OPEN HEAVENS Devotional – Tuesday
August 2nd 2016
TOPIC: COME BACK HOME
Memorize: There is no peace,
saith the Lord, unto the wicked. Isaiah 48:22
Read: Isaiah 48:18-22,
18 O that thou
hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the sea:
19 Thy seed
also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel
thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 Go ye forth
of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye,
tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath
redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they
thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow
out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 There is no
peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
Bible in one year: Hebrews
9-10, Psalm 25
MESSAGE
There was a point in the life
of the children of Israel when God had to bring to their remembrance what He
had done for them. He had to draw their attention to their rebellion over the
years starting from the point when He used Moses to deliver them from
captivity. The children of Israel soon forgot the faithfulness of God and began
to attribute their freedom and victory to idols. How easy it is for us to
forget the investments of God in our lives. He delivered them from their
afflictions. He made them partakers of His glorious presence. He never left
them alone for a moment. He enlightened them and guided them to their
destinations. Yet, they began to praise the idols they had made with their
hands. God tried different methods to get their attention but they ignored Him.
He sent them prophets and raised judges for them. He sent His servants to them
to forewarn them of the consequences of their actions and occasionally appeared
to them but they never listened until they met their destruction. They forgot
the reason for which they were called ‘the people of God. They refused to
retain God in their knowledge; they trusted in their idols and intellects, and
as a result began to engage in what was not convenient until they lost the
peace and joy of the living God.
This is also true of the time
and days we live in. God wants us to come back to His love, despite our state
of wickedness. God is still interested in having us to Himself for our good.
There is great joy and happiness for those who repent and come back to God. The
opportunity is here and I want you to take advantage of the grace of God that
is available now. Choose good and not evil. Choose life and not death. Choose
blessing and not curse. There can never be peace for a wicked man because he is
a stranger and an enemy of God. There is no peace for those who stand in opposition
to the Almighty God. They do so to their own peril. Unspeakable happiness and
joy comes to those who align themselves with God but uneasiness, fear, sorrow,
trouble and destruction comes to those who forget where He is bringing them
from. When you are on the Lord’s side, there will be quietness, peace, calm and
comfort because you are a friend to God and not an enemy.
Like the prodigal son, you may
have wasted all that has been committed into your hands. You may have gone
beyond where help can reach you but the grace of God is longer than the stretch
of your iniquities, therefore return home. Remove rebellion from your heart.
Let there be light and a change of heart. Make a fresh resolution that you
won’t backslide again.
“Oh that my people had
hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!” Psalms 81:13
As you make this strong
decision, you will begin to see the peace you desire in your heart. All the
good your heart has desired and all the comfort you have ever longed for
becomes a reality. Your peace is a function of His presence in your life. Begin
to relate with Him daily, praise and worship Him. See His Word as what you must
feed on and obey Him even when you don’t seem to understand. As you do this,
you will enjoy the prosperity and protection of the Almighty God. His blessings
in your life will never be interrupted and you will continue to enjoy all that God
has to give.
Prayer Point
Father, please help me to
return to you fully.
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