Category: Shepherd Daily Devotional

Not every solution is right.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

While Paul and Silas were evangelizing, they got into trouble and were imprisoned. Confined in a prison cell, they began to worship God. Suddenly, a violent earthquake broke the prison doors. When the prison officer saw what happened, he tried to end his life, thinking the prisoners had escaped. But Paul stopped him. One interesting thing about this story is the way Paul and Silas stayed faithful to their cause in the midst of a crisis. The normal thing to do after the prison doors opened was to rush out, assuming it was God’s will. Instead, they ignored the break and stayed, taking advantage of the opportunity it gave them to gain new converts.

As you try to fulfill your leadership assignment, you would meet temporary setbacks. At the same time, there would be quick solutions. Recognize that not every solution is right. A quick solution might come as a counsel that appears to be sensible. And you may be given answers that are good, but not right. A quick solution might be a test or a temptation capable of getting you off track. But when you stay focused on the big picture, you will be able to avoid mistakes.

Prayer: Lord, help me keep my eyes on the big picture. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Acts 16:25-36; 1 Samuel 26:1-10

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Knowing the right thing often requires us to make use of our spiritual antennae.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

When you have two options that are both good, but you have to determine which of them is right, you will have a hard time. While a good thing can be easily detected with our senses, knowing the right thing often requires us to make use of our spiritual antennae. Remember when David got the chance to kill Saul; his associate suggested they should kill Saul. That seemed like a good thing because Saul had been trying to kill David.But David realized that the right thing to do was not to lay a hand on Saul.

But there are times when the right thing may not even cross your mind or it may seem like the wrong decision and in the process, you may erroneously think that the good thing you are about to do is the only right decision. When Joseph discovered that the woman he was about to marry was found to be with child, he had in mind, not to disgrace Mary but to quietly divorce her. That seemed like a good decision, but when he got a revelation from God, he changed his mind and took the right decision. Today, seek God’s guidance.

Prayer: Dear Lord, guide me as I make decisions.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 4:11-13; 1 Samuel 26:8; Matthew 1:18-20; Genesis 11:1-9

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Many people fail in life, not because they didn’t set goals but for the reason that they set the wrong goals.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Over the years, I have learned that setting goals do not guarantee success. There are times you may set goals and then succeed in realizing them, but just as you are about to celebrate, you may suddenly discover the goals you achieved shouldn’t have been set in the first place. The scripture says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” This message is repeated twice in the book of Proverbs. The importance of this message cannot be overemphasized.

Many people fail in life, not because they didn’t set goals but for the reason that they set the wrong goals. They spend their entire lives pursuing the wrong thing. They never realize they are on the wrong path until they get to the end of their lives. To avoid such mistakes, always involve God as you set your goals. The Bible says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purposes that prevails”. God has given us the right and the ability to make plans, but if we want those plans to be on the right path, we ought to seek God’s guidance.

Prayer: Lord, direct my steps. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 14:12; 16:3; 16:9; 16:25; 19:21

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

God is about to do a new thing in your life.

Written by Benjamin Dankaka

After the Babylonian exile, God said to the people of Judah, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past”. For the people, that was not an easy thing to do. These were people who had been banished from their kingdom. Many of them had lost everything they owned. These were bitter experiences that were unforgettable. Yet, God wanted them to forget the past because that was the only way they could move forward. So after telling the people to forget the past, God went on to say, “See, I am doing a new thing!”

When God is about to do a new thing in your life, He expects you to give up on the past. God knew that if the people of Judah didn’t forget their pain, they wouldn’t be able to see the promise. If they don’t forget the past, the pain would prevent them from experiencing the joy that God was bringing into their lives. To experience the joy that God is about to bring into your life, you have to forget the pain you’ve experienced. In life, you can’t move forward and backward at the same time. Forget the past and focus on the promise!

Prayer: Lord, give me the grace to forget the past so I can enjoy the new thing.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 43: 18-19

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

The challenges before you aren’t unsolvable.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

To become an effective leader, you must be a problem solver. All of the most notable leaders in the Bible were chosen by God to solve problems. God didn’t call anyone unless there was a problem to solve. When God created Adam and Eve, He needed someone like Him to rule the earth. When God called Noah, He needed him to build an ark. When He called Abraham, God wanted to establish a righteous nation. When God called Joseph, He needed a man who could solve an economic crisis. When God met Moses, it was to solve a problem of slavery.

Jesus also came into the world to solve a problem. Even after He saved the world, God continued to work with problem solvers. Do you know that Christ’s disciples were specifically instructed to solve a problem? (Matthew 28:19-20). If God is asking you to lead in any area that appears to be problematic, know that He wants you to be the problem solver. The challenges before you aren’t unsolvable and God knows you are capable. If you are surrounded by problems and no one is doing anything about it, possibly God wants you to be the problem solver.

