OPEN HEAVENS BY PST ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY 9TH OCTOBER 2017

REPRESENTING GOD?

MEMORISE:
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1Timothy 4:12

READ:
2 Thessalonians 3:1-8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 10-11
Daniel 4:28-37

MESSAGE:
Who are you? If you are a child of God, then you must behave like God and reflect all that He represents. God is love. He is pure and there is no darkness in Him. If you are a child of the devil, your life will be patterned after the devil. I am a branch of Jesus because I am permanently rooted in Him. What about you? As a child of the Most High God, you are expected to demonstrate His nature everywhere you find yourself. You are an ambassador of Jesus Christ, called to show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). To be a representative of God to the world and a role model among believers, it is required of you to surrender yourself solely to Him. By so doing, you will be laying a good foundation for others to emulate. In many churches today, their modus operandi is “do as I say” and not “as I do”. This was not the example that the believers of old showed us. Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1 boldly said:
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
He saw himself as a worthy follower of Christ, and he was not ashamed to tell us to follow his footsteps.
As an ambassador of Christ, you have a mandate to fulfill for the Lord in this generation. You have been positioned at such a time as this to be relevant in the scheme of things. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood out from the crowd. They did not allow the privileges of royalty to deny them of their place in God. They were role models for the world to see, and they did great exploits for God because they had an understanding of the times and season they lived in. Do not engage in any despicable act that will cause men to despise your God. Do not engage in folly and a questionable lifestyle that will destroy what God has planned for you. The world must know that you are a believer, not just in word but also in deeds. Let your life be an epistle for people to read. Do not do anything in secrecy that will tarnish your image, because the devil is going round looking for great soldiers in God’s battalion to discredit. The devil will never go after those who have nothing to offer. He is after the “Esthers” because he wants to stop them before they get to the king’s palace. He is after the “Daniels” because he wants to stop them from being relevant in life and in governance. He is after the “Nehemiahs” because he can’t stand them rebuilding the broken walls of godliness. To finish well, you must be resolute and determined. Irrespective of the odds against you, you must push through, break barriers and fulfill your destiny in grand style. Be a model of Christ to all men in word, in conversation, in love, in hospitality and in godliness.

KEY POINT:
If you steadfastly take a stand for God, you will not fall by the wayside of life.

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

TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2017

I SHALL NOT BE POOR

MEMORISE:
All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him. Proverbs 19:7

READ:
1Chronicles 4:9-10
9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 12-14 & Daniel 5:1-12

MESSAGE:
Having tasted poverty and a little bit of wealth, I can tell you that wealth is better than poverty. If you are living in poverty, I prophesy over you that God will lift you out of poverty in Jesus’ Name. One of the reasons why I hate poverty so much is because of what Proverbs 14:20 says about the poor:
“The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.”
In today’s Bible reading, we are introduced to a Bible hero who experienced poverty, but who was not hypocritical about his undesirable condition. This fellow was Jabez. His mother named him Jebez because she gave birth to him with sorrow. As Jabez grew up, he started experiencing the meaning of his name, and so, he decided to do something about it. It is unfortunate that many people, even some children of God, bear names with negative meanings and connotations, and yet they refuse to do something about it, even after they start sensing the negative influence of such names on their lives. My prayer for you today is that the Almighty God will give you a name that will wipe away generational curses plaguing your life in Jesus’s Name. What Jabez did to change his situation is a common thing that some people don’t consider necessary: he prayed.
There are many lessons we can learn from the life of Jabez, the first of which is that Jabez called on the God he knew was a prayer-answering God - the God of Israel. The question is, who are you calling upon? Psalm 5:3 clearly tells us who we should direct our prayers to:
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
A second lesson to learn from Jabez is that he did not ask for a small blessing; rather, he prayed that God should bless him indeed. Thirdly, he prayed that God will be with him in his prosperity and keep him from evil. It is an open secret that many rich people live in one calamity or the other. Jabez knew this, and so he prayed against riches that attract evil. What a great man who knew the ways of God! If you want poverty to be history in your life, you have to do something about it. Jabez can be classified as someone who was destined to die in penury, but he prayed himself out of poverty and God heard him. Jesus is the way out of poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). The life that He gives and His principles will lift you out of poverty. Therefore, give your life to Him without further delay today, and poverty shall become history in your life in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please bless me indeed with Your blessing that adds no sorrow.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 11TH OCTOBER, 2017

