Open Heaven 4th December 2023 Monday Daily Devotional
Welcome to Today’s RCCG Open Heaven Daily Devotional for 4 December 2023, written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG.
DO YOU KNOW THAT? Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye was born 2 March 1942, he is a Nigerian pastor and General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. He’s known for teaching and is the author of OPEN HEAVEN.
Read Other Open Heaven Devotional Messages and Follow the Sunday School Manual for Students and Teachers.
TOPIC: BUILD INTIMACY WITH GOD
MEMORISE: “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” – (Luke 10:20)
READ: Luke 10:38-42 (KJV)
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Open Heaven Devotional 4th December 2023 MESSAGE:
Intimacy with God should be your greatest heart’s desire. The desire for power to work miracles must be secondary compared to the desire to be intimate with Him. Believe me honestly, if you focus on intimacy with God, signs and wonders will follow effortlessly.
In Luke 10:19-20, after Jesus had given His disciples authority over all the powers of the enemy, He told them not to rejoice in that fact, but rather that their names were written in Heaven. God prefers for you to be close to Him than that you have power to do His work.
In our Bible reading for today, when Jesus went to visit the two sisters, Martha was occupied with serving Him, while Mary sat at His feet, spending quality time with Him. Martha thought she was doing the right thing and told Jesus to instruct her sister to join her, but He told her that Mary had done the one needful thing, which is to spend time at His feet. He said further, “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Someone can take a position in Church away from you or even deprive you of the opportunity to serve God in a particular area, but no one can take your intimacy with God away from you. That is what you should guard more than anything else. According to Jesus Christ Himself, that is the one needful thing.
When Jesus was on the cross in great pain, and being mocked by people who hated Him, He kept hanging on to life. When He no longer felt the presence of God, at that point, even with all the pain, He cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46-50). He bore all the pain and shame, but could not bear to be separated from God.
Beloved, intimacy with God must be your priority above all else. God desires to build intimacy with His children. He is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24) and not just those who are seeking what they can get from Him.
KEY POINT:
Intimacy with God must be to you as breath is to your lungs.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 5-9
HYMNAL:
Hymn 7 – I am Thine O Lord
