MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 6/06/2024

THURSDAY - 6TH JUNE, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

THE ROLE OF A SOCIAL REFORMER: CRY AND SPARE NOT

Jonah 1:1, KJV

"1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me."

When God raised Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria and cry against her wickedness, God didn't ask that they should be pampered. Rather, the word to Jonah to them is the word of judgement. The idea of "crying against" suggests that. When you cry against something, you decry or protest against it. That won't be cosmetic toleration of evils but intentional rejection and abhorrence of it. 

Indeed, when Jonah got there, what was his cry? "Yet in forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). Are there still God's oracles in the land? Are there still voices of correction and rebuke in the land? If there be, God is saying Jonah's declaration should be your declaration when wickedness has overtaken righteousness in the society. At such time, the declaration should be, "woe to all workers of iniquity." That is not time to feast at any king's table. Boycott them and let them sense that God is angry at them. It ain't time for blessing because none has done anything worthy of blessing. Blessings just don't fall on people. It is usually caused. Speaking of Job, the blessings of he that was perishing that he saved came upon his head. So, he got a return for his good works. 

Job 29:13, KJV

"The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me..."

But that was consequent upon his works of a human right activist and humanitarian which he discharged to the uttermost to the poor, widows, fatherless and the perishing. 

The same applies to curses. It is as well caused. 

The Bible says, "a curse causeless shall not come" (Prov. 26:2). You have to attract it or must have done something worthy of a curse landing or sticking to you. 

The message of Jonah like that of John the Baptist in Luke 3 is also that of a social reformer. His message changed Nineveh through their repentance in dust and ashes. Seeing this, God repented of the evil He has planned against them. 

There's an impending damnation over the wicked which if he doesn't turn from would fall on him. Irrespective of where you are placed or what you do, seek to have a clear conscience in the discharge of your work. Let your activities and daily living be swallowed up in righteousness. Uphold the moral standards at the gates and your lot shall not be the wicked's when the judgement shall come. 

To change any society isn't far fetched. A good righteous living will establish the order. This is what we are all called to preach. We must renounce and denounce evil personally and first of all. Then, we must wage war at social, gender, economic, political injustices and any evil parading itself in our community in boldness. When we challenge it and spare not, it'll shrink and disappear. We must call workers of iniquity by their names and shout out woe to them while reminding them of God's impending judgement. 

PRAYER: God, strengthen us to do the community work of crying, rejecting and abhorring the evils in our society.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 5/06/2024

WEDNESDAY - 5TH JUNE, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

RAISING LAWGIVERS 

Numbers 21:18, KJV 

"The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah."

If you don't know, the many deeds and acts serrated through our society are consequences of the bills and laws made by parliamentarians or the law givers. Homosexual bill, abortion enhancement bill etc are results of the bills that were passed and eventually ratified into law. Someone thought of it and fought for its promulgation yet it is an act in conflict with God's will for man. Whether you like it or not, once such bills are passed into law, our society becomes a victim of it. It immediately gives right and lend voices to indulge in such debased acts that God has afore warned against.

Today's reading is such an effective verse on this matter. The princes digged a well and the nobles of the people digged it. However, the digging was at the direction or instruction of the lawgiver. That is, what came to be that wouldn't have been happened because the lawgivers or parliamentarians commanded it. If no decision or compromise was reached to build wells, it couldn't have been built head on for the people. However, the compassionate heart of these legislators make social amenities available for her citizens. Anything that's done is usually at the permission of lawgivers. 

When Joseph was made the prime minister of Egypt, Pharaoh says, "Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou" (Genesis 41:40, KJV). 

Genesis 41:44, KJV

"And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."

It means unless Joseph ordains it, no action whatsoever could proceed from any quarters. It is by his words people would rather be governed. What makes it lawful and makes your action have the State's backing is that you have support through legislation. 

As such, we need men of high morals in our parliament. They don't have to be Christians but anyone who just have a heart that beats as God. You know, a heart that wants to save humanity from immorality and all the things troubling and vexing his existence. 

William Wilberforce was such a lawgiver though a Christian. He believed it was his destiny to pass bills that'll eradicate slave trade. At day's end, his effort paid off as it was eventually eradicated. Meanwhile, he has an unquenchable insatiation to see to that problem besetting humanity and revealing our baseness. It is time not to enjoy the privileges of the office only but rather to use its influence for the good of humanity.

PRAYER: Lord, raise for us godly parliamentarians and politicians.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 4/06/2024

TUESDAY - 4TH JUNE, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

RAISING FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVISTS

I Samuel 17:34-35, KJV

"34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him."

