OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY JULY 3RD 2024
THEME: RETURN ON SEEDS III
MEMORISE: Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;
2 Corinthians 9:10
READ: Malachi 3:10-12
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
MESSAGE
Over the last two days, I have discussed how you can get harvests from the seeds you sow. Today, I will focus on seeds that are sown based on God's instructions. These kinds of seeds go beyond yielding 100- fold, they yield unlimited returns. In 1 Kings 17:8-1 6, when Elijah told the widow to bring her last meal and she obeyed, the result was an unlimited supply of food for her household all through the famine. When God instructs you to give and you obey, He pours unlimited blessings on you.
When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, the entire monthly income of the church was less than my monthly salary as a lecturer before I resigned. By the time we managed to pay the salaries of the staff, there was usually nothing left for me. Things were tough, and I looked forward to collecting my gratuity because I had served the government for many years. My plan was to invest part of the money and save some, hoping that before I finished spending my savings, the church would have grown to the where I could start getting paid a salary. When gratuity came in, I remembered that God was now my Commander-in-Chief, so I asked Him how to spend the money. To my surprise, He said that I should divide it into three parts and give each part to different ministries. Nothing was to come to the ministry I was heading, even though we had needs. I trembled when He gave me that instruction, but then, He followed it with, "I will be your source." I obeyed, and since then, He has truly been my source.
In Malachi 3:10, God instructed that you should bring ten percent of your income into His storehouse, and He will open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings that you will not have enough room to contain. This is an unlimited blessing that comes from obeying just one instruction. God blessed Abraham and told him that He will be his reward (Genesis 15:1). Imagine God Himself being someone's reward; that is an unlimited blessing. When you check what preceded that, you will discover that this blessing came after Abraham paid the first ever tithe to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-20. Your tithe is a major door to the unlimited blessings of God.
When God instructs you to give, it is an opportunity for you to experience unlimited blessings from Him. Do not let such opportunities pass you by.
KEY POINT
Obey all God's instructions on giving, and you will experience His unlimited blessings.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 15-17
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 21: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
3 Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
4 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
5 Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.