Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Saturday, 14th January, 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: SATURDAY 14TH JANUARY 2017.

THEME: ACCESSING TRUE HUMILITY

Memorise:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Philippians 2:3

Read: Philippians 2:3-8

2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

MESSAGE:

One of the virtues that made the work of our salvation possible is humility. It took great humility for our Lord Jesus Christ to take the form of a man and die the shameful death of the cross. The secret of our Lord's humility lies in the state of His mind. For this reason, the Holy Spirit in Philippians 2:5 says this to us:
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"

Many Christians believe they are humble, but only adversity reveals a man's true character. It takes the mind of Jesus being transplanted into you to experience true humility. God's humility is not feigned like what we generally see today. A man behaves and speaks as though he is humble, but under provocation he throws caution to the wind. At this point, you will see how haughty or cocky he really is. Are you struggling to stay humble? Ask that the mind of Christ be made manifest in you today! Do not stop asking until you see yourself manifesting Christ's humility. When you surrender your life to Jesus at salvation, the mind of Christ is grafted into your spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16). It however takes the sanctification experience to fully manifest this new mind without struggling. Through sanctification, there is an overflow of grace that is released to you, enabling you to easily manifest the nature of God that you have received through salvation.

We need true humility today like never before. Many years ago, I was the official interpreter for the founder of our church: translating his sermons from Yoruba, the local dialect, to English. Then one day, a pastor was asked to preach, and he came and asked me to interpret for him. I felt insulted. "Who do you think you are to be asking the interpreter of the General Superintendent to interpret for you?" I mused. Right there, God taught me a big lesson which cost me a lot, but thank God I was later restored. Later on, I became the General Overseer (G.O.) of the church, and I had the opportunity of visiting one of our church parishes. I got there during an evening service, and one of the deacons was about to preach. He has already opened his Bible to begin the message when he was told "the G. O. is here." I was brought up to the altar and he said to me, "Thank God you are here sir, please go ahead and preach." I answered, "No, you go ahead and preach, while I interpret for you." "I can't do that sir!" he replied. Then I said, "I command you to." For five minutes, he was shaking because here he was, a deacon preaching, and the G.O. was interpreting. The Holy Ghost then took control of him and he was able to focus on the word. Through humility, it becomes easy to submit one to another and to esteem others better than ourselves. Are you humble?

Prayer Point:

Father, grant me grace to easily manifest the mind of Christ in humility every day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Matthew 27-28
Isaiah 10:20-11:5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.
 
HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

2. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

(Refrain)

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

(Refrain)

4. To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where his glory forever I'll share.

(Refrain)