OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
FRIDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
THE EFFECTS OF A CURSE
MEMORISE:
"He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it." Proverbs 11:26
READ:
Judges 9:16-24; Judges 9:45-57
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 17-18 & Ezekiel 38:1-16
MESSAGE:
From today’s reading, the effects of a curse are glaring and obvious. Jotham was a son of Gideon who escaped the murderous rampage of his brother Abimelech. After Abimelech had killed seventy of his brothers, Jotham stood and placed a curse on him and the men of Shechem who conspired with Abimelech to carry out this evil act. Three years after this curse was pronounced, God sent an evil spirit to bring about the fulfillment of the curse. In the process of the curse being fulfilled, so many terrible things happened. Land and property were destroyed, a large part of the population was annihilated and ultimately, the cursed Abimelech died. May you never come under a curse! And if you are already under any curse, it is broken today in Jesus’ Name! Let me tell you a story I heard when I was very young. An old man met a bubbling young man on his way to the farm one day. Being advanced in age, the old man was bent, used a walking stick and limped slightly. Seeing this old man, the young man began to laugh at him; so the old man asked him what he did to deserve such ridicule. “Why shouldn’t I laugh? What can you do?” the young man asked, and the old man replied, “I know I am too feeble to run after you or fight you, but the basket is never satisfied of water”, and then he went on his way. Suddenly, a strong thirst gripped the young man. He dashed to the first hut and asked for water. After drinking so much, he continued his journey. Not long after, he became thirsty again. He stopped at the second hut and drank so much water. Thereafter, he returned to the first hut to ask for some more water, and the people there discern that something was definitely wrong with him. “What is wrong with you?”, they asked. He told them, “One old man said to me, “The basket is never satisfied of water”. “Really, can you describe the old man?”. He did, and they accompanied him to search for the old man, until they found him and begged for his forgiveness. The old man gave in, and then pronounced, “Alright, from now on you will cease to be the basket, and you will begin to have satisfaction.” That was how the young man was delivered from the strange thirst.
Do everything possible to avoid being cursed by God. If a curse from a fellow man can be disastrous, how would the curse from God be? If your biological father curses you, you can run to your spiritual father or pastor, who has spiritual authority over you, and he can cancel it. If your pastor curses you, you can run to the general overseer set over him, and he can cancel it; though he will also demand that you restitute your ways. However, if God curses you, to whom will you run?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to never partake in anything that will attract curses to my life.
HYMN 6:
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
SATURDAY 9TH SEPT,2017
ONLY HIS WILL
MEMORISE:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Colossians 1:12
READ:
Colossians 1:12-13, Ephesians 2:1-2
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Ephesian 2:1-2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
MESSAGE:
In every village, town, city, state or nation, there are usually two kingdoms at play: the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. Colossians 1:13 says,
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
This scripture shows that every child of God has been moved from one of these kingdoms to the other. If you are truly saved, you are no longer in darkness but in the kingdom of light. As light, you should not be afraid of operators in the kingdom of darkness, such as witches, wizards and those in the cult, because you have a greater One inside of you (1 John 4:4). If you are afraid of them, this indicates to you that all is not well with you; there could be some cracks in your wall, and sin might be responsible. Whatever compromises your holiness compromises your divine security. When these operators of darkness see that your light is shining brightly, they will withdraw and dangle carrots of temptation at you, and if you fall for it, they will strike at you.
Moreover, the reason why God translated us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son is because He is interested in having His will established both in Heaven and here on earth. Although nothing short of God’s will is done in Heaven, on earth, there is still a struggle to establish God’s will, because man handed over control of the earth to the kingdom of darkness in the Garden of Eden (Luke 4:5-6). As a child of God, you are therefore an agent of re-establishing God’s will in any corner of the earth where you find yourself. If you want to establish and fulfill God’s will, you will make no room for lies, sin and pretense. Among God’s children on earth today, you will be shocked to know how many of them really seek to do His will in all areas of their lives. Many of us want God to change His plans and ways to suit ours, but that is an expectation in futility. God does not change: He is ever the same (Malachi 3:6). As conservative as He may appear to be, His technology in Heaven is billions of years ahead of ours on earth. In fact, He is the One who gives our researchers, thinkers and inventors the latest discoveries they get. Such scientific discoveries are new and news to us, but not to those in Heaven. To them, the best we have on offer is stale news. In Heaven, there are no gimmicks or tricks. Everything revolves around God, and He is in control of time. When God therefore gives you an assignment, He has expectations regarding when, where and how it should be done. If you miss out on any of the details, you will be on your own. To what extent are you doing His will?
ACTION POINT:
Ask God for grace to know Him, and for courage to do His will in every situation.
HYMN 6:
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Refrain:
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH. A. ADEBOYE
SUNDAY 10TH SEPT., 2017
HE IS AT THE DOOR!
MEMORISE:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
READ:
Revelation 3:19-22
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 21-23 & Ezekiel 39:9-20
MESSAGE:
God is a God of order, and Heaven is a place of order. Heaven is also a place where everything revolves around the will of the Owner: God. There is protocol in Heaven and a hierarchy or authority which must be respected. For this reason, when accessing God’s presence, the manner of approach really matters. How you enter into a room or house will determine whether you will be welcomed or chased out. Do you know that even God subjects Himself to the law of order? In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said,
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Although God created us, He still has to knock and wait to be invited in before He enters into our hearts. Even though He created the space in your heart for Himself, he still doesn’t force Himself into that space. You are the one to decide if and when He should come in or not.
In Genesis 18:1-8, Abraham saw some divine visitors near his tent. He ran to meet them, pleading for the opportunity to be hospitable to them. In this instance also, you can see that God waited to be invited in. similarly, in Genesis 19:1-3, when the two angels arrived in Sodom, Lot invited them in to spend the night. Also, in 2 Kings 4:8, Elisha was just passing by when the Shunammite woman invited him into her house for lunch, and even though he said he was not hungry, the woman practically compelled him to come in. From that day forward, whenever Elisha passed by, he stopped over at her house.
God waits to be invited in because of His humility, and due to the fact that He does not want to impose Himself on us. Also, He created us as free moral agents and not as zombies or robots: He wants us to be free to express our own will. In addition, He wants us to be able to bear the consequences of our actions and not hold Him responsible for what we do. He also wants to be able to determine if we truly love Him and whether we desire to follow Him or not. If you are not yet born again, you have been keeping the Saviour waiting all these years. Please answer the knock on the door of your heart, kindly invite Jesus in, and surrender your whole life to him. Doing this is in your own interest.
ACTION POINT :
Invite Jesus into every area of your life from which you have shut Him out.
HYMN 12:
1. How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away our fear.
2. It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
3. O Jesus, Shepherd, Guardian, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
4. How weak the effort of my heart,
how cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
5. Till then I would your love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of your Name
Refresh my soul in death!

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH.A. ADEBOYE
MONDAY 11TH SEPT.,2017
RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION I
MEMORISE:
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8
READ:
Luke 19:1-10
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 24-25 & Ezekiel 39:21-40:4
MESSAGE:
When you are genuinely saved, you will desire to find what you can do for the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be a strong desire in your heart to reciprocate the Saviour's gesture of love. Is it so with you? When I newly got born again, there were quite a few people around me who got saved at about the same time also. We all had certain characteristics in common, one of which was: anytime there was work to be done for God, we volunteered. We did it joyfully, spending our money, time and energy. Unfortunately, when you ask some people who claim to be born again to do some work in the house of God today, they will charge you double the job’s worth, while some unbelievers would just give you a normal bill. Such people need to seek genuine salvation!
Moreover, another sign of genuine conversion is the desire to right your wrongs. True salvation yearns for restitution. Nobody will experience genuine salvation without asking questions such as these: How much of my past iniquity can I correct? How much can I salvage of the damage I have done? These questions will come from your heart even without being taught the doctrine of restitution. This happened to Zacchaeus in today’s Bible reading. Immediately Jesus entered his house, Zacchaeus responded to His love with these words in Luke 19:8:
“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
Zacchaeus, even without being instructed, decided to give 50% of his wealth to the poor, and offered to return four times whatever he had taken from any man by false accusations. This pleased the Lord. Indeed, restitution pleases God. When you restore whatever you have stolen, and whenever you right your wrongs, it becomes a testimony to the genuineness of your repentance. When you make restitution to people you offended or cheated, it softens the ground for you to eventually present the message of the gospel to them. If you hold back what you stole, even after you claim to have been saved, you will retain the enmity of those you defrauded, and because of you, they may never respond to the message of salvation. Is there any pending restitution you need to make? Go ahead and right your wrongs. For controversial and very weighty cases, please seek counseling before going ahead.
KEY POINT:
The practice of restitution gives you a clear conscience before God and man.
HYMN 14:
1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4.Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
TUESDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
LITTLE REQUESTS LIMIT GOD
MEMORISE:
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22
READ:
James 1:5-6
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
MESSAGE:
The Lord Jesus Christ instructed us to ask until our joy is full (John 16:24). Due to a lack of faith in God’s ability to meet our needs, many of us ask for crumbs, and by doing so, we insult or dishonour God. Are you one of such people? During one of our special programmes sometimes ago, while in my prayer room, God took me up on this issue. He reminded me of an incident that happened several years before then, when I went to London to prepare our Sunday School manual. After finishing it, I still had three days to go before my flight is due, but I had completely run out of money. The kind of ticket I paid for on that trip was a cheap one and so it did not allow for rescheduling of dates. I felt I could go without food for three days but could not avoid buying certain materials, books and tapes that I needed. These would cost me £50 and I had no money. So I said, “Daddy, it would be good if I could get £50” Shortly after, my phone rang and I picked it up. The fellow on the line said, “Biyi”. I told him there was nobody with that name there. He asked, “Is that not so and so number?” As we talked, he got to know who I was and he screamed. He called out to his brother with excitement, telling him that he was speaking with me. Obviously, they had been discussing how they could see me and now I was on the phone with them. Eventually, they came over, we talked, and as they were leaving, they gave me £50. As soon as they left, I said, “Daddy, if I knew it would be this easy, I would have asked for £100!”
As I went upstairs in the apartment I was staying at, I rejoiced over the 50pounds I had just received. Just then, the doorbell rang, and then it rang a second time. By this time, it was night already. Before I got to the door, the fellow at the door had slipped an envelope through the door into the room and left. I picked it up, opened it and realized it had come from a man I had known for a long time. He was a very wealthy man who was also very stingy. He had never given me a dime before. In the envelope was £50 and a note saying, “I just felt like giving you some money.” As I went towards the bedroom, I told God that if I had known this second £50 would come, I would have asked for another £50! That night, before I slept, another £50 came. Then I became afraid and told God I was joking and did not want to offend Him. In my prayer room, the Lord told me I had been a foolish boy. “If you asked me for £50 and I could provide it, why didn’t you ask for £5000?” Are you trying to help God conserve His resources when you ask? He doesn’t need your help! Ask, and ask big! Don’t limit Him.
KEY POINT:
If the over seven billion inhabitants of the earth were to ask their best from God, they still could not exhaust a drop of His resources.
HYMN 3:
1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Refrain
3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain
4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
GIVING DETERMINES PROMOTION
MEMORISE:
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee. Deuteronomy 16:17
READ:
Deuteronomy 16:16-17
16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:
17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 29-30 & Ezekiel 40:20-34
MESSAGE:
When God commanded all males in Israel to appear before Him in today’s Bible reading, he specifically instructed that they should not come before Him empty-handed. He also instructed that whatever they brought to Him must be a reflection of the level of blessings they had received from Him. Based on these two parameters, can you say you have followed the divine pattern when you appear before God? Today, when God’s people assemble before Him, many of them do not care about what they bring as an offering, as long as they bring something. Do you know that God cares about this? For this reason, 2Corinthians 8:12 says,
“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
One year, during our annual thanksgiving service for pastors and ministers of our church, I told them that God expects them to bring an offering that reflects how much He has blessed them individually. Then I asked them this question: “Brethren, do you know that many of us demote ourselves by the offering we give?” They appeared surprised to hear this. So I further explained that God knows us individually, and He knows the level to which He has blessed each one of us. He knows those whom He has taken to a level that can conveniently give Him N1000 at each offering. He also knows those who can afford to give N500 and those who are unable to give more than N100. If you are in the category of N1000 but give N500 per offering, you are indirectly saying to God, “Dear Lord, you made a mistake placing me in the category of givers of N1000. You should have left me in the category of givers of N500”. Then the Lord will reply, “I thought I promoted you, but if you want to demote yourself, no problem. ”This is why some people are experiencing financial dryness. You are the one who told God that the level He placed you at is too high and that he should take you lower. I shared with my children that at the beginning of every year, I draw up a budget stating what I want to earn as my income for the year. Then I tell God that this is where I was last year but this is where I want to be by the year's end. Thereafter, I start giving to reflect my expectations based on my target. I promote myself by giving beyond my present level, and I can tell you in unmistaken terms that God has never failed me, not even once. Before the end of the year, I would have already surpassed the limit I set for myself. How has it been with your life of giving? Make necessary adjustments today and key into your joy.
KEY POINT:
Giving at a level that matches the financial status of your expectations is a way to compel God to supernaturally upgrade you to that expected level.
HYMN 10:
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH.A. ADEBOYE
THURSDAY 14TH SEPT., 2017
HE DESERVES YOUR THANKS
MEMORISE:
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm136:2
READ:
Psalm121:3-5
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
MESSAGE:
It is very important for you to give God thanks always. One reason why this is necessary is because there are several battles God fights for you that you know nothing about. Some people are so conservative when it comes to giving God thanks. They think they are clever, and so they only give God thanks when they believe He has earned it. In other words, they only thank God when He has done something very “tangible” for them. If however it appears that He has not done anything for them, they hold back on offering thanks to Him. Such people may think they are smart, but they are not. When you are asleep, do you know the various battles waged against you by the enemies of your soul? How can you fight for yourself in a realm you are oblivious of or when you are asleep?
Many years ago, while still lecturing at the University of Ilorin (Kwara State, Nigeria), I had an experience that left its mark on my mind. In those days, I could travel from one end of the university campus to the other end within fifteen minutes. After my morning lectures, I could leave the campus, return home for lunch, and rest a while before returning for evening lectures. I was also the pastor of our church parish over there, and so people kept coming in and out of our living room. After my meal one afternoon, I lay down on the couch and closed my eyes so that I could get some rest. As I lay down I put my two hands together on my head and closed my eyes. Suddenly, someone entered the room, held my two hands with one hand and held my two legs with the other hand and tried to kiss me. At first, I thought it was my wife, but then it dawned on me that whoever could hold me up this way must be a very tall fellow. I therefore opened my eyes and the creature disappeared. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I asked myself what this was. Eventually, I pushed the incident aside. Intending to drive back to the campus, I got into the car, but all of a sudden I had a running stomach and began to vomit. I virtually crawled from the car into the toilet. Then I began to ask, “How could this happen to me?” God’s response was, “Son, I just wanted you to see a little of the battles I fight for you, which you know nothing about.” For you to sleep peacefully every day, God does not sleep. He continues to watch over you. Why don’t you become really generous in thanking the Almighty God, who alone deserves all your thanks?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, thank You for all You do for me, particularly for the battles You fight on my behalf which I know nothing about.
HYMN 3:
1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Refrain
3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain
4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH. A. ADEBOYE
FRIDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
A DIVINE CURSE
MEMORISE:
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Malachi 3:9
READ:
Mark 11:12-14; 20-21
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 33-34 & Ezekiel 40:48-41:11
MESSAGE:
When you go through the Scriptures and see the effect of a divine curse on those who were cursed, you would do just about anything to avoid a curse from God. Although a curse from one man to another can have terrible effects, if spiritual help is sought from someone operating at a higher level that the source of the curse, such curses are terminated. It’s a dilemma however, if the source of a curse is God. There would be no one to run to in such cases. When God cursed the ground after the fall of Adam, from that moment until now, the earth has not been yielding produce to its full potential. Wait until you see what this same ground can produce after the curse is lifted during the millennial reign of Christ! Similarly, when God cursed Cain, it had a terrible effect on him (Genesis 4:9-15). Cain was supposed to be the first born of the whole earth, but when he was cursed, he became a vagabond. Virtually everyone he met desired to kill him, even without offending them. No wonder he cried to God for clemency. Genesis 4:13-14 says,
“And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.”
Moreover, in today’s Bible reading, Jesus cursed a fig tree which appeared to have fruit but had only leaves. By the following morning, the tree had completely withered from its very roots. When God places a curse, it begins to operate from the root upwards. I once visited the capital of a state in Nigeria some years ago. This state had a lot of mighty rivers, yet the state capital had no pipe-borne water. Surprised, I made some inquiries on why this was so, and I was told, “Sir, there is a tree in the center of the capital that should not be uprooted. They even had to build a road around it. As long as the tree remains, nothing good happens to this town.” I said “Is that so?” then I quietly added, “No problem, we are here.” I then cursed the tree in the name of the Lord. That very night, there was a storm in the town and by the following morning, the tree was uprooted completely. Any evil tree tying down your progress is cursed today in the Name of Jesus! I command it to dry up and be uprooted in Jesus’ Name! Are you under a divine curse? Immediately run to the cross of Calvary in repentance and make your way right with God, and thereafter, seek His face for mercy. May you find favor in His sight today!
ACTION POINT:
Examine yourself to see if you have brought a divine curse upon yourself and your family by your actions, and immediately return to God in repentance and restitution.
HYMN 6:
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Refrain:
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
SATURDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
YOU CAN AVOID WASTAGE
MEMORISE:
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 24:6
READ:
Luke 15:11-16
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 35-36 & Ezekiel 41:12-26
MESSAGE:
In life, some people experience provision before they ever need it, while some get provision just in the nick of time. Some others only get the provision they need after the time the need is past. One Bible character who experienced provision before need is the prodigal son in today’s Bible reading. All he would ever need was already provided for and safely kept by his father. Nevertheless, what was his response to his father’s wisdom and grace? He foolishly asked for all that was his, and he wastefully spent it all. Luke 15:13 says,
“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.”
May you never waste God’s provision for your life! There are so many people who engage in wasteful spending. There are some people God has blessed with the funds to buy a piece of land, which they can develop as God enables them, but they use the provision to acquire a flashy car or attempt to live “big” while they are still in rented apartment. This amounts to foolishness. There are some youths who get some big money from legitimate ventures, but because they had no financial intelligence and never sought counsel, they wasted it and struggled thereafter.
“If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Ecclesiastes 10:10
To manage financial provision, you need wisdom. In fact, the Scripture above says that you can get results from a cutlass whether it is sharp or blunt; the difference is that wisdom helps you make the best decisions to obtain the best results. If you have financial wisdom, you would avoid wasteful spending and increase whatever you have. Do you have financial resources beyond what you need for the moment? Ask God for wisdom to manage it. Also, ask for guidance. Follow the counsel in today’s memory verse: ask those who know better. Ask from experienced fund managers and people skilled in financial investments. More importantly, find out from God, the Provider of that provision, what the purpose of the provision is. If you can diligently ask Him, He will guide you on how to spend it in such a way as to guarantee repeated provision. You do not need to spend on every item you see or like. Humbly surrender your desires to God and let Him reign over them.
KEY POINT:
You can completely avoid wastage when you submit your finances to Jesus asking Him for direction and approval of your budget.
HYMN 7:
1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Saviour and my Friend.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
SUNDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
WORSHIP FIRST, REQUEST LAST
MEMORISE:
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalm100:4
READ:
Mark 5:21-24
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 1-3 & Ezekiel 42:1-14
MESSAGE:
How you approach a house will determine whether you will be welcomed or chased out. If you approach the door and knock, you will be attended to as a lady or a gentleman, but if you decide to break through the window, you will surely be taken for a burglar, thief or robber and met with severe resistance. Your approach matters! In the same vein, to enter into God’s presence, you must follow heaven’s protocol. The Holy Spirit in Psalm 100:4 revealed this protocol when He said:
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
If you want to be welcomed into God’s presence and have your requests granted, don’t just crash in, follow heaven’s protocol! Let your heart and mouth be full of thanks for all God has done for you, your family and loved ones. When you approach God, let Him first hear your thanksgiving. Let this be followed by quality praise and worship. Let your request come last, and let the time you use in making your request be shorter than the time you spent giving thanks, praise and worship. Whenever you violate this order, you do damage to your requests and hurt your relationship with the Lover of your soul - the Almighty God Himself.
Moreover, you may want to ask: why must I approach God with reverence, thanksgiving and praise? It is because worshippers always get what they want. In Matthew 8:1-3; a leper approached Jesus, fell at His feet and worship Him, even before he made his request. In the end, he was cleansed. What of the mad man of Gadara whose story is recorded in Mark 5:1-15? As mad as he was, after approaching Jesus, he knew enough to fall down at His feet to worship Him. For this reason, even without verbalizing his desire to be delivered from the demonic siege he was under, Jesus set him free. Effective worship works wonders! Jarius was a top leader in Israel, and yet, when his daughter was seriously sick and he approached Jesus, he forgot his position, power and wealth, fell at the Master’s feet and worshipped Him. Also, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons came to the Lord expressing her need, the Lord ignored her; but when she began to worship Him, the tide turned (Matthew 15:21-28). From today, follow heaven’s protocol in approaching God and you will get your heart’s desires.
KEY POINT:
Presenting your request before worshipping God is like placing the cart before the horse.
HYMN 3:
1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Refrain
3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain
4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
MONDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION II
MEMORISE:
Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Acts 23:5
READ:
Acts 23:1-5
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 4-6 & Ezekiel 42:15-43:12
MESSAGE:
A sign that confirms whether or not you have experienced genuine salvation is your willingness to make restitution with your fellow men. When you are genuinely saved, the Spirit of Jesus Christ in you will motivate you to right your wrongs and undo your evil deeds. An elderly judge once attended one of our meetings at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja (Lagos), and gave his life to Christ. On his way home after the programme, he just could not contain himself. There was a person he quarreled with several years before, and he had a burning urge to resolve the dispute; so right from the venue of the programme, he went straight to the house of the person in order to settle the matter. Did you say you are saved, but you still hold grudges, have bitterness and manifest an unforgiving spirit? Please examine yourself to be sure you are truly in Christ.
Similarly, there was a particular king in Ogun State, Nigeria. For several months, I went to preach to him and he would tell me “Before your mother married your father, I have been going to church.” He would show me a Bible that Queen Victoria gave to his grandfather. Repeatedly, I said to him, “Your royal highness, that is not what I am talking about. I am asking you to repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ.” Then one day, he yielded and gave his life to Jesus. By that time, he had not seen his wife for years, due to a disagreement they had. Within days of giving his life to Christ, he promptly contacted her, and they resolved their differences. You cannot be genuinely saved and refused to restitute.
In what areas would you need to make restitution today? If you stole anything from anybody, return it or pay for its replacement if it’s lost. If you bore false witness against somebody, go and uncover the truth. Have you fraudulently acquired your academic certificate? Go and restitute. If you have stolen another person’s passport and impersonate the fellow, using the passport to move around, go and restitute. Are you a second or third wife to a man, or have you married two or more wives? You are living in adultery. Make restitution! Have you received payment for a contract you did not execute? Go and return the money! Have you been falsifying records and stealing money through that? Go and restitute. If you have tough cases, seek counseling from a pastor in a true Bible-believing church. Also, ask God to help you. If you really want to obey God, He will definitely make a way for you.
KEY POINT:
Salvation straightens your crooked paths with God, while restitution straightens your crooked path with men.
HYMN 14:
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

TUESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

THE GROUND IS NOT FOR YOU

MEMORISE:
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16

READ:
Luke 22:31-34

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 7-8 & Ezekiel 43:13-27

MESSAGE:
It’s a fact of life that we are all susceptible to making mistakes. However, when we make mistakes, we must have the strength of character to admit our mistakes and also to resolve never to repeat them again (Proverb 28:13). A child learning to walk will stand up, take a step or two and fall down again. You will observe however that in spite of these falls, he or she does not give up trying. The child will repeatedly make attempts at walking, and in the process of time, that child will not only walk, he or she will also run, leap and jump, all without falling to the ground like before. Do not turn a mistake into your final destination. Can you believe that because some people made a mistake in their faith in Christ, they gave up the race entirely and decided to die there? That is most unfortunate! Some people cannot forgive themselves for their denying Jesus at a very crucial moment when their faith was tested, or for falling into a particular sin that they have been preaching against all along. Such people need to learn from the example of Apostle Peter, who thrice denied Christ. The Lord had to make him realize that it was not over yet. That same Peter was the one who later led the other disciples in defending their faith in Christ and in propagating the Good News of the gospel around the world.
“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8
One lesson from this scripture is that the fact that you slipped and fell does not mean that the enemy has won the battle over your life. He hasn’t. It also says that there is the possibility of a comeback. From where you fell, you shall arise in Jesus’ Name. Your rise shall be more formidable! You may say that your case is a bad one because you have fallen so many times and you therefore concluded that it was better to stop trying. Oh, how wrong you are! Proverb 24:16 says it is possible for the righteous man to fall seven times and still rise. To fall seven times simply refers to the possibility of falling to a point of experiencing what most people will call the final or ultimate fall. Yet, even at that, if you are a child of God, the Lord says that you should not give up hope. Make another attempt at reconciling with the Lord, confess your weakness to Him, and ask for His help. He will lift you up and He will sustain you afterwards. So are you still on the floor? Arise now!

KEY POINT:
Falling and rising in the Christian faith does not make you a failure; it only shows that you are at the babyhood stage of maturity and would need to trust Jesus Christ the more.

HYMN 4:
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

2 Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding:
All must be well.

3 We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying;
Or in living or in dying;
All must be well.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

GIVE FIRST

MEMORISE:
I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:6

READ:
1 Chronicles 16:2-3, Acts 20:35

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezra 9-10 & Ezekiel 44:1-14

MESSAGE:
Generous divine provision is the benefit of those in the sheepfold of the Great Shepherd. God prepares a table of abundance for His sheep (Psalm 23:5). No wonder David in Psalm 13:6 said:
“I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
This scripture is a personal testimony of David. After God had blessed him beyond measure, he began to testify of God’s goodness through songs. If you carefully study the life of David, you will discover that the secret of his prosperity lay in the principles he lived by. One of such principles is demonstrated in today’s Bible reading: he believed giving to be the key to receiving. Can you imagine a man giving a loaf of bread to every citizen of a country? This was what David did, and he even gave much more! We often wonder why most of us are not flowing in God’s abundance, even though God has resources to cater for more than we could ever need. One likely reason for this is that we do not strictly follow divine financial principles. Jesus, in Luke 6:38, said:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
Let us draw a few lessons from this. Firstly, if you ever want to receive, it is your duty to first give. If you fail to sow, you would be deceiving yourself to expect a harvest. Many of us refuse to give, and yet we continue to pray, fast and do all other things right. If you want to receive, first give. It is important to note that God will never owe anyone. If you give, you will receive a harvest, no matter how long it takes, as long as the seed is not uprooted.
However, the way the harvest comes and when it will come are issues that may not be too clear to you. For instance, you may be expecting your harvest for a particular seed in form of physical cash, not knowing that God has already given it to you as a harvest of peace in the time of trouble, or as protection when the enemy came calling. Sometimes, you cannot tell how the harvest of a given seed will come, although if you key into the Holy Spirit, He can sometimes reveal to you that a particular harvest you receive was from a particular seed you sowed. Moreover, God who knows our needs should be given the freedom to determine when and how our harvest should come. Just make sure that a lifestyle of giving and sowing seeds is an indelible part of you. Do you give to His servants? Do you give to the needy? How often do you give?

ACTION POINT:
Giving is an act. Giving is also a spirit. Pray that God will give you the spirit of giving.

HYMN 10:
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.

Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
Refrain:

3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honour Thy Word.
Refrain:

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
Refrain:

5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2017

ABBA, FATHER

MEMORISE:
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:6

READ:
Romans 8:14-16
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

MESSAGE:
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray by approaching God as our Father. He said
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” Matthew 6:9
Why did He not say “Our God”, “Our Maker” or “Our Deliverer”? It is because God wants us to have a definite, personal relationship with Him. Of all the relationships we could possibly have with God, the father-son relationship is one of the greatest. In Mark 14:36, when the Lord Jesus was facing His greatest challenge - dying on the cross of Calvary - He addressed God as “Abba, Father”, which in other words is “My Daddy”. This level of closeness with God is not exclusive to Jesus Christ alone. Romans 8:15 says,
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
If you compare this scripture with Galatians 4:6, you will realize that both the Holy spirit and our Lord Jesus Christ have made it possible for us to share the same kind of closeness with the Father that Jesus had. Therefore, we too can unashamedly call God, “My daddy”. If only you know how God longs to have such intimacy with you!
Intimacy with God is something you cannot do without if you are to fulfill God’s plan for your life. There is a time of need that everyone will face, which will require each of us to draw on our relationship with God. Those who have God as their creator will approach Him as “My Creator”, while those who serve Him will approach Him as “My God”. In such times, those who are intimate with Him will call Him “My Daddy”. You can be sure that one carries more weight that the others. How would you want to approach God? Would you want to approach Him as a distant Creator, as God of the universe or as your personal Father? The choice is yours. When you develop a good relationship with God, He will indeed be a father to you by acting as the fountain from which you came forth (Genesis 2:7). David understood this and he experienced a very intimate level of closeness with God. This is the reason why in Psalm 23, he could testify of enjoying that which a father provides: food, sleep, water, protection, guidance, security, goodness and mercy. These all will be yours today in Jesus’ Name! Do everything possible to build your intimacy with God!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, draw me close to You like never before.

HYMN 6:
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2017

WHEN YOU ARE BLESSED

MEMORISE:
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. Hebrews 11:20

READ:
Genesis 27:20-29

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Nehemiah 4-6 & Ezekiel 44:28-45:9

MESSAGE:
A blessing is an invitation to all the forces in Heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to cooperate with an individual and assist him or her to succeed. When Isaac pronounced a blessing on Jacob in today’s Bible reading, he summoned the dew of heaven, the land and all the forces on earth to be of assistance to Jacob. As a result of this blessing, Jacob became exceedingly great. Hear what Genesis 30:43 says about his greatness:
“ And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.”
How about his brother Esau? Genesis 27:38-40 says after Jacob had stolen the cream of the blessing from him. Esau came to ask for the remnant. What was the result of this “remnant”? From Genesis 32:3-6, we understand that this remnant got him so blessed that he could afford to retain the services of 400 personal bodyguards. If you become so rich that you require 400 men to go with you wherever you go, that is something remarkable. I can recall the first time a president visited us at the Redemption Camp; he came with an entourage of 250 people. So imagine how blessed Esau was for him to have had 400 people in his entourage! I believe he was really blessed.
Moreover, let me add here that after a blessing is pronounced on you, it may not be obvious how the blessing will be fulfilled. Most times, it may not even make sense. You may not even be able to afford a bicycle now, and a blessing may be pronounced on you that a time will come when you will need a Boeing 747 to airlift those who will accompany you whenever you are travelling. It may not make sense to you, but that is what a blessing can do. I often say that I am where I am today by the grace of God and by the blessings of my mother. Any time I did something that pleased her, she would bless me. She would say, “You this boy, you will call one person, and two hundred people will respond.” I didn’t know what she meant back then, and I didn’t know how it would happen, but I always said “Amen”. Today, by the grace of God, I can say this has become reality. Have you provoked the blessing of your biological parents? Have you provoked the blessing of your spiritual parents? Most importantly, have you provoked a blessing from God?

ACTION POINT:
When a blessing is pronounced on you, simply sustain a conducive atmosphere for its fulfillment, and it will surely come to pass.

HYMN 14:
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER, 2017

RESISTING GOD?

