OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR 28th SEPTEMBER 2017

THEME: HEED THIS INVITATION     

Memorise:

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. John 7:37

Read: John 7:37-39

7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Message:

"How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?" Deuteronomy 32:30

Although praying corporately is good, it should never be regarded as a substitute to a vibrant personal prayer life. Some people quote the above scriptures to justify remaining at the level of corporate prayers, and as a result they consider efforts towards personal prayer to be a waste. It is not a wasted effort! God wants to relate with us individually and develop a personal relationship with us, just as He wants to relate with us as a group. For this reason, in Isaiah 51:2, He said this to us:

"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him."

Even when we are in a group meeting, God still wants to maintain a personal link with each of us. God is a personal God. When two brothers came to give offering to God, the Lord related with them individually (Genesis 4:3-10). How often do you spend time alone with God?

Moreover, there are great benefits that come from staying alone with God. If we look at the example of the widow of the prophet in 2 Kings 4:1-7, we can see some of the benefits of individual prayers. When she was asked to shut the door on herself, several things happened to her, one of which is that she went in empty but came out full. She took several empty vessels with her into the room, and all the vessels were filled up. Even today, as you personally separate yourself to access the Throne of Grace, our empty vessels will be made full. In today's Bible reading, while attending the feast of the Jews, the Lord made a call. Although it was made publicly, it was a personal call. He said anyone who was thirsty could come to Him and be filled. If you can cultivate your personal relationship with God by creating regular time to be in His presence, you will always be filled, even when you enter His presence empty. Today, the Lord is sending you an invitation to come into His presence and He will fill you up. Your emptiness can be completely swallowed up as you spend personal time with Him. Are you ready to have your emptiness filled? How hungry are you? It is your level of hunger and thirst for Him that will determine how filled you will get. So, how hungry or thirsty are you today?

Action Point:

Identify things that are working against your ability to spend time alone with God and prayerfully deal with them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Esther 4-7

Ezekiel 48:8-20

                                                                                                                     

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14:  TAKE MY LIFE

1. Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.  Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

Every pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for Thee.