All posts by Tunde Soniregun

August 2010 Issue

Monthly Newsletter

 

“…he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2)
 
The Bible recorded about Amaziah, the King of Judah, “…he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.” (2 Chronicles 25:2)The story of Amaziah is evident to the fact that doing right without a loyal heart is not enough to be considered as a righteous walk. In the story of Amaziah, it is clear for us to learn and know what it is for man to do right before God without a loyal heart. The first right Amaziah did was his obedience to the Law of God. After Amaziah became king, “…he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.” (2 Chronicles 25:3-4)
ACT OF AMAZIAH’S OBEDIENCE
There is nothing that marks a man as being righteous like one who yields and obeys the word of God. Amaziah did not allow his need to avenge his father’s death to cloud his obedience to the law of His God. He could have went further and execute the children of his father’s executors. Are you allowing a revengeful spirit to cloud your decision making and not the commands of God? You can do right by restraining yourself in painful situations when you allow God’s command to have its place in your life.
SECOND ACT OF AMAZIAH’ S OBEDIENCE
Amaziah was in the process of going to war against the Edomites with the help of the troops of Israel which he had paid with hundred talents. A man of God came in the name of God and stated, “…O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim. But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.”Amaziah did not reject the word of God through the man of God but only responded saying, “…but what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”(2 Chronicles 25:9) The man of God responded and Amaziah reacted in obedience, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.” (2 Chronicles 25:9-10)Amaziah’s doing right before God was rooted in his faithful obedience to the word of God through the man of God.
LACK OF LOYAL HEART
Despite his obedience he failed to demonstrate a loyal heart and that ruled him out of God’s favor. Amaziah loyalty to God was exposed when he went to the war that God fought on his behalf and came back to set up the enemy’s God for his people to worship. The Bible records Amaziah’s foolishness, “after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?” (2 Chronicles 25:14-15) Amaziah’s behavior and action can be compared to one that is blessed by God and later turned to the blessing as his god.
WORSHIPING THE BLESSEING INSTEAD OF THE BLESSER?
Does Amaziah’s case sound like you? Are you one that moved God to bless you because of your doing right? Having been blessed by God have you consciously or unconsciously turned your heart to what the Lord God has blessed you with instead of keeping your heart loyal to God? Today, many have forgotten that where they are or what they have is not the evidence of hard work. However, working hard to maintain the blessing has now taken over from their work and service to God. It is a sorrow state when one shift focus or allows the blessings of God to become their focus. The God that helped Amaziah to defeat the Edomites is greater than the gods of the Edomites and He is enough for Amaziah to focus on. Also, the God that bless you will not withdraw His hand over is blessing if you will maintain your righteous act and loyalty to His name. Remember, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and he add no sorrow with it.”(Proverbs 10:22) God is a jealous God. Know fully well that attention is the antidote for jealousy. In all your doing, do not trade God’s deserve attention over your life for what He has blessed you with. Do all that is right, act with a loyal heart your blessing shall not cease.
 
FAITH CAPSULE
Doing right before God is rooted in faithful obedience to the word of God.
It is a sorrow state when one shift focus or allows the blessings of God to become their focus.
Tunde

Great Manager

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: God is a Great Manager; God will never mismanage your life.

1 Samuel 8

Asking God to bless us with the blessings that he has blessed other with is a sign that we have rejected Him for what He has for us. God knows our each and every need; he has a better understanding of what we need and want most in life. God gave the children of Israel judges to rule over them as a nation while the nations surrounding them had kings. Seeing this, the children of Israel wanted a change; they wanted to have a king and be like other nations and not what God wants for them to be. The children of Israel approached Samuel, the leader ordained by God, “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. (1 Samuel 8:4-6) The request from the children of Israel was not rooted in sincerity of the incompetency of the sons of Samuel but on the fact that they wanted to have king like other nations around them. The request was not a pleasant one before God. The request lack sincerity and loyalty for God that was always with them  and with best provision. “And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7-9) Are you letting God know that you appreciate all that He has done and the things He is doing rather than asking Him for what He is doing for others around you? He is a Great Manager; God will never mismanage our life. He is the same yesterday and forever. Evidently, God was not pleased with the children of Israel’s request when He referred to it again in Hosea 13:11,” I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.” Avoid the wrath of God; do not let your request before God count against you as an act of rejecting God.

Payer for today: Ask God to make you never to ask whatever is outside of His divine plan for your life.

