OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023.
TOPIC: SALVATION IS PERSONAL
MEMORISE:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
READ: EZEKIEL 18:4-20 (KJV)
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,
11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
MESSAGE:
Our relationship with God is strictly on an individual basis, not collective. Your relationship with God is yours alone – between you and Him. Therefore, the word 'I' is applicable in your relationship with God; it is 'I', not 'we'. David said in Psalm 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth". Our relationship with God is personal. Salvation is an individual business.
Let me make it clear: God has no grandchildren. You are either a child of God or not. Our Bible reading for today says if your father is godly and you are ungodly, your father will live and you will die. God has no grandchildren, only children; so if you have not yet given your life to Jesus and you think that because your parents are born again, then you will go to heaven, you are deceiving yourself (Ezekiel 18:20).
Furthermore, after you become born again and get to heaven, the work you put into the Kingdom of God will also be tested individually by fire. In Romans 14:12, the Bible says: "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God". Every one shall give account of himself or herself to God. When it comes to God assessing you, it is going to be an individual business. In (1 Corinthians 3:13), the Bible says: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is”. Our works will be tried separately, not together.
Remember that where we are going, there is no night there, so there is enough time. The Pastor, General Overseer and everyone else will stand alone with nowhere to hide. Therefore, when someone is discouraging you from doing the work of God now, remember that the fellow will not be there when your work is being tried. When you let someone else's attitude affect your motives and zeal for God's work, don't forget that you will not be able to blame that fellow on the last day because you will be standing alone in front of God to answer for your actions and inactions.
ACTION POINT:
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOHN 20-21
AUTHOR PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 30 - WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1. When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
REFRAIN:
Trust and obey!
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
3. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
