OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MAY 7, 2023 (SHOWING OFF IN CHURCH?)
TOPIC : SHOWING OFF IN CHURCH?
MEMORISE: Acts 4:32
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the t h i n g s w h i c h h e possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
READ: 1 Corinthians 11:18-22
18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be [a]recognized among you.
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame [b]those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
MESSAGE
One habit that seems to have crept into the Church recently, is that of showing off to other Church members. There are people who go to Church majorly to show off their new clothes or some other material possession. This is completely outside God’s plan for the Body of Christ. God’s original plan for the Church is for everyone to be united and have everything in common.
The Bible says in Acts 2:46-47: And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. The reason the Church is not growing as fast as it should is that there is no singleness of heart.
When people prefer to outshine one another in showing off their material possessions than actually caring about each other and the gospel, the Church cannot grow. The reason we have not won the whole world to Christ is that the Church is not united.
The Holy Spirit does not move in the midst of divided people. When the Holy Spirit descended in the Upper Room, the people were in one accord (Acts 2:1). Until Christians love each other and are in one accord, the Church cannot experience the move of the Holy Spirit as it should. Many Church leaders wonder why the Holy Spirit is not moving as much as they expect, not knowing that the problem is in the divisions within the Church.
Some pastors give special attention to the rich in the Church. Apostle James said in James 2:1-5 that you should not give the rich preferential treatment against those that are not so rich, or else you would become a judge with evil thoughts. It doesn’t matter how rich they are, they should not be praised for showing off in the Church, but rather, rebuked.
Believers should dress well and can own luxurious items. However, it is wrong to flaunt material possessions with the intent to oppress others. The Church must unite and cease to be a place where people compete to outshine one another over material possessions.
Bible in one year: 1 Chronicles 27-29
Hymn 20 Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus
About The Devotional.
The Open Heavens is One of The Most Wildly Read Devotionals in The World. It is written by Pastor E. A Adeboye, the General Oversear of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCGD). The Open Heavens Devotional is designed to fill you daily with God’s word, and keep you inspired, encouraged, and uplifted. It includes Open Heavens devotionals, Teens Open Heavens devotionals, and many more
