OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY MARCH 24TH, 2024.
THEME: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE I
MEMORISE:
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:4
READ: John 15:15-16
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
MESSAGE
In our memory verse for today, the Bible says, "I must do the work," not "I may do the work." It is neither an option nor a piece of advice. Doing God's work is compulsory for all His children; this simply means that you have no choice in the matter. In 1 Corinthians 9:16, Apostle Paul said:
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if l preach not the gospel!
When it comes to doing the work of God, you must not see yourself as a volunteer. Apostle Paul said doing God's work was a necessity, and he even went ahead to pronounce a curse on himself if he did not preach the gospel of Jesus.
Apostle Paul clearly did not see himself as a volunteer. God does not use people who see themselves as volunteers. Once God chooses someone, the fellow has no choice but to do the work. In John 15:16, God said you have not chosen Him, but He has chosen you. The moment He chooses you, the moment you find yourself as a minister of God, you must do what He wants. In Philippians 1:20, Paul said:
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Workers are not volunteers but soldiers that must do the bidding of the One who has called them. 2 Timothy 2:4 says:
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Whether we like it or not, this world is a war front. We are at war and so, we should not distract ourselves with mundane things. We must be focused on obeying the commands of our Commandant promptly and completely. We must do the work required of us by Him so that we will be victorious.
In Matthew 28:19, our Commandant gave a command that directs those of us who call ourselves His workers and ministers to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The assignment is very clear, and it is a direct order. There ls no room for deliberation; act now!
KEY POINT
You MUST preach the gospel. It is not a piece of advice but a command.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 13-14
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.
4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
Amen and Amen🙏🙌
ReplyDelete