OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 30th OCTOBER 2016

THEME: GODLY SORROW

Memorise:

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4.

Read: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV)

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.


MESSAGE

There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag its victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn’t know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priest failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.

On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.

Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast for both humans and animals. Jonah 3:10 says:
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”

Key Point

Don’t sweep your blunders under the carpets of self-righteousness; repent and exercise godly sorrow. You will be comforted by divine forgiveness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 11-14 and Psalms 90:1-6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Sunday, October 30th, 2016) - GODLY SORROW
1.Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross to take away my sins.
2.Thank you Father for your word which you sent to me that produced godly sorrow, repentance and salvation of my soul.
3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
4.Father, l confess my sins to you today,(mention them), forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness and spiritual pollution, by the blood of Jesus.
5.Father, whenever l hear your word, give me the grace not to harden my heart against it.
6.Father, restore me to faithful obedience of your word and fill me afresh to the brim with your Holy Spirit.
7.Father, please, take away my old sinful nature and let all things become new in my life, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, help me, guide me, lead me, transform me and renew my strength and faith, in you, by the power of your Holy Spirit.
9.Father, please, heal every inch of back sliding in me, that l do not go the way of Judas lscariot or Cain, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, arise, and frustrate every attempt and plan of Satan to drag me to hell, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, uphold me by your right hand of righteousness, till the end, that l do not fall by the road side, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal Petitions. (Phil 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thes 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation