DCLM Daily Manna 8 September 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Ruling Scepter

TOPIC: The Ruling Scepter (DCLM Daily Manna 8 September 2022)

TEXT: Ezekiel 19:1-14 (KJV)

19 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.

7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.

9 And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

10 Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

KEY VERSE: “And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation” (Ezekiel 19:14).

MESSAGE:

Our text reveals the comparison of Judah to a lioness and the kings of Judah to a lion’s whelps. These kings of Judah were very cruel and oppressive to their own subjects. Jerusalem was described as a vine, flourishing and fruitful. The vine was destroyed and forsaken by God because of wickedness, though a remnant remained. She had, by wickedness, made herself like tinder to the sparks of God’s wrath, so that her own branches served as fuel to burn her. She was plucked up in fury and cast to the ground. Her strong rods were broken and withered; fire consumed them. She was now planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

In spite of the lamentation of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah for the lack of a strong rod to be a scepter, God remembered His promise to David that his kingdom and throne shall be established for ever (2 Samuel 7:16). God raised one Branch of the vine. This true and living Vine is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, whose Kingdom shall be forever.

After the Church is raptured, the great tribulation of seven years would take place. Thereafter, Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years. His millennial reign will be a time when the purpose of God will be fully realised on earth. It will witness unprecedented era of national and individual peace as there will be no more wars.

In addition, the original curse placed on humanity at the Garden of Eden will be removed; there will be no sickness. Those who are expected to partake of Christ’s millennial reign are true believers who are watchful and steadfast until the end.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christ’s reign on earth will end man’s wicked system.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 25-27

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 September 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Hope In God’s Word

TOPIC: Hope In God’s Word (DCLM Daily Manna 7 September 2022)

TEXT: Psalm 119:49-56 (KJV)

KEY VERSE: “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope” (Psalm 119:49).

MESSAGE:

German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th Century. One night as they were lodged in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. To comfort her, Gerhardt reminded her of Scripture promises about God’s provision and safety. Then going out to the garden to be alone, he too broke down and wept. He felt he had come to the darkest hour. Soon afterwards, Gerhardt felt the burden lifted and sensed anew the Lord’s presence. Taking his pen, he wrote a hymn that has brought comfort to many:

“Give to the winds thy fears;
Hope, and be undismayed;
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears;
God shall lift up thy head.”

“Through waves and clouds and storms,
He gently clears the way;
Wait thou His time, so shall this night,
Soon end in joyous day.”

The psalmist, in our text, was in great affliction because the proud had him in derision. Horror took hold of him because of the wicked that had forsaken God’s law. Fortunately, the statutes of the Lord were his song in the house of his pilgrimage and he sought fulfilment of the promises of His word on which he had placed his hope.

Like the psalmist, people often become hopeless because of hardship, illness, lack, unanswered prayer, unemployment, fear of the unknown, marital challenges, financial crisis, unfulfilled dreams or desires, disappointment, family problems among other life challenges. Despite these challenges, it is still not good to lose hope.

Our hope must be rooted in the word of God and specifically, in the promises contained in His infallible word. God’s promises in the Scripture will surely be fulfilled, irrespective of prevailing circumstances. Therefore, encourage yourself in the Lord and His words.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
The word of God has solution to all life challenges.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 21-24

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 6 September 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Fate Of The Sinning Soul

TOPIC: Fate Of The Sinning Soul (DCLM Daily Manna 6 September 2022)

TEXT: Ezekiel 18:1-18 (KJV)

1 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,

7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife,

12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,

16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

KEY VERSE: “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” – (Ezekiel 18:4).

MESSAGE:

While in captivity in Babylon, the Israelites assembled for themselves traditional sayings and proverbs that were contrary to the precepts of Jehovah. Seeking to exonerate their generation from the guilt of sin and its consequent punishment, they hid in the proverb that “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” In other words, the judgment of exile which the Jews were experiencing, was the result of the sins of their fathers.

This has no basis in Scriptures. And the Lord did not hesitate to send His servant, Ezekiel, to let them know His mind. He said everyone would account for his actions. The guilt of sin was never handed down from father to son. The Lord declared, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” The just who faithfully kept His statutes would live while those who were violence-prone and idolatrous would be damned if they failed to abandon their sinful ways.

Today, there is a new breed of churchgoers who rationalise their sins the same way Israel did in the days of Ezekiel. They dig deep into transgressions with all the accompanying punishment and claim that the fault is not theirs but their forebears. This is an unscriptural disposition the devil uses to deny the carnal man the responsibility of sincerely acknowledging his wrongdoings and asking God to forgive him.

Christ came to redeem humanity from eternity in hell. Having borne the sin of the world by proxy, He has made a way to escape eternal damnation for all who accept Him as Saviour.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 18-20

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 5 September 2022 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Divine Justice System

TOPIC: Divine Justice System (DCLM Daily Manna 5 September 2022)

TEXT: Deuteronomy 19:1-10 (KJV)

1 When the Lord thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

8 And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;

9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:

10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

KEY VERSE: “That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.” – (Deuteronomy 19:10).

MESSAGE:

Prior to their redemption and full settlement in Canaan, the Israelites ran a primitive justice system. For instance, their laws allowed the next of kin of a slain person to wreak vengeance. He or she was permitted to go after the murderer and carry out any judgment they desired. But the Lord rolled out a better judicial arrangement that would protect the unintentional killer and prevent the shedding of innocent blood.

As the land in Canaan was allocated to the various tribes, God commanded the children of Israel to separate cities where “every slayer may flee thither.” The idea was that in their new environment, murder cases must be thoroughly investigated so as not to lead to arbitrary punishment. If a person died in the field while another wielded his axe in the course of felling a tree, the unintentional killer could flee to one of the cities of refuge. He would not be “worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.”

This provision prevented unjust revenge and miscarriage of justice, which might lead to spiraling acts of fatal crimes. It is the prevalence of the pursuit of retaliatory deeds that has made the world unsafe today. The absence of an acceptable system of justice that would bring redress to the aggrieved has been pushing everyone to adopt his or her way of seeking justice, even if it is an illegitimate means. This has brought more sorrow to a world in search of peace and joy.

God, the Author of peace, has proclaimed that man must seek His infallible concept of justice to be secured in the world. Without adhering to heaven’s law of equity that respects the rights of others to live and enjoy the abundance of life given by God through faith in Jesus, the Prince of peace, man would continue to function in bewilderment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Man cannot have peace without seeking divine justice.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 15-17

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.