DCLM Daily Manna 20 August 2022 — Useful beautiful garment

DCLM Daily Manna 20 August 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Useful beautiful garment

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TOPIC: USEFUL BEAUTIFUL GARMENT

TEXT: ISAIAH 52:1-8

1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

KEY VERSE: “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean” (ISAIAH 52:1).

MESSAGE:

An author wrote, “Unused money devalues, unused talent diminishes, unused time dies and unused knowledge becomes a burden. The tragedy of life isn’t the ultimate death but the resources that die within you when you are still alive.” Our world is littered with unused talents and resources. As the author rightly observed, many useful talents and ideas eventually go waste when not used on times.

Also Read: DCLM Daily Manna 19 July 2022 — God’s Invincible Army

The children of Israel were looking for external help when all they needed had been provided. So Isaiah challenged them to wake up to their responsibility. They must put on their hitherto unused beautiful garment and their strength. They must also awake from their despondency and distrust, break away from their slavery mentality and look unto God that was working for them hitherto. The prophet pointed out that they sold themselves cheap to the enemy and the Assyrians took advantage of them. God then promised to deliver them if they would return to Him.

Christians today are busy carrying out many good causes, but neglecting the primary task that Jesus gave them. We have all that we need but many are still waiting for a more convenient time to do the work of God.

The tragedy of unused garment or talent is that they soon lose their usefulness. The promised restoration of Zion would be a mirage if Israel would continue to sleep instead of making their ways right with God. Delay is dangerous for every saint and unused garment might soon be unusable by God.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Use what you have before it decays and loses its usefulness.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: DANIEL 1-2

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

GOSPEL REALM: STEPS TO SALVATION
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)