MEMORISE:
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 1 Corinthians 10:22

READ:
1 Corinthians 10:21-23
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Nehemiah 7-8 & Ezekiel 45:10-25

MESSAGE:
Colossian 1:16 tells us that all visible and invisible things were created by God and for God. You were created to make God happy by following His will, plan and purpose for your life. However, when you take the path of self-government and go contrary to the purpose for which you were created, that is rebellion. Lucifer and several angels decided to walk out of God’s original plan, and they became who we now refer to as Satan and demons (Isaiah 14:12-16, Revelation 12:7-9). Anyone who follows self-government today will also end up where the devil and his demons are. The truth is, if you fail God, you fail yourself. Therefore, pleasing God is the real path to true self-fulfillment, lasting peace and joy. I tell you the truth, living on earth without conforming to God’s original blueprint for your life makes you waste that life. Without God, life is not worth living.
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:4
We are not here on earth by our power or design. We were created and placed here to satisfy God’s eternal plan and purpose for our lives. Even when Jesus was here, in all that He did, He did not try to please Himself but His Father (John 8:29, John 5:30). Now that He has chosen us to be His soldiers, we cannot afford to please ourselves. When He gives us an assignment, we must do it exactly as He wants it done, or risk going against Him. In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was given an assignment by God to go and utterly wipe out the Amalekites. He went out to fulfill it but made slight changes to the instructions. In the end, he failed God and failed himself. He lost his kingdom because he could not totally comply with God’s will. Today, for this same reason, many people are close to completely losing their place in God’s divine plan. A king who resisted God had to go on a seven-year trip into insanity, and he lost his throne for that period (Daniel 4). Similarly, another king who said that God’s word should not be heard was eaten alive by worms (Acts 12:1-24). If these great kings could not resist or withstand God, do you think you can? If you are wise, you will totally submit to His will today. God has a problem with the so-called obedience of a good number of His children. Although He is speaking to them, they are not listening to Him; rather they are more interested in hearing themselves. Hence, He has almost grounded them in all areas. Thinking it’s the devil at fault, such people are wrongly praying against agents of darkness. It is time to do nothing short of God’s total will in all your ways!

KEY POINT:
Those who resist God are fighting a battle they can never win.

HYMN 6:
1. Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well:
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched
forth to shield us;
All must be well.

2. Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Christ hath purchased full salvation,
All, all is well:
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding;
Holy, through the Spirit's guiding;
All must be well.

3. We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well:
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Then in living or in dying,
All must be well.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

THE IMPORTANT FACTOR

MEMORISE:
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preminence.
Colossians 1:18

READ:
Matthew 6:31-34
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

MESSAGE:
First thing first, so the saying goes. As a believer in Christ, when you come before God’s presence, the most important person is not you but Him. Also, unlike most of us believe, at God’s Throne of Grace, the most important thing is not you request, but rather the worship you offer to Him. If you fail to get this right, and you fail to adjust your approach and attitude to reflect this truth, you will always have issues with God. Do you know that every time you approach God’s presence, it is like facing a test? Believe it or not, when you come before God, there are two crucial people at the meeting: God and you. One of these two must take pre-eminence. Similarly, God has a need and you also have a need; one of these two needs; one of these two needs must be more important.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you! Matthew 6:33
This scripture tells us about a divine order that must be followed. It also talks about God’s need and man’s need. It tells us that God has already provided for all man’s needs. In other words, God already has all you would need at any time in your life. For you to receive them, all that He requires from you is to simply meet His needs. Give Him what He wants. Put Him first and your needs last. Give Him quality thanks, praise and worship. When you follow Heaven’s protocol, you will easily receive a favorable answer to your requests. God expects you to come before His presence with thanksgiving, praise and worship, leaving your request as the last thing. Do you know that one way to know how important something really is to you is to measure the amount of time you give to it? When you pray for one hour and you use 50 minutes of the time presenting your request, you are telling God that you and your request are more important than him and Hos desires. How do you think this makes God feel? In any case, He has already expressed His thoughts about this in 1 Samuel 2:30, where He said:
“for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”
Also, what you focus on becomes magnified. If you focus on your problems, they will be enlarged. But if you focus on God and what He wants, He will be magnified to the extent that your problems will fade into insignificance. By the time you eventually remember them, you would discover that they have been swallowed up by His Almightiness, leaving you with the answer to your prayers.

KEY POINT:
If you make God your priority, He will make you His priority.

HYMN 3:
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Refrain:

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain:


When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

NO SKIPPING DETAILS

MEMORISE:
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: Isaiah 28:10

READ:
2 Kings 4:1-7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Nehemiah 10-11 & Exodus 46:13-24

MESSAGE:
To avoid financial storm, you need to be careful note all the elements of a divine instruction. God is a God of details. When He gives you a recipe to solve a particular problem, He expects you to leave no details out. In today’s Bible reading, to solve the serious debt problem of the widow of the prophet, Elisha asked her to borrow vessels from all her neighbors, shut the door behind her and pour out her remaining pot of oil into all available vessels. If she had altered the any element of this instruction, it would definitely have affected the result she got. Some people received certain divine instructions and thereafter determine which to obey and which to discard. No! all the details must be observe! Do you know that if the widow had borrowed the vessels but refused to shut her door, the oil would not have flowed?
Beloved, always pay close attention to whatever instructions you receive from God. When it comes to sowing for instance, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says,
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
From the details of this scripture, it is not just sowing that will get you your expected returns, but rather sowing bountifully and cheerfully. Today, many people have chosen to forget these details on sowing, and this accounts for the financial storms in their lives. On tithing, it is not enough to tithe, but to bring in all the tithes. After completing my PhD research, I recalled I still had part of my research grant with the university. So I went to my Head of department (HoD) adding to draw out of it to bind my thesis. He refused to release it to me, and when I insisted, he sent me out of his office. With no other funds available, I wondered how to get the money is needed. A little past midnight, someone came knocking on my door. He said he could not sleep, and so he came to return the money I had loaned him five years earlier. Although I had forgotten this money, God had not. He paid me the exact amount I needed. After binding the thesis, I was scared, wondering if my HoD would accept it and give me a good score. So on the following Sunday, I paid my tithe, and on Monday, when I submitted my thesis to him, he was impressed and offered to personally take it to the external examiner. He also waited on the examiner until he finished his job in three days instead of six months. After this, my PhD grant was paid, and it became useful pocket money for me. You cannot tell the extent God will go to satisfy those who are totally obedient.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God to lead our youths aright in their choice of life partner.

HYMN 14:
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

TUESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

BECAUSE HE IS BIG

MEMORISE:
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Luke 1:49

READ:
Luke 1:46-52

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Nehemiah 12-13 & Ezekiel 47:1-12

MESSAGE:
Our God is a great and big God. In terms of size, He is so massive. Imagine that He sits on His throne in the third heavens and His feet still touches the earth (Isaiah 66:1). Due to the fact that our God is so big, He does great and big things. In Genesis 1:20-22, when He said the waters should bring forth living creatures, the oceans were soon filled with all manners of fish and sea creatures. All He has to do is to say “Let there be”, and it will come to pass. The lord will do great and mighty things in your life this season in Jesus’ mighty Name! doing great and mighty things is His specialty. No wonder in Jeremiah 33:3, He said:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
When he met a young, ordinary and unknown virgin and He picked her for His great purpose, she was overwhelmed and had this to say:
“For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” Luke 1:49
In the mighty Name of Jesus, the Lord shall pick and use you for His great and mighty works to demonstrate his Almightiness!
In Genesis 1:28 “Be fruitful, and multiply”. When He says “multiple”, He really means it. During creation, when He spoke that command, it was just Adam and eve, but today, the world has several billions of people in it. Also, when Israel came into Egypt in Exodus 1:5, they were just 70 people, but by the time they were leaving, there were 600,000 men besides woman, who would not have been less than 800,000, and children, who would have been at least 1,000,000 (Exodus 12:37). They kept multiplying in accordance to God’s word, in spite of all that the government of Egypt did to drastically reduce their numbers. From today, no matter what the enemy does to stop your increase, God’s word on increase will continue to thrive in your life! In addition to being a big God, He does big things. His purpose for your life is therefore big. Are you small, little, unknown and a local champion? Because your God is big, you cannot remain small. His size will definitely affect and transform your size. In the Name of Jesus Christ, you are breaking out of every barrier and limitation! You are coming out of every box of limitation that both you and others have enclosed you in! you shall be great, and you shall achieve great things for God’s Name, far beyond your dreams!

KEY POINT:
God cannot be big and you remain small. Your vision should reflect the size of your God.

