WEDNESDAY- 4TH JUNE, 2025
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO
SEEKING PERMISSION DOESN'T EXCUSE OR JUSTIFY YOU - Minding Your Calling Series 004
Matthew 8:21-22, KJV
"21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."
Many times when people want to misbehave or do what they know is sinful, they look for someone with a spiritual authority and standing, and seeks him out on what his view is on that thing. May God sensitize many ministers to this truth so that in their speech or feedback to such people, they won't leave any ground for compromise.
I've had many people chat with me who wanted to do something (that their heart was already holding them to ransom for) but wants to silence that voice by seeking to hear what someone like me would say. These are spiritual criminals! Now, let me tell you, irrespective of what any man of God tells you on any matter, God's voice speaking inside you to convict you is many times stronger and safer. And if you disobey it, you sin. You know what the will of God is when that voice convinces and convicts you of the steps you want to take. Seeking for someone's permission or permissive will to sin or misbehave won't still justify you or make you right. It is your heart (the Spirit inside you) that convicts you. The Bible says, "when the Holy Spirit whom the world couldn't receive comes, He'll convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement" (John 16:18). When you're experiencing that, you don't need to ask any titular man of God what their opinions are on any matter. God already speaks to you. Adhere and you'll know peace. Break that truce in your spirit and meet with guilt and fresh convictions for going wrong.
That's the same thing that this disciple requested of Jesus. What shocks me is that the Bible calls him a disciple - meaning he's been following Jesus. However, he got to a juncture where family obligation wanted to make him deny Christ for the meanwhile. He was even asking permission from Jesus as if that would make it right to go back and bury his father. But Jesus was firm with him. He replies, "let the dead bury their dead. You follow me."
You must know that whenever there's a clash between the kingdom of God, call to discipleship or call to God's services, you must let God and His kingdom be your priority. This is one of the costs of discipleship or service to God. Those of you who know the truth but are looking for someone to change or sanction falsehood for you are wrong and may God give you answers like Jesus gave to this man. He must have been shocked that Jesus didn't grant his excuse. Some of you think you can hide under excuses that look right. Some of you are using family and obligations to them to defraud God and His kingdom. God sees your heart as that doesn't make you right. Many of you are there who know that some obligations would be taken care of but you just want to abscond from God. As a matter of fact, God gives some of you a strong, daring and all-in-one spouse because you won't always be at home but travel for the gospel's sake. God has seen your future and therefore has rewarded you with a wife who's economically independent and uncaring after the things of the world. She's a woman who can jeopardize her life and sacrifice for Jesus yet you're here seeking excuses to pamper the matter when souls are wasting on the field. You'll report to God what you become with the grace and those provisions He made available to ease you in discharging His will.
God can read your heart. He won't release you. Rather, He'll keep calling, equating and calling you towards your high calling. You can abscond by yourself but God won't release you. His call to you too is, "let the dead bury their dead. You, follow me."
It is time to stop hiding under unnecessary excuses that we know are unnecessary but which we're still bringing to God to test if He'll rubber stamp them and release us. If you know what is right and you're not doing it, the Bible calls it sin. Don't be like the Pharisees who already have answers to their questions but still are rather looking for means of trapping Jesus by looking forward to what He'll say. Some of you already have answers because the Holy Spirit already witnessed to your heart. You don't therefore need the testimony of another man. Adhere and obey in the light of God's revelation to you. No man can speak strongly or convincingly to you than the Holy Ghost. Don't exchange His words for men's.
PRAYER: May I not be a convenient Christian, hypocritical in act and dubious in behavior. May I be persuaded by God at once and not seek more convictions leading to jangling.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 18:28-19:1-16 & I Chronicles 14-16
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