30/07/2018
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY
DEVOTIONAL
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY
DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 30TH JULY 2018
THEME: THIS HE DID FOR YOU.
MEMORISE:
And being found in fashion as a
man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:8
READ: Luke 22:41-44
41 And he was withdrawn from
them about a stone's cast, and
kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be
willing, remove this cup from
me: nevertheless not my will,
but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel
unto him from heaven,
strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he
prayed more earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great
drops of blood falling down to
the ground.
MESSAGE
Obedience is the willingness to
submit oneself to the will of God
and to live by His will, The Bible
emphasizes the importance of
obeying God’s commandments,
give reasons why obedience is
necessary and states the
rewards promised to obedient
people. The Bible also presents
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as the
perfect example of obedience
and directs us to follow in His
footsteps. Jesus Himself made
several statements to admonish,
encourage and even command
us to follow and learn from Him.
In John 10:27, He said:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow
me:”
The call to imitate Jesus in
thought, speech and action is
repeated in several places in the
Bible, but in Philippians 2:5, the
Holy Spirit took it a step higher,
saying to us:
“Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus:”
What mind is He talking about
here? He is referring to the
loving, merciful, self-abasing,
self-sacrificing mind which was
in Jesus Christ. Although Jesus
was the anointed Son of God, He
made Himself of no reputation.
Our Lord did not think of
Himself, neither did He serve His
own interests. He came not to
be ministered to, but rather to
minister and give His life as a
ransom for many. To carry out
His assignment here on earth,
He humbled Himself and became
obedient unto death. These
descriptions of His sacrifice sum
up the nature of mind the Holy
Spirit is referring to.
Obedience to the will of God
demonstrates the reality of a
person’s faith in Jesus Christ
(John 14:15). Christ’s humility
created the grounds for our
total commitment and
submission to the will of God. It
also earned Him a title of
“Author of Eternal
Salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). Oh,
how great His love for us is!
Because of His great love for us
and His determination t save us
from the wrath of God, He
became obedient unto death-
even the death of the cross.
God’s own dear Son came in the
form of a man to fulfill all the
requirements of God’s law for
the sake of His people. Having
fulfilled all righteousness, He
submitted Himself to a shameful
and excruciating death on the
cross of Calvary. Since Christ’s
love for us is so evident, the
least we can do for His sake is
to love one another as He loved
us (1 John 4:9-11). This is the
essence of Christianity: to
develop a good appreciation of
what Jesus did for us and to
follow in His steps to the benefit
of humanity and the glory of
God.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me the
heart of total submission and
obedience to You, in Jesus’
Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah
12-13
Matthew 10:40-11:19
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: 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.
