Daily Devotion

Theme: Humble King foretold

Read: Zechariah 9:9, Isaiah 62:6-12, John 12:12-19.

“Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.”

(Zechariah 9:9) NLT

About a year ago in our neighborhood in Kenya, a self-proclaimed Jesus Christ, Prophet Eliyu Simiyu, with about a million followers, ran to the police seeking help during this exact period, saying a group of people (his followers) were planning to crucify him on Easter Day. I’m so glad that my Savior never ran away from Calvary Road because of me!

It took about 500 years for Zechariah’s prophecy to come true in Matthew 21, according to Biblical scholars. 456 prophecies pointed to Jesus Christ, and He fulfilled 300 (Andrew). Zechariah 9:9, Him riding on a colt, is one of them. The question is, will He fail to fulfill the remaining 156 prophecies?

Four elements in this verse describe the Messiah's character: 1) He is King; 2) He is just; 3) He brings salvation; and 4) He is humble. Christ fulfilled every prophecy about Him. “...He was humbled in the womb of the Virgin, needy in the manger of the sheep, and homeless on the wood of the Cross." “Never was there a poorer man than Christ; He was the prince of poverty.”

He who scattered the harvest across the wide acres of the world sometimes lacked money to ease hunger’s pain. He who dug the ocean’s springs sat by a well and said to a Samaritan woman, 'Give me to drink' (John 4:7). He did not ride in a chariot; He walked on His weary way, footsore, over the flints of Galilee! He had nowhere to rest His head. He looked at the fox rushing to its den and said, 'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but I, the Son of man, have not where to lay my head.'

He who was once waited on by angels becomes a servant of servants, takes a towel, girds Himself, and washes His disciples' feet! He who was once honored with the hallelujahs of ages is now spat upon and despised!" says Charles Spurgeon. That’s our humble King!

As you pray: Oh my Lord and King, grant me the grace to be humble like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotion

Theme: Choose Life and Peace

Read: Psalm 34:11-22; 1 Peter 3:8-12

“…For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it…”

(1 Peter 3:10-11)

During the outbreak of COVID-19, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, we all struggled to survive. We took all advice and medical prescriptions, made consultative calls, read our Bibles, and prayed all sorts of prayers to see another day because we love life. “God has set eternity in human hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

When all is well, life is good, but when it’s not, there is no peace! Peter gives three simple prescriptions to his audience who desire life and peace amidst struggles or persecution – not just physical (bios) life, but a blessed, full, and true, joyous life.

One, keep your tongue from all evil. Proverbs says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21). But James warns us, “the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison and untamable” (James 3:6, 8). We must try to control our tongue. Many of the problems of life are caused by the wrong words spoken in the wrong spirit. The tongue has caused lots of confusion and conflicts in marriages, families, the workplace, and in the nation at large.

Second, we can live on one of three levels: 1) We can return evil for good, which is the satanic level; 2) we can return good for good and evil for evil, which is the human level; or 3) we can return good for evil, which is the Divine level, giving a joyful life (1 Peter 3:9).

Lastly, pursue peace. Peace is pursued by returning a blessing when an insult is given (1 Peter 3:9). The Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17 NKJV). Seek first the kingdom of God, and the rest will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).

As you pray, ask God to tame your tongue, to hate evil, and to pursue genuine peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: The Trap of Vengeance

Read: Deuteronomy 32: 35-43; Romans 12:17-21.

“….See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death, and I give life; I wound, and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand…For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me...” ( Deuteronomy 32:39-41).

A woman was bitten by a dog and was advised by her doctor to write her last wishes, as she might succumb to hydrophobia (symptoms of rabies). She spent so long with a pencil and paper that the doctor finally commented on how long the will was. "Will!" she snorted. "I'm writing a list of the people I'm going to bite!"

