Open Heavens 2 June 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye-Believe and doubt not
BELIEVE AND DOUBT NOT – Friday June 2nd 2017
Memorise: And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. Luke 1:20
Read: Luke 1:5-20 (King James Version)
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
Bible in one year: Acts 24-26, Jeremiah 40:7-41:3, Hymn: Sing hymn 1
MESSAGE:
Do you know that God is a person and not a force? Because He is a person, He has emotions. His emotions are manifested in Him being pleased or displeased, happy or grieved, and so on. Those who are wise will seek to do the things that will make God respond to them with a favourable emotion. One way you can upset God is by doubting Him. According to Hebrews 11:6, before approaching God, you must believe that He exists and that He will respond to your call. It is pretty impossible to relate with God without faith. In fact, Romans 14:23b says,
“…. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
Once you give room to doubt as regards to who God is and what He can do, you have opened the door to sin. How can the One who made the heavens and earth make a promise to you and you will not believe Him? How can the One who brought water out of a rock, and the One who turned a valley of dry, useless bones into a full-bodies army not be trusted (Exodus 17:5-6, Ezekiel 37:1-10)? If He could resurrect a whole army, resurrecting you is simply a walk in the park for Him. It is a great insult to doubt that God can do what He says He will do. Are you living by faith or in doubt?
God feels personally displeased when we doubt Him. It is a worse situation when His servants who should know Him better, get caught up in the web of unbelief. It is important to know that God responds to your doubts and unbelief. When God sent Angel Gabriel to tell Zacharias that his aged
