Open Heaven 8 September 2024: Marriage – A Blessing Or A Curse?
Open Heaven 8 September 2024 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye: Marriage – A Blessing Or A Curse?
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Open Heaven 8 September 2024 TOPIC: Marriage – A Blessing Or A Curse?
MEMORISE: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” – Genesis 2:18 (KJV)
READ: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (KJV)
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Obadiah 1
Open Heaven 8 September 2024 MESSAGE
Today, divorce rates are as high as 50% in some countries, and some people believe that they are better off not being married. This brings up the question, is marriage a blessing or a curse?
Some people argue that marriage is a curse because if Eve was not created, and marriage was not instituted in the first place, there would be no sin in the world. Adam also seemed to believe this theory because he blamed God for giving him Eve when he was asked why he ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:12). However, we must remember that Adam was alone, and God created Eve for his good. Everything was going well until sin came in. So, Eve was not the problem, the problem was sin.
Also Read: Open Heaven 7 September 2024 – You Cannot Hide From God
Marriage can either be a blessing or a curse, depending on what either of the couple allows into their union. If marriage is done in line with God’s word, it will be a blessing. However, if either of the couple goes outside the will of God and lets sin in, there will be trouble. Today makes it 57 years since I have been married, and I can tell you without a doubt that my marriage became a blessing when my wife and I gave our lives to Christ and started living according to His will. Before then, we would have disagreements that would last for weeks, but these stopped when we surrendered to Christ.
I recall the story of a couple who fought every single night. One day, someone invited them to a RCCG parish in their city, and when an altar call was made, they gave their lives to Christ. Over the next three weeks, their neighbours didn’t hear them fighting. Curious, the neighbours asked the couple why they had not been fighting. They replied that they had brought Christ into their marriage, and He was the reason they stopped fighting. If your marriage is to be a blessing, you and your spouse must truly be born again, living according to God’s word. You and your spouse should study the Bible, pray, and evangelise together. You should both be on fire for God. When you do these regularly, you will discover how beautiful marriage is. I am enjoying my marriage, and I pray that you will enjoy yours too, in Jesus’ name.
Open Heaven 8 September 2024 ACTION POINT
If you are married, ensure that you surrender your marriage completely to God.
Open Heaven 8 September 2024 HYMN 16 – ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
1 ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, Thus saith the Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er,
Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more.
2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me,
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood.
3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.
4 I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end
Open Heavens 2024 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 for Today 2024
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
