Open Heaven 2 February 2019 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Change!
Topic: Change! (Open Heaven 2 February 2019)
Memorise: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”- Acts 3:19
Read: Isaiah 55:6-7
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Bible in One Year: Luke 14-15, Isaiah 30:8-22
Open Heaven 2 February 2019 Saturday MESSAGE:
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” – Jeremiah 13:23
Although change is one word that people like throwing around, living a life of change that emanates from the transformation of the inner man is impossible without God’s divine power. The world realizes this truth, but because they are unwilling to acknowledge and submit to the supremacy of God, they have devised a lie saying that our character is an inherent part of our nature which cannot be changed, and people are perfect just the way they are. Indeed, our all-knowing God acknowledges in Jeremiah 13:23 the impossibility of changing the nature of sin through human efforts, but he further says to us in Matthew 19:26b
“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
Every true relationship with God begins with accepting the need to embrace change – that is, change from the old Adamic nature to the divine nature in Christ, from living in sin to walking in the spirit, from reliance on human wisdom, knowledge and ability to total dependence on the invisible power of God, and from a life of consistent disobedience to a life of complete submission to God’s will. However, the irony is that people resist the change that brings total transformation of the inner man, rather desiring the kind of change that satisfies their worldliness and lusts. With their mouths they cry “change” and agree that life should not remain as it has been, but changing from ungodly ways to the way of righteousness is unacceptable to them. In other words, the human attitude to change is hypocritical, criticizing any call for change that points to godliness, which is the only kind of change that can transform a person’s body, soul, and spirit.
In simple terms, the kind of genuine change that leads to transformation is impossible without God. Human institution can successfully reform, rehabilitate, refine or even improve a person, but real conversion from sinner to saint cannot be achieved without divine intervention. For this reason, those who desire genuine change in all ramifications of life must come to God by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of God into their lives. Are you one of those seeking real change? Today is your day! Genuinely repent of your sins, confessing them to the Lord and accepting His Lordship over your life.
Open Heaven 2 February 2019 Saturday Prayer Point:
Father, I desire real change in my life; please transform me today in Jesus’ Name.