Shepherd Daily Devotional

All scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

KEY VERSE: 1 Peter 4:15-16

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Obviously, Jesus wasn’t referring to a physical cross. And He didn’t mean we would have to live or die in the same way He did. Specifically, Jesus wanted us to know that we would have to face our own troubles. Though we are bound to experience crises, Christ assures us that our suffering will not be in vain. However, it is important for us to realize that the “daily cross” isn’t just any kind of trouble.

Whether we like it or not, life hits everyone with troubles. You don’t have to be a Christian to face persecution. Even if you’re an atheist, you could be rejected for your beliefs. Whether you love Christ or not, life can hit you with travails. Crises don’t affect people, based on their religious affiliations. So, we shouldn’t assume that every problem in our lives is a sign that we are carrying the cross that Jesus talked about. If your suffering is due to a foolish act, then it isn’t a cross. It is my prayer that you will not suffer for the wrong reasons.

Prayer/Confession:  By the grace of God, I’ll not suffer for the wrong reasons. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Luke 9:23-27

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All scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

KEY VERSE: 1 Samuel 30:6

As a kid, I was often intrigued by stories of how lions subdued other animals. But as I grew up, I discovered that what I learned about lions were somewhat exaggerated. Though lions are truly among the strongest animals, they didn’t always have their way. I recall how stunned I was when I saw a video clip of a lion being cornered by Hyenas. Indeed, lions are endowed with strength, but they don’t always win due to certain circumstances beyond their control. Like lions, we are built by God to conquer. But life can hit us with a crisis, capable of weakening us.

Just as a lion can be cornered by hyenas, you too can be taken unawares by a crisis. When we are at our weakest point, our ability to bounce back will largely be determined by our relationship with God. I am sure this is one of the points the psalmist was trying to make when he said, “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing”. No matter what you are going through; you can get back on your feet if you would only trust God.

Prayer/Confession:  I sought the Lord and He answered me. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 34

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KEY VERSE: Psalm 40:1

The hymn, “The steadfast love of the Lord” has the popular lyrics; “They are new every morning, new every morning: great is your faithfulness, O Lord”. These words were taken from chapter three of the book of Lamentation. The entire chapter captures the feelings of a man who is going through deep pain. Although the author may be referring to Jerusalem, he personifies his message, making it like the thoughts of a person who was in great affliction. The author is worried that God had driven him away and made him walk in darkness rather than light.

There was a time I had a similar experience. And while I was praying, it seemed like God had shut his door on me. Instead of moving ahead, I was stuck. If you ever find yourself in a situation like that, wait quietly. Even if you think God has abandoned you, continue to wait on Him. That was exactly what I did after I realized that the same person who was crying out his heart to God in the book of Lamentation also said “it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentation 3:26). So, don’t grumble. Just wait!

Prayer/Confession: Lord, I know you are on my side. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 40:1; Exodus 14:14; Lamentation 3:1-32

KEY VERSE: Job 5:17-19

Job was a man of great faith. When he was prosperous, he stayed faithful to God. When he lost everything, he remained faithful. And as he held on, he got discouragements. First, his wife asked him to curse God. Then his friends tried to make him think he was suffering for his own sins. Job disagreed with all of them even though, he couldn’t figure out why he was surrounded by tragedies. But what Job didn’t know was that he was going through a test. His trials were intended to test his faith in God.

Like Job, maybe you are overwhelmed. Don’t hurry and conclude you are under a curse. Not all crises are caused by curses. As we have seen in the case of Job, even a righteous person can be overwhelmed by indescribable crises. If you are determined to do God’s will or lead in an area, you will be tested. Before He was arrested, Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus made that statement because He knows that crises are inevitable. But He wants us to know that in Him, we also are overcomers.   

Prayer/Confession: Lord, thank you for the grace you’ve given me to overcome my challenges. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Job 8:20-21; John 16:33; John 17:15

KEY VERSE: Matthew 5:14-16

Light is a symbol of many things. Among other things, light serves as a symbol of knowledge. We’ve been taught that followers of Christ are the light of the world. That is, we ought to exude light by influencing our world with good works, which is made possible by knowing God’s will. But while light is seen as a symbol of good, for many people, darkness represents evil. So, we often embrace light and try as much as possible to avoid everything associated with darkness.

In reality however, darkness also plays an important role because it is after we’ve been through the dark lanes of life that light shows up. Usually, we don’t experience light while we are inside a tunnel until we are able to pass through. To put on light in any room, you must first of all, confront the dark atmosphere. Recall that before God created light in the beginning, He met the darkness that hovered on the surface of the deep. Jesus also had to confront the kingdom of darkness before bringing light into the world. I pray that the dark experiences you’ve been going through will give birth to light.

