OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 5TH JANUARY 2018
THEME: SPIRITUAL SEPARATION
MEMORISE:
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. Revelation 21:8
READ: John 15:4-6
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
MESSAGE
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46
The above verse of Scripture vividly captures what spiritual separation is and the agony that accompanies it. The Lord Jesus Christ experienced it on the cross of Calvary on behalf of all mankind, when He carried the sins of the entire world upon Himself, and the Father turned His face away from Him for the first and only time. My Prayer for everyone who is spiritually separated from God is thy their eyes of understanding will be opened to see their pitiable state, and that they will realise the agony that awaits them in eternity if they do not reconcile with God.
Sin is the root cause of spiritual separation. The reason is that the Almighty God cannot look at it or interact with sin (Habakkuk 1:13). If you are living a life of sin, you are spiritually separated from Him. Genesis chapter 3 narrates to us how the first man and woman experienced spiritual separation. After they sinned, they became empty and naked. They felt so worthless that even when God tried to reach out to them, they were too ashamed to show up. A sense of guilt and self-condemnation overwhelmed their hearts. We thank God today there is remedy for spiritual separation: the Blood of Jesus (Colossians 1:19-22). However, there is an eternal spiritual separation that is coming from which there is no remedy; the Bible refers to this as the second death. Today’s memory verse tells us some of those who will partake in this terrible experience and the first of these is the fearful. Proverbs 29:25 says,
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
Saul, the first king of Israel, lost his throne because of the fear of man. Just like King Saul, many leaders have lost their God-given leadership position because of the fear of men. The unbelieving are next on that list. Unbelief was the bedrock of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Other practices such as lying, murder, adultery, incest, homosexuality, as well as witchcraft and sorcery, are the part way to eternal separation. Beloved, spiritual separation from one’s Maker brings about untold agony and frustration because without God, you can do nothing (John 15:5). If you are in the state of spiritual separation today, close the gap between you and your Maker through genuine repentance and by applying the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Blessed are you if you do this because you will escape the agony of eternal separation from God in the Lake of fire.
ACTION POINT:
Examine your life. Whatever brings separation between you and God should be done away with. Also ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the Blood of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 11-13 and Revelation 4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE