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“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.” Luke 10:20 (NKJV)

A believer's Joy should not be in what he or she is able to do or accomplish in the work of ministry, but in the fact that his or her name is found registered in heaven. No matter what the work done on the earth by a believer, if his or her name is not found written in the book of Life in heaven; such a person's labour would be in vain (Revelation 20:15; 21:27).

Jesus Christ told the disciples sent out on outreaches not to rejoice because demons bowed or subjected to them, but they should rejoice because their names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). In other words, having a place in heaven is much more important than whatever work you do here on the earth, as a believer in Christ Jesus.

It buttresses Apostle Paul's word that says he would not want to be disqualified, be a castaway, after he might have laboured on earth: "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV).

Jesus Christ wanted the priority of the disciples He sent out for outreaches to be right. They should not be carried away with the euphoria of the demonstration of the power of God; the people who were touched by the power of God and the testimonies they had in their meetings—outreaches—and the people's accolades.

In other words, they should pay attention to their own lives also.

a. Could their names be found in the Book of Life, in heaven? (Revelation 20:15). b. Does heaven recognize their works—what they are doing? (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). These and a number of other things should be the focus and concentration of every believer and those who are working in God's Kingdom on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10; Colossians 3:2). They should be circumspect and not be carried away by the thrilling of the results they are getting in their ministry or ministerial assignments.

Peace.

Sunday 16

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16 (NKJV) Read: Galatians 5:16-25; 1 John 2:12-17

The things of the world that are being lusted after or for are not of God the Father. The word lust in the passage simply means desire or longing. The Greek word for lust in the passage is epithumia; it means a longing—especially for what is forbidden. It also means concupiscence, desire, and lusting after.

Because the word lust is usually used for sexually related sins, some have thought that when lust is mentioned, you are talking about sexual sin. Whatever is not God’s Will for you that you are strongly desiring to have is a lust. It means you want to have the thing even if it is against God’s Will or Word.

Lust of the flesh is about what your flesh is desirous of (Galatians 5:24); whilst the lust of the eyes is about things that are appealing to your eyes, but are not edifying, and thus not approved by God for you (1 Corinthians 10:23). And the pride of life talks about things that fan your ego. Things that make you vaunt or boast (2 Corinthians 12:5,6).

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 These things about lustfulness fall under things that your human nature crave for. A believer should endeavour to crucify the flesh—deny the flesh, the human nature—and whatever it is craving or longing for (Galatians 5:24).

A believer who wants to satisfy the flesh or the human nature, that is, satisfy the passions and desires of the human nature cannot please God (Romans 8:8).

One of the major areas of your life which you have to deal with at new birth is the crucifixion of the flesh; learning not to grant the desires and passions of the flesh (Galatians 5:24). There is no how, the flesh or human nature would still want to be desiring for what you used to do as an unbeliever, but such desires should not be granted (Galatians 5:24). This is why you should not allow what would stimulate or arouse your desires for such things.

Many are born-again and they are positionally identified with Christ Jesus but they are yet to be identified with Christ experientially. In other words, they have not experienced oneness with Christ Jesus in their practical Christian living.

When you are still lusting for all that is in the world, the Bible says, the love of the Father God is not in you (1 John 2:15). Because the things of the world being lusted for are of the world, not of the Father, and the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but whoever is doing the will of God will abide forever (1 John 2:17).

Being trendy as a believer might not be outrightly bad but when all your desires and aspirations are all about things in vogue which are the ephemeral—superficial, or popular for a short time—it means your attention has been shifted from God. Of course, God would not say you should look tattered and unkempt but when all you think about is being acceptable to men through how you look, your appearance; It means your attention is no longer with God and His kingdom.

Remember, all those things are passing away with the world, thus, they should not be your main focus but God and His kingdom (2 Peter 3:10,11).

Reflect:

Which of the three — lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life — do you struggle with most?

What is one desire you need to consciously refuse to feed this week?

Peace.