HYMN 3:
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Refrain:

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Refrain:

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

PRINCIPLES, NOT TEARS

MEMORISE:
For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:89

READ:
Genesis 13:14-18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 1-3 & Ezekiel 47:13-48:7

MESSAGE:
If your giving reflects a financial status below the level God has placed you on, this would amount to demoting yourself. A wise fellow would rather promote himself or herself by giving beyond the level of his or her current financial status, so that God will upgrade him or her to that level. Some people look at me with envy, thinking that God is partial. No, He is not! God is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of principles. When Peter realized this truth in Acts 10:34-35, He said:
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
When you simply do what I do and follow the Bible principles that I follow, you will get the results that I get. I am not boasting, but if you think it is boasting, then I am simply boasting in the Lord. My God is not a God that is ruled by emotions. He is not moved by your tears or by you rolling on the ground. If there is something He expects you to do in accordance with his word, but you leave it and begin to cry your eyes out or roll on the ground for days and weeks, at the end of the day, He will still be waiting for you to do what He expected of you before he fulfills His promise to you. So the earlier you obey God, the sooner His intervention will come. Some people think they can manipulate God with their tricks. No they can’t. God would rather wait for you to obey, even if it takes years, before releasing a desired blessing. Unfortunately, some people out of stubbornness are making God wait almost their entire life time!
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” Genesis 12:1
When God called Abraham and gave him some promises, He also gave him three conditions he had to meet to access those promises. Abraham met two of these conditions, but he considered one of them not to be as important. He took Lot, his kindred, along with him. Probably he believed that his family would consider him a wicked fellow if he left his late brother’s son behind. For as long as he did not fulfill the condition of leaving his entire kindred, God also refused to fulfill His promises. This continued until Abraham began to feel the consequences of not separating from his relatives as instructed by God. It was after he obeyed and separated from Lot that God resumed discussions with him concerning His promises. Abraham lost 13years to disobedience! Don’t be so wise in your own sight. Obey God today!

KEY POINT:
Noise, acrobatics and tears do not move God: simple obedience does.

HYMN 9:
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2017

THEME: HEED THIS INVITATION

Memorise:
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. John 7:37
Read: John 7:37-39

7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Message:
“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?” Deuteronomy 32:30
Although praying corporately is good, it should never be regarded as a substitute to a vibrant personal prayer life. Some people quote the above scriptures to justify remaining at the level of corporate prayers, and as a result they consider efforts towards personal prayer to be a waste. It is not a wasted effort! God wants to relate with us individually and develop a personal relationship with us, just as He wants to relate with us as a group. For this reason, in Isaiah 51:2, He said this to us:
“Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”
Even when we are in a group meeting, God still wants to maintain a personal link with each of us. God is a personal God. When two brothers came to give offering to God, the Lord related with them individually (Genesis 4:3-10). How often do you spend time alone with God?
Moreover, there are great benefits that come from staying alone with God. If we look at the example of the widow of the prophet in 2 Kings 4:1-7, we can see some of the benefits of individual prayers. When she was asked to shut the door on herself, several things happened to her, one of which is that she went in empty but came out full. She took several empty vessels with her into the room, and all the vessels were filled up. Even today, as you personally separate yourself to access the Throne of Grace, our empty vessels will be made full. In today’s Bible reading, while attending the feast of the Jews, the Lord made a call. Although it was made publicly, it was a personal call. He said anyone who was thirsty could come to Him and be filled. If you can cultivate your personal relationship with God by creating regular time to be in His presence, you will always be filled, even when you enter His presence empty. Today, the Lord is sending you an invitation to come into His presence and He will fill you up. Your emptiness can be completely swallowed up as you spend personal time with Him. Are you ready to have your emptiness filled? How hungry are you? It is your level of hunger and thirst for Him that will determine how filled you will get. So, how hungry or thirsty are you today?

Action Point:
Identify things that are working against your ability to spend time alone with God and prayerfully deal with them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 4-7
Ezekiel 48:8-20

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOY

HYMN 14: TAKE MY LIFE

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2017

DELAYED PROVISION

MEMORISE:
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Psalm 145:15

READ:
Daniel 10:7-13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Esther 8-10 & Ezekiel 48:21-35

MESSAGE:
More often than not, when a man receives provision before he or she has need for it, wastage occurs. Such a fellow will entertain expenditures that are focused more on unnecessary wants rather than on needs. This is why such an individual needs wisdom, guidance and lots of self-denial or self-control. May you not waste your provisions in Jesus’ Name! However, provision could also come at the time of need. This type of arrangement is preferred by some people because it eradicates the likelihood of waste. According to Psalm 46:5; when God is your refuge, He will always show up at the right time. He is never late! I pray that whatever assistance you need will locate you as soon as the need arises in Jesus’ Name.
In quite a number of situations, provision comes much after the day of need. This is totally unacceptable because the purpose for which the provision is needed is already defeated. Provision long after need is almost as bad as total denial. When help, assistance or provision is not available in the time of need, it will result in disappointment, feeling of rejection, shame and disgrace, painful loss or even death. Do you know that many people who died in some ghastly accident could have survived if only they received help at the time of the incident? There are some who survived for a few hours but later gave up the ghost because they did not receive medical attention at the hour of need.
John 10:10; talks of Satan’s evil mission to steal, kill and destroy. One way he does this is by delaying provision or help from reaching people in need. In today’s Bible reading, following his petition to Heaven during a fast, an answer was sent to Daniel, but it was delayed by the Prince of Persia for 21 days. Daniel should have received the answer on the first day, but it was delayed for that whole period. Every force of delay, sent to set back your provision or help beyond the time of need, shall be frustrated, disgraced and paralyzed in Jesus’s Name! Whatever was programmed to reach you late shall arrive on time; you shall not be disappointed! That yoke of delay over your expectations is destroyed now! The Lord will sort you out speedily in Jesus’ Name!

KEY POINT:
One challenge of the rich is that because they have enough to meet their needs, even for the next 10, 20 or more years, their confidence is usually in their money and not in God.

HYMN 4:
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

2 Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding:
All must be well.

3 We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying;
Or in living or in dying;
All must be well.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE
SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
DON’T BE THE GUINEA PIG!
MEMORISE:
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 1 Corinthians 10:6
READ:
1 Corinthians 10:1-12
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 1-3 & Daniel 1
MESSAGE:
As we run the race that is set before us on the straight and narrow way to Heaven, it is possible to slip and fall. You should however note that falling or making mistakes along the way does not signify that an end has come to your life, ministry or destiny. There is no depth you can sink to that the mercy of God cannot draw you out of. If you genuinely ask God for forgiveness and mercy, His grace will surely lift you up. If you are still down in sin, it is time to come up into righteousness. Are you in a situation where it appears all hope is lost? No matter where you are, receive God’s touch of mercy at this very moment and come up again in Jesus’ Name!
There are ways to handle mistakes. One way is to learn from the mistakes of others so that you do not become the guinea pig. A Nigerian proverb says, “The one who falls into a pit is a lesson to others following from behind”. You can scream after seeing that fellow fall into the pit, but make sure you don’t end up in it yourself. Today’s reading tells us that the children of Israel who disobeyed God and were overthrown in the wilderness are lessons for us who are now on our way to the Promise Land of Heaven. It says we should not lust after evil things, because the Israelites did so and became casualties in the wilderness. It also says the reason why we should not serve other gods and commit fornication is that 23,000 of those Israelites who did the same perished in one day. It further says we should not tempt Christ like the Israelites did and died of snake bites. It even warns us of the dangers of murmuring, which some of us do very often. The Israelites murmured and were destroyed. When you see the pit your predecessors have fallen into, a wise follower will tread a lot more carefully to avoid ending up where they ended.
If you learn from the mistakes of others, you will not fall where they fell. And you will not perish where they perished; but if you fail to learn, you too will soon become a signpost that tells others not to follow the path you followed. How ironic it is for someone who was aware of the pitfalls that consumed others to end up in the same pit. This is what happens to those who never take warning seriously. Are you like that? Do you say “it doesn’t matter”? Yes, it does!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, let me never be a guinea pig. Make me an excellent example for others to follow.
HYMN 9:
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 1ST OCTOBER,2017

THE MERCY AND GRACE OF GOD

MEMORISE:
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

READ:
2 Corinthians 6:1-10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 4-6 & Daniel 2:1-16

