OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 19/09/2013 - WATCHING YOUR COMPANY BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WATCHING YOUR COMPANY

MEMORY VERSE

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment

Exodus 23:2

READ

1 Corinthians 15:33-34

1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

MESSAGE

It is great to be God’s firebrand. But what could make a firebrand lose heat? This can happen when it is isolated from its source of fire. This means once you are a firebrand, do everything possible to remain connected with your source of power. God is our source of power and the greatest of fires originate from him. Hebrews 12:29 says He is a consuming fire. The fire of God is very fiery. His fire is the one that neutralizes all other types of fire. When the three Hebrew children were thrown into Nebuchadnezzar’s fire which was the hottest fire as at that time, nothing happened to them because the more superior fire was already there before their arrival. God’s presence turned the enemy’s furnace into a suitable environment (Daniel 3:19-27). At the presence of the consuming fire, all other fires lose their efficacy. Similarly, when this fire came down in 1 Kings18:38, it consumed what literarily fire cannot consume – stone and water. During ordination, we usually pray that the Almighty God will overshadow those ordained. By this we mean that God will rule over them. If a firebrand is isolated from fire for long, it can lose its flame.

In addition, a firebrand may lose its heat and become cold if it keeps the wrong company. If you take a firebrand and drop it inside water, what happens? The fire will go out! 1 Corinthians 15:33 says no matter how good you may be, if you continue to associate with evil people, it will definitely affect you some day. This is why 2 Corinthians 6:14 warns us not to be unequally yoke with unbelievers. We can simply explain Amos 3:3 to mean, show me your friends and I will show you who you are. Who are your friends? When you meet, what do you talk about? Do you talk about soul winning, anointing, expansion of God’s Kingdom or you discuss sports, politics, fashion, economy, etc.? If you will be a firebrand and sustain it, you must be prepared to review your friends. Strictly abide by the instructions given in today’s reading.

ACTION POINT

Carefully examine all your friends and prayerfully determine which to drop, and which to retain.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 40-43