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DAY 16 – For All That Is in the World! Everything this world is selling you has an expiry date. Today's devotion names the three pulls that drive us toward the world and also reminds us that only what's done for God actually lasts. Grab your FREE copy of the PDF here:

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“You are of your Father The devil, and the desires of your Father You want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is A liar and the Father of it.” John 8:44 (NKJV)

Those who are not of God would fight the truth, speak against it, and resist It. Whilst, whoever is potentially of God would want to hear the truth and embrace it: "We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6 NKJV).

One would know those who are of the devil, through their attitude to the truth. In this passage, the religious leaders who were against Jesus, though they claimed to know the law, the Scriptures, but they hated the truth; thus, they were easily identified that they were not of God (John 8:42-47). Whoever is of God, even if the person is yet to come to the full knowledge of God, he or she would not vehemently resist the Truth; such would have a soft spot for the truth, the Word of God—because the potential of being changed or transformed is in him or her.

Another Important thing to note is those who are heretical, who teach erroneous doctrine, are received or welcomed in many quarters. In fact, a larger percentage of the people of the world; carnal believers, so-called believers, and Unbelievers welcomed the teaching of such. This is referred to in the Bible: "They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them" (1 John 4:5 NKJV).

Amplified version of the Bible rendered the verse thus: "They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible one of the]

World listens closely and pays attention to them" (1 John 4:5 Amps).

Whoever is of God would want to hear the truth. If someone is vehemently against the truth, even If he or she claims to be of God, like the Pharisees and Sadducees claimed; such should not be taken for real, he or she is of the world and the devil: "But we are children of God; that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us. Others won't. That is another way to know whether A message is really from God; for if it is, the world won't listen to it" (1 John 4:6 the Living Bible).

"But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling [to perceive a difference or distinguishing] the spirit of truth from the spirit of deception." 1 John 4:6 (the Message)

Are you among the believers who picked quarrels with a preacher or teacher of God's Word whose messages resonated or conformed or harmonized not with their own ideas or viewpoints? If you are, repent today, and if you are adamant, It suggests that you are not of God.

Saturday 15

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18 (NKJV) Read: 1 John 2:15-18

In our text, Apostle John was telling us that it is the last hour. Now, if it was the last hour at the time he was writing the epistle, it means the hour now could be said to be the last of the last hour and the coming of Christ is more imminent.

In the passage, it is said that we have heard that the Antichrist is coming, but we should know that there are many antichrists here already, through this we know that it is the last hour (1 John 2:18).

The word anti means to oppose, or against, or contra, whatever or person or people. Thus, Antichrist means opposed to Christ.

There are many opposed to Christ people out there today. They are anti anything that is of Christ Jesus and God. It is through this we get to know that we are in the last days or last hours.

Many are questioning the Bible today, they want to know why this, why that? Whoever is asking questions, who simply would not believe the Bible as it is, the person is on the path of rebellion. It means the person is not satisfied with what the Bible says.

Many so-called believers are looking for knowledge that are not found in the Bible, through that they exposed themselves to the knowledge that is not meant for their consumption and by such they are contaminated spiritually—they started arguing with the Bible.

When you exposed yourself to what you supposed not to know, your mind will be beguiled—bewitched, charmed, captivated, enchanted, fascinated, magnetized, and wiled—and be taken away from God (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Read: Genesis 3:4,13; 1 Timothy 2:14 This is the method that the devil used to deceive Eve and lured her away from God. She was deceived when her desire for knowledge was aroused and stimulated and she was beguiled—deceived (Genesis 3:4-6).

The devil stirred her desire to know, to have knowledge, because the devil told her she would be able to know and be like God if she ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:4,5). The devil told her that God did not want them to know that is why He told them not to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-6).

When you seek the knowledge you are not mature to consume and you are exposed to it, you become rebellious to God and that severs or separates your fellowship with Him.

Many things taught by some people are things they have gotten through their search for knowledge but they have gotten contaminated, they are heretic (2 Timothy 2:16-18).

