Day 30

Why I find my faith hard sometimes?

Writing the 30-day devotion challenge has been thoroughly enjoyable. It was hard because it was a commitment I made, and when you make a public commitment, you are bound by your words (I’m sure this is why most people do not commit to things publically).

There have been some days when it felt like I had a million tasks to do, but the first task has always been the devotion. The most difficult time has been the weekend because after a long week the last thing you want to do is to get up and get writing. However, having dreamed it, lived it, and wrote it I now appreciate fighting through the difficult days and overcoming the daily challenges made me a stronger person.

What encouraged and helped me the most were your testimonies and the times you shared your responses in the group. Just knowing at least one person reading the devotion helped keep the fire burning.

There were days when I had nothing to share, which is when I shared from the devotion Bible in One Year by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (I’ve missed 223 out of 335 days, so I know how difficult it is to commit to a devotion), which I would encourage you to follow. It is always on the YouVersion bible app. 

The main scripture I want to leave you with is Romans 7:15-25

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.

I know I desire to do good all the time, but my sinful nature causes me to sometimes be selfish, angry, greedy, etc. However, scripture says Jesus Christ will deliver me from my sinful nature if I continue to walk in his light.

As we move into the month of December and begin to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Let us let start to fight for the things we desire rather than let our sinful nature have power over us.

I look forward to the things God has in store for Life With Christ next month.

Till then God Bless

Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Amen!

Day 1

Scripture of the Day : 1st Peter 2:1-3

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow  thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Prayer focal point-Spiritual Growth

Write down what you would like to accomplish spiritually in the next 30 days. Maybe you would like to draw nearer to God, overcome temptation or pray consistently. Write it down somewhere where you can revisit it at the end of the 30 days-you could send an email to yourself.

Prayer 

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

Day 2

There is none like you God

Worship

As you start the session with Worship, think of all the times God has blessed you, you can write them down as a constant reminder, especially in times when you do not feel God is near to you.

Scripture of the Day : Jeremiah 10:1-10

Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, house of Israel. This is what the Lord says:

Prayer focal point-Why is there none like God?

Some of the things God blesses us with can become the things that distract us from him; they become the things we worship. In the Scripture above, Jeremiah is warning the Israelites not to become like the nations around them who worship false idols. He’s mocking them because they worship idols dressed as gold and silver created by men, which can do nothing for them, rather than worship the creator of heaven and earth. The Israelites have the knowledge of God, which we do today. They should be an example to the nations because they have the truth within them.

Today we live in a culture who worship celebrities, sportsmen/women, influencers even pastors and leaders. Let’s not be like the ‘nations’ around us and be the example to them because we have the truth within us. 

Questions for thought

What do we place above God that can be considered as idols?
Do we worship the blessings more than we worship the giver of the blessings-God?
What is the focus of your worship?

Prayer

Lord, there is none like you,
You are Great, Your name is mighty
for among the great minds, inventors, business people sportsmen and women,
there is none like you.
Lord be the main thing in my like,
Help me to become the person you called me to be
In Jesus mighty name,
Amen!

Day 3

Making time for God

Worship

Why is worship music special to you?
Share in the WhatsApp group some of your favourite worship songs that uplifts you or point to a time of breakthrough in your Christian walk.

I struggle to listen to worship music when I’m not in tune with God. However, it is the best way to overcome any negative spiral. Sometimes you dont have the energy to ‘get on your knees and pray’. Your worship can become your prayer.

Here is a list of some of my favourite worship/praise songs at present.

Awesome by Pastor Charles Jenkings

Good Grace by Hillsong

Holy Desire by Iron Bell

Trading My Sorrows 

Destiny Defining Decisions

Today I would like to share today’s devotion from ‘Bible in a Year with Nicky Gumbel’. This has blessed me so much.

Every day we make decisions – what to wear, what to eat and what to do. There are little decisions and big decisions. Perhaps, for most people, the biggest decisions in life are about relationships, marriage (whether to marry and whom to marry) and work.

But these decisions pale into insignificance beside the great decision. The great decision is how you respond to God. Bernard Levin, perhaps the most influential Times columnist of the twentieth century, described his experience of trying to decide about the Christian faith in these terms: ‘People such as me who hover on the edge of the swimming pool, simultaneously longing and fearing to jump…’

All the way through the Bible, the importance of this destiny defining decision is stressed. We can see it in all of today’s passages. There is a division of destiny between those who are far and those who are near (Psalm 119).

Scripture of the Day:- Psalm 119:145-152

I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,
and I will obey your decrees.
146 I call out to you; save me
and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near, Lord,
and all your commands are true.
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes
that you established them to last forever.

Decide to meet with God First

I love this verse: ‘I rise before dawn and cry for help’ (v.147). Over forty years ago I wrote next to it in my Bible, ‘How vital it is to meet with the Lord before the day starts – “before dawn”. From now on I intend always to read and pray immediately when I get up in order to be prepared for the battles each day brings.’ I have not always succeeded in doing this. However, that decision has made a huge difference to my life.

There is a distinction, according to the psalmist, between those who are far from God and those who are near to him. The psalmist writes, ‘Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. Yet you are near, O Lord’ (vv.150–151).

The psalmist has made a decision to ‘call [to God] with all my heart… I call out to you; save me’ (vv.145–146).

Prayer

Lord, thank you that you are near when I call upon you.
Today, I cry out to you for help

Day 4

What do you do when you are feeling down?

Worship Song of the Day

The Lord’s My Shepherd (Psalm 23) by Stuart Townend

Psalms

Life is full of challenges (pun not intended). What do you do when you are faced with difficulty or trouble? The book of Psalms, which are attributed mostly to King David, are prayers and songs which point to our worship to God. They point to times of joy and sorrow. Singer and songwriter, Matthew West points out,

“the Psalms help believers understand how their deepest and strongest emotions fit in a relationship with God.”

