OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY 14/08/2013 - REFLECT JESUS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

REFLECT JESUS

MEMORY VERSE

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

READ

1 Thessalonians 5:4-9

1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

MESSAGE

God is calling every believer to arise and shine. You can shine like the sun by burning a bit of yourself bit by bit through giving. You can also shine like the moon. How? The moon receives light from the sun and reflects it to the world. Shortly before His ascension, the Lord gave an instruction to His disciples in Mark 16:15-18. He was simply asking them to go in His name, take the light from Him and reflect it to the world. You need to reflect His light because of the gross darkness that will cover the earth. One characteristic of light is that it attracts all kinds of things, both good and bad. If you turn on a light bulb in the midst of the night, it will attract different kinds of insects. Just as light attracts good things, so does it also attracts bad, ugly and evil things. In effect, the moment you begin to shine, be on your guard. The moment your church begins to grow or to achieve for God, get ready for those who will want to pull it down.

Someone once said there are witches in The Redeemed Christian Church of God and I told him there are many of them. Some of them may even be among workers, choir, wives of ministers and pastors. I also added that the church is God's hospital and in every good hospital, you will have the worst or most challenging cases. However, light also attracts kings, princes and nobles and you need these in your church. Do you know that we are yet to have the best singers, instrumentalists, prayer champions, ushers and ministers? Do you know that those who may be used of God to take your church to the next level are yet in the world as unconverted souls? If your light does not attract them, what a disservice that would be to the body of Christ! Some sisters are praying for husbands meanwhile God's right choice for them may still be 'enjoying' the world. It is when we reach out to these that such prayers may be answered. In the same vein, some helpers that God will use in taking you to your next level might still be unsaved. The more souls are saved, the greater our chances of accessing such potential brethren.

ACTION POINT

That convert may be a potential helper to you. Win more souls today!