Jonathan Edwards, on July 8, 1741, preached a sermon from Deuteronomy 32 titled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The context here is that the Israelites had sinned against God. They had abandoned and rejected the God who made them, their rock, and sacrificed to idols who were not God (15-17). Because of His rekindled holy anger, He promises to avenge by destroying the young men and women, sending pestilence, poisonous snakes, and the sword. He was to erase their names from human memory (25-26) because they were a nation without sense (v.28). Vengeance is His (v.35). He also promised to avenge their enemies (v.43). (Zach 2:8-9; Isaiah 60:20; Exodus 14:14)

God is the avenger (Ps 94:1-2; 1 Thess 4:6) of the weak and the poor (Ps 68:5; 35:10), oppressed, persecuted, and cheated (Ps 35:10), fatherless and widows (Exodus 22:22-24), land grabbers (Proverbs 23:10-11), and the righteous (Ps 94:14-15). He will avenge every drop of innocent blood. _“Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?"_ (Joel 3:21; Ps. 9:12; Deut 32:43). Paul advises us not to avenge ourselves but to leave matters to God (Romans 12:19). God says, "...vengeance is mine.” (v. 35). The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance (Ps. 58:10). May God give us grace to let go as He takes over our cases. May God be your avenger.

As you pray, ask the Lord to teach you how to discern the spirit or traps of vengeance and to let go of those who hurt us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Turn From Anger

Read: Psalm 37:8-9; Proverbs 14:29-35, James 1:17-21

“….Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls…”

(James 1:19-21) NLT

A Roman general and statesman who transformed the Roman Republic into a mighty Roman Empire, Gaius Julius Caesar, whose name later became the title of Roman emperors (Matthew 22:17-21). It is said that when provoked to anger, he would silently repeat the entire Roman alphabet (23 letters at the time) before he could speak out of anger. “Anger is a momentary madness.” Mark Twain says, “anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” Psalm 37:8-9 advises, “turn away from anger and don't give in to wrath.”

James, identifying himself with his audience _“my dear brother and sister,”_ makes it clear that the upcoming topic is important. He shares four great words of wisdom that are still relevant today:

1) Be quick to listen; most of the time when we are angry, the rational part of our brain freezes, and our faces become flushed. It’s hard to listen. Someone said, “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”

2) Slow to speak; it is said, “Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.” Proverbs 15:1 says, “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.” “A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester (develop pus) forever...” Jessamyn West.

3) Slow to anger, Solomon says, “…anger dwells (resides, rests, abides) in the heart of fools” (Eccles 7:9) Amplified. “Fools vent (lose) their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back” (Proverbs 29:11). The waste is, Bible prevents us from befriending a short-tempered person (Proverbs 22:24-25). David, rebuked by Nathan, got angry, spoke quickly, then he realized that he was the man (2 Samuel 12).

4) Slow to act, the core message of James is that we should be quick to listen to God’s word. We should also be slow to anger towards God and others, and slow to speak and act. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to anger; he almost killed a man with his sword (Luke 22:47-53). “In your anger do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). Man’s anger does not produce God’s righteousness (v. 20). Control your anger.

As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome the spirit of anger and receive the spirit of peace and calmness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Harden Not Your Heart

Read: Psalm 95:6-11; Hebrews 3:7-13

“The LORD says, ‘Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. ‘“For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. For forty years, I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger, I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest. '

(Psalm 95:8-11)

In the Bible, the word 'heart' has a much broader meaning than it does to the modern mind. The heart is the core of a person. All emotions are experienced through the heart: love and hate (Ps 105:25; 1 Peter 1:22); joy and sorrow (Eccl 2:10; John 16:6); peace and bitterness (Ezek 27:31; Col 3:15); courage and fear (Gen 42:28; Amos 2:16). Human thinking processes are attributed to the heart; it is said to understand (Job 38:36), imagine (Jer 9:14), remember (Deut 4:9), be wise (Prov 2:10), and speak to itself (Deut 7:17). Decision-making, purpose (Acts 11:23), intention (Heb 4:12), and will (Eph 6:6) are all activities of the heart.

The phrase 'hardened heart' refers to being unresponsive, unrepentant, rebellious, filled with unbelief, and stubborn. This attitude prevented the Israelites from entering the promised land (Num 14:30). What causes hearts to become hardened?

