ODM Daily Inspirational Devotional Messages Bible Verse and Prayers ODM
DCLM Daily Manna – Absolute Trust in God
KEY VERSE
“And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it” (Isaiah 28:18).
Bible Reading:
Isaiah 28:18-27 (KJV)
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
MESSAGE
Prophet Isaiah was a balanced prophet. He was not the type of prophet with a sugarcoated tongue who only prophesied peace without condemning the iniquities of the people. This prophet was so bold as to let the Jewish people know that whatever they trusted for justification or protection, or for happiness or healing and deliverance, except for the righteousness of God and the influence and power of the Holy Ghost, would ultimately prove abortive and vain.
According to the text, the Jews believed in their works of righteousness, which God told them would not suffice. The text describes the bed as too short, and the covering too narrow. This tells us that trusting and resting on our own will and self management will result in regret and gross disappointment. Religion is not enough; true righteousness from Christ must be carefully sought and wisely husbanded.
Prophet Isaiah compares God’s work among the nations to those of a farmer on his soil. The husbandman (farmer) does his work with pains and prudence and handles the plants according to their nature. The Almighty God who gives men this great wisdom is wonderful in counsel and excellent in His working.
Afflictions are God’s threshing instruments to loosen us from the world, to part between us and our chaff, and to prepare us for use. As the occasion requires, the Lord warns, corrects, spares, shows mercy or executes vengeance. How we need to heed God’s warning today and not to trust in anything outside Christ. It takes trust and diligence to please God. It takes confidence and faith in His promises to appropriate His blessings, with a firm and unflagging resolve to abide in His will.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Life without Christ is full of crises
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Job 1-4
COMMENTARY
1. The Vanity of Self-Trust – The Jews trusted in their own works of righteousness and their agreements with worldly powers. But God declared that their “covenant with death” would be disannulled and their “agreement with hell” would not stand. Human efforts and alliances are insufficient for salvation and protection. Only trust in God endures.
2. The Bed Too Short and Covering Too Narrow – The devotional uses the imagery of a bed too short and a covering too narrow to illustrate the insufficiency of human efforts. No matter how we try to make our own righteousness comfortable, it will always fall short. True peace and security come only from Christ.
3. God’s Work as a Farmer – Isaiah compares God’s dealings with His people to a farmer who wisely tends his crops. The farmer knows when to plow, when to sow, and how to thresh according to the nature of each plant. Similarly, God deals with us according to what we need—at times warning, correcting, sparing, or showing mercy.
4. Afflictions as Threshing Instruments – Afflictions are described as threshing instruments that loosen us from the world and separate the chaff from the wheat. Trials are not without purpose; they refine us and prepare us for God’s use. When we trust God through our afflictions, He works all things for our good.
5. The DCLM Ministry’s Call to Absolute Trust – The Deeper Christian Life Ministry emphasizes that salvation and sanctification are by faith in Christ, not by human works. Pastor Kumuyi teaches that believers must trust God completely and not lean on their own understanding. The Daily Manna devotional calls readers to place their confidence in God alone.
About DCLM and Daily Manna
The Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) was founded in 1973 by Pastor Dr. W.F. Kumuyi. From a small Bible study of 15 students in Lagos, it has grown into a global ministry with churches across Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. The ministry emphasizes holiness, prayer, Bible study, and absolute trust in God.
DCLM Daily Manna is a daily devotional written by Pastor Kumuyi. Each edition provides Scripture reading, exposition, and practical application to guide believers in their daily walk with God. The devotional consistently calls readers to trust in God’s wisdom and provision.
Prayer Reflection
Lord, help me to place my trust in You alone. Forgive me for relying on my own works, wisdom, or alliances. I acknowledge that my own righteousness is insufficient. Teach me to trust in Your righteousness and Your provision. When trials come, help me to see them as instruments of Your refining work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
