TODAY’S DEVOTION (FRIDAY 23RD AUGUST 2024)
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.”
“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them,’ The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
“But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’
“But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. Luke 10:5-12 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 236TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF IMPACT.
Today we will continue on matters of right relationships. We want to look at how God use right relationships to change our lives economically.
You see, God speaks in numbers, colors, dreams, visions, Bible verses, and even through the boundaries and economic activities of nations. For instance, there is a tree in Lebanon that has featured prominently in God’s word called the Cedar. There is also another economic tree called the Palm tree.
The Cedar of Lebanon in Bible days, was a great economic tree that brought so much foreign earnings for the region of Lebanon. Solomon used part of it for the building of the Temple.
When God was speaking about the righteous and the results of being planted in His house, He used that tree and also used the Palm tree.
Kenya is one great African nation that is like South Africa in certain respect; part of her earnings comes via the foreigners who are either living in the nation, or visiting the nation.
They come in bringing all the money and adding to the nation’s earnings. This has a prophetic message that have been highlighted on this platform few years back.
Personally, I have lived here for a few years, and have spent money that has added to the economy of the nation. I can remember the first money I brought into the country, it was a bit above 5000 US dollars. It finished in few weeks. Though in very bad circumstances, the money added to the economy of the nation.
All foreigners living in Kenya, like in any other nation, pay annually to live here.
The nation earns from our being here. We do not live here freely. In fact, we are called Aliens. It bothers me a lot to be called an alien, but that is what our immigration status says, making sure we do not do anything much without government approvals.
In fact, we pay much more than the citizens to get some services we need.
THAT IS WHY I USUALLY FEEL AN UNUSUAL PEACE OF MIND AND REST WHENEVER I VISIT MY HOME COUNTRY.
Now, we cannot begin to talk about how much has come and is still coming via our ministry into the nation, in form of ministry support. We are sharing this because of the prophetic truths buried in the way Kenya earns her income as a nation.
It teaches us how right relationships can contribute to our economic freedom. It shows us that, just as God ordained that Kenya earn some of her wealth via the foreigners that either live in her midst, or visit her, so are we all ordained by the LORD to earn part of our living through God given interpersonal relationships.
That is why you must learn to nurture them. They may not be giving you money, but will always do something that will lead to you having money in life. In other words, they might serve as a catalyst not the supply path. That is why, it does not matter what your profession is, if you do not have people it is servicing, you will be poor.
It is the people we know that bring into our lives the money we need, through the services we render to them. That is why we must treat them well.
When the miraculous permit, sometimes it is people you do not know that will bring the money. All you need to do is to keep the gates of right attitudes, and satisfactory service delivery open, and money will keep coming.
The Bible says,
“Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.” Isaiah 60:11 NKJV
There are nations whose gates are shut to foreigners. Such nations cannot receive the money or have the wealth that God ordained to come to them only through relationships.
Yes, there are wealth that can only come to us through relationships. We will never have that kind if our lives are shut to people God want to use to bring the wealth to us. Can you imagine Kenya and South Africa, saying no to all tourists and foreigners that intend to visit or live in those nations?
Most of what they earn will be lost, affecting the economy of the citizenry.
The same is applicable to you. God has ordained that your economic life be sustained through interpersonal relationship. If you do not recognize that and learn to treat people well, you will build a siege of lack around your life and not see good, when you need it.
You will put God in a position that He cannot move any heart to bring money to you when you need it, or come for any service you deliver for a fee, so that you can earn some money.
GOD SENT THIS WORD TO APPEAL THAT YOU STOP PUTTING HIM IN A POSITION THAT HE CAN’T BRING MONEY TO YOU.
He wants you to adjust your behavior towards people, and start treating them well. The people you do not treat well, cannot be used by the LORD to bless or build your financial life. That is the truth. They cannot be used by the LORD to solve your economic problems.
So, you must become nice to people, loving, compassionate, respectful, especially to those who are ahead of you in any way, giving honor to who honor is due.
You must stop leaving the bad taste of bad behavior behind, wherever you work, live, or go. You will forever be defined in some quarters by your bad behavior, even after you are no longer there.
Always keep that in mind.
People will always remember the bad, even before the good. Yes, they will remember us for our bad behavior, even after many years. That is the world we live in. So, treat even those who are beneath you with respect and honor.
Always remember that people will meet your story before they meet you.
Except for the malicious and antagonist, who we will not be able to please, make sure people only have kind things to say about you. Yes, make sure good and influential people, have kind things to say about you, and do not bother about what the antagonist or malicious might be saying.
This is not in any way asking you to open your life up to people who traffic in sin, iniquity or trespass, to begin to flow into your life just because you want to be nice. No!! Do not let people who traffic in any form of darkness to have access to your life.
They might have access to your services, if you are in service delivery, but not to your life. Say no where necessary as nicely as possible. Not with bad behavior.
LEARN TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITHOUT CONTAMINATION, AND BUILD STRONG WALLS AGAINST ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT EDIFY.
The Bible says;
“How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 CSB
So, as you keep your gates open, be careful of those who might come in with things that will defile or destroy you.
Be a watch man over your soul as you interact or socialize. Make sure those who will diminish your purity with God, are not allowed into your space to lay their eggs of sin, iniquity, or trespass, because if they lay them, those eggs will hatch and become bad behaviors you struggle with in life.
A major highlight in our devotional text says,
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if A SON OF PEACE is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house..”
There are SONS OF PEACE and there are SONS OF WAR. Except if you are advertising some service, in trying to build relationships, you will not need to go from house to house. You are to seek the LORD for sons of peace.
Our days are evil, so going from person to person could be dangerous. We are to be able to sense who qualifies as sons of peace and open our gates to them.
Yes, we are to open our gates to people who delight in our walk and talk with the LORD and will cause it to prosper. We are to open up our lives to those with a strong desire to see us succeed in life, growing in purity, holiness, consecration, and in our relationship with the LORD.
I believe, the LORD has spoken to someone. It is my prayer that we will walk in this light and allow Him to make us what He wants us to be economically, in Jesus’ precious name. Amen!!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR TODAY:
“The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you.”
“Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.”
“For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined. “The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious.” Isaiah 60:10-13 NKJV