Skip to main content
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 20TH APRIL 2017

THEME: BACKSLIDER-IN-HEART II

Memorise:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10

Read: Judges 14:5-10

14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.

14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

14:7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.

MESSAGE

Yesterday, we established that backsliding is a gradual process that remains hidden in the heart and only begins to manifest after it has gotten out of hand. In today's memory verse, we discover one factor that brings about backsliding: the love of the world. 1 John 2:15-16 says,
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

This Bible passage reveals the character of the love of this present world, by which the heart of Demas, a companion of Paul, was stolen away from the straight and narrow way (2 Timothy 4:10). How far have you been drawn away from the narrow path which you have been treading on for so long? Is the relativism philosophy of this present world doing great damage to the faith which you once had? How far have you been drawn away by the pleasurable things of life? My prayer for you is that the fire of the flrst love you had for Christ will be reignited, and that you will relate with God and the things of God like when you first believed in Him in Jesus' Name.

Taking a closer look at the life of Samson as a case study of the backslider-in-heart, one lesson we can learn from today's Bible reading is that the backslider-in-heart can still be preaching, ministering in songs, doing all kinds of work of the ministry, and even performing miracles, while in the process of backsliding. Although Samson was going down into abomination, when a lion roared against him, he responded with the same ability of the spirit he always had. Judges 14:6 says:
"And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done."

As if marrying a Philistine was not enough, on his next trip to Timnath, he went to admire the relics of his conquest, the carcass of a lion he had killed. Behold, the devil had set up a honeycomb right there in the carcass of the dead lion to ensnare him, and Samson fell for it,' even though he knew that a Nazirite must not touch the dead body of an animal (Numbers 6:2-8). Samson's stomach and taste continued to lead him on his downward slide towards destruction, just as they did to Esau (Hebrews 12:16-17). My prayer for you is that your appetite for the things of the world will not destroy you in Jesus' Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, don't let what I love destroy me, and don't let me love what would destroy me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 8-9
Jeremiah 16:14-17:13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: l HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I'II carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. 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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DAY 21 OF RCCG 40-DAY FASTING AND PRAYING PROGRAMME (31st January, 2017) PRAYER GUIDE 1. Intense praise and worship. 2. Father give us the grace to please you in all that we do in this year 2017. 3. Father give us the grace to wake up and win souls, attend House Fellowships, Digging deep, Sunday Services and other church programs regularly in this year, 2017. 4. Father, help us to be faithful in honouring you with our first fruit, giving our tithes and offering regularly throughout this New Year 2017. 5. Father arise, and show yourself mighty on our behalf and on the behalf of our parishes and family members. 6. Father, arise and help me to stir up the giant in me. 7. Father help me to recover all the lost grounds in this New Year 2017. 8. Father help me to forever be relevant and never become a man of yesterday. 1Sam. 16:1. 9. Father have mercy on me and reverse every irreversible in my life this year. Ezek. 37:1-12. 10. Father, you are the help of the helpless, help us to ...
Post a Comment
Read more
Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: ( Wednesday, June 21, 2017) - WHY HUNGER? 1.Thank you, Father, for the assurance of your provisions for me, as your sheep. 2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name. 3.Father, in anyway, l have violated, your principles of financial abundance and breakthrough, like, tithing, offering, first fruits, etc, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name. 4.Father, let every spirit of slothfulness in my life, be destroyed by your fire, in Jesus' name. 5.Father, let every garment of lack and poverty, in my life be removed and burnt to ashes, in Jesus' name. 6.Father, as from today, let me never default, in the payment of my tithes and first fruits, as at when due, in Jesus' name. 7.Father, as l faithfully discharge my financial obligations to you, let the heavens over my head be opened perpetually and let your immeasurable blessings be poured upon m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Who’s Who in Hell by Kenneth E. Hagin

Everyone will face  eternity one day. The righteous enter “life eternal” Matt. 25:46 , and the unrighteous are cast into hell or the lake of fire Rev. 20:15 . The lake of fire is the final dwelling place for those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life  Rev. 20:15 . We should thank God for the revelation His Word gives us concerning Heaven. If we are in Christ, we are Heaven-bound!  We should also thank God for what scripture says about hell . Those who haven’t made Jesus their Lord are not  Heaven-bound. Christians need to reach these people with the Gospel. We must let them know there is a Heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Who’s Who There once were books that listed people who achieved a degree of prominence in the arts and sciences, in business, and in various professions. Sometimes it’s interesting to know “who’s who” in life. The Bible also gives us a “who’s who” in hell, so to speak. Revelation 21:8 (NKJV) 8. But t...
Post a Comment
Read more