OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2023

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH 2023

THEME:  IS JESUS IN YOUR BOAT?

MEMORISE:

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

Mark 4:38

BIBLE READING: MARK 4:35 -41

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

MESSAGE

In our Bible reading, Jesus' disciples woke Him up and He stilled the storm. Have you imagined what would have happened had He not been in the boat? Life is full of storms, and  except God helps you, such storms can drown you.

No matter how smart you are, there is one storm you cannot escape: the storm of death. Don't be deceived, death will make anyone who isn't in Christ fearful. David could say, "Though l walk through the valley of the shadow of death, l will fear no evil for thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4) because he was on the Lord's side. If the Lord is not with you in your boat and the storm comes, who will you call upon?

Storms can come suddenly, without notice. Once while on a plane to London, there was a particular man who had a golden walking stick. From time to time, he would get up and show off his golden walking stick as he walked to and from the bathroom. Suddenly, the captain announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a little problem as we currently c

annot land the plane". The man with the golden walking stick now really needed to go to the bathroom; but as he stood up to go, the hostess asked him to remain seated. Obviously terrified, he refused to remain in his seat and for a moment   I too was afraid. I then said to my Daddy, "But Lord, You didn't tell me this is the end". He responded saying, "No it's not the end. I want to talk to you, and l know that as soon as you land you will be kept busy, but we need to talk". As soon as l hears His voice, His peace came to me. After the Lord finished talking to me, the plane landed without any problem. Had l not already been His child that day, l would not have had any right to call upon Him in the storm and l would have terrified like just any other person.

If He is not in your boat, there would be nobody to call upon for deliverance in the midst of a storm. It is only when you have Him in your boat that you would be able to say, "Christ in me the hope of glory"  (Colossians,1:27). 

REFLECTION:

Is Jesus in your life?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Zechariah 1-5

*AUTHOR:*

PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

*HYMN 5: BLESSED ASSURANCE*

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

  This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

  Praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending, bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Savior am happy and blest;

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.