Such people are the antichrists being talked about in the passage of the Bible: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father And the son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11 NKJV).

The people who do that should be shunned and whatever they are peddling!

Reflect:

Have you found yourself questioning or arguing with what Scripture plainly says, rather than submitting to it?

Is there a source of “Knowledge” in your life right now that is pulling you away from simple trust in God’s Word?

Peace.

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Not everything that sounds spiritual is safe to follow. Today's devotion reminds us to test what we hear against the Word of God.

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“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31 (NKJV)

The Anointing for signs and wonders was released on the Apostles as they gathered to pray. There is a price to pay for the Anointing to be operational in your life and ministry—for you to walk in the miraculous.

Being saved might be free, because Jesus Christ had paid the price for it, however, having the Anointing on your life to attest or back up your work in the ministry, you would have to pay the price needed for it.

The price needed to pay is a number of things, spiritual exercises, which you would have to be practicing regularly or consistently. Doing them would cause the Anointing of the Holy Spirit to be released on your life—abided or resided and abounded in your life:

a. Being a student of the Word of God. b. Praying without ceasing, especially praying in tongues or praying in the language of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2). c. Fasting also would have to be added to your prayers. Jesus said to His Disciples when they did ask Him privately why they could not cast out a demon in a person brought to them when Jesus was not there (Matthew 17:14-16).

In answering them, Jesus Christ mentioned two things; He said their Unbelief or little faith had caused it, and that without fasting and praying such a demon cannot be cast out (Matthew 17:19-21).

Read: Matthew 17:14-21; 2 Corinthians 11:27

When you are committed to living by the principles of the Word of God, and prayers, and having communion with God through the Holy Spirit, you cannot but have the power of God or the Anointing resident in you.

One of the proofs of the Anointing on your life is:

a. You have the power to speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). b. The power for signs and wonders would be in your life being attested to by the people you are ministering to (Acts 4:33). You might not see any physical changes in your life so to say, but you would notice that people are coming to testify about what God has done in their lives because of your prayers or ministrations to them. With that, you get to know that the hand of God is already on your life, that is, a measure of His anointing has been deposited in you.

You would have to keep the anointing, and usually the anointing is kept or sustained or multiplied through the means which you received the anointing.

In other words, the spiritual exercises you had been doing that brought you to the current level of the anointing would have to be continued or perpetuated—you do not stop in doing them but rather increase in doing them. Peace.

Friday 14

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.” 2 Timothy 2:20 (NKJV) Read: 2 Timothy 2:16-21

The illustration used in our text is about different vessels in a great house, talks about whoever would be used as God’s instrument or vessel. There are vessels of gold and silver that are used by the master of the house, whilst other vessels of wood and clay are also available that are used for other things—dishonourable things.

Of course, the vessels of gold and silver would be used for dining and wining by the master of the house. But vessels of wood and clay are the ones that could be used either in the kitchen or within the compound or premises of the house.

Now, the vessels being used by the master of the house are considered vessels of honour. Such vessels are specially treated and kept, whilst vessels of wood and clay are kept just anywhere because they are dishonourable vessels.

Now, in God’s kingdom or vineyard, you can make yourself a vessel for honour by doing a number of things. The first requirement to be a vessel for honour in God’s vineyard is being cleansed from the latter, iniquities (2 Timothy 2:21).

If iniquity is found in your life, you are not qualified to be a useable vessel for the master of the house. To be qualified to be used for honourable things in God’s vineyard or kingdom, you have to depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19,21).

No one would like to eat or drink with a dirty vessel in his house. God likewise would not be pleased to be served with a dirty vessel, someone who lives in sin.

Someone who lives in sin cannot serve on His altar. Verse 21 says: “. . . If anyone cleanses himself from the latter, that is, iniquity.” The latter there in the passage is about iniquity being talked about in the verse 19. So if the person is cleansed, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified or set apart and useful for the Master—the Lord Jesus Christ—and prepared for every good work.

