OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 4 JUNE 2016

THEME: VESSEL UNTO HONOUR?

Memorise:

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 1 Peter 2:11

Read: 1 Peter 2:5-11

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Message

When we realise the extent to which God can go to cleanse humanity from the pollution of the devil, then we will realise that God is not interested in quantity but in spiritual quality. During the time of Noah, God wiped off the people from the earth because of sins, but spared Noah and his family. Hence, Salvation is a personal thing and if you are going to be a vessel unto honour, you must be ready to stand alone and do that which is right in the sight of God. Sodom and Gomorrah did not escape the righteous judgement of God because they had fallen beyond the point where they could turn back from their evil ways, they had no desire whatsoever to turn from their evil ways and return to their Maker.

Those who are vessels unto honour will always live because Christ is alive in then. They have a living hope because the Living Word dwells in them. As vessels unto honour, you must not allow the nature of rebellion to find expression in you because you are the Lord's own. You have direct access to God, because you have been separated from this world and unto Him. This is why we must always focus our attention on Jesus for direction in every aspect of lives, so that we can be effective weapons in His hand. We must continue to spread the love of Jesus in our communities and beyond. We must awaken people to their spiritual needs because we have been called out of darkness into the light of God. God gives every one of us opportunity to be useful in His plans on earth. The responsibilities are on us to determine the extent to which we will do exploits for the Lord. We must immediately respond to the prompting and instructions of the Lord before it is too late.

As we see all the challenges confronting our world on a daily basis, there is the need for all Christians to come into a higher level of uncompromising commitment to the Shepherd of our souls. There is need to connect with God in intimacy, so that we can have access to revelations of things to come. All those things which can easily distract us from reaching the ultimate height of God for our lives must be prevented.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which doth easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1

As vessels unto honour, you must be ready to pay the price to be true disciples of Jesus. Others can, but you cannot, because you have been separated unto God for good works.

Prayer Point:

Father, help me to abide in You throughout my lifetime in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 20:24-23:15 and Ecclesiastes 2:9-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Chorus.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens Saturday, June 4, 2016). - Vessel unto Honour?

1.Thank you Father, for calling me out of darkness, into your marvelous light, to enable me show forth your praise.

2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.

3.Father, please, deliver me from fleshly lust, which war against the spirit and the soul.

4.Father, grant unto me grace, to present my body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto You, which is my reasonable service.

5.Father, make me like the stone which the builders rejected which later became the chief corner stone of the building, in the name of Jesus.

6.Father, please, don't let me go the way of Sodom & Gomorrah; give me the grace to repent and turn to you, before it is too late for me, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please, make me a vessel unto honour in your hands, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, take me to a higher level of uncompromising commitment to you, the shepherd of my soul, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, help me to be more intimate, in my relationship with you, that l may have access to revelations of things to come.

10.Father, let anything that will distract me from reaching my goal and fulfilling your purpose for my life, be taken out of my way, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, help me to abide in You throughout my lifetime in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal petitions. ( Phil 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(Jn 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thes 5:18).

.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional July 17th 2016 – RCCG Adeboye
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. – 17/7/2016

THEME: 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.Open Heavens Daily Devotional July 17th 2016 - RCCG Adeboye
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.
5Neither 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 shall 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.”
Romas 12 : 1 – 2.
“Open Heavens Daily Devotional July 17th 2016 – RCCG Adeboye”
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 the 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 a 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.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 CORINTHIANS 1 : 1 – 5 : 11 AND PSALMS 12.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

Topic: Be Fruitful [Saturday 18, June 2016]

Memorise: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. –Mark 16:15

Read: John 15:1-7 (KJV)

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Bible in One Year: Nehemiah 9:1-11:24, Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

MESSAGE:

In Mark 16:15, Jesus didn’t give His disciples a piece of advice but a direct command. This instruction was not without any backing, He promised them His presence even unto the end of the world. This is why we need to be bold in carrying out this instruction. We have been anointed to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:6). The greatest of all fruitfulness is the ability to win lost souls to the Kingdom of God. There is no achievement that surpasses this. You may have the anointing to raise the dead or carry out signs and wonders, but if the ability to win souls is missing in your calling, then you are not yet fully obedient because this is the greatest of all instructions; to win souls back to the kingdom. One of the most fruitful persons in the Bible is John the Baptist, not for the miracles in his ministry but in calling people to repentance. Are you fruitful? Are you wining souls to the Kingdom or you are satisfied seeing unbelievers in their hopelessness? You are fruitful when you can’t allow the chronic fornicator to go without knowing Jesus. You are fruitful when you don’t allow thief to end up in hell. You are fruitful when you don’t allow that smoker to continue in his sin. You are fruitful when you stop that liar from being a vessel in the hand of the devil. In the mind of God, there is no sinner without a future and there is no saint without a past. It is God that helps in transforming our lives, yet there is the need for people to bring sinners to the cross so that the flesh can be crucified.

