Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE:  SATURDAY MAY 6TH 2023

THEME:  WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

MEMORISE:  Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Psalm 73: 17

READ: Psalms 73:1 -17

1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

MESSAGE

As a younger Christian, l had many difficult questions for my pastors. For example, since Genesis 1:1 says,  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth", l asked where He was before He created Heaven , but none of them could answer. Since l could not get answers from my pastors, l turned to God and He answered me,

The reason we don't understand certain things in the word of God is in Isaiah 55:8-9:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Some of the things that you are trying to explain with logic are far higher and deeper than what the ordinary human mind can process. In the Sciences, we say, "Prove,it and l,will believe you". God however says, "Believe me and l will prove it". If you are not ready to believe God's word because you don't understand it, you may never experience the power in it and you would be the one on the losing end.

There was one particular question l had from the story of Elisha and the Syrian army who had come to arrest him in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Elisha told them that they were in the wrong place then led the to Samaria where they were captured and then later released.

I wondered for a long time how God could have supported how Elisha deceived the soldiers, until the day He explained by asking, "My son, if death were to come knocking on your door asking for you. Would you welcome it in? If sickness comes asking for you, will you hug it? If poverty comes asking for your address, will you say it is in the right place?"

When you have questions, turn to God for answers. He alone can open your eyes to behold the wonders in His word (Psalm 119:18).

KEY POINT

When you have questions turn to Christ for answer.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 24-26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: BLESSED ASSURANCE

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

  This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

  Praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending, bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Savior am happy and blest;

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.