Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 13th July, 2016.
SUBDUING THE FLESH.

Memorise
But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Message
One of the three expressways to sin is the flesh. Our first parents did not take note of this and so they fell into the trap of the flesh. The Bible says: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food…”she fell for the lust of the flesh. It should be recalled that it was food that made Esau lost his birthright. The greatest birthright, of course, is the place Jesus went to prepare for the elects and no child of God should trade his Heavenly mansion for a morsel of food. It is written.
“Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Easu, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place or repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Hebrews 12:16-17.

This is the categorisation John the beloved Apostle made in his first general epistle when he wrote:
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16.

There are terrible products of the flesh as listed in Galatians 5:19-21 which will not allow anyone enter into the Kingdom of God. Paul, another apostle of Jesus Christ did not underplay the havoc the flesh can do and determined to keep his body under and subject it to spiritual authority, so that he could make it to eternity with his God. It is not a surprise that Paul decided to subject his flesh because he knew the evil it perpetrated against his soul as revealed in another of his epistles where he lamented:
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24.

He however found solution to the devastating effect of the flesh in Jesus Christ, as he wrote further in Romans 7:25a.

The lesson we can readily learn from Paul’s experience is that we can overcome the negative influence of the flesh if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Our annual resolution to live a godly life cannot help in this regard. Only with the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ can any man overcome the flesh. This is why Jesus is calling everyone, particularly a reader of this devotional; He says:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

As Paul overcame, we can also overcome the flesh and we shall be able to say like him:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4:7.

May the Lord give us victory over the flesh in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, help me to uproot every seed of sin that the devil has planted in my life, and give me victory over my flesh in Jesus’ name. Pray for Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, that the grace and anointing of God in her life will continue to multiply year after year.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 14th July, 2016.
DOING GOD’S PROJECT. 

Memorise
Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and sliver and brass.
- Exodus 35:5.

Read: Exodus 25:1-9.
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Message
One truth that children of God must embrace is that we are partners with God in His divine project. God created man in His image, by implication; man is superior to all other creation and is lord over the universe. God prepared man to occupy a position of junior partner with Him. This is why after He had created the Heaven and the earth and all that were in the earth, He put man in charge of naming, keeping and dressing them. The Bible says:
“And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” Genesis 2:19.

So, man had been charged with the responsibility of doing God’s project from the beginning and up till date, God has not withdrawn this responsibility from man, although at times, man fails to live up to God’s expectation. I pray for someone using this devotional; you will from now on live according to God’s expectation concerning Kingdom projects in Jesus’ name.

In today’s Bible reading, the Lord commanded Moses to take offerings from the children of Israel for the building of the Tabernacle. He told them to bring the offering willingly and joyfully. God is still making demands on us for His projects; missionary, infrastructural or administrative. It is left to us to respond according to our ability. One other truth we must learn from the story of the children of Israel is that everything God demanded from them was provided to them by God Himself. When the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, the Lord caused the Egyptians to send them away in a hurry with the riches of the land. The Bible says:
“And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.”
Exodus 12:35-36.

Another lesson we must learn from this is that whatever blessing we are blessed with has a reason and the reason primarily is for kingdom projects. Therefore, I advise someone reading this devotional today to find out the areas where God’s project needs his or her urgent attention and go ahead to meet that need.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me not to fail You in Kingdom Business in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 15th July, 2016.
A PARTAKER OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SINS?

Memorise
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins; keep thyself pure.
-1 Timothy 5:22.

Read: 2 Chronicles 18:28-34.
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and I will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

Message
There is an error now rampant among the children of God, which must be avoided if we will make it to Heaven. That error is partaking in other people’s sins, particularly the unbelievers! The reason for this development is connected with the unwillingness to take our stand in the midst of opposition and antagonism from the unbelieving people of this age. Children of God now conform a lot with the evil in our society because we do not want to be blacklisted, whereas, this is the nature of our calling. Jesus Christ said concerning the experience of His disciplines in this world:
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matthew 10:22.

It is unfortunate that those who indulge in aiding and abetting sinful ways do not know that they will also be partakers of the punishment:
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers…Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Romans 1:28, 32.

In the Bible reading for today, we read about how Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah partook in the sin of his friend, the king of Israel and was almost killed but for divine intervention. He agreed to disguise to be the king of Israel, not knowing that it was the king of Israel that was being sought for destruction. In the same vein, many children of God make friends with ungodly people of the world only to discover that they share the punishment with the ungodly. This should not be so because the Bible says:
“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.” Psalms 125:2-3.

Unless children of God cease from being partakers of the sins of the unbelievers, we may continue to suffer just because of our alliance with the wicked people of this world. For example, when a child of God enters into a business partnership with an unbeliever who refuses to pay his tithe, the business may collapse for this reason and the ignorant child of God suffers together with the unbeliever. May God have mercy on His children.

Action Point
Break all alliances with unbelievers and pray that the Almighty have mercy on you for previous alliances.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 16th July, 2016.
OUR CROSS BEARER.

Memorise
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
- Ezekiel 18:20.

Read: Ezekiel 18:1-4.
1The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Message
The righteousness of God demands that the soul that commits sin will die (Genesis 2:16-17). The first man and woman disobeyed God and then became sinners doomed for prediction. When Jesus Christ was sent to come and die for mankind, He made a demand on man to carry his cross and follow Him. The cross being referred to isn’t just two pieces of wood put together. Rather, it may be the consequence of the sins someone has committed. This is why Jesus came to help us with the cross of sin. He said:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30.
When we answer this call of Jesus Christ, He exchanges His light burden with our heavy load of sin. The Bible says that the reason Jesus Christ came to this world is that He may bear our burden of sin for us.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5.

Beloved, come to Jesus Christ today and He will carry your burden of sin for you. As a matter of fact, the cross He carried during His earthy ministry was for you and me. All you need to do is to confess your sin and accept Him as your Saviour and Lord. The Bible says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us. We deny ourselves the privilege of the Cross bearer if we refuse to come to Him and make Him as the Lord of our lives. He must not just be a Saviour; He should also be the Lord. My prayer is that whatever heavy burden you are carrying will be lifted in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, I bring my burden to you today in genuine repentance, please forgive me and help me lift this burden.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 17th July, 2016.
SEPARATED UNTO THE LORD.

Memorise
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
- Matthew 5:48.

Read: Genesis 17:1-7.
1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Message
God Almighty does not hide His feelings about how we must relate with Him; He wants us to be totally His. The Bible says: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3). There should be nothing standing between us and our God, neither should there be anything taking His place in our lives. The only way we can convince Him of the fact that we are totally His is when we are completely separated unto Him; when nothing/no one else can lay claim on our lives.

In our Bible reading for today, God asked Abraham to walk before Him and be perfect. In other words, God was telling His friend, Abraham that He needed more of his devotion, commitment and consecration. This is what God demands from all men, particularly His children. To be separated unto the Lord is to be separated from this world of sin. The Bible says:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2.

This should be a very pleasant development for those who have suffered from the tyrant Lucifer. The entanglement with this world is enslaving and deadly but the unfortunate thing about this is that the victim may not realise it. Worldliness is a subtle taskmaster that must be avoided by all children of God. The “twin-sisters” whose names are godliness and contentment are the answers to the challenge of worldliness that brings serious entanglement upon children of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

“No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” Matthew 6:24.

We must separate ourselves from material things of this world if we will please our God. The Bible says:
“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
1 Timothy 6:9-10.

Therefore, it is not profitable for us to allow this to take our lives away from our Maker. Let us acknowledge the primacy of the original Royalty, the God of the Heavens and the Earth. May our services be acceptable to Him from today in Jesus’ name.

Action Point
Determine to be separated unto your God afresh today.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 18th July, 2016.
NOT A HINDRANCE!

Memorise
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
- Romans 8:28.

