Open Heaven 4 December 2023 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Build Intimacy With God

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Open Heaven 4 December 2023 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 (KJV)

READ: Luke 10:38-42 (KJV)

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered a particular village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who 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: Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Corinthians 5-9

Open Heaven 4 December 2023 MESSAGE

Intimacy with God should be your most excellent heart’s desire. The desire for power to work miracles must be secondary to the desire to be intimate with Him. 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 enemy’s powers, He told them not to rejoice in that fact but rather that their names were written in Heaven. God prefers you to be close to Him than for you to have the power to do His work.

Also Read: Open Heaven 3 December 2023 – The Key To Divine Multiplication

In our Bible reading for today, when Jesus visited 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: spend time at His feet. He said, “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Someone can take a position in the 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 truth (John 4:24) and not just those who seek what they can get from Him.

Open Heaven 4 December 2023 KEY POINT

Intimacy with God must be to you as breath is to your lungs.

Open Heaven 4 December 2023 HYMN 7 – I Am Thine O Lord

1 I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord
By the power of grace, divine
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Open Heavens 2023 Enjoy Daily fellowship with the Open Heaven 2023 Devotional. Open Heaven is the Daily Devotional for our time. With the daily events we witness on earth, every Christian needs to stand their ground less they fall. The daily guide is written by Pastor E. Adeboye. It is indeed a guide in resolving everyday Christian issues and lifestyles. Open Heavens is also available on the Play Store; download it Here. 

Ambydennis Notice Board: We trust you have been blessed by the devotional. Accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal savior is one of the best decisions one can take, especially you; imagine having Christ in your life; what a fantastic experience it will be. It starts here as you proclaim: Dear Father, I humbly come to you in sincere repentance, claiming you as my Lord and personal Saviour. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness, be the center of my life, and let my life revolve around you as I partake in the eternal life you gave us in Jesus’ Name. Congratulations, you are now Born again. God bless you.