OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL DATE: THURSDAY JUNE 15TH 2023

MEMORISE: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6

READ: 2 Chronicles 16:1 -14

1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.

9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

Some people find it difficult to trust God. They would rather put their trust in things that they can see than in the Lord that they cannot see. Many times, it is because we are intelligent and our intelligence has helped us in the past so we want to be able to use it for everything. I once went to minister the Holy Ghost baptism to a group of people; the uneducated ones were baptised almost as soon as the ministration started, but the educated ones were looking around, trying to understand how the baptism would come. These were doubting Thomases. Thomas was a man who would not believe until he saw with his eyes. John 20:29 says, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Apostle Paul also said:

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

Where you look to when you are in need of help is where your faith lies. For example, David said he would look up to the hills from whence came his help -the Lord (psalm 121:1-2). If you look to man, then your faith lies in man. If you look to your money, then that is where your faith lies. God can use either to meet your need, but you are to look to God and God alone. God is displeased when you have faith in anything or anyone else but Him. Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God. Until you take your eyes off the physical and set them on Him in the Spirit, some things will remain out of your reach.

In our Bible reading for today, Asa found it difficult to look to God for his healing even when physicians had failed him. This is a stronghold of the devil that must be broken. If you study your Bible diligently, pray without ceasing, and fellowship regularly with other believers, you would soon begin to see how the spiritual controls the physical.

Spend more time with God than you do with man and that stronghold of dependence on physical things will be broken.

Put your trust in God , He is the only One that can help you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 56-61

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

1 When we walk with the Lord

in the light of his word,

what a glory he sheds on our way!

While we do his good will,

he abides with us still,

and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a burden we bear,

not a sorrow we share,

but our toil he doth richly repay;

not a grief or a loss,

not a frown or a cross,

but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3 But we never can prove

the delights of his love

until all on the altar we lay;

for the favor he shows,

for the joy he bestows,

are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

4 Then in fellowship sweet

we will sit at his feet,

or we’ll walk by his side in the way;

what he says we will do,

where he sends we will go;