Open Heaven 18 July
MEMORISE: “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” – (2 Corinthians 7:10)
READ: 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 (KJV)
8. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent; for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven here
While generally sorrow is a bad thing, godly sorrow is good; it brings about repentance. If you fall, first admit sorrowfully that you have made a mistake, then go to God pleading for mercy. David was a man who had godly sorrow, that is why even though he made many mistakes in his lifetime, he kept on moving forward. He said in Psalm 51:3:
“For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me.”
Several times in the Scriptures when David made a mistake, the Bible says his heart smote him. You will not make progress if you are always shifting blame. Only failures make excuses.
Godly sorrow leads you to learn from your mistakes. David never repeated any of his mistakes because he was truly sorry for his sins. If for instance, you fall into fornication because you were close friends with someone of the opposite sex, godly sorrow will alert you the next time you are getting close to someone who could make you fall, so you can break off that relationship.
Having godly sorrow does not mean feeling rejected by God when you do wrong. The feeling of rejection is a trap of the devil to keep us out of Gods light. (1 John 1:9) says:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God is always happy to forgive and reconnect with anyone who has erred from the faith, as long as they confess their sins. When God has had mercy on you and welcomed you back into His light, you must run away from anything that can make you fall again. The doctrine of grace which teaches that you can continue in sin once you are born again is a strategy of the devil to eradicate godly sorrow. He raises up preachers to tell you that the Most Holy God does not mind if His children are unholy. That is a big lie!
PRAYER POINT: Father, give me a heart that will be genuinely remorseful and repentant any time I offend You.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 18:1-8, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48
Thank you for reading today’s Open Heaven – Godly Sorrow – by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
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Open Heaven 18th July 2020 Devotional
