OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY,DECEMBER 24TH 2017- BENEFITS OF SUPREME LOVE

Memorise: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Read: John 14:20-23        
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 21-23, Zachariah 11:15-12:9

1. One of the greatest invitations we have from the Lord Jesus is the call to love Him. In Matthew 10:37 he says, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” 
2. This invitation is not just to love Jesus, but to love him supremely. It is a call to love Him above everyone who is precious to us: parents, children, family and friends.
3. If you truly love someone, you would be ready to defend your love for that person at any cost.
4. Sometimes, when you love two different people and the two parties are in disagreement over an issue, you will find yourself supporting the person you love more against the one you love less. When the Lord’s instruction are in conflict with the beliefs of love ones, most people would choose to please their loved ones rather than obey the Lord’s instructions. Do you love Jesus above everyone and everything else? Do you love him above your career, work, academic pursuits, etc?
5. There are great benefits for those who follow Jesus supremely.
6. First, Jesus says they will be regarded as being worthy to Him. They will be qualified to carry His banner everywhere they go, they are assured of the backing of the Most High God. Also, according to John 14:21, if you love Jesus supremely, God the Father will make you the target of His love and you will bask in it. In addition, the Lord will manifest Himself to you. Check out all those who experience a manifestation of the Lord, like Saul of Tarsus; their lives never remained the same (1st Corinthians 15: 5-8). Furthermore, John 14:23 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
7. From this scripture, another benefit of you loving Jesus supremely is that both Jesus Christ and God the Father will make your heart their permanent residence. If you experience the reality of this truth, you will enter into the realm of Heaven on earth, where no devil or demons dares to come near you (Deuteronomy 11:21).
8. Are you satisfied with your relationship with the Godhead? Why stay where you are when you can take your love for Christ to the limits and have the Godhead fully living with you?

Dictionary meaning of supreme is highest in rank which simply means the Loving God supremely in every situation is honoring because God first loved us that he gave His only begotten son. Apostle Paul explained better the benefits of supreme love “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans‬ ‭8:35, 37-39‬ If we can can attain this level of Love for God, surely the benefits are enormous and we shall always conquer. God bless and equip Pastor E.A Adeboye for greater works in Jesus name

Key Point
Love is so powerful! You can love God to the extent that He will personally come and introduce Himself to you.
HYMN
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

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