GRACE I: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 27TH MAY 2018

MEMORISE:
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. Proverbs 3:34

READ: Genesis 6:1-8
1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

MESSAGE
Grace is commonly used in the Bible to describe the demonstration of God’s goodwill towards mankind, embodied in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the effects of that goodwill on human lives.

Throughout the Bible, God showed Himself gracious in His dealings with mankind. In the Old Testament, the grace of God is spoken of in relation to three overlapping terms, which are goodness, love and mercy. Each time the word “grace” is used in the Bible, it connotes God’s goodness, love and mercy towards humanity.

I pray that God will be gracious to you, and that you will continue to enjoy His grace throughout your life in Jesus’ Name.
God’s grace was responsible for Noah’s appointment into the special assignment that led to his entire family surviving the flood (Genesis 6:8). However, Psalm 145:9 says:

“The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

Although the application of God’s grace can be selective like in Noah’s case, it is available to all the works of God. Everything that God created, both living and non-living things, enjoy God’s grace.

God upholds those who are falling and lifts up those who are bowed down by His grace. He opens His hands to supply all creatures their food and sustenance, thereby satisfying the desire of every living thing.

God by His love and mercy provides for plants and animals alike, ensuring that whatever they need is made available within their reach. After pondering the goodness of the Lord, the Psalmist in psalm 145 declared that God is near to all those who call upon Him, and He meets all their needs by His grace.

While speaking on the grace of God in several passages of the Bible, the Holy Spirit demonstrates that this grace is universal in nature. The Holy Spirit speaks about God’s providence in caring for His creatures, His help for the needy, His love and compassion for the oppressed and His concern for the sickly and the weak.

All these are demonstrations of God’s grace; anyone who is thoughtful will find abundant evidence of the steadfast love of the Lord demonstrated throughout the whole universe. That is why Psalm 150:6 says,
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”

God by His grace, has counted us worthy to be chosen from amongst the people of the world as His on special people, redeemed by the precious Blood of His Son, thereby making us His own special possession (1 Peter 2:9). Obviously, God has not treated us according to what our evil deeds deserve.

Our continued existence testifies to His redeeming grace, and this same grace provides a basis for our status as children of the Most High God. Let somebody shout halleluyah!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please do not let Your grace go to waste in my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 3-4;
Jude 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE.
1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

3. To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render; oh, help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

5. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.