Theme For Open Heavens Devotional 14 October 2019 – SPEAK NO EVIL. OF GOD’S MINISTER.
MEMORISE:
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 1 Peter 3:10
READ: 2 Kings 2:23-24
23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
MESSAGE
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Psalm 105:14
When a wise person comes across this scripture, the first thing he or she will try to find out is, how can one touch God’s anointed? One way to harmfully touch God’s anointed is by slandering or speaking evil of a minister of God. Doing this can cause God’s anointed so much grief and might even be worse than slapping him or her on face. It is a dangerous thing to persecute a Christian, because Jesus personally feels the pain of such acts of wickedness, and as the Lion of Judah, He will surely defend His own. Saul of Tarsus was a man committed to persecuting Christians until Jesus met him as he rode to Damascus in furtherance of his sinister objective. In Acts 9:5b, Jesus said to him:
“I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
Even if the Lord’s anointed is as humble as Moses and would not respond to the evil and slanderous comments against him or her there are self-pronounced curses upon whoever speaks evil of God’s prophets, as seen in the case of Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-10). They were driven by jealousy to speak against Moses and God heard it (Numbers 12:2). The Lord hears every evil word spoken against His ministers, and when he chooses to respond, the result can be severe, the result can be severe, as recorded in Numbers12:9-10 which says:
“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.”
From Moses’ story, we see that it was God who fought for His servant. Amazingly, the rebels who stood against Moses were his own siblings (Exodus 4:14, Exodus 15:20). More surprising is the fact that Aaron was also the high priest of God. Why would a high priest be caught in the act of rebellion? What greater position or fame was he angling for that made him speak evil of his brother, who was chosen by God to lead the people? This is food for thought for us today. Unlike Moses who was meek and did not respond when persecuted, Elisha was of a different persuasion. In today’s Bible reading, the children who mocked him were not as luck as Aaron and Miriam were. He cursed them in the Lord’s Name and they all suffered gruesome death immediately. Those who speak evil of the Lord’s anointed should be warned that they might not get away with it someday. Beloved, a word is enough for the wise.
PRAYER POINT:
“Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the doors of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 5-6
Revelation 8:13-9:19
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 3: 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.
o 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.
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.
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.
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.
Credit for Open Heavens Devotional 14 October 2019 – Pastor Adeboye
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