We could see that the main condition for the usefulness of any potential vessel is being cleansed from iniquity. It is not versatility or potentiality of the person, but the cleanness of the person. This shows that attention should be put more on cleanness of whoever would be used as God’s vessel or instrument.

The admonition that follows in verse 22 of that same 2 Timothy 2 is: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of A pure heart.”

We could see a number of things mentioned there:

Youthful lust should be avoided or fled from, and righteousness should be pursued (2 Timothy 2:22).

Faith and love should also be pursued (2 Timothy 2:22).

Peace should likewise be pursued, and with others, especially those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. In other words, you should have peace with other believers who call and serve God with a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). We could see that to become a vessel for honour that could be considered for the use of the Master, Jesus Christ, the person must be far away from iniquity. Those who name the name of Christ Jesus should depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19).

You cannot be wallowing in iniquity and be claiming that you are of God, No, it cannot be. There should be separation between you and iniquity if you are truly of God (1 John 5:18).

Reflect:

Is there an area of iniquity you’ve been tolerating that is keeping you from being a vessel of honour?

What would it look like to actively pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace this week, as this passage urges? Peace.

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What you're made of matters less than what you've been cleansed of. Today's devotion reminds us that every believer is a vessel — and cleansing yourself from what dishonours God is what makes you useful for His purpose. Grab your FREE copy of the PDF here:

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“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much." Luke 16:10 (NKJV)

Faithfulness is required in whatever you are doing, as a believer in Christ Jesus; either in what you are doing for God, or fellow human beings, but much more in the things being done for God.

A believer who is unjust, unfaithful, in what is least, would also be unjust or unfaithful in much (Luke 16:10). What makes you unfaithful in the little committed to your hand presently will equally make you unfaithful when much is committed to your hand.

It is always not about the quantity or the amount of what is committed to your hand, but the heart with which you receive the responsibility (1 Peter 5:2-4).

If you did the work or the assignment with a good and right heart, God would definitely reward and honour you. But if you had a lazy mind, a wrong mentality, you may not qualify to receive any reward for whatever you might claim that you labour for.

God rewards faithfulness! Many people, including believers, live a hypocritical life. They do things, whatever they are doing, to please Men or humans: "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be A bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NKJV).

But what such people do forget is, what they do might be hidden to Men, humans, but it is definitely not hidden to God. Many are given one assignment or the other, but they are not faithful in the doing or execution of it.

If I may ask; What are you assigned to do in the kingdom? Are you faithful in doing it? Likewise in your secular work, what are you assigned to do there, are you faithful in doing it?

Wherever you may find yourself, assigned to do one thing or another, make sure you are faithful in the assigned work. Are you faithful in what you are assigned to do in your local church or the ministry you belong to?

If you are a pioneer of the ministry, are you faithful in the assignment, building it according to the pattern shown you on the mountain? (Hebrews 8:5).

Peace.

Thursday 13

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19 (NKJV) Read: 1 John 5:14-21

Those who are of God, that is, those who are reborn are the ones who are preserved and could not easily be harassed by the wicked one, the devil.

Note:

Those who could not be tossed here and there by the devil among the reborns are the ones who are circumspect, and those who pay attention to their walk with God, engaging in their daily spiritual exercise (Joshua 1:8; James 1:22-25).

Those who live by the spirit (Galatians 5:16-18).

Those who understand that life is spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-13).

Those who understand that the spiritual realm controls the physical realm (Job 1:6-19; Ephesians 6:11,12).

Those who do not trivialize or make little or unimportant their relationship and fellowship with God (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 2 Corinthians 11:27).

Those who see themselves as pilgrims and sojourners in this world and do not get carried away by affairs of life (1 Peter 2:11,12).

Those who know that they are in the battle field and they cannot afford to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life (2 Timothy 2:4).