(1) Sin (Exodus 17:17), which involves murmuring, disbelief, and disobedience. If anyone wants to murmur, they can easily find something to complain about, such as bitterness, unforgiveness, or doubting God’s word.

(2) Situations—hard circumstances in life can harden people’s hearts, like the Israelites.

(3) Selfishness—selfish individuals gradually and unconsciously develop hard hearts.

(4) Satan—the devil can harden people's hearts.

(5) Excessive worldly things, wealth, or material gain can also cause hardness of heart.

(6) Certain people can influence and cause hardness of heart (Proverbs 1:10; 1 Kings 12:4-15).

Hardened hearts will never enter God’s rest, heaven (Hebrews 3:11). However, there is hope for hard hearts; God is the chief cardiologist and surgeon who can turn hard (stone) hearts into soft (flesh) hearts—responsive hearts (Ezekiel 36:26).

As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to protect your heart from becoming hard. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Danger of Unforgiveness

Read: Psalm 73:1-12: Ephesians 4:25-32

“…In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice...”

(Ephesians 4:26,29,31)

A middle-aged woman hoped to reunite in marriage with her former husband. She told her pastor that they were both Christians when they started their family, and they had been blessed with two sons. One day, they quarreled, and harsh words were spoken. Both were too proud to ask for forgiveness, and the bitterness led to a divorce. Neither found a new partner; now, 25 years later, with one son dead and the other unknown, she learned that the only man she ever loved was in the hospital.

She went to see him, and with tears, they forgave each other. At their request, the pastor gladly remarried them right there in the hospital room. As he left after performing the ceremony, he thought of the price they had paid because of their unwillingness to forgive each other. The prayers of both had been powerless; they could not experience the joy of their salvation, and their sons had suffered because of a broken home. Although the husband and wife had been reunited, the wasted years could never be reclaimed. *“In your anger do not sin"(v.25).*

Three things to note about unforgiveness:

📍Anybody with an unforgiving spirit is depriving himself of fellowship with God and others.

📍He/she deprives himself/herself of the beauty of a Christ-like character and the greatest joys of life.

📍A Christian cannot afford to risk unforgiveness or pay the price of holding a grudge!

As you pray, ask the Lord to help you not to sin or hold a grudge in your anger. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev. Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Bitterness Harms the Soul

Read: Deuteronomy 29:1-15:

Hebrews 12:14-17

“…Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many…”

(Hebrews 12:15) NLT

Years ago, I met a dear sister whose heart was bleeding bitterly because of abuse, betrayal, and bankruptcy! She said, “I have tried all places, did all sorts of things, visited all sorts of people recommended to me to have my peace and joy back but all in vain.” I felt like if her heart touched you by mistake, you would collapse immediately, unless a black stone is placed on it.

One, no one knows another’s bitter heart unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to you or unless it explodes. The Bible tells us that, “Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy...” (Proverbs 14:10). Only God knows, (Acts 1:24) and can heal and fix such bitter hearts. (Psalm 147:3).

Second, if bitterness is not addressed, it can damage your soul and society. Abimelech, the son of Gideon, killed his 70 brothers on one stone and nearly burned an entire village (Judges 9:1 ff). That's why Moses, in Deuteronomy 29:18, warned the children of Israel, “make sure there is no man or clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.” He understood the dangerous causes and consequences of bitterness for both the soul and society.

Thirdly, bitterness can grow if there is no grace in our hearts. That grace can only be attained by remaining connected to the truth of life (Hebrews 12:15; John 15:1-17). God said, “My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good” (Jeremiah 4:22). “Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!” (Jeremiah 4:18). May we offer our bitter hearts to God, our healer.

As you pray: Ask the LORD to heal and restore every bitter soul you know. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Consequences of Unforgiveness

Read: Proverbs 17:19; Matthew 18:21-35

“…then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.” This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 18:32-35

Standing at the roadside, I watched a young man hit a gentleman while riding his bicycle. He immediately shouted, “I’m sorry sir, forgive me,” before he could even finish the apologetic statement, kicks and jabs were flying and landing on him like raindrops! People around began screaming for help, and the young man flew leaving the bicycle on the street.

