CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR AUGUST 12, 2022 : TOPIC – CHRISTIAN YOUTHS AND GODLY INSTRUCTION (1)
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LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Friday, August 12, 2022.
International Youth Day
CHRISTIAN YOUTHS AND GODLY INSTRUCTION (1)
Read: Proverbs 1:8-19
Proverbs 1:8-19
[8]My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
[9]For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
[10]My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
[11]If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
[12]Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
[13]We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
[14]Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
[15]My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
[16]For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
[17]Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
[18]And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
[19]So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
MEMORISE: Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge. But he who hates correction is stupid (Proverbs 12:1).
EXPOSITION
This topic is most relevant on this International Youth Day. Attitude determines altitude. Altitude means the height one can reach, whereas attitude is a mental position with regard to a fact or state. It is a state of readiness to respond to a stimulus, be it an object, concept or situation. It is your disposition to a situation, and determines how you react to, or handle a matter, and goes a long way to determine the height you can reach.
The time of youth is a period that is full of vigour, and great physical strength that can be harnessed for productivity and greatness. Youths, especially Christian youths, have the potentials to go places in line with their God-given purposes. Therefore, they must maintain godly attitudes to reach the height God proposes for them. God depends on them to cause great positive changes wherever they are located. They should put their God-given strength to use for God’s glory and the devil’s shame.
The Bible says, It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth (Lam. 3:27). Many young people today, in the bid to reach for stardom, have ended up selling their souls to the devil. Some are members of one cult or the other, and they do not see anything bad in doing rituals, even human sacrifice. What a depraved generation! There has never been a time the way of the devil is the way to the top or stardom. It only gives counterfeit greatness. Promotion, wealth and greatness are of the Lord (Deut. 8:17-18; 28:1,2). Trust and obey Him; you will be great with no sorrow attached. Give yourself to godly instruction so that it may be well with you.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, please help me to follow Your leading and godly instructions coming from those You place over me.
2. Holy Spirit, deliver me from the attitude of despising godly instructions.
3. O Lord, help our teeming youths to make good use of their youthful days.
HYMN FOR TODAY: CAC GHB 809
1. When we walk with the lord
In the light of his word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey
Chorus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey
2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil he doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the alter we lay;
For the favour He shows,
And the joy he bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do
Where He sends we will go
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Amen.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Jeremiah 14 – 17