Devotionals – Salt and Light Ministries

September 22, 2021

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

SCRIPTURE: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates-all the Hittie country-to the Great Sea on the west.” (Joshua 1:3-4 NIV)

It was God’s purpose that the whole land should belong to the children of Israel. The conquest of Canaan was the special duty assigned to Joshua by God. Though their possessions extended not to the Euphrates, yet their dominions did, and all those lands were tributary to them in David’s and Solomon’s time. The precise territory of the land describes It described real land with real boundaries.

As believers, we are called to move ahead and step out, but it is God who is the ultimate giver of all things. Without His power and His ability working in us and through us we are not able to accomplish anything. God is a giver of the impossible. When we set our foot out to do what He has called us to do, He will GIVE us all that we need.
Wherever God guides, He always provides. He provides us with wisdom, knowledge, power, strength, skill, and endurance.

STAY BLESSED.
Rev. Dr. Joyce R. Aryee
(Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries)Salt and Light Ministries
P.O.Box AN 15007, Accra North
Contact: 0302 772013,026 8130 615/0243588467
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org

September 20, 2021

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

Joshua was a brilliant military leader and a strong spiritual influence, but the key to his success was his submission to God.
The Book of Joshua is divided into two main parts.
The first narrates the events surrounding the conquest of Canaan, and the second record the assignment and settlement of the captured territory.

Beloved in the Lord,
For the next couple of weeks, we’ll talk about THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, with today’s focus on, JOSHUA 1:1-2.

May the Holy Spirit minister deeply into our hearts, the message He has for us today.
Enjoy!

SCRIPTURE: “After the death of Moses the LORD’S servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, Moses, my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelite across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them”. (Joshua 1:1-2 NIV)

Joshua succeeded Moses as Israel’s leader. What qualifications did he have to become the leader of a nation?
1. God appointed him (Numbers 27:18-23)
2. He was one of only two living eyewitnesses to the Egypt plagues and as well as the Exodus from Egypt.
3. He was Moses’ personal aide for 40 years.
4. He was one of the 12 scouts sent to spy on the promised land, and only he and Caleb showed complete confidence that God would help them conquer the land of Canaan.
Because Joshua had assisted Moses for many years, he was well prepared to take over the leadership of the nation. Changes in leadership are common in any organization. At such times, a smooth transition is essential for the establishment of the new administration. This doesn’t happen unless new leaders are trained. If you are currently in a leadership position, begin preparing someone to take your place. If you want to be a leader, learn from others so that you will be prepared when the opportunities come.

September 15, 2021

OUR BODIES ARE USEFUL TO JESUS.

SCRIPTURE: “Do not offer the part of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the part of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.” (Romans 6: 13 NIV)

We are to offer various parts of our body to God. Paul says they can be “instruments for righteousness.”
Let us give ourselves completely to God, asking Him to put to good use for His glory. We are to bring glory to God with our bodies. If we want to know how valuable our life is to God, just look at the cross, with His arms outstretched, nailed to the cross, Jesus was saying, this is how valuable we are to Him, and we are priceless. When God puts His Spirit inside us, our body becomes a temple of His, a residence for His love. The day we become born again something significant happened to our life, another dimension has been added to our being. Our body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to build you up in the image and likeness of Christ to the glory of God. There is an ample reason why our body is called a “temple.” In the Bible, the temple was a place of worship, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, so every waking moment our body is to be a place where God is worshipped and God is honored.

Source: culled from, Sam Allberry: What God Has To Say About Our Bodies

September 9, 2021

THE PSALMS!

SCRIPTURE: “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:22 NIV)

David, brings his concerns and fears to God, asking Him to take care of the problems he’s facing. He knows he can trust God with the outcome. God has proven Himself before and will do so again. (Psalm 55:16-17).
Much of the time, what we care about is not entirely within our control. We can’t dictate the results of our best efforts; we can’t force our hopes to materialize, and we definitely can’t make someone we love healthy and happy by the sheer force of our will. When we try to control outcomes, we carry a burden too heavy for human shoulders to bear. What a relief it is to finally let go, to heave our heavy burden onto the strong back of the Lord. He promises to sustain our hearts and minds with His peace (Philippians 4:6-7). And no matter what He chooses to do with what concerns us, we have the assurance that His decisions are guided by His love for us (1 Peter 5:7).

September 8, 2021

PSALM 86:17

SCRIPTURE: “Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”(Psalm 86:17 NIV)

Is it wrong to ask God to show himself, to prove Himself, to give us a “sign” of His goodness?
The Israelites are rebuked and disciplined many times for putting God to the test, for insisting on more evidence of His goodness and power than He’s already abundantly provided (Psalm 78:41-51).