MESSAGE:
Over the years, I have observed that the more powerful some people become, the more wicked they turn out to be. When they are not yet in a position of authority, they will appear to be humble, but once they have a little taste of power, they act as if they are God. This is what makes my Father very different: He is a merciful God. In spite of all His power and majesty, He remains merciful. Having experienced God’s mercy, David thus wrote in Psalm 40:1-2:
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
God is so full of mercy, and there is no one who cannot benefit from His mercy. When powerful people know that no one can query them, they do whatever they like. God is however different! Even though He is the Almighty God and He is all powerful, yet His mercy endures forever. Every time you call upon Him, you can be sure His grace will speak for you. Ephesians 2:4 says
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”
God’s grace grants us access to the things we don’t deserve. There are many of us who are what we are only by His grace. If not for His grace, some of us would not be alive today. If not for His grace, some of us would have no roof over our heads. If not for His grace, how would some of us have anyone willing to help us? There are many opportunities we have misused in the past, and yet we have not lived to regret this because of His grace. If not for His mercy, some of us wouldn’t have recovered from the consequences of our past time.
Can you imagine a person like Saul, who persecuted the church of God, becoming a mighty apostle of the gospel? If I were God, I would not have saved His soul, especially when I think of the extent of damage he single-handedly caused the Body of Christ. I then suddenly realized that I also was once in sin like him. When grace and mercy are at work in a person’s life, he will begin to make his boast in the Lord. Can you imagine Paul saying he had wronged no one (2 Corinthians 7:2)? He could say this because the grace and mercy of God had washed away all his past misdeeds. When mercy is at work, every sinner has a future, and when grace is speaking, every saint has no past. God is telling you today that He can have mercy on you. All you need to do is to make up your mind that all the days of your life, you will continue to fear Him and walk in His ways.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let Your mercy and grace never depart from my life.

HYMN 8:
1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
[Refrain]

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
(Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY 2nd OCTOBER,2017

THE MOST NEEDFUL THING

MEMORISE:
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

READ:
Proverbs 4:5-9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 7-8 & Daniel 2:17-30

MESSAGE:
King Solomon is considered to be the wisest king that ever lived. How did he become so wise? When God gave Him a blank cheque to ask for anything, in 1 Kings 3:9, he said:
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
He chose to ask for something that the average person of his time would consider inconsequential: wisdom. Solomon feared that he might misrule God’s people and thereby incur God’s wrath, and so he asked God for wisdom. Indeed, in Proverbs 9:10, he later wrote:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
It is unfortunate to discover that even among some children of God today, the fear of the Lord is greatly absent. This accounts for the level of character erosion that is being witnessed in the Church, so much so that even pastors are being caught in various acts of sin, such as sexual immorality. Joseph was repeatedly tempted and pressured to commit sexual immorality, but he vehemently refused to indulge in it, despite the fact that it was offered to him on a platter of gold. The Bible in Genesis 39:8-9 gives this account of Joseph’s steadfastness:
“But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
If you ask me what kept Joseph away from this sexual immorality, I will tell you that it was wisdom, brought about by the fear of the Lord. How I wish all of God’s children would embrace the fear of God, so that they can begin to live in wisdom. It is wisdom to run away from sin, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). A foolish fellow would say, “Death will come one day all the same”. Such a fellow fails to consider untimely death like the one that took Absalom away (2 Samuel 18:10-17), the agony of death that comes as a result of sin, and the eternal death in the Lake of Fire. Revelation 21:8 speaks of the Lake of Fire in these words:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
For this reason, our Bible reading strongly recommends that we get wisdom. The question is, where can we get wisdom? It is from the word of God (2 timothy 3:15). Beloved, seek godly wisdom and don’t be lawless in the name of grace, because grace does not indulge in lawlessness.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, put Your fear in me, help me love Your word and give me wisdom.

HYMN 9:
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

TUESDAY 3RD OCTOBER, 2017

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH

MEMORISE:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6

READ:
Galatians: 5:16-21

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 9-10 & Daniel 2:31-45

MESSAGE:
As Christians who are Heaven-bound, the works of the flesh are things we should watch out for, so that they do not bring our soul into damnation. We must do all we can to cherish the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If we continue to stir up the fruit of the Spirit in our lives daily, it will be difficult for the flesh to have dominion over us. On a daily basis, our thoughts, words and actions must be guided by this scripture which says:
“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.” Philippians 4:8
If you give your heart to these words, it would be difficult for the flesh to have rule over your mind, and consequently, the work of the flesh will not find expression in your life. Such sins as hatred towards others, envy for what is happening in other people’s lives, pride and arrogance will not have a hold on you because you are walking in the Spirit of God.
All those who engage in the works of the flesh have no place in the Kingdom of God. If you want to please God, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust for materialism, all of which do not allow the word of God to find its rightful place in the hearts of men, will have to go. God commands us to run the Christian race with patience (Hebrews 12:1). There are many who have turned sin into sport. They believe that they are very smart and cannot fall victim of sin. This was the same thinking that Adam and Eve had when they allow the voice of the serpent to override God’s instructions for their lives (Genesis 3:1-6). Samson also had an idea of the destiny he was meant to fulfill on earth, but he gambled with the anointing of God on his life and died with his enemies (Judges 16:28-30). These examples are there for us to learn from and be wise. As a child of God, you have to drop those weights of sin that easily drag you down. Don’t allow the works of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the mundane things of life to deny you of God’s plan for your life. The moment you decide not to walk in the Spirit, you have resolved in your heart to be independent of God and from that moment, the real life in you dies! This is a deadly path to take. No one who took this path has ever had a good story to tell, but that will not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. You have to be watchful, prayerful and engage in spiritual discipline from time to time, so as not to fall prey to the wiles of the devil manifested through the works of the flesh.

KEY POINT:
The flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives life.

HYMN 6:
1.Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2.Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:

3.Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:

4.Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 4TH OCTOBER, 2017

IN NEED OF TENDER LOVING CARE

MEMORISE:
“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1 Corinthians 8:13

READ:
1 Corinthians 8:8-13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 11-13 & Daniel 2:46-3:7

MESSAGE:
God redeems us from the unfruitful works of darkness through His mercy and grace. When people become newly saved, though they have genuinely surrendered their lives to God and are committed to going all the way in pleasing Him, they are often not immediately well grounded in the things of God. These young converts need special care and attention from mature believers. It is the responsibility of those who have grown deeper in Christ to encourage those who are making efforts to have their faith established in Him. As their predecessor in the faith, young converts are watching and following you as an example. They must be followed up with love and shown good examples of how to live out their faith in Christ. As an older believer, you must show them compassion and understanding, remembering that Christ came to save us all because of His compassion for us. Matured believers have certain roles to play by deliberately denying themselves of certain things that are lawful but not helpful to the growth of these young converts. Like Paul who became all things to all people so that he might win many to Christ, mature believers must also be willing to become all things for the sake of those they want to establish in the knowledge of the truth. 1 Corinthians 9:22 says,
“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
If you are grounded in Christ, you are not to use your liberty to harm those who are growing in the faith. Some of these people have already experienced a lot of disappointments outside the Church of God. Some of them have been defrauded, while some others have been unduly taken advantage of because of their vulnerability. Some lost precious things before coming to the knowledge of Christ. The moment they give their lives to Christ, they are full of great expectations because they’ve heard that the Name of the Lord is a strong tower. They believe the brethren will care for them, unlike what they experienced in the hands of unbelievers. We must therefore do all that is within our power not to make them regret their decision to come to Christ, which will be the case if we don’t extend hands of love to them. We must not give them occasion to stumble; neither should we allow them to stray by our actions. We must avoid all circumstances that will grieve our fellow brethren and ensure that the word of God remains our standard in our dealings with them. Let us be careful not to offend the weak ones or lay a stumbling block on their way, because we are going to be accountable to God for all those he brings across our path.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, deliver me from errors that will cause others to stumble.

HYMN 1:
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3.While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4.When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

THURSDAY 5TH OCT., 2017

OCCUPY TILL HE COMES.

