ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET; MONDAY 27TH NOVEMBER, 2023.
TEXT: HABAKKUK 2: 1 - 14.
SPIRITUAL FOCUS: THE LORD GOD HEARS PRAYERS.
Two days ago, in a study we heard the prophet Habakkuk praying to the Lord because he saw that the Chaldeans, the enemies of God's people, had defeated them and persecuted them.
Today, in our study, the Lord answered Habakkuk's prayer in a vision. This is indeed a great honor, and it is a joy to ask the Lord for answers. Habakkuk's experience assures us that there is a good relationship between the Lord and His people.
That is, every time they bring a complaint to Him, He will respond. It would be good to ask ourselves, Is this the case in our Churches and homes? If we say "yes", then we should thank God. But otherwise, brothers and sisters, we must work hard to have a good relationship with Him.
It is also always good to listen to the leadership of Christ Jesus in our affairs. Ahead of these we should know He is coming sooner than later. Therefore, let us pray always, without ceasing, for it is the key that brings us into the presence of the Lord.
Sadly, today there are many followers who do not pay attention to prayer. That is why they are unable to defeat the enemy. The Lord Jesus Christ left us a beautiful example. Do we pray as He prayed? (Mark 1: 35; Luke 6: 12; Matt. 26: 36 - 40).
Success in our Christian life depends on the amount of time we devote to prayer. Whenever we pray in faith, He will answer as He did with Elijah, Daniel, Hannah, and others.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Jesus Christ will return.
PRAYER: Lord God, I thank You for always hearing and responding to my prayers in Jesus' name, Amen.
HABAKKUK 2: 1 - 14 (GOOD NEWS).
1 I will climb my watchtower and wait to see what the Lord will tell me to say and what answer he will give to my complaint.
2 The Lord gave me this answer: “Write down clearly on clay tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance.
3 Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed.
4 And this is the message: ‘Those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous will live because they are faithful to God.’ ”
5 Wealth is deceitful. Greedy people are proud and restless — like death itself they are never satisfied. That is why they conquer nation after nation for themselves.
6 The conquered people will taunt their conquerors and show their scorn for them. They will say, “You take what isn't yours, but you are doomed! How long will you go on getting rich by forcing your debtors to pay up?”
7 But before you know it, you that have conquered others will be in debt yourselves and be forced to pay interest. Enemies will come and make you tremble. They will plunder you!
8 You have plundered the people of many nations, but now those who have survived will plunder you because of the murders you have committed and because of your violence against the people of the world and its cities.
9 You are doomed! You have made your family rich with what you took by violence, and have tried to make your own home safe from harm and danger!
10 But your schemes have brought shame on your family; by destroying many nations you have only brought ruin on yourself.
11 Even the stones of the walls cry out against you, and the rafters echo the cry.
12 You are doomed! You founded a city on crime and built it up by murder.
13 The nations you conquered wore themselves out in useless labour, and all they have built goes up in flames. The Lord Almighty has done this.
14 But the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the seas are full of water.
