OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, OC6T 05, 2026

-
Image
TOPIC: WILL YOU BE READY? II MEMORISE : Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Luke 12:40 READ : Matthew 24:4-14 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold....
Post a Comment

FORGIVENESS NOT NEGOTIABLE Thursday 24 May 2012

-
Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12:15
Read: Matthew 6:12-15
It is difficult to avoid friction in any society. An African proverb says: The one who says, don’t touch me, will not go to the market, and the one who says, Don’t spill water on me, will not go to fetch water from the local river. As long as you interact with people, misunderstanding is bound to come. No reasonable person will be angry without a cause. It is friction that generates hurt, pain, bitterness and un-forgiveness. When the one you trust disappoints you, it hurts. When people speak evil or lie against you, you will feel pain. As long as you live in a community, somebody must step on your toes. The truth is, offences must come but the problem here is how do you handle them when they occur? For instance, if you are upset by somebody and you allow bitter thoughts, anger, or un-forgiveness, it will affect your heart. If you don’t handle such negative feelings properly, they will affect your relationship with God to an extent that God will no more answer your prayers.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalms 66:18
But you may ask: Why will God not answer my prayers when I was the one offended? It’s because God is keenly interested in your relationship with your fellow man hence He says in Hebrew 12:14:
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Jesus further says that if you refuse to forgive your fellow man, your Father in Heaven will also retain your sins against you from that moment. As seen in the memory verse, if you allow bitterness inside you, it will not only trouble you, it will also defile you. In addition, in Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus says if there is a problem in your relationship with your brother, whatever you offer to God will be rejected except you first reconcile with the fellow. You forgive your offenders not because you like to but because you have to; not for their sake but for your sake; not necessarily for their good but for your own good; not because you desire it but because God commands it and obeying God in that aspect will be counted to you as an act of righteousness.
ACTION POINT:
Take some time and list all the people who have offended you. Go to meet them one by one and say to them: Brother, what you did to me really hurt me. I didn’t want to forgive you, but because I love myself so much, I have no choice but to forgive and release you.
 
Bible in one year: Romans 5-8

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY MAY 9TH 2024

-
Image
TOPIC: THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER 4 MEMORISE:  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:12 READ: Bible Reading Romans 6:1-23 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead w...
Read more

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6TH 2025

-
Image
TOPIC : OVERFLOWING MERCY MEMORISE : “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” - (Ephesians 2:4-5) READ : MARK 1:40-45 (KJV) 40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 45 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the cit...
Read more

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY, 22ND JUNE, 2025

-
Image
TOPIC: AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT  MEMORIZE   Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Daniel 6:3 READ :  Romans 12:10-21 [10]Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; [11]Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; [12]Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; [13]Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality  [14]Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. [15]Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. [16]Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. [17]Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. [18]If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. [19]Dearly be...
Read more