OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING

Memorise:

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5

Read: Psalms 30:1-5, (KJV)

1 I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

MESSAGE

Joy is a positive human condition that wells up from deep inside the soul and usually reflects in human action. The Bible uses joy both as a feeling and an action. Joy as a feeling is called forth by well-being, success, or good fortune. A person automatically experiences joy as a result of certain favourable circumstances. This kind of joy cannot be commanded, something must happen to activate the feeling of Joy. For example in Matthew 18:13, the shepherd had a feeling of joy. when he found his lost sheep. In Luke 13:17, the multitude was joyful when Jesus healed a Jewish woman whom Satan had bound for 18 years. Also in Luke 24:52, the disciples returned to Jerusalem rejoicing after Jesus’ ascension to Heaven. Furthermore, Paul mentioned his joy in hearing about the obedience of the Roman Christians in Romans 16:19. All these confirm joy as a feeling.

On the other hand, joy as an action is the kind of joy that the Scripture commands. The kind of joy can be engaged in, regardless of how a person feels; the Bible calls it the joy of the Lord. In Psalms 137:1-4, the Jews on exile were unable to entertain their captors with music because of their obvious sadness; their feeling was contrary to joy. You could experience the joy of the Lord regardless of your personal feelings and in whatever circumstance you may find yourself. Jesus instructed His disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted, reviled, and slandered according to Matthew 5:11-12. James 1:2 tells Christians to count it all joy when they fall into various trials because such trials produce endurance. Therefore, this makes joy in adverse circumstances possible only as a gift of God for God’s children. In this regard, Psalms 30:5 says:
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

The coming of joy in the morning is such a powerful concept considering what night and morning stand for. Night symbolizes a period of darkness, evil, insecurity, and uncertainty. Morning signifies a new beginning and renewed hope. The morning light uncovers events of the night and provides opportunity for renewed daily activity. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us that God’s love, mercies, favour and compassion are made available for the benefit of Christians daily. I therefore decree; despite what you may be passing through, your hour of darkness will soon pass away, and joy will become your permanent companion in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point:

Father, please let there be a new dawn of joy, peace and prosperity in my life in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 16-18 and Psalms 48

AUTHOR : Pastor E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 11: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

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.

Chorus:
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.

Chorus:

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.

Chorus:

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.

Chorus:

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.

Chorus.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens ( Saturday, September 3rd, 2016) - JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING
1.Thank you Father for your thoughts toward me, which are thoughts of good and not of evil, to bring me to an expected end.
2.Father, in anyway l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
3.Father, please, bring me out of the pit of sorrow and affliction, because only the living can praise you.
4.Father, let every agent and source of sorrow in my life, be consumed today, by your fire.
5.Father, send help to me and renew my strength and let every spirit of journey weariness depart from me, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, bring an end to darkness and unfavourable situations in my life and let your joy become my permanent companion on my life's journey.
7.Father, let every effort of the enemies to turn my joy to sorrow be frustrated, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, let the things of joy begin to happen in my life and let me never experience sorrow again.
9.Father, let me experience your joy, even, when situations and circumstances of life are contrary to my expectations.
10.l decree that the joy of the Lord shall always be my strength and it shall never depart from me, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, please let there be a new dawn of joy, peace and prosperity in my life in Jesus' name.
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).