We need the shepherd's heart for any who'll function in the two offices above. First, there can't be the ministry of a deliverer without the ministry of the oppressor. Wherever and whenever a deliverer rises, it means oppression and some destruction have been ongoing which necessitates a rising. Consider Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Junior and a host of Black Americans who rose to protest against racial discrimination. They did because the Whites were oppressing the Blacks. For the inequality seen, God raised freedom fighters to fight the cause of the timid, segregated and oppressed people. 

Taking you into the Bible would suffice. A human right activist is a selfless individual who fights for the rights of others (especially) the weak to be respected. David exemplifies that in this popular story. David while opening his resume to King Saul says, "when a lion or a bear came after my sheep, I went after it and pluck it out of his mouth and smote him when he rises against me."

A sheep is considerably weaker to a lion or a bear. It is defenceless. It needs another to save it from predators and who it has rightly found is the shepherd. A shepherd loves the sheep and even lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus did that for us as our ideal Shepherd. The ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activists are the same with a shepherd's. It is one of self denial. They have a call to lay down their lives for the people they're fighting for if need be. No wonder, Martin Luther King Junior died in the process after being assassinated by the threatened White community. However, his "I have a dream that America would be a land of equality" came to be realized further after his death. So, if you have the call of a freedom fighter or human right activist, you're called to sacrifice and suffering. Martin Luther King was threatened many times. One time, his house was bombed amidst many anonymous letters of threats and deaths he received. When he would have given up, he heard a voice while shivering in the kitchen urging him on. 

Jesus while speaking says, "a hireling owns not the sheep. Who seeing the wolf runs away and the wolf catches the sheep" (John 10:12-13).  This attitude isn't of the ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activist. They stay and fight off invaders. That's how many countries get to be independent today and that includes America. They fought off the oppression of their colonizers either by peace talk at a round table or by struggle in blood as it was the case with a country like Anglola that earned its independence from the Portuguese through war. 

God is calling men to the administering of these two offices. Unbelievers ought not to be the ones championing the cause of the oppressed though God could use any who has a heart for the work. If we Christians indeed practice righteousness and hate iniquity, we'll stand up and talk and fight bondages and oppression wherever it is found. Job does. 

Job 29:12 - 17, KJV

"12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth."

Breaking the jaw of the wicked and plucking the prey out of his teeth is the ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activists in play. They can't just sit comfortably because they aren't the oppressed to watch others being evil treated, diminished and swallowed up They'll rather pick up their causes like Job did for the widows, fatherless, the blind and even the lame. 

God is counting on us. Fela Anikulapo Kuti was an unbeliever yet he heralded and fought for righteousness and fair rule in the society than many believers have ever done or would ever do. He uses his music as a tool to criticize the government of the day. Indeed, he was effective because he suffered many things for same. Use the platform God has given you too. Be it at work, church, community gathering, school, groups and teams, ensure you stop the mouth of violence and fight for the rights of the weak. If you're even highly placed with a voice, this becomes easier. People should be running to you for salvation; not fleeing from you for fear. Let your righteousness shine forth and be known that way. Stop fearing those who kill the body but can't kill the soul! Go into the field. 

PRAYER: Lord, raise Davids and Jobs for us who fear nothing of harm but are ready to jeopardize their lives for their countries and the oppressed.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 02/06/2024

SUNDAY - 2ND JUNE, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

Happy New Month!!!

IN SEARCH OF RIGHTEOUS MEN

Genesis 18:23-24, KJV 

"23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?"

The decay of any society is due to lack of righteous men. Or, let me say men of morals. While one of the major goals of any minister is to see that people get born again to ensure their eternal safety, yet I dare to say that we can have a good and peaceful society if everybody would adhere by moral standards even without getting born again. However, it'll be a foretaste of glory to come to have both hand in hand. 

Before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God and an intercessor in Abraham entered into a long banter and bargaining for the souls of men, especially the righteous (that may be found in it). Abraham asked if God would destroy the righteous with the wicked. Immediately, we see a clear cut principle that the lot of the wicked and righteous aren't the same. God cares enough to protect the righteous. However, no righteous could be found despite the bantering from the high number of 50 men to 10. What is 10 men out of the numerous population of Sodom and Gomorrah that they couldn't present 10 to escape the damnation to come on them? One would be assured that God would even get fifty cheaply. However, God was judged right because the request could not be met. 

This story illustrates to us how lacking men of righteous or moral standards are in our world. Many are mere confessors of life they do not live and ways they do not follow. One would have thought the need would never arise to get to such a low degree in search of righteous men. Yet, arrival was made at 10 but with no one to still present. 

It's a big truth that God do spare lives of men (unbelievers and wicked fellows) for the sake of a righteous or well reputed son or daughter of his. For instance, God spared the lives of all aboard a ship for the sake of Paul.

Acts 27:23-24, KJV

"23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee."

God wanted to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if He had found at least ten righteous men in it but all was to no avail. The challenge is to be the change we want to see. It's to be that righteous man or woman we covet in our society. Our influence will be that of the salt and light in our society and by our little leaven, the entire lump would be leavened. 

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be the change I want. By your searchlight, may I see what I need to repent of.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 01/06/2024

 SATURDAY - 1ST JUNE, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

Happy New Month!!!

DAILY REPENTANCE

Matthew 21:29 - 30, KJV

"29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

For you to be saved, you must repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. This has been thoroughly explained so far in this series. Meanwhile, repentance doesn't end there. A born again or a Christian would still need repentance often and often in his journey. It'll be easier walking with someone with a repentant heart than another who jetisons it because of pride or ego. 

Christians must continue in the practice of what I call daily repentance especially when you miss it and you come to its knowledge. You must immediately seek to adjust and repent. Repentance is not only for sinners. Repentance might be done by you to change your resolution. You could repent of a particular choice or course of action you said you wanted to take as well. When you do, you let one go to cling to the will of God.

I could testify to the fact that there was a supernatural enablement to living the Christian life when I got born again. Apart from the fact that I was able to stand against idolatry and refuse its practice in my family, my life becomes worthier to be emulated. I could remember that my elder sister one day offended me. Truth be told, she was guilty. I abused her in retaliation and walked out on her. Immediately, I lost my peace. The event I'm describing was so vivid that I could still recall it as it was. I made attempt to suit or make myself comfortable but it was just not working. The persuasion I was receiving from my convicted heart was that I should go and restitute. After much struggle, guess what I did, I ran into the room where she was still awed and embarrassed, hurriedly prostrate in shame saying sorry and running out again. I ran because I was embarrassed begging her also. It was humiliating but I did. As such, I restituted and repented of that.

In today's story, two sons demonstrate to us the importance of repentance in our daily walk with God and how it majorly involves action and not mere confession but the conversion from our own will to doing God's will. "Go and work on the farm", says the father. I will go one says but to repent of it. Meanwhile, another who refuses at first eventually goes. We should take heed in our daily walk not to miss God and how not to miss Him is to be obedient to His written and revealed will.

Wherever there's God's will at hand, that's the ultimate to do for you. If you had walked away from it at a particular time, you should go back to it like that other son does after conviction or proper rumination and discovery of what to do. Repentance doesn't end at salvation for Christians. We'll continue to take dressing and change our ways even as we journey in faith. There are things God will call us to yield up, when we do, we'll be repenting of them. Your obedience is what God is ultimately looking for. God is looking for a heart that'll come to the discovery of having missed it in decision or action and would repent of it like that obedient son does. You might have taken the wrong turn or resolved to go the wrong way, coming back is the ultimate. May God help you. 

PRAYER: Help my decisions and choices on daily basis.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 31/05/2024

 FRIDAY - 31ST MAY, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

APOSTLE PAUL'S REPENTANCE 

Read Acts 9:19-25

Acts 9:20-21, KJV 

"20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?"

Today, I have obligation of God to push further on repentance. When Jesus met Saul on his way to Damascus, he became broken and had a changed life. However, I want to trace the story of his repentance. Saul is known as a destroyer of the Way and persecutor of Christians. He himself collected letters from the high priests in Jerusalem for the purpose of hauling into prisons those of the Way (Acts 9:1-2). That was his life. 

After his encounter, the gaining of his sight, his being strengthened with meat and a tarrying with the Damascus brethren for awhile, he immediately begins to preach Christ. This causes no small stir and doubt that the Jews in Damascus wonders saying, "is this not he who came to Damascus to bring those of the Way bound? How is it that he preaches the very Way he persecutes now?"

That's the power of repentance. That's what it does to a man. It calls him into a life that's in sharp contrast to the one he's been known for. Paul on occasion would affirm his story of repentance and salvation even before kings and governors by summarily saying, "he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19-20). The heavenly vision he had on the way to Damascus challenges him out of his zeal for the Jewish tradition and instructs him further on the new life to live. 

If Paul had not repented of his old life and ways, he wouldn't have come into immediate conflict, pressure and persecution with the Jews and their leaders. On many occasions, they sought to kill him and that was because he now lives a life worthy of repentance and the salvation he holds. Repentance connotes change of life. It's so notable in Saul that it made him enemies. If you truly had repented and you incur no enemy or have no contrastive life with the former, it may be that you are mistaken, delusional or hypocritical. Mere confession of sins without change in belief, orientation, life, isn't repentance depicted. If Paul had remained who he was, he'd still be friend with the high priests but he immediately lost favour and popularity with them upon his turning away from those things he highly esteemed but which he now counted dung to gain Christ. That reminds me of a cultist who turned to the Lord. He was searched out and brutally killed after a resolution to remain Christ's. Though, he lost his life but he shall regain it at the last resurrection. His act of genuine repentance simply made him lose favour with his once cherished band.

Evaluate yourself. Did you truly repent? Did you truly believe? Did you truly have a change of heart or you're still dead in your sin? Is there a conviction and clear conscience that you indeed have broken away from your past or you still continue in it? See to it and repent anew and in truth. 

PRAYER: Father, I'm here to establish this truth in myself, let me see.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 30/05/2024

THURSDAY - 30TH MAY, 2024

MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL  - Olusola ADEJUMO

EARS TO HEAR AND HEART TO BELIEVE 

Read Revelation 20:11-15

Luke 3:7-8, NLT

"7 When the crowd came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath?"

When in hearing you do not hear and in seeing you do not see, you'll be a living being not close to tripping or outright annihilation. As John preaches his message coming from God, multitude troops out to give attention and heed it. Seeing the crowd, he mocks and sarcastically asks who warned the multitude to flee God's coming wrath. He said this because the crowd have tarried in their sins without repentance or change of life. No wonder, he upraid them to bring forth fruits meeting repentance. First of all, let us establish that there's a wrath to come. For it is appointed unto man to die once. After that, it is judgement (Heb.9:27). All of us must appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive that done in the body, whether good or bad (II Cor.5:10). For souls in Christ, they shall wake up to everlasting life while souls without Christ shall be appointed unto the second death. That aren't to scare you but it's sure the truth and if you're ever scared, be scared and snatched from hell, death and darkness into life and the kingdom of His dear son, Jesus Christ - in whom we have redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14). 

A hearing people would hear and flee but the dumb, nonchalant and doubters would weigh it, castigate it and reject it. Despite the wickedness of the multitude in the days of John the Baptist, they heard his message and fled from the wrath to come. They all came to be baptized unto repentance. They came to take the provision that'll qualify them for rightness with God (as it were). They could sense the wind gathering and to evade the rain, they ran and fled to take the prepared provision of repentance - which is a door to new life. 

God wants you to be just like those who heard and acted. He wants you to be wise where others are not. The wise would hear, be moved and see the truth in the message but the foolish will despise it, calling it inconsequential. 

In the days of Noah, he proclaimed the coming judgement of the Lord to his world but they were just deaf to it. It doesn't feel believable that it would rain non stop and that God would destroy creation with the flood (Heb.11:7). "How could He", somebody must have said? Only God knows what measure of mockery Noah had to endure as he keeps building the ship in anticipation of the rain that has not even yielded a drop. 

Also, Lot warned his two sons in law of the soon judgement to come upon Sodom but it was too high for their fools to believe (Gen.19:14). They just could not be persuaded. So, another effort of futility resorts. These two occasions reveal blind and deaf children who wouldn't see or be persuaded by the coming judgement. The count down to the appearance of Jesus begun long time ago. That we are at the end time isn't a jargon made popular at all. Indeed, we're at the feet era of the giant statue Daniel interpreted for Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.2:32-33). Don't forget, each of the section that makes up that image is a timeline. We've gone farther to get here and after it, there's no further to go but rather to welcome the close of age. As such, you ought to take this provision made available by Jesus' death and resurrection. Today, you ought be a born again. The mixed and wicked  congregation of John the Baptist heard and they fled for their lives. They escaped away like Lot and his family escaped from the wrath appointed to come on Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus is symbolic of the ark of Noah. Like it saved Noah's family alive from death and judgement, it'll save you alive from the second death if you're first in Him. If you'll confess Him as Lord and Saviour and believe in Him, you shall receive the gift of everlasting life (Rom.10:9-10). Even in death, death shall not swallow you up. Rather, you'll have victory over death and be woken up to resurrection in Christ. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Don't banter with your soul. Secure a space and spot for yourself in eternity with the soon coming King. Hear and respond; hear and flee from the wrath to come. Don't be indifferent for that'll be danger and the undoing of yourself. Come to repentance right away. 

Acts 17:30-31, KJV

"30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I'm sorry for my sinful life till now. Forgive and receive me. I believe.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

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