AFRAID OF DEATH?: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 3RD MAY 2018

MEMORISE:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

READ: John 5:19-29 

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

MESSAGE:
Everyone prefers life to death, and this is the reason why we all do everything humanly possible to stay alive. The question is, do we need to struggle to keep ourselves alive? In response to this, Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:27 & 34 said:

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

The reason why people worry about life and death can be viewed from two perspectives. Firstly, most people don’t know the source or essence of true life. Secondly, many do not know how to conquer death because they are ignorant of the truth that death has already been conquered. Today’s Bible text speaks extensively on the true source of life, and I pray that your heart will grab the full understanding of this in Jesus’ Name.

Why do people die? A careful study of Genesis 2:15-17, Genesis 3:2-7, Romans 1:28-32 and Romans 6:23 would answer this question. These passages of the Bible reveal God’s warning to Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man’s blatant disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit and God’s judgment that followed thereafter. 

We can therefore say that men die today because of sin. Death is the consequence of the nature and lifestyle of sin. However, we don’t have to live under the fear of death any longer, because our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the assurance of being partakers of the victory He won over death at Calvary. In John 14:19 He said:

“Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”

Although the wages of sin is death, the gift of God for all those who believe in Jesus Christ is eternal life. Apostle Paul’s testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 assures us that death has been conquered for us. The Holy Spirit further expounds this truth in Hebrews 2:14-15 saying,

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

We are more than conquerors through the victory won for us by our Lord and Savior. You therefore have no reason to be afraid of death if you belong to Him. Do you belong to Him? 

ACTION POINT:
Banish the fear of death from your heart, and thank God for librating you from its power.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel12-13; Hebrew 10:19-11:3

HYMN 3: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS?

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

o Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my pardon this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of works, ‘tis all of grace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.


Open Heavens 3rd May 2018, Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries