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Topic: The Unchangeable God
(Open Heaven 21 September 2019)
Memorise: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. – Hebrews 13:8
Read: Deuteronomy 7:1-12 (KJV)
1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 9, Daniel 5:13-28
Open Heaven 21 September 2019 Saturday MESSAGE:
When we say that our God is unchangeable, we may not know the full implication of what we are saying unless we are well-grounded in His word and ways. His word in today’s memory verse emphatically states that Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, is the same yesterday, today and forever, meaning that what He stood for over two thousand years ago has not changed today. Unlike politicians who change their ideologies with the mood swings of the polity, Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:18:
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
God’s covenants are established on the pillars of His unchangeable nature (Malachi 3:6). He therefore expects those in covenant with Him to be consistent in living by the terms of His covenant. In today’s Bible reading, the Almighty God reminded the children of Israel of the need to abide by the laws of the covenant He had with them. He told them that He had chosen them as a holy and special people for Himself, preferring them above all other people on earth. He chose them not because they were more in number or more righteous than others but because of His love for them and because of His covenant with His friend, Abraham, who was their father. God chose them to live a life set apart for holiness through obedience to His commandments. Just as God chose them, so has He chosen all those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ today.
We are chosen by God to be a peculiar people consecrated to Him (1 Peter 2:9). Beloved, do not be deceived, God has not changed His standard of holiness (2 Timothy 2:19). If He said in times past that He hates sexual immortality of all kinds, including homosexuality (the reason for which He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), then He has not changed His mind on this today (Romans 2:26-27). No matter how well the world propagates the lie that homosexuals are created that way, it will forever remain a lie of the devil. Just as the devil deceived Eve, so is he deceiving people with diverse philosophies built around lies today. I am persuaded and convinced by the infallible word of God and the Holy Spirit that gays and lesbians cannot inherit the kingdom of God, just as robbers, thieves of all categories and treasury looters will not enter into it (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). God’s unchangeable character is a call to those who are partakers of His divine nature to remain resolute in upholding His standard and banner in this world.
Open Heaven 21 September 2019 Saturday Prayer Point:
Unchangeable Changer, please change every unpleasant situation in my life for the better today, and grant me grace to honour Your covenant through obedience in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven 21 September 2019 Saturday Hymn 14: Let Us With A Gladsome Mind
1 Let us, with a gladsome mind,
Praise the LORD, for He is kind:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
2 Let us blaze His Name abroad,
For of gods He is the God:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
3 He with all-commanding might
Filled the new-made world with light:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
4 All things living He doth feed;
His full hand supplies their need:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
5 He His chosen race did bless
In the wasteful wilderness:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
6 He hath with a pious eye
Looks upon our misery:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
7 Let us therefore warble forth
His high majesty and worth:
For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