BE OF GOOD CHEER

MEMORISE:
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13

READ:
Matthew 14:23-27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Corinthians 15-16 & Daniel 5:13-28

MESSAGE:
The message in today’s memory verse is food for thought for those children of God who think that being sorrowful or morose is a Christian virtue. A glooming spirit is of the devil, who wants us to be in sorrow continually. In contrast to this, God wants all His children to be happy. The Holy Spirit in Isaiah 61:3 said that God gives joy to the sorrowful:
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, who came to demonstrate the nature and character of God, read the above scripture in a synagogue on a certain day, and He declared:
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:21b
By this declaration, as a child of God, you should not live in sorrow anymore.
All through the course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, one statement that was common with Him was, “Be of good cheer”. In other words, “Have a merry heart”. He continually said this because He knew that a merry heart results in a smiling face and is like medicine to the body and soul (Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22). For example, in John 16:33, Jesus told the disciples to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. This means that, as children of God, we should not go about in life wearing a sorrowful face in self-pity - not even when we are confronted with the challenges of life. In the story of the man afflicted with the palsy, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because his sins were forgiven (Matthew 9:2). In other words, "Son, although your sins brought this sickness to your life, you are now forgiven, and you are made whole." I prophesy to you today, irrespective of the agonising condition your past life has brought into your present, the Lord will redeem you today. You are forgiven by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you will be happy again in Jesus’ Name. In today’s Bible reading, the disciples were in the midst of the sea and its waves tossed them here and there. In the midst of palpable fear and despair, Jesus came to them and rebuked their faithlessness, before rebuking the destructive wind. He then encouraged them to be of good cheer. In like manner, the Lord is speaking to you today that you will not drown in that situation. Be cheerful because Emmanuel is with you. Your joy shall come, and it shall come in full measure in Jesus' Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, flood my heart with unspeakable joy today and for ever 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;
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 to-morrow,
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

THURSDAY 12TH OCTOBER, 2017

OBEDIENT CHILDREN

MEMORISE:
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:12

READ:
Ephesians 6:1-3
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 1-3 & Daniel 5:29-6:13

MESSAGE:
Children are assets of the Almighty God entrusted to our care. We must therefore ensure that we do all we can to nurture them for the Lord and not for ourselves. We should strive to receive commendation from the Lord for our efforts in bringing them up as children He can be proud of. Raising children in today’s world is serious business. Unfortunately, we live in a world where parents have left to chance or entirely neglected the huge task of bringing up their children in the fear of the Lord. Many parents justify themselves by concluding that they are helpless, and they shift the blame for their own failures to the happenings in the society. In the time of father Abraham, there were also parents who did not bring up their children to follow the path of God, but for Abraham, his testimony was different. God said this concerning him in Genesis 18:19:
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
If you want to raise children who will be obedient to the Lord, you must be ready to start right from the beginning of the child’s life. That is what parenting is all about. It involves training and educating a child from the phase of infancy through to adulthood. If you carry out the job of parenting as unto the Lord, you will be well rewarded by Him. There are many parents who realized late in life that they have neglected their roles as parents. In order to make amends, some of them begin to make efforts at “repairing” the lives of their children, but at that point, they discover it has become a herculean task.
Obedient children are godly children, committed to a life of honesty in all they do. Such children will never bring shame, reproach or embarrassment to the God of their fathers, because they have a deep understanding of the covenant upon which they have been groomed. There are parents today who have lost control of their children. Some other parents have turned their children into symbols of idolatry. They fear their children more than they fear God. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Obedient children must honour their parents. They must respect them irrespective of their status in society, if they want to live a life without regret. When their parents need their attention or help, they must be there for them. They must also be ready to submit willfully to their instructions, corrections and rebuke. There are children who bring sorrow to their parents. On the other hand, children of destiny bring great comfort to everyone around them. Are you a child of destiny?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let my children please You always, and grant me grace to care for my parents.

HYMN 16:
1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 13TH OCTOBER, 2017

GOD’S WATCHMAN

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

READ:
Exodus 33:1-6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 4-7 & Daniel 6:14-28

MESSAGE:
Humanity is perishing every day because of sin. So many people are unaware of the truth of God’s word about the consequences of sin, and some who know this truth are drawing back from it. Due to the pervasiveness of iniquity in the world today, those who used to be very hot for the Lord are now cooling off in the flesh, while some have even departed from the faith completely. The irony of it all is that the Church is behaving as if all is well. The world is blind and needs to know about God. As God’s watchman, you are the light of the world. You are a city set on a hill, and you are the salt of the earth. However, are you measuring up to God’s expectation in the area of your responsibilities towards the great commission? How many sinners have you spoken to about the consequences of their actions? How many souls have you followed up this year? Many believers who are supposed to be God’s watchmen are now complacent; they are no longer aware of what the Spirit is saying. Today, there is so much religion without the visible demonstration of the power of the Holy Ghost. It is through salvation in Jesus that there can be restoration of life to those dying in sin. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is for the purpose of going into all part of the world to effect deliverance of all those held captive by Satan (Acts 1:.
As God’s watchman, you cannot afford to remain empty spiritually. You must be fruitful (John 15:16). We need to wake up and start bearing fruit if we do not want to be condemned. Most of the things happening around us today that have become a threat to the Body of Christ are happening because we are not doing what God expects of us. If we preach the true gospel as handed over to us by the apostles of old, the Church of God today will be more vibrant, healthier and spiritually active. If you will be equipped for the great assignment of the great commission, you need to avoid falling into the sin of covetousness, pride, self-centeredness, love of money, and ambition for power. We need to go to God in prayer and ask for His fire to be released upon our hearts, so that we can recover lost grounds. To God’s watchmen, He is saying return to the great commission. The great commission is God’s ultimate assignment, and it entails transforming people from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Let the gospel be preached to all people in all places. If there are places you can’t go yourself, make arrangements to send others there to do the work. The gospel of reconciliation is a message of universal concern, and we can all make a difference as we play our part.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to play my role in Your Kingdom agenda.

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

SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER, 2017

ONE WITH GOD IS A MAJORITY

MEMORISE:
And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 2 Kings 6:16

READ:
2 Kings 6:8-17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 8-10 & Daniel 7:1-12

MESSAGE:
One fundamental reason why some people have their back against godly living is that the ungodly are more in number than those who are godly. It takes faith in God to live a godly life in this age of political correctness, the ascendancy of the philosophies of relativism and humanism, and agitation for the “fundamental human rights” of people involved in acts that are despicable to God. The age-long saying that “one with God is majority” is no longer popular because no one wants to suffer humiliation and marginalization by the ungodly majority. The story in our Bible reading demonstrates the truth that one with God is indeed a majority. While waging war against the king of Israel, the king of Syria discovered that all the tactical information he was discussing with his generals was somehow revealed to the king of Israel again and again. The king of Syria was so troubled by this, because he thought he had a mole among his men, divulging all his secrets to the king of Israel. My prayer for you today is that God will expose every plan of your enemies to you, and all their destructive schemes against you will fail in Jesus’ Name. When the king of Syria discovered that Elisha was the divine informant leaking his secrets, he ordered his arrest. On seeing the great host of the king of Syria that came by night to arrest his master, the servant of the prophet was so afraid and he cried out to Elisha, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?” the prophet, in 2 Kings 6:16, answered thus:
“...Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
After Elisha prayed that the Lord should open the eyes of his servant, the young prophet saw an angelic host with horses and chariots of fire around where they were. There and then, he believed that indeed there is a majority of hosts with the one who is on the Lord’s side.
The question is, are you on God’s side? You have no reason to fear if indeed you are with God. When we are in the minority from a physical perspective, our Lord Jesus Christ warns us against being discouraged, because with God on our side, we are always in the majority. After all, Jesus’ Name is Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). 1 John 4:4 says,
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
I therefore encourage you to move on to the righteous side of God today. Moving on to the side of Jesus Christ is moving on to the side of victory, redemption and peaceful living.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I have learnt that one with You is a majority; I therefore come to declare anew my allegiance to You. Please receive me to Your side and fight my battle for me.

