got there first but did nothing
of significance.
Prayer: Father, I ask for Your divine help today in coming first in something that
glorifies you and uplifts people around me. Thank you for answering me in the
mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
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February 27
Then come, follow me
God’s Word: Matthew 19: 16 (NIV): Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked,
“Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
The account in Matthew 19: 16-24 is full of important lessons. First, verse 22 tells us
he was a wealthy young man. So, though wealth is good, it did not fill the void in him.
He had plenty of the material goods of this life but lacked eternal life. Perhaps, he had
become tired of all his sleepless nights and deep daytime thoughts trying to figure out
how to get this matchless eternal life. Perhaps, he had posed the same question to
religious leaders without getting the answers he needed.
The first part of Jesus’ response in verse 17 gave a complete answer to the young
wealthy man’s question. “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied.
“There is only One who is good.” In other words, you don’t get eternal life by what
is good; you only get eternal life by the only person WHO is good. Jesus reiterated that
in verse 21 saying, “come, follow Me.” That’s how anybody can get eternal life – by
following Jesus.
As you will notice from verse 17 to 21, keeping the whole commandments is good but
it would not guarantee or grant you eternal life. And as wonderful as giving to the poor
is, there would still be a void if Jesus is absent because He is eternal life. Apostle John
puts it thus in 1 John 5: 13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
So, if you follow Jesus in truth and in spirit, you have eternal life with God. The same is
true of your relatives, friends, colleagues and next door neighbors. When Jesus is absent,
no matter the religion we practice, there is eternal death.
Jesus Himself noted in John 14: 6-7: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father
as well.” Please, remember that in all you think, say and do today.
Prayer: Father, I thank You for giving me eternal life that is found only in Christ.
May people around me seek and receive the free gift. Thank You Lord. Amen!
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February 28
A happy home
God’s Word: Ephesians 4: 2-3 (NIV): “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
the bond of peace.”
A director of a Christian nonprofit is known for giving testimonies during weekly prayer
meeting about his latest outings with his wife. He would talk about how they afforded
him the opportunity to appreciate his wife’s beauty, and strengthen their bonds. He
would even show off her pictures. You could tell he was in love with her. You could tell he
was proud of her. You could tell he has a happy home.
Many homes, even Christian ones, are unhappy. Many pay more attention to frivolous
things outside the home than they pay on their spouse and children. Many hardly say
anything good about their spouses. To anybody who cares to listen, they complain
about this fault and grumble about that foible, perhaps oblivious of the truth that
bad-mouthing their spouse is bad-mouthing themselves. Or was Jesus wrong to teach
in Mark 10: 8 that “the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but
one flesh”? A true Christian would always be delighted to hear good reports about a
couple, not bad report. And when bad report comes, prayer ensues. Couples in crisis
need fervent prayers, not inflammatory advice.
Our reference scripture, Ephesians 4: 2-3, gives us the recipe to a happy home.
First, “be completely humble and gentle.” Why? James 4: 6 tells us “God opposes the
proud but shows favor to the humble.” A marriage filled with pride does not have the
favor of God, and a spouse with the Spirit of God opposes pride too. Also, as Apostle
Paul states in 2 Corinthians 10: 1, Christ was meek and gentle. His followers should be
nothing less. Second, “be patient.” Love always entails patience (1 Corinthians 13:4).
When you love someone, you are patient with them, just as God is patient with us (2
Peter 3:9). Third, “Make every effort” to live in peace (see also Romans 12:18).
It’s not easy but the God of marriage will help you.
Prayer: Father, help me to do all I can and should to have a happy home. Thank You for
answering me in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Amen!
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February 29
Take responsibility
God’s Word: Galatians 6: 5-10 (NIV): “[F]or each one should carry his own load. Anyone
who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor…
[A]s we have opportunity, let us do good to all people...”
You could call it a surprise Tuesday. A homeless Detroit man and his wife were meeting
their benefactor for the first time. They learned that Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
would give them a furnished well-situated home stocked with food, in addition to a
number of free support services. You should have seen their tears of joy. They were
surprised. They were impressed. They were grateful. As they stated, they had thought
nobody cared. They didn’t even know there were nonprofits that would help them without
procedural rigmaroles and bottlenecks.
Then the grateful and humble wife popped the question: “What is expected from us?”
It was so pleasing and encouraging to hear her ask that question. She sounded like
someone in agreement with the saying that there is no right without a responsibility.
And when asked what she would like to do in the future, she expressed the hope that
she would soon be in a position to give back to the community by helping working but
homeless couples. How wonderful!
In advising that “each one should carry his own load,” Apostle Paul was certainly not
kicking against compassion and philanthropy. No. He wrote in many epistles advocating
for them. Rather, as the next line shows, he was talking about taking responsibility. In
his words, “Anyone who receives instruction in the Word must share all good things
with his instructor.” Thus, a poor person who receives help from a donor should at least
say a sincere THANK YOU. Such a poor person could go a step further and pray for God’s
blessings on the donor and other poor persons. Then if, by God’s grace, poverty becomes
a thing of the past (as it could be), giving meaningful hope and help to poor persons is
a wonderful thing to do. Are you taking responsibility? God loves and rewards those
who do.
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to always take responsibility, whether in a position to
give or in a situation to receive. I thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen!
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64
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Covers (Final).indd 1
J A N/ F EB 20 16
Send all correspondences to: Better Days, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
150 Stimson Street Detroit MI 48201 USA
http://drmm.org
Phone: 313-993-4700
DETROIT RESCUE MISSION MINISTRIES
Rebuilding our community, one life at a time.
Better Days
Vol. 1 No. 1 Jan - Feb 2016
DAILY SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER
• Provides 4000 quality meals to the hungry;
• Serves over 1800 men, women and children in its facilities in
metro Detroit;
• Delivers highly-rated detox and treatment services;
• Helps veterans overcome drug addiction, homelessness and joblessness;
• Provides vocational training and job readiness support that result
in employment;
• Strengthens neighborhoods through blight removal;
• Supports the community of Roseville MI with a food bank;
• Supports poor families with free food items, clothing and furniture
at its Detroit warehouse;
• Uplifts young people at its 240-acre camps in Howell and Gregory MI;
• Rehabs sex trafficking victims;
• Offers prayers, chapel services, spiritual guidance to clients; and
• Rehabs donated homes and cars for onward donation to
low-income families.
B E T T E R D AY S – A B I - M O N T H LY D E V O T I O N A L J O U R N E Y
EVERYDAY, the 1909-founded nondenominational DRMM:
D RMM
The entire Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries
(DRMM) family prayerfully wishes you
a year of all-round blessings.
A BI-MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL JOURNEY
12/23/15 11:50 AM

daily scripture and prayer - Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries

Transcription

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