OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONALS 14TH JULY 2020 – TAKING HIM FOR GRANTED?
Memorise: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12
Read: Luke 7:36-47
Bible in one year: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17
Hymn 7
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Key Point.
Never take God for granted.
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:11-12
The words above were spoken by Jesus when He saw how great the faith of the Centurion was. He attested to the fact that He had never seen such great faith in Israel. This man was considered an unbeliever, yet he had faith that was greater than that of everyone Jesus had met.
A chronic unbeliever who has an encounter with Christ would likely hold on to Him fervently. On the other hand, the one who has been a Christian for a long while, especially since childhood, has a great tendency to begin to take Jesus for granted. In our Bible reading for today, Jesus dined at a Pharisee house, but the man did not even offer to wash His feet; he took such an august visitor for granted because he had known Him for long. Many Christians are fervent in the first few months or years after they encounter Christ, and then begin to relent. This could be because the memory of their salvation experience is beginning to wane or they may have seen other Christians slipping and still looking holy. Beloved, it is very dangerous to forget your salvation encounter with Christ, very dangerous to take examples from people who are not as fervent as you; rather, take examples from those who have gone higher than you in the faith.
Hold on to Jesus for dear life! When He gives you an instruction, obey immediately. Always go early Church services; if you are a worker in the Church serve to the best of your ability. Make Him a priority in your life; increase your commitment to His kingdom rather than reducing it. I pray that you will not be replaced in the kingdom of God in the mighty name of Jesus.