OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, MARCH 27TH 2018- THE TIMELY OFFERING

March 27, 2018 Posted by admina In Devotionals No Comments
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Memorise: Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: Exodus 22:29a
 
Read: Matthew 26:6-13
6 Now when Jesus came back to Bethany and was in the house of Simon the leper,
7 A woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very precious perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table.
8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, For what purpose is all this waste?
9 For this perfume might have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor.
10 But Jesus, fully aware of this, said to them, Why do you bother the woman? She has done a noble (praiseworthy and beautiful) thing to Me.
11 For you always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.
12 In pouring this perfume on My body she has done something to prepare Me for My burial.
13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news (the Gospel) is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told also, in memory of her.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 18-20, Ephesians 4

1. What is a timely offering? It is a worthy gift that is offered to God at the right time.
2. People who offer timely offerings are usually inspired or motivated to do so by unseen divine powers. Such people usually tell stories of a strong inner influence encouraging them to do a worthy deed, particularly in the house of God, in support of His work.
3. Today’s Bible reading gives us a perfect example of a timely offering.
4. A few days to the very weekend that Jesus was arrested and crucified, a woman was motivated by the holy Spirit to anoint Him with a very precious ointment. In the presence of the disciples and a few guests, she poured an alabaster box of very precious ointment on His head. The disciples responded with anger because they could not understand the reason for her action, but Jesus explained it to them in Matthew 26:12: “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”
5. Just as Jesus said, this woman’s precious ointment was the only perfume that He had on His body throughout His three-day sojourn in the grave. After His death, by the time some women arrived in the morning of the third day to anoint His body, it was too late because had already risen from the grave (Luke 23:55-24:3). The woman who did this good work received her due reward, stated in Matthew 26:13. You will receive your due reward for obedience in Jesus’ Name.
6. God is not only interested in your obedience; He is also interested in your timely obedience, according to today’s memory verse.
7. God wants you to render to Him on time the first portion of your produce which has been set aside for Him. He wants you to honor Him with on tenth of your income and bring all your offerings without delay.
8. Delayed offerings are not acceptable to God.
9. In our service to God, He demands our punctuality. Be faithful in attending the teaching and preaching sessions in your church. Arrive on time, appropriately dressed and ready to make meaningful contributions toward the effectiveness of all that is going on.
10. Be faithful in giving your time, talents and in rendering other services to God. There is something about rising early to praise and worship God as exemplified by the life of David (Psalm 57:8-9, Psalm 63:1).
11. Whatever you have decided to do for God, do it on time. He is interested in the timing of your actions. Proverbs 8:17 says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
12. Abraham, David, Solomon, and other God lovers in the Bible always rendered anything they had to offer to God promptly and without delay, because only a timely offering is acceptable to God.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

In today’s devotional, our father in the Lord said “God is not only interested in your obedience; He is also interested in your timely obedience, according to today’s memory verse.” This statement can be confirmed by reading Genesis 22:1-19. It is important for our offering to be timely. This is because the impact is not for just a moment but till eternity. May we be prompt and timely in giving our offering in Jesus name. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. God bless and continually strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me grant grace to yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to give timely offerings that will release a reward from heaven in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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