DON’T ENRICH THE GRAVE Sunday 17 June 2012

Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Memorise: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor advice, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:10

Read: Ecclesiastes 9:4-10

Your focus in life will affect you in time and in eternity. The one who focuses on material things will someday be separated from them when death comes, leaving the fellow with nothing on earth and nothing in the world to come. But the one who focuses on the things from above- a thriving relationship with God, the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit, winning several souls to Christ, advancing the work of God’s kingdom etc., will have the rewards awaiting him or her in eternity (Colossians 3:1-3). What are you giving most of your time, intellect and money? Remember you time will be up someday. Some have even lost their salvation to the pursuit of material things which sooner or later will be separated from them.

There is need to always remind yourself that after death there is no room for change anymore. Whatever you do now will be your peak at the point of death. After death, all such activities cease. Any talent you have not developed or utilised before death will go with the body to the grave after death. The cemetery is said to be the richest place on earth because it harbours all the unutilised talents, abilities, and even anointing which have become forever dormant by virtue of being in that location. Elijah served the Lord and transferred a double portion of his anointing to Elisha. The latter served the Lord too but because his servant Gehazi missed it, and the sons of the prophets in their prophetic schools did not pay the price, he went to the grave with his anointing. Any endowment that goes with you to the grave without being used for the benefit of your fellow man is wasted. After death, you will account for such waste. In other words, those abilities, talents to write, sing, win souls, motivate, etc., which you failed to use before death will become eternal exhibits which will be used against you. Has God given you life? Use it to its fullest. Develop all, not just some of God’s gifts in your life and maximally utilize them for His glory. The grave must not receive anything else from you other than a totally emptied body. Don’t enrich the grave!

PRAYER POINT:

Lord, help me to maximally utilize all the divine deposits in me to the extent that the grave will be unable to inherit anything from me when l die.

 

Bible in One year: Zechariah 7-10