OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND 2016- HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP

Memorise: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Read: John 10:25-29 (KJV)
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 17:19, Psalms 129-130

1. The Bible in several passages referred to God as the good Shepherd, but in the book of John 10:14, Jesus boldly declared, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
2. Also in John 10:27, God says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”. The Lord is omniscient, He is all knowing, nothing is hidden from His sight, and He therefore has a very good knowledge of the identity of all human beings. Furthermore, 2nd Timothy 2:19 says: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal; The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
3. Every Christian is hereby encouraged to depart from all forms of immorality in order to benefit from the heavenly package reserved for true children of God. Because God paid for the salvation of humanity with His Son’s Blood, Christians in the world are precious to Him. Hence, the Lord will always keep His obedient children from partaking in the judgement of sinners.
4. If you love to do God’s will all the time and diligently obey His voice, He will keep you from judgment.
5. When He brought plagues of Egypt, in the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived, there was no trace of the plaques (Exodus 8:21-23). God separated His own from those who were not His.
6. 2nd Timothy 2:19 says no matter what people claim, God knows His people. Are you one of God’s sheep? It is not enough to claim to be a child of God; does God know you as His bona- fide son or daughter? If you are not sure, check your life and be reconciled to God today.
7. If you are recognized by God, there is a hiding place reserved for you in Christ where you will not be a casualty in time of judgment. Like the psalmist, you shall only see and hear of those who are causalities but you shall never be touched (Psalms 91:7-8).

For every Christian to benefit from the heavenly package reserved for every true children of God, departure from every immorality should be taken seriously. The love God has for humanity is so much that His cherished son had to take upon Him all that is bringing separation between God and man upon Himself to set us free from the bondage of sin and reconciled us back to God.
Regardless of the camouflage some Christians put on to be a child of God, God knows His true sons. Some believers like the second son in the Parable of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 21:29-31 pretend outside but do something contrary to what they proclaim inside. Our God knows His bonafide children and will always guard, preserve and sustain them in the days of evil and lack. A lot is in stock for those that truly follow His instructions and I pray we won’t miss our place in Christ in Jesus name. God be praised for our father Pastor E.A Adeboye for the daily insight into God’s word through this devotional, may He alone be adored forever more in Jesus’ name

Prayer Point
Father, please, set my prayer life on fire today in Jesus’ name.
HYMN
1 Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
O deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev’ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2 Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will. [Refrain]
3 Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow. [Refrain]
4 Deeper, higher, ev’ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last. [Refrain]
5 Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue. [Refrain]

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