DCLM Daily Manna 1 September 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Conditional Security

TOPIC: Conditional Security (DCLM Daily Manna 1 September 2022)

TEXT: Genesis 35:1-5 (KJV)

1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

KEY VERSE: “Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments” (GENESIS 35:2).

MESSAGE:

There are countless events recorded in the Holy Bible to disprove the so-called doctrine of unconditional eternal security. The theory holds that once you are saved from sin, you remain justified forever, regardless of your unguarded post-salvation lifestyle. It advocates that you may live a carefree life after salvation.

From the text, the Lord had restrained the children of Shechem from wreaking vengeful fury on Jacob and his household. Though He had delivered them once, He now asked him to head for Bethel, “and make there an altar unto God.” But Jacob was not ignorant of the ways of the God of his fathers. For him and his family to continue to enjoy divine protection, they must be in a constant state of holiness. As they heeded Jacob’s directive to “Put away the strange gods… and be clean”, the Lord also retained His presence with them.

Unless we discard the “strange gods” in our lives, we would not be able to enjoy the full security Christ brought through His death and resurrection. We must do away with anything that drives away God’s presence in our lives.

Strange gods give man a false sense of joy and destroys our relationship with God. To continue to enjoy His presence, we must remain with Him every moment after being born again. Jesus makes it clear that only those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Believers’ security is conditional.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 1-4

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

DCLM Daily Manna 30 August 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Only True Gospel

TOPIC: The Only True Gospel (DCLM Daily Manna 30 August 2022)

TEXT: Galatians 1:1-9 (KJV)

1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

KEY VERSE: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

MESSAGE:

Charles Spurgeon once said, “the spotless purity of truth must always be at war with the blackness of heresy and lies”. Another minister of God also said, “the most dangerous gospel is the one that looks like the real thing but is not”. The “gospel” which has “a form of godliness but [denies] the power thereof”, the “gospel” that cannot produce a real transformation of character wherein “old things are passed away (and) all things are become new” is not the gospel of Christ. That kind of “gospel” is fake.

Apostle Paul establishes the truth of his divine calling. He said he was an apostle, “not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father”. He wondered that the Galatian believers were being seduced from Christ soon after their conversion “into another gospel”. He went on to place a great curse on anyone [including himself or an angel from heaven], that will preach any other gospel to them, except the true gospel of Christ that he had preached already to them. It was a sobering declaration.

The gospel of Christ is simple and straightforward. It is “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).

The life-changing gospel leads to true godliness and right relationship with God and eternal life. We must, therefore, take heed “lest any man spoil [us] through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men… and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth… the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And [we] are complete in him” (Colossians 2:8-10).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Only the gospel of Christ truly changes life and character.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 1-5

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

DCLM Daily Manna 29 August 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Neglected Prayer

TOPIC: The Neglected Prayer (DCLM Daily Manna 29 August 2022)

TEXT: Matthew 9:35-38 (KJV)

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

KEY VERSE: “Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers unto his harvest.” – (Matthew 9:37,38).

MESSAGE:

Prayer is perhaps the greatest privilege God gave to man. It is the only means by which fallen man can be reconnected with the holy God to make true fellowship and union possible once again. It is man’s opportunity to talk to God his Maker, bring his challenges to Him and receive solutions to them. Bible saints like Moses, David, Samuel, Daniel, Esther as well as contemporary saints like Jonathan Edwards, William Grimshaw, George Muller and John Hyde among others were great instruments in God’s hands through their prayer lives.

In our passage, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His usual manner, went everywhere preaching, teaching and healing the people. But when He saw the multitude, as “fainting and scattered” people, as sheep having no shepherd, He turned to His disciples, instructing them to pray to God to send more labourers to His harvest, because the work was much but the labourers few.

Christians are enjoined to pray “always with all prayer and supplication”, which includes prayers and intercession for all men (1 Timothy 2:1); prayer for “the peace of Jerusalem (our nation)” (Psalm 122:6); prayer for the leadership of the church (Romans 15:30), among others. But perhaps the most neglected prayer is the one to send more labourers to the harvest field.

The Church must pray and be fully involved in soul-winning. God needs more labourers in the field of souls. Let us pray and labour now, for the coming of the Lord is near; “the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9:4).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
We must back our prayer up with preaching to balance the equation.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Philemon

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

DCLM Daily Manna 26 August 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Hiding From God?

TOPIC: Hiding From God? (DCLM Daily Manna 26 August 2022)

TEXT: Jonah 1:1-17 (KJV)

1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

KEY VERSE: “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD” (Jonah 1:3).

MESSAGE:

In their fallen state, Adam and Eve thought the best thing they could do was to hide “themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Hundreds of years or perhaps thousands later, a prophet of God thought that the best way to avoid God and the task He gave him to do was “to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD”. Both parties were to later discover that no one could flee from God.

Jonah’s reluctance to go to Nineveh at God’s command might not be unconnected with the fact that Nineveh was the capital of an “enemy nation”. He paid the fare and was on his way to Tarshish, but God sent a tempest into the sea that shook the mariners to their wit’s end. They did all they could but the storm persisted until Jonah was thrown into the sea. That action ended the tempest and the mariners feared greatly and gave glory to God. Meanwhile, God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah who had to be in the whale’s belly for three days.

Jonah’s unwillingness and subsequent fleeing to Tarshish is condemnable. Today, many Christians have abandoned Christ’s mandate to “go… and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and have fled to “Tarshish” of business, education or even idleness. The Lord is concerned about the salvation of all men. He wants us to “Occupy till [He] comes”. Abdicating the duty of preaching is sin.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Soul-winning is a wise spiritual enterprise.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Habakkuk 1-3

Prayer Points:

1. Let your word flush out all foolishness of selfwill from my life.
2. Lord, break my heart and make me submissive to your will at all times.
3. Let all hardness of heart be broken in my life.
4. Lord, give all of us broken hearts as children.

HYMN: Unto Jesus I surrender. (GHS 92)

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.