OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 20TH JANUARY 2022.
THEME: LET THERE BE LIGHT - PART IV.
MEMORISE:
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5
READ: Esther 8:15-16.
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
MESSAGE:
There is a correlation between light and joy just as there is between darkness and sorrow. “Let there be light” can therefore mean “Let there be joy”. There is no joy in darkness; light produces joy unspeakable, full of glory. However, joy is in categories. There is ordinary joy as we read in our memory verse today. In our Bible ready today we also read about the joy of God’s people when the darkness of wickedness and hatred that arose against them from Haman were quashed. There is also great joy according to 1 Chronicles 29:9:
“Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.”
In the Scripture above we learn one secret of the great joy of the people. This secret lies in the fact that they offered to the Lord their substance, their praise, willingly and with perfect hearts. Another lesson is that King David also rejoiced with great joy, which means that great joy is not determined by position, the amount of wealth or level of influence. Both the king and the ordinary people experienced great joy.
There is, however, another category of joy and that is exceeding great joy. Matthew 2:10 tells of the exceeding great joy of wise men who were searching for the new-born Saviour of the world. It says, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy”. When you discover the Person of Jesus Christ the Saviour, your joy will be unspeakable and exceedingly great. This is also called the joy of Salvation. Peter the Apostle described this kind of joy thus,
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:13)
Sorrow is the opposite of joy and it characterises the life of those who are not born again. Beloved, do you desire joy? Then get out of the darkness of this world of sin and embrace Jesus Christ - the Light of this world. In John 8:12, Jesus says “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
ACTION POINT:
If you want unspeakable and exceedingly great joy, come out of the darkness of this world of sin and embrace Jesus Christ the Light today.
HYMN 9: I’VE A MESSAGE FROM THE LORD, HALLELUJAH.
1. I’ve a message from the Lord, Hallelujah!
This message unto you I’ll give,
’Tis recorded in His word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”
o Refrain:
“Look and live,” my brother, live,
Look to Jesus now, and live;
’Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”
2. I’ve a message full of love, Hallelujah!
A message, O my friend, for you,
’Tis a message from above, Hallelujah!
Jesus said it, and I know ’tis true.
3. Life is offered unto you, Hallelujah!
Eternal life thy soul shall have,
If you’ll only look to Him, Hallelujah!
Look to Jesus who alone can save.
4. I will tell you how I came, Hallelujah!
To Jesus when He made me whole—
’Twas believing on His name, Hallelujah!
I trusted and He saved my soul.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EXODUS 9-11.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
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