Daily Devotional Archive

21st January, 2025

The Imminence of Christ's Return

The early church lived as if Christ's return would happen in their generation. In the writings of the apostles, we see that as a recurring theme; in fact, they expected it. Faithful Christians in each generation have lived the same way. Christ's return is always imminent, and his kingdom is always at hand. The same applies to us 2024 years later. We must preach and live in expectation of the Lord's return as if it were happening now. I remember the dream where the Lord told me he is coming NOW! He may not return in our generation, but we must always live as if he is, because that's the only way the bride prepares for his return when she knows her bridegroom is coming any second to pick her up, and she must be well adorned and dressed. A bride who has stopped expecting her bridegroom will find herself leaving this world as a foolish virgin even if the Lord does not return. The imminence of the Lord's return should be our blessed hope until we leave this world. That's what proves we are his bride.
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:11-13
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8

18th January, 2025

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

Lazy Christianity is unlikely to get one to heaven. Satan does not sleep, nor is he lazy. He is a hard-working adversary with a large army whose chief aim is to ensure no one gets to heaven. The Christian may think Satan is not bothered with him, but that is Satan's chief mission: to make him think that. An enemy you cannot see, an enemy whose weapons you do not know, an enemy who convinces you that he is not real or is no threat to you, has already overcome you. No soldier can overcome his enemy while he sleeps and is not alert and training. Lazy Christianity is sure to lead to hell because the Christian will be overcome by sin, temptation, Satan's workers, demons, and his own flesh. Heaven is for overcomers!

Samson relaxed and slept; he let down his defenses, and Delilah managed to seduce and destroy him. She never gave up. "And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him." Judges 16:20

And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Matthew 11:12

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."1 Timothy 6:12

"No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he might please the one having enlisted him." 2 Timothy 2:4

14th January, 2025

"I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH." Jesus

CHRIST is the HEAD of his church, and he said, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The church he is building is not buildings, denominations, or ministries of men; his church is the body of true believers who are born again and are Christ-like—his true disciples. The church of Christ is not the multitudes who attend buildings on Sunday because many of these multitudes are not disciples of Jesus and do not know him, nor are they known by him. His church is the body of individual believers, known to him, who are truly his disciples. The living stones he is building up (1 Peter 2:5). The church he is building up is YOU if you are his disciple. "God does not dwell in temples made with hands" (Acts 7:48).

"To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen." Revelation 1:6

13th January, 2025

"For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Psalm 138:2 

Anytime passages in the Bible are hard to understand or accept, the solution is not to ignore them, discount them, or water them down. The solution is to ask God for revelation and grace to understand his heart on the subject matter and obey. God will never compromise on his word for our sake. It does not matter if the entire Christian world ignores certain commands of scripture: his word will still stand, and we will be judged by it. Jesus said not one jot or iota will pass from the Law till all be fulfilled. His word will judge us on judgment day, and we should treat it with absolute reverence and respect even when our flesh doesn't like it. But if we love the Lord, we will love his law; it will always be a delight. His commands are not burdensome. They are life and peace to those trained by them.

10th January, 2025

"Me" centered gospel is not the true gospel.

The true gospel is absolutely and fully Christ-centered. It is not about Christ giving us a better life on earth, but about us giving him the glory with our lives for all he has done for us through the cross. The true gospel is one of self-denial and death to self. As Paul said " I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And that which I now live in the flesh, I live through faith from the Son of God, the One having loved me and having given up Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

7th January, 2025

The Christian faith is about how and if we finish, not how we started. Many will finish badly, many will rise after stumbling and finish strong, many will enter at the last second, and many will deceive themselves and discover they were never in the race at all. It is our finish that matters. Don't compare yourself with anyone. Right now you can decide to gird up your loins, get serious, and finish strong, whether you're a pastor, a backslider, a churchgoer, or a sinner. In fact, the most dangerous group is those in church doing activities because they think church membership is a ticket to heaven. We must always remember that God knows our thoughts and the hidden things. He can't be bribed or deceived. Work out YOUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling, especially when you're busy with service.

6th January, 2025

God's promises are conditional on obedience.

We cannot claim his blessings while living in sin and disobedience. The promises he gave the Israelites as well were conditional; obedience brought blessings, and disobedience brought curses (Deuteronomy 28-29). Whenever they disobeyed him, God gave them over to their enemies to oppress them until they repented. The same applies to new covenant believers. When we sin, we break the hedge, and the serpent has legal access to steal, kill, and destroy us. Our only protection and safety is to abide within the confines of our covenant with God, which is obedience (and repentance if we do sin). When we obey God, we are under his blessing. When we disobey him, we are open to curses (harm) for we have removed ourselves from under his protection.

1st January, 2025

Truly happy new year!

There were New Year's nights when I slept drunk and woke up with hangovers to begin another year in regret and shame over my sins under the direction and control of demons. Many spent last night the same way. From my bedroom last night, I could hear the sounds from the bars in my neighborhood where I would have been counted a few years back. I kept wondering what if Jesus came back last night to find many in bars drunk and caught up in all manner of lusts and licentiousness? May the Lord have mercy on the captives of Satan.

But I spent the night in my bed long before midnight in peace and rest and quietness and woke up without regrets in the arms of my savior. All by the mercies of the Lord Jesus, who delivered me from the vain life I once lived as a slave to Satan and rescued me by his marvelous grace and tender mercies. I owe Jesus so much. That I am not in hell today is by his great mercies and love only. He truly has been merciful to me, who once was the worst of sinners. I wasted myself, but he redeemed me. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Brethren, even to begin a new year born again is a great miracle for which we must always thank the Lord. That we are alive and have one more chance to live for him and prepare for heaven is a great gift. Let's commit all our days to him and the keeping of our souls to him as to a faithful creator.
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were WASHED, but you were SANCTIFIED, but you were JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

SUCH WERE SOME OF US, but he made us new! I was guilty of everything listed in that scripture above, but I am not counted in that number anymore. Glory to the Lord Jesus forever!

31st December, 2024

We Have a Better Country Awaiting Us

Beloved, it is human nature to become dull of hearing when we hear something over and over again, but we must always remember that Jesus promised to return, and he will, and he shall come as a thief in the night when we least expect him. Let us not grow faint or familiar with this world. Let us live as those who have their luggage packed and ready to go. Travel light. Leave this world to those who want it. We as believers are not of this world. We are pilgrims and sojourners here just as the children of Israel were in Egypt.

When the children of Israel left Egypt, they were excited to enter the promised land, but when they faced challenges in the wilderness, the majority gave up and forgot God's promise and inheritance laid up for them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They were unable to hold on to the heavenly vision; they stopped seeing it; it became a dream. God was not pleased with that generation and their lack of faith, and they perished in the wilderness. Their journey is symbolic of ours. Many even now will set off for the promised land, but not all will enter in for the same reasons.
May the Lord Jesus help us all to finish strong in his mighty name. He is able to keep us from falling if we cling to him and abide in him.

14th December, 2024

God is not a part-time secret lover you run to only when you need stuff but ignore other times to do your will. Either you're his or you're not. Either you're the bride of Jesus or you're not. You can't have it both ways. Bride denotes relationship, intimacy, and fidelity.

"You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God." James 4:4

12th December
If we are faithful to the Lord Jesus until the end, our ending is beautiful: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4.
But if we are unfaithful, the end is horrific; "shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8
Let's be eternally conscious in a distraction-filled world.
6th December
We must never develop familiarity or presumption with God; it is a grave danger to do so. He is still God, and we are but clay. He is God, and we are not. He deserves our reverence, fear, and obedience, for he is a consuming fire and does not show favoritism to any man. Though merciful, he is holy; though loving, he is a judge; though gracious, he is terrible. Fear him.
"tremble before Him, all the earth." 1 Chronicles 16:30
"Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. “For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

30th November, 2024

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28
In Christ, we have the God the Father living and moving and having in our being in us. Jesus said, "On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.". If you understand this and let it settle in your spirit, you shall fear no evil, you shall fear no man, and you shall not allow anyone to bring you into bondage or intimidate you by vain philosophies and principles of men and vain religion. Christ is all in all; he is the fullness of the Godhead bodily and he dwells within each of his children and not some few anointed ones. Christ is my all in all, only he deserves my adoration, I will give it to no man or myself! Increase O Lord, and let me decrease.

20th November, 2024

We so rarely hear about the terror and the fear of God anymore. The vast majority of Christians talk only about a God of love—a God who takes them just as they are and is not moved by their sins. This is not the God of the Bible. God is a two-edged sword with two distinct sides. He is LOVE, but he is also HOLY. God's love means that he is merciful to pardon those who come sincerely to him. But his holiness means he must and will judge all sin because he cannot abide by sin. We must FEAR God. He is not a man and is no respecter of persons. He is God, a great and terrible God, the Bible says. If we love him, we will obey him. If we claim to love him but disobey him, we are hypocrites and will face his wrath.

14th October, 2024

If you're alive today and not in hell, you should not squander the mercy and opportunities the Lord has given you to repent, turn to him, and prepare for your eternity. No one knows the day of his death or the coming of the Lord. Don't play with sin. Don't play with God's grace because eventually, it will run out. While you have breath, repent now. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. NOW is the day of salvation. God is not mocked. Secret sins, hypocrisy, and playing religion lead to hell. Only a true relationship with Jesus as LORD and SAVIOR leads to heaven. This brief life is a vapor. Eternity is forever. Please don't risk it. Please don't gamble with it. Don't wing it. Be sure of where you're going because there are no more chances after death. Hell is a place of regret and torment and it's forever. Eternity is a long time. Please love your soul.

12th October, 2024

Jesus said that the world and church are made up of goats and sheep. They will live together until the last day, when he will separate them. What distinguishes them? Sheep are obedient and humble. They obey their master sheepishly. They don't argue. Goats are rebellious and heady like their master Satan. They want their own way always. Jesus's sheep hear and obey him. They run away from strangers, false prophets, and false churches because they don't recognize their voices. Sheep have discernment. They know their master's voice. Jesus's sheep will stay with him, and he will give them eternal life. He knows them, and they know him. They are despised by the world because they seem foolish, but he loves them and keeps them because they obey him.

27th October, 2024

No unclean thing shall enter
No normal person would allow a bunch of murderers, liars, thieves, adulterers, drunkards, immoral, unpredictable, hateful, mean, perverse, filthy, crude, and hypocritical people to come and live permanently in his home and corrupt his home, wife, and children. And yet many think they can live in sin and pretense, reject God, and still get to enter heaven when they die. Self-deception. If we have standards, how much higher are Gods? He says, "No unclean thing will ever enter (heaven) (Rev 21:27)". We have to be born again and live holy to enter. He will never change his standards for any of us. "Be holy as I am holy (1 Pet 1:16). Without holiness, no man shall see God (Heb 12:14). It is we who must rise to God's standards; he will never come down to ours. Jesus paid the high price of his life for us to be righteous. Where we end up for eternity is all up to us. God is not mocked.

27th September, 2024

The name above all names
At the mention of the name of JESUS CHRIST, every knee bows, every demon scatters, chains are broken, yokes are broken, burdens are lifted, the power of sin is broken, captives are set free, his armies vanquish his foes, darkness flees, Satan trembles, prison doors are open, fetters are broken, mountains melt like wax, witches and wizards scatter, the traps of the wicked are destroyed, wicked tongues are condemned and silenced, justice is wrought, the weapons of darkness are nullified, crooked ways are made straight, highways are made in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. At the mention of the name of Jesus, all things are possible. Call upon his name today! His name is a strong tower!
"that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 

23rd September, 2024

Without repentance, there is no holiness
Repentance is usually painful. But it produces holiness and the fruit of everlasting life. The man who refuses to repent of sin because of self-deception and self-righteousness is playing with fire. God can never be deceived. Hell awaits all hypocrites and pretenders. It's better to face the music now than face it in hell. No matter the embarrassment or loss that comes from repenting and turning from sin, it is better than eternity in hell. Oh, RIGHTEOUS FATHER, TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS. SHOW US THE PATHS OF LIFE. DELIVER US FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SELF-DECEPTION IN JESUS NAME.
"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

18th September, 2024

The way is narrow and FEW find it
The road to heaven is narrow, and few find it. The multitudes are not headed there. It is, therefore, folly to console oneself in being part of the majority. Heaven's citizens are not liked by the world because they are not of the world. They are always in the small minority. As Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (John 15:19)."
The Christian who hopes to be loved and accepted by the world is not following the way of the master. If he was hated, though perfect, how much more we? This world is not our home. We must never think we will belong if we are truly heaven-bound.

