Open Heaven 13 November 2024 Today Devotional: DEAD MAN WALKING

TOPIC: DEAD MAN WALKING

MEMORISE
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
Philippians 3:19

READ: 2 Timothy 3:1-4:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 NOVEMBER 2024 TODAY MESSAGE

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 1 Timothy 5:6

Even though people who live for pleasure appear to be living a normal life, the reality is that they are actually dead. This particular kind of people seek worldly pleasures onlyand have no self-control. As a matter of fact, they can be likened to zombies. A zombie is a fictional entity that does not have a mind of its own. It is controlled by a basic urge to feed and is literally a dead man walking. If you are always lured by things that give your flesh pleasure, it means that your flesh is ruling over your spirit. This also implies spiritual death.

You must gain full control over yourself. Do not let the urge to sleep overcome the need to work. Do not let the urge to eat overcome the need to fast. The key to remaining in control of your life is to be disciplined. The price of discipline far outweighs the cost of indiscipline. A fellow who always gives in to pleasure will die poor. This is what the Bible tells us in Proverbs 21:17:

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Nobody ever achieves anything great by giving in to pleasure all the time. Anyone who does this will come into this world and leave unnoticed.

Being a lover of pleasure is so dangerous that the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that you should not associate with people who only seek the pleasures of life. It says that you must turn away from people who love pleasure and themselves more than they love God. A tree does not eat its own fruit. It exists to cater for the needs of others. In the same vein, people are created to impact others and contribute positively to society. They are not created to only serve themselves.

When some people talk about self-love, what they are actually talking about is selfishness.

If you want to really live, then you must make an impact on those around you. Anyone who is only living for himself or herself is already dying. The best way to impact those around you is to bring them out of darkness into the light of Christ. This is the true essence of living as a Christian, as you were chosen to bear fruits (John 15:16).

Beloved, ensure that you remain truly alive by not only seeking your own good but also the good of others.