It is privilege to be called disciples in the vineyard of God. God can get results without us but it pleases Him to include us as co-labourers in the vineyard. God wants you to be fruitful. He wants you to do greater works than He did. You cannot afford not to have results to show despite the opportunities and abilities He invested in you. There are many people going to hell on a daily basis and God wants to use you to deliver them from perdition and eternal condemnation. The only people who will be fruitful in this end time are those who choose to remain and abide in Christ. From time, God has always taken away those who are not fruitful. Judas was taken away because he did not produce any fruit. This is why you need to allow Christ to specially cultivate you so that you can bear fruit. You must submit to the Word of God and become obedient to His ways. It is not knowledge of the Word that saves but obedience of the Word. To produce fruit that is profitable to the kingdom of God and relevant to one’s spiritual development, one must abide in the source from which all spiritual life emanates. The gospel is for the entire world, hence, we should preach it everywhere we find ourselves.

Action Point: Look for someone that is not saved in your place of work and begin to share the gospel with him or her.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com/2016/07/open-heavens-18-june-2016-saturday.html

Open Heavens 19 July 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Habitation of the Lord


Topic: The Habitation of the Lord [Tuesday 19, July 2016]

Memorise: If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. – Job 8:6

Read: Psalms 97:10-11 (KJV)

10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Bible in One Year: 2 Corinthians 10-13, Psalms 15-16

MESSAGE:

The characteristics of the habitation of the Lord attract our attention because of the blessings awaiting us there. The qualification of those who can be part of the habitation of the Lord is worthy of note. Our memory verse says:

“If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.” - Job 8:6

The habitation of the Lord is the place where God blesses His people with diverse kinds of blessings – spiritual, physical and material. Only the pure and upright can enjoy the blessings of God’s habitation, one of which is security.

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” - Psalms 91:1

The issue of holiness is not a subject of debate for those who know that they stand to gain by living holy. If you live holy, you live holy for yourself as the Lord watches over the righteous (Psalms 5:12). Also, there is promotion for those who abide in the habitation of the Lord (Hebrews 1:9). Moreover, the Bible says;

“1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” - Psalms 15:1-2

In other words, the habitation of the Lord is not an “all comers” affair, even though whoever chooses to be there can be there if the fellow is ready to pay the price. The price of living holy is what those who want to abide in the habitation of the Lord must pay. Our text for today emphasises the necessity of righteousness vis-a-vis divine protection:

“10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” - Psalms 97:10-11

Nobody is careless about his precious possession. Anybody who chooses to live a consecrated life will enjoy divine protection. Such are precious stones in the sight of the Lord. The Lord watches over His heritage, i.e. His saints. This is why Psalms 125:3 says:

“For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.”

He keeps them under His protection and ensures no evil befalls them. My prayer is that you will live under the watchful eyes of the Almighty.

Action Point: Search the scripture and find out all you must do to be able to abide in the habitation of the Lord.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

Open Heavens 20 July 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Called unto Greatness


Topic: Called unto Greatness [Wednesday 20, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

10 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.

Bible in One Year: Galatians 1-3, Psalms 17

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 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:

“28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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:

“16…My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 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 7:16-17

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.

source: http://openhavensdaily.com

Open Heavens 21 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Vital ingredients of Prayer


Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Topic: Vital ingredients of Prayer [Thursday 21, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: Galatians 4-6, Psalms 18:1-19

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.

“6 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. 7 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:

“8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 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 ought 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 forgiving 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 forgive.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

DATE: FRIDAY 22ND JULY 2016

THEME: NOT A VIRTUE!

