Take Responsibility!

 

KEY VERSE: Galatians 6:4-5 

“It may not be your fault; but you’ve got to take responsibility.”

 

Written By Ben Dankaka

Many people are unaware of the benefits of taking responsibility over everything that goes wrong in their lives. You may not be responsible for all the things that have gone bad. But if you want to correct the wrongs, then you have to take responsibility. When you don’t take charge over the things that went wrong in your life, you will lack the ability to correct the wrongs. Instead of fixing the things that caused you pain in the past, you would go about wasting time, looking for who to blame. You can’t get ahead with that kind of mentality.

Think of what happened to Judas and Peter. Both of them failed their Master. They both felt pained and remorseful afterwards. But when Judas returned to the Chief Priests with the money he had been given, they said, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.” Instead of taking responsibility, Judas threw the money back to them. Then he went away and hanged himself. Peter acted differently when he denied Jesus three times. After realizing his mistake, he wept bitterly and then took responsibility as he went back to correct his mistakes and to become the leader of the Church.

Prayer/Confession: As l correct my mistakes, I’ll take responsibility. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Luke 22:54-62; Matthew 27:1-5

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Obey!

 

KEY VERSE: Luke 24:49  

“Do what God is asking you to do.”

 

Written By Ben Dankaka

When the two angels who had been assigned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah led Lot’s family out of the city, they gave them specific instructions. Although the angels were interested in rescuing Lot and his family, there was a limit to what they could do for them. For instance, the angels were able to take Lot’s wife out of Sodom. But they couldn’t stop her from going against their instruction. In other words, the angels couldn’t control her willpower. For the rescue mission to be successful, Lot’s family had their own role to play.

Many believers are ignorant of the power they have over their destinies. The angels had said to Lot’s family, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”. Based on their instructions, Lot and his family had to choose, whether to run or be swept away by the fire. Even though, God plans to take you to another level, you would have to play your own part. Perhaps, what you need to do at this point of your life is to simply obey God. Do what God is asking you to do.

 

Prayer/Confession: Dear Lord, I am willing to do whatever You want me to do. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 19: 15-17; Matthew 9:9

You can download a FREE copy of Shepherd Daily Devotional - January 2022

 

 

Don't Look Back

 

KEY VERSE: Proverbs 4:25 

“If your eyes are fixed on what is behind you, you wouldn’t know what is in front of you.”

 

Written By Ben Dankaka

Have you ever wondered why our eyes aren’t positioned at the back of our heads? Among other reasons, God placed our eyes on our faces so we can have the ability to move forward. If our eyes weren’t situated in front of our heads, we wouldn’t be able to advance. Therefore, we must realize that what we do with our eyes can either slow down or speed up our progress. If your eyes are fixed on what is behind you, would you know what is in front of you?

Moments before the city of Sodom was punished, the two angels who had been assigned with the task had hurriedly led Lot’s family out of the town and left them with a strange warning, “Don’t look back”. But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Perhaps, her disobedience was due to an emotional attachment to a life she was leaving behind. Whatever her reasons might have been, she got stuck because she looked back. One of the consequences of dwelling on your past is immovability. She looked back into her past and lost the chance to get into a future that God had prepared for her. As you leave your past, don’t look back. 

 

Prayer/Confession: My eyes are fixed on the promises of God. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Genesis 19:15-26

You can download a FREE copy of Shepherd Daily Devotional - January 2022

 

 

Leave the Past

 

KEY VERSE: Luke 9:62

“To move forward in life, you might have to let go of some the things you currently cherish.”

 Written by Ben Dankaka

Sometimes, the things we hold on to, are the very things that prevent us from moving forward. For instance, you can’t sleep on two beds at the same time. In order to use a new bed, you have to let go of the old one. Getting rid of the old bed may be necessary as you might not have enough space to keep the two beds in the same room. Equally, there may be things in your life that are currently occupying the space intended for the new things that God wants to bring into your life.

As Moses was leading the Israelites, he asked his brother-in-law, Hobab to accompany them so he could be their guide in the wilderness. Hobab answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.” But Moses persuaded him, with promises of a better life. So, Hobab found himself in a tight spot: To forgo his past or embrace the promise? It is not clear whether Hobab agreed but it seems that he might have remained with Moses (Judges 1:16). To move forward, you might have to let go of some of the things you now cherish.

 

Prayer/Confession: I will move forward and let go of the past. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Numbers 10:29-33; Judges 1:16

You can download a FREE copy of Shepherd Daily Devotional - January 2022

 

 

Forget the Past

KEY VERSE:  Philippians 3:12

“You can’t move forward and backward at the same time.”

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

After going through terrible experiences in the hands of Babylonians, God said to the people of Judah, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past”. But that wasn’t an easy thing to do. These were people who had been banished from their own country and had lost everything they owned. Yet, God wanted them to forget the past. Why would God ask them to do that? After telling the people to forget the past, God went on to say, “See, I am doing a new thing!”

When God is about to do a new thing in your life, He would expect you to lose your grip on the past. God knew that if the people of Judah didn’t forget their pain, they wouldn’t be able to see the promise. By not forgetting the bitter experiences, they would be unable to experience the joy that God was bringing into their lives. To experience the joy that God is bringing into your life, you have to forget the pain of yesteryears. In life, you can’t move forward and backward at the same time. Forget what happened in your past, make use of the present and wait on God’s promises.

 

Prayer/Confession: Father, thank you for replacing my pains with Your promises. Amen.

 

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY:

Isaiah 43: 18-19

You can download a FREE copy of Shepherd Daily Devotional - January 2022

 

Learning from Crisis

 

“Let that crisis become an opportunity for you to reinvent yourself.”

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

We don’t have to blame ourselves for every crisis that shows up in our lives. Crises may come into our lives through no fault of ours. For instance, you are not the reason why someone you loved died or why your country is in economic crisis.  There are times that troubles would meet you even while you were minding your own business. If you are currently going through a crisis, sharpen your senses because you are about to learn something new. While crises can be painful, they also have some benefits because no one goes through a crisis without growing.

The crisis you are going through will move you from where you’ve been to the place God wants you to be. Let that crisis become an opportunity for you to reinvent yourself in a positive way. Perhaps, the current crises in your life is designed to build you up. If David hadn’t experienced calamities, he wouldn’t have been inspired to write some of the Psalms he composed. One time, David cried out to God, “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71). Like David, learn from the crises in your life.

 

Prayer/Confession: I will outgrow my current challenges. Help me, Lord. Amen.

 

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 38:17; Psalm 119:71

You can download a FREE copy of Shepherd Daily Devotional - January 2022

 

Stay Strong!

 

God will move you from where you’ve been to the place, He wants you to be.

 

Don’t blame yourself for every crisis. A crisis might come through no fault of yours. While crises can be painful, they have benefits. No one goes through a crisis without growing because God can move you from where you’ve been to the place, He wants you to be.

Perhaps, the crisis in your life is designed to bring you closer to God.

One time, David said, “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71). If David hadn’t experienced calamities, he wouldn’t have been close to God. Stay strong!

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

Don’t quit!

Challenges don’t quit.

As you work on your goals, day after day, there will be days you won’t feel like moving on.  Realize that the challenges of life never go on break.  Don’t think there would ever be a time when everything will be perfect. It never will. The world that we live in, is not perfect.

Recall that Jesus was constantly conflicted by challenges, from the time He was born till the day He died. Life itself is a challenge. Each day, confront it with the mind of a warrior.

Never quit!

Written by Ben Dankaka

 

 

 

 

Fight Your Battles

You are meant to fight your own battles.

 

The Apostle Paul said to Timothy, his protégé, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Paul used the letter “I” three times in that statement. That means, he wasn’t referring to a group fight. But the personal struggles he had to go through in life. Clearly, Paul wasn’t the kind of Christian who ran away from his problems. Though he experienced a lot of travails, He fought really hard and eventually won every battle that the enemy brought his way. Isn’t it interesting that even though he was highly talented and anointed, life still hit him hard with challenges?

