OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...
DATE : SUNDAY 10 APRIL 2016
THEME : THE NEW MAN I
Memorise:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2ndCorinthians 5:17
Read: Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Message
One of the basic signs of redemption in the life of a man is the newness of the life that he lives. This change of his spiritual living standard is never covert; rather, it is always obvious. When Zacchaeus, the publican, encountered Jesus in Jericho, his life never remained the same. A notoriously corrupt tax collector said:
“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
Luke 19:8
The memory verse for today corroborates the story in the above quoted scripture. Indeed, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things must pass away. Today, it is a different ball-game; people seem to maintain the status quo of their past lives even after their claims of a born-again experience. The thief still steals yet he claims to be born-again. The adulterous woman who succeeded in snatching another woman’s legally and scripturally wedded husband, lives comfortably with the man, speaking in “tongues”
John the Baptist, when addressing those who decided to follow godliness by coming for his baptism, encouraged them to bear fruits that met with genuine repentance, and take a total turn-around from past sinful living.
The Bible says
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.”
Matthew 3:7-8
The above scripture is a food for thought: the religious leaders of John the Baptist’s time humbled themselves to come for baptism in order to usher in a new move of spiritual revival. This is a lesson for those who are claiming to have risen through the ranks and files of established Churches to seek spiritual reawakening.
This may also account for many older generations embracing the Pentecostal experience. This is very good provided they also “bring forth fruits meet for repentance”, not maintaining the status-quo of their highly esteemed positions in their (former) Churches without transformation. The cry of the regenerative Spirit is change!
You may need to change your friends, eating and dressing habits to be able to conform to the image of the Son of the Living God.
Action Point:
Look at your past life in comparison with your newly found faith in Christ and effect necessary changes.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 24-25 and Proverbs 8:1-21
AUTHOR : Pst 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.
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