Hello precious one, today I will be talking to you about God as our shepherd. Have you ever heard the word Shepherd?
It’s a name given to someone. So who is a shepherd and what does he/she do?
A shepherd is a person who tends sheep, his or her responsibility is to watch, keep, feed, and protect a sheep.
In the bible, we see on several occasions that it refers to God as a Shepherd and the bible also calls us God’s sheep.
Just like an earthly Shepherd, there are several responsibilities promised to us by God. Our father is “The good shepherd” and his sheep are always watched by him.
Let me show you a few places where the bible speaks about God as our shepherd and us as his sheep.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. –Psalms 100:3 (NIV)
Don’t you just love the word of God? The bible calls us God’s people, as in his very own, and then he says we are the sheep of his pasture.
Another verse is Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. –Psalms 23:1 (NIV)
This verse makes it a personal confession, God is ”my Shepherd”, as a result of this, I am not in lack of anything, he is responsible for my daily needs!
The last verse we will be looking at is found in Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. –Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
This verse declares that God carries us as his children, not only are we carried; he places us close to his heart, such that for anything to happen to us, that means God too will be affected.
Thank God we have a Good Shepherd who cares for us! Amen.
PRAYER: Father help me to know you as my Shepherd.
ACTION POINT: Make sure you take out time to pray this morning
DECLARATION: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Your spirituality is very important! It is very important to your advancement in life. Your spiritual life is a very important part of you.
Part of your activities to advance includes reviewing your spiritual life and asking yourself the following questions
1. Did you create a time for prayers? If yes, how well did you keep to this time? How long did you spend in prayers? Did you pray in the Holy Ghost and for how long?
2. How many times did you fast this year? From morning till afternoon? Morning till evening? Weekly? Monthly?
3. How many times did you attend church?
4. Do you serve in your church as a worker?
5. Did you pay tithes and give offerings?
6. How many times did you read the Bible? Or even opened it?
These are just some questions that can guide you in making better decisions concerning your spiritual life.
You must learn to deal with bad thoughts, because your thoughts create your words. How do your thoughts create your words?
For example, because someone stepped on your toes in class and refused to say sorry, you begin to dislike the person.
As you think those bad thoughts, the enemy tells you that you can act out those thoughts physically.
So if you wish for the person to trip and hit her head on the table, you could actually say it out loud.
You could say something nasty, that would make her cry of feel ashamed or something worse.
That’s how your thoughts affect your words. It’s like a volcano that is ready to erupt.
It spills out everything in it without any thought for those around it. It doesn’t care if its lava burns anyone.
More like you. You don’t care if your words hurt the other person. You feel hurt and just want to hurt the other person back.
You want them to feel as much pain as you do too. If not more than you do, as the case is sometimes.
Again you might argue that the other person caused it. Yes, they did you wrong but you had a responsibility to chose your words well.
Careless words stab like a wound. But wise words bring healing Prov. 12:18 ICB
The only way to show God how much you love Him is by obeying Him. Are you obeying God with your thoughts and words?
May God give you the grace to speak sweet and kind words to even those who hurt you. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, Jesus, I need your help with my words. Help me to deal with my thoughts so I can speak positive and life-giving words, even to those that offend me in Your mighty name I pray. Amen.
Action point: After dealing with your thoughts and words, how about apologizing to someone you said some unkind words to? Try it.
It’s time to learn what causes miracles! Hello dear child, trust you have had a lot to learn here so far! Today we’ll be looking at another interesting lesson from God’s word; it’s always good to learn directly from what the word of God says, rather than earthly wisdom.
Let’s go straight into God’s word!
In today’s devotional, I am going to be showing you how you can cause God to work miracles in your life and that of your loved ones.
The first miracle of Jesus was when he turned water to wine at a wedding at Cana of Galilee. Jesus came to ‘the recuse’ of the bride and groom, wine had just finished at their party, and the party was still very much on. Can you imagine that? Have you held a party before? It’s like someone announcing that food has finished at a birthday party when the party has just started and over a hundred people are yet to eat.
In the story, Jesus’ mother called his attention to the issue, but he wasn’t ready to do anything at that time, because it wasn’t yet time for his manifestation.
But Mary said something powerful to the disciples, and that’s where our lesson is from today.
