Open Heavens Daily Devotional Messages, By Pastor E.A Adeboye.

16 September 2016 Open Heaven:- The Source of Satisfaction

Posted: 13 Sep 2016 07:07 AM PDT

THE SOURCE OF SATISFACTION – Friday September 16^th 2016

Memorise: But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1^st Timothy 6:6

Read: 1^st Timothy 6:3-11, (KJV)

³If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

⁴He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

⁵Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹¹But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46, Psalms 60

MESSAGE

Satisfaction is a state of contentment or fulfilment that only God can bring into reality. The scripture advocates that children of God should cultivate contentment. We are therefore expected to be contented spiritually, financially, materially and in our marriages. We should be contented with the things and people that God has put around us. Satisfaction is made possible as a result of God's good provision made available through the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ecclesiastes 3:13 says:

"And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God."

The above passage indicates that contentment or satisfaction is a gift from God; it does not develop from the desire of man. As a matter of fact Ecclesiastes 5:10 says,

"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity."

Covetousness and accumulation of wealth has its attendant problems. One of such problems is a lack of satisfaction. Those who love money will never be satisfied with what they have, no matter how much they have, they will continue to desire more. I once had a friend, who at the age of 70 had so much money in one of his several bank accounts; he could not exhaust it for another 200 years. Whenever you visit him, you will meet him planning to invest some more. The rich are ever striving with each other. They will say, "Mr. A has just built another house or bought another car, I must follow suit". They are never satisfied. Satisfaction is a precious virtue that every believer must have. Are you caught in the rat race for earthly possession? Ask God to give you satisfaction or contentment without which that wealth will become a deadly trap. Open Heavens 16 September 2016:- The Source of Satisfaction

Whenever wealth comes as a blessing within the context of holiness and the fear of God, such wealth is always accompanied by contentment or satisfaction. This is why Psalms 17:15 says:

"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

Because the source of the blessing is God, satisfaction is naturally inclusive in the package. 1^st Timothy 6:6-8 goes on to say: 16 September 2016 open heavens

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

This passage show that a child of God should be more concerned about the source of blessing and the attending satisfaction than accumulation of wealth.

Prayer Point

Father, you are my Source, please let my propensity come with contentment in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Open Heavens 15 September 2016:- You are not condemned

Posted: 13 Sep 2016 06:56 AM PDT

YOU ARE NOT CONDEMNED – Thursday September 15^th 2016

Memorise: For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 1^st John 3:20

Read: Genesis 3:6-10, (KJV)

⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

⁷And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

⁸And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

⁹And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

¹⁰And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Bible in one year: Jeremiah 47:1-49:22, Psalms 59

MESSAGE

Self-condemnation is a natural phenomenon that feeds on the human awareness of guilt. In the book of Genesis 3:10, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and without anyone scolding them, they were condemned in their hearts: Open Heavens 15 September 2016:- You are not condemned

"And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Self-condemnation is not the same as sorrow for sin. Sorrow for sin leads to repentance but self-condemnation leads to fear, inferiority complex and low self-esteem. The Bible teaches that God has offered us forgiveness of sin through the death of Jesus Christ. Self-condemnation produces feelings of shame, disgrace, fear, terror, and depression, according to Ezra 9:6, that says:

"…O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens"

And Isaiah 6:5:

"Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

Self-condemnation could sometimes be very dangerous in cases where it develops into depression, because it has succeeded in sending some people to their early graves. In Matthew 27:5, Judas Iscariot suffered from serious guilt and self-condemnation,

15 September 2016 open heavens

"And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

May the Lord deliver a user of this devotional suffering from guilt and self-condemnation today in Jesus' name. Furthermore, 2^nd Corinthians 7:10 says:

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

The sorrow of the world is synonymous with guilt and self-condemnation, the Bible says it brings death. Guilt defiles human life, produces feelings of anguish, despair, shame and disgrace. Guilt also produces feelings of unworthiness as in the case of the prodigal son in Luke 15:21. In the Name that is above all other names, the power of self-condemnation is broken in your life today.

Prayer Point

Father, please let your perfect love drive away every iota of self-condemnation in my life in the name of Jesus.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye