DCLM Daily Manna 27 June 2021 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Grow Up!

TOPIC: Grow Up!

TEXT: Ephesians 4:11-16

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

KEY VERSE: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” – (Ephesians 4:14)

MESSAGE:

A child was taken to the family gar- den by her grandfather to plant some apple seeds. Once in the field, she was given some seeds to plant as many trees as she could. After planting about twenty-two seeds, grandfather announced it was time to go home. Work was done for the day. Every day, the child would return to water the seeds. But before doing so, she would dig up the seedlings to check how far they were growing underneath the ground. After some time, all the seeds died. One can only imagine the numbers of apples and apple trees they would have had!

The Lord Jesus had earlier likened His death and resurrection as the planting and reaping of a corn of wheat. And Paul, the apostle, alluding to that truth, revealed that the ministerial gifts were part of the harvest of resurrection. He further uncovered that these gifts were given with a purpose to perfect God’s people. We are not given gifts for personal aggrandisement. Our talents are for the building up of the entire body of Christ; so that believers can be rooted in the likeness of God. Thus, the evangelists or teachers in our local assemblies are meant to exhort and establish believers in the pure doctrines of God’s word.

Just as it is in the physical, spiritual babes who deliberately refuse the nourishment from God’s word, are usually identified by their unstable walk and beliefs. Although they have been in the Church for many years, they live as if they have never encountered Christ. Until we are planted, watered and grounded in the faith, we can never be of any real use to God.

God calls us into spiritual maturity and moral perfection. We must grow up into the fullness of Christ in all things. Until the word and doctrines of Christ affect and direct our everyday living, we are yet spiritually immature.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Whilst moral perfection is the goal, Christ remains our Standard.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 15-16

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 June 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Influential Life At Home

TOPIC: Influential Life At Home

TEXT: 2 Timothy 1:1-5

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

KEY VERSE: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” – (2 Timothy 1:5)

MESSAGE:

When we talk about working for God, many Christians think it refers only to public ministry, the type society recognises and acclaims. But that is a wrong perception. The foundation of an effective and fruitful Christian service is to be found in our homes, where it is easy to practice what we preach, and to be a force for good for other members of our family.

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, his companion and son in the faith, shortly before he was executed by Emperor Nero. The Roman potentate, in a fit of irrationality, had deliberately set parts of Rome on fire, believing that it would enable him to modernize it. To cover up his evil, he blamed Christians for causing the arson. The result was intense persecution and killing of numerous believers. Paul would become one of them. But before his death, he wrote a second letter to Timothy, assuring him that he was praying for him daily and that he greatly desired to see him again, remembering how sad Timothy was at their last parting. He fondly remembered that Timothy’s mother and grandmother were women of faith who were instrumental to building the young man’s faith in Christ. It was the clearest example of the influence believing parents can have on their children to get them established in Christ.

We must never shy away from living out our faith in Christ at home. We must shine the light of our righteous lives at home such that it will be impossible for members of our family to ignore. Love must be the hallmark of our interactions within our family and we must never leave out any member of our family, even the most recalcitrant, from our circle of influence, whether as fathers or as mothers, sons and daughters, brothers or sisters. Our lives must be the open book through which they will see Jesus.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Our Christian lives must infect and affect members of our families.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 13-14

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 25 June 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Misery Of Drunkenness

TOPIC: Misery Of Drunkenness

TEXT: Proverbs 23:29-35

29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

KEY VERSE: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.” – (Proverbs 23:29,30)

MESSAGE:

Life is so stressful and many people do just about anything to escape from its effects. Unfortunately, some people find solace in alcohol. They claim that it makes them happy and enables them to relax from the pressures of life. In reality, they are only avoiding to squarely face the challenges of life.

Alcohol brings woes to the drunkard. He is sorrowful and loses his sense of rationality. He becomes contentious and impossible for anyone to co-habit with. Wine makes an otherwise sensible man to begin to babble. It wounds the vital organs of his body and alters his appearance into a pathetic and frightening red-eyed monster. It begins by taking a little and soon extends to having a binge and boasting about his ability to take as many different brands of alcohol as are available. He cannot push back at the allure of an alcoholic drink that bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Drunkenness leads him to immoral and perverse behaviour. And while the stupor lasts, he imagines himself as a man on top of the world, without any care whatsoever.

People are drunk not with alcohol only but with pride because of the good things of life like their position, riches, fame, talents and skills. Like alcohol, pride gives a false sense of peace and happiness. It alters your personality, dulls your senses to good reasoning and makes you lose control of your faculties. More so, it renders you a spiritual and social misfit, an outcast before God. There is only one way to conquer this dragon of a habit. You should turn to Christ in repentance, receive pardon for your past indulgences and commence a new life that is free of the bondage of drunkenness – whether with alcohol or pride.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Whatever gives a false sense of life is deadly.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 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.

DCLM Daily Manna 24 June 2021 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Shun Bad Advice

TOPIC: Shun Bad Advice

TEXT: 2 Chronicles 10:1-16

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?

7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.

9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?

10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,

14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

KEY VERSE: “But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.” – (2 Chronicles 10:8)

MESSAGE:

Sometimes, what gets people into trouble is not what they do, but the advice they get from others. The situation is made worse if someone seeks the advice that fits his preconceived notions. This is more so for some people of influence who love flattery and sycophancy.

And this was the problem of King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. At their first appearance before the king, the people pleaded with him to reform some policies of his father’s era. Solomon had taxed the people heavily and subjected them to hard labour. The people pleaded with Rehoboam for a reprieve. Rather than respond immediately, he rescheduled the meeting. In the meantime, he asked the old counselors of his father what they thought of the people’s request. They advised him that a little reprieve would make the people more subservient to him. He rejected this counsel, and turned to his peers for guidance. They advised him not to show mercy as that would be a sign of weakness and that he should announce to the people that things would be tougher under his reign. The people revolted at this and ten tribes broke away leaving Rehoboam with two tribes.

Irrespective of our position in life, we should be willing to take counsel from those more knowledgeable and experienced than we are. Moreover, we should always seek God’s guidance on whatever we do and for wisdom to take right decisions. We must avoid those who only tell us what we want to hear. And where there is an impending prophecy of God’s judgment, the Lord will show mercy and cancel it if we change our ways.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
There is safety and security in wise counsel.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 9-10

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.