Read: Philippians 1:12-21.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Message
While man does not have a way of getting solutions to his problems, God has uncountable ways to solving universal problems. This is because He is the Almighty. Another thing about the ways of God is that it does not appeal to the natural man. This truth is what Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ tried to convey to us in our memory verse for today when he wrote:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.

Paul wrote to encourage believers by telling them that the hardship he was going through was for the advancement of the gospel. It takes the eyes of faith to come to terms with this type of truth. In chains, he was moved from one place to another as a criminal under trial. However, at every given time and opportunity to speak, he preached the gospel. In Acts 24 & 25 alone, he addressed three different very important personalities namely Felix, Festus, King Agrippa. It was King Agrippa that said to Paul:
“Almost thou persuade me to be a Christian”
Acts 26:28.

Then Paul said:
“I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” Acts 26:28.

This is a level all children of God must reach if we will enjoy our walk with God. This same truth helped Joseph from misbehaving when he came to power in Egypt and his brothers were afraid of revenge. He told them:
“…Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:19-20.

In all these, we must learn that challenges will not be a hindrance if God is with us, rather, it will be a stepping stone to our destiny. Some children of God attributed their failure to certain hindrances. This should not be, because the Captain of our battle never lost any battle. As a matter of fact, we are more than conquerors and all things will always work together for our good if we believe. I pray for someone using this devotional; all the seemingly hindering situations on your way to success will become a stepping stone to your breakthrough in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, I command all hindering mountains in my life to give way today in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 20th July, 2016.
CALLED UNTO GREATNESS.

Memorise
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
- Luke 5:10.

Read: Luke 5:1-10.

Message
There is something special about the call of God from generation to generation and from dispensation to dispensation. For example, in Genesis, when God made a call among the Trinity about the creation of man, something great came out of that call and that is the uniqueness of man as a special creation. It should be remembered that there was no call at all when other creatures were being created. After the fall, there were many generations up to the time of Abram and when God called Abram and changed his name to Abraham, his life never remained the same.

In our Bible reading for today, we read about the call of Peter into the office of apostleship. When at the lake of Gennesaret, Peter had no idea of the awesomeness of the call when Jesus said to him: “Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (Luke 5:10). Peter, an ordinary fisherman, became great as a result of this ‘simple’ call. Many Cathedrals have been built and named after Peter, the frustrated fisherman before his encounter with Jesus. One can see that a single encounter with Jesus can make a great difference in one’s life. Jesus is calling someone today as you read this devotional and He is saying:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29.

To have a profitable encounter with Jesus, certain things must be done. You must answer His call. He is calling you to follow Him, but you must not just follow Him, you must learn of Him, and all the ideals He brought from His father must be imbibed by you. Jesus said:
“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
John 17:16-17.

Learning of Jesus entails living according to how He lived here on earth. His life of obedience to the will of His Father must be emulated. The Bible enjoins us to have the same mind like Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), and we shall experience great elevation like Jesus did. God is calling us to be like Him; He wants to make us great. May we not refuse His call today; firstly for salvation and secondly for service.

Action Point
What area do you think God is calling you into? Answer Him now and be blessed.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 21st July, 2016.
VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER.

Memorise
And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
- Mark 11:25.

Read: Mark 11:22-26.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Message
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not only give us an outline for prayer in what is popularly called “The Lord’s Prayer” (Luke 11:2-4), He also gave us some vital ingredients of prayer. The first in our consideration is faith. The Almighty God demands that we have faith in Him. A man that prays without faith cannot get anything substantial from the spiritual exercise of prayer. When we pray, we should be assured that God is capable of doing whatever our desires are. Doubt is a grievous offence before the Almighty God. The children of Israel that doubted the capability of God were consumed by the fiery anger of the God who had been erstwhile benevolent to them, however, as many as believed in His Almightiness received great recompense for their faith.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
James 1:6-7

Another vital ingredient of the prayer that God will answer is forgiveness. This is a two-edged sword. Blessed is he that is forgiven, sin a hindrance to prayer. Unless we are forgiven, our prayer cannot be answered. This is why our Lord Jesus put an aspect of confession of sin in the prayer outline (Luke 11:4). No matter how old we may be in the Lord, if we discover any sin ranging from lying, outburst of unwarranted anger, etc in our lives while we are getting set to pray, we must confess that sin first. The Bible says:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Many of us come to the throne of mercy without the milk of mercy in our hearts. We come for mercy while we are not merciful; we come for forgiveness and we are not forgiving. What an irony! In Matthew 18:32-35, our Lord told the parable of the wicked servant who jailed his fellow worker that owed him a little after he himself had received pardon for a greater debt. His unforgiving spirit made him forfeit the pardon for the debt he earlier received. Beloved, let us cultivate the habit of forgiving one another, at least for the fact that our Father in Heaven forgives every of our sins.

Prayer Point
Father, please increase my faith and put in me the spirit that freely forgives.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 23rd July, 2016.
IT IS FINISHED.

Memorise
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor; that ye through his poverty might be rich.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9.

Read: John 19:28-30.
19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Message
When our Lord Jesus Christ cried, “It is finished”, He really did mean that it is finished. However, some children of God do not know the importance of that statement. Some believe that the wages of sin have been fully paid and so we are on our way to Heaven. Correct. Some people believe that all the misfortunes that came upon human race as a result of the fall have been paid for. This is equally true. The problem we must however fix in our devotional reading for today is irregularity in the doctrine of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We must get it right and perfect.
Some believe that when Jesus Christ said “it is finished” He meant that He had paid the debt of sin in full and do not believe that they are missing a gem in the work of redemption. This category of disciples focus on the spiritual aspect of redemption, without paying close attention to the physical. It is needful here to say that the atonement of Jesus Christ is all-encompassing – spiritual, physical, material, emotional, psychological and what have you. For example, when Adam sinned, it was not only the spiritual aspect of his life that was affected; his career as a gardener was affected because he had to labour more for less. Even his wife had to undergo the rigours of labour at childbirth. In the same vain, when the cure for sin came, it came in full. So, if you have been redeemed by His death at Calvary, I say congratulations because your ailing business, marriage, health condition etc are now redeemed! The Bible says:
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet, for your sakes he became poor; that ye through his poverty might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9.

The Irregularity on the other hand, has to do with the belief in some quarters that because Christ has paid our debt in full, we can indulge in sin. This is not correct. Jesus Christ paid it in full to cater for actual and habitual sins. This is why the Bible says:
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest,” 1 John 3:9-10a.

On her encounter with Jesus Christ, the woman whose sin of adultery was forgiven her was told to “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11). So also was the impotent man that was healed by Jesus (John 5:4). Beloved, Jesus paid it in full for your deliverance from spiritual and physical calamities; sin, sickness, poverty and all, but He did not pay for you to continue in sin.

Prayer Point
Father, I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus to pay the debt He did not owe on my behalf. Please let this atoning work deliver me from all woes of sin in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 24th July, 2016.
THE OVERCOMERS.

Memorise
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
- 1 John 5:4.

Read: 1 John 5:1-6.
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Message
Many people do not know how to overcome. This is the reason why they run from pillar to post, looking for protection against the attack of the agents of destruction. The Bible says:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14-15.

It is needless to run helter-skelter in search of protection. As a matter of fact, there is no other source of protection than Jesus Christ. Our memory verse for today affirms that whoever is born-again overcomes the world through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The questions now are: what does it mean to be born-again and how can you be born-again? To be born again, according to John 3:3-5, is to be transformed supernaturally by the Spirit of God when we admit to our sins, confess them, forsake them and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When we experience this transformation, we become children of God. In other words, we become His favourites and He will begin to watch over us. Then, the promise of Jesus concerning protection will be fulfilled in our lives. He said:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Mark 16:17-18.

However, to be born of God demands some things from us. The Bible says in our text for today that the only way to know we are born of God is when we keep commandments. Jesus said:

“…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” John 14:23.

