Open Heaven 22 June
MEMORISE: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” – (1 Peter 2:2)
READ: Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV)
11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ;
13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;
14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ;
16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven here
Today, we’re looking at young Christians young by virtue of their level of maturity in Christ. Some people come to Christ and begin to nurse good desires, far beyond the capacity of their spiritual maturity e.g. immediately desiring the office of a pastor, evangelist or minister. While such desires are good, they are ill-timed for fresh converts.
The first responsibility of young believers after becoming born again is to desire the sincere milk of the word so that they may grow to maturity (1 Peter 2:2). Physically speaking, when a baby desires to eat the same food as an adult, he/she desires what could be harmful.
In a similar vein, when a young Christian desires to be a pastor or an evangelist overnight, it spells trouble that may hinder the growth of the individual. Children being born into Gods family through the preaching of the gospel must take time to study the word of God and be well-grounded in it. (1 John 3:1,3 says:
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
The dearth of the word of God is a menace against the present-day Church. We make a lot of noise in our preaching, without a strong basis in the word of God. I call such sermons Thunder without Rain. Even when some believers yearn for the word, it is nowhere to be found on many of our pulpits. May the Lord elevate the ministry of the word in the body of Christ, in the mighty name of Jesus. May we be found worthy if the trumpet should sound today, in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me to continue to grow in Christ, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 12-14
Thanks for reading Open Heaven 22nd June 2020 Daily Devotional – Baby Christians Need To Grow First by Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Support the spread of the gospel by sharing this on your social media platforms.
Open Heaven 22nd June 2020
