TODAY’S DEVOTION (SUNDAY 7TH AUGUST 2022)
“On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day.
And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him. Genesis 17:23-27 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 219TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF AMAZING GRACE!
The goodness of the LORD has been the reason for our survival. We can say this over and over again and not sound odd to those who know.
God’s goodness is constant, unchanging and unbending. Even when He is severe or chastising or judging anyone for sin, it is still part of His goodness. The reason is because He will never deal with anyone according to what he or she deserves. David puts it this way;
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalm 103:8-10 NIV
If this scripture was not true of God, our lives would have been no more. We would have been consumed by our wrong doings. He has never treated anyone as their sins or wrong doings deserve. Neither has He repaid any according to their iniquities. His goodness does not have such capabilities.
The only time people will get what they deserve is in the after-life, and that will happen if they die rejecting GOD’s salvation plan for their lives. The judgment of hell will be terrible because for the first time, sinful and unrepentant souls will get what they deserve.
The Bible says;
“But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” Romans 2:5-6 NIV
This scripture made it clear that people will get what they deserve only in the day of final judgement.
In my opinion, it is really foolish to have a stubborn and unrepentant heart when reproved by the GOD who have no capacity to treat men as their sins deserve. The Bible says we store up for ourselves wrath living that way, especially in the face of divine rebukes.
That is why we need spiritual fathers who will guide us in the ways of the LORD so that we will not lead lives that are storing up for us divine wrath.
THAT BRING US TO THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT FOR OUR 31-DAY JOURNEY – SPIRITUAL FATHERING.
God use mature spiritual authorities to shape the lives of the immature and growing; especially in matters of righteous conduct. He places spiritual fathers or mature spiritual authorities in our lives for so many destiny reasons, as stated in previous devotionals; one of those reasons is accountability.
Time has taught us that if we do not have people that we are accountable to, it will not be long, our life itself will become bitter.
I have come to realize that the easiest way to turn a blessing into a curse is to lead a blessed life that is not accountable to anyone.
It could be accountable to someone, but if the person is not a spiritual father whose life is built around the Tree of life, your blessed life will still turn to an accursed life. It is just a matter of time.
That is why if you find a spiritual father whose life is build around the tree of life, do not take it lightly. You have found an authority to be accountable to, especially when God begin to bless you.
Authentic spiritual fathering has accountability as one of its primary purposes. If you do not like the kingdom concept of having a spiritual father whose life is built around the Tree of life for any reason, please consider it for the purpose of preserving your destiny through accountability.
Prayer is great, when it comes to preserving the blessing of the LORD in our lives, or prolonging the prosperity of a divine will we are called to execute. But prayer without a healthy and proper accountability will not lead to a prolong success, blessing, or progress.
Sadly, many prayerful people are either countable to authorities that are not established around the Tree of life, or are accountable to no one because of pride.
Child of God, If you add an accountable life to your prayer life, you will begin to experience things that will amaze you in God. You will begin to see breath taking breakthroughs and moves of God in your life that will fill your mouth with laughter and heart with joy at all times.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY CANNOT BE OVER EMPHASIZED.
Accountability will prolong your days. Yes, it will sweeten your life with the best of Heaven for the earth.
Samson cut his ministry short because there was no authority to be accountable to. He managed his parents for a while but they did not understand all of God’s moves in His life, hence he ended in a disaster. He ended up in the house of a harlot in Gaza, and then the house of Delilah who betrayed him to his enemies.
If you do not have a proper authority to be accountable to, you will find yourself accountable to those who will betray you to your enemies.
I will advise that you wait on the LORD until you find a suitable authority to be accountable to. Do not just rush into the shelter of any spiritual father because you want to be accountable.
In God’s kingdom we do not act hastily, we act swiftly; which means, we act is as soon as God’s word of direction comes. You do not just go to sit under this leader or that leader because you want to be accountable. So many have done that and destroyed their lives. I almost destroyed mine to.
You wait on the LORD for direction. Which brings me to the last point I want to share with us.
You see, there are times when you want to be accountable and you know the ideal authority to be accountable to, but you cannot find it. What do you do in such circumstance? Will just look for any authority that twinkles your fancy to go sit under it? No!
What then do you do?
THAT BRINGS US TO OUR DEVOTIONAL TEXT FOR THE DAY. THE TEXT SAYS;
“On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day.
And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him. Genesis 17:23-27 NKJV
We can see accountability depicted here in circumcision. Genuine accountability will involve the submission of our lives to those GOD placed us under for circumcision of the fore skin of a flesh-controlled life.
God Had told Abraham to circumcise everyone in his house, which he did. But he found none anywhere in the world who could do same to him. History has it that he circumcised Himself.
It is cheap to be circumcised by others, so to speak. But to do it to yourself, is not cheap. It will require maturity on your path to do it.
What truth can we learn from this devotional quote?
You see, God made it clear in the devotional quote that if a generation do not have ideal delegated authorities to be accountable to, it will be given God’s sovereign authority to be accountable to. You must understand that, either sovereign of delegated, we will need to be under authority, especially for the purpose of accountability for our lives to blossom or flourish.
It is my earnest prayer that these few lines will be multiplied even into books in your heart in Jesus precious name! Amen!!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” Psalm 92:12-15 NKJV