To be born of God is to keep His commandments. This is contrary to some counterfeit Christians of the present age. You cannot continue committing sin and claim that you are born again. Another obligation of someone that claims to be a child of God is that he or she must keep himself or herself pure (1 John 3:3). The Bible says
“Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
Hebrews 7:25.

Beloved, there is abundant safety in Christ, come to Him with a strong determination to go with Him all the way; you will not be disappointed.

Prayer Point
Father, please make me an overcomer today and forever.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 25th July, 2016.
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL 

Memorise
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
- Proverbs 11:19.

Read: Hosea 10:12.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Message
It is interesting to note that the righteousness that mankind has detested from generation to generation, right from the fall, is not optional! Many scholars have endeavoured to explain away what righteousness entails and play down its importance to the point that sermons that encourage righteous living are now scarce. Sweet and pet talks have replaced sermons that demand righteous living. This is why St. Paul admonished his spiritual son, Timothy thus:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 2 Timothy 4:2-3.

There are some lessons to be learnt from the above scripture; firstly, sermons that will produce righteous living must contain reproof, rebuke, exhortation and doctrine. Secondly, there is a time in the life of a Christian pilgrim when he will have to make himself intentionally available to reproof and rebuke. This is because, after a long stay in the Church environment, which might have earned him titles, he might no longer be teachable. Thirdly, righteous living requires indoctrination; doctrines that are sound. In other words, there are doctrines that are not sound. So, believers must beware of doctrines of the devil.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” 1 Timothy 4:1.

Today, some children of God make righteousness an optional virtue to their own danger because the scripture cannot be broken. It says:
“Fellow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. Hebrews 12:14.

Beloved, it is true we shall be ultimately saved by grace. This is why we must pray for that grace to live righteously without struggle, because there is no grace is struggle. This is what makes the Christians faith unique. Our God is able to help us live for Him if we are willing and obedient. If we will not rationalise sin but admit it as it is and cry to God for help. The Bible says:
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
Titus 2:11-12.
I pray that as you desire righteousness today, the grace of God will bring it upon your life in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, let your grace abound in my heart so that I may begin to live life pleasing to You as from now in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 26th July, 2016.
CLEANLINESS IS PRACTICAL GODLINESS.

Memorise
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessel of the Lord.
- Isaiah 52:11.

Read: Numbers 8:5-7.
5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

Message
One truth a child of God must embrace is that cleanliness is godliness in practical terms. God pays attention to personal hygiene as much as He pays attention to the spiritual purity of His people. In the book of Leviticus 14:43-45, we read:
“And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered; Then the priest shall come and look, and behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.
In our Bible reading for today, we read about how God instructed Moses to take the Levites from among the congregation and cleanse them. There are many lessons we must learn from this passage. Why were the Levites singled out for cleansing? It is because they were special to God; they were to be Yahweh’s representatives among God’s people.
“But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessel thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.”
Numbers 1:50

The Levites, being vessels of honour, were required to be cleansed to function as priests unto God. As such, children of God must be clean in and out because it is required of us to be physically and spiritually clean.
“And thou shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.”
Numbers 8:7

It is unfortunate to see that some children of God are not taking seriously the basic hygiene that can enhance their divine health. Some actually believe in divine healing, but do not live in clean environments, nor eat good food. Good food does not cost much. As a matter of fact, it is dangerous delicacies that are costly. So, in order to enjoy divine health, we must live clean lives. May the Almighty God grant us the ability to live clean lives in Jesus’ name.

Action Point
Take care of your personal hygiene and observe basic health instructions in your home.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 27th July, 2016.
ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH.

Memorise
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
- Job 22:28.

Read: 1 Samuel 30:6-8.
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

Message
Breakthroughs are of the Lord. The earlier the children of God understand this fact, the better for them. People look around for breakthroughs as if their power will bring it to pass. It is pardonable for unbelievers but it is not acceptable to professed children of God who know what the scripture says about breakthroughs.
“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:7.

This is one of the reasons why we know that our tomorrow shall be alright. I discovered this a long time ago and the words “my tomorrow shall be alright” became our anthem in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Not because I know how to go about things, but because I discovered that the breakthrough of a man has already been established before his creation. For example, it was not man that forced light to come, neither was it man that created the animal kingdom over which he was made king. Why should I worry about how God will bring about my breakthrough? My breakthrough is settled in Christ.
Divine guidance is the secret of breaking through obstacles and challenges of life. In our Bible reading for today, we read about the secret of the victory David had at the raid of Ziglag. After David has wept for his loss, he gathered himself together and asked God if pursuing the troops that invaded him would be a profitable one. To receive unfailing breakthrough, asking God for divine guidance is inevitable.
Moreover, a prayer of decree can guarantee assurance of breakthrough according to today’s Memory verse:
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ assured us of breakthroughs against all obstacles that the enemies may try to bring our way:
“…Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” Matthew 21:21.

Beloved, the Almighty God is the Source of all human breakthroughs. Therefore, bring yourself to the favour of your Maker today and you will experience the breakthrough of your dreams.

Prayer Point
Father, please remove all obstacles in my way to breakthrough and cause me to excel in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 28th July, 2016.
THOU SHALT NOT COVET.

Memorise
But fornications, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
- Ephesians 5:3.

Read: Ephesians 5:3-7.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Message
Today, we will examine one of the Ten Commandments; covetousness. The sin of covetousness is a cluster of many sins that sets man against his Maker. Upon the sin of covetousness hangs many other sins like stealing, sexual immorality and murder, hence the law:
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neigbour’s.” Exodus 20:17.

David, a God-fearing soldier, king and prophet fell because of covetousness. He coveted Bathsheba, his soldier’s wife; and went from one form of sin to another. Covetousness led him to adultery and adultery led him to a murderous act. When someone is caught in the sin of covetousness in the area of alcohol, he gets drunk and what next? Foolish talking and jesting that are not convenient become inevitable. The Bible says:
“Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.”
Proverbs 23:31-33.

Coveting your neighbour’s possession can lead to murder. The reason for this is that when someone covets his neighbour’s estate, and is unable to get it, he may resolve to kill the rightful owner to have it. This was the case in Ahab and Naboth’s story (1 Kings 21:1-16). Ahab organised a feast where Naboth should be framed up and killed by the scheme of his wife, Jezebel. Immediately the plan was hatched, the Lord sent His prophet to go and deliver His judgement upon Ahab. It was a judgement of vengeance.
“… Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.” 1 Kings 21:19.

Beloved, let us beware of the sin of covetousness as Jesus warned in Luke 12:15-20. The man in that story was boasting about what he possessed but that same night God required his soul from him. Our Lord then asked who those things he had acquired shall be for. Think about it and you will discover that covetousness is not worth it after all.

Action Point
Think of those things that entice you to acts of covetousness, pray and avoid being possessed by them.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 29th July, 2016.
JUST DO IT RIGHT.

Memorise
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 10:6.

Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23.

Message
A good number of people confuse service for God’s approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is – “just do it right, and God will accept you and your service”. The Bible says:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 12:1.

In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God’s instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the soil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:
“…Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
1 Samuel 15:22.

There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of king Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites. Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and king Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with in Galatians 5:19-21
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like...”

Some so-called workers in the Church are still harbouring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are ‘zealously’ working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said that on that day, they will come and say:
“We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are, depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
Luke 13:26-27.

May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in Your sight from now onward.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 30th July, 2016.
CHILD OF DESTINY.

Memorise
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
- Jeremiah 1:19.

