THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
DATE: FRIDAY, 27TH OCTOBER, 2023
TOPIC: THE TRUE RELATIONSHIP
TEXT: MICAH 6
1. Hear now what the LORD says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice.
2. Hear, O you mountains, the LORD's complaint, And you strong foundations of the earth; For the LORD has a complaint against His people, And He will contend with Israel.
3. "O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.
4. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5. O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD."
6. With what shall I come before the LORD, [And] bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
7. Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, The fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?
8. He has shown you, O man, what [is] good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
9. The LORD's voice cries to the city -- Wisdom shall see Your name: "Hear the Rod! Who has appointed it?
10. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness In the house of the wicked, And the short measure [that is] an abomination?
11. Shall I count pure [those] with the wicked scales, And with the bag of deceitful weights?
12. For her rich men are full of violence, Her inhabitants have spoken lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13. "Therefore I will also make [you] sick by striking you, By making [you] desolate because of your sins.
14. You shall eat, but not be satisfied; Hunger [shall be] in your midst. You may carry [some] away, but shall not save [them;] And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword.
15. "You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; And [make] sweet wine, but not drink wine.
16. For the statutes of Omri are kept; All the works of Ahab's house [are done;] And you walk in their counsels, That I may make you a desolation, And your inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you shall bear the reproach of My people."
MESSAGE:
True religion is nothing but the enjoyment of a personal relationship with God through faith and sincere prayer. This truth is emphasised over and again in the Bible and taught in many different ways: By precept in the commandment (Deut. 6:5); by example in the life of:
a) Enoch who 'walked with God' (Gen. 5:22),
b) Abraham who was called the 'friend of God' (James 2:23),
c) King David who was known as the 'man after God's own heart' (Acts 13:22). It is also taught through the recorded praises and prayers of people who had communed with God (Psa. 27:4).
However, despite the above, many still reduce religion to nothing but the holding of certain beliefs, following a set of rules and regulations, performing certain rituals, observing certain days for fasting, or chanting certain prayers and by doing these, they feel most spiritual. However, they still lack the very essence of all spirituality, which is to enjoy a personal relationship with God. Often times, even Christians who already know this truth deviate and begin to concentrate on the outward forms of devotion, including church attendance, singing, praying and participation in church activities. They become content with a veneer of godliness, without experiencing the real substance and power thereof. Some even get so fanatical about the outward forms, that the forms become more important to them than God Himself! According to Apostle Paul, they have a tremendous 'zeal of God, but not according to knowledge' (Rom. 10:2). To avoid this as a Christian, your primary focus must be to build a personal relationship or walk with the Lord. Without this, church attendance, payment of tithes and offerings or serving in church, will be a waste.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
“… what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?' (Micah 6:8).
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