OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MARCH 4, 2024 : TOPIC – YOUR RIGHT-HAND MAN 3
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
AUTHOR: PASTOR ENOCH ADEJARE ADEBOYE
DATE MONDAY MARCH 4 2024
TOPIC : YOUR RIGHT-HAND MAN 3
MEMORISE: “And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.” – 1Samuel 22:2
READ: 2 SAMUEL 23:8-23
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.
22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
MESSAGE:
When David was in the cave of Adullam, he had some right-hand men that were called the ‘mighty men of David’. In (2 Samuel 23:16), they risked their lives to get him the water he had a longing to drink. Though they were vagabonds when David met them, they became valiant men under him, and he gave them high ranks in his army. Ahithophel was also David’s right-hand man, and Psalm 41:9 tells us that he sat at David’s table. When God gives you right-hand men, they must be honoured and never looked down on. Joseph was Pharaoh’s right-hand man. When Joseph brought his people to Egypt, Pharaoh gave them Goshen, the best part of the land, to dwell in. Great men know that to be successful, they must honour and take care of their right-hand men.
You must show your right-hand men that you are just as committed to them as they are committed to you. Not long ago, a friend of mine called very late in the night and said, “Daddy, I have a problem.” He told me the problem, and we ended the call. Soon after, I called my driver, and we left the house. About an hour later when I called him, he thought it was to tell him that I was still praying, but what he heard was, “Please tell them to let me in at the gate.” He was surprised to see me, but I told him, “What are friends for?” Any time of the day that I needed him, he always ran to me. Now that he needed me, I also ran to him.
If people show commitment to you, you must also show commitment to them. Many people have lost their right-hand men because they refused to honour them. Whenever it is possible, I usually rearrange my schedule so I can be at the birthday celebrations of some of the people God has placed as my right-hand men. You may not know it, but that fellow who has been very committed to you might have been mocked at one time or the other because of it. There might have been times when you unknowingly did something that offended the fellow, and he or she endured it because of his or her commitment to helping you achieve your vision. In return, whenever you have the opportunity, you must also show your commitment to your right-hand men. That will really go a long way in encouraging them.
ACTION POINT:
Pick up your phone and call that fellow who has been a right-hand man to you just to encourage him or her. You can also present him or her with a gift of appreciation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOSHUA 1-4
HYMN : WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer,
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer,
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He’ll take and shield you,
You wilt find a solace there.