DCLM Daily Manna 9 March 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F Kumuyi – Growing In Adversity

TOPIC: Growing In Adversity

TEXT: Exodus 1:1-14 (KJV)

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

KEY VERSE: “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel” (Exodus 1:12).

MESSAGE:

Different climatic conditions play their vital roles in the growth of plants in the forest. Winter and summer with the sun and moon were created by our God to fulfil different purposes in life. Life is full of times of sorrow and trouble. Sometimes, it takes storms, trials and temptations to prove the strength of our trust in God. The reality of problems, persecution, pain and perplexity of life cannot be denied. Howbeit, they must never inhibit our growth in life.

Joseph brought his family to Egypt to care for them during the global famine. After their passing, their children grew and multiplied. Many years later, another Pharaoh arose in Egypt who had no respect for the descendants of Joseph and Jacob. He forced them into slavery by engaging them in hard labour. The children of Israel were made to serve in rigour by their Egyptian taskmasters. In the midst of it all, they grew and multiplied. What a paradox of life!

God’s invisible eyes are always watching over His chosen people. He controls the rage of the wicked as He does the rage of the sea. As the children of Israel endured the travails of that time so that God’s covenant with Abraham might come to pass, so must the believer of today do. He never acts in error. Whatever God permits, be it persecution, opposition or even oppression in our communities and places of work, He does so to build us up and separate us from the ungodly ways of the world.

Always remember that God’s desire during adversity is to make us better Christians. Trials and troubles should not be regarded as something that will ruin us. To kick against trials is to miss whatever good it may have for us. We should accept them as part of God’s discipline and programme to bring out the finest and best possibilities of our character when they come.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Difficulties are inevitable for spiritual growth.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 5-7

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso 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 8 March 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F Kumuyi – Knowing The Lord Personally

TOPIC: Knowing The Lord Personally

TEXT: 1 Kings 10:1-13 (KJV)

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built,

5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.

11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

KEY VERSE: “Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard” (1 KINGS 10:7).

MESSAGE:

There is a popular axiom that seeing is believing. Many people prefer to see before making public announcements. This was corroborated by Alan Isaacson, a former English teacher in the rural northern part of Nigeria. He later became a full time mission educator, journalist and an adviser in Yorkshire. Many years ago, he heard something remarkable about the extraordinary growth of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. He eventually came to the country and visited many branches of the church to discover much more than what he was told.

The queen of Sheba came to see for herself if everything she heard about King Solomon and his established kingdom were true. After asking the king series of questions and seeing his display of wisdom and abundance of riches, she became convinced and speechless. She could no longer dispute what she had heard before coming to Israel. There was an agreement between what she heard and saw.

It is not sufficient to hear about Jesus; nor is it enough to know that Christ is our Saviour and Redeemer. Personal encounter with Him through genuine repentance from all known sins offers peace and eternal life. His grace transforms our character and destiny when it comes to us. The love of God finds ruined sinners and transgressors and transforms them into glorified saints.

Christ is the wisdom of God and the Light of the world. Those who refuse to come to the Light to obtain salvation will eventually stumble and perish in darkness and deception. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the truest report that offers peace and pardon for a troubled soul. Those who turn to Him will be set free from the guilt of sin.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The just shall live by faith and not by sight.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 3-4

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso 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 March 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F Kumuyi – Weigh Your Promises

TOPIC: Weigh Your Promises

TEXT: Judges 11:29-40 (KJV)

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

KEY VERSE: “And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back” (Judges 11:35).

MESSAGE:

During a turbulent debate and a series of controversial statements by a president of the US, a lawyer and senior editor who worked with a journal in Washington was asked to give historical perspectives on the development. Without hesitating, he said: “Every president overpromises and underdelivers”. He had closely studied the presidents of his day and those before them, and arrived at the conclusion that these leaders were quick at making pledges but slow in implementing them.

Contrast these leaders with another personality in Scripture who recognised that there must not be a disconnect between making a vow and honouring it. Jephthah had just been commissioned by Israel to lead a campaign against the Ammonites, who wanted to seize their territory. He promised God that on his return after defeating Ammon, he would appreciate Him with a sacrifice of whatever welcomed him home. He had a triumphant outing. But alas, it was his daughter, his only child, who received him. Jephthah did not renege; he honoured his vow to the Lord.

A key lesson in the story of Jephthah and his vow is that the believer must not make rash vows with respect to giving to God or in our relationships with fellow men. We must weigh our words and remember that God does not joke with them before we commit to promising Him. There are consequences for promises we make, either before God or man.

Centuries later when Jephthah showed up again, this time in the New Testament, he is counted among the heroes of faith. This shows that heavenly rewards await those who stand firm by their decision to follow the Lord even in the face of unexpected challenges.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God honours those who honour their word.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 25-27

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