OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY OCTOBER 8TH, 2023.
THEME: THE WAY OUT
MEMORISE:
Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exodus 6:6
READ: Luke 7:11 -15
11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
MESSAGE
Jesus being The Way also, implies He is The Way out of problems. There are problems in this world that you cannot solve no matter how intelligent you are, but there is no problem that Jesus cannot solve. Jesus Christ is the way out of sorrow.
In our Bible text for today, we read of a widow whose only son died. Nobody needs to tell us that she was in sorrow. She had known days of joy. The day she gave birth to this boy, she must have had joy, but then the Devil, came in and steadily began to change her joy to sorrow, first by killing her husband and then coming for her only son. I can assure you that as they were going towards the burial ground, she was getting deeper and deeper into sorrow because she knew that there were people amongst those following her, pretending to be weeping with her and saying in their hearts, "Why is your case so bad? Are you the only one in town? There must be something you have done wrong that God is punishing you for", but then she met Jesus Christ and the tide turned. For the mere fact that you are reading this today, sorrow is banished from your life forever, in Jesus' name.
I was invited to preach at a private event in Ikoyi some years ago. I was going to preach on the topic, 'You need a miracle', but as l waited in the hostess' living room before the event started and observed the splendour of the house, l thought to change my topic to 'O That Man Should Prise The Lord'. I f let the hostess and her guests appeared to have everything they needed already, but the Almighty God said l should talk to them about "You need a miracle". I learnt later on that the woman had only one son who had gone so deeply into drugs that when his mother refused to give him extra money to buy them, he planted some in her bag when she was travelling to London so that she could be arrested at the airport. Everything seemed nice and beautiful on the outside, but deep inside, there was sorrow.
That day as l preached, the young man gave his life to Jesus, and the mother from that day on knew joy. If you too want to have joy for the rest of your life, the only way is through Jesus Christ. let Him carry your burdens (Matthew 11:28).
KEY POINT
Jesus gives rest to the burdened heart, but you would have to surrender to Him first.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew18-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 10: IN CHRIST ALONE
1 In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
2 In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
3 Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
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