Keeping the Pace with Rev. Joshua Ssali

Daily Devotion Theme : suffering and Salvation Read : Isaiah 52:13-53:12; John 18:1-19:42 ; Luke 23:32-33) “ …Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head…they slapped him in the face…took charge of Jesus…Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him...

Daily Devotional Theme : Servant-hood and Love Read :Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Cor 11:23-29; Matthew 26:17-75. John 13:1-17 “ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end… The evening meal was in progress, so he got up from the meal, took off his outer cloth...

Daily Devotion Theme : Faithful Amidst Betrayal (Christ our Ultimate Hope) Read : Psalm 22:1-11, Hebrews 4:14-16; Matthew 26:14-16 “ ...Our ancestors trusted you, and you rescued them. When they cried out for help, you saved them, and you did not let them down when they depended on you…Brutal enemies attack me….like a pack of dogs, tearing at my hands…my enemies just stare and sneer at me. They to...

Daily Devotion Theme : His Peaceful Kingdom Read : Isaiah 11:1-9 ; NT: Luke 19:28-40, Romans 14:17: “ …A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord... ” (Isaiah 11:1-2) Today is the second d...

Daily Devotion Theme : The King who Brings Peace. Read : Zechariah 9:9-12; Matthew 21:1-11 No one switches on a flashlight in an area flooded by direct sunlight. We put on the light in order to dismiss darkness. It is the darkness that makes the light necessary. God from eternity knew that people would choose darkness rather than light, and therefore He had to bring His light in Jesus Christ to sh...

Daily Devotion Theme : Choose Life and Peace Read : Psalm 34:11-22; 1 Peter 3:8-12 “ …For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it… ” (1 Peter 3:10-11) During the outbreak of COVID-19, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, we all struggled to sur...

Daily Devotion Theme : Humble King foretold Read : Zechariah 9:9, Isaiah 62:6-12, John 12:12-19. “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9) NLT About a year ago in our neighborhood in Kenya, a self-proclaimed Jesus Christ, Pro...

Daily Devotional Theme : The Trap of Vengeance Read : Deuteronomy 32: 35-43; Romans 12:17-21. “….See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death, and I give life; I wound, and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand…For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will t...

Daily Devotional Theme : Turn From Anger Read: Psalm 37:8-9; Proverbs 14:29-35, James 1:17-21 “ ….Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has th...

Daily Devotional Theme : Harden Not Your Heart Read: Psalm 95:6-11; Hebrews 3:7-13 “The LORD says, ‘Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. ‘“For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. For forty years, I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refu...

Daily Devotional Theme : Danger of Unforgiveness Read : Psalm 73:1-12: Ephesians 4:25-32 “…In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and...

Daily Devotional Theme : Bitterness Harms the Soul Read : Deuteronomy 29:1-15: Hebrews 12:14-17 “ …Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many… ” (Hebrews 12:15) NLT Years ago, I met a dear sister whose heart was bleeding bitterly because of abuse, betrayal, and bankruptcy! She...

Daily Devotional Theme : Consequences of Unforgiveness Read : Proverbs 17:19; Matthew 18:21-35 “ …then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all...

Daily Devotional Theme : Walk in Grace Read : Number 6:22-27; Col 3:12-17. “ …Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love… ” ( Col 3:12-14) If...

Daily Devotional Theme : Love Covers Many Sins Read : Proverbs 10:12-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11 “. ..The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins... ” (1Peter 4:8-9) An Armenian nurse was held captive along with her brother by the Turks. Her brother was killed by a Turkish soldier...

Daily Devotional Theme : Chains Broken By Grace Read: Isaiah 58:6-12; Romans 6:1-14 “Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Isaiah 58:3 A contemporary Christian Gospel singer, Christopher Dwayne Tomlin, rewrote the hymn “Amazing Grace: My Chains Are Gone,” which was originally written by John Newton, an English Anglican c...

Daily Devotional Theme : Joy Restored by Mercy Read Psalm 51:8-12; Philippians 4:9 “ …Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me… Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me... ” (Psalm 8,11-12) Have you ever stumbled or hurt a friend, a colleague, or a family memb...

Daily Devotional Theme : Forgiveness Brings Freedom Read Exodus 12:1-14; John 8:31-36. “...To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus repl...

Daily Devotional Theme : Forgiven People Forgive Read Palm 32:1-11; Ephesians 4:25-32: Col 3:12-13) “ Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you… ” Col 3:12-13 In this passage, Paul...

Daily Devotional Theme : The Fruit of Forgiveness Read Isaiah 55:6-13 and Matthew 6:14-21 “…For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” ( Matthew 6:14-15) In context with our theme, the term fruit is often used in the New Testament to indicate the results...

Daily Devotional Theme : The Danger of Bitterness Read: Ephesians 4:31-32; Deuteronomy 29:1-6; Hebrews 12:15-17 “...Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you…” (Ephesians 4:31-32) Bitterness is a deep hostility or resentme...

Daily Devotional Theme : Love Does Not Keep Records* Read Leviticus 19:1-18; 1 Cor 13:1-13 “ …Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord…Keep my decrees…`(Lev 19:18-19).` “It [love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs… ” ` (1 Cor 13:5) .` A barber notic...

Daily Devotional Theme : The Freedom of Forgiveness Read Ezekiel 36:24-28, Matthew 18:25-35 “ …But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’“But he refused. Inst...

Daily Devotional Theme : Helping others find forgiveness Read Daniel 9:4-13; Luke 5:17-26 “…we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land…The Lord our God is merciful and fo...

Daily Devotional Theme : God’s Gift of Mercy Read : Psalm 103:1-12; James 2:8-13 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,…. The LORD is merciful and gracious…” Ps...