OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY JUNE 3RD, 2024.
THEME: MORE THAN GRACE
MEMORISE:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:1
READ: John 5:8-14
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
MESSAGE
God is Love (1 John 4:8), but He is also a consuming fire (Hebrew 12:29). Many people are on His consuming side, but they think they are on His Loving side. Don't be deceived by those who tell you that once you are a child of God, you can behave anyhow. They usually say so because the Bible says that grace came through Jesus (John 1:17). However, the Bible did not say that Jesus is grace, because Jesus is far more than grace. He brought grace, but you will never find anywhere in the Bible that says that Jesus is grace.
If Jesus was full of grace alone, John 1:14 would have said 'full of grace' and stopped there, but it went further to add 'truth'. In John 14:6, Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and life..."He never said l am grace.
When many of my children want to be funny, they will draw a caricature of me wearing a bow tie and holding a tambourine. No matter how funny the drawing looks, when people see the bow tie and tambourine, they will know that the drawing was made in reference to me. l am usually seen with a tambourine, but I am not the tambourine. Let us assume that the tambourine makes me smile at you. If I have the tambourine in my hand as I am relating with you and you do something wrong, I can decide to put down the tambourine, stop smiling, and scold you.
In Titus 2:11-12, the Bible says that grace brought salvation to us, teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts. When someone is ungodly and embraces worldly lusts in the name of grace, that fellow has rejected the salvation that came by grace and, as such, will see the consuming side of God.
Beloved, I advise you to be wise; enjoy the grace of God, but don't take it for granted. Even though Jesus Christ is full of grace, if a person takes that grace for granted, He will show the fellow His consuming side. Make up your mind never to frustrate God's grace upon your life (Galatians 2:21). God's grace is meant to help you overcome sin; it is not a license to dwell in sin.
Do exploits for the kingdom with the grace that God has made available to you through Jesus Christ. Be like Apostle Paul, who said that the grace of God was what made him do all that he did for God (1 Corinthians 15:10).
KEY POINT
God's grace is not an excuse to sin.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 35-38
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 31: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION
1 Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you,
Some other to win;
Fight valiantly onward,
Evil passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
2 Shun evil companions,
Bad language disdain;
God’s name hold in rev’rence,
Nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest,
Kindhearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
3 To him that o’ercometh,
God giveth a crown;
Through faith we will conquer,
Though often cast down;
He who is our Savior,
Our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
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