Christians in the midst of pain and anguish, struggle to connect with a loving and caring God. However, as the writer of the Psalms shows us, we can still sing, praise and pray in all situations. Even when we feel God is so far, the Psalmist tells us that He is closer than ever.

Here is a list of my favourite Psalms, what are yours?

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. (Psalms 23:6)

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalms 1:1-3)

Prayer

Lord when I feel that you are far draw near to me.
In Jesus mighty name.
Amen!

Day 5

What do you do when you are good?

Worship Song of the Day

Aaron Shust – Ever Be

Psalms

As we saw yesterday, when things are going wrong, life is getting ‘on top’ of us. The bible, especially the book of Psalms, has scriptures that strengthen and lifts us.

The book of Psalms also helps us to praise God for the good things in our lives. When we want to offer thanksgivings and prayers of gratitude the Psalms give us the words to say, especially when we do not have the words to say.

Today let’s lift up our praises to God, for all the blessings in our lives. Focus on the giver of these blessings rather than the blessings itself.

Prayer

In your own words praise the Lord for all the good things in your life.

Day 6

Whom shall I fear?

Worship Song of the Day

No Longer Slaves by Jonathan David and Melissa Helser

Psalms

As we saw yesterday, when things are going wrong, life is getting ‘on top’ of us. The bible, especially the book of Psalms, has scriptures that strengthen and lifts us.

The book of Psalms also helps us to praise God for the good things in our lives. When we want to offer thanksgivings and prayers of gratitude the Psalms give us the words to say, especially when we do not have the words to say.

Today let’s lift up our praises to God, for all the blessings in our lives. Focus on the giver of these blessings rather than the blessings itself.

Prayer

In your own words praise the Lord for all the good things in your life.

Day 7

Wellness

Worship Song of the Day

@Tye Tribbett | African Medley | LIVE Performance

Wellness

Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. As Christians, we neglect wellness, however God has given us everything we need to be successful wholesome people.

Wellness is having a healthy spirit, body and mind. We currently work on the spiritual and mindfulness in Christianity. However, we sometimes neglect our bodies. If we are unhealthy in body our we will also struggle spiritually.

Just like we pray, worship and read our bible to exercise our spiritual muscle, we need to exercise to build our spiritual bodies also.

So today we are going to work out You can use the video or pdf plan depending on your level. Get your whole house involved, children, parents and lets get our spiritual and physical bodies in tune with each other

Prayer

Lord, you said our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
So let build up ourselves to worship you with our bodies also.
Lord protect our bodies from illness and injury
In Jesus might name

Amen!

Day 8

Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy

Worship Song of the Day

Maranatha! – I Love You Lord

Scripture of the Day:- Exodus 20:8-11

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Why we should adhere to the Sabbath?

When I was a teacher, I was always busy with preparation for the next day. My weekend would be consumed with family and trying to mark books between spending time with them. Even though I was with the family physically, my mind was far away; I was not able to switch off and they knew it.

In the scripture above, the Lord sanctified the Sabbath as a day you should dedicate to himself: to worship; to pray; fellowship with your family and to allow you to rest and reset in preparation for the week to come.
It’s also a sign of you putting your trust in God, as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Some people say Sabbaths is on Saturday, others observe it on a Sunday. Whatever day you choose, dedicate it to the Lord with prayer, worship, and time with the family.

Prayer

Lord, you always love and protect me,
Lord I dedicate one day of the week to worship you.
I pray my worship will be pleasing to you
In Jesus mighty name.
Amen!

Day 9

What are you doing here?

Worship Song of the Day

Who You Say I Am – Hillsong Worship

Scripture of the Day: Acts 17:24-28

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.

The God who made the world

As I was reading a book about space to the children, I was in wonder of creation. Did you know that the only Planet that can be habitable for humans is planet Earth? It’s close enough for it is warm but not too hot, but the right distance away that we won’t be too cold.

We are not here by chance, and you are not reading this by chance also. The God who created the heavens and the earth wants to connect with you. Maybe you are going through trouble and strife, maybe you are seeking an understanding of life, maybe you are struggling with repetitive sin, or you are thankful and you don’t know who to thank for the blessings in your life.

As you seek God you will find him because he is not far away. You will find him because the book of Matthew 7:7 says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

So this week lets continue seeking God by worshipping, praying, reading our bible, and meeting and connecting with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you haven’t spoken to someone this week about your faith, are you serious about it?

Prayer

Lord I pray that I find you as I seek you
I know you are there, I know that you created the heavens and the earth with precision and its not by chance we are here.
In all the wonders of creation you still care about me
Lord as I seek you, reach out to me and let me find you
In Jesus mighty name.

Amen!

Day 10

Who will inherit the kingdom?

Worship Song of the Day

Urukundo by Rohi Choir / ADEPR NYAKABANDA

Scripture of the Day: Acts 17:24-28

7 Don’t you realize that when you drag another believer into court you’re providing the evidence that you are already defeated? Wouldn’t it be better to accept the fact that someone is trying to cheat and take advantage of you, and simply choose the high road? At times it is better to just accept injustice and even to let someone take advantage of you, rather than to expose our conflicts publicly before unbelievers.[e] 8 But instead you keep cheating and doing wrong to your brothers and sisters, and then request that unbelievers render their judgment!

Christian Morality and the Kingdom Realm of God

9 Surely you must know that people who practice evil cannot possess God’s kingdom realm. Stop being deceived![f] People who continue to engage in sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, sexual perversion,[g] homosexuality, 10 fraud, greed, drunkenness, verbal abuse,[h] or extortion—these will not inherit God’s kingdom realm. 11 It’s true that some of you once lived in those lifestyles, but now you have been purified from sin,[i] made holy, and given a perfect standing before God—all because of the power of the name of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and through our union with the Spirit of our God.

12 It’s true that our freedom allows us to do anything, but that doesn’t mean that everything we do is good for us. I’m free to do as I choose, but I choose to never be enslaved to anything. 13 Some have said, “I eat to live and I live to eat!” But God will do away with it all. The body was not created for illicit sex, but to serve and worship our Lord Jesus, who can fill the body with himself.

Having Control over your body.

Matthew 6:33 says

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

The Kingdom of God is accepting God’s rule over all the Earth. However the scripture above-Corinthians 6:7-13-tells us those who cannot possess the kingdom of God.

What does it mean to have control over your bodies? My daughter has an impulse to touch and explore things. It does not matter if the thing she desires will cause her harm. Whether it is a hot glue gun or a pretty flower, she wants to explore using her sense of touch as much as her sense of sight.

Most of us have an attraction to things, which brings us enjoyment or fulfillment. The bible says, we have been given the freedom to do anything but not everything is good for us-like my daughter, who touched the hot glue gun and burnt herself.

Before coming to Rwanda, I liked an alcoholic drink, and I liked the feeling of being merry in certain situations. However, those situations did not bring glory to me, to God, or my family. Therefore I had to make a decision, do I control my body or let it control me?

Even food, when not eaten in the right amounts, can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other diseases. Therefore if you desire to seek the kingdom of God, you must first have control of your body’s desires, especially the ones which do not align with the teaching of the bible. The scripture is explicit about these desires, which cannot inherit the kingdom: sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, sexual perversion, homosexuality, fraud, greed, drunkenness, verbal abuse, and extortion.

But there is GOOD NEWS because verse 11 says

It is true that some of you once lived in those lifestyles, but now you have been purified from sin,[i] made holy, and given a perfect standing before God—all because of the power of the name of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and through our union with the Spirit of our God.

The power in the name of Jesus has allowed those who lived to serve their bodies can now have union with God through Jesus Christ.

Prayer

In your prayer time, search yourself and think what can you control more in you life? What could be stopping you from inheriting the kingdom of God?

Offer up your prayers to God with a sincere heart .

In Jesus mighty name

Amen!

Day 11

No Blessing Goes Uncontested

Worship Song of the Day

Refiner by Chandler Moore feat. Steffany Gretzinger

Scripture of the Day: Psalm 41:1-6

1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The Lord protects and preserves them—
they are counted among the blessed in the land—
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
and restores them from their bed of illness.
4 I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die and his name perish?”
6 When one of them comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it around.

Having Control over your body.

Todays devotion comes from Bible in a year by Nicky & Pippa Gumbel

‘No blessing goes uncontested’ is one of Bishop Sandy Millar’s many original aphorisms, with which he would encourage us all. During his time as vicar of HTB he taught us not to be discouraged by the difficulties we faced because, as he liked to reassure us, ‘No blessing goes uncontested.’
God will bless you in amazing and wonderful ways. In the passages for today we read about the promise, the extent and the privilege of God’s blessing.

However, it was true of the people of God in the Old Testament and of the disciples of Jesus, and it will also be true in your life that ‘No blessing goes uncontested.’

Blessings on those who care for the poor
Blessings follow those ‘who have regard for the weak’ (v.1) – those who care, for example, about the poor, the hungry, the sick, the addicts and those in prison. This should be a characteristic of those who follow the Lord. If you care for the poor, God promises to deliver you in times of trouble, to protect you, to preserve your life and to bless you (v.2). He promises to sustain you and to heal you (v.3). But these blessings from God do not go uncontested.
Contested by trouble, sickness and slander
There may be ‘times of trouble’ (v.1b). There may be ‘foes’ (v.2b). There may be periods of ‘illness’ (v.3). There may be enemies: ‘they speak falsely, while their hearts gather slander; then they go out and spread it abroad’ (v.6).

Being aware that there are enemies around should put you on guard. There are some, for example, who come to ‘gather slander’. They are on a fishing expedition to find gossip against you so that they can go out and ‘spread it abroad’. But God promises his blessing and that he will ‘not surrender’ you (v.2b).
One of the encouraging things about the psalm is that this blessing of protection does not seem to be dependent on you always getting it right. David is very aware of his own sin, crying out to God for mercy and healing where he has fallen short (v.4).

Prayer

Lord, thank you for all the blessings you have poured out on me.
Thank you for your promise to deliver me in times of trouble, sickness and slander.

Amen!

Day 12

No Blessing Goes Uncontested Part 2

Worship Song of the Day

Worship Medley – In Christ Alone / Cornerstone / The Solid Rock | Caleb + Kelsey

Scripture of the Day: Luke 9:57-10:24

The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 10

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[b]

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Having Control over your body.

Today’s devotion comes from Bible in a year by Nicky & Pippa Gumbel

Blessings of following Jesus

As a follower of Jesus, you are more blessed than any human being in history who lived before Jesus. Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it’ (10:23–24).

The blessings are so great that they far outweigh any apparent cost. At times, you may have to say farewell to comfort (9:58), compromise (v.60) and even company (vv.61–62).

Like the ‘seventy-two’, you have the great blessing of being sent out by Jesus into a huge harvest (10:2). You have the privilege of healing the sick and of telling people, ‘God’s kingdom is right on your doorstep’ (v.9, MSG).

It is not just the Twelve who were sent out to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom. The seventy-two went out and did exactly that. They returned ‘with joy’ (v.17). Jesus is ‘full of joy through the Holy Spirit’ (v.21) as he sees the wonderful blessings that come to his disciples.

Contested by Satan and demonic powers

Jesus sends us out as ‘lambs among wolves’ (v.3). But our ultimate enemy in the New Testament is spiritual (‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood’, Ephesians 6:12). When ‘the seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” [Jesus] replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy…”’ (Luke 10:17–19). The enemy is Satan and his demons.

It is remarkable that, almost as an aside, Jesus says he was there at the moment, before the creation of the world, when Satan fell. Again, you are promised victory. The demons have to submit to the name of Jesus (vv.17,20). But Jesus says there is an even greater blessing and that is that ‘your names are written in heaven’ (v.20).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that my name is written in heaven. Help me not to be put off by attacks, because you have given me ‘authority… to overcome all the power of the enemy’

Amen!

Day 13

No Blessing Goes Uncontested Part 3

Worship Song of the Day

Raise A Hallelujah by Bethel Music

Scripture of the Day: Luke 9:57-10:24

The Command to Leave Horeb
1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. 2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)

3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. 4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

5 East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:

6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

The Appointment of Leaders
9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. 10 The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 11 May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised! 12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? 13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. 16 And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. 17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.” 18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.

Spies Sent Out
19 Then, as the Lord our God commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. 20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”

23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. 24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol and explored it. 25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.”

Rebellion Against the Lord
26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”

29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

34 When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.”

37 Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. 39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. 40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a]”

41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

42 But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’”

43 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. 44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. 45 You came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. 46 And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.

Wanderings in the Wilderness
1 Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea,[b] as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.

2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. 4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. 5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. 6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’”

7 The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.

9 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”

10 (The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. 11 Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. 12 Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the Lord gave them as their possession.)

13 And the Lord said, “Now get up and cross the Zered Valley.” So we crossed the valley.

14 Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. 15 The Lord’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.

16 Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, 17 the Lord said to me, 18 “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. 19 When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”

20 (That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites. 21 They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The Lord destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place. 22 The Lord had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day. 23 And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor[c] destroyed them and settled in their place.)

Blessings in the wilderness years

Today’s devotion comes from Bible in a year by Nicky & Pippa Gumbel

Are you going through hard times at the moment? Do you feel like you are in a wilderness period of your life?

Sometimes there seems to be a long delay between the promise of God and the fulfilment of that promise. What do we do while we are waiting for God to do what he has promised to do?

During these times, your faith is tested. Learn to trust God, seek his presence and worship him when life is hard.

Deuteronomy is one of the longest sermons ever preached. It is certainly the longest sermon in the Bible and the last preached by Moses.

In the book of Deuteronomy we read of Moses’ parting instructions to the people. Here Moses reiterates the law God had given the people, retransmitting God’s ways for a new generation. A key theme is ‘the land’, which is perhaps paralleled in the New Testament by the blessings of the ‘kingdom of God’, which come through being in Christ and living under God’s rule and reign.

The Bible is the story of God’s people, God’s blessing and God’s rule. You experience God’s blessing when you are living under God’s rule. At the start of Deuteronomy, we are reminded about God’s blessings to his people in the past, present and future.

First, regarding the past, Moses said, ‘The Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son… The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything’ (1:31; 2:7).

Second, concerning the present, Moses reminds them of the ways in which God has been faithful to his promises to Abraham: ‘The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky’ (1:10). Four times in the opening chapter we discover that God is giving his people the land of Canaan (vv.8,20,21,25). It is a gift of undeserved grace to God’s people – much as it is pure grace that you and I can have a relationship with God through Jesus.

Third, in relation to the future, Moses spoke of all the blessings God will give to his people. He prayed, ‘May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!’ (v.11). You will increasingly experience God’s blessing as you continue to live under God’s rule.
Contested by problems, burdens and disputes
Yet alongside all these blessings Moses also highlights a series of problems, burdens and disputes (v.12). God said, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain… See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land’ (vv.6–8). It was only eleven days’ journey, but it had taken them forty years! They had developed a wilderness mentality and allowed themselves to be overcome by fear and discouragement (v.21), grumbling (v.27), loss of heart (v.28) and opposition (v.26 onwards).

Now the time had come to ‘get moving’ (v.7, MSG). Yet Moses did not promise that they would be free of problems. In fact, Moses talked about ‘your enemies’ (v.42). They were going to have many battles ahead and much opposition. The key is to follow the Lord wholeheartedly (v.36b).

We also need leadership and organisation. Moses told them to choose ‘wise, understanding and respected’ people (v.13) and then to delegate. Choosing the right people is the key to delegation and will avoid the need to micromanage. As General George Patton said, ‘Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.’ Delegation involves putting others in charge but being willing to take ultimate responsibility (vv.9–18).
Never allow opposition to put you off. Moses said, ‘Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you’ (vv.29–30).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that my name is written in heaven. Help me not to be put off by attacks, because you have given me ‘authority… to overcome all the power of the enemy’ (v.19).

Amen!

Day 14

Wellness Day 2

Worship Song of the Day

African Medley by David Forlu

Wellness

Our Wellness day, getting our bodies healthy, will help our spirit be healthy to.

What is better than praising the Lord and working out at the same time?

Remember get you families involved and praise and worship the Lord today.

Prayer

Lord let today be full of your glory,
Let us sing of your goodness,
We worship you the Lord over our bodies,
In Jesus mighty name,

Amen!

Day 15

Decisions and Consequences

Worship Song of the Day

Create in me a Clean Heart by Keith Green

Scripture of the Day

Please read 2 Samuel 11 and 2 Samuel 12. I left links because they are the whole chapters.

