OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY MARCH 5 2024
TOPIC: GOD’S MASTERPLANS
MEMORISE:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11
READ:
GENESIS 37:23-28; 50:19-20
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
GENESIS 50:19-20
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
MESSAGE:
Our God is a master planner, He is always many steps ahead in His planning. In our Bible reading today, Joseph’s brothers planned to do evil to him, but they did not know that God had gone ahead to use their evil plot as a means to fulfil his destiny. What a master plan! We see another example in the book of Esther where God had already made Esther the queen before Mordecai began to plot evil against the Israelites. Many times, when we think that some things are happening for no specific reason, we have no idea that God is setting one of His plans in motion.
In 1 Samuel 17, the Bible tells us of a big giant that was terrorising the army of a nation on the battlefield for 40 days. Back in the country, nobody knew about the terrorist, but a man sent his young son to take food to his older brothers that were on the battlefield. That young son happened to be David, the man that God had anointed to be the next king of Israel. Before this, God had arranged for David to be trained to kill giants by sending a lion and a bear for him to kill as practice. When you read the story, you will hear David telling the king about the training he had received in the forest which qualified him to face the giant and kill him.
Acts 16:9-40 tells us about another clever plan of God. God wanted to save the soul of a man and his family, but because of the nature of that man’s work, there was no way he could attend any crusade. As a jailer, he couldn’t leave the prison he was working in as he had to look after the prisoners. Therefore, God needed somebody to go to the prison to preach to him. In that story, you will see clearly how God planned it; in a vision, somebody told Paul, “Come to Macedonia and help us.” Paul went to Macedonia in line with the vision, cast a demon out of a girl, and ended up in jail because of a family that had to be saved.
Trust God and obey whatever instructions He gives to you. Once He tells you to go in a particular direction, obey Him so that you can be a vessel that He uses to bring His plans to pass.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please show me Your plans and help me to walk in them successfully.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOSHUA 5-7
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 21
STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING
1 Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
[Refrain]
3 Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
[Refrain]
4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
[Refrain]