The bible says in John 2:5;
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:5 (NIV)
Right after Mary said this, Jesus gave an instruction that didn’t make common sense, but just like Mary told the servants, they did what was told then. The end result of this was that water was turned into wine.
This miracle could only happen because those servants did as they were told, not minding whether it made sense or not, they obeyed!
As children of God we must learn to obey, this is how to get God to work miracles in our lives.
To be continued…
PRAYER: Lord Jesus help me to be an obedient child at all times; Amen.
ACTION POINT: Choose to always follow simple instructions
DECLARATION: I am a child of God; I am obedient at all times. The Holy Spirit is at work in my life helping me live a life of obedience at all times, amen.
Dear kid, you have the power to forgive. Now, your failure to forgive has made you unholy before God, which won’t make Him listen to or even answer your prayers.
That’s because when God looks at you, He sees the mark of sin on you – resentment, unforgiveness, hatred, and He can’t look at you like that.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. – Matthew 6:14-15
When you ask for forgiveness before you pray, it takes the mark of sin away from you.
Or even while praying and the Holy Spirit convicts your heart of unforgiveness, quickly forgive whoever you need to forgive so that your prayers might be answered.
When God sees your entire heart as unholy, He also sees your body as unholy too.
By allowing unforgiveness to stay in your heart, you are causing yourself more harm than good.
An unforgiving heart affects your entire body. It can cause you to have medical conditions.
Be holy today and forgive who you need to forgive.
Let’s look at this short story about Bimpe, as we seek to understand the God that answers prayers. Bimpe ensured that everyone around her felt her sadness and displeasure. She sighed sadly, squeezed her face, hissed many times, kept a low profile and didn’t give much attention when spoken to.
God had not answered her prayers. This was like the hundredth time she had asked for Sola, her friend, who was failing miserably at school. Her last test score was poor and the rest of the class made fun of her when the teacher announced the scores.
Wasn’t God supposed to answer prayers? Wasn’t He the All-Powerful and Great God? The All-Knowing, All-Seeing and All-Doing God? She couldn’t help but wonder why God didn’t want Sola to do well at school.
‘You have been sighing and frowning since you came back from school and all morning too,’ her mother said to her later that day. ‘What’s going on with you? Care to share?’
‘It’s God,’ Bimpe replied.
‘What about God?’
‘He didn’t answer my prayer.’
‘What have you been praying for?’
‘I have been asking Him to help Sola pass her exams and tests at school.’
‘And how do you know so?’ her mother asked again.
‘She failed the test again yesterday. Doesn’t God answer prayers anymore?’
‘Of course, He still answers prayers and will always do so.’
Her mother wondered why she would ask such a question.
Then why hasn’t He answered my prayers? Why is Sola still failing her tests?’
‘Is she studying as she should? Does she listen in class and understand her lessons?’
‘She does, mum. She sits beside me in class.’
‘Have you tried asking her what the problem is and maybe help her study after school?’
Bimpe paused and thought about this. She had never asked Sola that. ‘No, mommy. I have never asked her what the problem was.’
‘There goes your answered prayer.’
Have you ever felt like Bimpe? Apart from praying for someone, you can always ask them what the problem is and see if you can help. That can be your answered prayers sometimes.
We began an interesting topic some days back – understanding God as our ever-present help. And we are exploring Psalms 46:1-3. I told you I was going to take my time to explain the words in the scripture and help you understand what the bible was saying.
We started with “God is our refuge”
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. – Ps 46:1-3 NIV
The next phrase we will be considering says
God is our strength
The word strength can be defined as the quality or state of being strong. This simply means in God, there can never be any form of weakness.
This scripture comes to mind whenever you feel weak, inadequate, incapable, or inefficient. All you need to do at such times is to roll out this scripture over and over again until you literarily feel strength first on your inside, then in the physical.
See another verse of the bible that you can draw strength from.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4:13
Dear children, do not fret or feel weakened. The God you serve has promised to be a source of strength to you.
May I also add that the word strength can also mean a source of mental or emotional support. This implies God can be your source of support whenever you feel drained emotionally.
Face your day with this kind of confidence and you will see God come through for you.
Prayer: Dear Father, help me to always trust in your word. Amen.
Action point: Dedicate time to meditate on God’s word
Declaration: God is my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in trouble.
Learn how to know a good friend. Look at the following scenario and pick up lessons from it.
Ade didn’t say a word. He sat still and quiet while his friend cried. Tola, his best friend at school, just lost his dad and they were in his friend’s room right now.
Tola’s pillows were wet with his tears, the bed covers rough and halfway down on the floor.
His cries echoed throughout the room as he laid on the bed.
There was nothing Ade could do other than to sit and wait for his friend to talk when he felt like it.
Though deeply saddened to see his friend like this, there was nothing he could do, but to pray that God would comfort Tola for the loss and of course, stay by his side.
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. – Proverbs18:24
When a friend is in a state like Tola is, the only thing to do is pray for them like Ade is doing and ensuring that you are by them. Don’t try to talk unless they ask you to or do so themselves.
Never expect them to hurry out of their grief or tell them to. They need the time to grieve and mourn their loss as much as they have to.
All they need is your silence and presence. They need your support.
That is what is it means to hold the hand of a friend. You let them know that you are available for them. Your care doesn’t have to be in words but in action most times.
Only God will comfort them for their loss as the bible tells us.
May the Lord make you a good friend at all times. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, make me a good friend that will be there for my friends when they are in their lowest moments. Help me to hold their hands all through in Jesus name, amen.
Action plan: When next you see a friend going through a tough time, pray for and support them.
Your eyes are a gift from God to behold this beautiful and wonderful world – the earth, He created.
But the enemy has somehow found a way of introducing sin and evil into the world.
Through people on earth, many unholy things have almost become a norm in the world today.
Though your eyes are to see but not everything you see is good for your eyes. The bible tells us that
“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. – Matt. 6:22 NLT.
What you see affects your body. Witnessing a traumatic event affects your mind and body.
Also when you watch morally unfit videos it affects your body.
Watch out for videos or movies that show sexual content even if they have PG16 labels on them. Remember God is Holy and watching such videos or films is an unholy act.
Don’t be fooled by the words of your friends or people that watching it won’t affect you. It will.
The only safe way out of it is not to watch it and run away from friends, people, or situations that will want to make you do so.
It is better to obey God than to have the coolest friendships that will lead you to a lifetime of sexual depravity.
One way to know if what you are watching is bad is when you have to hide from others before you watch. That means you are not meant to watch it.
Remember, your eyes are a lamp for your body. They help to keep you from stumbling. Use them well just like you would use a lamp to see in the dark.
God bless and keep you safe in this dark world. Amen.
Prayer point: Lord, help me to keep my eyes safe from looking at things that I shouldn’t be looking at.
Action point: What have you been watching lately? If they are not in line with God’s, pray and ask God to help you overcome them. And tell your parents about it too.
Declaration: My eyes will not behold iniquity. I watch what I see.
One of the most amazing things about God is that he always has us covered, He is our ever-present help. In whatever situation or time, you can be sure God is watching and looking out for you and me.
Today, I will be talking to you about one of the many attributes of God.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. – Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV)
Wow! What a word. What an assurance.
Let’s pick up the words one after the other and analyze them.
God is our refuge!
The dictionary defines the word refuge as a place or state of safety from danger or trouble.
We all know how troubled the world is at this time. News of wars fill our television screen and social media waves. There is no guaranteed place of safety as the bible rightly says the heart of man is desperately wicked.
But here, God is assuring us that despite all the bad news we keep hearing daily, despite the failed system of government, despite the inadequacies of man, he is our refuge.
Are you in trouble? Do you think or feel what you have done is so enormous, that you cannot come out of it? Then run to God and he will deliver you.
God’s desire for us his children is to live life to the fullest, and all of these are represented in the bible as proof of his promises and commitment toward us.
Are you a child of God? If yes, then believe in his word and be rest assured that “God’s got you!”
To be continued.
Prayer: Dear Father, help me to always trust in your word. Amen.
Action point: Dedicate time to meditate on God’s word
Declaration: God is my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in trouble.
We will be examining the importance of family today. Your family members are your closest neighbours. They all love you and show this in many ways. Do you also show them the same love they show you?
The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.” – Mk 12:31 CEV
Family members are the most unappreciated folks. We tend to overlook their feelings and needs because we feel they won’t mind at all.
This is one reason why you shouldn’t take your family members for granted. Appreciate everything they do for you or give to you.
Showing appreciation tells them that you love and care for them. No matter how small their help might be, show some level of appreciation.
Have you ever wondered how adults become the professionals they are today? How did they choose their career path? How did your mom and dad become what they’re today? How did that person you admire so much become who he/she is today?
Well, it’s all about deciding what they wanted to do at a very early age, much like you are right now.
It’s never too early to seek God’s face.
Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
What do you want to become? An astronaut, software designer, boat builder, race car driver or a writer? It is all about what you like to do. What do you like to do?
Starting early to decide what you would like to become in future is important. You start to learn how to become it and go through every process involved.
The process will involve trainings, class lessons, exams and tests. You learn and then get tested before being certified as a professional.
Discover what you love to do and take all the necessary education you need. That’s how mommy and daddy did.
Be like Samuel in the bible who learned under the prophet Eli. Under the prophet’s supervision, Samuel grew into a great prophet that God used to speak to kings in Israel.
1 Samuel 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
May God show you what your passion is in Jesus name. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, help me to discover what I like to do and become in future. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Action plan: Start to note what you like doing. From there, you can discover your talents.
An interesting topic is before us today: I receive strength. Another wonderful bible verse you should learn is from the book of Philippians.
In chapter four and verse thirteen, you know what you can do as a follower of Christ.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13 KJV)
Imagine the possibilities you have access to do with this verse. The writer is showing you that you can do all you desire to as long as you have Jesus.
Your strength doesn’t come from you, your possessions, friends, families, or education. It comes from Jesus.
He gives you the strength to move on and accomplish everything you need to accomplish.
If there is a huge task or challenge in front of you, remember this verse. Say and believe it. Jesus will show you how to carry it out with ease.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t do your part. You pray and act according to the leading of Jesus.
It’s amazing to know that God thinks about you, isn’t it? Hello darling child, it’s another fun time to learn from God’s word, are you excited? I am and I hope you are too. Today I will be telling you how precious you are to God, I am sure it will bless your hearts.
Do you ever think about something, that you can’t get it off your mind for weeks? I know you do.
You think about the kind of birthday present you would love to have, your friends in school, your new clothes and lots more.
Just like you think about these things, God also thinks about you, your thoughts are in his heart all day long. He is thinking about your last prayer request, what he wants to give you next, and how his words can be more in your heart, God has it in his heart to keep you and your loved one safe and protected at all times. How amazing is that?
See what the bible says in the book of Psalms;
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. –Psalms 139:17-18 (KJV)
Not only is God always thinking about you, the bible says, these thoughts are precious, and they are great in number, meaning that it’s a lot of thoughts.
It also says they are more than the sand, wow! That’s a whole lot!
Let’s see another translation:
Your thoughts — how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them — any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! –Psalms 139:17-18 (MSG)
See how this translation puts it, God’s thoughts towards you are rear, beautiful, they can’t be comprehended, they can’t be counted.
Do you know what you should do with this reality? Just like the psalmist, arise every morning and live always with and for God, because he has a lot in store for you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus help me to know that you are always thinking of me. Amen.
Action Point: Choose to live for God.
Declaration: I am loved by God and my thoughts fill his heart.
Have you ever wondered what God’s Word will do for you? Alright, start by thinking about what a lamp does? It gives light to a dark area, right? Dark areas are beyond the physical dark places in your environment that require you to switch on the light or use a torch to see.
The unseen dark areas of your life include the times when you are unsure of what to do out of maybe confusion, fear, or pressure.
While in these dark places in your heart and mind, you need light and not a physical light but the light of God.
Divine light instantly lights up everywhere, driving out shadows and making you see well. This divine light is God’s word, the bible.
The psalmist in chapter 119 and verse 105 acknowledges what God’s word does for him.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105
This shows that with God’s word as your light, you won’t lose your footing. You won’t fall into any form of sin, fear, confusion, or bow down to any form of pressure from anyone to make you commit a sin. And even if you happen to want to fall, His word will still help you not to fall.
His word won’t let you fall for they will lighten up your path. They will give you an understanding of any situation you are facing at school, home, or anywhere.
His word will teach you how to handle the situation. He will guide you on what to say, do, or how to act.
God’s word is very powerful. Able to guide, teach and save you from any challenges you might have. His word is also able to show you how you could have managed past problems.
This way, when such situations rise up again, you already know how to handle them.