When I was younger my brother and I stayed out after school hanging out with friends. We didn’t arrive back home until 9:00 p.m., and I knew there would be in trouble. We sneaked in and as my mum was sleeping we (well I) thought we got away with it but little did we know!

The next day my Dad came to take my sister to her Saturday job at 5:00 a.m. My mum told my Dad, what happened the day before and as my brother was up, I heard him getting a beating. I thought I pretend to sleep but that didn’t save me behind.

It is said that we make 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day!

Each decision we make has a consequence; good or bad! Today’s scripture tells us how David (the bible says was a man after God’s heart) commits a grave sin, and to cover up his bad decision, He commits murder. We sometimes cover up bad decisions with more bad decisions, because when we open the door to sin it tries to destroy us completely.
There are many lessons we can take from these scriptures in the 2nd book of Samuel. Today I would like to focus on the consequences of bad decisions.

Have you made a wrong decision and wanted God to take you out of it? Like my story, my brother and I decided to stay out late and brought the consequences of chastisement from my parents (which I tried to get our from). Another wrong decision I have made is spending more money than I earned. The consequence of this was debt.

As Christians, we get ourselves in situations because of the decisions we make, and we sometimes struggle to go through the consequences of the choices we make. If a person commits a robbery and gets caught-in the time between getting caught and his sentencing, the person becomes a Christian-he will still need to serve the time for the crime (bad decision) he has committed, even if his sins are now forgiven.

In the scripture the consequence for David’s sins was:

‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes, I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’

But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for[a] the Lord, the son born to you will die.”

As Christians, we are not to think we are above the consequences of bad decisions that we make, but God can forgive you. “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die!” (2 Samuel 12v13). However, as with David we take full responsibility for the actions we make. 

Let us be mindful of the decision we make each day, especially the ones where your conscience/spirit is alerting you that it is a wrong thing. And if you have made a wrong decision, pray to Lord for forgiveness because God can turn a bad thing around even if you have to accept the consequence of the decision you have made.

Prayer

Lord help me to make the right decisions each day,
Forgive me for the wrong ones,
Help me to be the person you called me to be.
In Jesus mighty name,

Amen!

Day 16

Decisions and Consequences Part II

Worship Song of the Day

Above All by Lenny LeBlanc

Scripture of the-Day Matthew 4:1-11

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Making a decision is probably the hardest thing we do at any particular time. Our decision is sometimes not merely black and white, right or wrong. Sometimes decisions are both right, but one may be better than the other. For example, the decision to choose the right college; the decision to work out in the morning or evening; the decision to stay at work or go to your daughter’s school play; or the decision to take your wife out for dinner or go to the bar with the guys from work. Making a decision when morally they are both right can be difficult. However, the type of person you want to go along way to you choosing the one

The decision we make can also be affected by our emotions, hormones, our needs, and desires. For example, dopamine-also is known as the “feel-good” hormone-is a hormone and neurotransmitter that’s an important part of your brain’s reward system. Dopamine is associated with pleasurable sensations. So when we are filled with the feel-good hormone it affects our judgment when we make decisions. For example, if you are into shopping and fashion when you see a SALE sign our bodies releases dopamine which triggers instant gratification. It’ll be hard to make the right decision when your body is full of dopamine.

History has taught us that even the greatest minds struggle to make the right decision sometimes. So we’ll focus on how to not make the wrong decision. In today’s scripture, we look at Jesus not making the wrong decision when he was tempted by the Devil.

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Now, after not eating or drinking for the last 40 days you would think turning stones in the Bread would not be so wrong. The enemy will appeal to our needs as he did with Jesus. However, Jesus came to serve as a man, and his ministry was to show mankind we no longer live under the power of our body but the power of God. Jesus pointed back to the scripture when he made his decision. Which is what we need to do when we are faced with tough decisions. Do we go back to scripture?

In London, when I went to the movies, I used to pay for one film but watch two or three different ones back to back. I did not feel bad because it was expensive and I was doing personal social justice. However, scripture says “thou shalt not steal!” which I was doing. This is something I had to overcome.
Is it stealing to use the work printer for personal work?
Taking a pencil or pen from work?
Not saying something when you receive two items in the post when you’ve purchased only one.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

In this scripture, the Devil is using scripture to get Jesus to test God. Jesus also using scripture replies to “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Do we sometimes put ourselves in situations hoping God will get us out of it?

Before I became a Christian, I had a bad car accident because I was drink-driving. I fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into another car, both I and the other driver escaped unharmed. It would be wrong of me to now drink-drive with the knowledge that God can save me if I have another accident. Let us not put God to the test by purposely making the wrong decision especially when we know the right path to take.

The last decision Jesus made corresponds to the Devil trying to get Jesus to renounce God.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

How many times do we replace God in our lives with other gods: money, power, work, and family. Deciding to worship the things we have above God is what humans have been getting wrong for generations. Jesus says “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Can you spend hours on Instagram, but when you are reading your bible you get tired after 5 mins? Would you spend hours at work or with family but find excuses when it is time to go to church or fellowship.

We are not always going to make the right decision, but by following the steps of Jesus we are less likely to make the wrong decision.

Prayer

Lord you are the example and you gave us the bible to guide us.
You also left us the Holy Spirit to help us make the right decision.
Even when it is difficult, you always give us a way.
We love you and worship you.
In Jesus mighty name.

Amen!

Day 17

Decisions and Consequences Part III

Worship Song of the Day

History (feat. Alton Eugene) – Maverick City Music | TRIBL Music

P PAUSE -Proverbs 19:2

R READ -Psalms 119:105

A ASK -Proverbs 15:22

Y YIELD -Luke 22:42

Prayer

Lord, thank you for giving us the bible to guide us and point us in the direction.
We thank you that you inspire us the be the best we can be.
Help us when we are faced with difficult decision.
In Jesus mighty name.

