OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 2022
THEME: LIVING IN GLORY IV
MEMORISE
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons,”...
Luke 15:7
READ: Luke 15: 1-24
1 And all the tax-collectors and sinners drew near to Him in order to hear Him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.
3 And He spoke this parable to them, saying,
4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say to you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.
10 Likewise I say to you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
11 And He said, A certain man had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that is coming to me. And he divided his living to them.
13 And not many days afterward, the younger son gathered all together and went away into a far country. And there he wasted his property, living dissolutely.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land. And he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country. And he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 And he was longing to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, and no one gave to him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father abound in loaves, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you
19 and am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.
20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
23 And bring the fattened calf here and kill it. And let us eat and be merry,
24 for this my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
MESSAGE
Backsliding is the act of becoming slack in spiritual commitment and not being fervent in the things of God. It means turning back from following God’s ways and guidance, forsaking His laws and commandments (Isaiah 1 : 4). It is a spiritual defection that grieves God, as it is a form of rebellion and adultery before Him (Jeremiah 3: 8). Backsliders are likely to forget God’s mighty works in their lives, ignore His counsel, and reject His instructions (Psalm 78:11 Psalm 107:11), Isaiah 30:9). Backsliders are children of God who had repented of their sinful acts and turned a new leaf, but then relapse into their former ungodly ways. Backsliding is, therefore, like abandoning one’s faith, as we have learnt from the lessons of the past three days, there is nothing glorious in backsliding. If anyone is in doubt, let the fellow find out from King Saul, who once prophesied by the Spirit of God but ended up being tormented by an evil spirit.
Backsliding is so terrible that it can invoke God’s anger. In 2 Samuel 12:25, the Bible says, “And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord”. Jedidiah means “beloved of the Lord”. However, in 1Kings 11:9, the Bible says, “And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.” Backsliding ignited the anger of God against Solomon, despite His initial love and affection for him at birth and early life. God reacted to the backsliding of the nation of Israel similarly, according to Psalm 78:57-59 which says, “But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers… When God heard this, he was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel”.
To return to living a glorious life in Christ however, a backslider must do the following: Accept Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour, repent of and forsake every sin, and begin to testify to the mercy of God that restored him or her.
Have you fallen from glory to shame? Return to the Lord, and He will welcome you with open arms, as we saw in our Bible reading today.
God bless you.
Father, please forgive me for backsliding and make me abide in You forever in Jesus name
Click here for TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS PRAYER POINTS.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 22-23
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 28: When we walk with the Lord
1. When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey,
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear,
Not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do;
Where He sends, we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Amen and Amen
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