The passage of our text says the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. The word sway in the passage according to Dictionary means a controlling influence, or dominion, or the ability to exercise influence or authority, dominance. It thus means that the whole world is under the controlling influence of the wicked one. The world is under the influence or dominance and the authority of the wicked one, the devil.

Now, the only ones who are exempted from the dominance of the wicked one, the devil, are the people who walk in fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit.

If you are yet to accept Christ Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, that means you do not have the Holy Spirit on the inside of you, and it means you are automatically under the sway or dominance of the wicked one, the devil (Ephesians 2:2).

There is no shortcut to it, it is either you are in the camp of God through Christ Jesus, or you are at the other side, the world, which the devil has a controlling influence over (Ephesians 2:2).

If you are yet to move to the camp of God, you will do well to do that now, tomorrow might be too late: “1 we then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 for he says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1,2 NKJV).

Peace

Reflect:

Which of the marks described today — spiritual sensitivity, seeing life as spiritual, not entangling with worldly affairs — is weakest in your life right now?

Do you see yourself as a pilgrim passing through this world, or as someone settling into it?

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“No longer do I call you servants, for A servant does not know what his master is doing; but I Have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NKJV)

It is at the friendship level of your relationship with God that you get to know the secrets of His Kingdom (Psalm 25:14). A friend who is at the deeper level of friendship is called confidant—a friend to whom secrets are confided.

Things that are not revealed to those whose relationship with God is shallow would be revealed to you—If you are God's confidant. It is the delight of God that a believer grows in his or her relationship with Him. Friendship level of relationship with God is higher than being a servant of His. At the friendship level you are made to know the hidden things of the Kingdom—the ways of God, whilst the acts are revealed to those with shallow relationship with Him: "He made known his ways to moses, his acts to the children of israel" (Psalm 103:7 NKJV)

Another translation says: "He showed moses how he works to help his people. He showed the israelites the great things that he could do." Psalm 103:7 (Easy English Bible)

In other words, the depth of your relationship with God determines the depth of the things that would be revealed or shown to you about Himself and His Kingdom. Someone who has gotten to the friendship level in his or her relationship with God will be privy or have access to the top secrets of the Kingdom (Psalm 25:14).

It was said of Moses that among the prophets he was in a class, that no one was in his class; whilst God speaks through dreams and visions and dark sayings to others, He speaks face to face or mouth to mouth with Moses (Numbers 12:6-8).

You can work yourself to the level of friendship in your relationship with God; like Abraham did, likewise Moses (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). Even among the disciples of Christ Jesus, some had close communion with Him; they were the three He usually took to special places. They were with Him when to raise Jairus’

Daughter, on the mountain of transfiguration, and at the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32,33). It shows us that Jesus' relationship with the multitudes was at one level, whilst the relationship with the seventy He appointed and sent out to preach was at another level, and His relationship with the twelve disciples was another level, and at the top was His relationship with the three: Peter, James, and John.

Even out of the three, one was still closer to Him than others, John. What others could not ask Him; they send John to ask Him—he was said to usually lean on Jesus' bosom (John 13:21-26).

Peace.

Wednesday 12

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”1 John 5:18 (NKJV) Read: 1 John 3:4-10; 5:18-21

The passage of the Scripture in our text says whoever is born of God does not sin. In other words, whoever is born of God will not deliberately go into sin. Now, who is the person born of God? The person who is born of God is someone who acknowledges his sin, repents of it, and accepts the atonement through Christ Jesus (1 John 2:1,2).

One who believes in his heart that Jesus died for his sin and resurrected for his justification, and confesses it with his mouth, (Romans 3:21-26; 10:9,10; 2 Corinthians 5:15,17). So, whoever has taken the step, that is, one who has been reborn, such is the person who is born of God.

Now, the passage says, the person who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not touch him (1 John 5:18).

The question is, how do you keep yourself?

