OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: Sunday 12th August 2018
THEME: Let Him clean you up
HYMN 3: O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST
1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
CHORUS: Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
2. For my cleansing this I see—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
CHORUS: Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, ’tis all of grace—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
CHORUS: Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
4. This is all my hope and peace—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
CHORUS: Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Memorise
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and foresaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Bible Reading:
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
MESSAGE
Many people will end up in hell on the last day because they refuse to allow God clean up their mess now. The Bible makes it clear that the Almighty God cleanses the lives of those who are yielded to Him. In Isaiah 1:18, He made a call to all those who will listen:
“Come now, and let us reason together , saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
One man who heard this call and yielded to it was Zacchaeus. Today’s Bible reading narrates how the Lord Jesus Christ cleaned up his terrible past, even though he was chief among the tax collectors. He had fraudulently and violently enriched himself with other people’s wealth.
This explains why he longed to see Jesus for cleansing. When he could not reach Jesus, he climbed up to a sycamore tree in order to catch a glimpse of Him, and got what he desired.
How could such a terrible man get the attention of the Most High One? The Lord gave Him attention because He had already made this promise in Jeremiah 29:13:
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
This scripture was fulfilled in the life of Zacchaeus as it will be fulfilled in yours today. Your case will catch Jesus’ attention today and all your guilt shall be wiped away. An interesting aspect of this story is that while Zacchaeus was savouring the saving and cleansing grace of our Lord, some other people were busy murmuring that the Redeemer was ushering a lost sheep of the Father into the cleansing room of eternal life.
Another recipient of God’s cleansing was David. He caught the revelation of the cleansing grace of God, even in the dispensation of the Old Testament. In Psalm 51:2 & 7, he cried to God to purify him, saying:
” Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Beloved, something more effective than hyssop is now available, and it is the Blood of Jesus Christ. In 1John 1:7&9 the Holy Spirit said:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we ha e fellowship one with and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins . and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The Blood is still available for you today. Beloved, you have been involved in terrible acts which you are so ashamed of? Surrender your sins to Jesus today in genuine repentance, confess your sin to Him and allow Him to clean you up with His precious Blood.
ACTION POINT
Take every mess in your life before the throne of grace today and ask God to please clean you up.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 33-35, 18:1-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE