Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but
the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. Psalms 37:21
Read: Hebrews 12:1-2
One way of identifying the righteous is by their attitude
towards repaying what they borrowed. As stated in the memory verse, it is a
wicked person that borrows and refuses to pay. Many Christians are guilty of
this. Did you borrow some books or materials from the library, your office,
church or an individual but have no intention of returning them? Or have you
converted the properties of others kept in your care into your own? Then you
are not righteous but wicked. Some people are assisted with a loan to start a
business but when it is time to repay, they will start to either give excuses
or deliberately avoid their creditors. Some will even wickedly refuse to take
their calls or even change their SIM cards. Yet some of these people are
pastors, ministers and workers in God’s vineyard. Are you not wicked? The
unbelievers who have not known God are far better than such people. Do you know
that debt is a weight? This is why we are commanded not to be indebted to
anyone (Romans 13:8).
Debt is a weight. Anyone who intends to participate in a
race and expects to win but is carrying a bag of rice will be kidding himself
or herself. Do you know that if you are indebted to others, it will affect the
way you run the Christian race?
Wherefore seeing we
also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, Hebrews
12:1
If you want your Christian race to be smooth, or to respond
to the efforts you put in, make every effort to clear up all your debts. You
cannot be a perpetual debtor and you open your mouth and say, I am a Christian.
You will be portraying the kingdom of God in very bad light. Did Jesus owe
anyone? When He was to die, who came to accuse Him of owing anything? Also at
the latter part of Samuel’s ministry, when he re-presented Saul as king to the
Israelites, he was able to beat his chest that he owes no man anything (1
Samuel 12:3). Do you know the debts you owe with intention of not paying back
will not allow you to be raptured or to make it to Heaven? Debts can have far
reaching consequences. As much as you can, try and live within your means. Do
not overstretch yourself financially as this can cause you to go into debt. Do
not expose yourself to too many risks that your assets cannot cover. Do not
allow the prospects of gain from an investment blind your eyes to its
associated risk. Live a life of contentment and it shall be well with you.
ACTION POINT:
Map out a strategy on how you will gradually repay all your
debts. If there is a debt you cannot afford to pay back, pray, then go and ask
for forgiveness or reduction of the debt.
Bible in one year: Ezekiel 22-24
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