LEAVE THE STUMP- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 11-13

LEAVE THE STUMP
Friday, February 5, 2010

MEMORIZE: “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cutdown, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease” (Job 14:7)

READ: 2 Kings 19:35-37

God is so disgusted with fruitlessness that He has promised to cut down anyone who is connected to Him but refuses to produce a commensurate level of fruitfulness. God knows what He has invested in you over the years. Can you truly say that you are generating the right quality and quantity of fruits for the Heavenly Kingdom? In Daniel 4:13-14, the flourishing tree in king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was to be cut. You shall not be cut. As a branch, you shall not be severed from the Vine - Jesus Christ.

One shocking reality is that when God leaves a man, the fellow becomes abhorred by fellow men. When a man goes nuts, even dogs will keep a distance from him. As long as God was with Samson, he was popular, useful and important to both the Kingdom of God and that of Satan. But immediately God departed from him, he lost his relevance and became isolated even in prison. Whatever will rubbish your value will not succeed in its mission in Jesus’ Name.

In this remarkable dream, the watcher was however asked to leave the stump of the tree in the earth (Daniel 4:15). This tells us that any flourishing tree has a negative potential of becoming a stump - without leaves, branches, fruits, etc. God can reduce any tree into a stump overnight like it happened to Pharaoh (Exodus 14:26-31) and Sennacherib for blaspheming against God (2 Kings 19:35-37).

Even Herod was eaten of worms at the peak of his glory (Acts 12:20-23). One lesson here is that the tallest, greatest, richest, most successful person stands the risk of a more disastrous fall if not careful. This is why you must always ask God for grace to remain humble as you rise or attain levels of prominence. This is also why you must obey God promptly, totally and eagerly.

Leaving the stump in the earth on the other hand refers to God’s mercy even in judgment. The tree could have been taken from the roots but because God had not finished with the individual, He allowed the stump to remain. Tell God that whenever He has to discipline you, He should let His mercy remain with you and triumph over judgment. Are you undergoing divine reprimand? Fear not: there is still hope in your end. God is not through with you yet. Submit to His correction, humble yourself, repent and ask for His mercy today. If Nebuchadnezzar still saw better days, better, greater days are ahead of you.

ACTION POINT:

Father, destroy every mark of fruitlessness in my life and in Your mercy give me another chance.