OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: FRIDAY 29TH JULY 2016

THEME: JUST DO IT RIGHT

Memorise:

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6

Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23

15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Message

A good number of people confuse service for God's approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is- "just do it right, and God will accept you and your service". The Bible says:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romas 12:1

In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God's instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the spoil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:
"...Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of King Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites.
Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and King Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with in Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.."

Some so-called workers in the Church are still harboring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are 'zealously' working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said on that day, they will come and say:
"We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:26-27

May this not be your portion in Jesus' name.

Prayer Point :

Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Timothy 1-4 and Psalms 22:1-21

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.

O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward. Amen!

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: ( Friday, July 29th, 2016) - JUST DO IT RIGHT 

1.Thank you Father for the abundance of your grace over my life.

2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.

3.Father, the sin that l will commit that will make you to cancel your plans for me, please, don't let me ever commit it.

4.Father, where you have purposed to take me to, in life, please, take me there by your power and grace.

5.Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward.

6.Father, as l yield to obey you fully, let everything you have created, obey me, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, let all my services and labours in your vineyard, be acceptable unto you, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, let every work of the flesh in my life be consumed by your fire.

9.Father, whenever, you give me an instruction, help me to go ahead and obey you, instead of conferring again, with flesh and blood.

10.Father, please, uphold me by your right hand of righteousness till the end, let me never fail or disappoint you.

11.Father, in your kingdom, please, don't let me be found wanting.

12.Your Personal petitions. ( Phil 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(Jn 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thes 5:18).