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Devotional guides, Accra (2026)

10/05/2024

*Good Morning*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Friday, May 10, 2024

*TRYING TO SAVE OURSELVES*

READ: Ephesians 2:1-10
```It is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8```

Many years ago, New York City launched a “Stay Safe. Stay Put” ad campaign to educate people on how to stay calm and be safe when trapped in an elevator. Experts reported that some trapped passengers had died when they tried to pry open the elevator doors or attempted exiting by some other means. The best plan of action is to simply use the alarm button to call for help and wait for emergency responders to arrive.

The apostle Paul spelled out a very different type of rescue plan—one to help those trapped in the downward pull of sin. He reminded the Ephesians of their utter spiritual helplessness—being truly “dead in [their] . . . sins” (Ephesians 2:1). They were trapped, obeying the devil (v. 2), and refusing to submit to God. This resulted in them being the subject of God’s wrath. But He didn’t leave them trapped in spiritual darkness. And those who believe in Jesus, the apostle wrote, “by grace . . . have been saved” (vv. 5, 8). A response to God’s rescue initiative results in faith. And faith means we’ll give up on trying to save ourselves and call on Jesus to rescue us.

By God’s grace, being rescued from sin’s trap doesn’t originate with us. It’s “the gift of God” through Jesus alone (v. 8).

— Marvin Williams

*Why can’t you save yourself from sin’s trap? How has God provided what you need to be saved?*

_Dear God, I’m so grateful that when I was trapped in sin and tried to save myself, You initiated my rescue and sent a Savior to free me._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

Many years ago, New York City launched a “Stay Safe. Stay Put” ad campaign to educate people on how to stay calm and be safe when trapped in an elevator.

08/05/2024

*Good Morning*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Wednesday, May 8, 2024

*EYES TO SEE*

READ: 2 Kings 6:15-23
```Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” 2 Kings 6:17```

Joy was concerned for her relative Sandy, who for years had struggled with alcoholism and mental-health issues. When she went to Sandy’s apartment, the doors were locked, and it appeared vacant. As she and others planned their search for Sandy, Joy prayed, “God, help me to see what I’m not seeing.” As they were leaving, Joy looked back at Sandy’s apartment and saw the tiniest movement of a curtain. In that moment, she knew that Sandy was alive. Although it took emergency assistance to reach her, Joy rejoiced in this answered prayer.

The prophet Elisha knew the power of asking God to reveal to him His reality. When the Syrian army surrounded their city, Elisha’s servant shivered in fear. Not the man of God, however, for with God’s help he glimpsed the unseen. Elisha prayed that the servant too would see, and “the Lord opened the servant’s eyes” to see “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:17).

God lifted the veil between the spiritual and physical worlds for Elisha and his servant. Joy believes God helped her see the tiny flicker of the curtain, giving her hope. We too can ask Him to give us the spiritual vision to understand what’s happening around us, whether with our loved ones or in our communities. And we too can be agents of His love, truth, and compassion.

— Amy Boucher Pye

*How could you ask God to open your eyes to His truth concerning situations that weigh you down? How has He revealed His reality to you previously?*

_Father of all mercies, please open my eyes to see Your love and grace that I might share it with others._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

Joy was concerned for her relative Sandy, who for years had struggled with alcoholism and mental-health issues.

06/03/2024

*Good Morning* 🇬🇭

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

*DOING GOOD FOR GOD*

READ: Titus 3:4–8
```Remind the people . . . to be ready to do whatever is good. Titus 3:1```

Though he didn’t normally carry money with him, Patrick sensed God was leading him to tuck a five-dollar bill in his pocket before leaving home. During the lunch hour at the school where he worked, he understood how God had prepared him to meet an urgent need. In the midst of the lunchroom buzz, he heard these words: “Scotty [a child in need] needs $5 to put on his account so he can eat lunch for the rest of the week.” Imagine the emotions Patrick experienced as he gave his money to help Scotty!

In Titus, Paul reminded believers in Jesus that they weren’t saved “because of righteous things [they] had done” (3:5), but they should “be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good” (v. 8; see v. 14). Life can be full, extremely busy, and hectic. Attending to our own well-being can be overwhelming. Yet, as believers in Jesus, we’re to be “good-works ready.” Rather than being overwhelmed by what we don’t have and can’t do, let’s think about what we do have and can do as God helps us. In doing so, we get to help others at the point of their needs, and God is honored. “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

— Arthur Jackson

*What can hinder good-works readiness in your life? How can you reorder your life to be available for helping people who are in need?*

_Dear Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve ignored opportunities to do good. Help me to be more available to help others._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽❤️🙌🏽

Though he didn’t normally carry money with him, Patrick sensed God was leading him to tuck a five-dollar bill in his pocket before leaving home.

05/03/2024

*Good Morning*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

*GOD’S GREATER POWER*

READ: Judges 7:7–8, 16–22
```The Lord said, . . . I have given you victory over them! Judges 7:9 nlt```

