OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: SATURDAY 15TH APRIL 2017

THEME: AND HE SPENT ALL

Memorise:

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

Read: Luke 15:11-14

15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

MESSAGE
Many people do not know that the act of giving has principles that must be followed in order to get rewarded for it by God. Due to their ignorance, such people have become discouraged from giving because they had given in times past without getting the results which they rightfully expected. The truth of the matter is: giving has principles, and unless you follow these principles, you will have no result for your giving. For example, if you sow your corn or wheat on the sea, you will definitely get nothing. Therefore, we must learn the principles of giving in order to have the desired results for our giving. God will never owe any man; He gave us His word of assurance on this in Hebrews 6:10:
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

However, you must know the type of ground you sow your seed into. For example, it is an exercise in futility to sow your seed into a church ministry where the more money comes in, the more women the leader acquires to his pleasure. Also, when you give to a ministry which you know diverts your seeds into private estates and into taking care of the body instead of using it for winning souls, do not expect any reward from God. Apart from being selective of the type of causes you give to, you must also learn to give intelligently. ln today's Bible reading, the prodigal son took all that he had, left the environment of accountability and spent everything recklessly. The result of his wild lifestyle
is glaring in Luke 15:14:
"And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want."

It is an established truth that giving brings blessings upon the giver (Proverbs 11:24a). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself established this in His teachings (Luke 6:38). However, there is another truth we also need to pay close attention to in Proverbs 11:24b, which says:
"...and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty"

In other words, though we are not expected to "spend all", we must not fall into the error of conserving more than is necessary. This is the word of God. Those who live a lifestyle of spending their all always become a nuisance to the body of Christ through excessive borrowing. Learn from the story of the seven years of plenty and the strategy of conservation given by Joseph against the succeeding seven years of famine (Genesis 41 :33-36). Also, learn from the ants how to manage your resources prudently (Proverbs 6:6-. May God give you wisdom along this line, so that you can spend and give wisely.

Prayer Point:

Father, give me wisdom to manage the resources You have entrusted to my hands.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 1-2
Jeremiah 14:1-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWER OF BLESSING

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Chorus:

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy drops 'round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing-
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

[Chorus]

There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come and now honor Thy word.

[Chorus]

There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we're confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

[Chorus]

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Saturday, April 15th, 2017) - AND HE SPENT ALL 1.Thank you, Father, for daily loading us with benefits. 2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me. 3.Father, give me the grace, to sow my seeds on fertile grounds, where my rewards will be assured and guaranteed. 4.Father, help me not to waste heavenly resources entrusted in my care, on frivolous, worldly and riotous living, in Jesus' name. 5.Father, give me the grace, to cultivate the habit of saving for the rainy day, instead of eating with my ten fingers. 6.Father, give me the wisdom to spend and give wisely, in order that my expectations of reward, may not be in vain. 7.Father, please, give me a very large heart of giving, in Jesus' name. 8.Father, let me never miss my rewards, for all my labours, in your vineyard, here on earth and in heaven, in Jesus' name. 9.Father, you give seed to the sower; please, put the seeds that l will sow regularly in your kingdom, into my hands, in Jesus' name. 10.Father, you are the one who gives bread to the eater; please, don't let me beg for food or lack any good thing, in Jesus' name. 11.Father, please, give me wisdom to manage the resources you have entrusted to my hands, for the furtherance of your work. 12.Your Personal Petitions. (Philippians 4:6) 13.In Jesus' name I pray. (John 15:16) 14.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonica 5:18). #GodBlessOurNatio

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Saturday, April 15th, 2017) - AND HE SPENT ALL
1.Thank you, Father, for daily loading us with benefits.
2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
3.Father, give me the grace, to sow my seeds on fertile grounds, where my rewards will be assured and guaranteed.
4.Father, help me not to waste heavenly resources entrusted in my care, on frivolous, worldly and riotous living, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, give me the grace, to cultivate the habit of saving for the rainy day, instead of eating with my ten fingers.
6.Father, give me the wisdom to spend and give wisely, in order that my expectations of reward, may not be in vain.
7.Father, please, give me a very large heart of giving, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, let me never miss my rewards, for all my labours, in your vineyard, here on earth and in heaven, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, you give seed to the sower; please, put the seeds that l will sow regularly in your kingdom, into my hands, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, you are the one who gives bread to the eater; please, don't let me beg for food or lack any good thing, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, please, give me wisdom to manage the resources you have entrusted to my hands, for the furtherance of your work.
12.Your Personal Petitions.
(Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonica 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation