DCLM Daily Manna 12 October 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Our Brighter Future

TOPIC: Our Brighter Future (DCLM Daily Manna 12 October 2022)

TEXT: Revelation 21:1-9 (KJV)

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 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.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

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

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

KEY VERSE: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7)

MESSAGE:

In her autobiography, My Life, one-time Prime Minister of modern Israel, Golda Meir, wrote about the mixed feelings she and other early settlers in Palestine had as they began the journey from Milwaukee, United States, to a new life in the territory that would again be the home of the Jews. Because of her people’s traumatised past and an unsettling present, she felt a yet more distressing future, despite the prospects of heading for their ancestral homeland given to them by the Lord.

The true follower of Jesus Christ cannot, however, harbour such a mixed reaction as he views his hereafter. He will not have any fear as to his spiritual status when death closes his eyes or when the rapture takes place and the saints are taken into the Lord’s bosom. They have no reason to disbelieve the several promises God has made in His word to take them to heaven. The redeemed will be ferried to the abode of God on the wings of Christ’s marvellous grace.

His assurance is that, over there, we shall forget past and present sadness, suffering and setbacks. We will “inherit all things” in His kingdom while those who spurn His word will perish in hell.

When you are promised such a home, you look forward to it with great excitement exceeding any earthly anticipation. You strive to enter there, shunning sinful distractions and unfounded apprehensions that are man-made or Satan-inspired. As we know and believe these truths and the certainty of the ecstasy in heaven, the Lord exhorts us to spread this good news before it is too late.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Heaven is for prepared people.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 23-24

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 11 October 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Payback For A Busybody

TOPIC: Payback For A Busybody (DCLM Daily Manna 11 October 2022)

TEXT: Song Of Solomon 1:4-9 (KJV)

4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

KEY VERSE: “Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept” (Song Of Solomon 1:6).

MESSAGE:

Busybodies incur avoidable suffering because of their meddlesome habits. Not content with their business in life, they stray into strange territory where they are led into misery and contempt.

That was also the lot of the Shulamite woman. She complained that her siblings were angry with her because she abandon her duty post to meddle in the affairs of others. As a result, she suffered severe consequences. Her fair skin became dark from the heat of the sun.

Trouble awaits believers who do not heed the Lord’s counsel that “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). We have a solemn commandment that we should focus only on our commitment to serve the Lord through the great commission. We are not to meddle in matters which do not concern us. The believer must remain pure while he awaits the return of his Master.

The Christian needs to be spiritually awake in order not to be drawn into demanding social activities, attempting business deals that would not permit time and consecration for the work of Christ. Such promising offers are at the beginning prosperous, but gradually deprive us of time for evangelism and regular church attendance. Naturally, zeal for heaven’s business would wane. The Lord frowns at such a Christian the same way the Shulamite’e brothers were angry with her for not tending the work given her.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Busybodies do not please God.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 22

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 10 October 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Avoid Hatred

TOPIC: Avoid Hatred (DCLM Daily Manna 10 October 2022)

TEXT: Deuteronomy 19:11-21 (KJV)

11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:

12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

KEY VERSE: “But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die” (Deuteronomy 19:11, 12).

MESSAGE:

The twin sins of hatred and dishonesty constitute high percentage of evil befalling the world today. While hatred is responsible for huge death records, dishonesty account for collateral damage to individuals, organisations and states. Considering the destruction of lives and properties that hated has caused in one of the countries in Africa, the parliament of that country in 2018, proposed a hate speech bill with death penalty for its offenders. This was done to reduce the menace of hatred in that country. Hatred is dangerous!

In our text, God reveals murder as a product of hatred and prescribes death as penalty. Although God instructed the children of Israel to separate some cities for refuge into which slayers were permitted to flee, willful murderers were precluded from that privilege. Also, removal of another person’s landmark in order to make fraudulent gain was forbidden. Such an act was a product of dishonesty. Bearing false witness was also forbidden.