I don’t know what you are currently go through. Whatever it is, realize that your personal battles won’t go away until you fight to a standstill. Keep fighting.

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

It’s Up to You

 

Your mind is in your hands.

 

There are Christians who wouldn’t mind to ask Jesus to do everything for them. Instead of serving Him, they would rather have Jesus serve them. Each morning, they would expect Jesus to wake them up and then drag them out of bed and tell them what to do.

If that is what is expected of Christ, then why did He say to His disciples, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

If it is His job to do EVERYTHING for us, why did He give us the key? The very act of giving us the key suggests we are all expected to take charge over life’s challenges. You have a powerful mind inside of you. Use it.

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

The Power of a Focused Mind

A double-minded person cannot win a battle.

Believe it or not, your mind plays an important role in any kind of battle. A double-minded person cannot win a battle.

When Moses gave his farewell address in the book of Deuteronomy, he said, “The officers shall say to the army: Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it” (Deuteronomy 20:5). Why did he say that? Moses knew that if a soldier goes into a battle with thoughts of an unfinished project in his mind, he will be unable to face the enemy at the same time.

To overcome adversity, your mind needs to be focused, even if it seems there’s no hope. And every battle begins in the mind. Your mind actually determines the direction of your mental and physical strength. 

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

Change Your Mind

 

Nothing changes until you change your thoughts.

 

In the parable of the lost son, Jesus shared a story of a man who had two sons. The younger one demanded for his share of inheritance and left home. After he had spent everything on reckless living, an economic recession hit his country. To survive, he had to work in a farm where he was assigned to feed pigs.

This went on until one fateful day when he suddenly realized that while he was starving to death, the servants in his father’s house had food to spare. So, he got up and returned to his father, who restored his position in the family.

In Luke’s account of this story, you would notice that the son didn’t arrive at that decision until “he came to his senses” (Luke 15:11-32 - NIV). This story illustrates the power of the mind. Nothing changes until you change your thoughts.

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

God’s Mind – Part Two

 

Change your mind on that matter.

 

I have heard people say, “I won’t change my mind.” You hear that often whenever a person refuses to forgive. For such people, being tough means, they have to be unchangeable and rigid. So, they never change their minds and attitude towards their offenders. That kind of attitude is ungodly.

In case, you still think God doesn’t change His mind; recall what transpired between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman. The woman begged Jesus to drive a demon out of her daughter. Initially, Jesus didn’t want to do it. But when He saw the woman’s faith, He changed His mind.

The Psalmist says, “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” Because our God is compassionate and merciful, He forgives (Psalm 145:8).

Change your mind on that matter!

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

God’s Mind – Part One

Do you act like God?

 

Does God change His mind? While there are Christians who believe that God changes His mind, there are those who disagree. Remarkably, each of this group backup their claims with Scriptures.

Interestingly, each of these contrasting positions is correct but then, they are often quoted out of context.

Anytime the Bible mentions God’s unchanged mind, it refers to His integrity or nature. God is by nature, unchangeable. Unlike man, God doesn’t mature or grow. Also, because of His integrity, God does not break a promise. It was based on this context that Balaam affirmed God’s unchangeable character. (Exodus 32:1-14; Hebrews 7:21-22)

 But when it comes to empathy and forgiveness, God changes His mind (Jonah 3:10).

 Do you act like God?

 

Written by Ben Dankaka

Sarah’s Intentions

 

As you walk with God, some of your closest allies might mislead you.

 

When Sarah asked Abraham to have a child with her maidservant, she actually thought it would solve their problem. Sarah’s suggestion was a sincere plan, intended to help her and Abraham fulfill their dream (Genesis 16:2).

Apparently, Sarah couldn’t have had the kind of faith Abraham had because she wasn’t the one who held the vision. If God had showed Sarah the same thing, He showed Abraham she wouldn’t have doubted.

In your walk with God, you might encounter people who would play the same role as Sarah. They are often the closest to you. Because they have ties with you, whatever vision God lays on you will affect them. These people may not understand God’s plan for you. So, forgive them if they give the wrong advice.

 

Written by Ben Dankaka