OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 12/05/2014 - TRUSTING IN THE LORD BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

TRUSTING IN THE LORD

MEMORISE

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:5

READ

Proverbs 3:5-8

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

MESSAGE

It is imperative to know that God has a plan for your life. This plan takes into consideration your personality, talents, needs, potential and environment (Ephesians 2:10). God has ordained certain specific tasks for each individual Christian (Hebrews 12:1). Paul knew this and was able to say “I have finished my course”, only after he had fulfilled his ministry and his work was completed (2 Timothy 4:7). I pray that you will fulfil your ministry and complete your task in Jesus’ Name. God’s plan for you is very personal. It is just for you. The plan is very detailed with everything worked out step by step (Psalm 37:23). God might not reveal the distant future, but His guidance will be continuous (Isaiah 58:11). God is always ready to reveal the next step to you but as usual you need to ask before you can receive (Psalm 143:8). One thing you can be sure of is that God’s will for you is always good and perfect (Jeremiah 29:11). You must also realise that you are incapable of planning your own life (Jeremiah 10:23). Only God knows the future and He is the only one capable of choosing our vocation, life partner and overall path.

All the plans of God have certain things in common. For example, separation from sin to holiness is always in any divine plan (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Also, God’s will always leads to doing good deeds (1 Peter 2:15). You may ask, “What must I do to be guided by God?” First, you must trust in the Lord (Psalm 37:3). You can only be guided by someone you trust. Secondly, you must commit everything to Him and Him alone. Do not choose first and then ask Him to ratify. Thirdly, rest in Him and be patient (Psalm 37:7). God is a King, the King of kings, therefore honour Him and do not try to hasten Him. Fourthly, surrender to the will of God. When God finally reveals His will to you, abide by it. In revealing His will to His children, God deals with each person differently. However, He often guides through portions of scriptures that keep nudging the mind (Psalm 119:105). He also uses inner conviction which is given by the Holy Spirit. In addition, you can experience special revelations, dreams, visions or angelic visitations. You however need certain guidelines to help you identify the will of God. First, no will of God contradicts His word. Whatever guidance He gives must agree with His word. Also, when God speaks, He sometimes confirms it through other seasoned Christians. It is therefore advisable to seek counsel from other mature children of God. Nevertheless, you should be careful not to swallow every counsel given. When God speaks, He opens certain doors and closes others; He provides for His will.

ACTION POINT

To discover God’s will for your life, have an open mind, pray for guidance, study the word and wait on Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Genesis 25-26; Psalm 104:1-18