And also, who is the wicked one being talked about that could not touch him? The wicked one that does not touch him is the devil. Then, the one who is born of God keeps himself by being circumspect and walking in the light of God’s Word (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; James 1:22-25). The one who is born of God should not allow pride and should not be overconfident: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Part of taking heed is being able to read and study the Word of God daily and live by its principles (James 1:22-25). You observe the daily exercise of prayer, reading and studying of the Bible; the practising of the word, and fellowshipping with God, and the doing of things that lead to your edification.

These daily exercises are the things that should be the pattern of your life which you do consistently, and after you have been doing them consistently for a long time, they become part of your life and it will be difficult for you to deviate from them.

It is when you live thus that the wicked one, the devil, will not be able to touch you or mess up with your life. Steadfastness in God is not built in a day, it is built by a consistent and routinely practice of godly principles over a long period of time. If your life is not patterned and built as being shared here, you may not be rooted in God in your Christian faith and you might be one of the ones being tossed here and there by the devil, the wicked one. Please, pay attention to your Christian life, that is, your spiritual life in particular. Peace.

Reflect:

What does your current pattern of prayer and Bible study say about how “Kept” you are?

What one daily habit would most strengthen your defence against the enemy if you started it today?

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“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.’” Ezekiel 33:6 (NKJV)

This passage of the Bible shows the importance and the gravity of the work of ministry leadership. A ministry leader or a minister has a responsibility to tell the people under his or her leadership the truth of God's Word. If God frowns at something, a negative thing which the people are doing, a leader should not hesitate or shy away from telling the people the consequences of the wrong things they are doing.

If a leader did not tell them, It means he or she has failed in their responsibility. God in the passage said the blood of whoever died because of the watchman's failure to proclaim the warnings, blow the trumpet, the blood of the person or the people who died would be required at the watchman's hand.

A ministry leader should not shy away from telling the truth; preaching or teaching the undiluted Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2; 2 Peter 1:12,13).

For the people under your leadership not to be a prey for the wolves in sheep clothing, and for them not to eat poison; you as their leader who is appointed by God has to feed them with the Word of God.

For a hungry and thirsty soul, any spiritual food mixed with a little quantity of poison would taste delicious to such. The stand of every ministry leader should be what Apostle Peter did and shared in His epistle: "For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you" (2 Peter 1:12,13 NKJV).

Read: 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:1-5 The truth had to be taught again and again for the people to be established and edified in It. The truth of the Bible is not taught once but had to be repeatedly taught for the edification of the people (Ephesians 4:12-16).

Peace.

Tuesday 11

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel.” 1 Peter 3:3 (NKJV) Read: Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6

The admonition of Apostle Peter in our text has been turned to legalism by some believers or denominations. The admonition is, women should not let their adornment be merely outward, and some of the adornments are listed; arranging or fixing the hair, wearing of gold, and putting on of fine or beautiful apparels or clothes.

Now, the emphasis of the writer, Apostle Peter, was that women’s mind or focus should not be solely on those things. They should rather be focused on their spirit, the hidden person of the heart—they should build their inner man, their spirit. In other words, they should let their adornment be the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, and such is precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4).

Now, telling women in your congregation not to fix their hair in a particular way, or not to put on gold earrings or whatever, and telling them that fine apparels should not be put on, would not make the people change.

I have seen some so-called professed believers who do not put on catchy and flamboyant apparels and do not wear gold but their character is almost worse than that of those who put such things on.

Telling women not to put on gold earrings or whatever would not change them. Change is done or effected by God through the Holy Spirit from the inside to the outside. If a change is attempted to be effected from the outside, it only would become fake. It would be an insincere change. There are many of such women, proclaiming to be holy by not wearing gold and ostentatious or flashing clothes, yet they are not godly.

The incorruptible gentle and quiet spirit being talked about by Apostle Peter in the passage is what should be developed by a believer through consistent study of God’s Word and the practising of it. Having an incorruptible gentle and quiet spirit is not forced on anyone by rules and regulations but by the Holy Spirit of God.

This type of fabricated holiness is what is being practiced in other religions, especially in Islam, where they tell their women to cover every part of their body, including their faces—in which they are instructed to be wearing burqa or whatever.

