OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY OCTOBER 19TH, 2023.
TOPIC: YOU MUST GROW SPIRITUALLY 1
MEMORISE:
"And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Luke 9:62
READ: ROMANS 8:35-39 (KJV)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
MESSAGE:
After you have become born again for a while, the devil will try to test your faith. It is as you overcome these challenges and remain standing that you become mature in the things of God. At this stage, you would no longer be satisfied with the milk of God's word; now, you would desire strong meat. A mature Christian wants to go deeper and not remain in the shallow waters of the word and ways of God.
Newly born again Christians, also referred to as 'baby Christians' must grow to the point where they can face trials and remain standing in Christ. Every Christian has low moments when the flesh seems to be rising above the spirit-periods when he or she could fall into sin if care is not taken. In such a period, someone who has been in Christ for a while but hasn't been feeding on the word of God constantly is likely to fall. Proverbs 24:10 says: "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." The day of adversity will definitely come, but what will keep you standing is how much strength you gathered before that period.
How much of God's word have you been consuming? How much praying have you been doing? How deeply rooted have you been in the things of God? These are the things that will go a long way in determining whether you will remain standing in the day of adversity. Know that the more mature you get, the bigger the adversity the devil is likely to bring your way, but we find solace in (1 Corinthians 10:13), which says: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Thus, if a trial made you turn your back on God, it is not that trial really that brought you down, but rather your weakness in spiritual things. Jesus Christ said in our memory verse that if any man lays his hand on the plough and turns back, then he is not fit for the Kingdom of God. You have already laid your hands on the plough; build up your faith by engaging in spiritual activities like praying, Bible study, fellowshipping with other believers and so on. All these are required to enable you stand when the day of adversity comes.
Beloved, if you keep your Christian walk on a shallow level, you are likely to look back eventually and not make it to the Kingdom of God at the end of the day.
KEY POINT
If you do not grow spiritually, you will not stand in the day of adversity.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MARK 14
AUTHOR PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 27 - WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer,
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer,
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He'll take and shield you,
You wilt find a solace there.
Amen and Amen🙏🙌
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