Prayer: Dear Lord, show me how to tackle my problems. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY:  Luke 4:18-19; Matthew 28:19-20

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Get up and activate the greatness within you.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What lies behind us, and what lies before us are but tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” To put it another way, our circumstances are not as big as the greatness that is hidden within us. When Emerson made that remark he was possibly talking about our ability to triumph in the midst of challenges. Though we are often surrounded by challenges, within us, lays the power to prevail over every negative situation.  Throughout history, we’ve continually seen individuals who did remarkable things in the midst of challenges. But because they are few, we often think they were specially created by God.

You see, the ability to be a great leader is not the exclusive right of a few people. You were created by God and equipped with the ability to do great things. I don’t know what you think of yourself. But I know you have the spirit of greatness within you. I am certain of this because you were created in God’s image. God is great, and since He put His Spirit inside of you, then you are automatically fortified for greatness. Get up and activate the greatness within you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for equipping me with greatness. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 1:26-28; 1 John 4:4

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

To fulfill any leadership task, stay focused on the big picture.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

“Master,” John said, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us”. John was probably trying to protect the integrity of his Master. But Christ had a different opinion. Jesus said, “Do not stop him”. John must have been an overprotective apostle because moments after that incident, he and his brother, James wanted to call fire down from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village because they did not welcome Jesus. Again, Christ rebuked his disciples.

From the two incidents, you would notice that Jesus was a leader who avoided distractions. Stopping the stranger who was casting out demons in His name wasn’t part of His assignment. In the same vein, why should He worry about the rude Samaritans when their antagonism wouldn’t stop Him from traveling through another village? As at the time that Jesus wanted to pass through the Samaritan village, He had already made up His mind to go to Jerusalem because it was time “for him to be taken up to heaven” (Luke 9:51). To fulfill any leadership task, stay focused on the big picture.

Prayer: Lord, help me stay focused on my goals. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY:  Luke 9:49-55; Luke 9:51

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Stay close to God.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

After David killed Goliath, news about him spread. People were amazed at the way he killed an armed giant with a stone. And as David’s fame grew, some women popped up with a praise song that placed him above his master, King Saul. Because of that song, David had to run for his life. But the negative impact of the women’s song extended to other kingdoms. When David sought refuge in king Achish’s kingdom, his servants reminded him that he was dealing with a man whom they sang about. To save his life, David pretended he was mad whenever he was with king Achish.

There are times you might achieve something remarkable while you are on your way to the top. And the people around you will get excited and begin to celebrate you. Their praises will then create enemies who feel threatened by your achievements. And so, they would come out and try to stop you from going further. Instead of moving forward, you would at that time become stuck; struggling to survive. If you ever find yourself in this kind of state, do what David did; stay close to God. God will frustrate the plans of your enemies.

Prayer: Lord, turn my obstacles into stepping stones.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 1 Samuel 18: 6-9; 1 Samuel 21:10-15

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

After winning the prayer contest against the prophets of Baal, Elijah inspired a revival. When the Israelites saw how God responded to Elijah’s sacrifice they immediately repented. Elijah had seized that moment and ordered the killing of the prophets of Baal. Moments later, just as Elijah had prophesied, Israel had a heavy rain, after over three years of drought. But just as Elijah was about to celebrate, he found himself, once again in the wilderness, when he received a death threat from Jezebel. While he was on exile, Elijah became depressed and even prayed that God would take his own life. But as he rested in a cave, God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Possibly, God asked that question because Elijah wasn’t supposed to run away from his country, even though he was threatened by Jezebel. Perhaps, you’ve found yourself in a similar situation. You’ve spent your energy on a cause. But instead of recognition, you’ve been rejected and misunderstood. You are now at a point where you are beginning to doubt and question your convictions. Unless if God tells you to quit, stay there. Oftentimes, God wants us to confront challenges, not to run from it.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the strength to overcome. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 1 Kings 18:38-46; 19:1-9

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Pray according to God’s will.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

One of the most powerful prayers in the Bible is the one said by Elijah as at the time of his prayer challenge with the prophets of Baal. The prophets had begun the challenge by praying to their god from morning to evening. They shouted and danced as they asked their god to bring fire on their sacrifice. But despite their loud appeals, nothing happened, even after slashing themselves with swords. When it got to Elijah’s turn, the atmosphere suddenly became calm. Possibly, his prayer didn’t take more than five minutes but the response was instant.

We can learn from the way Elijah said his prayer. His prayer was straight to the point; he didn’t try to embellish it with many words. Also, Elijah didn’t try to impress God by screaming and dancing. Instead, he confidently talked to God. Clearly, his confidence was inspired by the fact that his prayer was said according to God’s will – Elijah asked God to answer his prayer so that it will be known that He is the God of Israel and that He was willing to turn the people’s hearts back to Him. That was God’s will. Today, pray according to God’s will.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may it be done according to your purpose. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 1 Kings 18:1-39

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.