Read: Jeremiah 1:4-8.
4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Message
According to Psalms 115:3, destiny has its origin in the sovereignty of God. It is also the plan that God had for you before creating you. It is what God says about your future. In other words, God had a purpose for your life, long before you were born. Joseph was a typical child of destiny. His brothers fought aggressively against his destiny. One good thing about destiny is that, your destiny, being the counsel of God for you, shall stand forever (Genesis 37:18-28). Joseph started his life experiences with the first and second dreams which set him at variance with his brothers and parents. The fulfilment of his destiny took him through Portiphar’s house, the prison and eventually the palace of the Egyptians.
In the text for today, the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah announcing his destiny to him. Jeremiah had been separated right from his mother’s womb to be a prophet. At times, we behave foolishly by arguing with God on why He called us; a call that is the reason for which we were born. More often than not, God’s plan for mankind does not appeal to the rational man, though it is the best for us.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11.

It is very important for us to embrace the truth in the above scripture. When we do, we shall not be guilty of spiritual insubordination. Jeremiah ignorantly argued:
“Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak for I am a child.” Jeremiah 1:6.

God called Moses to go and perform a task in Egypt but he was giving excuses of not being an eloquent speaker. Beloved, I want you to get something settled in your mind today; God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called so that He can take full glory for the success of the called.

The Lord said to Jeremiah  
“Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” Jeremiah 1:7.

The Lord further encouraged him not to be afraid of the faces of those He was sending him to. This is a lesson for those of us who are too scared to deliver God’s message in our places of work, school, community etc. The spirit of God will always give us something of eternal value to tell His people. God has destined you to be unique; it is left for you to allow Him to fulfil His purpose for your life. May the Lord fulfil your destiny gloriously in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to fulfil my destiny in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 1st August, 2016.
BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE.

Memorise
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heaven shall drop down dew.
- Deuteronomy 33:28.

Read: Deuteronomy 33:27-29.
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Message
There are different kinds of blessings, but there is a kind of blessing that comes from God alone. This is the blessing that has no boundary. It is from above where God sits to coordinate the affairs of His people. Today, the blessing of God will locate you wherever you are in Jesus’ name. If you must prosper the way God desires, you cannot afford to ignore the presence of God.

Those who have succeeded exceedingly in life are those whose source of blessing is God. When the presence of God is with you, He causes whatever you lay your hands upon to prosper. With little effort, you enjoy great favour and you become a channel of blessings to others around you.

If you study the biblical men of faith; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will notice that God was not only interested in giving them blessings that will be sufficient for them alone, He was interested in blessing them to a point that they become channels of blessings to others. Do you know God can bless you so much that your driver becomes a millionaire just from driving you? He told Abraham.
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing” Genesis 12:2.

The blessing that came from above into the life of Abraham made a great nation out of him. That blessing gave him such a great name that there was no nation where his name was not known. The name attracted so many blessings to his life that he became a great possessor of vast expanses of land and today, his seed are all over the world. God can make you a man or woman of great wealth and power. No matter how dry your ground may be at the moment; He can raise greatness out of it and make your little one become a thousand. The outpouring of God’s blessing upon your life can move you beyond the point of daily provision and mere survival, to the point in which you become the talk of nations because of how frightening your blessings have become. Peter who toiled all night and caught nothing became the talk of the town when he experienced a net-breaking blessing. I have always said that a day is coming and that season is here for a reader of this devotional, that when you take your money to the bank, the bank manager will order that the branch be shut down for three days to other customers just because they are attending to you.

For you to achieve this level of blessing, you need to understand that it will not come easy, but you need not be discouraged because God is ever faithful and He knows the path to take you through to get there. God is the fountain of all honour and it is from Him that promotion comes. What you are going through at the moment may not show that you are a candidate for this kind of blessing but you need to know that the plan and purpose of God for your life cannot be denied. Your faith and obedience will be tried. You need to be separated and set aside for God alone.

Those who forsake their sins and turn to God will get blessings that they never bargained for. You have to take your mind off the mundane things of this world and step up into the higher ground of what God is prepared to do with your life.

Key Point
Until there is a departure from the little things, there will be no discovery of greater things.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 2nd August, 2016.
COME BACK HOME.

Memorise
There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
- Isaiah 48:22.

Read: Isaiah 48:18-22.
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

Message
There was a point in the life of the children of Israel when God had to bring to their remembrance what He had done for them. He had to draw their attention to their rebellion over the years starting from the point when He used Moses to deliver them from captivity.

The children of Israel soon forgot the faithfulness of God and began to attribute their freedom and victory to idols. How easy it is for us to forget the investments of God in our lives. He delivered them from their afflictions. He made them partakers of His glorious presence. He never left them alone for a moment. He enlightened them and guided them to their destinations. Yet, they began to praise the idols they had made with their hands. God tried different methods to get their attention but they ignored Him.

He sent them prophets and raised judges for them. He sent His servants to them to forewarn them of the consequences of their actions and occasionally appeared to them but they never listened until they met their destruction. They forgot the reason for which they were called the people of God. They refused to retain God in their knowledge; they trusted in their idols and intellects, and as a result began to engage in what was not convenient until they lost the peace and joy of the living God.
This is also true of the time and days we live in. God wants us to come back to His love, despite our state of wickedness. God is still interested in having us to Himself for our good. There is great joy and happiness for those who repent and come back to God. The opportunity is here and I want you to take advantage of the grace of God that is available now. Choose good and not evil. Choose life and not death. Choose blessing and not curse. There can never be peace for a wicked man because he is a stranger and an enemy of God. There is no peace for those who stand in opposition to the Almighty God. They do so to their own peril. Unspeakable happiness and joy comes to those who align themselves with God but uneasiness, fear, sorrow, trouble and destruction comes to those who forget where He is bringing them from. When you are on the Lord’s side, there will be quietness, peace, calm and comfort because you are a friend to God and not an enemy.

Like the prodigal son, you may have wasted all that has been committed into your hands. You may have gone beyond where help can reach you but the grace of God is longer than the stretch of your iniquities, therefore return home. Remove rebellion from your heart. Let there be light and a change of heart. Make a fresh resolution that you won’t backslide again.

“Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!”
Psalms 81:13.

As you make this strong decision, you will begin to see the peace you desire in your heart. All the good your heart has desired and all the comfort you have ever longed for becomes a reality. Your peace is a function of His presence in your life. Begin to relate with Him daily, praise and worship Him. See His Word as what you must feed on and obey Him even when you don’t seem to understand. As you do this, you will enjoy the prosperity and protection of the Almighty God. His blessings in your life will never be interrupted and you will continue to enjoy all that God has to give.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to return to You fully.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 3rd August, 2016.
ARE YOU GROWING IN GRACE?

Memorise
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
- 2 Peter 3:18.

Read: Luke 2:39-40, (KJV)
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Message
Show me a man that is doing great exploits in life and in ministry and I will show you a man that is growing in the grace and knowledge of the Almighty God. It is the grace of the Almighty God that makes us vessels of honour and beneficiaries of this grace; we need to continue to grow in it so that we will not run out of it. By virtue of our past, none of us will be qualified to be amongst the chosen of God, but the grace and mercy of God qualifies us. It was His grace that brought us salvation and not our works. It was the grace of God that blotted out the handwriting of the devil against all the sins we had committed. The devil stood to accuse us before the Almighty God, but His mercy stood in for us. Long ago when I was a lecturer in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, a woman brought her sick child to me for prayers as she had been told to come see me; a man of God. When she arrived and discovered that I was the man of God she was asked to see, she couldn’t hide her shock because she knew how bad I was in the past. Only the grace of God could have taken me from being a ‘great sinner’ to being a ‘man of God’. The moment we come to the truth of the gospel, there is an expectation from us. There is an expectation to live a life of holiness. A personal knowledge of God is necessary to enable us obtain His best for our lives. As God reveals Himself to us daily, we in turn, must reveal Him to others.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”
Ephesians 2:8.

The grace of God is available in abundance, but must not be taken for granted. We must use the grace that we have received to be a blessing to others. The grace of God makes the forgiveness of sin possible. This is why every child of God must have a big heart to ‘let go’. You must not hold anything against anyone. Others may, but you cannot; because you are expected to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. The grace of God helps us to stand in the gap in the place of prayer. This makes it necessary for us to seek the face of God on behalf of those that God has committed to our trust. We must always remember that it is Jesus that has chosen us out of His own divine grace (John 15:16).