To this extent, God required that every accusation be thoroughly investigated before an accused person could be condemned. Where an accusation was found to be baseless and malicious, however, God demanded that the false accuser be punished. In fact, He demanded that the punishment that should have been meted to the accused would be passed on to the false witness.

Murder, from God’s perspective, is not restricted to physical killings: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). We should endeavour to have genuine love for others. We must not allow the pains of offence to drag on in us as that could lead to hatred. We are instructed to love our enemies, bless those that curse us and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:44).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Beware! Hatred is a forerunner to murder.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 20-21

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 9 October 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — God Is Good

TOPIC: God Is Good (DCLM Daily Manna 9 October 2022)

TEXT: Nahum 1:1-9 (KJV)

1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

3 The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

KEY VERSE: “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies” (Nahum 1:7, 8).

MESSAGE:

Don Moen gave the world a song for all ages:

“God is good all the time,
He puts a song of praise in this heart of mine,
God is good all the time,
Through the darkest night, His light will shine,
God is good, God is good, all the time.”

Before Don Moen, Nahum had stated that God is good, especially in the time of trouble. It takes faith to understand that truth.

Nahum was one of the minor prophets of the Bible whose message centred on the warning and impending fall of Nineveh. Nahum begins his prophecy by considering the character of God who brings judgment. He starts by recognising Him as jealous. His jealousy is for our sakes so we can be protected from evil. Therefore, He will take vengeance on His adversaries. He is also slow to anger and great in power. Nahum pronounces God’s goodness because He is a Stronghold in the day of trouble. Those who love and trust Him see His goodness and find protection in His stronghold. God knows those who trust in Him. Not only does He know them in the sense of identification, but also in the sense of relationship.

Though we live in a world that seeks to belittle God and His word, as believers, we must know that He has a good plan for all His children and we can put our confidence in Him and His word. God’s goodness is real and comforting. We can trust Him to take care of us in a sinful and wicked world.

God is good, all the time. By the same token, Satan is evil through and through. When you make this good God your Lord and Master, He will keep you from evil; stop and prevent a recurrence of afflictions in your life.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God is good to all. He proved it on the cross!

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 17-19

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 7 October 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Unending War

TOPIC: Unending War (DCLM Daily Manna 7 October 2022)

TEXT: Joshua 24:4-16 (KJV)

4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.

7 And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:

10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

11 And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

KEY VERSE: “But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.” – (Joshua 24:10).

MESSAGE:

During the World War II, Sub-Lieutenant Hiroo Onodda of the Imperial Japanese army was ordered to stay on Lubang Island in the Philippines and hold it for the glory of the Emperor. So he did. The following year, the Allies bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Japanese surrendered. Shortly after, the war ended, but unfortunately, Sub-Lieutenant Onodda did not know. He kept on fighting. He was totally unaware that the war had ended long ago. Even when the police searched through the jungle using megaphones to ask him to surrender and stop shooting the locals, he refused to give up. It was not until 1974 when they brought in his wartime commanding officer, to order him to surrender, that he finally stopped fighting.

Israel’s challenges and wars after escape from Egyptian bondage also appeared never-ending until the Lord showed up to stop the enemy. There was the crossing of the Red Sea and the forty-year journey through the wilderness. Then the sudden attack by the Amorite nation and the assistance they received during the war. The story of Israel’s deliverance continued with the incident where Balaam was hired against them, but God turned his curses into blessings. When they eventually crossed Jordan into the Promised Land, the Lord again was their Shield and Defense all through the mandatory wars to dispossess the Canaanites.

Like someone rightly said, “victory in the Christian life is not the absence of conflict, but the presence and protection of God during the conflict”. Conflicts and battles will never end as long as we remain on this side of eternity. Our arch enemy, the devil, like a roaring lion, walks about looking for whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

We should not expect the enemy to surrender. We should rather trust in God to deliver us from every battle just like He did for the Israelites.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Followers of Christ must never give up.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 11-12

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.