09-16-2018, 12:09 PM
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SUNDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 2018
THEME: KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD OR EVIL
Memorise:
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-5
3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Message:
Many people don’t know that it is dangerous, if not a curse, to posses the knowledge of evil. To have the knowledge of evil is to know how to do evil. In Genesis 3:5, when the devil told our first parents that their eyes would be open and they would be like God, knowing good and evil, he was literally saying “you will know how to do evil”, even though he did not tell them he was teaching them how to do evil.
This is why it is wise for every child of God to understand the source and the nature of any knowledge they are acquiring. In James 3:17, the Holy Spirit recommends the type of applied knowledge we should seek after, saying:
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be in treated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Do you know that some people acquire knowledge that destroys their entire life? When a young boy learns how to smoke marijuana or other narcotic substances, he becomes emboldened and begins to feel he has “become a man”. What folly this is!
When a young girl is introduced to premarital sex, she may be deceived that such carnal knowledge will make her “a real woman”. Although she may be excited about it, the truth is she has only learned how to do evil, and it will in turn destroy her destiny. This is why parents must endeavor to dull their children with godly knowledge before it is too late. God’s wisdom in Proverbs 22:6 says:
” Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
There are ways the devil introduce his “curriculum” on the knowledge of evil to mankind. In today’s Bible reading, he used the deductive method to achieve his goal. He asked:
“Did God say that you should not eat of the every tree of the garden?”
He was pretending not to know which of the fruits in the garden was forbidden.
Would God have arranged for his children to starve by commanding them not to eat of every tree of the garden? Even today, the devil still uses this style. For example, he may come to you saying
“Did God say you should not drink any wine?” The answer is definitely “No, what God said is that I should not drink alcoholic wine.”
He may also say to you, “Yes, I know God would not want you to have sex because it is bad!” The answer is “No, what God said is that I can only have sex with my spouse.” The devil is a liar, please don’t believe his lies.
Action point:
Watch the kind of knowledge you acquire over the internet, and review the kind of blogs you view.
Bible in one year
Proverbs 23-25, Mark 8:31-9:13
HYMN 7: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED
1. O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.
3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
4. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks, And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Savior and my Friend
SUNDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 2018
THEME: KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD OR EVIL
Memorise:
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-5
3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Message:
Many people don’t know that it is dangerous, if not a curse, to posses the knowledge of evil. To have the knowledge of evil is to know how to do evil. In Genesis 3:5, when the devil told our first parents that their eyes would be open and they would be like God, knowing good and evil, he was literally saying “you will know how to do evil”, even though he did not tell them he was teaching them how to do evil.
This is why it is wise for every child of God to understand the source and the nature of any knowledge they are acquiring. In James 3:17, the Holy Spirit recommends the type of applied knowledge we should seek after, saying:
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be in treated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Do you know that some people acquire knowledge that destroys their entire life? When a young boy learns how to smoke marijuana or other narcotic substances, he becomes emboldened and begins to feel he has “become a man”. What folly this is!
When a young girl is introduced to premarital sex, she may be deceived that such carnal knowledge will make her “a real woman”. Although she may be excited about it, the truth is she has only learned how to do evil, and it will in turn destroy her destiny. This is why parents must endeavor to dull their children with godly knowledge before it is too late. God’s wisdom in Proverbs 22:6 says:
” Train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
There are ways the devil introduce his “curriculum” on the knowledge of evil to mankind. In today’s Bible reading, he used the deductive method to achieve his goal. He asked:
“Did God say that you should not eat of the every tree of the garden?”
He was pretending not to know which of the fruits in the garden was forbidden.
Would God have arranged for his children to starve by commanding them not to eat of every tree of the garden? Even today, the devil still uses this style. For example, he may come to you saying
“Did God say you should not drink any wine?” The answer is definitely “No, what God said is that I should not drink alcoholic wine.”
He may also say to you, “Yes, I know God would not want you to have sex because it is bad!” The answer is “No, what God said is that I can only have sex with my spouse.” The devil is a liar, please don’t believe his lies.
Action point:
Watch the kind of knowledge you acquire over the internet, and review the kind of blogs you view.
Bible in one year
Proverbs 23-25, Mark 8:31-9:13
HYMN 7: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED
1. O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.
3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
4. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks, And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Savior and my Friend