OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 22/03/2014 - GOD’S REMEMBRANCE & DELIVERANCE I BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD’S REMEMBRANCE & DELIVERANCE I

MEMORISE

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Luke 23:42

READ

Luke 23:40-43

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

MESSAGE

When God remembers a sinner for good, He forgives that sinner, forgets his past sins and delivers him or her completely from the power of sin that has enslaved him or her for a long time. When God remembered the mercies He promised His people - Luke 1:72-75, He forgave the woman caught in adultery and empowered her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:10-11). A very important thing to note here is that two different types of divine remembrance cannot clash in an individual’s life. It is either God remembers the sins of an individual, closes the door of mercy and gets the individual punished, or He remembers His mercies and forgets the sins the individual has committed after genuine repentance (Ezekiel 33:13-16).

The robber in our Bible reading was remembered and was saved. There are lessons to be learnt from the robber on the right hand of the Cross. One of such lessons is that God is not only capable to save but is ever ready to save. The robber said: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom”, and Jesus responded immediately: “Today you will be with me in paradise”. It was as if Jesus was waiting for the robber to speak. Certainly Jesus wanted to rubbish the devil who might have been rejoicing that he was about to receive one more soul into the kingdom of hell. Jesus however snatched that soul from hell at the last minute. The good thing was that the One who paid the price in full was also the One who appropriated the benefit of the atonement on the robber. So there was nothing the devil could do. Another good thing about divine remembrance for salvation is that the process is simple. Genuine turn-around from wickedness to godliness (i.e. repentance) will earn earnest seekers of salvation divine remembrance. Zacchaeus was one of such seekers who genuinely repented after meeting the Lord. As a mark or repentance, of his own volition, he said to the Lord in Luke 19:8b:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Immediately the Lord in Luke 19:9-10 replied:

“...This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

How pleasant it would be, if as many as are reading this devotional, who are yet to experience salvation through Christ, would cry to Jesus today and say, “Lord remember me for your salvation”. No doubt, there would be joy in heaven today (Luke 15:7)!

PRAYER POINT

Pray that the Almighty God will touch all members of your family for genuine salvation today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Ezekiel 13-15; 

Psalm 68:7-21