Today’s Reading:
Psalm 78; 1-4, 12-16
Numbers 27:12-14
Mark 11:27-33
“Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, telling the generation to come the praises of the Lord, His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. … Marvellous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zion. He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, And He made the waters stand up like a heap. In the daytime also He led them with the cloud And all the night with a light of the fire. He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink in abundance like the depths. He also brought streams out of the rock and caused waters to run down like a river.” (Ps. 78:1-4, 12-16 NKJV)
Today's reading is a call to our generation to learn lessons from the mistakes of Israel’s forefathers, who despite l the mighty miracles God performed on their behalf rebelled and were not faithful to God (v. 8); and forgot about the wonders God had performed (vv. 11-12); put God to the test by making demands on him (v. 18); lied to him and tried to flatter Him (v. 36); continued to turn away from him (vv.42-56). They responded to God with ingratitude and not with faith in Him (Ps. 106:6-46). The rebellion of God’s people towards Him despite His love and abundant mercy remains a great mystery.
There are a lot of records of God’s goodness and lovingkindness in the Scriptures to keep reminding us of His past acts of goodness (vv. 11-16), yet we fall into the same error. In 1 Corinthians 10:5-12, Paul used the story of Israel’s rebellion and unfaithfulness to warn us to beware and be faithful. Their error is that following generations always forget what God did in the midst of past generations. And so, would not give God the honour due to Him. They follow after abominable things that God detested. God commanded that His marvellous acts and laws should be taught from generation to generation. Our Covenant God is a compassionate God, He requires from us our total reliance and dependence on Him. God’s complete concern about all the works of his hand, especially man, is to ensure our well-being. Trust him to meet all our unselfish and un-conceited demands (Phil 4:19). When we obey and trust in Him, God will provide for our physical, mental and spiritual well-being (John 10:7-18). In trying moments, we receive respite in His presence.
He lovingly guides, protects and disciplines us (Ps 23:6). God’s lovingkindness and mercy exhibit His steadfast love towards us (Ps. 5:7-1). Today, there is rancour in the household of faith, there is no love. When there is no love; how can we love God and love our neighbour as ourselves? Everyone is running after wealth, and fame and there is unnecessary comparison and competition here and there. We all forget our duties towards the poor, the orphans, the widows and perishing souls. The youths that would be leaders of tomorrow are being neglected and there is decay within the generation of leaders of tomorrow. Today, the younger generations are following after the occult activities of our forefathers that have caused many to seek several deliverances, in the belief that to survive in life, a person has to belong to one occult or the other. Forgetting that God is God over all His creation and that God rules in the affairs of men here on earth. As Christians/believers, God has given us a name by which we can be saved. And that is the name of Jesus Christ! (Acts 4:12).
Let us all know from where we have fallen, and retrace our steps back to God through Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer and Saviour. We cannot start comparing ourselves with the unbelievers around us. In our busyness of not having time for the things of God, the enemy is deceitfully stealing and destroying good things from us. May God help us all, in Jesus' name. Amen.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
To Show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.
My Father and my God, I ask for mercy and forgiveness for my sin and stand in the gap for my family. Forgive, especially, sins of adulatory of my father’s house that I am following, in Jesus' name.
Guide me, deliver me from the power of the deceiver and redirect my steps into your plan for my life at this season, in Jesus' name.
Father let there be deep, great and mighty deliverance in my life and family, in Jesus' name.
Let the blood of Jesus cleanse me and my family from every spiritual filth, and contamination, in Jesus' name.
Our Father and God, we hand over our children, youths and young adults to your fatherly care, teach them and guide them by yourself, in Jesus' name.
Father unite the body of Christ in your love, that they may be one in proclaiming the gospel of truth, in Jesus' name.
Father take control of the hearts and minds of our leaders and cause them to be aligned with your plan for our nation in this season, in Jesus' name Amen.
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