Open Heaven & Open Heavens Devotional 2017 12 December 2017

STANDING FAULTLESS BEFORE CHRIST - Tuesday December 12^th 2017

Memorise: “I Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:36

Read: Matthew 26:36-41(KJV)

^26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

^26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

^26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

^26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

^26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

^26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Bible in one year: Revelation 1:2, Haggai 1:12-2:9, Sing Hymn 12

MESSAGE:

The Lord in Hosea 4:6 reveals that ignorance is one of the greatest factors that lead to the undoing of believers. What you attain in life may not go beyond what you know. What you know adds to you, but what you fail to know takes away from you. The Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 26:41 says,

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”

From these words of the Master, we understand that there is a link between what you know and how effectively you pray. We also understand that there is a link between what you know and how you overcome temptations. The less you know about God, His ways and His word, the less inner strength you will have to overcome temptations. If you want to live a Christian life that manifest the victory that Christ has given us over Satan, sin, self and the pleasures of the world, you must be well versed in the Scriptures. You must study to show yourself approved before God (2^nd Timothy 2:15). To what extent do you know God?

“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:36

This scripture tells us that although prayer is very important, it is however not enough. If you can pray very well but lack knowledge, many things can still go wrong. From the words of the Master in this scripture, prayer must be effectively combined with knowledge to be able to escape the dangers of the last days. Do you know the signs of the times? Do you take time to monitor local, national and international events and reconcile these events with what God has said concerning them in His word? If you have knowledge and are prayerful, certain things that would take the world by surprise cannot catch you off guard. In fact, you will be the one alerting others to the implications of the events happening around you. In addition, it takes a combination of knowledge and prayer to be able to stand as a worthy vessel before the judgment seat of Christ. When you know what the Lord wants of you, how He wants you to do the work He has assigned to you, and the time He has appointed for you to do the work, it will be easy to do it and to stand faultless before His throne at last.

Prayer Point:

Father, please do all You need to do in me to present me faultless before your throne.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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Hymn 12

HYMN 12 – HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

Verse 1:

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Verse 2:

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

’Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

 Verse 3:

Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

 O Prophet, Priest and King,

 My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

 Accept the praise I bring.

Verse 4:

Weak is the effort of my heart,

 And cold my warmest thought;

 But when I see Thee as Thou art,

 I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Verse 5:

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!