His Voice Devotional

Text : 2 Kings 4:3  He told her, “Go out to all of your neighbors in the surrounding streets and borrow lots of pots from them. Don't get just a few empty vessels, either.  *Our God is an unlimited God, but your container determines how much you could get from Him.*  The story was told of a poor widow whose sons were to be taken as ransom for a debt owed by their late father. This woman obviously was in a big mess. She is not only poor, but she had just suffered the loss of her husband, which gives her a 'double tragic' title of a poor widow. Now, to put insult on her already inflamed injury, her husband's creditor threatened to take her children away. These children were her only comfort.  Terrible as her situation was, this woman had enough grace to run for help in the right direction. She ran to God for help. *Who do you go to when you are in a fix? It is wisdom to run to Him who is really able to help and not just to sympathizers.*  The man of God gave some ...

Text: Philipians  2:9.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: From elementary schools, we have been taught that Nouns are names. Anything that has name, be it persons, animals places, or things are nouns. What you need to know is that sicknesses and diseases are things too, because they have names. Now, we are told expressly from today's text that God has given Jesus a name that is above every other names.That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. God gave Jesus a name above every name, a name that is more  powerful than every other names. And in Matthew 28, just before His ascension, Jesus gave the authority in this name to His disciples.  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of t...

Text: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. If you truly trust in the Lord, you will find it pleasurable to commit all your endeavours unto Him. A man whose trust is in the Lord will always display these three (3) features: He will trust the Lord with all his heart; he will not lean on his own understanding; and he will acknowledge the Lord in all his ways. Today, we shall be considering the last feature/ingredient of trust. The God that we serve is a living God. Unlike all other gods, He takes pre-eminence over all. He is not just the God inside the church building on Saturday or Sunday. He is God over every being and in all places at every time. Hence, He wants to be acknowledged in every detail of your life. He wants to be the very Lord that He is, even in your life. This is the reason you must acknowledge Him in all your ways. Some people have divided their lives ...

Text: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  Trusting in the Lord entails three things: to depend on Him wholeheartedly, not to lean on your own understanding and to acknowledge Him in all your ways. (Proverbs 3:5-6). We shall be looking into each of these three ingredients of trust closely one after the other. To trust in the Lord, all your heart must be involved. *There is no trust in the Lord if your whole heart is not submitted unto Him.*  When the scripture says that you should trust with all your heart, it simply means that your heart is in compartments. It is therefore possible for a man to trust in the Lord but not with his whole heart.  A heart that fully trusts in the Lord is a perfect heart. Such was the heart of the three Jews in Babylon. They stood before King Nebuchadnezzar and declared, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to ...

Text: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  *Trust is too weighty a load that you can't afford to put on a mere man whose breath is in his nostril*  When you put your trust in man, you are setting yourself up for great fall, failure and dissapointment in life.  Man is a mortal being that has lots of limitations and inadequacies. These  are reflected in man's limited time on earth, his limited capacity, and inadequate resources.  The person you are putting your Trust in does not have the longevity to always be around. And even if he's around he will not always be disposed towards you. If you put your Trust in a rich man who supplies all your need, you need to know that he will not be around  forever. Death will take him one day, and your source of help will come to an end.  In the same vein, every man on earth has a limited capacity as regards to how much of demand  they can bear. A husband for...

Text : John 2:24  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, We already considered various scenarios where Jesus' disciples betrayed and denied Him, and these explained why Jesus wouldn’t commit Himself unto men. Today, we shall be focusing on the succeeding verse to our text - John 2:25 - _Jesus had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man._ Hence, at no point in time was Jesus dissapointed in man. Jesus did not commit Himself unto man, and He was never dissapointed in man because He knew what was in man. This was because He knew that *the measure of one's dissapointment in a person is determined by the degree of one's dependence or trust in that person.*  Now, the question is; what has Jesus seen in man that made man unreliable?  Jesus knew that the very heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9). With this deceitful heart of man, no man should put his trust in another man, ...