You cannot force a human being to live holy through laws and regulations. Living a holy life is through the hearing or reading of the Word of God, the Bible, and the practising of the principles in the Bible.

Transformation takes place in the mind through the practice of the Word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2). Not by telling the people to strictly be dressing in a particular way.

The people may agree to dress in the way you tell them to dress but they may not change inwardly. What you would not want them to do, the sinful practices, would be seen doing by them; even when they dress the way you said they should dress.

Now, are there no Muslim women fornicating or committing adultery, even with the dressing forced on them? Are there no Muslim women who are into sexual sin or harlotry, even with their hijabs or burqa or whatever? There are many of their women who are into promiscuity, even with those strict dressing code and rules.

Asking women to dress strictly in certain ways would not stop them from committing sin and it will not change or transform them into godly persons. It is the feeding on the word of God that transforms the soul (Romans 12:2) “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21 (NKJV)

Reflect:

Is your pursuit of holiness rooted in genuine inward transformation, or in outward rules?

Where might you be judging others by appearance rather than the true state of their heart? Peace.

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“Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple, And said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” John 5:14 (NKJV)

It could be deduced in this passage that the man who was healed of the infirmity, got to that condition through the sins found in his life. Whoever is living in Sin, walking contrary to God's principles, is unknowingly giving an opportunity or access to the devil to operate in his or her life (Ephesians 4:27).

Sin is a license through which the devil can access a believer's life and do havocs. The Israelites were to be cursed by Balak, the king of Moab, but the diviner hired by him to do that, Balaam, could not because God had warned him and told him not to do it (Numbers 22:12; 23:23). The counsel that the diviner, Balaam, later gave to Balak the Moabites king was, if he could cause them to sin against their God, they would prevail over them (Revelation 2:14). The Moabite women began to lure the Israelites men into immoralities and Idolatry—inviting them to worship their idols (Numbers 31:16).

Thus, any sin found in a believer's life is a major weapon, in the hand of the devil, through which the life of such a believer could be accessed or penetrated by the enemy—the devil.

Whoever has given his or her life to Christ Jesus should completely renounce the works of the devil (Acts 19:18,19) and mortify the deeds of the flesh (Colossians 3:5).

The devil, the flesh, and the world are the real enemies of believers. Any human being who is working against you is not your real enemy, the devil is (Revelation 12:10). He is the real culprit, the perpetrator of every evil, but using humans as instruments.

Thus, If the devil would not prevail in your life, or has a field day in your life, you should desist from sins. Live your life to please God, in line with the principles found in the Word of God, the Bible (Romans 14:7,8; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 4:2).

Note: Holiness is required of whoever claimed to be of God: "but as he Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy" " (1 Peter 1:15,16 NKJV).

Peace.

Monday 10

“Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.”1 Corinthians 10:24 (NKJV) Read: 1 Corinthians 10:23-26; Philippians 2:2-8

This passage is one of the most important passages in the Bible and it happens to be part of the basics. An average human being is selfish, either black or white, regardless of the colour or race. It is the selfishness of humans that the passage, our text, is all about. You should not seek or think about yourself alone, in all things (Philippians 2:3).

Practical Christian life considers other believers first before the self.

A believer who is practical will not flaunt his freedom.

A practical believer will not seek his own, but seek the wellbeing of other believers (1 Corinthians 10:24). In another place in the Bible, believers are admonished to look out for the interests of others: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3,4).

The point being made is that a believer should be mindful of other believers (Romans 15:1-3). You should not be selfish in the way you live your life, and in the way you practice your Christian faith. Extend the right hand of fellowship to other fellow believers—regardless of colour or race and denomination (Galatians 2:9).

This is demonstrated through Giving and lending a helping hand: “By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18 NKJV).

Reflect:

Where has selfishness shown up in a decision you made recently?

Who around you has a need you’re in a position to help meet? Peace.

August 2026 Edification Daily Devotional is here. Download your free copy:

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