OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 7/2/2014 - ACCEPTED TIME I BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ACCEPTED TIME I

MEMORISE

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

READ

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Ecclesiastes 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

Ecclesiastes 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

Ecclesiastes 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

MESSAGE

God in His perfection has His own ways of doing things. One of such ways is that He has a timetable by which He works, and He follows it strictly. This is demonstrated in the way He handled the case of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha (John 11:1-8). The Bible says He loved this man and his two sisters. Because of this love, the sisters of Lazarus were in no panicky state at all when he fell sick because they knew that all they needed was for Jesus to hear that His friend was sick and He would rush to the scene and heal him immediately. How mistaken they were. However, God knew of the condition of Lazarus even before it happened. The Bible says:

“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”

Acts 15:18

Lazarus’ sisters waited for Jesus to come till the time they concluded it was all over. They were not disappointed at the end because when it was time for Him to act according to His timetable, their mourning turned to joy and they sang a new song.

If you are truly His child, walking uprightly before Him, be aware that He knows of that experience you are having for which you earnestly desire a change. He is not just getting aware of it now but He knew about it before you were born. How amazing! When He stepped into the case of Lazarus according to His own time-table on the fourth day of his demise, the hopeless situation became a great testimony. Has His “delay” made your case worse, or has your case degenerated and decayed, just like the body of Lazarus in the grave for four days? I have good news for you: the Lord will step in and yours shall be a mighty testimony, and great joy shall follow in Jesus’ Name.

Note that while the disappointment of Martha and Mary lasted over their dead brother, it was not reported that they got angry with Jesus. In grief, they did not consider Him less than they had taken Him to be. They did not blaspheme or say rubbish against God. There is no doubt that they were pained because Jesus did not come around at their own timing when, supposedly, there was still hope. Nevertheless, their response to Jesus was still that of reverence (John 11:32).

KEY POINT

Ensure you do not get angry with God when faced with trouble. This could compound your problem.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 14:28-19:15; 

Psalm 33:12-22