In the story of the unforgiving servant, we see three types of consequences of unforgiveness.

1) Internal Consequences:

Unforgiveness has severe effects on the person who is offended; harboring hatred or grudges causes bitterness and violence. When the servant left his master's presence, he forgot the mercy and grace shown to him, and so he seized the threat from the other servant. (v. 28) Internally, unforgiveness leads to uncontrollable emotional damage and bondage.

2) Eternal consequences;

If we don’t forgive others, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us our sins too (Matthew 6:15). This can lead to eternal judgment (v.35), and eternal separation from the divine relationship.

3) External consequences:

Lack of forgiveness is always offensive to fellow believers (v.31). When fellow believers realize that we are not extending the same grace given to us, they grieve in their hearts. Second, it causes gossip and bad reports (v.31). Third, it can lead to physical bondages—such as when a man was thrown in prison (v.34) NLT. Lastly, it results in torture (v.34). Many people are in prison because of unforgiveness, but many others are also emotionally and spiritually under torture. Unforgiveness can also lead to death, slow but sure!

As you pray, ask God on this Sabbath day to create in you a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev. Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Walk in Grace

Read: Number 6:22-27; Col 3:12-17.

“…Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love…”

( Col 3:12-14)

If you have been around Baganda for some time, you might have heard someone say, “walk like a Muganda.” If you hear it for the first time, you might wonder, how does the “Baganda walk?” Classic catwalk, brisk walk, power walk, horse walk, preppy walk, etc. No, all they are saying tells us about your ancestral lineage!

Just like the Buganda saying, the Bible sometimes uses the word “to walk” figuratively to mean a person's conduct or way of life, the manner in which one conducts oneself (2 Kings 20:3; Prov 8:20) (R. Bultman, 1951). Psalms 1:1 declares, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked." Walking in unity (Ephesians 4:1-16), walking in purity (4:17-32), walking in love (5:1-6), walking in the light (5:7-14), walking carefully (5:15-17), walking in harmony (5:18-6:9), walking in Christ (Col 2:6), and walking in wisdom (Col 4:2-6). Walking in grace means moving forward through faith, embracing God’s word and strength in our weakness.

Martin Luther once said, “The grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty, and active thing. It does not lie asleep in the soul. Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes, and works all within man, allowing itself to be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident...”

John says, “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7). Christian living requires grace, gracefulness towards ourselves and others. Without it, we can do nothing. We live by grace!

As you pray, Lord, grant us the grace to walk our spiritual journey faithfully. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev. Godfrey Kyome

Daily Devotional

Theme: Love Covers Many Sins

Read: Proverbs 10:12-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11

“...The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins...”

(1Peter 4:8-9)

An Armenian nurse was held captive along with her brother by the Turks. Her brother was killed by a Turkish soldier right before her eyes. Somehow, she managed to escape and later became a nurse in a military hospital. One day, she was shocked to discover that the same man who had killed her brother had been captured and brought to the hospital, wounded. Something inside her cried out for vengeance, but a stronger voice called for love. She nursed the man back to health. Finally, the recovering soldier asked her, "Why didn't you let me die?" Her reply was, "I am a follower of Him who said, 'Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you'" (Luke 6:27). “Love covers all offenses.” (Prov 10:12). Impressed by her response, the young soldier said, "I have never heard such words before. Tell me more. I want this kind of religion."

“Love covers many sins” means love lets go of offenses instead of harboring bitterness. Hatred keeps alive the old feeling of revenge (Genesis 4:23) and seeks opportunities to satisfy it, but love puts aside, forgets, and forgives all offenses. _“To love a thing makes the eye blind, the ear deaf,”_ Hebrews teaching.

Arabs say, "Love is the companion of blindness.” "Love covers all those who love not strife." The nature of love is to “let go of offenses and offenders." It is therapeutic; it heals both the offender and the offended. You and I have a choice: “hurting people hurt others," but we can choose to be wounded healers. The world needs more healers than haters. Will you be one? Remember, love covers many sins (1 Cor 13:4-7).

As you pray, ask God to grant you the love and grace that covers sins, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Rev. Godfrey Kyome