Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: MONDAY MARCH 27TH, 2023.

THEME: YOUR LATTER END SHALL BE GREATER THAN YOUR BEGINNING

MEMORISE: 

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 

Ecclesiastes 7:8

READ: Zechariah 4:8 -10

8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Job 8:7 

7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

MESSAGE

In order of importance, your latter end is far more important than your beginning. It does not really matter how you started out; what matters is how you end up.

How you end up is not a function of wishful thinking but a product of the decisions and actions that you take today. There are steps you must take and sacrifices you must make if you want to become great. Believe me honestly, if you only wish and pray that things would turn around and don't do what you ought to, nothing will change. Solomon, in 2 Chronicles 1:6-15, gave an offering nobody had ever given and got a blessing nobody had ever gotten. It is very clear that if you are willing to pay the price, if you are willing to change your story for the better, your end will be far greater than your beginning.

Genesis 32:3-7 records that Esau got remnant of the blessing, yet, by the time he was meeting Jacob again, he came with 400 bodyguards. By the time you get to Genesis 33:4-9, after both brothers had embraced each other, Esau turned to Jacob and said he bdidn't need the latter' gifts because he had enough. Clearly, Esau hard gained dominion and broken his brother's yoke on his neck as his father had said in Genesis 27:40.

The Lay Reader is the lowest rank in the hierarchy of the Anglican Church, and this was my father's role in the Church many years ago. Today, by the special grace of God, l, the son of a Lay Reader, now work side by side with the leader of the Anglican Communion - the Archbishop of Canterbury - to re-evangelize Britain. Such a promotion could only have been ordered by God.

Beloved, draw close to God and be diligent so that your end can be far greater than your beginning. I prophesy into your life, "Your latter days shall be greater than your beginning in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT

What you are doing now will determine if you will end up greater than you started out.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1Samuel 17-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: STAND UP,STAND UP FOR JESUS

1 Stand up, stand up for Jesus

ye soldiers of the cross;

lift high his royal banner,

it must not suffer loss.

From vict'ry unto vict'ry

his army he shall lead

till ev'ry foe is vanquished

and Christ is Lord indeed.

2 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the trumpet call obey;

forth to the mighty conflict

in this his glorious day.

Ye that are men now serve him

against unnumbered foes;

let courage rise with danger

and strength to strength oppose.

3 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

stand in his strength alone;

the arm of flesh will fail you,

ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the gospel armor,

each piece put on with prayer;

where duty calls or danger,

be never wanting there.

4 Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the strife will not be long;

this day the noise of battle,

the next, the victor's song.

To him that overcometh

a crown of life shall be;

he with the King of glory

shall reign eternally