OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY JANUARY 19TH 2024

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY JANUARY 19TH 2024

THEME: GOD'S BEST FRIENDS I

*MEMORISE:*

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

James 2:23

*BIBLE READING: GENESIS 18:17-33*

17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

*MESSAGE*

It may surprise you to know that God has best friends. God's best friends are so close to Him that they know things about Him that no one else knows. They are people with. an experiential knowledge of Him that most people don't have. Such people don't like to talk deeply about how much of God they know because those who haven't gotten that close to Him will misunderstand them.

Abraham was one of God's best friends. He was so close to God that God said He could not do anything significant on earth without first informing him (Genesis 18:17). Moses was also one of God's best friends. He was so close to God that God Himself testified in Numbers 12:8 that He spoke to Moses mouth to mouth and that he beholds His similitude which is translated as 'form' in modern English. John the Beloved was another man who was clearly one of God's best friends. Of all the people on earth, Jesus decided to tell him all the things that will happen in the end time (Revelation 1:1).

All these people had such a close relationship with God that they saw sides of Him that others never saw. They heard things from Him that they never told others and made Him change His mind on several occasions (Genesis 18:24-32, Exodus 32:9-14). Probably the most obvious example is reflected in Jesus' relationship with Peter, James and John while He was on earth. Because they were with the Lord Jesus Christ on the mount of

transfiguration, they saw His glory (Matthew 17:1-2). When He went to raise Jairus' daughter, He allowed only the three of them to follow Him, and so they saw His resurrection power (Mark 5:35-37). They were so close to Him that they saw Him in His time of distress at the garden of Gethsemane when He was crying for God to take away the cup from Him (Matthew 26:36-39). Jesus invited them specially to watch with Him. These three experienced special moments with Jesus Christ that no one else did. 

It indeed is a special honour and privilege to be one of God's best friends. I believe every sincere believer should desire to be in God's special inner circle of friends, and so I will be discussing what it takes to become one of God's best friends in the next couple of days.

*REFLECTION:*

How close are you to God?

*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*

 Exodus 11-13

*AUTHOR:*

PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

*HYMN 11: I'VE FOUND A FRIEND IN JESUS*

1 I’ve found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,

  He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

The Apple-tree of trees, in Him alone I see

  All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay,

  He tells me every care on Him to roll:

He’s the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,

  He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

2 He all my griefs has taken, and all my sorrows borne;

  In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tower;

I’ve all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn

  From my heart, and now He keeps me by His power.

Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,

  Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal:

He’s the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,

  He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

3 He’ll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,

  While I live by faith and do His blessed will;

A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,

  With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.

Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,

  Where rivers of delight shall ever roll:

He’s the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,

  He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.