HYMN 18:
1. Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go!

Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.

2. At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!
[Refrain]

3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
One charity.
[Refrain]

4. Onward, then, ye people!
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 15TH OCTOBER, 2017

LIKE THE SACRIFICE OF CAIN?

MEMORISE:
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

READ:
Genesis 4:1-7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 11-13 & Daniel 7:13-28

MESSAGE:
When it comes to the issue of giving, we are not only expected to do what is required but also what is commanded by the Almighty God. No matter how much you give in church, or how much you give to different causes in God’s Kingdom, you can never out-give God. God is more interested in the attitude with which you give than in what you give. He knows to what extent He has blessed you, and He expects your act of giving to reflect this. Each time we sow, God allows our seed to multiply. Since I have been giving to God, I have never known a better yesterday, because God is always doing something new in my life. I always pity those who do not give to God. This is foolishness, because there is nothing you have today that you have not received from God. At the table of the Almighty set before you, you are permitted to take what you want and as much as you want (Psalm 23:5). There is no scarcity in Heaven, and this is why God has promised to open the windows of heaven to pour out blessing on those who obey His commandments concerning tithes, offerings, and sowing to kingdom assignments and charities. Your acts of giving must be done cheerfully and not grudgingly.
In today’s Bible reading, Abel’s sacrifice was accepted while that of Cain was rejected. Why did this happen? Abel brought his sacrifice to God with joy, thankfulness and with great expectation. He brought his offering with an upright heart, and he also offered sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. When people are not sincere with God, it doesn’t matter how many sermons they have listened to, or how many hours they have spent in the place of prayer, things will still always go wrong with them. God was not pleased with Cain’s sacrifice because his heart was not right before Him. Cain was envious of his brother’s blessing and he failed to focus on his own heart. May your sacrifice not be rejected before God in Jesus’ Name. Cain was a wicked man, operating under the influence of the flesh; therefore, his sacrifice was an abomination before God. Proverb 15:8 says,
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
If a tree is good, its fruits will be good. God is interested in the fruit we bear. Abel was careful in the choice of his sacrifice. He intentionally used the best of his flock because he understood that if you give your best to God, He will in turn give His best to you. Endeavor to always give the best of your life to God, and see how He will respond.

ACTION POINT:
Offer the best of your time and the best of your service to God today.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY 16TH OCTOBER, 2017

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY

MEMORISE:
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

READ:
Psalm 51:12-18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Galatians 1-3 & Daniel 8:1-14

MESSAGE:
Going to church is not the same as knowing God. There are many people in church today whose lifestyles do not reflect having any experimental knowledge of who God is. Furthermore, being involved in church activities is not the same as loving God. If you love God, it will show in the way you conduct the affair of your life. God is a merciful God who desires the prosperity of His children, and He is in search of hearts that are longing for him. God is calling us into an intimate knowledge of His person and His attributes. If you know God, the evidence will be seen in the way you relate with people around you. This includes your colleagues in the office as well as your neighbors at home. If your lifestyle does not match with God’s word, no matter how much you give to Him or the activities you engage in to impress Him, you will not find favour in His sight. The words of 1 Samuel 15:22 are very clear:
“...Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Some time ago, at a gathering of God’s people at the Redemption Camp, I had to tell everyone there that if you know you are not genuinely saved by the Blood of the Lamb, there is no need to give any offering to God. God will not accept the offering of sinners. It is an abomination before Him (Proverb 15:. Our lives must count for God first, before other things can follow suit.
God wants us to obey His voice and follow His word for our lives. He wants His children to all be true people who impact the lives of others positively. Living a godly life is all that God desires from us. When we live according to His standards, He will be pleased with all that we have to offer. Morality and rituals cannot grant us access to the mercy of God. Before the prodigal son could receive mercy, he had to come to his senses and amend his ways by going back to his father. God is longing for those who will praise Him in spirit and in truth. He is desperate for those who will magnify Him not for what they can get from Him but for who He is. Do you know that you can come before God with big offerings and yet stir up His anger? This will not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. No amount of sacrifice from us can equal His sacrifice for us. The scope of this sacrifice can be seen in these words of Romans 8:32:
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

