A Scripture Based Devotional for Overcomers

7 May
Hos. 1:7
The means of our salvation
While Judah was yet to come under His wrath (Jer. 9:12-16; Jer. 52:27), God promised to save them, not by their bow, sword, horses and horsemen, but by Himself (Hos. 1:7). Their safety and security were due to God, not their weapons (Hos. 1:7). This reiterates an important and abiding point. Physical salvation does not depend on human resources but on God (see 1 Sam. 17:45-54; Ps. 44:6-8). Human resources are impotent as far as salvation is concerned. Those who depend on human resources for their physical wellbeing do so in vain. Anyone who seeks physical salvation from God is certain to get it. This is also true of spiritual salvation. Only God alone can save, whether physically or spiritually (cf. Heb. 7:25). He can save entirely by Himself, without the use of any means or resources (see 2 Kgs.19:35).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please let your own hand save me.
2. Father, please fight all my battles for me.

8 May
Ps. 138:3
God answers His children
According to the psalmist, one of the reasons for which he resolved to praise God with all his heart is that God answered him when he called upon him (Ps. 138:1,3). This is true of God. It is His nature to answer His children when they call upon Him (Ps. 18:3-6; Ps. 30:2; Ps. 99:6; Ps. 116:1). His children are even assured of His answer when they call upon Him (Ps. 50:15; Matt. 7:7-11). Therefore, we are entitled not only to call upon Him but to be heard by Him. Whatever is our circumstances or need, let us call upon Him, for He will answer us (Ps. 18:3-6; Ps. 30:2; Ps. 99:6; Ps. 138:3). Since He is an answering God, we forfeit our answers when we fail to call upon Him (see ps. 116:2).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to call upon you.
2. Father, please answer me whenever I call.

9 May
Ps. 10:17-18
God’s attitude to the afflicted
We learn from this passage how the Lord is committed to the cause of the afflicted. He hears or listens to their desire or cry(Ps. 10:17). To hear or listen to their desire or cry is to do something about it. In the instant case, He defends them from the terror of men (Ps. 10:17-18). It is quite clear from this passage that the Lord has a special place in His heart for the afflicted (cf. Matt. 9:12-13). While men despise and ill-treat them, the Lord cares for and defends their cause. The Lord is indeed a sufficient refuge for the afflicted (Ps. 9:9; Ps. 46:1). It is His nature to attend to the needs of the afflicted. No one cares for and defends the afflicted like Him. With the Lord, the afflicted are assured of a hearing or listening partner as well as His care and defense. They should therefore look up to Him alone.

PRAYER: 1. Father, please listen to my desire and cry.
2. Father, please enable me to look up to you alone.

10 May
Ps. 138:7
God saves His children
According to the psalmist, another reason for his praising God with all his heart is that God preserves him while in trouble and stretches out His hand against the anger of his foes and saves him (Ps. 138:1,7). God is well known for saving His children from their enemies (see Ps. 68:20). And He has promised to deal with the foes of those who obey Him (Deut. 28:7). His own salvation is sure and unfailing (Ps. 91:3; cf. Ps. 127:1). As the sovereign one and the Almighty, He is more than able to save all who trust in Him (see Lk. 1:37). There is neither equal nor comparison nor rival to God as far as salvation from one’s foes is concerned. Therefore, we must depend and count on Him for salvation from our troubles and foes (Ps. 68:20). As He did for the psalmist, He will certainly and unfailingly do for all who trust in Him alone (Ps. 138:7).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please save me from all my troubles and foes.
2. Father, please enable me to entrust all my troubles and foes to you alone.

11 May
Ps. 139:1-12
God knows everything concerning us
The psalmist states here that God knows everything concerning him (Ps. 139:1-12). He knows when he sits and rises (Ps. 139:2). He knows his thoughts from afar (Ps. 139:2). He knows his going out and lying down (Ps. 139:3). He is familiar with all his ways (Ps. 139:3). Before a word is on his tongue, God knows completely (Ps. 139:4). There is no place to which He can flee from His presence, whether to the depths or far side of the sea (Ps. 139:8-10). Even darkness is as light to God (Ps. 139:11-12). The psalmist is stating the truth. God indeed knows everything concerning us (1 Sam. 2:3; Ps. 94:11). He knows all our deeds (see Rev. 2:2-6,19-20; cf. Gen 4:8-10). None of our activities escapes His attention (see Gen. 4:8-10). We are accountable to Him for all our actions (2 Cor.5:10; Rom. 14:10-12). He also knows all our needs to take care of them (see Rev. 2:9). Therefore, we must live our lives with the realization that God knows all our deeds and holds us accountable for them all (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12). Whatever our needs may be, we must also realize that He knows them to take care of them for us (see Matt. 9:36; Matt. 14:14; Matt. 15:32; Rev. 2:9).

PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to realize that you know everything concerning me.
2. Father, please enable me to be faithful to you in everything.

12 May
1 Tim. 1:3-5
The task of Pastors and believers
Paul urged Timothy to remain in Ephesus for the special purpose of confronting false teachers of the law (1 Tim. 1:3-5). Paul did the right thing by urging Timothy to remain in Ephesus for this purpose. His pastoral oversight would have been found wanting if he had failed to urge Timothy to tackle these false teachers. He himself did so when occasion demanded it (see Acts 17:1-4). This is task of all pastors and believers. False teaching of any form is not to be tolerated or condoned. It is the task of pastors and believers, not only to teach the truth but also to combat error. False teachings, if not combated, can seriously undermine the truth (see 1 Tim. 1:3-4). It is not in the best interest of the truth to condone or overlook false teachers and their teachings. A pastor or believer who does not combat false teachings is not faithful to his calling and faith. Wherever false teachers and false teachings thrive, it means there is negligence in combatting them. The best way to combat false teachings is to confront their teachers with the truth. This is an essential and indispensable work for the Pastor and the believer.

PRAYER: 1. Father, please give me wisdom, knowledge, insight, revelation and love of the word.
2. Father, please keep me from false teachers and teachings.

13 May
Ps. 144:1-2
The Lord keeps His children
The psalmist praises God for what He is to him (Ps. 144:1-2). To the him, God is his loving God, his fortress, his stronghold, his deliverer, his shield, his refuge, and the one who subdues peoples under him (Ps. 144:2). To put it simply, the Lord is the one who keeps him safe. His safety comes from no one but God (Ps. 144:2). What was true of the psalmist, is true for all believers. The Lord is more than able to keep us completely safe (Ps. 127:1-2). No one else can keep us safe than or like Him (Ps. 127:1-2). He alone can keep us safe (Prov. 18:10). We are completely safe in His hands (Prov. 18:10). Therefore, let us depend on Him completely for our own safety(see Prov. 29:25). We will not be disappointed for doing so (Rom. 10:11; Prov. 29:25). Like the psalmist, let us also praise Him for His assurance of our safe keeping.

PRAYER: 1. Father, thank you for your safe keeping.
2. Father, please be my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, my refuge,
and the one who subdues all my enemies.

 

Our Daily Key: A Scripture Based Devotional for Overcomers

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