Open Heavens Daily Devotional – Let God Influence Your Choice [4th June, 2019]

Topic: Let God Influence Your Choice

Memorise: "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."- 1 Samuel 16:7

Read: 1 Samuel 16:6-13 (KJV)

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Bible in One Year: Leviticus 23-24, Jeremiah 49:8-22

Making choices is a part of day to day living. On a daily basis, we are faced with the dilemma of choosing between two or more possibilities, or choosing between good and evil. Since our choices determine the course of our lives, it is therefore important that they are based on a foundation that is sound and sure. The most important requirement for making informed choices is knowledge. What better source of knowledge is there than the word of God, which has stood the test of time. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of the mind being enlightened by the word of God. Knowledge obtained from God's word is based on the insight of the Ancient of days, who has seen all and knows all. This makes it balanced and able to guide every aspect of human life. Revealing how important knowledge is to us as children of God, the Holy Spirit says in Hosea 4:6:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

Knowledge is power indeed. How much you know about any particular subject determines your ability to make the right decisions on that subject matter. In fact, the more you know about God and His word, the more likely you are to make error proof choices and decisions. This is why Proverbs 1:29-31 says that those who despise or detest knowledge do so to their own peril. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge can lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. The elements you need for making those crucial decisions are contained in the word of God, and God's Spirit is able to open your eyes to recognize them in every situation. That is why Proverbs 1:23 says:

"Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you."

Human knowledge is not reliable; please be wise and let God influence your choices. Indeed, one of the Holy Spirit's assignments in our lives is to help us make right choices. John 16:13 says:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Anyone who follows a supernatural guide is bound to get supernatural results. As Peter acted on Christ's directives and received a supernatural catch of fishes, so will you receive unprecedented breakthrough today as you act on the counsel of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' Name (Luke 5:4-7).

PRAYER:

Sweet Holy Spirit, please counsel me to make informed decisions that are error-proof in Jesus' Name.

HYMN:

1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3 Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow'r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heaven 4 June 2019 Tuesday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 4 June 2019 Tuesday Daily Devotional.