Despite the antecedents of Saul, God chose Him. Jeremiah was chosen and ordained even before his birth. With all these examples and stories of our time, it is wisdom to make the best choice of allowing God to have His way in our lives. We must glorify God in all we do. We must continue to grow in Him and never allow His investment to go to waste. We must justify His being interested in us by living holy and being a blessing to the Body of Christ with all the talents, abilities, endowments and gifts He has given us. Don’t allow yourself to be led astray by the immoral conduct of those who have given themselves to the lust of the flesh. It is the responsibility of every one to grow in the things of the Spirit and the motivation required for this has been given through the revelation of His grace through the cross.

Prayer Point
Father, cause me to grow daily in Your grace and knowledge in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 4th August, 2016.
BELIEVING LIES?

Memorise
Deliver my soul, Oh Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
- Psalms 120:2.

Read: 1 Timothy 4:1-6.
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Message
There are many heresies spreading around us today, unfortunately, there are lots of people believing them. This is why true ministers of the gospel cannot just fold their hands. They have to make efforts to counter the bad philosophies around with the absolute truth of God’s Word. There is no better time for us to be aware and guard ourselves from being led astray by these erroneous teachings. The Bible warns us that if not careful even the very elect will deviate from the truth and follow after the deceptions of devious men, who, by the way, are skillful in leading men astray. Some of these teachers are popular and some of them are widely sought after; but be not deceived, the Word and Truth of God is greater than the personal profile of any minister. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing in the church today (Matthew 7:15-20). They teach one thing and practice another.
They appear to be speaking the truth but they are living in error. When they talk, their words are very smooth and there is no error in their presentations. They make a lot of noise but they lack depth. If you watch closely, you will see that their conduct is contrary to the principles of godly living. They come with all sorts of theologies that have no bearing with the Word of God. They justify unholy living with the illusion that it is impossible for anyone to live holy. They explain away the truth of God’s Word just to make sinners comfortable in their sins. There is no rebuke, no reprove and no correction in their theology. They preach so much about the place of grace and give so much motivation about people’s freewill and liberty, forgetting that the Christian calling is not a call to lawlessness. They preach against the validity of the 10 commandments in the era of grace. Some teach that once saved you are forever saved and there is no need to work out your salvation with fear and trembling as the Bible says in Philippians 2:12. Some ask why you need to fast at all, since Jesus said it is finished.

As a genuine minister and disciple of Jesus, there is the need for you to teach your members to be aware of these wrong teachings. The fact that many people listen to them do not mean they are approved of God. They are liars. You need to caution those in your church concerning heretic teachings that deny the fundamental principles of Christianity. Don’t allow your members to stray away from the truth. Expose them to the truth of God’s Word very often so that they can stand against the lies of the devil. Some churches have become mere social and entertainment centres where members only gather for fantasies and entertainment purposes. You cannot see them leading salvation prayers or asking lost souls to come to the altar to forsake their sins. Many people do not want to hear the truth of God’s Word and that is why the church is saturated today with many false and fake ministers. How can you be comfortable in a church where the pastor has two wives? What will you expect such pastors to tell their members? Some members prefer to run from one prophet to another who will ‘see things’ for them and deceive them that God has spoken when God has said nothing. They are looking for prophetic declarations from ‘great men of God’ even when they don’t know the spirit behind such declarations.

Action Point
Beware of wolves in sheep clothing.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 5th August, 2016.
STOLEN BREAD?

Memorise
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
- Proverbs 20:17.

Read: Ephesians 4:28.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Message
We live in a time when the nature of man is so selfish that all he does is think about himself continually. How much can I get? What do I have at stake? Of what interest will this be to me? This is why you see people transforming the resources meant for an entire nation into their private coffers. They are happy to collect the contract amount given for the construction of public roads only to complete such roads on paper alone. The better ones among them do a bad job and pocket the rest despite inflating the cost of completion. After all, they will not drive on such roads. When the Judgement of God comes upon those who do this, their ends are always terrible. Some of them use such monies to train their children in the best schools available and such children end up killing them. Some of them use such money to build estates and such estates become desolate in the future.

Lazy people look for any excuse not to work. They want cheap money. They want to live in luxury without paying the price. This is why you see a lot of value being eroded in the social system today. People are no longer ready to task their minds. Some people sit with their computers the whole day, looking for people to defraud. How do you think you can have an enduring blessing through such means? There are some market women who use unequal weights in the scale to measure what they sell to unsuspecting customers. If you do this, it is to your own peril. Such people will never be blessed by God. Some are involved in fraudulent business practices, exploiting others for their own gain. They think they are making it at the moment, but the truth is that such gains bring much sorrow. Lazy people who do not work will end in poverty because they lack understanding. Those who are sleeping when they should be working will end up serving those who are industrious.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” Galatians 6:7.

As long as you choose to remain lazy, you will never encounter a divine touch, because God himself is hard working. One of the great virtues that fathers can leave for their children is a heritage of integrity. There is only one path to true increase and that is gathering wealth by honest means. It may take a longer time than you expected, but you can be sure that at the end, you will have peace of mind. There are things money cannot buy. Money cannot buy happiness and joy and this is why you need to understand that there is no need to play smart. The little you earn from what you do legitimately will attract the blessing of God, as opposed to those who earn millions by fraudulent means. The scripture says;
“Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich” Proverbs 28:6.

Don’t envy sinners who are prosperious. It is foolishness to do so because you can easily tell what their end will be.
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase”,
Proverbs 13:11.

Those who gather wealth unjustly are doing so in readiness for devourers. They will never be able to explain how they spend such money.

Key Point
Whatever you get non-legitimately cannot last.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 6th August, 2016.
THE POWER OF TESTIMONY.

Memorise
And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
- Revelations 12:11.

Read: 1 Samuel 17:32-37.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Message
Testimonies are assets in prayers that authenticate the reality of what God will do in your life. The power of testimonies put you above your problems and destroys all lies and deceits of the devil concerning all that the Almighty God has promised you.
“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart”
Psalms 119:111.

Those who give testimonies of what God does in their lives are committing God into sustaining what He has done. It is through the power of your testimony that your miracle becomes permanent. I decree that the Almighty God will do something great in your life that can never be hidden in Jesus’ name.

You need faith to receive all that God has promised, and one of the ways to bring those promises to fulfilment is by testifying of the goodness of the Lord. It is by faith that you receive boldness to come before the presence of the Almighty God to access your rightful blessings. All those who have done great things are people who are given to testifying of the deeds of God in their lives so that others can also ‘key’ into their encounters. David defeated Goliath before the physical battle by the word of testimony. He knew that by his experience and age, he was not fit enough to confront Goliath in a physical battle. Goliath cursed him, and he also cursed Goliath by the name of his God and that same God gave him the victory he testified about. When you come face to face with situations and circumstances that are beyond you, remember that there is a God that will never leave you nor forsake you. All you need to do is believe His plans for you and live it while waiting for it to come to pass. When battles rise against you, remind God of all His acts in your life and in the lives of others before now. You can be sure that He can repeat in your life whatever He has done for someone. If your medical report is not favourable, remember there is a God who has over turned the medical report of more critical situations and believe that yours will not be impossible for Him to do. When you remind God of all that He has done in the past, you are invoking His faithfulness and compelling Him to reproduce the act.

