ICGC-Rome

*LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL*
_By Pastor Mensa Otabil_

Tuesday 2nd June 2026

*THE SOURCE OF WISDOM*

*Scripture Reading:* Proverbs 8

_She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors. *Proverbs 8:2-3*_

All of us wonder where to find wisdom. How can a person who desires to be wise have access to it? Our passage for today tells us where to locate wisdom. Interestingly, wisdom is presented as a female – to show that we must pursue her as a man seeks a woman. The passage sets out five places where we can encounter wisdom.

· *On top of the hill* - Wisdom is seen by all. Wisdom stands in a high and lofty place, fully exposed to all who seek her. It is exalted on top of the hill so that anyone approaching can see it. Wisdom is not in the valley - it is not in a secret place. It is not hidden in a remote part of the earth requiring an adventure into a deep, dark mystical place. This is how biblical wisdom differs from the wisdom of the occult. In the occult, wisdom is always hidden. In the Bible, wisdom is revealed.

· *Beside the way* - Wisdom is commonplace. God’s wisdom is not for a selected elite who get initiated into mysterious orders or fellowships. Wisdom is ‘by the wayside’. Jesus taught the most profound ideas using commonplace activities like farming, building a house or a marriage. God instructs us to learn wisdom from the ant and by observing everyday occurrences. You don’t need to learn the most powerful words or recite mysterious incantations to access Biblical wisdom; neither do you need to travel a long distance to find it.

· *Where the paths meet *- Wisdom is accessible. If you’ve lived in a small town or village, you can relate to this. The place where the paths meet is ‘the junction’. Every city has a junction. Even schools have a junction. It is the place where all paths lead to; it is the place where people meet. Wisdom is found at the place where we all gather. We can find it in our living rooms, classrooms, dorms, restaurants, and playgrounds.

· *By the gates* - Wisdom is inescapable. If you missed wisdom on the hill because you were looking down and missed her, or because you were not looking, you will find her at the gate. If you missed her again in the place where the paths meet, you would find her at the entrance just before entering your house.

· *At the door* - Wisdom is in your face. And if you miss her at the gate, you will find her at the door to your room. In all these places, wisdom does not sit quietly. Wisdom ‘cries out’ and ‘lifts up its voice’! Wisdom is screaming on top of her voice. She’s right where you are. Pay attention to her.

_*Prayer*: Heavenly Father, help me to identify all the signposts of wisdom you place in my way. In Jesus’ name, Amen._

*LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL*
_By Pastor Mensa Otabil_

Wednesday 20th May 2026

*THE LORD IS MY BANNER*

*Scripture Reading:* Exodus 17

_Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; *Exodus 17:14-15*_

Jehovah (YHWH)-Nissi – the Lord my banner, is the name that Moses called on when he built an altar celebrating Israel’s God-given victory over the Amalekites.

The Amalekites were the first nation to attack Israel after they left Egypt. The Israelites were a young and untested nation. They did not have an army and did not have any experience in combat.

In those days, nations fought under a banner. The banner was also called the standard. Usually, a nation’s banner would be an image of its gods – the national god or the god of war. Today, a nation’s banner will be its national flag and anthem.

Israel did not have a banner when they fought against the Amalekites. The only thing they knew was the name of the Lord who had delivered them.

While Joshua led the fighting forces in the valley, Moses sent up a hill and lifted his hands, as in a prayer or blessing, over Israel. Moses soon realized that whenever his hands were lifted, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed. With that realization, Moses sat on a rock on the mountain and had Aaron and Hur hold up his hands.

After Israel won the battle, Moses established the Lord as Israel’s banner – Jehovah Nissi. This meant that they would now fight in the name of the Lord.

The Lord is still our banner in warfare. We go out in His name and return in His name. When we lift our hands in prayer to Him, we affirm that the Lord is our banner and that He fights for us. When the Lord is with us, we can rest and trust in His help as we face the battles of life.

Go out and win with the Lord as your banner.

_*Prayer*: Heavenly Father, you are my banner in times of war. Lift up your hand over me and grant me your victory. In Jesus’ name, Amen._

*LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL*
_By Pastor Mensa Otabil_

Sunday 17th May 2026

*THE ETERNAL ONE*

*Scripture Reading:* Psalm 90

_Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. *Psalm 90:2*_

El Olam is used to refer to God as the everlasting or eternal one. The term Olam has a wide range of uses. It is usually defined as something that has a long duration, or something that comes from antiquity. It is also used to describe an indefinite future. Olam addresses the reality of God’s existence, God’s covenant and promises, and the Messiah’s future reign.

Eternity is a very strange concept for us. We measure everything with time. Even distances in the universe are measured with light years – time. Because we live in time and are so aware of the shortness of time, our minds find it impossible to think of timelessness. However, eternity is God’s standard. He has been and will always be.

What does El Olam mean for us as Christians?

• *God is the same at all times.* From everlasting to everlasting, He is God. He never grows old, nor changes with time by any measure. He neither depreciates nor deteriorates. He is constant and nothing can wear him down or out.

• *God is real to all generations.* As the Lord was to previous generations, so is He to present generations. He can do today what He did in the past and likewise do the same tomorrow. The people of today can know Him as He was known by the people of the past. He is the same to all generations.

• *God works out His will in time.* Although the events of human history are significant for each generation, they are all but a moment from God’s perspective. He can do in an instant what we think requires a long time to accomplish. He has all things under His control as the Creator who ordains life and death. God works out His purposes in time.

God lives out of time but sees everything from beginning to end – from what has happened through to what will happen in the future. Trust Him to make all things beautiful in its time.

_*Prayer*: Heavenly Father, you are from everlasting to everlasting. I know you’re working out your purposes for my life each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen._

*LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL*
_By Pastor Mensa Otabil_

Friday 15th May 2026

*THE GOD WHO SEES*

*Scripture Reading:* Genesis 16

> _Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” *Genesis 16:13*_

El Roi is used to describe God as the seeing One. Hagar, Abraham’s maid, described the Lord this way when she was in the wilderness. Hagar felt used and abused by her mistress, Sarah. She had been led into a relationship with Abraham that she didn’t ask for and now, she was suffering for obeying the command of her mistress.

Pregnant and alone in the desert, the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar as she lay by a spring of water and encouraged her. The angel told Hagar to return home to the house of Abraham. In addition, the angel of the Lord assured her of the child's future. Hagar was so grateful that the Lord had seen all that she had gone through and had not abandoned her.

There in the desert, Hagar recognised the Lord as the One who sees – El-Roi.

1. *The Lord sees what happens to us.* Many times, when we are mistreated, we wonder if the Lord sees what we are going through. Yes, He does! The Lord sees our pain and struggles. He does not turn a blind eye to the injustices around us.

2. *The Lord sees us wherever we are.* The Lord saw where Hagar was, alone and abandoned. He knows where we are. He can find us when no one knows our location.

3. *The Lord sees the future we do not see.* The Lord saw the future of the child that Hagar was carrying. Though the child had not been born, the Lord saw how his life would turn out. The Lord sees the promise of our future when all we see is doom and gloom. He sees His plans coming to pass in our lives.

What Hagar discovered about God is part of His eternal nature. The Lord did not start seeing only in Hagar’s situation. He had seen Hagar before and would continue to see her after that. Today, you can be sure that the Lord who saw Hagar, also sees you.

*Prayer:* _Heavenly Father, you are the One who sees. You see where I am and where you are taking me. I trust you with my life. In Jesus’ name, *Amen.*_