OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TUESDAY 8 JULY 2014 - THEME: CURSED BLESSING BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TUESDAY 8 JULY 2014 - THEME: CURSED BLESSING BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

MEMORY VERSE: Hosea 4:17

Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 

READ: HOSEA 5:8-15

8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

MESSAGE

I have had the opportunity of being close to some extremely wealthy people, and I must confess that not all wealthy people are happy people. Some are wealthy but sad; some others are wealthy but sick. I once had a friend who has since passed on. He had several bank accounts in England, America and Switzerland. When he died, he had $68 million in his Australian bank account, yet, before he died, he could only drink milk. Of what use is money that is available but cannot be spent on its owner? What is the use of being called a millionaire if you cannot enjoy what ordinary people take for granted? If you see the doctor’s prohibited food list given to some sick, wealthy people, you will thank God that you are not rich. Are you in such a situation? The Lord will reach out to you today and heal you of your ailments in Jesus’ Name.

On the other hand, good success can take several forms. It could be prosperity without adversity. Proverbs 10:22 says, “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”

Although God does not attach sorrow to His blessings, your attitude towards God after the blessing will determine whether the blessing will remain a blessing or whether it will attract adversity. Your attitude could even make the blessing become a curse. Take for instance when God was to bless Ephraim and Manasseh; the former being the younger got the double portion blessing that was meant for his elder brother (Genesis 48:19). Within some years, Ephraim became ten times more prosperous than his elder brother (Deuteronomy 33:17). But eventually, when he ignored God, the Lord reversed his blessing by saying that he would be desolate (Hosea 4:17 & 5:9). May your blessing not become a curse! You must watch your attitude after the blessing! Many people who were humble before becoming wealthy, suddenly become cocky, heady, uncontrollable and begin to rub shoulders with God after they are blessed. Some others become very hostile and vindictive, taking their newly found wealth as an opportunity to get back at those who offended them in time past. When you veer off God’s purpose for blessing you, you attract sorrow into your blessing. What is your situation today?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, in any way I am attracting curses into my blessings, please forgive me and help me to right my wrongs.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: NUMBERS 32-33 and JOB 1:1-5