The people that know their God shall be strong and they shall do exploits. With the power of testimony, it becomes very easy to do great exploits. All you have to do is to know the God you serve. David knew the God he was serving. Daniel knew the God he was serving. Elijah knew the God he was serving. Esther knew the God she was serving. Joshua knew the God he was serving and he declared boldly that he was not among those who saw themselves as grasshoppers. He knew through the acts of His God that they were more than able to possess the land and enter into their promised destiny. You must not be afraid to dominate. You must see yourself as a champion who is triumphant. Your faith in His promises must never be shaken. You carry divinity and there is nothing in life that can conquer you. I decree that your testimonies shall overflow in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
Every closed mouth is equal to a closed destiny.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 7th August, 2016.
THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD.

Memorise
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
- 1 Corinthians 1:25.

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Message
Foolishness is commonly interpreted as the lack of a good sense of judgement. It has a range of synonyms that include folly, imprudence, stupidity, laziness, and perverse in speech. In addition, it is frequently contrasted with wisdom, such that the fool is contrasted with the wise, and a fool is everything a wise person is not. The Bible presents wisdom as a divine gift from God, while foolishness characterises anyone that does not believe in God (Psalm 14:1). Consequent upon the above, it is unthinkable that foolishness will be tied to God for any reason.

However, the Bible in 1 Corinthians 1:25 says,
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

The Holy Spirit responded to the early Church with the above statement, as they tried to berate the message of the Gospel with the wrong assumption that the wisdom of the world is superior to the wisdom of God. The Word of God clearly states that what the people termed to be foolishness is much wiser than the wisdom of the world. The people of the world cannot relate with the wisdom of God because it is meaningless to them, they cannot understand the wisdom behind the principles and commandments of God. The thought of salvation from sin, the process of redemption, the mystery of the Holy Communion, water and the Holy Spirit baptism, speaking in tongues, and the power of fasting and prayer, are all like closed books to the people of the world. It is beyond their comprehension, they cannot simply relate with the wisdom behind spiritual matters.

1 Corinthians 3:19 says:
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”

The Bible in 1 Corinthians 2:14 further says;
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

It takes a spiritual person to understand spiritual things. The inability of the world to comprehend the things of God is deliberate as God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. A person must first be born again, after which Kingdom matters become plain without any need for explanation. Indeed, the foolishness of God is wiser than men. Are you a bonafide member of the Kingdom? Are you born again?

Prayer Point:
Father please fill me with a heavenly wisdom that the world cannot comprehend.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 8th August, 2016.
HEAVENLY ATTENTION.

Memorise
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said unto Him, Zacchaeus make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.
- Luke 19:5.

Read: Acts 10:1-6.
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Message
There is no one that cannot command the attention of Heaven. Those who believe that people in great positions or people in affluence are far from God will be surprised to know that there are many wealthy people doing great things for the Lord, and there are people in great positions who are using their influence to add positive value to their environment. The example of Zacchaeus reveals that it is possible to remain faithful to God regardless of the amount of wealth at a person’s disposal. Righteous, rich people are great instruments in the hands of God because they use their wealth and God given positions to expand His Kingdom. Also, the example of Cornelius reveals to us that God is a God of plan and purpose. He was very influential in his days; nevertheless, he was a devoted man who was obedient to the will of God. He was very generous to those around him. He had a very good reputation but he was not saved. Hence, God had a plan for him in order that he might be saved. God wanted to prove a point to the Jews through his life that there is no one that is beyond redemption. This week, your prayers will command the attention of Heaven in Jesus’ name. The moment he got a revelation of what he needed to do, he complied fully without delay and he got the attention of Heaven.

I have noticed that those who are not as blessed sometimes exhibit pride while those who are blessed sometimes humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. This is why you will see Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors of multinationals picking rubbish and dirt in a church service.  Some of them stay to control traffic for hours after major programmes are through. No wonder they are so special to the Almighty God, and so whenever they call upon Him, the heavens open to them. They demonstrate their love for God by serving humanity. They transfer the burdens of others to themselves and when God decides to give attention to such individuals, they never remain the same again. Such Heavenly attention brings a tremendously positive turnaround in the life of the beneficiary. When the Heavens pay attention to you, you can be sure that all your long awaited promises will become fulfilled.

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
Colossians 1:27.

When God visits you, you will begin to know the meaning of true riches, despite the fact that people had always known you to be wealthy; your new level of wealth will dwarf the former. He will bring you to a greater level of wealth where you begin to flourish in all things. He makes the great greater and he turns all curses to blessings.
There is a day of visitation and every child of God is destined for such a time when the Heavens will be at attention in order to bless someone. Today is your day in Jesus’ name. This is your day of remembrance, and all that you have been trusting God for shall be delivered in Jesus’ name. All you need to do is allow Jesus to come into your life. Allow the plan and purpose that God has for you to come to pass and that can only be possible when you surrender to Jesus and make Him your personal Lord and Saviour.

Prayer Point
Father, please pay attention to me today in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 9th August, 2016.
*BLESSED ASSURANCE*

Memorise
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- Isaiah 3:10.

Read: Psalm 23:1-5.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Message
God is calling us to a closer walk with Him. This is the only way to launch us into the realm of His divine blessings. The blessings and miracles of God are exclusively reserved for His children. It is only the elect of God that can be assured of His blessings. One question we must always remember to ask when we read of or hear God make a promise is: am I the one God is referring to? Do I qualify to be blessed? God's blessings are only reserved for those who live holy.

"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
Hebrews 1:9.

To be assured of the blessing of the Lord, you need to be righteous. Every sin in your life reduces your chance of being a full beneficiary of the goodness of God. This is why you need to find out (and be sincere in your search) if there is any sin hidden in your life. Ask yourself: what are those things that can limit the flow of God's blessings to my life? God has given us all things, but they will not flow into the lives of those who are not living according to His pattern. You can determine how far you want to be blessed in God. It is a function of the relationship that exists between you and God. This is why you need to ensure that nothing hinders your relationship with Him, so that there can be an uninterrupted flow of blessings to your life.

The moment we begin to follow God, there will always be an assurance of His divine protection so that you don't become plagued with the suffering and turmoil of life. All that is necessary for one's survival is already guaranteed in God. For reasons best known to God, there are certain things that He will not reveal to you. He enjoys giving pleasant surprises to His children. He always gives those who serve Him more than they bargained for. When I was answering the call to ministry, I never knew God was going to bless me as much as He has done so far. All I was after was just to love Him and serve Him with the whole of my heart, because I was glad He had rescued me from the wicked hands of the Devil. But God decided to bless me beyond measure. My greatest dream was to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor of a University. But today, that dream is a child's play in comparison with what God is doing in my life. All you need to do is to live a life of holiness and everything will work out in your favour. By the time Joseph finally arrived in the palace, he must have felt far better than he had ever imagined. But remember that Joseph had to contend with those things that were capable of hindering his glorious destiny. There is no challenge or sin that God cannot give you victory over as you trust in Him. Just turn to the Lord and ask Him to help your weakness. The moment you do this, you will see better and bigger victories emerging on your behalf. God will never forsake those who trust in Him. The assurance of every believer in Christ Jesus is that God will never turn His back on His people. There will be a guarantee of protection when you are under any attack. He will protect you to the point that you will pity your attackers. He will openly manifest to all that you belong to Him. Only those who come under His government enjoy His benefits.

Key Point
There is a ready-made banquet prepared for those who belong to God.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 10th August, 2016.
SUPERNATURAL LIFTING.

Memorise
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head.
- Psalms 3:3.

Read: Daniel 3:15-20.
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was won’t to be heated.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Message
There is nothing as good as having God as your ally. I pity those who make men their shield. It is foolishness to do so because man is limited and cannot even help himself when he becomes overwhelmed with the circumstances of life. There is no impossible with God and there is no situation that is beyond Him. This is why I want to abide in Him always, because I know He alone will never fail.
“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head.” Psalms 3:3.

This was the voice of David when he confronted a situation that was beyond him. His son conspired with others, not only to take away his crown, but also to take his life. Who do you run to when people are not only interested in taking your position but also taking your life? Who do you cry to when that strange woman is not only interested in taking your husband but also taking your life? God is the only one who can lift one supernaturally.

