DEVOTIONAL

Prayer : Father, I thank for this new day and a new beginning in my life, may everything I do and say bring glory to you. As I read your most holy word, please speak to me, encourage me, and help me to live out your words through Jesus Christ my Lord, through Him and in Him in the unity of the Holy spirit all Honour and Glory be yours today and always. Amen.

Invitation to Confession : Father God I come before your throne of grace and mercy, I confess and acknowledge I have sinned against you in thought and deed, today I ask to forgive me and, in your grace, purify my heart, cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. And in your great love lead me and help me to walk in the paths of righteousness, so that I may bring glory to you the one triune God. Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. I now receive your forgiveness and mercy in the name of my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ 

Praise and worship : Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds”. 

Worship song :  Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. (Debbie and Michael W. Smith) 
Great is the Lord
He is holy and just
By His power we trust
In His love
Great is the Lord
He is faithful and true
By His mercy He proves
He is love

Great is the Lord
And worthy of glory
Great is the Lord
And worthy of praise
Great is the Lord
Now lift up your voice
Now lift up your voice
Great is the Lord
Great is the Lord

Great is the Lord,
He is holy and just
By His power we trust
In His love
Great is the Lord
He is faithful, and true
By His mercy He proves
He is love

Great is the Lord
And worthy of glory
Great is the Lord
And worthy of praise
Great is the Lord
Now lift up your voice
Now lift up your voice
Great is the Lord
Great is the Lord

Great are you Lord
And worthy of glory
Great are you Lord
And worthy of praise
Great are you Lord
I lift up my voice
I lift up my voice
Great are you Lord
Great are you Lord

God’s words : 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.

Devotional : The context of this verse is found after Solomon had built and dedicated the temple to the Lord (2 Chronicles 6 and 7:1-10). God spoke these words to Solomon reminding him that if the people of God sinned, He would shut up heaven so that no rain would come as well as sending locusts to devour the land and sending plagues on the land. (2 Chron 7:13). 

However, if they did the things He commanded them, then He would hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. Although this verse applied to Israel, we can apply what Gods said to Solomon to our lives to help us live the kind of life He wants us to live. As we reflect on these principles, I believe we can apply them to our lives. which I believe will bring revival and personal transformation and wholeness if we live them out daily. 

Living out these principles is something we cannot do on our own it does require us opening out hearts and been honest with God and allowing the Holy spirit to work in our lives and living a disciplined life.

1. Humility: What does this mean and how do I put this in practice daily? Andrew Murry said, “Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you”. I need to daily ask God to shine the light in my heart to reveal any pride within me. 

Paul says in Ephesians 4:1-2 “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”. How does pride manifest in my life? How do I develop a life of humility? (reflect) The apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time”. To live a life of humility is to recognise who God is and who I am. 

2. Pray: I don’t think I realise how vital prayer is.  What I have discovered is that the prayerful person always reflects the presence of God. It’s amazing to think that when I pray God hears. 1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil”.  What’s my prayer life like and when I do pray, is my soul connected to God? (reflect)

3. Seeking the face of God: I suggest this means seeking to know God and looking to understand His character and wating to hear His voice. This comes through reading His word prayer and worship.  It says in Psalm 105:4 “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always”.  God wants me to seek him, to spend quality time with Him and grow to love and know what it’s in His heart. Something I need to reflect on is do I really seek God with all my heart? I know if seek Gods face with a heart that wants to love Him and honour Him, He will reveal all He is. One of God promises is that when we seek Him, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I want to seek Gods face not with a list but with a heart that wants to love and know Him”. Do I make time to really seek the face of God, if not why not? (reflect)

4. Turn from their wicked ways. This means that I need to forsake sin and embrace holiness. I thank God that when I turn away from sin in repentance God forgives. I need daily to ask God to shine the light in my heart to show me my sin and in response I need to repent. I thank God that He is merciful, full of grace and forgiveness we read in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. What I find so encouraging and sets me from feeling guilty and sinful is the truth that God forgives when we repent and confess our sins. I love Psalm 51 because it’s a cry from David asking God for forgiveness and mercy. 

David said in Psalm 51:1-2 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”. What does it reveal about God when he forgives? (Reflect). 

I am so grateful for God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness and His call for me to seek His face and to turn from my wicked ways. This is hard to do in my own strength. The apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness”.

Personal Prayers : 

Closing Prayer : Father God, I thank you for saving me and calling me to love and serve you, I ask you to help me to live according to your purposes and will for my life. Please continue to transform my life so that all I do will be pleasing to you. May your name be glorified in the life you have given me. Help me to reflect His presence and live out a life of humility, seeking God and living a life of repentance and faith.