Daily Devotional: August 14 – The Greater Good

You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes – Psalm 119:68

We cannot expect a lion to behave as an Octopus or a snake to behave as a dog even if they promise it – it is simply not in their nature. Similarly, it is unnatural for God to do anything but good because He is good – it is who He is. We may not always understand how those things God does is good given our short-term view, limited perspective, and inadequate understanding, but we should settle it in our heart that whatever He is doing is ultimately for the greater good. An example to illustrate this is in the medical field: If a finger must be cut off to halt the spread of gangrene, it is for the greater good of saving the hand. Yes, nobody likes that the finger is forever lost, but it is better that the finger is lost than for the person to lose their life! Similarly, we must take into consideration the greater good when we make decisions. We cannot be so swayed by the emotion of a single moment or incident that we allow it to cause us to make a decision that is against the will of God in the long-term. Friend, do not allow a temporary situation to cause you to make a permanent decision that is against the will of God. Consider the greater good.

I will consider the long-term impact of my decision before I do anything












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Daily Devotional: August 13 – Painful Ignorance

Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word – Psalm 119:67

If we go astray from the word of God, we will get afflicted in the world of man! By this, we see that ignorance of the word of God not bliss, for if we do not know the word of God, we cannot do it. When it comes to the word of God, ignorance leads to affliction. There are too many good people who are afflicted not because they are not ‘nice’ people, but because they simply do not know or understand God’s ways. They are afflicted because they have chosen not to meditate on the word of God. They try so hard, trying things in their own strength, but it all comes to nothing! We can save ourselves from a lot of headaches and heartaches simply by spending time in His word. His words are a sure anchor and guide for our soul. Failure to do so leaves us open to making major mistakes and suffering. Let the word of God be the foundation on which you build you life. Now, if you know the word of God, keep it, for there are many blessings in keeping His word.

I will no longer let ignorance be the source of wreckage in my life












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Daily Devotional: August 12 – Good Companion

am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts – Psalm 119:63

We have heard that bad company corrupts good habits. We have heard that our network determines our net worth. So, let me ask you – with whom are you hanging around? Who are your companions? If you hang around fools, you will behave foolishly. If you walk with the wise, you will likely behave wisely. The person you will hang around with the most is your spouse. Therefore, it is important that you choose a partner who truly respects God and obeys His commandments. A person who truly fears God has a bright future and will be successful (see Psalm 112). On the other hand, a person who simply pretends to fear God will not be successful. Choose to be a person who fears God and delights in what He says to you. Your success in life has little to do with how many times you pray, go to church, speak in tongues, or play worship music around your house. It is only those who love the Lord and therefore keep His commandments that prosper. Therefore, let those who keep His commandments be your companions.

I will have to choose my partners wisely if I want it to be well with me and my family












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Daily Devotional: August 11 – Self-Sabotage

I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies – Psalm 119:59

Sometimes, we are not victims of other peoples’ actions but victims of our own behavior! There are times we need to ask ourselves: What am I doing? There are times when we need to stop and look inwards to see if we are sabotaging and short-circuiting the destiny that God has planned for us by behaving in a way that is incongruent with His ways. We need to ask ourselves: What does my future look like if I continue to behave in this way? What does the future look like if I never exercise, if I continue to sacrifice my sleep, if I continue to drink and smoke excessively, if I continue to neglect my children, if I continue to go to work late, if I continue to be rude to others? There are simple changes we can all make today that would alter the trajectory of our lives tenfold. Take some time out today to really think about your ways. If your ways are not aligned with God’s ways, choose to turn divorce yourself from those ways and marry yourself to the God’s ways.

I choose not to be my own worst enemy












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Daily Devotional: August 10 – Remember God

I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself – Psalm 119:52

Are you experiencing persecution? Are you being repaid evil for good? Have you been abandoned by people who are meant to be your friends? There are times in life when things simply will not go your way; times when you feel lost and alone. In those times, it is important to be able to comfort yourself. There is comfort in remembering God’s goodness. Can you recall the times He has been there for you?  Can you remember how he has brought you through hard times? Remember his decisions concerning you. Remember that you did nothing to deserve God’s salvation, yet God decided to send His Son to lay His life down for you. His judgement over you is mercy and grace. His judgement over you is love. He can be taken at His word when he says He will never leave you nor forsake you. His judgement over you has and always will be underpinned with love. You can rest assured knowing that His love and His mercy towards you will endure forever.

I will remember God for He is there even if no else is there for me












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Daily Devotional: August 9 – True Freedom

And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts – Psalm 119:45

Another word for liberty is freedom. Freedom is not the same as freewill. Every human being has freewill, but not all live in freedom. Freewill is the ability to choose, while freedom is what we get when we have chosen well. Thus, the exercising of our freewill can either lead us to bondage or freedom. Freedom is a complex word that tells us that there is a domain where we are free. Friends, that domain or place is in the will of God. Simply put, there is no freedom outside of the will of God. Therefore, only those who seek God’s precepts can truly walk in freedom; only those who have a healthy relationship with God can experience freedom. Seeking our own way leads us to walk in bondage to our fears, insecurities, addictions, culture, tradition, greed, and more. But the precepts of God are there to keep us walking in liberty and to experience the life that God intended for us. If you walk in the precepts of God, you will indeed walk freely; you will not be bound by the chains of life.

I am free to do anything but not everything I do keeps me free












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Daily Devotional: August 8 – Worthless Things

Turnaway my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way – Psalm 119:37

Do you spend time doomscrolling or watching short clips on social media for hours? If so, then let me ask you, what has that done for your life? Do you spend your energy looking at pornography? This is not only worthless, but also harmful to you, your future relationships, and the women who are likely being trafficked. So maybe you don’t have these issues, but maybe there are other worthless things that you do. How much time and energy we invest in worthless things is related to how much time and energy we invest in the ways of God. If we refuse to prioritize God’s ways, then our minds become fertile ground for the enemy to plant his thoughts. The enemy is adept at keeping people busy doing things that do not yield fruit. Therefore, we must be diligent to take back the stewardship of our time and energy. We should look to minimize and if possible, eliminate time spent engaging in things that do not match the words, values, and ways of God. If what we are doing is not adding value, then that time is taking away value from something more important. Your mind’s eye is too important to waste on worthless things.

My time and energy are too precious to spend on worthless things












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Daily Devotional: August 7 – Extended Love

I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart – Psalm 119:32

All commandments may be summed up into two: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. It is easier to love God because He is perfect and because of the benefits he confers on us, but it can be more difficult to love our neighbor because of their imperfections. To love our neighbor requires that our hearts be enlarged to be inclusive of people, beyond our family or close circle of friends. With our hearts enlarged, our mindset changes from me against the world, to me for the world. We shouldn’t set our hearts on competing against those we are meant to bring int the community of Christ. Jesus was called a friend of sinners when he lived, and he proved his love for all sinners by dying for the world! What would happen if we all thought of other people as part of our family? What would happen if the suffering of others really bothered us that we are moved with compassion? The answer is the world would be a much better place. Hence, to obey God’s commandment to love is to make the world a better place.

When I love others, I am doing my part in making the world a better place












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Daily Devotional: August 6 – Living a Lie

Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously – Psalm 119:29

We can either believe in the truth or believe in a lie. The truth comes from the Holy Spirit, but lies come from the father of lies, the devil. The way of lies represents false ways that promise life and prosperity but only deliver death and poverty. The way of lies represents anything that we believe and act upon that is divorced from the truth of God. As imperfect beings, we all have ways in which we act that is not according to the truth of God. We need to pray to God to help us identify the lies that we have believed and then remove from us the way of lying. Of all the lies that we tell, we lie to ourselves the most. So, let me ask you – are you living a lie? Have you substituted the truth that sets you free for the lie that puts you in bondage? Take an inventory of your life today to see which areas are just not working out. Those areas represent areas where the lies of the enemies have infiltrated your life. Recommit yourself to the truth of God today in those areas and stop living a life.

I will study God’s principles so that I can identify the false beliefs I hold












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Daily Devotional: August 5 – Imitating God

Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors – Psalm 119:24

What are testimonies? Testimonies in general are accounts of life experiences. God’s testimonies in simple terms are the accounts of God’s life. When the psalmist says that God’s testimonies are his delight and counselors, in a sense, he is saying that he delights in what He sees God doing and in what He hears God saying. Jesus, as our example, delighted in the testimonies of the Father in humility and obedience. Jesus said that He only does what He sees the Father doing and says what He heard the Father saying. As imitators of Christ, we too are to delight ourselves in what our Lord is doing and allow those things we witness of Him to guide our actions and choices. Doing what God does is not passive but an active and ongoing. It means we pay attention to God (respect Him) so that we can accurately mimic Him. Imitating God guarantees success because all His ways lead to life. The next time you want to know what to do, go to God to see what He is doing. He will show you what He is doing through prayer. He loves it when His children come to Him for guidance.

The best way to know what to do is to see what God is doing












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