DCLM Higher Everyday 23 March 2023 — The fall of the famous
DCLM Higher Everyday 23 March 2023 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The fall of the famous
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TOPIC: THE FALL OF THE FAMOUS
TEXT: NEHEMIAH 13:23-27
23In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
24And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.
25And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
27Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
MEMORY VERSE: “Did not Solomon, king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin” (NEHEMIAH 13:26).
MESSAGE:
The famous man in our text who fell is King Solomon. He was like a hero with a character flaw in a tragic play. He had all things going fine for him, especially, wisdom, riches, fame, and great talents in poetry and administration. However, his tragic flaw was his love for strange women who eventually took his heart away from the Living God to the idols of his foreign wives. Our memory verse states it clearly … “even him did outlandish women cause to sin.”
Every Christian youth should learn one or two lessons from the fall of Solomon. Like Solomon, women seem to be the main cause of the backsliding of many Christian brothers in high schools and institutions of higher learning. Dr. Ben Carson said that the pressure from the ladies for sinful friendships both in high school and the university was so much that he had to push them away from himself physically. If he had not stood his ground against them, he possibly would not have become the best neurosurgeon in the world. Beloved youths, remember Diana!
QUOTE: Beloved youths, remember Diana!
CHALLENGE: Beware of sinful pleasures.
PRAYER: Oh God, help me to avoid all character flaws.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
