Open Heavens 5 January 2018: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Spiritual Separation

SPIRITUAL SEPARATION – Friday January 5^th 2018

Memorise: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8

Read: John 15:4-6 (KJV)

^15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

^15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

^15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Bible in one year: Genesis 11-13, Revelation 4, Hymnal: Sing hymn 5

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? OPEN HEAVENS 2 JANUARY 2018 That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:46

The above verse of scripture vividly captures what spiritual separation is and the agony that accompanies it. The Lord Jesus Christ experienced it on the cross of Calvary on behalf all mankind, when He carried the sins of the entire world upon Himself, and the Father turned His face away from Him for the first and only time. Open Heavens 1 January 2018. My prayer for everyone who is spiritually separated from God is that their eyes of understanding will be opened to see their pitiable state, and that they will realise the agony that awaits them in eternity if they do not reconcile with God.

Sin is the root cause of spiritual separation. The reason is that the Almighty God cannot look at or interact with sin (Habakkuk 1:13). If you are living a life of sin, you are spiritually separated from Him. Genesis chapter 3 narrates to us how the first man and woman experienced spiritual separation. After they sinned, they became empty and naked. open heavens devotional for today. They felt so worthless that even when God tried to reach out to them, they were too ashamed to show up. A sense of guilt and self-condemnation overwhelmed their hearts. We thank God that today there is a remedy for spiritual separation: the Blood of Jesus (Colossians 1:19-22). However, there is an eternal spiritual separation that is coming for which there is no remedy; the Bible refers to this as the second death. Today’s memory verse tells us some of those who will partake in this terrible experience, and the first of these is the fearful. Proverbs 29:25says,

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

Saul, the first king of Israel, lost his throne because of the fear of man.Open Heavens January 4 2018. Just like King Saul, many leaders have lost their God-given leadership position because of the fear of men. The unbelieving are next on that list. Unbelief was the bedrock of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Open heavens 3 January 2018. Other practices such as lying, murder, adultery, incest, homosexuality, as well as witchcraft and sorcery, are the pathway to external spiritual separation. Beloved, spiritual separation from one’s Maker brings about untold agony and frustration because without God, you can do nothing (John 15:5). If you are in the state of spiritual separation today, close the gap between you and your Maker through genuine repentance and by applying the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Blessed are you if you do this because you will escape the agony of eternal separation from God inn the Lake of fire.

Action Point

Examine your life. Whatever brings about separation between you and God should be done away with. Also ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the Blood of Jesus.

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.

Sing hymn 5

5              I HAVE DECIDED TO

FOLLOW JESUS

1.                  I have decide to follow Jesus;

I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS
I have decided to follow Jesus;

                   No turning back, no turning back.

2.                   The world behind me, the cross

Before me;

The world behind me, the cross

before me;

The world behind me, the cross

Before me;

No turning back, no turning back.

3.                   Through none go with me, still I

Will follow;

Through none go with me, still I

Will follow;

Through none go with me, still I

Will follow;

No turning back, no turning back.

4.                   My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

5.                   Will you decide now to follow

Jesus?

Will you decide now to follow

Jesus?

Will you decide now to follow

Jesus?

No turning back, no turning back.