Monday, May 18, 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL (MONDAY 18 MAY 2015)

Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye  
Monday May 18

THE TURNING POINT II

Memorise:
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Ruth 1:16

Read: Ruth 1:11-16
11  And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?   
12  Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;   
13  Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.    
14  And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.    
15  And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.    
16  And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:


Message
After Ruth lost her husband early in life and there was no child to show for the relationship, she could never have dreamt that she would be a mother of many nations through Jesus Christ our Lord (Matthew 1:5).  Ruth would have been long forgotten but for a turning point in her life when she made the decision in today's memory verse. Her sister-in-law, Orpah, kissed their mother-in-law goodbye and left, but Ruth refused to let go. She was resolute in her decision to stay with Naomi.

After moving to the land of Israel with her mother-in-law, Ruth eventually remarried Boaz, who was a distant relation of her late husband. This union produced an ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ, Obed (Ruth 4:13-17). Anytime I remember the decision I made to serve the Lord in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, after the founder personally followed up on me by visiting my residence just after my first visit to the Church, I give glory to God. When I was making the decision to turn away from my self-righteousness and academic pride, little did I know that I was entering into a lifetime of joy in the service of the Lord. I am grateful to the Holy Spirit who helped me make that decision. 

I pray for you that the Lord will help you to make the decision that will turn your life around for the best today, in Jesus' Name. You will decide to serve God in spirit and in truth as from today in Jesus' Name. The last mention of Orpah in the Bible was when she was at a crossroads, and she made the decision to return to her idols. 
 "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law."
Ruth 1:14-15

Beloved, what type of situation are you passing through now, and what decisions are you making? Have you weighed the decision you are making, and is God being brought into the picture? Think about this and go into prayer as you go about your business today.  

Prayer Point:
Holy Spirit Divine, please lead me aright in my decision-making process at all times.

Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 1-2 & Mark 10:32-52... Read after the cut:

2 Samuel 1-2; 

2Sa 1:1  Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 
2Sa 1:2  It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 
2Sa 1:3  And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 
2Sa 1:4  And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 
2Sa 1:5  And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 
2Sa 1:6  And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 
2Sa 1:7  And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 
2Sa 1:8  And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 
2Sa 1:9  He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 
2Sa 1:10  So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. 
2Sa 1:11  Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 
2Sa 1:12  And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 
2Sa 1:13  And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 
2Sa 1:14  And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? 
2Sa 1:15  And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 
2Sa 1:16  And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed. 
2Sa 1:17  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 
2Sa 1:18  (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) 
2Sa 1:19  The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 
2Sa 1:20  Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 
2Sa 1:21  Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 
2Sa 1:22  From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 
2Sa 1:23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 
2Sa 1:24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 
2Sa 1:25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 
2Sa 1:26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 
2Sa 1:27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! 


2 Samuel 2; 

2Sa 2:1  And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 
2Sa 2:2  So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite. 
2Sa 2:3  And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 
2Sa 2:4  And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul. 
2Sa 2:5  And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 
2Sa 2:6  And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 
2Sa 2:7  Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. 
2Sa 2:8  But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 
2Sa 2:9  And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 
2Sa 2:10  Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 
2Sa 2:11  And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 
2Sa 2:12  And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 
2Sa 2:13  And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 
2Sa 2:14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 
2Sa 2:15  Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 
2Sa 2:16  And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 
2Sa 2:17  And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 
2Sa 2:18  And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. 
2Sa 2:19  And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 
2Sa 2:20  Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 
2Sa 2:21  And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him. 
2Sa 2:22  And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 
2Sa 2:23  Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 
2Sa 2:24  Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 
2Sa 2:25  And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill. 
2Sa 2:26  Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? 
2Sa 2:27  And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother. 
2Sa 2:28  So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. 
2Sa 2:29  And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. 
2Sa 2:30  And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. 
2Sa 2:31  But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died. 
2Sa 2:32  And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day. 



Mark 10:32-52

Mar 10:32  And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 
Mar 10:33  Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 
Mar 10:34  And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. 
Mar 10:35  And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 
Mar 10:36  And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 
Mar 10:37  They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. 
Mar 10:38  But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 
Mar 10:39  And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: 
Mar 10:40  But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. 
Mar 10:41  And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. 
Mar 10:42  But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 
Mar 10:43  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 
Mar 10:44  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 
Mar 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 
Mar 10:46  And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 
Mar 10:47  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 
Mar 10:48  And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 
Mar 10:49  And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 
Mar 10:50  And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 
Mar 10:51  And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 
Mar 10:52  And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. 

No comments:

Post a Comment