Open Heavens Devotional 20th December 2019 – LIVING HOLY 1.

MEMORISE:

Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deuteronomy 13:4

READ: Job 23:10-12

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

MESSAGE

From my encounters with people all around the world, I make bold to stay that’s so many people want to live their lives as true Christians. However even though they really want to live holy Christ-like lives, they somehow find themselves falling into sin again and again. Some have even concluded that it is not possible to live a holy life, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus said in Matthew 5:48:

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Only a bully would ask a person to do something he or she knows cannot be done just to oppress that person. In some Nigerian Secondary Schools, a bully would give a junior student N10 and ask the fellow to buy food worth N100. Our God is not like that; if he says you should be perfect it means he has given you the ability to be perfect the only problem is that most people fail to realize that they have all that it takes to live a life of holiness.

God gave us the Bible to help us live a holy life. Everyone who studies the Bible regularly will tell you that the more you study God’s word the less attractive sin becomes to them. This is the point of sanctification where a person begins to love righteousness and hated iniquity. In order for the His disciples to remain holy after His departure, Jesus prayed to God thus:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

If you don’t study your Bible daily it will be impossible for you to live holy.

You should not stop at studying God’s word daily; you must also memorize it. This is why we have a memory verse per day in this devotional. When you memorize scriptures everyday it will be difficult for you to commit sin. David said in Psalm 119:11:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

What you meditate on and for how long you meditate on it has an effect on your lifestyle. This is why God advised Joshua to meditate on His word day and night. If you continuously do this you will begin to live like Christ and succeed as He did

KEY POINT:

Fall in love with God’s word and it will be easy to live a holy life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 9-12
Zechariah 8:9- 23

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.