In March 1945, the “Ghost Army” helped US forces achieve the Rhine River crossing—giving the allies a vital base to operate from on World War II’s Western Front. The soldiers were most definitely human, not apparitions, all part of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. On this occasion, the 1,100-man team imitated 30,000 men by using inflatable decoy tanks, blasting troop and vehicle sound effects over speakers, and more. The relatively small number of Ghost Army members led the enemy to fear what appeared to be a far greater force.

The Midianites and their allies also trembled before a tiny army that loomed large in the night (Judges 7:8–22). Gideon, a judge and military leader of Israel, was used by God to make his puny army a source of terror for the enemy. They also used sound effects (blown trumpets, smashed clay jars, human voices) and visible objects (blazing torches) to make the vast enemy—as “thick as locusts” (v. 12)—believe they were facing a colossal foe. Israel defeated their enemy that night with an army whittled down from 32,000 men to just 300 by God’s command (vv. 2–8). Why? Because that made it clear who truly won the battle. As God told Gideon, “I have given you victory over them!” (v. 9 nlt).

When we feel weak and inferior, let’s seek God and rest in His strength alone. For His “power is made perfect in [our] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

— Tom Felten

*What big foes or challenges are you facing? How can you rest in God’s power as you confront them?*

_Dear Jesus, let me find Your strength in my weakness._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

In March 1945, the “Ghost Army” helped US forces achieve the Rhine River crossing—giving the allies a vital base to operate from on World War II’s Western Front.

04/03/2024

*Buenos Dias*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Monday, March 4, 2024

*JESUS DWELLS WITHIN*

READ: Ephesians 3:14–20
```Then Christ will make his home in your hearts. Ephesians 3:17 nlt```

As a blizzard bore down on my state in the western United States, my widowed mother agreed to stay with my family to “ride out” the storm. After the blizzard, however, she never returned to her house. She moved in, dwelling with us for the rest of her life. Her presence changed our household in many positive ways. She was available daily to provide wisdom, advice to family members, and share ancestral stories. She and my husband became the best of friends, sharing a similar sense of humor and love of sports. No longer a visitor, she was a permanent and vital resident—forever changing our hearts even after God called her home.

The experience recalls John’s description of Jesus—that He “dwelt among us” (John 1:14 kjv). It’s a compelling description because in the original Greek the word dwelt means “to pitch a tent.” Another translation says, He “made his home among us” (nlt).

By faith, we also receive Jesus as the One who dwells in our hearts. As Paul wrote, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:16–17 nlt).

Not a casual visitor, Jesus is an empowering permanent resident of all who follow Him. May we open wide the doors of our hearts and welcome Him.

— Patricia Raybon

*What does it mean for you to open your heart to Christ? How can you make Him more welcome?*

_As You live in my heart, loving Jesus, make me more like You._

Learn more about the life of Jesus @

Back to Course Life of Christ 0% Complete 0/0 Steps Lesson One Getting to Know Who's Who 3 Activities | 1 Assessment Overview and Objectives Reading Lecture Quiz Lesson Two Beginnings to Baptism 3 Activities | 1 Assessment Overview and Objectives Reading Lecture Quiz Lesson Three Introducing the Son...

01/03/2024

*Good Morning*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Friday, March 1, 2024

*OWNER OR STEWARD?*

READ: Psalm 50:7–15
```Every animal of the forest is mine. Psalm 50:10```

“Am I an owner or a steward?” The CEO of a multibillion-dollar company asked himself that question as he weighed what was best for his family. Concerned about the temptations that can come with vast wealth, he didn’t want to burden his heirs with that challenge. So he gave up ownership of his company and placed 100 percent of the voting stock in a trust. Recognizing that everything he owns belongs to God helped him make the decision to allow his family to earn a living in exchange for work while also using future profits to fund Christian ministry.

In Psalm 50:10, God tells His people, “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” As the Creator of all things, God owes us nothing and needs nothing from us. “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,” He says (v. 9). He generously provides everything that we have and use as well as the strength and the ability to earn a living. Because He does, as the psalm shows us, He’s worthy of our heartfelt worship.

God owns everything. But because of His goodness, He even chose to give Himself, entering into a relationship with any who turn to Him. Jesus “did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we value the Giver over the gifts and serve Him with them, we’re blessed to delight in Him forever.

— James Banks

*What has God given you that you’re grateful for? How can you serve Him with it?*

_You made everything, faithful Creator. Please help me to live my life as a gift from You today._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

“Am I an owner or a steward?” The CEO of a multibillion-dollar company asked himself that question as he weighed what was best for his family.

29/02/2024

*Good Morning*😎

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Thursday, February 29, 2024

*EVEN LEVITICUS*

READ: Leviticus 13:1–8
```You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy. Leviticus 20:26```

The topic was Leviticus, and I had a confession to make. “I skipped a lot of the reading,” I told my Bible study group. “I’m not reading about skin diseases again.”

That’s when my friend Dave spoke up. “I know a guy who believed in Jesus because of that passage,” he said. Dave explained that his friend—a doctor—had been an atheist. He decided that before he completely rejected the Bible, he’d better read it for himself. The section on skin diseases in Leviticus fascinated him. It contained surprising details about contagious and noncontagious sores (13:1–46) and how to treat them (14:8–9). He knew this far surpassed the medical knowledge of that day—yet there it was in Leviticus. There’s no way Moses could have known all this, he thought. The doctor began to consider that Moses really did receive his information from God. Eventually he put his faith in Jesus.

If parts of the Bible bore you, well, I’m with you. But everything it says is there for a reason. Leviticus was written so the Israelites would know how to live for and with God. As we learn more about this relationship between God and His people, we learn about God Himself.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” wrote the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3:16). Let’s read on. Even Leviticus.

— Tim Gustafson

*What sections of the Bible bore you or seem irrelevant? How can you learn to recognize their value?*

_Father, teach me how to appreciate the Bible. Let every part speak to me._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

The topic was Leviticus, and I had a confession to make. “I skipped a lot of the reading,” I told my Bible study group. “I’m not reading about skin diseases again.”

22/12/2023

*Good Night*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Thursday, December 21, 2023

*THE LIGHT OF HOPE*

READ: Psalm 42
```Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11```

My mother’s shiny red cross should have been hanging next to her bed at the cancer care center. And I should have been preparing for holiday visits between her scheduled treatments. All I wanted for Christmas was another day with my mom. Instead, I was home . . . hanging her cross on a fake tree.

When my son Xavier plugged in the lights, I whispered, “Thank You.” He said, “You’re welcome.” My son didn’t know I was thanking God for using the flickering bulbs to turn my eyes toward the ever-enduring Light of Hope—Jesus.

The writer of Psalm 42 expressed his raw emotions to God (vv. 1–4). He acknowledged his “downcast” and “disturbed” soul before encouraging readers: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (v. 5). Though he was overcome with waves of sorrow and suffering, the psalmist’s hope shone through the remembrance of God’s past faithfulness (vv. 6–10). He ended by questioning his doubts and affirming the resilience of his refined faith: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (v. 11).

For many of us, the Christmas season stirs up both joy and sorrow. Thankfully, even these mixed emotions can be reconciled and redeemed through the promises of the true Light of Hope—Jesus.

— Xochitl Dixon

*How has Jesus helped you process grief while celebrating Christmas? How can you support someone who’s grieving this season?*

_Dear Jesus, thank You for carrying me through times of grief and joy all year round._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽💪🏽🙌🏽

My mother’s shiny red cross should have been hanging next to her bed at the cancer care center. And I should have been preparing for holiday visits between her scheduled treatments.

20/12/2023

*Good Morning*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Wednesday, December 20, 2023