There are people who have grief in their hearts. There are those who have been praying and crying for help. There are those who have been sowing in tears. If you are included in these groups, I want you to be comforted because the Almighty God will lift you higher than your problems in Jesus’ name. Do not lose hope in the ability of God to deliver you from any plot against your life. Just call upon the Lord and you will see Him destroying your enemies with their own hands. It does not matter how many enemies are surrounding you at all sides, there is protection for you in God. God is the one who lifts up the heads of His children. He puts great honour upon them and removes everything that has to do with shame and reproach. He is a deliverer to those who run to Him and He ensures all things work out together for their good. Are you in any situation in which the number of people rising up against you are on the increase simply because God is on your side? I want to assure you that the Almighty God will give you peace and calm in the midst of the storm. God will deliver you out of every hand that is holding you down. The fact that God has been fighting on your behalf in the past should give you an assurance that you are a permanent candidate for supernatural lifting, as long as you are at peace with God. All you need to do is ensure that there is no unrighteousness or ungodliness in you. Do not follow the path of the wicked. Live holy and be obedient in faith. Give yourself to prayers always, so that you can put the devil where he belongs. Those who walk in the truth of the gospel will always enjoy glory and honour from God. Be strong in the promises of God and be fully persuaded that all God has promised you will surely come to fulfilment.

From our Bible reading, we see how the three Hebrew boys moved from being slaves to being condemned and then to being promoted all in one day. After God had shown up for them, the king immediately commanded that any people, nation, and language, that speaks against their God shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because no other God can deliver like Jehovah. There is no one that God cannot use for His glory. As long as He sees your heart, He will meet you at the level of your desire. Seek God. Those who follow God will always see good things following them.

Key Point
Who you follow determines what follows you.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 11th August, 2016.
THE CARNAL MAN.

Memorise
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
- John 4:24.

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Message
If you want to do great exploits for God you have to rise above your carnal mind because no serious exploit can be done in the flesh. One of the things responsible for the miraculous events in the early church is that everything was done in the atmosphere of God’s spirit. This is why we need to thirst for more of His presence in our midst if we want an outpouring of His spiritual blessings. It takes the Spirit of God for one to have access to deeper revelations of God.
“For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father.” Ephesians 2:18.

Anyone who wants to experience and encounter the glorious presence of God must be ready to let go of the flesh and allow the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Truth to take over. The carnal man is manipulated by his emotions and thinking. The carnal man is vulnerable to lust. The carnal man cannot understand the things of the spirit. The carnal man is always a victim of strife and questionable actions. The carnal man will always be found in questionable environments and circumstances, but the man who allows the Spirit of God to dwell in him will always be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.

To effectively deal with the problem of carnality, wisdom demands you take it from the root. A tree that is cut down but not uprooted will grow again; it is only a matter of time. The only time you can be assured of permanent victory over the flesh is when you uproot the carnal man from its root. The moment you turn on the light, darkness automatically ceases. There is a need for you to turn on the Spirit man, who is nourished through a life of holiness and consecration to the Almighty God. As long as the Spirit is in charge, you cannot be defeated. You remain a champion and everything that is not of God will keep its distance from you, but the moment you give the carnal man a little attention, it begins to take over again. The best way to deal with the carnal man is to flee from every appearance of evil. One of my spiritual sons once told me that anytime it is Friday, he was always looking forward to the weekend being over because he wanted to be in the office on Monday. He was always looking forward to Monday mornings because of his Secretary in the office whom he had grown fond of. I told Him that he was playing with a cobra in his bed and at anytime, the cobra could bite him. I asked him to kill the cobra once and for all by sacking the secretary that was unknown to him, feeding his flesh to destruction. Out of wisdom, he heeded my counsel and sacked his secretary, who in turn verbally insulted him and all those who had advised him. After she left, my son found peace in his spirit. Anything done with the carnal mind will always bring problem and fear, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty and rest of mind. Are you toying with sin? Repent and come to Jesus for restoration. Are you in the company of those who will feed your flesh? Return to Jesus, His grace will overcome the works of the devil. Obey His Word, walk closely with Him and you will see yourself exercising victory over weaknesses.

Prayer Point
Father, mortify every deed of the flesh in my life in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 12th August, 2016.
THE CHRISTIAN RACE.

Memorise
And if a man also strive for masteries, Yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
- 2 Timothy 2:5.

Read: Philippians 3:13-17.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Message
Apostle Paul admonished us in his epistle to forget those things that are behind us as we journey through the pilgrimage of this earth. We should not allow the things of this world to distract us from the goal of eternal dwelling. A Christian cannot lay hold of that which he strives for if he is still distracted by the ephemerals of life. The greater a person grows in the knowledge of Christ, the greater his desire to be with Jesus will be. This is why my hope for Heaven is strong.

As a Christian who wants to dwell with Jesus, you have to deliberately submit yourself to the narrow way of Christian living. We must give our attention to those things that will endure the passing of this material world. As a soldier of the cross, you must allow your life to be influenced by those whose minds are set on things above. We must live up to the spiritual nature of the gospel after which we are called. We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.
It is necessary to allow the Word of God to direct your life as you press on to greater spiritual heights. This is the only way you will be able to communicate the nature and character of God to the world. We have to submit ourselves to the gospel, and allow the Head of the Church (Jesus Christ) to give us direction in all our ways if we are to end as divine champions. Those who will be champions for Christ will be people of rugged determination who have set their minds on certain goals. They will pursue these goals relentlessly until they begin to see the kind of reward they desire in Christ. You will never find a believer who understands the nature of the Heavenly race retreating because he is being discouraged. They will never give any excuse for non-performance neither will they allow failure to be placed at their door step. They have only one life to live and they do everything to please Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of their lives.

There are many people who have lost their miracles and blessings because they stopped too soon. They were not determined enough, they gave in to certain impossibilities as they journeyed through life. This is a lie of the devil to cheat you of your blessings in Christ Jesus. Nothing is ever impossible before God according to Luke 1:37. In my little walk with Jesus, I have met a lot of people who said what they wanted to do at some point in their lives was impossible. The moment you agree that it is impossible, it becomes impossible. There are people who believe that it is impossible to live holy and this is why holiness is not a venture for them. Unfortunately, it is a strategy of the devil to deny them the blessings of living a holy life. There are young converts who have been discouraged by their leaders. They discovered that there is a great difference between what their leaders teach and what they practice, hence they give up their faith. This is why it is very dangerous to put your trust in any human being. Put your trust in God because He is the only one who will never fail you. Make Jesus your Senior Partner. Know that if God is for you, nobody can be against you. Know that if God is the one backing you up, there is no amount of conspiracy against your life that will ever come to pass. No matter the size of the enemy and the direction of the attack, you are divinely secured.

Prayer Point
Father, please let me finish my race without losing any battle in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 13th August, 2016.
SELF DISCIPLINE.

Memorise
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Message
Self-discipline is a personal commitment and decision to voluntarily yield every aspect of one’s life to the Almighty God. This is ensuring nothing controls or influences your life outside the power of God. You must make no further provision for anything else to rule over your life except the power of God. For this specific reason of desiring to be a vessel unto honour, you deliberately narrow your choices to only what Jesus will have you do at any given time. When a man is self-disciplined, he will no longer entangle himself with the affairs of this life or with those things that add no significant value to his life as a Christian. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice is one of the ways to impose discipline on yourself.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1.

The fact that some people are not determined enough to pay the price of self-discipline is a major reason why things will not work for them the way they expect. In life, nothing goes for nothing. Until there is a departure from certain things, there can never be a discovery of great things. No one will amount to something great until they are ready to make certain sacrifices, which must come through self-imposed discipline.