KEY POINT:
Obedience is better than sacrifice.

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

WEDNESDAY 18TH OCTOBER, 2017

HOPE IN THESE LAST DAYS

MEMORISE:
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:18

READ:
Joel 2:28-32

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ephesians 2-4 & Daniel 9:3-15

MESSAGE:
You can live above the storms of life in these last days through the power of God’s word. The lord has promised us in His word that He will not leave us comfortless (John 14:18). You therefore have His assurance that no matter how bad your situation may appear to be, there is hope for you. Let these words of Job 14:7 bring hope to your heart:
“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.”
While Jesus and His disciples were on a missionary journey, the disciples desperately called His attention to a raging storm. He calmly woke up and rebuked the storm, and right away, there was great calm (Mark 4:36-41). The disciples first struggled to survive the storm on their own, but the more they tried, the more they were in danger of perishing at sea, until Jesus intervened. I pray that the Almighty God will intervene in your situation today in Jesus’ Name. from the words of the Lord, we know that the last days will be a time of turmoil with several raging storms (Luke 21:25-26). We are indeed in the last days. Are you experiencing a storm? The Lord has different strategies to bring comfort to you. He can simply calm the storm by the awesome power of His presence, or by directly commanding the storm to become still. He can also provide a cover for you from the storm. This is why you need to stay in God’s presence where your destiny can remain secured.
The Lord has promised the outpouring of His spirit upon all flesh in the last days. Acts 2:17 says,
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”
We are living in times when the Spirit of the Lord is empowering the saint for the fulfillment of prophesies and the actualization of visions. The Body of Christ therefore has no excuse not to do exploit for God in times as these, because the promise of the Spirit’s outpouring has already been fulfilled by the father. God is set to do great things, not because of our own abilities but because of His sovereignty. Not one of God’s children will be left out of His great move in these last days. Son, daughters, old men, young men, manservants and maidservants are all relevant to God in His agenda for this time. He has reserved better things for His people in the midst of the turmoil unfolding in the world, and He will begin to give us divine revelation of how we will transit from where we are to where we ought to be by His Spirit. The Spirit will also release the strength and vigor needed for the actualization of these dreams.

PRAYER POINT:
Let there be an outpouring of your Spirit upon my life.

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 DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2017

THEME: ALL THINGS WORK FOR GOOD

Memorise:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Read: Acts 8:1-8
8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
8:2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

Message:
When we look at the situation of the world today, we can be tempted to think that God has withdrawn from the world he created, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our God is very much in charge of His created order. He has never and He will never lose grip of His created universe. One reason why some people think it is immoral to link God with what is happening in the world today is the evil that permeates the world as a result of sin being perpetrated by the men and woman of this age. Such people believe that if God is involved in the affairs of this world, then the terrible things we are witnessing today should have triggered His direct intervention. Such opinions are not new; they were also expressed by some people at the time of the early Church, to whom Peter responded with the words of 2 Peter 3:9:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
The events described in today’s Bible reading showed God’s people living in a very difficult time. The persecution of the early Christians by the Jew, which claimed the life of Stephen, caused the believers to scatter all over the then known world, in a bid to escape further persecution by the Jews. However, this dispersion resulted in the spread of the gospel. Philip, who was initially commissioned to minister to the widows in Jerusalem, became a city-wide evangelist in Samaria. The Bible testifies thus about him:
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.” Acts8:5-6
You can therefore see that indeed, all the things that happened in Jerusalem, including the scattering of the disciples, worked together for the salvation and deliverance of the people of Samaria and other parts of the world. My prayer for you is that all the things you are passing through this season will work together for your good in Jesus’ Name. However, only those who love God have the assurance of all things working together in their favour, especially those who are called according to God’s purpose. Therefore, ensure that your love for God is sincere, so that your expectations will not be disappointed.

