WEDNESDAY JUNE 10, 2020
WISDOM PAYS
TEXT: EXODUS 1:15-22
KEY VERSE: "But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive" (EXODUS 1:17).
The culture of volleying blame, buck-passing and excuses are prevalent in our society. Too often, people are quick to blame others for their misdemeanor, weaknesses and lack of conviction or wicked actions.
Employees blame employers for tempting or pressuring them to be unfaithful or lazy because they are not being treated fairly. Some husbands/wives may try to hide under the leaking umbrella of having 'a difficult spouse' as an excuse for extra-marital affair.
But the narrative in our passage stands to condemn many people and shut their mouths from giving excuses for failures and lack of fear of God. The midwives had every excuse under heaven to carry out the ungodly and inhuman decree of Pharaoh to kill every male Hebrew child. But they disobeyed that wicked order. Of course, they knew the danger if they were discovered but the fear of God and compassion made them to damn the consequences. God who sees all deeds of men commended them (verses 20, 21).
It is important to draw some useful lessons from this incident. At one time or the other, we will definitely be confronted with choices to do right or wrong, to be human or inhuman, to do good or evil. Our responses in such difficult situations may well reveal the depth of our character. We are created as free moral agents with power to agree or disagree with issues or things that we know to be inhuman and ungodly. God will also commend and reward us when we take our stand against ungodly actions under whatever guise.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: You will give account of your actions and inactions.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 SAMUEL 15-16
HIGHER EVERYDAY
WEDNESDAY JUNE 10, 2020
YOUTH AND UNEQUAL YOKE
TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 19:1-2
MEMORY VERSE: "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD" (2 CHRONICLES 19:2).
When a Christian goes into any strong relationship with an unbeliever, it is regarded as an unequal yoke. This is so because the unbeliever can influence the believer to walk contrary to the Christian tenets, be it in friendship, business or marriage. Many believers have grown lukewarm or fallen outright from the faith due to unequal yoke. Someone said, "The right relationship will never distract you from God. It will bring you closer to Him."
Christians should learn a lesson from the rebuke and discipline received by the righteous King of Judah, Jehoshaphat, for being intimate with, and supporting Ahab, the wicked and ungodly King of Israel, in his war effort against Syria. We should not be intimate with those who hate God. Christian youths should, by this, avoid intimate relationship with those who hate God and His Word. Who are your friends? Are they cultists, examination cheats, smokers, idolaters and fornicators? Though you are expected to love everyone, you should not, as a child of God, keep company with sinners, or join them in their sinful practices.
QUOTE: Who are your friends?
CHALLENGE: To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
PRAYER: Oh God, help me to avoid sinful relationships.