OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: MONDAY 26TH JULY, 2021.
THEME: PRAYER, PRAISE AND WORSHIP.
MEMORISE: Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
READ: Acts 16:25-34
25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
MESSAGE:
Gods desire for all His children is greatness. He wishes that they prosper, be in health even as their souls prosper (3 John 1:2 ).
However, a study of the word of God reveals that there are certain requirements for greatness, three of which are: prayers, praises and worship.
John 4:24 says:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”
Prayer is communication with God in line with His will. In praises we thank God for what He has done, what He is doing and what He is yet to do.
In worship, we appreciate God for who He is. God expects all of creation to worship Him; however, there are various categories of worshippers.
One category of worshippers comprises those who, at one time or the other, received a blessing from God (Psalms 150:6 ).
No matter how little you think the goodness of the Lord in your life may be, it is imperative that you praise Him.
The next category of worshippers are the afflicted ones.
These include the bereaved, the sorrowful, the disappointed and the discouraged in our midst.
A classic example is Job. Job was a man who worshipped God in prosperity (Job 1:1-5 ), in the midst of satanic afflictions (Job 1:15 to Job 2:9 ) and at the point of his turnaround (Job 42:1-6 ).
The third category of worshippers are the vessels unto honour (2 Timothy 2:19-21 ).
Vessels unto dishonour are those used by the devil to change joy to sorrow. These are the agents of the devil.
A vessel unto honour however, is someone God can use anytime, anyway and anywhere He wants to. Worship characterizes vessels unto honour.
In addition, vessels unto honour are chosen by God (John 15:16 ).
Such people are willing to be chosen and ready to live holy all the time.
Are you a vessel unto honour? If yes, go ahead and give high praise to God. If not, repent and cry unto God for mercy.
May the Lord make and keep you as a vessel unto honour in the mighty name of Jesus.
Father, please give me a grateful heart and the grace to praise and worship You always, in Jesus name.
Click here for TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS PRAYER POINTS.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalms 78:1-72,
Psalms 79:1-13,
Psalms 80:1-19
HYMN 19: PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! JESUS, OUR BLESSED REDEEMER!
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed
Redeemer!
Sing, O earth his wonderful love proclaim!
Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in
glory,
Strength and honor give to his holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard his
children –
In his arms he carries them all day long:
CHORUS
Praise him! praise him!
tell of his excellent greatness!
Praise him! praise him! ever in joyful song!
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed
Redeemer!
For our sins he suffered and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail him! hail him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound his praises — Jesus who bore our
sorrows –
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and
strong:
Praise him! praise him! Jesus, our blessed
Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth for ever and ever,
Crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest
and King!
Christ is coming, over the world victorious –
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong:
Amen and Amen
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