OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 26TH AUGUST 2020.
THEME: DANGERS OF IDLENESS.
MEMORISE:
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18:9
READ: 2 Samuel 11:1-17
1And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
MESSAGE
There is a popular saying that an idle mind id the devil’s workshop. This is very true. Ask King Solomon. He was probably the wealthiest man that ever lived. He was also the wisest on earth during his days, yet the book of Ecclesiastes which he wrote when he was very old, has a tone of depression all over it. Because there was no war in the days of Solomon, he relaxed and it cost him a whole lot. After he was done building God’s temple and completing all the assignments his father gave him before passing on, he was left with nothing to do. He then started marrying strange women, drifted far from the Most High God and built temples for strange gods.
Learn from Solomon. Avoid being idle, it can cost you your life and destiny. King David’s idleness resulted in him falling into adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband (2 Samuel 11:2-17). This eventually brought a curse on his lineage (2 Samuel 12:10). The Bible speaks of idleness in 1 Timothy 5:13:
“……. they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
If you find yourself spending one hour at a stretch watching videos and pictures on social media, be careful. Your free time could become tools in the devil’s hands; fill it with something meaningful. Take a good book around with you to read in your free time or go somewhere and pray. I remember one conference I attended abroad. Reverend W.F Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) was also at the conference. At a time when we were free, I went into the restroom to read my Bible. After fellowshipping with God, I came out holding my Bible, only to see the fellow in the next cubicle coming out, holding his as well. It was Reverend Kumuyi. We looked at each other and laughed. Today, when you look at some of the churches experiencing the extraordinary move of God in Africa, you find DCLM and RCCG at the top. We use our time wisely.
KEY POINT:
Killing time can kill your destiny.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE OH LORD.
1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Amen and Amen
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