Open Heaven 28 April 2023

Open Heaven Topic:

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Memory Verse:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16 (KJV)

Bible Reading: 

Acts 13:42-52 (NIV)

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.

⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium.

⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Open Heaven 28 April 2023 Message

In John 9:5, Jesus Christ said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world“. He also said in Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden“.

If you are a child of God, it means you are qualified to be called light. Jesus went further to say, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven“(Matthew 5:1 6).

Everything God does, He does excellently. It means His shining is extraordinary. He wants you also to shine extraordinarily. God wants you to shine like Joseph did. In Genesis 41:1-44, when Joseph gave the interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams, the latter said, “We cannot find another man like this in whom the Spirit of God dwells“.

The Lord wants us to shine like Moses. In Numbers 12:3, the Bible said, “There’s no man as meek as Moses“. He shone in his meekness.

He wants us to shine like Deborah; In Judges 4:1-14, when it was time to go to war, even the captain said, ‘I won’t go unless Deborah comes along’ and she went with him. He wants us to shine like Daniel.

In Daniel 6:1-3, the Bible tells us that even though there were three people chosen to supervise other officers of the kingdom, Daniel excelled amongst them. An excellent spirit was found in him; he shone.

Now as Christians, we will shine by sharing the gospel and turning men to righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 6:1-8, some people were chosen to be the original deacons, but if I ask you today, “Who is Prochorus? Who is Nicanor? Who is Timon?” you will most likely say, “I don’t know”.

They were among the seven deacons; they were chosen but didn’t shine. God called you to shine. May you shine so brightly that the name of the Almighty God will be praised continually in your life.

Open Heaven Hymn: 

Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus

Open Heaven Point:

Father, please let me shine brightly for You.

Bible in One Year:

1 Chronicles 1, 1 Chronicles 2