Remember this verse when you seem not to know what to do. Go into God’s word and let his light keep your feet firm and your path bright.
The habit of thanksgiving is good. In fact, it makes everyone around you want to do something for you, you know why? That’s because everyone loves to be appreciated.
Let me show you something interesting. Even the bible says we should give thanks in everything.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. KJV 1Thessalonia 5:18
Giving thanks is God’s will for us as his children. His desire is for us to be appreciative of everything and anything.
The bible says “in everything”, another translation says “in every circumstances.”
In essence, all the time is when we should give thanks.
Giving thanks or saying thank you shows you are a grateful person, and grateful people get more things, unlike someone that isn’t appreciative.
So many things happen when we give thanks, to God, our parents, friends and everyone.
1. You make the person receiving the thanks or appreciation happy
2. You get blessed the more. It’s very simple, if you say thank you for biscuits you’ll get more. Try it.
3. You can multiply what you have by giving thanks.
Remember Jesus, when he fed the five thousand, he gave thanks and broke the bread, then gave his disciples to share. He feed five thousand people and more with five loaves of bread and two fishes.
How do you learn this habit?
1. By asking the Holy Spirit to help you be a grateful person.
2. By thanking God all the time for what you have.
3. By being appreciative each time you get something.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be thankful always; Amen.
Action point: Study the word “gratitude”
Declaration: I am grateful to God. I thank my maker every day of my life.
Learning to treat people right is important. Do you like to be shoved away, kicked, punched, pinched, teased, mocked, bullied, and lied at? These are just some terrible things that can happen to you.
Other children or even adults can do these wicked things to you just because they can or they think you deserve it. How would you feel? Really ask yourself this question.
On the other hand, you could be the one doing these same unfair acts to other children.
Maybe in collaboration with other children, you could be bullying a classmate who has bushy eyebrows. You could mock them with a name like “the bush”, “bushbrows”, “bushy” or any other name you think is cool.
Do you think they would like that? Really ask yourself this.
You definitely won’t like to be on the receiving part and shouldn’t do that to another person. They also won’t like it. If you won’t like it, they most likely won’t like it too.
Jesus condemned treating people wrongly and told those around him to not do so. He was teaching them to value others with respect, love, and care.
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” – Luke 6:31
He was saying that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want to be treated well, treat people well. That’s the right thing to do.
May you receive the strength to treat people well. Amen.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I obey your command and will treat everyone well. Strengthen me for this task. Amen.
Action point: You can start by apologizing to the people you have treated badly in the past. Then begin to treat other people well.
As a Christian child you should have passion for God. You should be passionate for the things of God. You must burn with the desire to do things for Him.
The thought that it’s for God must push you more to do things that will bring glory to His name, make Him happy and be pleased with you.
How do you show your passion for God? It shows in your day-to-day activities at home, school, church and anywhere you visit or are.
If your passion for God reflects Him to other people around you, He is more than ready to bless you. You just won a spiritual jackpot!
That should be your number one goal. Wining souls for Him. And the more you do this, the more He gives you the grace to do more.
May the grace of our Lord be with you. May the passion for God and His things fill you u. Amen
Prayer: Lord, make me Passionate for You and everything that concerns You. Amen.
Action point: Read more about how to be passionate.
Understand that God’s word will not fail. Let’s look at the journey of the Israelites. After the death of Moses, the Israelites needed a new leader.
After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them- to give to the Israelites. (Joshua 1:1-2 NIV)
Moses died before he got to the Promised Land and God needed to fulfill His promise to Abraham. So, God chose Joshua to continue from where Moses had stopped.
Since he had been an aide to Moses, he was the best fit for the job of leading the descendants of Jacob to the promised land.
He also fought many wars to win land for his kinsmen. God also showed and used His great power during this period.
Through praise, he had the wall of Jericho fall down so that the Israelites could defeat the people of Jericho.
The Jordan also parted for the Israelites to walk through it just like the Red Sea, in the time of Moses.
The sun stood still so the Israelites could win their fight against the Amorites (chapter 10) and victories over many more battles.
It was in Joshua’s time that each tribe of Israel received their portion of the land promised them by God.
God was with Joshua just like He was with Moses. He did everything He promised. He gave provision and protection as always.
On any adventure, God always watches over His children.