Memorise:

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Proverbs 26:11

Read: Proverbs 15:20-21

15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

15:21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Message

Foolishness is not a virtue; rather it is a vice that costs its victim eternity in hell fire. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In other words, lack of the fear of God is the beginning of foolishness. So, when someone decides to live without the fear of God, he does whatever he pleases without consideration for the Word of God, he feels he is free to do whatever he likes with his life, he behaves as if he owns his life, but in actual sense, his life is borrowed and the owner may ask for it anytime. Our Lord Jesus told a parable of a prosperous farmer who did not reckon with God in all his dealings. Considering the wealth he had possessed he said:
"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Luke 12:19-20

Some people who claim to be children of God behave foolishly sometimes. Our memory verse for today says: "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." Some brethren who had been modest and holy are now regretting their past pure Christian life! Those vanities they forsook in the past are now back in full force. This scripture is now fulfilled in their lives. Jesus said when a demon is cast out of a man, he goes away but after sometime he comes back to check whether that life is still empty. If he finds the life empty he goes back to take seven more powerful demons to take possession of the life (Luke 11:24-26).
It is foolishness to go back to your old lifestyle after you have been cleansed from your former sins and impurities. The Bible says:
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." 2 Peter 2:20

In the past, you could identify a child of God from afar off (with few exceptions of those who were pretenders). Many things that are now being celebrated were abominations in those days. It is unfortunate that a wholesale return to those vanities is now in vogue. Some Christian scholars were brought to me in my office by their leaders many years ago and I saw assorted wild paintings- red, green, silver, brown, pink etc on their faces and lips. I could not help but tell them that that was the first time I would see Bible scholars in such a wild exhibition of vanities.
Their leader then promised that he would do something about it and that when Lazarus came out from the dead he was gradually striped of the grave clothes he had on. Theologians know how to explain things away. Beloved, going back from your first love is not a virtue; it is rather a vice. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.

Action Point :

Check your life and see if there is any foolish act of sin, unrighteousness or backsliding. Repent.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ephesians 1:1-4:16 and Psalms 18:20-28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

Open Heavens 23 July 2016: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – It is Finished


Topic: It is Finished [Saturday 23, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

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.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Bible in One Year: Ephesians 4:17-6:24, Psalms 18:29-42

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 important 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:

“9 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. 10 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 for 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.



source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

THE OVERCOMERS – Sunday July 24th 2016
Memorise: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1st John 5:4
Read: 1st John 5:1-6, (KJV)
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.
Bible in one year: Philippians 1-4, Psalms 18:43-50
open heavens

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 (1st 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. (24 July 2016 open heavens)
Prayer Point

Father, please make me an overcomer today and forever.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

Topic: Righteousness is not Optional [Monday 25, July 2016]

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

Read: Hosea 10:12 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: Colossians 1-4, Psalms 19:1-6

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:

“2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 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:

“Follow 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 in 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:

“11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 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.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com

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, (KJV)

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.

Bible in one year: 1st Thessalonians 1-4, Psalms 19:7-14

open heavens

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 of 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 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. (26 July 2016 open heavens)

Action Point

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

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OPEN HEAVENS 2017
DIVINE VISITATION II –Wednesday April 12th 2017
Memorise: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. Luke 1:68

Read: Jeremiah 29:10-11 (KJV)

10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 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.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 23-24, Jeremiah 12, Hymn: Sing hymn 11

open heavens

MESSAGE

“And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” Luke 7:14-16



The account of events in the above passage of Scripture is indicative of what a divine visitation looks like. Divine visitation with its attendant supernatural occurrences brings joy to the heart of those visited. I pray that God will visit you today and your joy shall be full in Jesus’ Name. In our Bible text today, Prophet Jeremiah gave a revelation concerning the future deliverance of Israel from bondage. He prophesied that this would be realised by the power of divine visitation. When God comes visiting, He comes with deliverance from bondage and servitude like He did when He visited the children of Israel in Egypt (Exodus 4:31). When the children of Israel, because of their spiritual decadence found themselves in Babylonian bondage again, His love for His friend, Abraham their father, compelled Him to promise another divine visitation. In Jeremiah 29:10, He sent His word to them in Babylon saying:

“For thus saith the LORD, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to his place.”

Also, Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prophesised under the influence of the Holy Spirit about the coming of redemption of Israel through yet another divine visitation (Luke 1:68). Divine visitation brought salvation to mankind, when God personally came in the form of man to dwell among us, suffered, died and rose again so that we may obtain salvation (1st Timothy 3:16). Beloved, do you want a divine visitation of salvation? 12 April 2017 Open heavens message divine visitation II. Jesus Christ says this to you today:

“Behold, I stand at the door; and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelations 3:20

Open the door of your heart to him today, accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour, and He will come in right away and give you the gift of salvation.

Prayer point

Lord Jesus, please visit me today, make Your abode in my life and give me Your gift of salvation.

