SATURDAY 13TH JULY 2019 THEME: A CHILD OF GOD?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 13TH JULY 2019

THEME: A CHILD OF GOD?

MEMORISE:

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1John 3:9

READ: 1 John 3:1-10

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

MESSAGE

To be born again means to be born by the seed of God. Simply put, those who are born again are born of God. Simply put, those who are born again are born of God. Our God is holy, and there is no iniquity in Him. It therefore follows that anyone who becomes born again through His seed will also possess His nature of holiness. 1 Peter 1:23 says:

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

We manifest the nature of holiness when we love righteousness and hate whatever is evil (Hebrews 1:9). Therefore, those who are born of God do not cultivate the habit of sin because the seed of God in them prevents them from committing sin (1 John 3:9). It is a glorious thing indeed to be born of God. No wonder John was excited to declare in 1 John 3:1a:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:”

Are you born again? If you say you are, do you pass the litmus test of having the nature of holiness? Do you live righteously for all to see? Do you really hate sin or secretly take pleasure in it, even though you do not partake in the act? Weigh yourself on the scales of God’s word today to determine your true situation. Based on the standard of God’s word, we either belong to God or the devil- there is no middle ground. How do we know those who belong to the devil? 1 John 3:8asays:

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.”

It is clear as daylight from this scripture that those who live a lifestyle of sin are of the devil. The devil has sin in his nature, and he shares this nature with his children. Conversely, righteousness is God’s character, and His children are known for righteous living. Those who hate righteousness, no matter how long they have been in church, are not of God. Beloved, where do you stand after weighing yourself on God’s scale? If you are still indulging in one sin or the other, you are far from being born of God- you need to return to Calvary to surrender your lifestyle of sin completely. Genuinely repent of your sins and ask God to infuse His seed into you so that you can bring forth His nature. Once you do this, God will graciously replace the nature of sin in you with His nature of holiness. After receiving His nature, subjugate your body and mind to the dictates of His nature. God bless you as you yield to righteousness in all that you do in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, grant me grace to surrender my body and mind to Your nature of holiness in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Deuteronomy 33-34
Ezekiel 16:35-52

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER?

• Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Refrain

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Refrain

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Refrain