OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Thursday January 21, 2016

WALKING WITH GOD II

Memorise: Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. - Isaiah 28:16

Read: Deuteronomy 8:1-6

1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the more Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.


MESSAGE :

Walking with God requires knowing His ways. There is no way you can walk with God if you do not know His ways, this is because God is invisible and yet only walking with Him guarantees safety and prosperity. Another thing about walking in His ways is that His ways are more often not our ways: The Bible says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

In our Bible reading for today, God says that His people should remember all the ways in which He led them for forty years. One striking thing about this passage is the fact that man survives majority on the Word of God and not by bread alone. How did God show His people this truth? He gave them food and water on a daily basis without them labouring. Even their clothes and sandals did not wear out!

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee….” Deut 8:3-4

The above passage shows that people of God should not disobey God because of what they will eat or drink. Many today are on their way to hell because of what they will eat, drink or put on. This was the truth that guided Jesus when the devil wanted to bring Him down with food in Luke 4:4. Jesus taught his disciples, re-assuring them that as long as they walk with God in His ways through His words, all their needs would be met. He said:

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Matthew 6:25

Beloved, I encourage you to begin to walk with God by His Word from today, and you will experience His Almighty benevolence in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, please help me to always trust and take you by Your infallible Word in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 28
Job 8:1-19