Text : John 2:24  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, The preceeding verse (John 2:23) to our text says  _"...many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did"_  Jesus knew they had only believed Him for what He did for them. They believed Him for what He gave them and not for who He is. Jesus Christ knew all  men to be undependable and unreliable, hence He chose not to commit Himself to any man.  You also should learn not to commit yourself unto any man.  You see, if Jesus had even committed Himself to His own  disciples, He would have been seriously dissapointed.  A large number of His disciples deserted Him while they felt He was giving them hard teachings (John 6:66). Jesus' three core disciples couldn't support Him in prayer when He needed them most to stand with Him in prayer (Mathew 26:40). One of His disciples- Judas Iscariot  betrayed and sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver.  P...

Text : Genesis 18:2.   He glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. Yesterday, we looked into some steps that could launch one into his destiny (big moment), using Abraham as our case study.  Today, we shall look into more of these steps : 1.) Humility: To be humble is to unreservedly elevate those around you without little or no regard for your ego.  Philippians  2:3  says, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  *Pride is the reason many people live short of their destiny. Pride always go before the fall.* prov.16:18. As soon as Abraham noticed the men, he ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. Note that at this point, Abraham was an aged man of 99years with much affluence, yet on sighting these men, he bowed himself to ...

Text : Gen. 18:2 ISV  He glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. Everything big starts small. The human race, with our vast population today started with a man. The tallest man on earth started out as a baby. There is time and season for everything under sun, but a number of times, man is impatient to wait for the big moment. As a matter of fact, *people miss out on their big moment because they disdain the "little moments" along their path.* (Ecc. 3:1-8) Your big moment is the set and appointed time for you to enter into God's purpose for your life, it's a time ordained for you to fulfil your God- Ordained destiny.  God promised Abraham that he will be father of many nations. Obviously, Abraham had to start by fathering a child first. At the fullness of time, God wanted to launch Abraham into his big moment, but Abraham had to pass the test...

Text:Matthew 6:34  " So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.  *"...beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter  3:8).* If this singular truth is well entrenched and established in your heart, you will learn to value your daily journey with the Lord.  A daily walk on earth can amount to a thousand walk in God's sight, and a thousand walk can be pressed into a day's journey before the Lord. The import of this narrative is that God wants you to live one day at a time. There are certain walks you will take, that heaven will reward you eternally. That's a day corresponding to a thousand years. For instance, let us consider the good works of a woman in Matthew 26-7-13. While Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon, the leper, Mary came with an alabaster box of  of spikenard ointment.. This was ...

Text:Matthew 6:34  " So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.  *To know how to live a thousand years, is to learn how to live one day at a time.*  Jesus warned in Mathew 6:31 that you should take no thought about what to eat, drink, or what you shall wear. As He was bringing this thought to an end, He further warned that you shouldn't worry about tomorrow. He gave two reasons why you shouldn't worry about tomorrow. We shall be looking at these reasons shortly. First and foremost, it is important to clarify that planning about tomorrow in God's name is not the same as worrying about tomorrow. So Jesus' instruction is that you shouldn't worry about tomorrow, but not that you shouldn't plan about tomorrow.  In James 4:13-15, James drew the believers  attention to a proper approach on how to plan about tomorrow. He wrote thus: "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will...

Text: James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Man was created as a relational being. Man was never meant to live life in isolation. So everyone needs friendship.  This need for friendship has however led many people into many troubles. This is because your friends has the capacity to influence your life whether positively or otherwise.  This is why Proverbs  13:20  says *He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.* In other words, show me your friends and I will show you your future.   *As a child of God, every relationship in your life must be well defined. you can't afford to be friends with everyone.*  That he is your classmate, roommate, housemate, colleagues or whatever doesn't or shouldn't necessarily means he has to be your friend.  Anyone who qualifies to be ...