MEMORISE:
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. John 15:2

READ:
Luke 19:11-13
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Romans 14-16 & Daniel 3:8-23

MESSAGE:
God’s expectation of you in these end times is that you would live for a cause that is greater than yourself - and cause that will serve the purpose of advancing His Kingdom on earth. What worthy cause in God’s kingdom keeps you awake at night? What burden are you carrying in your heart? When Nehemiah heard that his people back home had been put to shame and that worship services in the temple of God had been halted, he was overwhelmed with a burden to “occupy” for God and his people (Nehemiah1:4). He immediately wanted to effect the necessary changes that would restore the image of God’s people. Many Christians are not bothered about making it a duty to occupy in the place of prayer for those in authority. Many Christians are not even concerned about the rate at which many sinners are going to Hell. As long as they are comfortable, they care less about the situation of others. Some people are so self-centered that as long as their immediate family is saved, the salvation of their extended family members is far from their mind. It is our duty as believers to bring all people to the knowledge of God. We must occupy by directing the souls of men to God through prayers and by witnessing to them until they give their lives to God. Although Nehemiah was comfortable in the king’s palace, he was troubled by the discomfort of God’s people. We ought to share this same spirit.
The burden for revival in the hearts of men was what led to the outburst of many moves of God in the world since the days of the apostles. The burden for holiness has led many to occupy in the place of prayer for certain territories. Our burden for the business of God's Kingdom should lead us into prayer and fasting, so that we can become fruitful in our missionary assignments. As a branch of the Vine, you must be ready to bear fruit if you don’t want the Vine to cast you off. The Vine is committed to supplying all you need for the assignment; there is therefore no excuse for you not to occupy till His return (Philippians 4:19). Also, everything that the Vine expects you to do as His branch is done through the strength supplied by the Vine (John 15:5). As long as the branch remains attached to the Vine, it will be able to fulfill all that is expected of it (Philippians 4:13). I remember when I was in the university and I was trusting God for his help in winning the soul of one of the professors. I would do a lot of rehearsals on how I would present the message to him, but each time I saw him, I would lose my confidence. However, God helped me and I eventually succeeded in this assignment. It is only through God’s help that you can occupy till the very end.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, may I not have to give excuses on the day of accountability.

HYMN 13:
1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 6TH October, 2017

LIVING IN DEATH?

MEMORISE:
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 1 John 3:14

READ:
1 John 3:11-16

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 1-3 & Daniel 3:24-4:3

MESSAGE:
Do you know that it is very possible for one to be alive but living in death? Any man who does not have the life of God, manifested as a new life in Christ Jesus, is dead even though he or she is physically alive. If you have received the new life of Christ, you have the nature of God, and one of the defining characteristics of this nature is love (1 John 4:16). This is why the Lord Jesus Christ emphasized that there is no greater commandment than that which is anchored on love for God and love for fellow men (Matthew 22:37-40). You cannot claim to love God when you have hatred and bitterness towards your fellow men. Where there is no love, there will be deceit. There is a lot of deceit in the interpersonal relationships between people today. Do you really love, or are you pretending to love? If you live a life of love, you are living in Christ; but if you are only pretending to love when deep inside you there is so much hatred and evil-plotting against your brother, then you are living in death. The new life in Christ is a spiritual experience that puts an end to all forms of bitterness, hatred and unforgiveness in your heart. Manifesting love for God and love for others around you showcases the real image of God in you, which is characterized by purity, holiness and righteousness.
At the root of all the displacement, destruction and crime witnessed all over the world is the absence of love. Love is at the core of man’s existence. Love is the root of our salvation, and so, nothing genuine can be achieved among brethren if there is no love. When you have love, you will show compassion for those suffering and be willing to help. When you walk in love, you will no longer keep record of wrong done against you by others. Rather, you will let go and let God have His way in your life. True love is not easily offended, and it is always willing to forgive. It is this love that enables you to show kindness to those who hurt you, even though you have the power to harm or punish them. You choose to ignore their deeds because you know that there is nothing you have that you have not received from God. the word of God says prophesy and knowledge will fail, but love will always stand the test of time. Don’t envy others to the point of getting bitter with them. It is not a sign of love. Instead, let us encourage one another. You should not take other people for granted or malign others because you feel superior to them. A child of God should not revenge anything done against him or her, because vengeance is the Lord’s. Are you walking in love, or are you living in death?

KEY POINT:
If you love God, you won’t hate your fellow men.

HYMN 9:
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER, 2017

BE FAITHFUL

MEMORISE:
But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1Timothy 6:6

READ:
Luke 16:10-13
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant 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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 4-6 & Daniel 4:4-18

MESSAGE:
A lot of people think it impossible to live a life of faithfulness, and for this reason, unfaithfulness has become a norm in today’s world. The world may tolerate unfaithfulness and live with its consequences, but we as children of God cannot afford to live a life of unfaithfulness. The Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthian 4:2 notifies us of God’s requirement in this regard:
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
Faithfulness has a secret which many may not recognize because it’s simply. This secret is revealed in today’s memory verse. It is contentment. Discontentment- an off-shoot of godlessness- makes a person live an unfaithful life. When you are contented with what you have, you won’t indulge in ungodly or immoral acts in order to get what you do not have. When you live a life of contentment, you won’t like King Ahab misuse your position to entrap an innocent person, so that you can take over what belongs to him or her (1 Kings 21). Contentment will prevent you from being envious of people under you who are being celebrated for faithfully discharging their duties to the glory of God. Lack of contentment made
Haman hate Mordecai, so much so that he planned to get rid of an innocent, dutiful but uncompromising doorman (Esther 5:11-14). Haman misused his position as a member of the king’s cabinet to pursue the destruction of innocent people (Esther 3:8-11). This is exactly what some people in privileged position are doing today, even though this is their own peril.
Faithfulness applies in terms of money and position, but it is also applicable in the use of your time. This is manifested in such areas as the time you are expected to spend at your place of work. It is ignorance that makes a child of God to think that he or she can spend just two out of the required eight hours at work, and then expect commendation by the God of Justice, when he or she brings the tithes of wages he or she did not work for. The Name of the Lord is blasphemed when a so-called child of God absconds from work for days- pursuing “missions”- only to come back and collect full wages covering the period of absence, in the full glare of unbelievers. God’s requirement of our faithfulness in stewardship applies to every area of our lives. My prayer is that the Almighty God will open your eyes to see the different areas of life you are lacking in faithfulness, and grant you grace to live faithfully in all areas. Through faithfulness, unbelievers will see the light and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. This virtue of faithfulness was the reason why employers of labor came to our Church in those days to recruit workers for their secular establishments. May God bring such days back to us in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, through Your Spirit, please help me to be faithful in life as a steward of the name of Jesus Christ.

HYMN 6:
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Refrain:

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 8TH OCTOBER, 2017

GOD’S KIND OF LOVE

MEMORISE:
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

READ:
1 Corinthians 13:1-8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 7-9 & Daniel 4:19-27

MESSAGE:
Today’s memory verse gives us a glimpse of what God’s kind of love is all about. This scripture reveals one truth about God’s kind of love, which is that it is unconditional. God loves unconditionally, and His love prompts Him to forgive unconditionally! If God had chosen to wait until we became saints before extending His saving love to us, no one would be saved. Some years ago, one of my sons illustrated the unconditional nature of God’s love. In his place of work, his secretary did something unprofessional, and so he moved him out of his office to another role within the department. While suspending this man from his role as secretary, my son strangely instructed him to hold on to the computer he had been working with, and told him to retain all the files that were on it. Some months later, he reinstated this fellow to his old role as secretary. Surprised at his reinstatement, this secretary was initially not comfortable at his former desk, but my son reassured him that he had been forgiven. He said to him, “I had forgiven you even before you asked for forgiveness. Why do you think I told you to retain the computer and keep the files? I forgave you and restored you even as I was suspending you from office. I planned your reinstatement right from that day, and I didn’t want you to return and start from scratch, which is why I left the computer with you even though you were no longer my secretary”. This secretary was dumbfounded.
In today’s Bible reading, we are enlightened on the characteristics of God’s kind of love. The Holy Spirit in these verses first declares the importance of this kind of love, without which life is worthless and meaningless. He then begins to list the characteristics of God’s love. Only God’s type of love suffers long and shows unusual kindness. God is sovereign and all-powerful, so He needs not envy anyone, neither does He need anybody to pump up His ego. God’s love contains no evil (James 1:13). Contrary to some people’s perception, God’s kind of love does not condone or rejoice in iniquity. Some pastors think that the best way of showing God’s kind of love is not to rebuke sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth! God’s kind of love is what Paul instructed Timothy to demonstrate in fulfilling his ministry, by reproving, rebuking and exhorting those he was ministering to with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2). My advice to you is that you embrace God’s love as personified by His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the whole world.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let Your love be shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit in Jesus' Name.

HYMN 2:
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.