DAILY STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL FOR MONDAY 20th JUNE, 2016

 

IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART…

(Day 1 of the 5-day fasting/prayers)                            
Scripture Reading: Psalm 66:18
As we begin our mid-year fasting and prayer programme, the Holy Spirit brings the scriptural reading of today Psalm 66:18 to our mind “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (AMP). Iniquity in the heart brings us into disfavor with God to the extent that our prayers, cries and yearnings made toward God will not be attended to. Nothing hinders prayer like iniquity harboured in the heart; as with Cain, so with us. For God to accept our devotions, while we are delighting in sin, would be to make Himself the God of hypocrites, than for the Holy One of Israel. A biblical commentary says “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” The very supposition that "if he regarded iniquity in his heart, the Lord would not hear him," implies the possibility that such may be the state even of believers; and there is abundant reason to fear that it is in this way their prayers are so often hindered, and their supplications so frequently remain unanswered. Nor is it difficult to conceive how believers may be chargeable with regarding iniquity in their heart, even amidst all the solemnity of coming into the immediate presence of God, and directly addressing him in the language of prayer and supplication.
Child of God, you may ask why God does not answer your prayers. There can be many reasons why He doesn’t answer our prayers, sin ranks as one of the biggest reason why our prayers are not answered. Can God answer a prayer when we have not confessed sin? Will He answer a prayer if there are sinful thoughts on our minds? God’s first condition is that our heart must be pure. In Isaiah 1:15 God says: “I will hide mine eyes … I will not hear.” Sin in our heart will close God’s ear and cut off all communication with Him. It is unsuccessful for us to pray when we are carrying a sin in our conscience which we have not yet acknowledged or confessed. Isaiah 59:1–2 says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
So how do we remedy this situation? 1 John 1:9 makes it clear: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Therefore, we need to repent, confess our sins and be reconciled to God and to those we have offended. You must honestly confess your sins and take sides with God against them. There must be a wholehearted repentance, that is, the turning of the will away from all that is sinful in the sight of God.
Prayer Points:
  1. Father, please have mercy and forgive me of all my sins in the name of Jesus.
  2. Father, I consciously renounce and repent of any sinful lifestyle of mine.
  3. Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let me finish well, let me finish strong; let me finish with Joy, in Jesus name.
  4. Pray with Psalm 51
  5. Take the Rosary of Divine Mercy
  6. Pray for the success of the Cross-Over program at the Holy Family Catholic Church, 22, Road, FESTAC, Lagos.
Exercise: JOIN US FOR OUR 2016 CROSS-OVER PROGRAM AT THE HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 22 ROAD, FESTAC, LAGOS. Holding Thursday 23rd- Saturday 25th June 2016.
Memory Verse: Matthew 5:23-24

Comments

Post a Comment

Feel free to teach me and the world with your comment and remain blessed.
Do share this after reading. Thanks

Popular posts from this blog

CHIOMACHIMA2017 (BIG BRO'S TRADITIONAL)

Image
Mr & Mrs Chima Godwin Onuegbu  Oh what a happy day it was for you big bro,and not just you but for her too. You found her somewhere and recognized she was the missing part of you, that spice you needed  to make you a complete man.  You made her known to the world on the 17th of April, 2017 traditionally.  ChiomaChima2017     I have nothing else to say but permit me to say this with a very big smile on my face and great joy in my heart , You are blessed and I wish the both of you more love and understanding and equally wish you all the best in your relationship and may God almighty who has always been with you bless you and your family. AMEN.   Below are more pictures from traditional wedding.  ChiomaChima2017   Chioma and her friends  Chima and friends  Couple with their mum standing beside them Couple with Groom's sister Couple with the men of the day       ...
Keep reading

INSTRUMENTS OF GOD

Image
The Holy Trinity  “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” Luke 10:16 Jesus makes a threefold connection in this passage. He connects you to Him and Himself to the Father. Thus, when you are acting as a true instrument of the Lord, and another either listens to or rejects what you bring to them, then they are either listening to or rejecting not only you but also our Lord and the Father in Heaven. One thing this reveals is the awesome responsibility we all have to bring the love and mercy of the Father in Heaven to those whom we encounter every day. We are able to be true instruments of God. In making such a strong connection between us, Himself and the Father in Heaven, Jesus is elevating our human dignity to an incredible level. This passage also reveals the fact that others will act as instruments of God to us. This is important to understand because Jesus is very clear. If someone c...
Keep reading

THIS PICTURES I BET YOU HAVE NOT SEEN

Image
The time has come for us to remind ourselves of what this country used to be. Modernization and perhaps civilization has made us all so comfortable we pay little or no attention to our historical background. The only time we feel the need to get informed about the history of this great country is when we have job interviews to attend. The current affairs being taught at the primary school is not doing enough justice as many adults do not have the basic knowledge of how this country evolved and came to be what it is now. Majority of the people that represents that time of our history are gradually thinning out; the few left are either being celebrated for their works and investments or forgotten in some remote village. The pictures that would be shared here would jolt your memories and help many people know the kind of environment our fallen heroes lived in then. It is more than beautiful watching some Nollywood movies that create the picture of the kind of politics that was...
Keep reading