Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Tuesday, 11th July, 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY JULY 11TH 2017

THEME: LEAVE A MARK             

Memorise:

That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:12

Read: Acts 19:8-10

19: 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

19:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Message:

If you will be used by God to perform signs and wonders in these last days, you must have the heart of a missionary or church planter. In the days of early church, although there was a church in Jerusalem, Philip left his base and went to plant another church in Samaria (Acts 8:5). If God sees you as an incurable church planter, he will gladly use you in the miraculous. Take for instance Paul the apostle: today you would find him in Corinth, tomorrow he would be in Galatia and the next time, you would hear of him being in Colossae. As he travelled round these countries and cities, he kept planting churches. He hardly visited a city without leaving a mark behind for God’s Kingdom. No wonder the Bible records that the kind of miracles God performed through Paul were quite outstanding. Acts 19:11-12 says,
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”

There are some lessons we can learn from the experience of Paul in this regard. The first is that having the opportunity to travel around the globe is a great privilege. There are people who enjoy travelling from one country to another. There are some people who are required by their official assignment or business transactions to move across countries. Some go to other places for school or simply on vacation. Whatever the reason for your travels, it is a great privilege. Every Christian traveller is expected to leave a godly mark behind in the places he or she visits. How can you visit a country for a week or two and not share the gospel of Jesus Christ with at least one person? You as a true believer in Christ should be able to have converts in the different countries you visit, and if you are there for a minimum of three to six months, you should be able to start a house fellowship, or even a church. By doing this, you will be opening the door for God to use you for signs and wonders. Have you travelled away from home without winning souls for Christ or establishing a house fellowship or church for His Name? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Use the opportunity of your travels across different locations to glorify God. Travelling is meaningful if you can leave a mark of God’s Kingdom behind.

Key Point:

One way of becoming a father of many nations is to have converts in every country you visit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 26-28
Ezekiel 5:13-6:7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:

3.  Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain: