DCLM Daily Manna 23 December 2025 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Misplaced Priority?

TOPIC: Misplaced Priority? (DCLM Daily Manna 23 December 2025)

KEY VERSE: “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him”(Mark 9:31,32).

TEXT: Mark 9:30-37 (KJV)

30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

DCLM Daily Manna For Today MESSAGE:

Many of Christ’s teachings were given in response to questions His disciples and others asked. It is proper and expected that people should ask for clarification when they do not fully understand an instruction or information they receive. However, in today’s passage, the disciples of Christ were afraid to ask Jesus about a crucial matter they did not understand.

Jesus has been talking about His death and resurrection. However, the disciples could not connect with the idea of the Messiah dying. They assumed Christ’s Messiahship was to deliver their nation from Roman domination and that they, the disciples, would occupy leading positions in the kingdom He would set up. So, when Jesus spoke about His betrayal, crucifixion, death, and resurrection, they did not understand and were afraid to ask Him. The question is, why were they afraid to ask? Could it be that they feared Jesus would rebuke them for their ignorance or that they would get an answer they would not like? Instead of asking Christ to explain more profound things about the Kingdom, they debated who would be the greatest in the coming Kingdom.

The disciples were just like most people today in their lust for pre-eminence. Despite their shallow understanding of kingdom principles and the imminence of Christ’s passion, the disciples were busy arguing about rank and position among themselves. The desire to be great and control others is a common human trait. Jesus sees our hearts and knows our secret ambition and lust for position. To cure this monster of unbridled lust for power, Jesus draws our attention to a little child to illustrate humility, meekness and self-effacement. Children just serve and run errands with no ambitions to acquire power or prominence. We need to seek the right knowledge and understanding to practise what is most important in the Kingdom.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Prioritise and pursue the most important kingdom principle.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jude 1

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2025 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.