OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY JULY 6TH 2017

THEME: CHOOSE WISELY

Memorise:

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 2Corinthians 5:11

Read: Luke 23:39-43

23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Message:

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” 2 Corinthian 5:11

The reality of an eternity in Hell fire is the reason why we continue to preach relentlessly to people about the need to give their lives to Christ right now! Hell is worse than any kind of suffering ever known to man. It is worse than any World War or nuclear holocaust. It is worse than any type of plague, be it Ebola, HIV, leprosy or the Black Death. It is even worse than death itself. Why, you may ask? If a believer in Christ is tortured to death for his or her faith in Christ, he or she will be in pains for a while, but eventually, the pain will stop and he or she will be taken into glory. Such a fellow would have moved from extreme pain to extreme joy, glory and peace in Heaven. In contrast, anyone who goes to Hell will burn in fire day and night. After burning for a billion years, his or her suffering will just be beginning. Worse still, after the Great White Throne Judgment, the inhabitants of Hell will be moved into the Lake of Fire, where they will go through the worst of torment and will keep burning without being consumed. Revelation 20:14 says,
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Whatever you can do to skip Hell, do it today because nobody knows tomorrow!No religion can save you from Hell. No form of self-righteousness, personal belief or positive thinking can save you either. In fact, John 3:18 says that some people will be banished to Hell not because they do not attend church but because they did not genuinely give their lives to Christ. You have a choice to make here. When the Lord Jesus Christ was being nailed to the cross, two thieves were equally nailed to their own crosses on either side of Him. One of them said to the Lord, “I thought you called yourself a prophet, how come you cannot deliver yourself and deliver us also?” The second thief rebuked him saying, “While on your way to Hell, you are still talking like this?” Then he turned to Jesus and said “Lord, I don’t know if it is still possible, but when You get to Your Kingdom, please remember me.” The first thief chose to go from the cross to Hell, and he got his wish, while the second chose to go from the cross to paradise and it was so. What is your choice today?

Action Point:

Visit www.spiritlessons.com and read up people’s accounts of their experience of Heaven and Hell. Wisely adjust your lifestyle based on your choice of eternal destination.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 17
Ezekiel1:22-2:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: ( Thursday, July 6, 2017) - CHOOSE WISELY

1.Thank you, Father, for the salvation of my soul.

2.Thank you, Father, for the gift of a freewill to choose between good and evil; right and wrong.

3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, let there be a divine reversal of the negative consequences of the wrong choices l have made in life, by your mercy, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, empower me to preach the gospel of Christ to sinners, that many, may be saved, from the agony of an eternity in hell fire.

6.Father, let every power, holding the souls of men captive, against their acceptance of the gospel, be paralysed, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, give me the grace to endure the light afflictions of this world, which is but, for a moment, in order to experience the eternal weight of glory, awaiting me in heaven.

8.Father, give me a faith that will resist temptations, and will not compromise your standard, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please, uphold me till the end, by your right hand of righteousness, in this wicked and perverse generation; and save me from the agony and torment of hell, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, reveal your son, Jesus, to as many, who are yet to know Him as their personal Lord and saviour, and save their souls, today, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, please, raise me up on the last day, and give me the grace to reign with you, in eternity, in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation