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Daily Message and Prayer Devotional
Sunday, 21 April 2024
Topic: Proud Display of Treasures
READ: Isaiah 39:2-7 (MSG); Luke 12:18-21 (KJV)
“Hezekiah received the messengers warmly. He took them on a tour of his royal precincts, proudly showing them all his treasures: silver, gold, spices, expensive oils, all his weapons—everything out on display. There was nothing in his house or kingdom that Hezekiah didn’t show them…Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Now listen to this Message from God-ofthe-Angel-Armies: I have to warn you, the time is coming when everything in this palace, along with everything your ancestors accumulated before you, will be hauled off to Babylon. God says that there will be nothing left. Nothing. And not only your things but your sons. Some of your sons will be taken into exile, ending up as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
“And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
MESSAGE
Beloved, the characteristics of the last days is that “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud . . .” (2 Timothy 3:1, 2). Trade fares and exhibition of precious items for sale are market strategies for growth and expansion but God is not pleased with the deliberate proud display of personal treasures like “silver, gold, spices, expensive oils,” etc. Such displays, especially on social media, have severally provided information to ‘wicked and unreasonable men’ to attack their victims, leaving them helpless and at times dead. Beloved, treasures are blessings from God, and the Scripture says in
Proverbs 10:22: “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” Use your personal treasures to serve and glorify God without a proud display of them. Remember, 1 Peter 5:5b says, “. . . for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
PRAYER
My God and Father, thank you for your words of admonition. Forgive me for my boastings: the proud display of my treasures. I humble myself in your hands. Give me the grace to be more wealthy and teach me to use these treasures to serve you better until your return in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Copyright © 2024 Dr. Mrs Mary John
She was called by God into Gospel Ministry in 1985 and she was the Student Christian Movement (SCM) Travelling Secretary to Sokoto State, Nigeria, in 1990. Mary was a member of the Greater Evangelism World Crusade (an international Christian organisation) for about a decade and became one of her pastors in Rumousi, Rivers State. She was ordained into Christian Ministry in 1996 and co-founded the Kings Gospel Ministry International Incorporated (also known as Total Gospel Church) and she is the Proprietress of Total Child Development School in Nigeria (a mission school).
Mary is consecrated and currently ministering specifically to the students in the Bayelsa Medical University and generally labouring in God’s vineyard as a conference speaker: building lives, especially of youths and women. She is married to Rev. Dr. John Emmanuel Ibrahim and their union is blessed with five children.
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