OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY- 05/03/2014 - ATTENTIVE TO THE MASTER’S INSTRUCTIONS? BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ATTENTIVE TO THE MASTER’S INSTRUCTIONS?

MEMORISE

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14:38

READ

Mark 14:37-38

37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

MESSAGE

It is always good to pay close attention to instructions given by someone you claim to be your guide or guardian. Often, we miss many opportunities, breakthroughs and victories because we fail to see the details of the instructions given to us on a subject. A multi-national company once held a promotional exam for their middle-cadre staff. The questions were simple, but the exam was meant to test their ability to follow instructions. There were ten items on the question paper with a long paragraph of instructions. The time allocated for the examination was only ten minutes, but reading the instructions through properly would take about five minutes. For this reason, many did not take time to read the instructions but went ahead to answer all the questions, which appeared very simple. However, the candidates were required to answer just one question, and the instruction to this effect was hidden in the last line of the instructions they failed to read. Whoever answered more than one question failed the test. Only one person read through to the end of the instructions. The instruction, indeed, was the examination!

The apostles of old also had issues with paying attention to detailed instructions and we must learn from them. When our Lord came face to face with the reality of suffering and the Cross, He admitted that it was not going to be easy (Mark 14:34). There was only one way to pass the examination of the moment – prayer. He went to pray and told the disciples to do the same; though not for Him, but for themselves (Mark 14:38). They were however busy sleeping! Beloved, to make it to the end of our Christian race, let us pay close attention to the details of the Lord’s instructions and we shall be happy we did. When the Lord in Malachi 3:10a said:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse”

He meant all tithes. You do not need an advanced dictionary to understand what “all” means. When also the Bible in 1 Corinthians 11:10 says:

“For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”

Apostle Paul did not say much on why a woman should veil her head while praying or prophesying. However, a conscientious child of God would not press for too many details before she jumps at this simple instruction of covering within the spiritual environment. I pray for you that the grace to pay very close attention to detailed instructions will be given to you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, though I may not fully understand why I should, give me the grace to be completely obedient to your instructions.