Open Heavens 8 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – How Concealed Are Secrets?
Open Heavens 8 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – How Concealed Are Secrets?
Topic: How Concealed Are Secrets? — Friday 8, December 2017.
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: Hebrews 4:11-14 (KJV)
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 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.
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Bible in One Year: Psalm 119, Zephaniah 2:1-12, Hymn: Sing Hymn 6 – Deeper, Deeper
MESSAGE:
The way a child of God relates with sin is indicative of the level of brokenness he or she has attained. An unbroken fellow tries to cover up sin. He or she tries to play smart with sin, particularly when its repercussions are not immediately apparent. In Proverbs 28:13, the Holy Spirit has this message for such people:
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
If you fall into sin and the most important thing to you at that moment is that no one should know what you have done, it is because you are not broken. In any case, to what extent can you truly hide sin? For how long can you cover up your evil deeds? Can you hide your sins from God? Hebrews 4:13 answers this:
“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.”
Thinking that you can hide away your sins from God is living in a fool’s paradise. This can be compared to the proverbial ostrich which buries its head in the sand to hide from predators, not realizing that its body is still visible to its enemy and vulnerable to attack.
Not only are your sins never hidden from God, they are equally not hidden from the saints in Heaven. Hebrews chapter 11 provides a list of saints that ran this race ahead of us and are now in Heaven. Hebrews 12:1 calls them a “cloud of witnesses”. These brethren know and can see all we are doing. Someone who was privileged to visit Heaven and return to earth said that there is a curtain in heaven that anyone there can pull and the fellow will be able to monitor the activities of anybody here on earth. Another brother who also had that same privilege spoke of how saints in Heaven gather together in a place like a stadium, where they watch earthly saints facing crucial trials of their faith. When a saint being watched compromises, they shout in disappointment, just like when your favorite football team concedes a goal. In contrast, when a person stands for his or her faith in Christ, they shout with excitement. Be aware that you are being watched. If only you can imagine the number of eyes monitoring you, you would be conscious of the fact that nothing you do is hidden!
Key Point: The next time you are tempted to sin in secret, just imagine multiple eyes peering at you from every corner of enclosure you are in.
Hymn 6: Deeper, Deeper
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Refrain:
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide 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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