But here the psalmist’s motives are clearly not for his own benefit. He is not doubting God or demanding that the Lord demonstrate His character in a tangible way just so he will feel better. Rather, he wants the evidence of God’s loving presence to rebuke and shame the people who have no faith in the Almighty, to whom the psalmist owes his life. Like the prophet Micah, we need not hesitate to pray that God will help and honor us so that His glory will be revealed to the arrogant and unbelieving (Micah 7:8-10)

September 6, 2021

Psalm 141:3

SCRIPTURE: “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”(Psalm 141:3 NIV)

Have you ever wanted to retrieve words you just heard come out of your mouth-words better left unsaid, or even unthought? We’ve all experienced the discomfort, embarrassment, and repercussion of speaking when we should have kept our mouths shut. Sometimes our words have stung others with their poison, causing pain and destruction we later regret.
The News Testament writer James calls the tongue “a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). James takes the believer’s speech so seriously that he says our religion is “worthless” if we fail to keep our tongues under control (James 1:26).
The psalmist’s prayer here is clearly wise, a prayer we’d do well to emulate. Since we never know when foolish or sinful words will rush to the “door” of our lips, we need a divine sentry to keep constant watch. James agrees with the psalmist that we cannot tame our own tongues therefore we must rely on God to guard our mouths.

September 3, 2021

PSALM 37:4

SCRIPTURE: “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart”. (Psalm 37:4 NIV)

David expresses in his psalm a deep truth that he’s discovered: If he finds his life’s delight in the Lord, all his desires are fulfilled. To delight in someone is to find joy in their presence, to welcome their unique qualities, and to express pleasure in their company. When we make the Lord the object our delight, spending time in His presence and reveling in His character, our deepest heart’s desires gradually align themselves with His own. We discover that what we want is what He wants-and how delighted He is to honor our heart’s desire by keeping us in the center of His Will! As we believe in Him and grow to love Him more day by day, we will be “filled with inexpressible and glorious joy” for we will be enjoying the ultimate prize of our faith, the ultimate desire of our hearts: the eternal salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).

September 1, 2021

PSALM 23:2-3

SCRIPTURE: 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.” (Psalm 23:2-3 NIV)

The imagery in this snippet of the most known and beloved of all psalms could not be more soothing for women today. How often do we wish for nothing more than to “lie down,” to enjoy peace and quiet, to rest and revive in the midst of our harried lives?
If we think it is God who demands superhuman effort and impossible schedules, we are wrong. God wants us to move steadily forward on our journey through life (Psalm 84:5-7), but rest and refreshment along the way are an integral part of His plan. He makes us lie down in verdant, nourishing “pasture” of His presence. He does not leave us in the desert but leads us directly to the banks of quiet pools of refreshment-if only we will follow. When we cooperate with the rejuvenating rhythms He has ordained for us each day, we will be physically, emotionally, and spiritually restored so that we can renew our pilgrimage and follow Him for eternity.

August 26, 2021

PSALM 22:1

SCRIPTURE: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?.” (Psalm 22 :1 NIV)

Part of the human condition is to encounter moments or seasons when God seems far, far away. We all experience the “dark night of the soul” at some point in our lives, and it is black indeed.
How fortunate we are, however, to have a record of people who have felt exactly the same way, with the added benefit of knowing how their stories turn out. Many times David feels utterly dejected, forsaken by God, and overwhelmed by life. But time after God’s mercy and faithfulness prevail; David’s laments are eventually swallowed up in praise and thanksgiving.

Our ultimate encouragement comes from Jesus Christ Himself whose last Words on earth (other than the final, triumphant cry, “it is finished) are the same words of despair. In bearing our sin, He is crushed and momentarily separated from His Father. But His glorious destiny is sure, as is ours.

Never again will anything or anyone have the power to separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:31-38)

August 26, 2021

PSALM 20:7

SCRIPTURE: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV)

David leads and engages in many military battles in his lifetime, he is equally well acquainted with the moral battles common to us all. In any altercation with an enemy, be it physical or spiritual, David’s confidence is not in himself or his resources, but in the power and authority of the Lord. When he is a mere boy, facing the giant Goliath, he proclaims that “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47) He knows he is no match for the Philistine; he doesn’t boast in his own strength or weaponry. (1Samuel 17:45) Instead, he has absolute confidence in his victorious God. In that early face-off and during the battles throughout his life, David recalls his conviction that only God’s strength and resources can be fully trusted.
When we encounter spiritual battles in our own lives, we can use David’s proclamations of faith to remind ourselves who rules the battleground. Satan may launch all his powers of darkness against us, but God will have the victory. Depend on it!