Prayer/Confession: Dear Lord, let my light so shine and drive away the darkness around me. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 1:1-3; Psalm 23

Key Verse:  1 Peter 5:7

Judas Iscariot and Peter both played active roles in the ministry of Jesus. They both lived with Jesus for three years, heard His teachings and witnessed the miracles He performed. They were among the disciples that Jesus gave authority to preach, heal and cast out demons (Luke 9:1–2). Also, Peter was a member of Christ’s inner circle while Judas served as treasurer. But despite their close relationship with Jesus, they failed Him. But then again, while Peter was able to make up for his mistakes, Judas killed himself. Why did Judas commit suicide? Didn’t he realize he would be forgiven?

Most likely, Judas was aware that God would forgive him because he had heard Jesus preach on forgiveness. But in spite of the teachings, Judas didn’t think he deserved to be forgiven. If Peter could move on, why not Judas? Possibly, Judas committed suicide because he couldn’t forgive himself. Undoubtedly, Peter was able to bounce back because he forgave himself. To forget the past, you must, first of all, be able to forgive yourself. What is holding you back may not be an attachment to the past. It could be that you haven’t forgiven yourself over what happened. Forgive yourself!

Prayer/Confession: Because I’ve been forgiven by God, I will not condemn myself. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Romans 8:1; Luke 22:54-62; Mark 14:50-51

Many people are unaware of the benefits of taking responsibility over everything that goes wrong in their lives. You may not be responsible for all the things that have gone bad. But if you want to correct the wrongs, then you have to take responsibility. When you don’t take charge over the things that went wrong in your life, you will lack the ability to correct the wrongs. Instead of fixing the things that caused you pain in the past, you would go about wasting time, looking for who to blame. You can’t get ahead with that kind of mentality.

Think of what happened to Judas and Peter. Both of them failed their Master. They both felt pained and remorseful afterwards. But when Judas returned to the Chief Priests with the money he had been given, they said, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.” Instead of taking responsibility, Judas threw the money back to them. Then he went away and hanged himself. Peter acted differently when he denied Jesus three times. After realizing his mistake, he wept bitterly and then took responsibility as he went back to correct his mistakes and to become the leader of the Church.

Prayer/Confession: As l correct my mistakes, I’ll take responsibility. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Luke 22:54-62; Matthew 27:1-5

When the two angels who had been assigned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah led Lot’s family out of the city, they gave them specific instructions. Although the angels were interested in rescuing Lot and his family, there was a limit to what they could do for them. For instance, the angels were able to take Lot’s wife out of Sodom. But they couldn’t stop her from going against their instruction. In other words, the angels couldn’t control her willpower. For the rescue mission to be successful, Lot’s family had their own role to play.

Many believers are ignorant of the power they have over their destinies. The angels had said to Lot’s family, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”. Based on their instructions, Lot and his family had to choose, whether to run or be swept away by the fire. Even though, God plans to take you to another level, you would have to play your own part. Perhaps, what you need to do at this point of your life is to simply obey God. Do what God is asking you to do.

Prayer/Confession: Dear Lord, I am willing to do whatever You want me to do. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 19: 15-17; Matthew 9:9

Have you ever wondered why our eyes aren’t positioned at the back of our heads? Among other reasons, God placed our eyes on our faces so we can have the ability to move forward. If our eyes weren’t situated in front of our heads, we wouldn’t be able to advance. Therefore, we must realize that what we do with our eyes can either slow down or speed up our progress. If your eyes are fixed on what is behind you, would you know what is in front of you?

Moments before the city of Sodom was punished, the two angels who had been assigned with the task had hurriedly led Lot’s family out of the town and left them with a strange warning, “Don’t look back”. But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Perhaps, her disobedience was due to an emotional attachment to a life she was leaving behind. Whatever her reasons might have been, she got stuck because she looked back. One of the consequences of dwelling on your past is immovability. She looked back into her past and lost the chance to get into a future that God had prepared for her. As you leave your past, don’t look back. 

Prayer/Confession: My eyes are fixed on the promises of God. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 19:15-26

Sometimes, the things we hold on to, are the very things that prevent us from moving forward. For instance, you can’t sleep on two beds at the same time. In order to use a new bed, you have to let go of the old one. Getting rid of the old bed may be necessary as you might not have enough space to keep the two beds in the same room. Equally, there may be things in your life that are currently occupying the space intended for the new things that God wants to bring into your life.

As Moses was leading the Israelites, he asked his brother-in-law, Hobab to accompany them so he could be their guide in the wilderness. Hobab answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.” But Moses persuaded him, with promises of a better life. So, Hobab found himself in a tight spot: To forgo his past or embrace the promise? It is not clear whether Hobab agreed but it seems that he might have remained with Moses (Judges 1:16). To move forward, you might have to let go of some of the things you now cherish.

Prayer/Confession: I will move forward and let go of the past. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Numbers 10:29-33; Judges 1:16