Memorise: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1st Timothy 1:15
Read: 1st Timothy 1:11-17 (KJV)
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Bible in one year:
1st Kings 12-13,
Acts 4:23-37,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 3
Message:
Everyone has a story, but our individual stories are different. I prophesy into your life today that your story will be a pleasant one to hear in Jesus’ Name. When the creation story began in Genesis chapter 1, it was a pleasant story of restoration. Genesis 1:1-3 says:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light:”
However, this story changed when man fell from grace to grass. Man began to wallow in pain, sorrow, agony, poverty, sickness, hopelessness and uncertainty. The worst of these calamities was man’s alienation from his Creator. Speaking about this, Genesis 3:22-23 says:
“And the LORD said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”
From this point forward, the story of man became this pitiable narrative:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 3:23
However, at the appointed time, God Almighty made a way for all of mankind to change this story. He made unlimited grace available to us. This grace is unlimited because it is available to all who will receive it to change their story. It was this grace that changed the story of people like Apostle Paul who we read about in our Bible text today.
Beloved, your story can change as well if you will give your life to Christ and completely yield to His Lordship. If a chief among sinners like Saul to Tarsus could become Apostle Paul, I assure you that your own story will also change if you believe in the work of redemption that Christ came to offer us.
After you accept this work of redemption, all other unpleasant stories about you like joblessness, poverty, sickness, handicapping situations, demonic oppression and eternal death will change. You will have a new story to tell, like the man who was born blind but whose story changed in John 9:25. After God has changed your story, be willing to share it with others, just as Paul and the man born blind did. When you do this, God will continue to give you new pleasant stories to share to the glory of His Holy Name. What is your story today?
Prayer Point
Father, please give me a pleasant story to share to the glory of Your Holy Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons 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.
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