OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY JUNE 22ND 2024
THEME: THE FIRST RESURRECTION
MEMORISE:
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6
READ: Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
MESSAGE
The first resurrection is a topic that is not often preached in churches, and that is understandable because it is not something that any pastor should encourage their congregation to be a part of. Everyone should aim to be raptured when Jesus Christ comes to take His saints. Those that are left behind after the rapture have a very small chance of making it to heaven, so it will be foolish to risk missing the rapture.
The first resurrection is the last chance that will be to those who miss the rapture. After the rapture has taken place and the antichrist has taken rulership over the earth, he will bring up a policy that will mandate everyone on earth to worship the beast and take the mark of the beast. The book of Revelation is written in codes, therefore, do not assume that worshipping the beast means that a beast will be on a throne and people will be
compelled to bow to it. This basically means that everyone will be forced to obey the beast. I pray that you will not be on earth to experience that, in Jesus' name.
There will be some people who will miss the rapture and who will be determined not to worship the beast or take his mark. It will be really tough for them because the antichrist will do everything possible to break them. They will be tortured in every way possible emotionally, financially, physically, and so on. Worse still, almost everyone in the world will be worshipping the beast, and so they will be loners in a very perverse world. There will be no church meetings and gatherings because almost everyone in the church will have been raptured. There will be no pastor to encourage them and no brother or sister to strengthen them; it will be just them against the world and the government - it will be very tough. Many of the people who are determined not to worship the beast will eventually yield and end up in hell. Those who stand their ground will be beheaded by the antichrist. However, when Jesus comes back with his saints to defeat the devil, He will give them another chance to be judged, and they will join Him to reign over the earth for a thousand years.
Beloved, surrender your life to Jesus Christ if you haven't and commit to living holy for the rest of your life so that when your time is up here on earth or when Jesus returns, you will be with Him without having to experience the ordeal of the first resurrection.
KEY POINT
It will be very difficult to make it to heaven after the rapture, and as such, it is foolish to risk missing it. Live holy now to be assured of your place in heaven.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 104-106
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.
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