9th September, 2024

Watch and Pray
When a church or an individual stops praying, the enemy walks in and sets up camp. What follows is defeat and backsliding. A prayerless church is a powerless, cold church. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. We cannot defeat Satan with empty professions of faith, only with fervent prayer. The word of God alone without prayer is a dead letter. Even Satan uses the word of God for his purposes. The Bible without prayer has no power. It is prayer that quickens God's word and sends it forth to work. Without prayer, the Christian cuts himself off from God's power and is on his own—easy prey for Satan. 
Not all prayers are equal. A Christian who only prays for a few lifeless minutes is no match for the devil. Jesus spent hours in prayer; he groaned in prayer until his sweat was like large drops of blood. He asked his disciples, "Could you not watch with me an hour?" James tells us that the "EFFECTUAL, FERVENT prayer of a RIGHTEOUS man avails much." Fervent prayer is hot, passionate prayer; it is a prayer that has intent and focus. Lifeless, cold prayers do not affect Satan one bit. A man who prays with serious intent, knowing why and who he is praying to, will send armies to flight. We cannot defeat the enemy with wimpy, weak, distracted prayers. Christians are weighed down by sin and defeat because they do not pray.

27th August, 2024

Work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling.
We shall all give an account of ourselves to God. No one will say, "My pastor said, my mother said, or my church taught." We must each contend for our own salvation by seeking the Lord, meditating on his word, purposing to obey him, and listening to the Holy Spirit. The way is narrow. Jesus said that in the last days, even the elect will be deceived, if possible. No one is immune from Satan's attacks and deceptions. We must abide in the vine, who is the Lord Jesus, and cling to him above all. Fix our eyes on him, the author and finisher of our faith, the only one who can grant us safe passage into heaven.
"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12

20th August, 2024

Just as God acts through human agents, so does the devil. When Satan wants to get you to sin, he will use people to bait you and trigger you. Most will be used without knowing it. And so when someone tries to offend you, annoy you, hurt you, and so forth, watch your reactions because the devil is out to get you into the flesh so that you sin against God. We do not wage war against humans but against the demons, principalities, and powers behind them. Our weapons are not carnal but spiritual. We fight back, not by getting angry, offended, gossiping, criticizing, bitter, malicious, etc., which is what Satan wants. We fight back through love, mercy, forgiveness, blessing, and prayer.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

 

26th June, 2024

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” Matthew 5:7

Empathy is putting yourself in another's shoes and seeing things from his perspective, even if he is an enemy. It's not justification; it is compassion and pity. Only by having compassion can we love, bless, and pray for our enemies, as Jesus commanded, rather than hate and condemn them. And isn't this what God does for each of us daily? We all deserve hell, but God is merciful and compassionate, giving us TIME to repent and OPPORTUNITIES to do so. If God treated us like we treat one another, all of us would be in hell right now because we have sinned greatly against him. If we have been shown mercy, why can't we show mercy? Are we better than God?

9th April, 2024

The Overcomers

Jesus died for us and overcame this world, so we who believe in him may also overcome the world (sin, Satan, and his corrupt system) and not be overcome by it. Heaven is the city of the redeemed—the overcomers who made up their minds to follow the Lamb, who gave his all for them. From the very beginning of the last book of the Bible, Revelation, Jesus addresses the overcomers as his chosen, not those who have been overcome by the world. He is coming for an overcoming and glorious bride. Jesus said while on earth, "I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." His bride is that church, and he left her with these words of comfort, "Be of GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORD."

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Rev 21:7

25th March, 2024

A Vessel of Honor

Purge yourself of all that is not pleasing unto the Lord in your life, and you shall come forth as pure silver. There is treasure in each of us usually buried underneath a lot of sin and negative habits. Let the person God created you to be come forth. Turn from what's not worthy.
"Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth." Proverbs 25:4
"So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work." 2 Timothy 2:21

19th March, 2024

In Your Own Sight

"And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we WERE in OUR OWN SIGHT AS GRASSHOPPERS, and SO WE WERE IN THEIR SIGHT." Num 13:33
How you see yourself will determine how others see you and how the world and circumstances respond to you. The spies Moses sent to spy out the promised land all saw themselves as grasshoppers, with the exception of Caleb, of whom God said he had a "DIFFERENT SPIRIT" (Num 14:44); he saw himself as an overcomer and conqueror. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Most battles are first won within, in our own self-perception.

 

11th March, 2024

Heaven in view

A Christian who does not have heaven as a real and vivid goal, and as his/her sole ambition in this life that governs all else, will soon find themselves compromising, lukewarm, worldly, and having made a shipwreck of their faith. It is very easy to wander onto the broad way, especially in these last days. The true Christian must be vigilant, sober, and watchful, fleeing sin and compromise as a hot flame.

"Those who sleep, sleep at night; and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation." 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8