*FORGIVENESS AND FORGETTING*

READ: Isaiah 43:18–25
```I am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:25```

Jill Price was born with the condition of hyperthymesia: the ability to remember in extraordinary detail everything that ever happened to her. She can replay in her mind the exact occurrence of any event she’s experienced in her lifetime.

The TV show Unforgettable was premised on a female police officer with hyperthymesia—to her a great advantage in trivia games and in solving crimes. For Jill Price, however, the condition isn’t so much fun. She can’t forget the moments of life when she was criticized, experienced loss, or did something she deeply regretted. She replays those scenes in her head over and over again.

Our God is omniscient (perhaps a kind of divine hyperthymesia): the Bible tells us that His understanding has no limit. And yet we discover in Isaiah a most reassuring thing: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions . . . and remembers your sins no more” (43:25). The book of Hebrews reinforces this: “We have been made holy through . . . Jesus Christ . . . [and our] sins and lawless acts [God] will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:10, 17).

As we confess our sins to God, we can stop playing them over and over in our minds. We need to let them go, just as He does: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” (Isaiah 43:18). In His great love, God chooses to not remember our sins against us. Let’s remember that.

— Kenneth Petersen

*What regrets do you harbor in your memory and play over and over again? How can you give them to God and release the past?*

_Dear God, thank You for forgiving and forgetting my sins._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽💪🏽🙌🏽

Jill Price was born with the condition of hyperthymesia: the ability to remember in extraordinary detail everything that ever happened to her. She can replay in her mind the exact occurrence of any event she’s experienced in her lifetime.

19/12/2023

*M'adwo*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Tuesday, December 19, 2023

*LEARNING FROM SCARS*

READ: Genesis 32:22–32
```The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and [Jacob] was limping because of his hip. Genesis 32:31```

Faye touched the scars on her abdomen. She had endured another surgery to remove esophageal-stomach cancer. This time doctors had taken part of her stomach and left a jagged scar that revealed the extent of their work. She told her husband, “Scars represent either the pain of cancer or the start of healing. I choose my scars to be symbols of healing.”

Jacob faced a similar choice after his all-night wrestling match with God. The divine assailant wrenched Jacob’s hip out of socket, so that Jacob was left exhausted and with a noticeable limp. Months later, when Jacob massaged his tender hip, I wonder what he reflected on?

Was he filled with regret for his years of deceit that forced this fateful match? The divine messenger had wrestled the truth out of him, refusing to bless him until Jacob owned up to who he was. He confessed he was Jacob, the “heel grabber” (see Genesis 25:26). He’d played tricks on his brother Esau and father-in-law Laban, tripping them to gain advantage. The divine wrestler said Jacob’s new name would be “Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (32:28).

Jacob’s limp represented the death of his old life of deceit and the beginning of his new life with God. The end of Jacob and the start of Israel. His limp led him to lean on God, who now moved powerfully in and through him.

— Mike Wittmer

*What spiritual scars do you have? How might they symbolize the end of something bad and the start of something new?*

_Father, my limp is a sign of Your love._

Learn more about Help For My Life @ https://odbu.org/help-for-my-life/

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽💪🏽🙌🏽

https://ymi.today/2023/12/odb-learning-from-scars/

Explore complex questions about faith and life, from forgiveness to prayer, doubt to suffering. Trusting in God amidst challenges can bring peace and purpose

18/12/2023

*M'akye*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Monday, December 17/18, 2023

*DILEMMA*

READ: Proverbs 3:5–18
```For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32```

David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.

David and Angie tried to mitigate his parents’ Christmas Day loneliness by posting gifts early and calling on Christmas morning. But what his parents really wanted was them. With David’s income only permitting an occasional trip home, what else could they do? David needed wisdom.

Proverbs 3 is a crash course in wisdom-seeking, showing us how to receive it by taking our situations to God (vv. 5–6), describing its various qualities such as love and faithfulness (vv. 3–4, 7–12), and its benefits as peace and longevity (vv. 13–18). In a touching note, it adds that God gives such wisdom by taking us “into his confidence” (v. 32). He whispers His solutions to those who are close to Him.

Praying about his problem one night, David had an idea. Next Christmas Day, he and Angie put on their best clothes, decorated the table with tinsel, and brought in the roast dinner. David’s parents did the same. Then, placing a laptop on each table, they ate together via video link. It almost felt like they were in the same room. It’s become a family tradition ever since.

God took David into His confidence and gave him wisdom. He loves to whisper creative solutions to our problems.

— Sheridan Voysey

*What dilemma are you facing? What loving solution might God have for you?*

_Father God, please whisper to my heart Your creative solution to my problem._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😎🙌🏽

David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.

17/12/2023

*Shallom*😇

Our Daily Bread Devotional /by YMI
Sunday, December 18, 2023

*MY GOD IS NEAR*

READ: Philippians 4:4–7
```The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God. Philippians 4:5–6```

For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”

While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stressor for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”

Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”

Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help, and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4).

— Karen Huang

*How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?*

_Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help, and peace, I don’t have to be anxious._

*_ hardships with hope as a good soldier of Jesus Christ Grace *🙏🏽😇🙌🏽

For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted.

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