THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2019THEME: REAL GLORY.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE:  THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2019

THEME: REAL GLORY.

MEMORISE:

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

READ: Deuteronomy 28:1-13

1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

MESSAGE 

To understand what real glory looks like, let us consider these two passages of scriptures: 

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luke 4:5-8

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

In Luke 4:5-8, we see the devil offering Jesus all the power and glory of the earth, if only He worshipped him. Jesus promptly rejected this offer. Down the line, Philippians 2:9-11 records God giving Him power over everything in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth. After rejecting the glory offered by the devil, Jesus eventually received greater glory from God. 

In like manner, the devil brings this same type of temptation to us every day. For example, he could suggest to you “why don’t you just doctor financial records in your place of work, so that you can have enough money to buy the latest car?” If you yield to his suggestion, you are actually bowing to him in order to get fading glory, but if you refuse and decide to remain holy, God will in turn give you wealth on earth and also in heaven. A Yoruba proverb says, “A child who has not seen a bigger farm will say his father’s farm is the biggest in the world.” The devil’s “goodies” only look good because you have not seen what God has in store. It may be tough to remain steadfast in Christ, there is a greater glory awaiting you if you overcome till the end (Romans 8:18). Jesus had His eyes set on glory, and so He endures the cross and dispised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). It is foolish to bow to sin. Although that sin may look very attractive and even seem like the smartest thing to do, don’t be deceived; there is a greater glory awaiting you if you say “no” to sin. 

KEY POINT:

All that glitters is not gold.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 111-118

Haggai 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey. 

o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.