OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY 27/06/2013 - BLIND TO YOUR FAULTS? BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

BLIND TO YOUR FAULTS?

MEMORY VERSE

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

John 9:41

READ

John 9:40-41

Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

MESSAGE

Zechariah 3:1-7 relays an incident where Joshua the high priest stood to offer some sacrifice but he was clothed with filthy garment and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him. This tells us that whenever we are not properly clothed in God's righteousness and we want to offer something – an offering or sacrifice to God, there will surely be some formidable resistance from the kingdom of darkness. The filth on Joshua's garment gave Satan legal right to withstand his offering. From this we also learn that not all sacrifices are acceptable to God. Some sacrifices are rejected, some are accepted while some others are contested. Mind how you are clothed before you go to offer anything before God!

Meanwhile, it took another prophet – Zechariah to reveal the state of the high priest. Joshua was arrayed in filthy garments but he did not even notice it. Revelation 3:14-18 says that it is possible to be blind and think you have the best of sight. People have illusions about their present state. This is very dangerous – to think you are rich, successful and progressive whereas the opposite is the case. Ironically, many reject such a message and see it as being sent to someone else other than themselves, this is rather unfortunate. Going by what the Lord told the Pharisees in John 9: 40-41, it takes the blind fellow to admit his state of blindness before he can receive help from the Lord. As long as you think you are okay, you will never be better than what you are. It is your feeling of inadequacy that would drive you on your knees to request divine assistance. In addition, we see a crowd to whom the high priest was ministering; who saw the priest in filthy garment but none of them could point it out to him. This means that people see what the leader may not see but they need to inform the leader or help him with love. Some leaders never give their associates or members the opportunity to correct them in love, probably because they present a front as if all is well, or that they know everything. Hebrews 12:1 tells us of the cloud of witnesses in Heaven who are keeping tabs on what we are doing. They see what we don't see but someday, we shall unite with them in Heaven: will you be there on that day?

PRAYER POINT

Oh Lord, expose my faults and weaknesses to me and grant me the grace to make amends.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 4-6