“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person ?” 1 John 3:17, and also reflect on James 2:15-16.

Be an angel both at home and on the street.

“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper ?” Genesis 4:9

The Almighty God asked Cain a question that, under normal circumstances, should not have caused any disturbance. But because he was guilty, the question shook him, and his response aptly describes our topic today: selfishness. Cain’s selfishness led him to murder his brother. God asked him, “Where is your brother?” And he replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

One of the main essences of family life is to take care of each other. Cain’s response showed the height of his irresponsibility towards his brother. So, it was easy for him to kill Abel. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of many towards their relatives. They don’t care about what happens to their brothers and sisters, parents, cousins, nephews or nieces, etc. They don’t care how others are faring as long as they are doing fine. God is not pleased with this kind of selfish attitude. 1 John 3:15-18 puts it more succinctly:

“Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.“

Reflecting on the words of a certain writer who said, “Selfishness averts its face from the sorrows, shames, and failures of others. But love dares to look upon the head bowed by grief and the face pallid with suffering,” I came to the conclusion that indeed selfishness should have no place in Christian families and households.

Galatians 6:2 urges us to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, we fulfill the law of Christ. Furthermore, God’s counsel in Philippians 2 is instructive, and we should all take heed to foster love, unity, peace, and progress in our families.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Any spirit of familial destruction assigned against your family shall perish, in the name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Every power assigned to destroy my family, perish, in the name of Jesus.
2. Selfishness shall have no place in my family, in the name of Jesus.
3. O Lord, preserve my family by Your mercy, in the name of Jesus.
4. Every manifestation of curse in my family, perish, in the name of Jesus.
5. Let the love of God reign in my family, in the name of Jesus.
6. Let every evil manipulation against my family scatter by fire, in the name of Jesus.
7. Power of pollution in my family, perish, in the name of Jesus.

This text is an excerpt from the book “Living on top life of the mountain daily devotion 2024” written by Dr DANIEL OLUKOYA.

We invite you to read the following article “THE POWER OF MERCY (1)“.