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com/2017/04/rccg-open-heavens-2017-wednesday-april.html

OPEN HEAVENS 2017
I WILL PAY YOU YOUR WAGES – Thursday April 13th 2017
Memorise: Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3
Read: Exodus 2:1-9 (KJV)
1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.
Bible in one year: Leviticus 25, Jeremiah 13:1-14, Hymn: Sing hymn 16




MESSAGE

Many people who are blessed with the gift of children are not conscious of the fact that children are the heritage of the Lord, meaning that God is their rightful owner, and they are gifts from Him. This is why and adage from my village says “Rich people cannot find children to buy in the market.” What money cannot buy can only be obtained from the Almighty God. What then should be the attitude of parents to these priceless gifts? The answer can be seen in the story of the birth, adoption and upbringing of Moses, the child who later become the mouthpiece of the Almighty God. Moses was born at a time when Pharaoh had commanded that every newborn male child should be immediately killed. His mother tried to hide him for three months, but when he could no longer be hidden, she decided to drop him off by the bank of River Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter picked him up from there and adopted him as her own. By God’s providence, the princess gave Moses to a nurse who happened to be his mother. Hear what the princess said to her:
“Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.” Exodus 2:9b
There are many lessons we can learn from this story. By adoption, Moses was the child of Pharaoh’s daughter, but she gave him over to a nurse to nurture him for her. This mirrors God’s divine arrangement, whereby He, being the owner of children, hands them over to parents to nurture them for Him. In other words, just as the princess told Moses’ mother, “nurse this child for me”, God is also saying to parents, “nurse this child for Me.” The princess also told Moses’ mother that she would pay her wages for a job well done. God is equally telling parents that if they properly nurture children for Him and not for themselves, He will reward them well. It is unfortunate that many parents are nursing God’s heritage for themselves or the devil; hence, they are getting their wages from the flesh or from the devil. This is the reason why many children have turned out to be a curse to their parents breaking their hearts because the parents nursed the children for themselves and not for the Lord. On the other hand, godly parents who train their children to fear the Lord are paid the wages of peace of mind from God at old age. The children of such parents proper under the grace of Jesus, which they have been exposed to from infancy, and they are battles axes in the hands of their original Owner, the Almighty God.
Prayer Point

Father, give me wisdom to nurse the children You have divinely placed in my care, and may I not miss my reward for nursing them according to Your counsel.
Thursday April 13th 2017, Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

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OPEN HEAVENS 2017
AND HE SPENT ALL – Saturday April 15th 2017
Memorise: There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24
Read: Luck 15:11-14 (King James Version)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Bible in one year: Numbers 1-2, Jeremiah 14:1-12, Hymn: Sing hymn 10

MESSAGE

Many people do not know that the act of giving has principles that must be followed in order to get rewarded for it by God. Due to their ignorance, such people have become discouraged from giving because they had given in times past without getting the results which they rightfully expected. The truth of the matter is: giving has principles, and unless you follow these principles, you will have no result for your giving. For example, if you sow your corn or wheat on the sea, you will definitely get nothing. Therefore, we must learn the principles of giving in order to have the desired results for our giving. God will never owe any man; He gave us His word of assurance on this in Heavens 6:10:


“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have administered to the saints, and do minister.”
However, you must know the type of ground you sow your seed into. For example, it is an exercise in futility to sow your seed into a church ministry where the more money comes in, the more women the leaders acquire to his pleasure. Also, when you give to a ministry which you know diverts your seeds into private estates and into taking care of the body instead of using it for winning souls, do not expect any reward from God. Apart from being selective of the type of causes you give to, you must also learn to give intelligently. In today’s Bible reading, the prodigal son took all that he had, left the environment of accountability and spent everything recklessly. The result of his wild lifestyle is glaring in Luke 15:14:
“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”
It is an established truth that giving that giving brings blessings upon the giver (Proverbs 11:24a). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself established this in His teachings (Luck 6:38). However, there is another truth we also need to pay close attention to in Proverbs 11:24b, which says:
“…and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty”
In other words, though we are not expected to “spend all”, we must not fall into the error of conserving more than is necessary. This is the word of God. Those who live a lifestyle of spending their all always become a nuisance to the body of Christ through excessive borrowing. Learn from the story of the seven years of plenty and strategy of conservation given by Joseph against the succeeding seven years of famine (Genesis 41:33-36). Also, learn from the ants how to manage your resources prudently (Proverbs 6:6-. May God give you wisdom along this line, so that you can spend and give wisely.
Prayer Point

Father, give me wisdom to manage the resources You have entrusted to my hands.
Saturday April 15th 2017, Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

source: http://www.openhavensdaily.com/2017/04/open-heavens-2017-saturday-april-15th.html