Open Heaven Daily Devotional May 29 2023 Topic: Life: Season II
SCRIPTURE: “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10 (KJV).
We discussed the first season of life yesterday and will be discussing the second season today. In the second season of life, a person’s greatest desire will be to impress. At this stage, he or she wants to be perceived as a success by everyone. For example, choristers and pastors in this stage will typically seek to impress others when they sing and preach respectively. A person in this stage may be financially comfortable already, but would be seeking prestige. This is the season that King Saul was in 1 Samuel 15:24.
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
King Saul had money and power, but he also wanted to impress the people and that got him into trouble.
If you are doing things because of what people think of you, you are likely to get into big trouble soon. The cheer of people may seem good now, but soon you will realise that those who are shouting, “Hosanna today” will be the same ones shouting, “Crucify Him” tomorrow. This is why you must shun what people think and do what is right, whether it is the popular opinion or not.
The Holy Ghost Congress which we hold in Nigeria is a week-long programme, with Friday recording the largest attendance – running into millions. There was a singer who was invited to minister on the Thursday of the Congress. She refused, saying she would only come to sing on Friday when the crowd would be largest. Of course we withdrew the invitation because she was not interested in singing for God but for the crowd.
Those who are more concerned about how they look on social media are risking being destroyed by the same people they are trying to impress. Think about it: if you are trying to impress people, it means that you will always want to jump on the next trend. Trends never end; this means that you would be caught in a never-ending rat race. If you are currently at this stage of trying to impress people, you are still immature and must be deliberate about growing into the next season of your life.
Open Heaven For Today 29 May 2023 REFLECTION:
Why do you do the things you do and buy the things you buy? Sincerely check yourself: are you living to impress people or please God?