Open Heaven 14 June
MEMORISE: “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” – (Psalm 9:9).
READ: Psalm 71:1-2 (KJV)
1. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion.
2. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven Devotional here
Knowledge, particularly godly knowledge is power. This is why Paul in Philippians 3:10 prayed: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; The Almighty God is our sure refuge and fortress. However, that only applies if you are His child. A refuge is somewhere you hide when trouble is looming. For me, this place is the presence of God.
Sometimes, hiding is not cowardice. It could be wisdom, provided you are hiding with the Sure Refuge. Even gallant warriors learn to hide; it is a military strategy. There are several occasions in the Bible when God told His prophets to hide. In (1 Kings 17:1-3), Elijah pronounced before a king that there would be no rain until he commanded so. Immediately after he did, God asked him to hide. Is this not strange? Was God afraid of the king? Definitely not!
When God says you should hide, what it implies is that the battle is no longer yours but His. I have learnt to hide when God says I should. In Matthew 2:13-15, God told Joseph to take Mary and the baby Jesus into hiding. Even the Son of God had to be taken into hiding. He was hidden so that God could deal with Herod. Eventually, Herod was smitten by an angel and eaten by worms thereafter (Acts 12:21-23). If God asks me to hide so He can fight for me, I will gladly do so.
Like the Psalmist in Psalm 71:1-2, when our trust in the Lord is total, we would not need anyone to persuade us to exercise faith. One of my sons told the story of how he destroyed all his charms after he gave his life to Christ. Thus, it became difficult for him to think of going back. Pay attention to the second verse of our Bible reading: Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Only the righteousness of God can make us victorious over the attacks of the enemy. A life of holiness makes God incline His ear to our cry in times of trouble. The promise of God in Psalm 91:14-15 is for those who love Him, know His name and keep His commandments. I pray that God will be your Sure Refuge from today in Jesus’ mighty name.
ACTION POINT: Put your trust in the Lord and shun all worldly alternatives from today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 6-7
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – Our Sure Refuge – written by Pastor Enoch A.
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Open Heaven 14 June 2021
