OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH 2024
THEME: YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM GOD
MEMORISE:
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13
READ: Psalms 139:1-19
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
MESSAGE:
A pastor once took a lady to a hotel room. Before they went in, they looked around to be sure that nobody could see them. On getting inside, the lady was uneasy and said to the pastor before taking to her heels, “Before we came in, we looked left and right to ensure that nobody saw us, but we did not look up… God can see us.” Believe me, there is no place that God’s eyes do not get to. No matter how well some people think they can hide their sins, they cannot hide even the smallest of them from God. If no one can hide sins from God, it means no one can avoid the consequences of sins. Rather than trying to hide whatever sins you might have committed, why not change your ways?
The reason many people hide their sins is that they want to appear to all as being righteous. The question is, are they being righteous for people or for God? Is it people that will judge them on the last day or God Himself? They are like students that pretend to be studious by putting their books in front of them every time their parents are around but who never read. When examinations come, they will fail and be termed a failure even by the same parents they pretended to. When rapture happens, the
same people they pretended to will see who they really are and then their secret will be out. Rather than pretend to people who are not important to your eternal destiny, it is better to get the real salvation so that the One who will judge you can see that you are truly born again.
If you are a true child of God and you’re hiding your sins and pretending to people, l’m sure the Holy Spirit is telling you to stop the pretense and stop committing those sins. Don’t ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit; listen and obey. God wants to have mercy on you now, and He will give you the grace to live a truly holy life, but you have to repent genuinely from your heart.
Beloved, if you are still harbouring any form of sin in your life, make the decision now to repent and forsake them. You can say this short prayer: “Lord Jesus, I am sorry for indulging in sin, I am ready to live a truly holy life. Please help me Lord, and let me never backslide again, in Jesus’ name I pray.”
KEY POINT:
It is impossible to deceive God; He sees you as you really are.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 44-46
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: AMAZING GRACE
1 Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see.
2 Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come;
This grace that brought me safe thus far And grace will lead me home.
3 The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
4 Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
5 The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine,
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
6 When we’ve been here ten thousand years,
Bright, shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we first begun.
