You are reading Today’s DCLM Daily Manna Devotional for Saturday 5th December 2020 written by Pastor W.F Kumuyi. Be inspired by today’s reading. God bless you!
DAILY MANNA
SATURDAY DECEMBER 05, 2020
TOPIC: SLOTHFULNESS DEBASES
TEXT: PROVERBS 26:1-19
KEY VERSE: "The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth" (PROVERBS 26:15).
Charles H. Spurgeon, an English Baptist preacher, preached a sermon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington on June 3, 1888. The sermon was titled "The Sluggard's Farm." He cited Proverbs 24:30-32 to illustrate how King Solomon laid down his robe on a particular day and walked through his kingdom. At a point, he saw the broken wall of a little estate, which comprised a piece of ploughed land and a vineyard. At a glance, the king came to the conclusion that a sluggard owned and neglected the estate because weeds had covered all the face of the ground.
Our text gives a graphic description of the slothful. A slothful person often dreams of and pretends to dread a lion each time he is asked to diligently carry out his assignment. He can give millions of excuses to justify his laziness. He sometimes imagines and portrays difficult situations he cannot grapple with. As a result, he always hides his hands in his bosom and finds it difficult to feed himself. This is a folly that frightens him from the real purpose of existence. But in Genesis 2:15, God "took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." God Himself worked six days unstopped to create the earth and everything in it.
In this light, we must always remember that we are created in God's image and likeness. God is diligent and industrious. As His reflection, therefore, we must work and not be indolent for any reason. If you are already caught in the web of slothfulness, you can overcome it. Take a step forward today; set achievable goals; pursue them with vigour, and pray for God's strength.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A stitch in time saves nine.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:HOSEA 10-14
HIGHER EVERYDAY
SATURDAY DECEMBER 05, 2020
TOPIC: SIMPLE BUT NOT EASY
TEXT: MATTHEW 18:1-6
MEMORY VERSE: "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (MATTHEW 18:3).
Conversion is a state of a total change of life in line with the life of a new creature in Christ. Jesus told his disciples thus, "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This is a simple instruction, but many have not been able to obey it.
So many things look simple, but are hard for many people to do. Lamman Rucker reminds us thus: "You need a spiritual foundation... It's simple stuff, but it's hard."
For you to be converted is simple, but it requires the grace of God. It requires humility which is hard to come by among many youths who choose pride or arrogance as their way of life.
It's simple stuff, but it's hard indeed for those without a spiritual foundation of penitence and contrition of heart. Those with self-righteousness who are not ready to become as humble as a child to attract grace from God will perish like King Herod who didn't humble himself before God, but ascribed God's glory to himself.
QUOTE: You need a spiritual foundation.
CHALLENGE: Arrogance drives grace away.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to manifest humility always.