OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH GOD MONDAY FEBRUARY 1 2016

THEME : LOOKING UNTO JESUS 2

HYMN: What are friend we have in Jesus

Memorise :
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; Hebrew 12:2b

Read : HEBREWS 12:1-2
1 WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of
our faith; who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Message:
The phrase "Looking unto Jesus" contains three
very important words of salvation, encouragement
and direction for daily Christian living. Nicodemus,
in his search for the true God and eternal life like
every human being, approached Jesus for possible
understanding. Jesus made the new birth very
plain by using an Old Testament illustration of the
fiery serpents of brass put on a pole for the
Israelites to look upon as recorded in the book of
Numbers 21:8-9.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted
up. That whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14-15
As looking unto the brass serpent on a pole in
faith brought healing to the children of Israel in
the wilderness, so also, whosoever shall look unto
the crucified Christ as the Messiah and the
Saviour of the world by faith, shall receive
forgiveness of sins and be born again.
From time to time in the rigorous journey of life,
we sometimes find ourselves in a state of
tiredness and confusion.

 At such times, Apostle
Paul in Hebrews 12:1-2 admonishes us to run
with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of
our faith for encouragement. We are not to look
into Jesus for encouragement only, we are also to
look into Jesus as our perfect example, so as to
follow in His footsteps.

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us as example, that
ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when
he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but commuted
himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Peter
2:21-23

Looking unto other gods for deliverance, healing
and salvation has brought untold hardship and
loss to many, while looking unto great men and
women that are successful in life and ministry has
resulted in great disappointment, sorrow and
pain. As a matter of fact, this has been a major of
failure in life, but there is no failure or
disappointment in Jesus. Looking unto Jesus can
only increase your faith and lead to physical and
spiritual up liftment.
We are to look unto Jesus in our daily Christian
living as the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and
the End who provides us with direction through
His Word. This also brings us in contact with the
Divine knowledge, wisdom and power of God. An
ordinary person therefore, becomes equipped to
do exploits of supernatural dimensions.

Prayer Point :
Father, Please give me the grace to always look
unto You for everything I need in life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : MATHEW 19:1-21:27 and
JOB 14:7-17