BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Kg 11-13
STANDING ALONE
MEMORIZE: "Thou shall not follow a multitude to do evil, neither shall thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment" (Exodus 23:2)
READ: Proverbs 1:10-18
Fire is one of the four basic elements. In Genesis 1:2, we read of water, soil- dry land (Gen. 1:9); air (Gen. 2:7) and fire (Gen. 19:24). According to scientists, 75% of the world is made of water, while this same element is responsible for 70% of the human body. All these elements are very significant to life. Let us look at the characteristics of fire. Fire is very distinct. Elijah and John the Baptist were a type of fire. Fire does not copy. As a youth, you should not follow evil youths (Exodus 23:2). Be distinct. When people see you, they should be able to tell even from your dressing that you are a child of God. You are betrayed by your dressing.
Sometime ago, it was common practice for men of God to wear flowing 'Agbada'. At that time, it was the world's way of saying you have arrived. I wore it once or twice a year especially when I want to dance and praise God in my native dialect. Apart from these times, my dressing singled me out. People complained that I look like a hunter, but I tell them I look like my Savior. When we went to dedicate one of our schools in Sagamu sometime ago, the Governor's representative said although he had never met me, he identified me by my dressing. As a youth, you must not conform to the dressing pattern of the world but rather, you should be the one dictating to them how to dress acceptably.
Another characteristic of fire is that it does not conform. It is not afraid to stand alone. It does not yield to peer pressure. Elijah stood alone in 1 Kings 18:22. Dare to stand alone in your office even when other professing Christians compromise? A nation was taken captive but only four young men stood as fire. It is your standing for the Lord in righteousness that marks you for greater heights. Other intending couples may go into premarital sex but you can't. Other so called believers may be manipulating figures and receipts, but you can't because you are fire. A man of God wrote a tract titled, "Others may, but I cannot." That's because you are fire. Beloved, you are set apart for God. Each time you stand alone in righteousness, you may be unpopular here, but do know that the crowd of witnesses in Heaven suddenly stand to give you an ovation! Jesus Christ also stands to honor and defend you. After all, you are not really alone. Stand for what is right today!
ACTIONPOINT: Pray for an uncommon move of God during the forth-coming special Holy Ghost Service.
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2 comments:
When I read today’s devotional, 2 things struck me. The first one was okay the Lord is telling us something. You see, The Pacesetters’ Vision for 2008 is DARING TO BE DIFFERENT and this has been our strongest prayer point since Jan 1st.
The truth is nobody wants to be different. We all want people to like us and we want to be “among” which is understandable, considering that we’re only human. From my own experience, choosing to go against the norm on a particular issue is not the easiest thing. As a matter of fact; it is a constant everyday battle especially when it’s something others are doing without a care in the world. Sometimes I’d sit back and ask myself why I’m not going with the “flow”, after all everyone else is doing it and the only thing that keeps me from jumping in with everyone else, is the reminder that I am not doing it for “everybody” but for the One who is MORE THAN everybody. Will conforming make life easier? Without a doubt but it’s only for short period…so ask yourself, which would you rather have an easy life here on earth or an easy life in eternity? This brings me to the second thing that struck me…a prayer by one Rev Peter Marshall, a US Senate Chaplin.
“Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything"
The 2nd sentence always gets me because it is the absolute truth. Yes, unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything and it’s in this regard we, as Christians, hit the jackpot...WE have a clear vision of where to stand, who and what we stand for.
May the Lord give us the strength to stand alone…because we can’t do it on our own. Amen.
the thing that struck me personally was "are you betrayed by your dressing?"...i have been a person who wants to b different from poeple even by my way of dressing..but the thing is....has it betrayed me of who i stand for?...i read that and it stuck to ma head...and the next thing i wanna go do is pray about my future plans....but as long as GOD lives, i refuse to be among, i refuse to go with the flow...i choose to be different.
so shall it be for me and all of us, as individuals, as a family, as a team, as friends, as leaders, as churches, as a whole ..in JESUS NAME...AMEN!.....TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
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