Open Heavens 15 January 2016: Friday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Open Heavens 15 January 2016: Friday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: The right side [Friday 15 January, 2016]

Memorise: Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.  –Exodus 32:26

Read: John 21:1-6 (KJV)

1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 12-13; Job 4:7-21

MESSAGE:

Being on the wrong side of life is very dangerous. Many things go wrong when you are not in the right place. My prayer for someone using this devotional is that you will never be on the wrong side of life in Jesus’ name. And if you are on the wrong side already, may the Lord move you to the right side of life in Jesus’ name.

In the Bible reading for today, we read about the disciples’ encounter with the resurrected Jesus at the sea of Tiberias. They toiled throughout the night and caught nothing. When Jesus came to them, they did not recognize Him. Jesus teased them and asked “Children, have ye any meat?” The answer was obviously negative. When you are not where you should be, you are on the wrong side and this can bring untold sorrow and lack. The compassionate Jesus then issued a directive that they should throw their net on the “right side” of the ship for a catch. Amazingly, they caught a multitude of fishes. One lesson we must learn from this story is that every child of God must find out which is the right side to be. In Genesis, we read about the wrong side Lot went to when he separated himself from Abraham.

“10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.” - Genesis 13:10-11

Lot greedily chose the land that seemed good for his flock without considering his elder uncle who gave him the option to choose first. Unfortunately, it was the wrong side; it was a place that was marked for destruction, after Lot had become “successful”, the iniquity of that land brought total destruction upon it and Lot took nothing out of the land. As a matter of fact, he lost his wife in the land.

“24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” - Genesis 19:24-26

Beloved, the side of the Lord is the right side. Jesus said: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Come to the Lord’s side today if you are yet to answer His call. Repent and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. He will prosper you and give you all-round rest as He has promised.

Prayer Point: Father, please take me away from the wrong side of life and bring me to the right side.

Open Heavens 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.