TREM’s Daily 3 July 2017 Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo

Topic: Don’t Take Divine Instructions for Granted [Monday July 3, 2017]

“…Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:22

The scripture tells us that the just shall live by faith. The live by faith is to live by the word of God. No matter the discomfort you may suffer or how many challenges you face, as a believer you must live by the word of God, not by what you think. Jesus lamented and said that the children of this generation are wiser than the children of light. My heart bleeds when I see the enemy battering your life when you should be triumphant and victorious over what the enemy brings against you.

In 1 Samuel 13 Saul disobeyed Prophet Samuel’s instruction to wait and he told Saul that he had done foolishly. In 1 Samuel 15, God gave Saul another chance to prove himself. Samuel said to him to go and wipe out the Amalekites. They were to be completely destroyed because of what they did to Israel when they were coming from the land of Egypt. But Saul went and destroyed everything that were vile and weak but spared King Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lamb and all that were good. He used his number six. In other words, he was saying God you are stupid. How can you see all these beautiful things, as wonderful as they are and you say destroy them? God I think something is wrong with your mind. I will help you.

This may sound funny but many believers are doing exactly the same thing today. Most of us know how to spiritualize our disobedience and think we are dealing with man. God is not a man, he is God. He knows your thoughts and motives afar off. That is why the bible says he searches your heart from afar off. Human beings may see action but God sees beyond action. He knows your thought from afar. The statement you make and the service you are rendering, what is your motive for doing them?

Further Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1 – 35, Hebrews 11:6

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Job 25-27; Evening- Acts 12

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.