OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY JULY 7TH 2024
THEME: GOD'S REFINING FIRE
MEMORISE: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter t:7
READ: Job 23:6-12
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered forever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
MESSAGE
Kings usually get the best of everything. Our God is the King of kings, and He wants everyone who surrenders to Him to be the best. To achieve this, God passes them through a refining process to make them the best that they can ever be. Just like a goldsmith puts gold through fire for it to come out purer, God will take you through a refining fire for you to come out purer and better. Are you willing to go through the refining fire of God?
In John 15:2, He said:
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forthbmore fruit.
If you want to be a branch that is connected to the vine and bear fruits for God, you must be ready to go through a pruning process. It will be tough, but it will make you more fruitful.
In the pruning process, God will take away things that are competing with Him from your heart. He may ask you to stop wearing jewelry, not necessarily because it is a sin to wear them, but because they may be a distraction to your fruitfulness. He may allow persecution to arise against you so that you will draw closer to Him. As you draw closer to Him, you will become more like Him and be more fruitful. He might hold some things back from you for a while to test your faith, so that you can become perfect, wanting nothing James 1:2-4).
At the end of the refining process, you will become so valuable that people will run over each other to favor you. Just like everyone wants gold in its purest form, you will become a spectacle to your generation. As everyone wants the best of fruits, you will have people from all over the world coming to glean from the great value that you possess. Those who successfully go through the pruning process of God become superstars in their generation because they carry great value that the whole world wants to glean from. They are problem solvers, and people see them as blessings. Money is never their problem because their value attracts money from all around the world. They don't beg for doors to open to them, their names open doors. Are you ready to be refined by God?
PRAYER POINT
Father, please refine me and make me the purest and best version of myself that I can ever be, in Jesus' name
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 28- 29
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
Hymn 29: WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER
1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."
Refrain:
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul.
3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
4 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul.
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