OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2020.
THEME: HIDDEN TREASURES.
MEMORISE:
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
Isaiah 45:3
READ: Isaiah 45:1-6
1Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
MESSAGE
Treasures are precious objects of great value. The accumulation of such could however lead to pride (1 Timothy 6:17), greed (Luke 12:15), dishonesty (Joshua 7:21). And idolatry (Exodus 32:2-4).
Real treasures are however spiritual with eternal value, and they come from knowing and serving God. Such treasures are usually hidden and could turn out to be anything around us: it was a slave girl in Naaman’s case (2 Kings 5:2-3), a little jar of oil in the case of the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7 and David in Jesse’s case (1 Samuel 16:11). Moses was a hidden treasure reserved for the salvation of Israel. I cited all these examples of ordinary people and objects that were hidden treasures to explain that the All-Knowing God is able to make all things work together for the good of His children. Romans 8:28 says:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
In many cases, treasures are not easily identified even when in plain view. That is why it is very important to develop a good relationship with God and live at peace with our neighbors. The slave girl may not have volunteered the information that led to Naaman’s healing had she been ill-treated in that household. The widow’s neighbors may not have loaned her so many vessels if she had not maintained a good relationship with them. The divine appointment of David as king and Moses as Israel’s first spiritual leader would not have happened if they did not have a good relationship with God.
If you want God to reveal hidden treasures that would lead to great and unprecedented breakthroughs in your life, you must first accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then live in total submission and obedience to God. Only then can you be sure of accessing the hidden treasures of God and all things will begin to work in you favor.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to identify the hidden treasures in my life, in the mighty name of Jesus.
.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 45-48
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!
Amen and Amen
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