Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: THURSDAY JULY 20TH, 2023.

THEME: YOU CAN BE THE BEST

MEMORISE: 

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 

John 8:31

READ: Deuteronomy 28:1 

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

MESSAGE

Anyone can become the best. There are however, conditions that must be fulfilled if you want to become the best. The Bible says: "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 10:7). It all depends on the readiness to pay the price. In our Bible text, we read the promises of God that assure us of being the best. However, in the same text, we read the conditions to fulfil - hearkening to the voice of the Lord, observing and doing all His commandments 

How many of us are ready to hearken to the voice of the Lord today? I have taught ministers what it means to hearken, which is different from listening. To hearken is not just to listen but to pay very close attention to the details of the voice of the commandment of the Lord. Only then can you fulfil the details of God's instructions. The Bible says that faith can only come by hearing, and hearing by the word of God and not the word of men or the voice of our carnal body (Romans 10:17). For example, if you want to be the best financially, you must pay close attention to Malachi 3:10, which says:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meal in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if l will not open you the Windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be enough to receive it.

A closer look at the passage will reveal why some people have been paying tithes but have not received the promise of super-abundance. "Bring all the tithes" the Bible says - not some. "Bring it " not "Send it" - meaning that God cherishes our presenc before Him more than our gift. He wants our fellowship. He is not a beggar, we must come with fear and trembling, praying that He would even accept our tithes and offerings. 

Another example is when we want God to perform miracles through us. The Bible says that some results cannot be achieved without prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21), even though some translations have removed fasting for reasons best known to them. Beloved, you can be the best if you will pay the price of surrendering your life to Christ and living according to His will.

PRAYER POINT 

Father, please give me the best and make me the best, in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 20-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring,

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

  Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

1 Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

  I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

  Standing on the promises of God.

3 Standing on the promises I now can see

Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;

Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,

  Standing on the promises of God.

4 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,

Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,

Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,

  Standing on the promises of God.

5 Standing on the promises I shall not fall,

List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.

Resting in my Savior as my All in all,

Standing on the promises of God.