Amen!

Day 18

My favourite scripture

Worship Song of the Day

YI NAYE – Ntokozo Mbambo ft Joe Mettle

My Favourite Scripture Acts Chapter 7

My favourite scripture is Acts 7, which starts in chapter 6. It tells the story of the first Christian martyr-Stephen. Stephen was not an apostle but someone full of faith, who was chosen to help the early church, which allowed the apostles to pray and teach, therefore allowing the Gospel to spread.

Opposition against Stephen grew because he did mighty things for God-this is something I question about myself. Do I create enemies because of my faith or does the enemy not care about me because I’m insignificant? The main reason why I like these two scriptures is the boldness Stephen showed in the face of prosecution. It would have been easy to have denied the charge because his boldness cost him his life.

How many lives have been lost so we can be here today?

How many Christian martyrs have died for the faith so we can freely worship today?

Share your favourite scriptures below in the comment section and tell us why it’s your favourite.

Comments are now closed

Day 19

Are you tired?

Worship Song of the Day

You Keep On Getting Better (feat. Majesty Rose) – Maverick City Music | TRIBL Music

Am I tired?

Last night I stayed up late to finish off some work, and I did not get off to sleep till very late. Now sleeping late while having young children is a dangerous sport that I would not encourage, especially if both you and your partner go bed late. My daughter woke up early and I noticed that I was shouting at her to be quiet. Now it was not her fault I went to sleep late, and her actions did not warrant the response she received.

When we are tired, we are more likely to fall into sin and temptation. I forgot I was a loving father and all my brain wanted to do was sleep. It didn’t care about the feelings of a young child.

Spending one night entirely without sleep will make you feel drunk—and your brain behaves if it is drunk, says Pyatkevich.

One of the tactics of the enemy is to keep you busy, thus making you tired. Scripture says in 1 Peter 5:8:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Take a look at your life, are you too busy, are you tired or do you feel like you need a holiday? Don’t allow the enemy to tempt you because your defenses are down and get some rest, and be ready for what the day brings you.

Prayer

Father, God, Help me invest my time wisely.
Help me to be a good steward of the one thing I cannot get more of…time.
I want to make investments in your Kingdom.
Help me discern those activities that waste my time.
In Jesus’ name.

Amen!

Day 20

Sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Worship Song of the Day

Jehovah You are the Most High God (AFRICARIBB MEDLEY) Dr. Kofi Thompson

Scripture of the Day Deuteronomy 30:1-3

“So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.

Am I tired?

A friend told me a story about the time he got arrested for putting fuel in his car. As he was putting petrol in the car using a petrol can, a police officer drove past and began questioning him. As it transpired the officer arrested him and my friend was locked up. While in the police cell a large poster was on the wall, with the words

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

He looked at the events that led him to end up in the police cell, even though he should not have been arrested there were steps he could have taken to avoid being arrested.

Are you in a situation that you are sick and tired of being in?

We sometimes end up in situations that we feel like the enemy is attacking us. However, if we search ourselves, we know that if we made a different decision (remember the acronym P.R.A.Y) we might not be in the situation. However, now we are here, we cannot change the past; what do we do? God says that as long as we turn back to him, he will restore us from captivity. If you have this feeling of emptiness, your body is yearning for something more, your sick and tired of being sick and tired of the situation you are in? God is calling you today to connect, all you have to do is connect back.

What are you going to do because of what you read today?

Prayer

Lord I’m tired,
I have had enough of the life I’m living,
I want to change,
I want the emptiness to go and replaced with your Joy,
Your word says that if I turn to you, that you will restore me.
I make the decision to turn to you
Live for you,
Thank you for calling me,
In Jesus mighty name,

Amen!

Day 21

There is still Hope for You!

Worship Song of the Day

Hope Has A Name – River Valley Worship

God can use you today

If we look at people in the bible what do we think?
How faithfully they are?
The great things they have done?
How God used them powerfully?
Who in the bible do you look up to and inspires you to be the person you desire to be?
Let’s look at the great people in the bible and see what is written about them.

King David: A Murderer

2 Samuel 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the [c]hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”

Noah: A Drunk

Genesis 9:21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.

Solomon: Idol Worshipper

1 Kings 11:5-6 Solomon followed Astarte (the goddess of the Sidonians) and Milcom (the disgusting idol of the Ammonites). So Solomon did what the Lord considered evil. He did not wholeheartedly follow the Lord as his father David had done.

Joseph: Arrogant

Genesis 37:9-11 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will, your mother and I and your brothers come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Peter: Denier of Jesus

Luke:60-62 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Paul: Persecuted Christians

Acts 9:1-3 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

If God can use these flawed people (Paul wrote most of the New Testament, Peter built the early church, Joseph saving the whole Israelites by becoming Prime Minister of Egypt…) he can use you also. Do not wait until you’re perfect or you have your life in order because the only perfect person is Jesus, and He was killed on a cross like a common criminal.
 

What are you waiting for?

Prayer

Lord, I am flawed,
But the bible says that I am made righteous by the grace of God and our faith in Jesus.
I am ready to give my life to you.
Help me to make the next step.
In Jesus mighty name.

Amen!

Day 22

What are the things stopping you from following Christ fully?

Worship Song of the Day

Through It All Andrae Crouch

What is the Next Step for you?

Today we will self assess our lives, are we where we want to be in our walk with Christ. The gospel tells us that we are saved not by our works:

Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

So the question I ask is, what is stopping us from following Christ fully?

Today’s scripture comes from Matthew 13:1-23It tells us why some people do not follow Christ.
1. Verse 19 Say the evil one snatches it away. I liken this to hard-hearted people, they are the ones who fight with zeal against Christians and Christ.