Having been a boxer myself, I can tell you that you can never become a champion in the world of boxing if you are not programmed to be self-disciplined. When an individual is not disciplined, he or she will not be able to go far in life. A believer will have to be disciplined when it comes to certain issues like eating, sleeping, talking etc. Some people cannot do without comfort for a while. There are some that are slowed down in life because there are numerous weights that they are entangled with. When you are not self-disciplined, it will lead to your being unfruitful and unproductive in the business of God. There are people who cannot pray as they should because they cannot allow anything to deny them of their sleep. Some people will always eat when they should be fasting just because they cannot deny themselves of food.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one recieveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain”. 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Here, Paul was portraying the struggles that one must contend with in the Christian walk if one will have to make full proof of his ministry. Apostle Paul was willing to make all sacrifices and commitments required in evangelising to the world. He was obedient to the demands of the gospel because of the assurance that He who called him was faithful to reward him in due time. As believers, there is the need to show commitment in self-discipline to the task of our calling as ministers of the gospel. Those who prepare for competitions with the mind of receiving perishable rewards still give the competition all the sacrifice required, this is a big lesson for those of us preparing for eternal rewards. One must exercise no less commitment or sacrifice. As long as we faithfully run the Christian race, we can be assured of the gift of eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter the difficulties we encounter, we can be rest assured that the grace of God can be relied upon.

Prayer Point
Father, please remove anything that will hinder my greatness from my life in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 14th August, 2016.
RELEVANT TO EACH OTHER.

Memorise
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
- Romans 12:5.

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:18-25.
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Message
The church is an assembly of the called out; people who have been called out of darkness into the marvellous light of Jesus. We have become vessels unto honour into God and also unto one another in righteousness. It is upon this that Apostle Paul admonished us in Philippians 4:8:
“Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.”

As people who have received the grace of God, we must be concerned about one another. We should live our lives helping others to become what God has destined them to become. We must give ourselves in service to other brethren. Our minds must be directed by purposes higher than the material world and selfish ambitions. We are what we are by the Grace of the Almighty God, and everyone cannot possess the same measure of grace and abilities, hence the need to encourage one another and not engage in envy and strife.

No matter how highly placed you are, you must never look down on others, neither should you write anyone off because the weak person of today can become the strong person of tomorrow. The people in David’s army were once called vagabonds, but they were the same people who eventually become mighty captains of his army. There must be unity amongst us, because we are members of the same body. The entire body needs every member in order to function as a whole.

You cannot do everything all alone, you need others to succeed. There are great people that are your destiny ties. The moment you identify them, you need to also invest in them and leverage on their grace. Every member must be encouraged to use his God given abilities to profit the entire body. The church is like a chain and everyone is very important in the scheme of things. No one should claim superiority over others because this will not encourage unity. Unhealthy competition should not be allowed in the Body of Christ. We are one and we need one another. There is no one who is an Island. Let those who are strong help those who are feeble. Let those who are rich help those who are in need. Let those who are matured encourage those who are coming behind. Let those who are at the top encourage those who are climbing.
Jesus specifically instructed Peter to strengthen his brethren. You must contribute to the success of others. Great leaders who gain respect are the ones who constantly add value to others. You need to be a source of hope to those around you. Your life must demonstrate the competence and chemistry that attracts others to the grace of God upon your life. This starts by respecting yourself and respecting those that God has given to you. People will naturally submit to your leadership when you take them from where they are to where God wants them to be. You must see the good in people. Encourage people to do their best and when you have to correct, let it be done in love. Do not take any failure or criticism personally. Treat everyone you meet as important because they are.

Action Point
You are very important to God. If you fail to play your role in the Body of Christ, it could bring losses to God’s kingdom. Determine to play your role today.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 15th August, 2016.
NO HINDRANCE.

Memorise
Who are thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone therefore with shoutings, crying, Grace, unto it.
- Zechariah 4:7.

Read: Zechariah 4:7-11.
7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Message
You must never allow anything to hinder you from becoming what God wants you to become. Don’t give in to the lies and fear that the devil is sending against you. In 1981, before I became 40 years old, I had been General Overseer for just a few months. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw grey hair all over my head. We had many problems in the church then. The Lord said I was carrying a burden that was not mine and I responded by saying that I was carrying the burdens related to the church. He said the church belonged to Him and that He could take care of it. He said He just made me the General Overseer as a front so that people will see a visible representative. I relaxed henceforth, and all my hair became black again.

There are mountains that stand between us and the things God wants us to achieve. These mountains could be issues that are hindering the actualisation of our set goals. The mountain could be people who do not see or understand what God is saying to you yet; or it could be people who are falsely accusing you, but you can be sure that God will always reduce all your mountains into plains. There are certain burdens and problems that are too big for you to carry; All you need do is to hand them over to the Burden Bearer. In Numbers 16:1-35, three men; Korah, Dathan and Abiram, came with the intention of hindering the assignments that God gave to Moses. They accused him of turning the leadership of the congregation into a family affair. They said Aaron his brother was a priest while Miriam his sister was the Choirmaster. In the midst of this mountain, Moses turned to God for intervention. The Lord told Moses to stand aside and watch Him fight against the mountains that were rising before him to hinder the work He had committed into his hand. By the time God was through with the mountains, they had all become plains.
When mountains rise against you, don’t waste your time entertaining any fear. When the Almighty God is on your side, it does not matter the problems confronting you, testimonies will be the final result in your favour. The Bible says in Psalms 30:5:
“Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.”

What is that sickness hindering you? The Almighty God will be your personal Physician. If it is poverty that wants to hinder all the great dreams that the Almighty God has given to you, do not fear the hindrance because He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Are there people standing up against you? Are they persecuting you and distracting you from that which God has designed you for? Just relax; God who levels all mountains knows the best judgement for your enemies. He has assured you that when the enemies come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against them. He has assured you that no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper. He will supply you with the strength to succeed when failure rises up. He will still all the storms rocking your boat and at the end you will look for the mountains but you will see them no more in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
There is no mountain that is beyond God.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 16th August, 2016.
THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

Memorise
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; And his name shall be called wonderful, Counsellor The mighty God, the Everlasting father, the Prince of peace.
- Isaiah 9:6.

Read: Isaiah 9:2-7.
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Message
In recent times, the entire world has been troubled by one thing or the other. Governments of nations all over the world have explored all avenues and different theories to solve their problems, yet the crises increase. So many budgets are being voted by members of different groups all in the name of providing peace, and the more the investment of time, meetings, mediations and reconciliations, the less the solutions. Until we come back to where we have missed it, we will just keep reinventing the wheel. Also, individuals go through different forms of troubles and worries with no solution. There is nothing like an atmosphere of peace either in a nation or in the life of an individual. It is the greatest thing the world is searching for today and it is the best thing that can happen to a person.

Peace is saying no to violence and creating room for harmony and love. Those who do not have peace cannot experience wellness of life. When there is no peace in a place, it exposes everyone to hostility and aggression, but where there is peace; there is rest of mind and tranquillity. I decree that you will find peace today in Jesus’ name. Finding peace is finding Jesus Christ. He came to restore the broken relationship between man and God. He came to reconcile us back to the Father. Jesus is the one who broke down every wall of partition between us and God.

“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” Ephesians 2:14

No matter what you are going through in your life, there is a solution in Christ Jesus. In what area are you experiencing problem? Come to the Prince of Peace and He will give you rest.

Are you having troubles and fierce storms in your marriage? Come to Jesus and He will step into the centre of your home and give you peace.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”
John 14:27

There will be trying times in the life of every child of God but you can be rest assured that in your troubled times, you are not alone. God will never allow the trouble to overwhelm you. He will make you experience calmness in the situation. It is important you know that peace is not necessarily the absence of war, it is the presence of rest and calmness in the time of war. Jesus will always bring light into every darkness. He will always speak peace into every storm. He presides over every unpleasant situation of life so that you can experience His peace.

Prayer Point
Father let Your peace overrule all my worries in Jesus’ name.