Friday, May 22, 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL (FRIDAY 22 MAY 2015)

Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye  
Friday May 22

THE POWER OF SIGHT II

Memorise:
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Hebrews 11:24

Read: Genesis 13:14-18
14  And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:   
15  For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.    
16  And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.   
17  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.    
18  Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.


Message
The power of spiritual sight is apparent in anyone who has it. Such a person can see into the future and therefore does not exercise any form of fear. We can see these attributes manifested in Elisha in 2 Kings 6:11-18. Elisha's servant could not see what his master saw, and so he was afraid of the human army attempting to arrest them; but read what happens in 2 Kings 6:17:
 "And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

People often ask me why I don't go about with police escorts like many great men of God do. My answer is simple: it is great men who need human protection, and if only God would open the eyes of those who are so concerned about my safety, they would see that those who are with me are more than those with the enemies who would want to attack me.

What really kept Abraham going in his journey of faith was the power of what he was seeing. God, in several instances, used audiovisual aids to build up his faith (Genesis 13:14-17, Genesis 15:5-6). What God showed Abraham was so convincing that he stopped worrying about his state of childlessness until the child of promise came. 

Moses also was endowed with the power of sight; he saw into the future of the Hebrews while they were still in bondage (Hebrews 11:24-26). He saw that someday these people would be set free, while their tormentors would be in agony. He therefore preferred the temporary shame of identifying with the people of God, to the enjoyment of temporary bliss that would lead to eternal damnation. This quality qualified Moses to lead the people of God. He who sees what others can't see will ultimately lead the rest. I pray that whatever is blocking your vision will be removed today in Jesus' Name. A man with the power of sight will often act reasonably well. For example, after King Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man in the fiery furnace, his perception changed (Daniel 3:23-30). May the Lord open your eyes to see the pleasant surprises that God has in store for you, so that you don't backslide before the time of your divine visitation.

Prayer Point:
Father, please grant me the grace to remain committed to my future, and strengthen me to do all that is required of me to attain this glorious future.

Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:23 & Mark 12:28-13:2... Read after the cut:

2 Samuel 11:1-12:23; 

2Sa 11:1  And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 
2Sa 11:2  And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 
2Sa 11:3  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 
2Sa 11:4  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 
2Sa 11:5  And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 
2Sa 11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 
2Sa 11:7  And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 
2Sa 11:8  And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 
2Sa 11:9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 
2Sa 11:10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 
2Sa 11:11  And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 
2Sa 11:12  And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. 
2Sa 11:13  And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. 
2Sa 11:14  And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 
2Sa 11:15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 
2Sa 11:16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 
2Sa 11:17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 
2Sa 11:18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 
2Sa 11:19  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 
2Sa 11:20  And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 
2Sa 11:21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 
2Sa 11:22  So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. 
2Sa 11:23  And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 
2Sa 11:24  And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 
2Sa 11:25  Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 
2Sa 11:26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 
2Sa 11:27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. 


2 Samuel 12:23;

2Sa 12:1  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 
2Sa 12:2  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 
2Sa 12:3  But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 
2Sa 12:4  And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 
2Sa 12:5  And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 
2Sa 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 
2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 
2Sa 12:8  And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 
2Sa 12:9  Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 
2Sa 12:10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 
2Sa 12:11  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 
2Sa 12:12  For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 
2Sa 12:13  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 
2Sa 12:14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 
2Sa 12:15  And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. 
2Sa 12:16  David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 
2Sa 12:17  And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 
2Sa 12:18  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? 
2Sa 12:19  But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 
2Sa 12:20  Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 
2Sa 12:21  Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 
2Sa 12:22  And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 
2Sa 12:23  But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 


Mark 12:28-13:2

Mar 12:28  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 
Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 
Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 
Mar 12:32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 
Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 
Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 
Mar 12:35  And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 
Mar 12:36  For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 
Mar 12:37  David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. 
Mar 12:38  And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 
Mar 12:39  And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 
Mar 12:40  Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. 
Mar 12:41  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 
Mar 12:42  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 
Mar 12:43  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 
Mar 12:44  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. 


Mark 13:2

Mar 13:1  And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 
Mar 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 

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