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Open Heaven Devotion

  • 06 May 2020

TEST & TEMPTATIONS OF LIFE

HYMN 30:  WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.


1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.


o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.


2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.


3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.


4. But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.


5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.



MEMORISE:


And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Ruth 1:16


READ: Ruth 1:18-16


8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.


9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.


10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.


11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;


13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.


14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.


15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.


16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:


MESSAGE:


Test from God are designed to prove our faith in Him (Genesis 22:1-18) while temptations come from the devil and our flesh to draw us into sin (Matthew 4:1, James 1:13). Our response to test and temptations will determine what will become of us and our generation. Adam and Eve succumbed to the enemy’s temptation (Genesis 3:1-13) and almost ruined the original purpose of God for mankind. However, Jesus’ victory during His series of temptation in Luke 4:1-13 marked the beginning of redemption for the human race. In today’s Bible reading, Ruth excelled in her test; this earned her a position in the family line of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:32). Test are not punishments but stepping stones to promotion. They prove our faith and show our true character.


The following are often tested in life:

Commitment: One’s faithfulness to God could be questioned (Daniel 6).


Foundation: Our strength could also be tested once in a while. (Proverb 24:10).


Appetite: your longing for food, opposite sex and material possession could also be examined (Genesis 25:29-34; Philippians 3:18-19).


God will however, not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can surmount and He will provide an escape route for you.


There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13


Jesus overcame all the temptations by the word of God. God is calling us today to do the same and we shall have good success (Joshua 1:8) in the mighty name of Jesus.


PRAYER POINT:


Father, please give me the spiritual capacity and moral longsuffering needed to pass the tests and temptations of life.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 7

1 Chronicles 17.