Prayer Point:
Father, in accordance with Your word, let all things begin to work together for my good in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ephesians 5-6
Philippians 1
Daniel 9:16-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR
SAVIOUR
1. Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor,
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

FRIDAY 20TH OCTOBER, 2017

IMPORTUNE PRAYER OR VAIN REPETITION?

MEMORISE:
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:7

READ:
Luke 18:1-8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Philippians2-4 & Daniel 10:1-14

MESSAGE:
A lot of people don’t know the difference between importune prayer and prayer with vain repetitions. Importune prayer, otherwise known as persistent or relentless prayer, is good and recommended by our Lord Jesus Christ, while vain repetitions are abhorred and condemned by Him. In our memory verse, the Lord Himself warned us against vain repetitions during prayer! The question is, what does it mean to pray using vain repititions? Does it mean, as assumed by lot of people, using the same words over and over again when praying? To answer this question, let’s take a look at what Mark 14:39 says about the prayers the Lord offered in the Garden of Gethsemane:
“And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.”
It is clear from this scripture that vain repetition does not mean repeating the same words in prayer. Using vain repetitions in prayer simply means continuously praying on a request for which God has said “No” or “Wait”, “it’s not yet time”, in the hope of stampeding Him into doing what He has purposed not to do in your own best interest. I remember when my children were still young and we were living in Mushin (Lagos, Nigeria), where there were so many reckless drivers around. My children asked for bicycles, but I refused to grant that request because I did not want to bury any of them. My answer to their request could be interpreted as, “Wait, it’s not yet time”. However, when we moved to the Redemption Camp, where the roads were safe for young fellows to ride bicycles, I decided it was time to grant their request. If they kept asking me for bicycles while we were still at Mushin, that could be interpreted as praying using vain repetitions.
In our Bible reading, the Lord encouraged importune or unrelenting prayer by using the illustration of a judge who was not sensitive to the plight of his petitioners, least of all a lowly widow. Importune prayer is the prayer we keep on saying when God has not given a verdict of yes or no. It demonstrates to God that we have no alternative to Him and what He can do for us. This story tells us that after the widow kept on going to the judge day and night, he decided to do what she wanted. Although God cannot be intimidated by our prayers, in as much as we ask according to his will and we do not grow weary in asking, He will always answer us. Daniel prayed importune prayer for twenty-one days before he got his answer. As a matter of fact, it was his importune prayer that prevented him from being robbed of the answer to his request which had been released on the very first day that he started praying, but was hijacked by principalities (Daniel 10:12-13). I pray that your cry to God will be heard today and you will have testimonies in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, avenge me of my adversaries today, and put laughter on my lips in Jesus’ Name.

HYMN 1:
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour 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 Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SATURDAY 21ST OCTOBER, 2017

KNOW & STAY WITHIN YOUR CALLING

MEMORISE:
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3

READ:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Colossians 1-4 & Daniel 10:15-11:6