2.People with no root, those who know who Christ is but will not go to church, read their bible, etc. So when trouble or persecution comes their way they revert to their worldly ways.

3. Worries of life, those who have turned their lives around, but are conflicted by their worldly needs of money, greed, etc.

4. Are those who are running the race of faith and are winning. Things still go wrong in their life, but Christ is a rock in their life which cannot be shaken.

Where are you in your walk-in Christ and what steps are you taking to be more like Christ?

Prayer

Lord I may not be where I want to be, but I striving to be there.
Thank you for saving me and expecting nothing.
But show me the goods works you have prepared for me in advance
In Jesus mighty name.

Amen!

Day 23

The Highs and Lows of Life

Worship Song of the Day

Wastahili Wewe Bwana By Krystaal Music/ Next Level

The Highs and Lows of Life

Written by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel for the Bible in One Year.

As I look back on the past forty-five years as a Christian, there have been times of great spiritual highs – experiences of the Holy Spirit, God’s love, the joy of seeing people encounter Jesus for the first time, amazing answers to prayer and seeing the kingdom of God advancing. On the other hand, there have also been spiritual lows – desert experiences, bereavements, disappointments, failures, temptations, opposition, health issues and exhaustion. In the passages for today we see how spiritual highs and lows are closely connected.

Scripture of the Day: Psalms 22:1-11

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

Victory

This psalm forms the background to Jesus’ cry on the cross, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (v.1a). It is not a coincidence that Jesus quoted this psalm (Matthew 27:46).

Psalm 22 lays out a prophetic background to the cross and resurrection, which we see fulfilled in Jesus. He was ‘scorned by everyone, and despised by the people’ (v.6); mocked and insulted (v.7). They hurled insults at him, shaking their heads (v.7b). ‘He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him’ (v.8a).

This accurately describes the suffering of Jesus (see Matthew 27:31–46) and yet it ends in victory.

The message of the psalm is about the importance of trust at our very low points (Psalm 22:4–5,9). Jesus, at the very lowest point of his life – crucified and God forsaken – trusted in God to deliver him. The apparent defeat of the cross turned out to be the greatest victory of all time.

If you are at a low point, remember that suffering does not have the last word. In Jesus, the resurrection and the victory of God have the last word. Keep trusting him

Prayer

Lord, thank you so much for the times when I have cried out to you and been saved; trusted in you and not been disappointed. Help me in times of suffering to keep trusting in you.

Amen!

Day 24

If God is So Powerful and So Good, Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Day 26

God’s Perspective

Worship Song of the Day

Iron Bell Music – Always Loved Me

Scripture of the Day :Acts 7:44 is & Acts 8:3

44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[a] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[b]

51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen
54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

8

And Saul approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

‘Circumcise’ your heart

Written by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel for the Bible in One Year.

Do you ever look at someone who is very opposed to the Christian faith and wonder if they could ever change? In today’s passage, we see that even the most hardened opponent can have a change of heart.

To be a Jew meant physical circumcision. Every male was circumcised on the eighth day of his life. But physical circumcision was intended to symbolise circumcision of the heart.

As Stephen’s speech comes to an end, with great courage and boldness, he says to his accusers, ‘You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!’ (7:51). He then accuses them of having murdered Jesus (‘the Righteous One’, v.52).

One main theme runs through Stephen’s speech: God is not restricted to any one place: ‘The Most High does not live in houses made by human hands’ (v.48).

Neither the tabernacle (vv.44–45), nor the temple (vv.46–47) could ever have been viewed as God’s home in a literal sense (v.48). For as God says through Isaiah, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool’ (v.49). Jesus came to replace the tabernacle and temple. Before Jesus, people would come to the temple to meet God. With Jesus’ coming, the meeting place with God would be Jesus himself.

Now, through the Holy Spirit, God is present with his people (Matthew 18:20). It is especially in the gathered community, the church, that God lives by his Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). By his Spirit, he dwells within each of us. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). God’s dwelling is now in Stephen, who is ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 7:55).

Stephen is speaking to the priests of the very temple that has now been superseded by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. So it is not surprising that ‘they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him’ (v.54). They drag him out of the city and stone him (v.58).

One of the people with an ‘uncircumcised heart’ is a young man named Saul. ‘The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them’ (v.58, MSG). He ‘was right there, congratulating the killers’ (8:1, MSG). This young man, Saul, ‘began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison’ (v.3).

It would be hard to find anyone in human history who had a bigger change of heart than this young man. From being a murderer of Christians, he became a great apostle who preached all over the world that Jesus is the Son of God (9:20). Imagine if a former member of Isis ended up as the Pope and you’ll be close to understanding what happened to the apostle Paul!

When did this change of heart begin? Perhaps a seed was planted when he saw Stephen’s death: ‘Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”’ (7:55–56).

Then, ‘While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep’ (vv.59–60).

Later, this same Saul, also known as Paul, would write, ‘… a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit’ (Romans 2:29).

To circumcise is to cut off. Every true Christian is circumcised by the Holy Spirit. When your heart is circumcised, you seek to cut off every wrong attitude that comes into your heart and mind. Say ‘no’ to anything that will stop your heart being right before God. Like Stephen, be filled with the Holy Spirit overflowing with love, courage and forgiveness.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord,
that your love has changed my heart.
Thank you that through your Holy Spirit we can all change.
Amen!

Day 25

God’s Perspective

Worship Song of the Day

Nkoresha – James & Daniella

Scripture of the Day :Psalm 73:1-14

A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity[b];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.

You Can Change

Written by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel for the Bible in One Year.

