2018 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 9TH APRIL – WONDERS OF DIVINE BLESSINGS IV

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 9TH APRIL 2018

THEME: WONDERS OF DIVINE BLESSINGS IV

MEMORISE:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1

READ: Luke 7:37-48
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

MESSAGE

The greatest of all the wonders of divine blessings comes from the blessings of salvation. What does it mean to be saved? What are the blessings that accrue from salvation? All these are pertinent questions that we will be considering today. To be saved is to escape eternal damnation which comes as a result of since. The Righteous God of heaven every man born of a woman guilty of sin. He made His verdict known in Romans 3:23 which says,

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Not only has mankind be declared guilty of sin, the punishment that awaits him due to this verdict has also been revealed in Revelation 21:8:

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

To be delivered from this declared eternal damnation is nothing short of a wonder of divine blessings. Luke 7:37-48 tells the story of the wonder of divine blessings in the life of a forgiven sinner. A woman considered to be a sinner came to acknowledge the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and she did all she could humanly do to express her gratitude to the Saviour of the world, who came to pay the supreme price. The Pharisees were full of indignation because of the act of this woman. They could not understand what it means to be forgiven or what it means to escape from eternal damnation. They could not see through what prompted David to pen Psalm 32. The Lord Jesus Christ tried to open their blind eyes of understanding by giving a voice to the actions of this woman. Luke 7:47 says,

“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”

Beloved, if you desire the wonders of divine blessings, the most profound of them all comes through the blessing of forginess. When you give your life to Christ, what the Lord said to the woman in today’s Bible reading, He will say to you:

“Thy sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:48b

Whoever wants to enjoy the wonders of divine blessings that last forever must plug himself or herself into the blessedness of forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I thank You for the forgiveness I received when I confessed my sins and gave my life to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please don’t let me be like a dog that returns to its vomit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 12-14, 1 Thessalonians 4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, ’tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

4. This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!