The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 6 January 2020 – TOPIC: DON’T BE DISCOURAGED
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DATE: MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020
(Epiphany Day)
TOPIC: DON’T BE DISCOURAGED
READ: EPHESIANS 3:1-13 (NKJV)
1. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles —
2. if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3. how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4. by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5. which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6. that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7. of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9. and to make all see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10. to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly [places,]
11. according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12. in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
13. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
THE MESSAGE:
Tough people keep going when the going gets tough. Apostle Paul showed maturity and total devotion in his ministry towards the salvation of the gentiles. As Martin Luther, Jr., once said; “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moment of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at time of challenge and controversy.” While in prison, Paul did not see himself as a prisoner under the Roman Government. Rather, he saw himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles (verse 1). He showed that he could be trusted in any given situation in matters regarding the gospel. One major factor that sustained him in the ministry was his clear understanding of the reason for his calling. He realised that he received grace to preach among the Gentiles (verse 8), so he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). He even encouraged the concerned people not to lose heart because of his tribulations (verse 13).
Pause and reflect: At your age, have you really realized your core ministry in life? The knowledge of this will go a long way in shaping your approach to issues. Your ministry might be to raise a godly generation;it might be to help spread the gospel. It might also be to encourage the weak in life and faith. Find it, follow it and fulfil it. Though the road may be rough, the grace will sustain you as it sustained Paul. However, you can’t work for God without giving Him a place in your life. As you reflect, take time today to re-order your life and ensure that you live for what you were born. Don’t take this revelation for granted.
PRAYER: Give me the grace oh Lord to remain faithful in times of challenges.
