Open Heavens Daily Devotional For 13th May, 2018

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For 13th May, 2018

THEME: DECISION-MAKING 2

MEMORISE:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Hebrews 12:16

READ: Genesis 25:29-34
29. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
30. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
31. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

MESSAGE
A. The original intention and will of God for mankind is that we would maintain our innocence while still exercising our free will to make decisions in total obedience to His Word.
1. His Desire is for us to make decisions in conscious and deliberate submission to His Authority, not out of ignorance but in innocence.
2. Life involves making decisions at different levels and under various circumstances.
3. To help us navigate our way through life successfully, the Scripture offers us guidance on how we should make decisions, while providing examples of good and bad decisions and their consequences.
4. Relying on the human knowledge of good and evil motivates people to reason things out and arrive at seemingly good decisions that are based on Prevailing Culture, Level of Intelligence and Personal Preferences, without any serious consideration for Obedience to The Will of God.
5. The truth is, decision-making is the most vital aspect of life because the quality of a person’s decision determines the level of success or failure he or she attains.

B. The Bible narrates some classical examples of bad decisions made over the ages and their consequences.
1. The most harmful of this is found in Genesis 3:6: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof…”
2. This was the decision that got the whole of humanity into trouble, but thank God for Jesus who redeemed us by His Blood.
3. B. Another example is Esau who chose to sell his birthright for bread and pottage, and he lost it forever.
4. Samson also made bad choices, including his decision to mingle with strange women, which destroyed his life, made him lose his power and caused him to die in the camp of his enemies.
5. Judges 16:1 Samson and Delilah: “Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.”
6. Furthermore, in 1 Samuel 13:8-9, King Saul’s decision to offer the required burnt offering in the absence of Prophet Samuel made him lose everything.
7. The Lord will restore everything you have lost today in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

C. The Bible also contains examples of those who made Good Decisions.
1. Joseph refused the sexual advances of his master’s wife, and God ensured that his dream came to pass.
2. Genesis 39:7-9 “And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
3. In Ruth 1:15-17, against all odds, Ruth decided to stay with Naomi, her mother-in-law, and the God of Israel settled her.
4. Ruth 1:15-17 “And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
5. She became the great grandmother of King David, and Our Lord Jesus Christ later came out of her lineage.
6. I pray they you will not make the wrong decisions that will change the course of your destiny for evil in the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!

Check Also – Kenneth and Gloria Copeland’s Daily Devotional 

PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please help me depend on You for all my decisions in life in Jesus’ Name. Amen 🙏!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 1-2, 1 Peter 1:1-12.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: TRUST AND OBEY!

1.When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.Refrain
3.Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey. Refrain
4.But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.Refrain
5.Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Refrain
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

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