OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH 2017-PRACTICAL SALVATION

Memorise: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2nd Corinthians 5:17
Read: Luke 3:3-14 (KJV)
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
Bible in one year: John 12-13, Isaiah 37:28-38:3

1. In today’s Bible reading, we gain insight into what it means practically to be saved.
2. To be saved means to repent from your dead works and to be alive unto Christ in righteousness.
3. Practical salvation is making your ways right with God without any reservation.
4. When you are genuinely saved, everyone around you will see it. It cannot be hidden because you will no longer be comfortable in the midst of your sinful former friends.
5. Practical salvation is impacting the lives around you by demonstrating the love of Christ through giving.
6. I always tell people that whatever you give away may leave your hands but it will never leave your life.
7. There is no other way to show the world the true nature of Christ without identifying with the challenges of people. Jesus was compassionate towards all those He met who were in need.
8. How can you claim to be a Christian when you live in affluence but do not bother about what happens to the man beside you? “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24
9. Practical salvation involves putting off our old Adamic nature and manifesting the divine nature of Christ.
10. We receive this divine nature, referred to as the new man, through repentance from our old ways and having faith in Christ’s work of salvation. The character of this new man says “Let him that stole steal no more” (Ephesians 4:28).
11. It also uproots every root of bitterness, anger, wrath, envy, hatred and the likes out of your life. When you put on the new man, you will be ready to put right all that have gone wrong in your life, through the grace of the Almighty God.
12. If something belonging to your organisation or the government has been taken by you without being given, practical salvation demands that you return it.
13. If you have been working with a forged certificate and you now say you are born again, you have to let go of this pretence and amend your ways.
14. Several years ago, before I met the Lord, I was a school teacher and I needed to take care of one of my visitors. This need made me take a bed from the school dormitory. However, after my visitor left, I still held on to the bed. Seven years after this happened, I gave my life to Christ and I noticed that this bed was still in my house. I lost my peace immediately because there was a new spirit in me. To practically demonstrate my salvation, I had to pay double for the bed because the Jesus living in me would not allow me return a used bed after seven years of holding unto it.

Salvation comes with a lot of attributes that many believers fails to fully understand. There has to be demonstrations of certain characters that will prompt even the unbelievers to desire our new phase of life in Christ. The fruit of the Spirit must manifest in every believer “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”Galatians‬ ‭5:22‬. If we consider the nine of the fruit of the Spirit, we will realize that the old sinful life couldn’t exhibit these fruit. Before,our level of tolerance was very low, but now because of the mind of Christ in us, we cannot just get angry anyhow. Moreover, someone who loves God must love others. The summary of practical salvation is that people must see the evidence of the mind of Christ in us and quickly identify that truly we have been genuinely saved not a pretence. Know well that God sees the heart of man and knows every secret things that we think are not visible to men. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
When you are saved, your neighbours will know.
HYMN
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’ll 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.
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
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
To the 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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