OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY- 23/09/2013 - TIME TO RESTITUTE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

TIME TO RESTITUTE

MEMORY VERSE

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Acts 24:16

READ

Acts 23:1-5

Acts 23:1 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 

Acts 23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Acts 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

Acts 23:4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

Acts 23:5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written,‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.

 MESSAGE

According to Matthew 18:6, believers who cause young converts and fellow believers to backslide cannot escape their evil deed both now and in eternity. Jesus says it is better a millstone was tied to their necks and they be drowned in the depth of the sea. If you have led believers to backslide, repent today and bring them back to the fold or face God’s judgment. On that day, when all human beings ever created by God will stand before the Great White Throne for judgment, there will be no place to hide. You still have the opportunity to correct the false teachings you taught people in your Sunday school class, Believers class or House Fellowship, which led some astray. You can mend your ways today because God is still keeping you alive. A day is coming when there will no longer be time for you on earth. When your time is up, what next, if not to face eternity – prepared or not?

In a particular church several years ago, it was an altar minister who went in the guise of visiting new members, to discourage them from continuing with the church. Much later, the new member confessed to the pastor. Several years later, even though that minister had become a parish pastor, things refuse to normalise in his life and ministry. If you have taken some members of the church to occultic houses in the name of seeking help, and through that such members have backslidden, repent and go after them. See your pastor and confess to him, so that he can pray along with you. Some workers have left their local assemblies because of incessant sexual harassment by a minister or pastor which started during a counselling session. If you fail to repent, confess the sin and restitute, you may be separated from your works and rewards. You may miss Heaven while your rewards will be in Heaven. Nobody outgrows restitution. According to today’s reading, even Paul apologized to the high priest as a form of restitution.

KEY POINT

Repentance and restitution go hand in hand. While the former clears the way with God, the latter clears the way with men.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 55 - 57