DCLM Daily Manna 6 October 2023 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Avoid Hypocrisy

TOPIC: Avoid Hypocrisy (DCLM Daily Manna 6 October 2023)

KEY VERSE: “And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15).

TEXT: Mark 8:10-21

10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

MESSAGE:

Have you ever heard the expression “face the music”? Here is how that phrase came about. Many years ago, a man wanted to play in the Imperial Orchestra, but he could not play a note. Since he was a person of great wealth and influence, he requested to join the orchestra so that he could perform in front of the king. The conductor consented to his request. Even though he could not read music, he was given a flute, and when a concert would begin, he would raise his instrument, pucker his lips, and move his fingers. He went through all the motions of playing, but he never made a sound. This deception went on for two years. Then one day, a new conductor took over the Imperial Orchestra who, wanting to personally audition all the players to see how well they could play, discovered his hypocrisy.

Jesus was critical of the Pharisees because He knew of the damnable consequences of hypocrisy. He warns His disciples to guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. Here, the leaven of the Pharisees points to their evil disposition: they ask for a sign from Jesus when they have already judged Him as an agent of Beelzebub. Their leaven is in their hostility and unbelief. Herod, on the other hand, seeks Jesus to see a miracle from Him (Luke 23:8). He wants to be entertained and awed. The leaven in his case is the disposition to believe only if signs, which compel faith are produced. In contrast, Jesus calls for faith and understanding apart from signs.

Many people attend church services and recite Bible verses, but lack genuine conversion. A time is coming when sinners and backsliders will be called to stand before the Judge of heaven and earth and “face the music”. No one will be able to hide in the crowd. The phonies will be separated from the true players (Matthew 12:36,37).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: You can’t fake and hide for too long.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 1 – 4

Deeper Life 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 October 2023 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Power Of A Little Thought

TOPIC: Power Of A Little Thought (DCLM Daily Manna 5 October 2023)

KEY VERSE: “And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David” (1 Kings 12:26).

TEXT: 1 Kings 12:16-33

16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

MESSAGE:

Neuroimaging has shown that as we age, our cognitive centre of gravity shifts from the imaginative right brain to the logical left brain. At some point, most of us stop living out of imagination and start living out of memory. That is the day we stop creating the future and start repeating the past. That’s the day we stop living by faith and start living by logic.

From the account in our text, Jeroboam, the king of Israel, started living by logic and no longer by faith. The nation of Israel broke into two, partly due to the harsh words of King Rehoboam at his coronation and remotely due to God’s promised judgment on Solomon, his father for his disobedience. Jeroboam was then appointed the pioneer king of the breakaway northern kingdom. Fearing that his subjects could easily shift their loyalty from him to Rehoboam, should they continue the mandatory worship at the temple in Jerusalem, Jeroboam set up his own gods to keep the nation under his rule. He made two calves, and installed them in Dan and Bethel; thus, leading Israel into the deep waters of idolatry.

Jeroboam’s action was based on his unfounded fears and worries. However, experience has shown that a greater percentage of the things we worry about never materialises, or has already happened and our worries and anxieties cannot reverse them. The remaining legitimate issues that could potentially trouble our future are best addressed through prayers and faith than worry and fear.

Take control of your thoughts and stop worrying about the future. Fear can destroy you and your entire family, or even a whole nation. We should commit to walking by faith instead of fear. Worry and anxiety are two gravediggers. They dig your grave while you are still alive. A little negative thought can lead to greater consequences.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
An age-long insanity can begin with a harmless laughter.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 1 – 5

Deeper Life 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.