Open Heaven 24 August 2023 Topic: God Delights In Our Prosperity
Memory Verse: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)
Bible Reading: Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.
7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.
9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Open Heaven 24 August 2023 Message:
The first lesson I want us to learn in today’s devotional reading is that God is delighted in our prosperity and this is why He gave us His commandments.
Psalm 1:1-3 says: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
As we progress in this second half of the year, we should take note of the factors that will aid our all-round prosperity.
Some people misinterpret or do not know why the rich man in Luke 12:16-21 died the way he did at the peak of his prosperity.
It was simply because he did not acknowledge God as the source of his wealth. He was also so engrossed in acquiring wealth that he did not know when his time was up; hence he did not prepare for eternity (Luke 16:21).
His error was not that he became rich because as a matter of fact, God is interested in the prosperity of His children.
The Bible says in 3 John 2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
The Bible says further that God gives the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).
The Church also, is expected to prosper through all-round growth. For example, Luke 12:1 describes the audience of Jesus as an ‘innumerable multitude of people’ which signifies a huge growth in His ministry.
Zechariah 1:17 also says that, through prosperity shall the cities of the Lord be spread abroad.
The Bible however, also says that the so-called prosperity of sinners shall destroy them (Proverbs 1:32).
Beware of ungodly means of getting wealth, so that you can avoid the sorrows that come with ill gotten riches (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
Open Heaven 24 August 2023
Points: Father, use me to prove to the world that you love the prosperity of your children
Hymn: There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
Bible in one year: Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 2, Ezekiel 3, Ezekiel 4
Believers are created to prosper. Lord ,use me as a testimony and witness to your prosperity.