His Disciple

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE:Come out of religion, stop being a discipline believer; become His disciple.

John1

Are you a disciple of Christ or a discipline religious one? One can be discipline and receive but not believe. It is also possible for one to believe and not receive Christ as Lord and savior. The word Disciple was used to describe one of the twelve personal followers of Christ or one of the seventy followers Jesus sent forth(Luke 10:1) Disciple is a person who is pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another. Whose disciple are you? There is none that can be qualified as a disciple of Christ except one that believe and receive Him as Lord and savior. It is written in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” There are a number of verses in the Bible that point out the facts that some only believe in Him but not receive Him. Likewise, some verse also points to the fact that some only receive Him but do not believe Him. The Bible states in John 12:42, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” This verse points out the truth that some believe Him but could not confess Him. One can only confess what or who one receives. Jesus’ prayer for His disciples points out that to believe and receive is all that qualifies one as His disciple, “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” (John 17:8) Are you confusing yourself in His word? If you start confessing His word in your life, if your behavior demonstrates the word that you claim to have heard from Him, then you are qualified to be an acclaimed disciple of Jesus. Claiming or knowing about the word does not qualify one to be a disciple of Jesus. The act of going to church on a regular basis will not mark any one as a disciple. Abiding in His word is the only mark of a disciple of Christ. Believing and receiving Jesus could not be spelled out better like Jesus did in one of His engagement with His people that believes in Him, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31) The evidence of one that believes and receives Him is living in freedom that is rooted in the truth of the word of God. Come out of religion, stop being a discipline believer; become His disciple.

Prayer for today: Cause me O Lord to begin to constantly abide in Your word.

God Of Purpose

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: God will not fail in His plan and purpose for your life if you will accept and abide in Him.

Exodus 3

God is a God of purpose and He aligns all of his creations for a purpose at an appointed place and appointed time. However, the adversary of man wants to disappoint what God has appointed. The children of Israel were appointed by God for the Promised Land and what the adversary wanted for them is to trap them in the wilderness. Just as the adversary wanted it for the children of Israel, so he wants it for God’s children today. God appointed Moses to lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years in Egypt. Also, God appointed Jesus to save and deliver us from destruction. When it was time for God to move His children out of the bondage He sent Moses with the promise that the children of Israel will heed his voice as regard to His plan of deliverance for them. God also gave Moses His word for the king of Egypt, “…you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.2 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” It was a well detailed message for the King and also for the children to see what was ahead for them. He is a God of purpose yesterday, today and forever. The striking part in His plan states, “…But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders…” God’s outstretched hand to the children of Israel is not only to deliver them but also to give them uncommon favor. The same outstretched hand is the Wonderful Counselor that we have in Jesus today. God will not fail in His plan or purpose for your life if you will accept and abide in Him.

Prayer for today: Help me Lord. Take my days and my moments and let them be concentrated on you.

Good Success

Devotions

FAITH CAPSULE: Meditation is not possible when there is no delight in the word of God.

2 Chronicles 17

Good success is a blessing of God. God’s blessing does not come by accident but His blessing comes with condition as stated in His command. The word of God to Joshua after the death of Moses states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) To have good success requires meditating on the word of God day and night. Meditation is not possible when there is no delight in the word of God. It is written Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and His law he meditates day and night”. Evidently, having delight in the word of God will trigger constant meditation in the life of the delighted ones. What does your heart delight in? A heart that delights not in His word will not take to His way but will take to the opposite direction of His way. In the command of God, there is no middle ground but to obey and be blessed or disobey and remain un-blessed. The evidence and the result of taking delight in the law of God can be seen in the life of King Jehoshaphat when he ruled in Judah. It was evident that he walked in the ways of God. He sought God and he did not walk according to the acts of Israel (2 Chronicles 17:3-4). The results of his walk moved the hand of God as recorded in 2 Chronicles 17:5, “Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance”. What other blessings can substitute for the blessings that come from God? Just as God will not overlook sin, so He will not overlook a heart that takes delight in His commands. With all that was taking shape in the life of Jehoshaphat, it is recorded that “his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah” (2Chronicles 17:6). A heart that delights in His ways will meditate day and night and have good success.

Prayer for today: God is still in the business of answering prayers. Ask God to give you a heart that delights in His ways. A heart that delights in the law of God is set for blessings and there will be no stumbling in any walk of life.