OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, 7TH APRIL 2025

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TOPIC: LIKE THE DAY OF PENTECOST VII MEMORISE : "Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least, the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them." Acts 5:15 READ : ACTS 1:1-8 (KJV) 1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come tog...

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL : THURSDAY JANUARY 19TH 2023

THEME:  LEARN FROM OTHERS

MEMORISE: 
It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night. 1 Samuel 15:11 

READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1 -11

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

MESSAGE
It repenteth me that l have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
I Samuel 15:11

The first time I read the passage above, it was shocking to me that God would repent. I had read messages in the Bible like Ezekiel 33:14-16 where God said if He says to the wicked that he will die, but the wicked changes his ways, then He wouldn't let him die anymore. However; what is mind-boggling about Saul 's case is that this is a different kind of repentance. Of a truth, Saul was a very humble, diligent and responsible young man before he became king. In l Samuel 9:3-4, his father sent him on an errand to search for some missing animals. Saul kept searching and was determined not to return home until he found them. God is Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8), He knows the end from the beginning (Acts 15:18), how can somebody like that repent of the decision He had made? One day, the Lord used the scripture below to provide an answer to my question.

Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
I Corinthians 10:11

All the stories we read in the Bible, even some of the things happening around us today, are supposed to be lessons to us. One could therefore say that He looks for scapegoats to use to teach others lesson. Now, there are two questions you should ask yourself from this revelation: first, are you really learning lessons from the examples that God has given you in the Bible and around your? Have you learnt from Judas lscariot's case that greed can destroy a person both here and in eternity? Have you learned from Samson that sexual sins will reduce a strong man to a piece of bread (Proverbs 6:26)? Have you learn from the examples around you?

REFLECTION 
Are you currently indulging in sin? What can you learn from the Bible about the repercussions of that sin.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 11-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: I AM SO GLAD THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAV'N

1 I am so glad that our Father in heav’n

Tells of His love in the Book He has giv’n;

Wonderful things in the Bible I see:

This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

  Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,

    Jesus loves even me.

2 Though I forget Him and wander away,

Still He doth love me whenever I stray;

Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,

When I remember that Jesus loves me.

3 Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,

When in His beauty I see the great King,

This shall my song in eternity be:

“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me.”

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