OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31ST, 2023.
THEME: BECOMING A SON OF GOD
MEMORISE:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 3:17
READ: 1 John 3:8-9
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
MESSAGE:
Yesterday, I distinguished clearly between being a son of God and being a servant of God. I am quite sure that you choose to become a son of God rather than a servant. How then can you become a son of God?
Being a son of God requires that you fulfil some obligations. A son is a major stakeholder in whatever the father does. He takes whatever belongs to the father as his because he is not a servant but a son. John 10:12 says that the hireling (servant) will not give his life for the sheep, but Jesus, the Son of God, gave his life for the sheep. In the same vein, you must be ready to spend and be spent for the salvation of men on earth. Nothing must be too hard for you to do so that people will not perish in hell. A servant can see souls perishing and turn the other way, but not a son; a son will go out and preach the gospel to them until they give their lives to Christ and remain steadfast in the Lord. If you are not an incurable soul winner, your sonship is in doubt.
A son resembles his father. It is only what he sees his father do that he does. That is why 1 John 3:9 says:
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
True sons of God hate sin. Don't mind those who tell you that once you have given your life to Christ, you can go ahead and commit sin - they are liars! Real children of God have the seed of God in them, and that seed makes it difficult for them to sin. If they fall into sin, that seed begins to bite them, and they become very sorry for what they have done. They go back to their father, like any genuine child will do, and plead for forgiveness. Nobody can keep committing sin on purpose and claim to be a son of God- that fellow is a liar. A child that does not resemble his father is called a bastard.
It was recorded that Jesus loved righteousness and hated
iniquity (Hebrews 1:8-9). If you are truly a child of God, you will hate sin and love righteousness because of His seed within you.
KEY POINT
You cannot remain in sin and claim to be a child of God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 11-13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1 Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Amen and Amen🙏🙌
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