Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023.

TOPIC: HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF

MEMORISE:

“And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” 

Mark 9:24

READ: MARK 9:17-27 (KJV)

17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

MESSAGE:

In Ezekiel 37:1-11, the Bible tells us about the valley of dry bones where God asked the Prophet, "Can these bones live?" Ezekiel said, "Only you know". In other words, Ezekiel was saying, "My faith can't handle that", but the dry bones eventually lived. In Mark 9:17-27, a man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples. They couldn't deliver the child and thus referred him to the Lord Jesus, who said, "O ye of little faith". The man said, "I believe, but help thou my unbelief". The day I heard that story, I was so glad, because that means if my faith is not enough, I can cry to Him and He will make it grow.

When I became General Overseer, we loved to cook and eat together during our convention, but we were having challenges with the finances for the feeding and the parishes were groaning under the cost. One day during the convention, out of desperation, I said, "One day will come when you will be able to come to the Convention without bringing any money at all". When we finished that night, and I got back to my office to pray, the Lord spoke to me, "Son, when do you want that to happen?" I said, "One of these days" and He responded, "Why not from now?" At that time we were about 10,000 people. How would I feed 10,000 people for one week? The Lord said, "Announce to the entire congregation that you will feed them next convention". I said, "Daddy, I've never disobeyed You before, but this one? I can't tell them". He didn't put any pressure on me, so the Convention ended and everybody left, but they came back the following month for the Holy Ghost Service and God repeated it. I said, "Lord, my faith can't carry it", and He said to me, "Son, you are about to lose a miracle". I therefore announced, "Brethren, next year, don't bring any money for feeding, you will be fed". That was over 20 years ago, and God has not failed once.

You may think I am a man of great faith, but the truth is that my Daddy is the One who helps my little faith, so I depend entirely on Him. He has never let me down and I know He will not let you down too.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help my unbelief.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: HAGGAI 1-2

AUTHOR PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE 

HYMNAL:  29 - WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY 

1. When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

“It is well, it is well with my soul”

REFRAIN: 

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul. 

2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And has shed His own blood for my soul.

3. My sin O, the bliss of this glorious thought,

My sin, not in part but the whole

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

4. O, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.