Open Heavens Devotional 21st May, 2019
Theme For Open Heavens Devotional 21st May – GOD’S STANDARD REMAINS.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35
BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:17-20
17. Think not that I Am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I Am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18. For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from The Law, till all be fulfilled.
19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in The Kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called Great in The Kingdom of Heaven.
20. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into The Kingdom of Heaven.
MESSAGE:
A. To explain the place of Law and Grace in our lives as Christians, one of my sons once said that The Law Teaches Us Godliness while Grace Gives us The Power To Do What The Law Commands.
1. We can then say that Law and Grace work together for us to live acceptably before God.
2. You cannot claim to be under The Grace of God and live a lawless life, because those who live under God’s Grace are subject to The Law of The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.
3. Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after The Spirit.
4. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
5. You are a partaker of God’s Grace because The Spirit of Lordship now lives in you and controls you to live by Christ’s Commandments.
6. On the other hand, you cannot obey the instructions of This Spirit of Lordship without the help of God’s grace. Why?
7. It is because His Standard is high and His was uncompromising.
8. This is the reason why Christ paid such a high price for us to gain access to God’s Throne, where we obtain Grace that helps us in this regard.
9. Hebrews 4:16 says: “Let us therefore come boldly unto The Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.”
B. God’s Standard is entrenched in His Word.
1. No matter how much the world changes, The Standard which God’s Word sets for man to live by cannot be changed.
2. Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away.”
3. 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless The Foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.
4. And, Let every one that nameth The Name of Christ depart from iniquity.
5. Our Lord Jesus Christ in Today’s Bible Reading said He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets; rather, He came to fulfil them by The Grace He brought from Heaven.
6. His Grace is more than enough for those who are willing to Obey God, Love Him and Worship Him in spirit and in truth.
7. Whatever the Lord commands, He gives the grace to do.
8. Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His Good Pleasure.
9. From the Lord’s Teaching in Matthew 5:27-32, it is obvious that His Standard of the Law of Moses.
10. This is because His standard establishes the will of God as it was in the beginning.
C. Matthew 5:27-32 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
1. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
2. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
3. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
4. Matthew 19:8 “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.”
5. Thankfully, His Grace is more than enough to help us meet this standard.
6. For example, Christ brought The Grace not only to avoid going into the act of sexual immorality but also to help us not to lust after the opposite sex in our hearts.
7. Matthew 5:27-28 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
D. The law says we should not commit murder, but the letter of Grace helps us not to be angry at all.
1. The same thing applies to the issue of divorce.
2. Jesus Christ taught against divorce, equating it with the sin of adultery.
3. Matthew 5:31-32 “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
4. God’s Standards have not changed, and they will never change.
5. Our love for God should motivate us to live by His Standards.
6. James 1:25 says: “But whoso looketh into The Perfect Law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be Blessed in his deed.”
7. Let us continually look into The Perfect Law of Liberty in order to please Our God daily.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please grant me the grace to live by Your standards daily, In Jesus’ Name. 🙏Amen!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 35-36
Jeremiah 39
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
• Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
• Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
• Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will. Refrain:
• Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow. Refrain:
• Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image Perfected at last. Refrain:
• Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue. Refrain:
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!