Open Heaven 8 January
MEMORISE: “Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” – Ecclesiastes 5:6
READ: Genesis 35:17-18 (KJV)
17. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Read yesterday’s Open Heaven here
Sometimes, our emotions overwhelm us so much that we say thing we don’t mean to in the heat of the moment. In today’s Bible reading, Rachel called her last child ‘a child of sorrow’ because of the intense pain she went through to deliver him.
Thank God Jacob changed that name. You need to be very careful of what you say when you are sad, excited, angry or frustrated, because whatever you say may have permanent consequences. Esau sold his birthright to his brother when he was hungry. Be careful of the agreements you enter into when you are desperate, so that you don’t live to regret them.
Samson was head over heels in love with Delilah and because of this, he divulged the secret of his power to her. You may not know it but the devil is watching you. He is taking note of your moods and emotions. Once he notices that you always talk without restraint, he will set you up to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Judges 11:30-31 says: And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
In the passage above, the devil had seen the fear and doubt in Jephthah, so he suggested that Jephthah should promise God a sacrifice of anything he saw first upon his return. Without thinking, Jephthah made that promise. On getting home however, the devil arranged for his only daughter to be the one he saw first. If only he had thought deeply about the vow before saying it!
Don’t become a victim of your own words; think carefully before you say anything. If you find yourself at a family function and you have the opportunity to talk to your relatives, think carefully before you speak. Don’t assume all of your family members are your friends; remember, Joseph was sold by his blood brothers because of the dreams he shared with them (Genesis 37:5-28). God will help you.
KEY POINT: Make it a habit to always think carefully before you talk.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 5-7
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – Mind Your Business – written by Pastor Enoch A.
Don’t forget to Follow Elanhub on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Open Heaven 8 January 2021
