CAC LIVING WATER DEVOTIONAL FOR FEBRUARY 5, 2024 : TOPIC – DIVINE DIRECTION (II)
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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH THE LIVING WATER (January-December, 2024)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
DATE: Monday, February 5, 2024
TOPIC: DIVINE DIRECTION (II)
MEMORISE : I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye (Psalm 32:8).
READ : Matthew 2: 1-15
[1]. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
[2]. saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
[3]. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
[4]. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
[5]. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
[6]. ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
[7]. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
[8]. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
[9]. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
[10]. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
[11]. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
[12]. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
[13]. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
[14]. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
[15]. and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
EXPOSITION
There are so many lessons to learn in the life of Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. Firstly, the Bible calls him a just man. Secondly, he was teachable. Not many would have yielded to God to the point of doing what God told Joseph with respect to Mary. Joseph resisted having sex with Mary until after she gave birth. Actually, this was largely due to God’s grace in his life. He obediently followed God’s command to take his wife, who was carrying a child by the Holy Spirit, to himself without arguing. How many Christians wouldn’t presume that voice to be the devil’s? When he could have put an end to the courtship, the Holy Spirit intervened otherwise. The good thing is that, Joseph submitted to the will of the Almighty, and that was second to none. Of course, who is that man that would have willingly and happily accepted a pregnancy he knows nothing about? Especially from a woman he never had any intimacy with? Any man would feel betrayed by the woman who was meant to be his bride. The genuine child of God is flexible towards God. You can never enjoy God optimally, until and unless you follow His will and commands He rolls. Failure to keep them means you are failing in the place of spiritual direction. Moses almost lost his eternal destination as a result of his failure at Meribah (Num. 20:9-13). Don’t fail God!
SUGGESTED HYMN FOR TODAY:
CAC GHB: 707
1. The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
2. My soul He doth restore again;
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.
3. Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale
Yet will I fear none ill;
For Thou art with me; and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
4. My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint
And my cup overflows.
5. Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me,
And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling place shall be.
Amen.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, from today, I quit living a life without divine direction. Lead me on, and I will follow You, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, let me never lack Your direction in all my dealings, so that my endeavours will not keep ending in failure and regrets, in Jesus’ name.
3. Lord, we pray for our political and religious leaders that they will make no decision without Your direction and approval, in Jesus’ name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Leviticus 13, 14, 15