TREM’s Daily 24 August 2017 Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo - Preach from a Closed Book

Topic: Preach from a Closed Book — Thursday August 24, 2017.

“And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down…..” Luke 4:21 (KJV)

The world is tired of people who come to church and they cannot see the evidence of the Christianity we preach. The world is tired of us going to church and carry the bible and yet they cannot see the life. One thing is to preach and another thing is to preach from a closed book. But it is time to preach from a closed book. It is when a book is closed that the glory will become evident. The glory cannot be revealed until you close the book. You don’t go to the street, your business or your work carrying the Bible. You read the bible at home, or during your break period, and you close it. Then and only then is it time to manifest the word. Until the word becomes flesh there will be no glory. The Bible says the Word became flesh and dwelled among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

In Luke 4, Jesus went to Nazareth his own country. And in the usual manner, he went to the temple to worship. That day, he was given the Bible, he opened the book and read things that were written and documented therein concerning his true image. He read from Isaiah 61 that spoke about his true image, his mandate, his assignment and commission. When he finished reading, he closed the book, sat down said this day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears. He then started to preach from a closed book. His life began to preach the gospel because He saw His true image. He was able to stand and rebuke the devil because He saw His true image. He saw that God has mandated him to rebuke the devil. He found out that He has authority over the power of darkness. He saw that He had the authority to heal the sick and to change lives. From that moment, everywhere he went that image manifested in His life.

Further Reading: Luke 4:16-22, John 1:14

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 116-118; Evening- 1 Corinthians 7:1-19

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.