OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, APRIL 17T 2018- WHAT TO DO TO FINISH WELL

Memorise: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Genesis 17:1
Read: Hebrews 12:1-8
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Bible in one year: Judges 5-6, 1st Timothy 6

1. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:”  Ecclesiastes 7:8a
2. The devil is not bothered about how well we start our Christians journey, but he is concerned about how we end it. His ultimate desire is for us to end badly.
3. From the above passage of scripture, we can see that it is important to ensure that we have a better ending in life. I pray that you will end well and strong in Jesus’ Name. 
4. The secrets to ending well in life are contained in today’s memory verse and Bible reading. The first secret is to live a perfect life as demanded by the God of Abraham in Genesis 17:1.
5. To live a perfect life is very simple if we can study those who have successfully gone ahead of us.
6. Father Abraham is a typical example of someone who obeyed God. Beginning from leaving his comfort zone in his father’s house to the point of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, Abraham obeyed God all the way (Genesis 12:1; 22:1-14).
7. In other words, simple childlike obedience to God and His word is a secret for finishing well.
8. This was what enabled my father-in-the-Lord, the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, to finish well. Even when he was grievously wronged by the head of another church, God commanded him to make peace and he obeyed.
9. Another secret for finishing well is to look up to no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrew 12:2). The Almighty God has given Him to us as a better example than father Abraham. He is the Sinless One who suffered shame for the sinful.
10. Some people try to justify themselves on some wrong actions they take by using the wickedness of other men around them as an excuse.
11. Today’s Bible reading is saying that we should follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ, who was falsely accused and subjected to shame but did not retaliate, because He believed that vengeance belonged to His Father. He did not try to defend Himself in order to fulfil His destiny as our Redeemer. 
12. The Holy Spirit encourages us to consider him who endured such opposition of sinners against Himself, lest we become weary and give up (Hebrews 12:3).
13. In addition, we are encouraged to resist the opposition of sin and strive against it to the point of death.
14. May the good Lord strengthen us in this regard in Jesus’ Name. Beloved, the key to living a perfect life for the successful ending of your Christian journey lies in your obedience to the word of God (Psalm 119:9).
15. The devil is trying to derail the Christian faith by faulting the word of God, describing it as a moribund treatise of the Jewish religion. Beware of this if you want to finish well and strong.

One way to finish well is by working out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must obey every word and instruction from God to the last letter. It is easy to do this only when we run to God for help. May we never stop our journey half way or end up in hell in Jesus name. We are grateful to God for blessing our generation with Pastor E.A Adeboye. May God continually uphold him in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, help me to finish well by giving me the grace to uphold Your word in its rightful place in my life.
Hymn
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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