Text: James 4:6.  But he gives all the more grace. And so he says,“God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the humble." Humility is the only path to greatness in the kingdom of God.* Jesus said in Matthew  18:4 that *Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.*  Everyone likes greatness. Everyone likes to be exalted. In the world, people ride on others in order to be exalted or great. But in this kingdom, anyone who tries to exalt himself will be abased. *He who has not learnt to humble himself will be humbled. The first humility is by choice and it's glorious, the second is by force and it's demeaning.*  Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew  23:12). When you subscribe to humility, not only will you be exalted, God Himself will favour you and send you help, (James 4:6). Any Christian who is proud lacks the moral standing to ...

Text: Romans 3:23.  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; What happened in the garden of Eden to mankind was by no means a small fall. When our first parents fell, the whole of mankind born and unborn fell from grace and glory. Essentially,  man was created for glory. Like always begets like. A glorious God can't create anything short of 'glory'.  But the fall of man took man away from that glorious estate and realm. Romans 3:23 clearly affirms that all ( everyone born by a woman ( have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Another version of the Bible says all have sinned and continue to fall short of God’s glory. (Roman 3:23, ISV). Man is in a perpetual state of fall from God's glory.  However, God didn't leave man in this fallen state, in His mercy, He has opened a way out for us. For as many who are in Christ, they have access to the lost glory. 2 Peter 1:3 says we have been called to glory and virtue.  1 Thessalonians  2:1...

Text: James 4:6.  But he gives all the more grace. And so he says,   “God opposes the arrogant   but gives grace to the humble.” Pride emanates from the devil himself. Pride is the reason he's called devil. Because the devil knows that God can't stand pride, he saw to it that every fallen man has prideful nature in him. 1 John 2:16 makes it abundantly clear what this world comprises of - *For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.* Basically, the world is filled and ruled by these three vices- lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life. From the very beginning, these three vices has been the weapon the devil uses to take man down. Unfortunately, many believers are still being overcome by these sins. Many faithful Christians who understand these devil's vice and who had successfully escaped the claws of the first two are still subtly plagued with pride...

Text: 1 Cor. 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. If the athletes are disciplined in their training just to win a prize that will fade away, how much more a disciple that is pursuing imperishable prize. Many christians are not aware that they are in a race. Are you aware that you are in a race? Apostle Paul knew this for a fact, hence he said, *"...I run with purpose in every step..."* (1Corinthians 9:26). Are you also running your own race with a purpose in every step? If you are, then you will also do one thing that Paul did-discipline your body like an athlete.  Unlike the normal race (in contest) which  you are familiar with, the  race I am talking about is that which God has set before you (us), and such must be run with endurance.  In the race of 'Life' which God has set before you, it is required that you put your body under discipline (control). This is one thing...

Text: 1 Cor. 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  *It is your responsibility to put your body under control, it is the Holy Spirit's to bring forth the fruit.*  Discipline is achieved through self-control. To be  self-controlled, is to be disciplined. And  Self-control is a fruit which only the Spirit of God can bring forth in your life. You cannot become a genuine disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ without temperance (self-control). This is one of the fruits of the Spirit which we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to cultivate in our lives. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:25 ".. "...everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things..." It is expected that *one who competes for the prize must be temperate in all things.*  Therefore, as one who runs in the heavenly race for the imperishable prize, you must be self-controlled (disciplin...

Text: 1 Cor. 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. To be a true disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, you must learn discipline. *There can never be a true discipleship without discipline.*  The Greek word (mathetes) from which disciple is coined also means learner or pupil.  Every learner as you know, had to go through discipline in order to gain the required knowledge or expertise.  In the same way, for you to become like the Master (Jesus Christ), you must also subject yourself to the disciplines of the Spirit. Remember, discipline is not punishment. People don't like the word discipline. In fact, many Christians who have been caught up in the web of 'hyper grace' believe that there is nothing more to do since Jesus has done it all for them on the cross.  While this is very true, another side to this narrative which they often neglect is that; while our sins has been paid...

