A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD
THE SEED
“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6: 16 NIV
At the age of ninety-nine, the Lord instructed Abram to walk faithfully and be blameless. The Lord promised to make a covenant with Abram, and greatly increase his descendants. God established the covenant, changed his name to Abraham, and promised to make him fruitful and that he would be the father of many nations. One popular hymn says “O for a closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame, A light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb”. God desires a deep relationship with us. Once we are saved through Jesus Christ, we have become God’s own. Jesus prayed to God on our behalf that “All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory”. The forgiveness of sin that you received at salvation is enough to make you stand. According to the song, a closer walk will draw your hearts close to God and those things we used to do before becoming born again will no longer appeal to us. However, if we accept Jesus as our Lord and saviour, who has already committed us to His Father’s hand; while still being uncommitted to the relationship, walking on the road to polluting the close walk with Him by keeping contact with old worldly friends, harbouring and practising evils can put our companionship with God at stake. On the other hand, staying close will yield blessings, as it did for Abraham and your song can continually be “Abraham’s blessings are mine”.
BIBLE READING: Genesis 17: 1-8
PRAYER: Dear Lord, support me when I am taking steps daily with you and uphold me with your mighty hand.
BIBA OLORUN RIN NI TIMOTIMO
IRUGBIN NAA
“Majẹmu wo ni ó wà laarin tẹmpili Ọlọrun ati awọn oriṣa? Nítorí àwa ni tẹmpili Ọlọ́run alààyè. Gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ọlọ́run ti wí: “Èmi yóò máa gbé pẹ̀lú wọn, èmi yóò sì máa rìn láàárín wọn, èmi yóò sì jẹ́ Ọlọ́run wọn, wọn yóò sì jẹ́ ènìyàn mi.” 2 Kọ́ríńtì 6:16
Nígbà tí ó pé ọmọ ọdún mọ́kàndínlọ́gọ́rùn-ún, Jèhófà sọ fún Ábúrámù pé kó máa rìn ní òtítọ́, kí ó sì jẹ́ aláìlẹ́bi. Olúwa ṣèlérí láti bá Abramu dá majẹmu, yóò sì pọ̀ sí i ní ìran rẹ̀. Ọlọ́run dá májẹ̀mú náà múlẹ̀, ó yí orúkọ rẹ̀ pa dà sí Ábúráhámù, ó sì ṣèlérí pé òun yóò mú un bí sí i àti pé òun yóò jẹ́ baba orílẹ̀-èdè púpọ̀. Orin kan ti o gbajumọ sọ pe “O fun rin ni isunmọ pẹlu Ọlọrun, fireemu idakẹjẹ ati ọrun, Imọlẹ lati tan si ọna ti o mu mi lọ si ọdọ Ọdọ-Agutan”. Ọlọ́run fẹ́ ní àjọṣe tó jinlẹ̀ pẹ̀lú wa. Ni kete ti a ba ni igbala nipasẹ Jesu Kristi, a ti di ti Ọlọrun. Jésù gbàdúrà sí Ọlọ́run nítorí wa pé: “Gbogbo àwọn tí í ṣe tèmi jẹ́ tìrẹ, ìwọ sì ti fi wọ́n fún mi, nítorí náà wọ́n fi ògo fún mi.” Idariji ẹṣẹ ti o gba ni igbala ti to lati jẹ ki o duro. Gẹ́gẹ́ bí orin náà ṣe sọ, rírìn tí ó túbọ̀ sún mọ́ Ọlọ́run yóò mú ọkàn yín sún mọ́ Ọlọ́run, àwọn ohun tí a máa ń ṣe tẹ́lẹ̀ kí a tó di àtúnbí kò sì ní fani mọ́ra mọ́. Sibẹsibẹ, ti a ba gba Jesu ni Oluwa ati Olugbala wa, ẹniti o ti fi wa le Baba Rẹ lọwọ; lakoko ti o tun jẹ alaigbagbọ si ibatan naa, ti nrin ni ọna lati sọ di alaimọ ti rin sunmọ pẹlu Rẹ nipa titọju olubasọrọ pẹlu awọn ọrẹ atijọ ti aye, gbigbe ati ṣiṣe awọn ibi, awọn ipo ẹlẹṣẹ ati itiju yoo gbiyanju lati fa wa pada. Ìwọ̀nyí lè fi ìbákẹ́gbẹ́pọ̀ wa pẹ̀lú Ọlọ́run sínú ewu. Ní ọwọ́ kejì ẹ̀wẹ̀, dídúró ṣinṣin yóò mú ìbùkún wá, gẹ́gẹ́ bí ó ti ṣe fún Ábúráhámù àti pé orin rẹ lè máa bá a nìṣó“Tèmi ni ìbùkún Ábúráhámù.”
BIBELI KIKA: Jẹ́nẹ́sísì 17:1-8
ADURA: Oluwa ọwọn, ṣe atilẹyin fun mi nigbati mo ba n gbe igbesẹ lojoojumọ pẹlu rẹ ki o si fi ọwọ agbara rẹ gbe mi duro. Amín.