There was a woman who lived on the streets near our church. She would ask for money and react aggressively to those who refused. When she died, I took the funeral. I discovered afterwards that this woman had inherited a large fortune. She had acquired a luxurious flat and many valuable paintings, but she chose to live on the streets with her plastic bags full of rubbish. She could not bring herself to leave behind the life she knew and she never enjoyed her inheritance.

Some people are afraid of change, while others believe change is not possible. Yet the wonderful news is that with God’s help you can change. This change is key to spiritual life, growth and transformation. It is not just about changing our actions or appearance; we need to change on the inside – we need a change of heart. How can this happen?

Get God’s perspective

Have you ever wondered whether your faith was really worthwhile? Have you ever looked around at very successful people who have no faith and wondered whether they are better off than you and even been tempted to be envious of them?

The psalmist has kept his heart pure (v.1), but he has found life extremely tough. He has had his struggles and been ‘plagued’ (v.5) by temptation, doubts, fears and anxiety of mind.

He looks around at an affluent society that seems to be doing very well without God. He ‘almost slipped’ (v.2): ‘For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked’ (v.3).

You may see people around who are rich and successful. In spite of their ‘callous hearts’ (v.7), they seem not to have struggles (v.4). They seem perfectly healthy and free from burdens (vv.4–5). They are proud and arrogant, and appear to have no need of God (vv.6–11).

If you find yourself on the slippery path of doubt and despair (v.2), wondering whether you have kept your heart pure in vain (v.13), then this psalm tells you what to do.

As we shall see, everything changes when we enter ‘the sanctuary of God’ (v.17) and see things from God’s perspective. The psalmist had a complete change of heart. He ‘understood their final destiny’. He realised the difference between their destiny and his (v.17).

The psalm starts, ‘Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart’ (v.1). And it ends, ‘But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds’ (v.28).

Prayer

Lord, may I enter your sanctuary and see things from your perspective.

Thank you that ‘you are good to those who are pure in heart…

it is good to be near you.

I have made you my refuge;

I will tell of all your deeds.’

Amen!

Day 27

My Testimony

Worship Song of the Day

Anthony Brown & group therAPy – Testimony

Scripture of the Day: Psalm 105:1-7

1 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
5 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
6 you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
7 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.

What is your testimony?

Doris shared her testimony last week on Sunday. Testimonies are powerful because you cannot disagree with people’s experiences. I can disagree with many things. However, you cannot disagree with someone’s personal experience.

In today’s scripture, the psalmist says in verse 5

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.

I can tell you the amazing things God has done in my life and the miracles, and no one can disagree with it because it is my testimony.

Before Brenda and I got married, I was working two jobs and life was sweet. After we decided to get married and plan the wedding, I lost both of my jobs and I struggled to find work. It was a miracle we got married; through the generosity of friends and family and people making donations, we manage to pay for everything and still had money left for our honeymoon! I even manage to get a job, which started as soon as my honeymoon finished.

What I learned is to put my trust in Him always and verse 2

Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

.

What is your testimony?
What wonderful acts are you going to tell?

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the miracles in our lives,
We would not be here without you,
Lord give me a testimony,
Let me tell of the good things you have done in my life,
In Jesus mighty name,
Amen!

Day 29

Reflection

Food for thought

• Who decided to follow the devotion at the beginning of the month?
• Who actually followed every day?
• Why is it we find it hard to do the things we want to do sometimes?
• What are the things that distract us from spending time with God?
• Is it your desire to spend time with God?
• Why is it we can spend hours on social media but feel sleepy when reading the Bible?
• What steps can we make to ensure we become the people we want to be?
• How has God blessed you this month?
• What are you going to do in response to what you have learned this month?
• Do you still feel alone in your Christian walk?
• Are you trying to perfect your walk with Christ?
• Why do some challenges spark different responses?

As we come to the end of the 30-day challenge, let us reflect on November and look forward to December.

Day 28

Obedience

Worship Song of the Day

I Give Myself Away by William McDowell

Why does obedience to God matter?

Taken from https://www.compellingtruth.org/

The fifth commandment teaches us to honor our earthly father and mother (Exodus 20:12), and that command is repeated in Ephesians 6:1, with the added instruction to “obey.” God is our heavenly Father, and we should honor and obey Him, as we should our earthly father. Obedience to God proves our relationship with Him (1 John 5:2–3), and we demonstrate our love and faithfulness through obedience, too (1 John 2:3–6). Jesus said, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:10–11). Obedience is a command, and it is linked to love and joy.

If our faith in God is genuine, we will live a lifestyle characterized by holiness, modeling the example set for us by Jesus Christ. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. We obey His commands, not because we have to, but because we love Him and we want to. We are able to obey because, once we believe in Christ and are saved, we are remade. We are not the same people we once were. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Over and over, the Bible tells us that God blesses and rewards obedience. James 1:22–25 says it perfectly: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Obedience is also important because others are watching how we live, and our testimony should glorify God (Matthew 5:16). The obedience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego led to the king of Babylon honoring the Lord (Daniel 3:28). Paul and Silas’s obedience in the jail of Philippi led to the salvation of the jailer (Acts 16:29–30).

Obedience enables us to live a life of joy, without shame, rooted deeply in the Lord and confident in our eternal hope. We can be rewarded by God in a myriad of ways. “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart” (Psalm 119:1–2).

The great news is that God is gracious. If we haven’t been living for Him, if we haven’t been following His commandments, if we’ve been living in and for the world, we can be transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We can ask God for forgiveness, and He will give it. And He will choose to forget our sin, just as if we had never committed the sin in the first place. It glorifies Him to do that because it is written, “‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,’ then he adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more'” (Hebrews 10:16–17).