BASTARD OR SON?- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 8-10

BASTARD OR SON?
Thursday, February 4, 2010

MEMORIZE: “For whom the LORD loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb. 12:6)

READ: Hebrews 12:5-8

You can operate whatever type of relationship with God. However, your relationship with Him will determine your receipts from Heaven. Some people are just content with being a creature. In that case, they are not better than a dog or cat. Some may move on to become a servant of God while some become a friend or even a son of God. When you are God’s bonafide son, you will be disciplined. In Judges 13:2-5, we read about a special child of God. He was a Nazarite by birth and was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb.

He was bound by Nazarite laws, but he violated these laws. He thought because he was special he could get away with certain things. One day, Samson found honey in the carcass of the lion he killed days previous and he ate it (Judges 14:5-9). Later, after a great victory, he became thirsty. Even without saying a ‘Thank you’, he cried out to God and was rescued from death. He went on as if nothing happened. Do you know if you have not thanked God for what He has done and you seems to be getting away with it, it might mean that you are a bastard, not a son? If you are a son He will correct you.

Some years ago, we had a week long program in the USA. God’s presence was strong and His power came mightily down to bless people. At the end of the program, we dispersed talking of God’s mighty visitation during the meeting. When we arrived at the hotel I was lodging, I disembarked from the jeep I came in. My hand was holding on to the front door. And as the fellow sitting at the front passenger’s seat came down and shut the door, it jammed my hand. I screamed as everyone panicked on realizing what had just happened. They were hurriedly taking me to my room to keep people from starring at us as my hands burned like fire.

Then I asked the Lord, Why? He said because I did not say, ‘Thank you’. As I repented and thanked Him, the pain suddenly disappeared. Have you received sharp rebukes from the Lord? Are you even sensitive to His corrections? Or do you go without being disciplined when you err? Are you a bastard or a son? There is no son that is not disciplined by his father when he errs. If you are no more being disciplined by God, and you rejoice that you can conveniently sin and get away with it, you have probably lost your sonship. You have moved to bastardhood! Ask God for forgiveness today!

ACTION POINT:

A minister lived in fornication for a period and thought he went scot free until he sat down to count the cost and realized he suffered several losses in business, was ill that period and recorded broken promises, etc. You can’t sin and be free!