Yesterday’s message was titled “DESIRING LONGEVITY & PROSPERITY? ”. Today’s message is titled “WHY THE WORLD RACES” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Luke 21:17: "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." and read Luke 6:22-23. The Bible in one year for today has been taken from Ezekiel 42:1 to Ezekiel44:14 and Psalm 76.(Adeboye, 2014).
Quoted below is today's message for our usual discussion
"The Psalmist in Psalm 69:8 wrote:
”I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.” Why this sorry situation? He gives the reason in Psalm 69:9:
"For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”
This is equally the lamentation of those who would live a righteous life in this world. The world is becoming more ungodly than ever before. Wickedness is becoming the accepted norm of our society. Worldliness is the order of the day in present day Christianity. Ruminating on this reality, one cannot but ask the following questions: If this continues, is there any hope for godly living? For how long would the wicked continue to hold sway in our society? The answers to these questions are: this ugly situation will not continue perpetually, there is hope for those who are on the Lord's side, and a doomsday of judgement awaits the ungodly. When you decide to live a godly life, there is bound to be persecution from the ungodly. The most painful aspect of this is that, the ungodly who once were outside the Church are not just in Church today, but are also taking positions and are ”persecuting” those who are trying to go the extra mile for the Master. The Lord in our Bible reading foretold the persecutions, shunning and reproach that will befall those who will live godly lives in this world. He did this in order to comfort us. The Psalmist also was perplexed by this situation until he received insight from God.
”Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.” Psalm 73:l2&16-18
Our Lord Jesus Christ explained to us the reason why the world will hate us in John 15:19:
”If ye were of the world, the world would love is own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
Beloved, in spite of all these, keep your eyes on the Lord. Every persecution ends at His coming. To someone using this devotional, the Lord is encouraging you to endure the present persecution you are facing. The next phase of your life is all- round promotion. Praise the Lord."
Today's prayer point is Father, give me the grace to identify with you in this evil generation in Jesus' Name.
God bless you all for your contribution
Lord, please grant me grace to stand for you in the midst of challenges, not to compromise you when I am needed to be on your side!
ReplyDeleteGlory to God that our daddy never deviates or departs from the old assured way to heaven! Give us that old time religion evermore- that only is the path the Master has made to traffic His flocks to His City Above!
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