Text: 2 Corinthians  12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Apostle Paul said he prayed to God three times to take away a particular infirmity from him, (2 Corinthians 12:8) but each time, God's response to him was "my grace is sufficient for you, because my strength is made perfect in weakness." Don't be deceived into thinking Christianity is a bread and butter Faith. As a matter of fact,  *Christianity is not a religion, it is a life engineered by Jesus Christ.*  At no point did the word of God tells us that once we are in Christ,  we are automatically immuned from troubles in this world. Rather, Jesus told us emphatically in John  16:33  that *These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome ...

Text: John 16:33. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Let's look  further at some key words and some action words in our text today : 1.) IN ME :Jesus told His disciples that in Him they will have peace. *Jesus doesn't play with words, if He said it, then, He meant it, if truly you are in Christ, you will have peace. Now, what does it mean to be in Christ? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.Anyone who is in Christ is a new creature. Are you a new creature,  has old things passed away in your life? Is your life  bringing forth new things? Today, many claim they are in Christ, yet their lives is saying contrary. When you are in Christ, your life should be guided and shaped by the words of Christ. Many want to enjoy the peace (Shallom) that ...

Text: John 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Let's look at some key words and some action words in our text today :  *SPOKEN :* Jesus said "these things I have spoken unto you..." How many of the things that Jesus had spoken unto you have you heard? If a lecturer is speaking and you didn't hear what he's saying, you can't profit from it as a student.  It's important for you to hear when your master is speaking. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. John 10:4. One thing that qualifies you to hear His voice is that you are His sheep. A true sheep knows and follows the voice of the shepherd. Are you a sheep in the sheepfold of Jesus Christ? John 10:5 says 'a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.'    *Any voice other than Jesus' voice ...

Text: Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; God's words strongly  warned us to be anxious for *nothing.* Nothing means nothing. No matter the situation you find yourself, God wants you to be anxious for nothing.  No one can stop anxiety by sheer will power, it takes a supernatural assistance from God to overcome this monster. Hence, the need for you to always lay all the details of your life, your  concerns and challenges before the Lord in prayer. So, you can either choose to hold your request to yourself as concerns, anxieties or worries, or as prayer before the Lord.    In everything, BY PRAYER and SUPPLICATION , with THANKSGIVING  let your REQUESTS be MADE KNOWN to GOD*  (Philippians 4:6). The antidote to worries and anxieties is Prayer. Take everything to the Lord in Prayer. You must learn to tell God everything  about every everything i...

Text: Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; The resultant effect of  being careful for nothing, but committing everything to God in prayer is *PEACE.*  The word peace which comes from the Hebrew word "shallom"  in old testament, and "eirene" in Greek carries the same meaning basically. But the Peace- "Shallom" in Hebrew reveals deeper desire of God for man. Shallom means completeness, wholeness, soundness, safety. When you pray, the first answer you receive from God is Shallom-Peace. He guards your heart with Peace (wholeness and soundness).  The reason we pray today is not just for fellowship, it is rather because shallom was broken down in the garden of Eden.  Shallom was lost in the garden of Eden, hence everything became awry.  So, the first thing that man lost in the garden of Eden was Peace-with God, His presence and Himself. Hence, the first th...

Text: Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Today, we shall be looking at how the perfect God came down to this earth through the imperfect man.   *God has shared in our humanity that we might also share in His divinity.*  King Solomon was part of Jesus' lineage. Solomon was from Bathsheba (the wife of Uriah). Solomon's mother was not a legitimate wife of King David. The first contact David had with Bathsheba was that of adultery.  But God in His wisdom has decided to use imperfect people in bringing forth His perfect goodwill to all mankind. (Luke 2:14).  King Solomon, though he was a wise king, but his ending wasn't too good. Despite all his errors, the covenant keeping God would still not break covenant with his lineage. The throne and the kingship did not depart from the household of  David all the same.  Sometimes, you may feel like rewriting your lineage, some people even change their surnam...