OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: Wednesday, January 3RD 2024
THEME: NEW YEAR RESOLUTION II
MEMORISE: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7
READ: 2 Kings 2:19-20
19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
22 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
MESSAGE:
I started what you may call my ‘New Year resolutions’ yesterday and I will be discussing the second resolution on my list today. This year, I will open my mouth and tell God exactly how things are with me. I have discovered from experience that many people have become so good at pretending that all is well when all is not, even before God, the One who knows everything.
In our Bible reading today, the men of Jericho revealed the true state of their city to Elisha and God used the prophet to put an end to the problem in their land.
Come to think of it however, Elijah, the spiritual father of Elisha, walked among the people of Jericho for years, but it was not recorded in the Bible that they informed him of the problems they were facing. They suffered for so long because of their silence! This year, I have decided that I am not going to suffer in silence. I am going to tell the Almighty God what my problems are: I am going to tell Him everything because I know that He will solve them all. I will not wait until I am about to lose things that are precious to me before l cry out like the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7 did.
I visited one of my uncles many years ago and his wife served me pounded yam about the size of a baby’s fist. If l had intended to stay for one day, I would have kept my mouth shut, but I was going to stay for one week and pounded yam of that size will not satisfy me at all. I was very young, and I had a healthy appetite. So, I called the woman, “Excuse me ma’am, am l welcome here?” She said, “yes, of course you are.” I said, “In that case, this pounded yam cannot satisfy me; please Iet me have some more.” She went into her bedroom, did not know what she told her husband, but l heard them laughing. I couldn’t have cared less; as long as she came back with more pounded yam, I was fine.
This year, ensure that you do not pretend or form as the youths will say, before God. Tell Him exactly where the shoe hurts. Make up your mind like me to ask for His help more than ever before and He will surely answer you (Mathew21:22).
KEY POINT
Stop suffering in silence, tell God all your needs this year.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 9-12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 8: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR
1 I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
2 I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r
When Thou art nigh. [Refrain]
3 I need Thee ev’ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain. [Refrain]
4 I need Thee ev’ry hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill. [Refrain]
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