OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, APRIL 17TH 2017- RULED BY MAMMON?

Memorise: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10
Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-11
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Bible in one year: Numbers 4, Jeremiah 15:1-9

1. A crafty and complex form of idolatry in our world today, which has been around for a long while, and yet seems to go unnoticed by most people, is the reverence and premium place given to the god of money (Mammon) in the hearts of mankind.
2. Our Lord Jesus Christ was very clear when He stated what the first and greatest commandment was in Matthew 22:36: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
3. When our love, which should be given to God exclusively, is diverted to money, we err from the faith and expose ourselves to dissatisfaction and many sorrows. The Bible in Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”
4. I am sometimes puzzled as to why people run after vanity.
5. In some countries of the world, government offlcials embezzle billions from their sovereign wealth and cart their loot away to foreign lands. Some of these officials have become even “richer” than their country by this act. One wonders what they would do with all this stolen money. Nothing reasonable for sure!
6. For such people, money has become their god, and so they worship it to the extent that the more they acquire, the more difficult it becomes for them to spend.
7. Find out from some so-called rich people, they find it difficult to spend their millions. They eat like paupers because money is their god.
8. In today’s Bible reading, the Holy Spirit offers us a way out of Mammon’s bondage. He said: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8
9. Beloved and fellow pilgrims, our stay here on earth is too short for us to run after Mammon.
10. Let us follow the Master intimately, because He is the only One that would always stand by us, even after we close our eyes in death.
11. Mammon would change servants immediately the fellow who worships him breathes his or her last breath.
12. Let us be wise and follow after godliness.

In God there is peace, joy and abundance. But in mammon is trouble, sadness deceit. I like us to meditate on Psalm 16:3-11 and then we will get a additional knowledge of the difference between being God’s and being Mammon’s. Psalms 16:3‭-‬11 says “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord , who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” May we never serve mammon in life in Jesus name. We will function in the fullness of our heritage in Christ Jesus and serve God till the end of time in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for yet another deep insight into the word of God.

Prayer Point
Father, please fill my heart with godliness and contentment. Grant me the grace to love You more than anything else in this world.
HYMN
1. On a hill far away
Stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’II cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
2. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
[Refrain]
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
[Refrain]
4. To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where his glory forever I’ll share.
[Refrain]

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