OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday March 20, 2017

ANY PRICKS?

Memorise : Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; - 1 Timothy 4:2

Read: Romans 9:1 & 1 Timothy 1:16-20

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, llie not, my conscience also bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost.

1:16 Howbeit for this cause l obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1:18 This charge l commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare:

1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto
Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.


MESSAGE :

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. " Acts 2:38

For anyone who wants to partake of salvation from sin, Satan and the world,
God requires genuine, heartfelt repentance. In Acts 2:37, after preaching to the multitudes, they asked Peter, "What shall we do?" He simply replied, "Repent and be water-baptized, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." From his response, we understand that the Spirit of life Himself is a gift, and that if you will have Him, you must start from the place of repentance. If you want to experience the move of the Spirit in your life, begin with repentance. Repentance is the foundation stone on which faith in Christ is built. Anyone who claims to be a servant of God but who did not start from the place of repentance is only engaging in self deception. Examine yourself today. Are you
saved? Have you truly repented?

After you have successfully laid the foundation of repentance, your conscience
will be purged by the Blood of Jesus and made to come alive through the prompting of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 9:14, Romans 9:1); to the extent that if you as much as tell a lie, you won't get away with it. You will remain troubled until you confess and restitute the lie. If you are never under the pressure of the Holy Spirit to make right your wrong deeds, you can be sure that something is wrong with your foundation. Many years ago, while travelling to Lagos from Ilesha (South-West, Nigeria), I forgot to buy a gift for my father in the Lord. By the time I got to Surulere, Lagos, I realised this oversight and so I bought some oranges to give to him from there. As Papa peeled and sucked the oranges, he
said, "These oranges are sweet. You must have bought them on the way." "Yes sir", I replied. The Holy Spirit said to me, "You just lied." My response to this was "How did I lie? Roadside is roadside, whether at Surulere or between Ilesha and Lagos." The Spirit then said, "You know his question meant whether you bought them on your way from llesha to Lagos." I replied, "Does it matter? Does this affect the sweetness of the oranges?" The Spirit insisted, You have lied." So l turned to my father in the Lord and told him l bought the oranges at Surulere, Lagos and not on my way from llesha, and Papa exclaimed, "Holy Spirit!"

He knew the Spirit was dealing with me. Does this same Holy Spirit deal with you when you lie or sin? If your conscience is not responding to the pricks of the Holy Spirit, it means you have strayed from Him.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, quicken every part of my conscience that has been seared by persistent disobedience.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Exodus 17-19;
Isaiah 65:1-12
 

HYMN 7: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED. 

1. 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.

2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. 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.

4. 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 in Heav'n receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.