Table of Contents
**Open Heaven 11 February 2026: The Year Of Peace (III)**
**BIBLE TEXT: Psalms 85:8-13 (KJV)**
*I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.*
**MEMORY VERSE:** *”I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.”* – **Psalms 85:8 (KJV)**
**BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:** **Numbers 8-10**
### **The Year Of Peace (III) – Message**
Today’s devotional continues the series on experiencing God’s promised peace in 2026. The foundational scripture, Psalm 85:8, presents a profound conditional promise: God speaks peace to His people, but with a crucial admonition – **”but let them not turn again to folly.”**
This indicates that sustaining God’s peace is an active partnership. It is not an automatic, irreversible gift but a maintained state that requires our obedience and conscious alignment with God’s will. Folly, representing sin, rebellion, or worldly foolishness, is the primary disruptor of divine peace. The peace God speaks is comprehensive—affecting our hearts, families, health, and endeavours—but our adherence to His word secures it.
The passage describes a beautiful convergence of divine attributes: *”Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other”* (verse 10). This imagery signifies that true, lasting peace is inseparable from God’s mercy, truth, and righteousness. It is not a shallow calm but a deep-rooted shalom that springs from right standing with God.
Therefore, to live in the reality of this year of peace, believers must be intentional. We must cultivate a listening ear to hear what God is speaking and discipline our hearts to turn away from the folly that breaks fellowship and forfeits peace.
### **Key Point**
*Retaining God’s peace requires forsaking folly.*
### **Prayer Point**
*Father, please help me to forsake every folly so I can retain Your peace, in Jesus’ name.*
### **Hymn: Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine**
### **Additional Commentary**
Pastor Adeboye’s message brilliantly focuses on the **conditional sustainability** of peace. Often, we seek peace as a one-time event or a feeling, but scripture frames it as an ongoing state cultivated in obedience.
* **The “Listening” Posture:** “I will hear what God the LORD will speak” is an active, expectant stance. God’s peace often comes as a word spoken into our spirits—a scripture, a quiet assurance, a directive. This peace “rules” in our hearts (Colossians 3:15) as an umpire, making decisions and guiding us away from folly.
* **Defining “Folly” Today:** “Folly” extends beyond blatant sin. In a modern context, it can be:
* **Anxious Self-Reliance:** Worrying instead of praying and trusting (Philippians 4:6-7).
* **Unforgiveness:** Harboring bitterness, which is a direct barrier to peace.
* **Disobedience in Seemingly Small Things:** Ignoring the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit.
* **Chasing Worldly Solutions for Spiritual Problems:** Seeking peace in wealth, status, or relationships outside God’s will.
* **The Kiss of Righteousness and Peace:** This poetic line (v.10) is profound. Righteousness—right standing with God through Christ—is the prerequisite for deep, authentic peace. You cannot have the peace of God while willfully violating the principles of God. They are inseparable companions. When we pursue righteousness, peace follows as a natural consequence (Isaiah 32:17).
* **A Promise of Holistic Increase:** Verse 12 connects this sustained peace to tangible blessing: *”our land shall yield her increase.”* This implies that walking in God’s peace aligns us with His order, which fosters productivity and fruitfulness in every area of life—spiritual, emotional, and physical.
**Today’s Action:** Identify one area of “folly”—a thought pattern, habit, or disobedience—that subtly robs you of peace. Repent and consciously choose God’s way in that area. Listen for His word of peace to your heart today.
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