PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY- Monday October 16th 2017
Memorise: For I desired mercy, and sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6
51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
MESSAGE:
Going
to church is not same as knowing God. There are many people in church
today whose lifestyles do not reflect having any experiential knowledge
of who God is. Furthermore, being involved in church activities is not
the same as loving God. If you love God, it will show in the way you
conduct the affairs of your life. God is a merciful God who desires the
prosperity of His children, and He is in search of hearts that are
longing for Him. Open Heaven 16 October 2017: Monday daily devotional by
Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Practical Christianity. God
is calling us into an intimate knowledge of His son and His attributes.
If you know God, the evidence will be seen in the way you relate with
people around you. This includes your colleagues in the office as well
as your neighbours at home. If your lifestyle does not match with God’s
word, no matter how much you give to Him or the activities you engage in
to impress Him, you will not find favour in His sight. The words of 1st Samuel 15:22 are very clear:
“…Hath
the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in
obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Some
time ago, at a gathering of God’s people at the Redemption Camp, I had
to tell everyone there that if you know you are not genuinely saved by
the blood of the Lamb, there is no need to give any offering to God. God
will not accept the offerings of sinners. It is an abomination before
Him (Proverbs 15:8). Our lives must count for God first, before other things can follow suit.
God
wants us to obey His voice and follow His word for our lives. He wants
His children to all be true people who impact the lives of others
positively. Living a godly life is all that God desires from us. When we
live according to His standards, He will be pleased with all that we
have to offer.
Morality and rituals cannot grant us access to the mercy
of God. Before the prodigal son could receive mercy, he had to come to
his senses and amend his ways by going back to his father. God is
longing for those who will praise Him in spirit and in truth. He is
desperate for those who will magnify Him not for what they can get from
Him but for who He is. Do you know that you can come before God with big
offerings and yet stir up His anger? This will not be your lot in
Jesus’ Name. No amount of sacrifice from us can equal His sacrifice for
us. The scope of this sacrifice can be seen in these words of Romans 8:32:
“He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also give us all things.”
Key Point
Obedience is better than sacrifice
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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