Open Heaven 25 April 2018 Wednesday – OBSESSED WITH FASHION?

Open Heaven 25 April 2018 Memorise:And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 1st Corinthians 7:31

Read: 1st John 2:15-17 Open Heavens 25 April 2018

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Open Heaven 25 April 2018

Bible in one year: Judges 20-21, Hebrews 2:5-3:6

Hymnal: Sing hymn 9

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018 WEDNESDAY DAILY DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Fashion is based on culture, and so people’s taste for fashion differs from one culture to another. Every form of culture and its attendant fashion must be subjected to the light of God’s word because they are all creations of mankind. Today’s memory verse reminds us that the fashion of this world is transient. Open Heaven 24 April 2018

Consider the fact that most things that were in vogue ten or twenty years ago are no longer desired today, and yet some people shipwrecked their faith while pursuing them. As Christian pilgrims, transient things should not enslave us. Every by-product of culture that is not in alignment with the tenets of God’s word is dangerous and should therefore be avoided.

Today’s Bible text warns us against being obsessed with fashion. The Christian life is a life of modesty and we must not lose sight of this for anything. Philippians 4:5says,

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018

It is unfortunate that some teachers now teach that moderation is relative. They teach that what is moderation to one person based on his or her level of wealth might not be moderate to some other persons.

Such teachers and those seduced by their teachings choose to ignore that when the Holy Spirit said we should be moderate, He added the clause that our moderation should be apparent to all men and not just to those who belong to our class of wealth.

The Holy Spirit also teaches us to be content with whatever we have (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, the Lord said we should beware of covetousness, because a person’s life does not depend on the abundance or variety of goods he or she possesses (Luke 12:15).

Covetousness enslaves people and drives them into being obsessed with fashion. Thankfully, the cure for this is given in 1st Timothy 6:17-18 which says:

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate,”

The good thing about the above admonition is that when you have material possessions and you do good with them by distributing to the needy, there is no way these possessions will intoxicate you to the level of abuse.

Sister, what are you doing with a thousand pairs of shoes? They should be distributed to those in need, particularly those of the household of faith.

If you are a hoarders of things, or you are enslaved to fashion, goodliness with contentment is the panacea prescribed by the Holy Spirit for your deliverance (1st Timothy 6:6-8). Willingly submit yourself to His remedy, and you will be free.

Action Point – Open Heavens 25 April 2018

Ask the Lord to deliver you from the enslavement of fashion and give you contentment.

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018 WEDNESDAY HYMN

SING HYMN 9 – THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

On a hill far away stood an old

rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and

Shame;

And I love that old cross where

the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was

Slain.

Chorus:

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last l lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it someday for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so

despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For dear Lamb of God left his

Glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained

with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus

suffered and died

To pardon and sanctify me.

To that old rugged cross I will ever

be true,

Its shame and reproach gladly

bear;

Then he’ll call me some day to my

home far away,

Where his glory forever I’ll share.

Open Heaven 24 April 2018 – POWER IN THE WORD

Memorise: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Open Heaven 24 April 2018 Read: Hebrews 4:1-12 (KJV)

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise
being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter
into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in
my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the
seventh day on this wise, And God did
rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place
again, If they shall
enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of
another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Bible in one year: Judges 19, Hebrews
1:1-2:4,

John 1:1 describes the Word of God as
God himself. This implies that since God is the Almighty, the Word of God is also Almighty. It is therefore dangerous to trivialise the Word of God. No wonder Psalm 138:2 says,

“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness
and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified
thy word above all thy name.”

In light of this scripture, and considering the immense power embedded in the
Name of Jesus, can you then imagine how powerful the word of God truly is? The power in the word of God was
demonstrated at the creation of the world. To therefore understand the power in God’s word, just take a look at the
universe around you. The Almighty God spoke the word and the word produced the entire universe. Psalm 148:3-5 ,

“Praise ye him, sun
and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye
heavens of heavens , and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD : for he commanded, and
they were created .”

You may want ask: what can the word do for me? Well, for one thing, the word can heal you. In Matthew 8:5-13 , there is the story of a centurion who begged Jesus
Christ to heal his servant, and Jesus
agreed to go with him to his house to heal his servant. However, the centurion
demonstrated his understanding of the power in the spoken word, particularly that
of the Almighty God. In Matthew 8:8 He profoundly said.

“…Lord, I am not
worthy that thou
shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

In responses to this demonstration of faith in the power of God’s word, Jesus Christ released the word and the required healing
occurred. Matthew 8:13 says,

“And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his
servant was healed in the same hour.”

From this example, it is obvious that
space and time are not a limitation to the power in God’s word. It does not matter where you are or how far gone the situation is; the word of God can touch you right where you are. All you need to do is believe (Mark 9:23 ).

I therefore release
the word of God to you today: “Be healed of every infirmity that ails you now, because the stripes of Jesus have set you free from that infirmity.”

Beloved, believe in the power of God’s word today, and it
will make you triumph over every situation of life. It is well with you.

Action Point
Speak the appropriate word of God to that
challenge facing you today.

Sing hymn 13
IMMORTAL. INVISIBLE
GOD ONLY WISE

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the
Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou
rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high
soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of
Goodness and love.

To all life Thou givest, to both
great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life
of all;
We bloosom and flourish as leaves
on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought
Changeth Thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light.
Thine angels adore Thee, all
Veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O help us to see: ‘Tis only the splendor of light
hideth Thee

To all life Thou givest, to both
great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life
of all;
We bloosom and flourish as leaves
on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought
Changeth Thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure
Father of Light.
Thine angels adore Thee, all
Veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O
help us to see:
‘Tis only the splendor of light
hideth Thee

Immortal, invisible, God only
wise,
In light inaccessible hid from
our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the
Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great
name we praise.