MESSAGE:
Anyone who wants to be successful in life without struggling must know the reason why God sent him into this world. As a child of God, it is particularly very important for you to know your calling and stay within it. There are many reasons why a child of God should know and stay within his or her calling. The Holy Spirit expounds on this in Romans 12:3 saying:
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
This scripture reveals a serious mistake that knowing one’s calling could help to avoid. That mistake is thinking of oneself more highly than one ought to. For example, a person called as a teacher seeing himself as an apostle would get into a lot of problems. He or she will commit blunders, and can only be rescued by repenting and staying within the call of God with every sense of sobriety.
Also, in our Bible reading, we are exposed to the diversities of gifts given by the same Spirit of God. Irrespective of the type of gifts we are given, 1 Corinthians 12:7 says this about their purpose:
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
This scripture reveals that these gifts are for the purpose of blessing the Body of Christ. This is why you should never make merchandise of spiritual gifts. Freely the Holy Spirit gives, and freely we must operate in His gifts without profiteering. This might be the reason why Elisha refused to take the gifts offered by Naaman, the Syrian army general, after he was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:15-16). Moreover, we must not only know our calling, we must also stay within it as a matter of necessity. Those who would not stay within their calling will end up in frustration. The truth is, no calling is inferior to the other, and none is superior either (1 Corinthians 12:15-25). It is an inferiority complex that makes a child of God think that he or she is not gifted, when he or she can sing, witness or give generously without constraints. It takes a divine calling to be rich and still find it easy to distribute your riches to meet people’s needs. Ananias and Sapphira entered into the calling of giving like Barnabas, when they were not called into it, and they met their waterloo (Acts 4:36-37, Acts 5:1-11). That thing you are doing for God with ease is your area of calling. Identify and stay in it. God bless you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, open my understanding to know my calling and give me the necessary contentment to stay within it in Jesus’ Name.

HYMN 15:
1. Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come!

2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

4. O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

5. Sing till the echoes fly above the vaulted sky,
And all the saints above to all below reply,
In strains of endless love, the song that ne’er will die:
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 22ND OCTOBER, 2017

FULFIL YOUR CALLING

MEMORISE:
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2 Timothy 4:5

READ:
Romans 12:6-18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Thessalonians 1-5 & Daniel 11:7-19

MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we discussed knowing and staying within your calling. One of the reasons why it is important for you to know and stay within your calling is to fulfill the purpose of your calling. Fulfilling your calling is therefore premised on you knowing and staying with your calling. We are instructed by the Lord to ensure the profitable use of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit - though not without caution that it should be done in faith. The bedrock of the use of the gifts the Holy Spirit gives and the offices our Lord Jesus Christ calls us into is love. This is why Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:31, as a prologue to his exposition on love, said:
“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
Without love, you cannot adequately fulfill your calling. Through the story of Jonah who was commissioned as a prophet to warn a perishing nation, we learn that without love, there is no way anyone can fulfill his or her calling. The office of the prophet is a desirable office among the fivefold offices in the Church (Ephesians 4:11). This was the office Jonah was called into. However, a lack of love for perishing souls almost made him to lose that office and his life (Jonah 1:1-15). Beloved, into what office have you been called? Are you fulfilling your calling? If not, do you know the cause? May be it is because your heart is lacking in love. 1 Corinthians 13:2 says:
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
It is amazing to read that Jonah was angry because God decided to forgive the people of Nineveh after he had been forced to warn them to repent. Jonah 3:10-4:1 says,
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.”
You cannot fulfill your calling if you don’t have love to operate it. Your gifts would just be monumental but without value. It takes love to be a successful administrator to say the least. It takes love to successfully do the work of an evangelist or teacher. Without love, you may own all the goods in the world and people dying of starvation will mean nothing to you. A pastor without love would just be milking the sheep to fatten himself up for perdition. Love is the excellent way of fulfilling your calling. Release your heart to love, and stay away from hate.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please fill my heart with compassion and love, so that I may fulfill my calling in Jesus’ Name.

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.

Julivas:
OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

SUNDAY 22ND OCTOBER, 2017

FULFIL YOUR CALLING

MEMORISE:
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2 Timothy 4:5

READ:
Romans 12:6-18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Thessalonians 1-5 & Daniel 11:7-19

MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we discussed knowing and staying within your calling. One of the reasons why it is important for you to know and stay within your calling is to fulfill the purpose of your calling. Fulfilling your calling is therefore premised on you knowing and staying with your calling. We are instructed by the Lord to ensure the profitable use of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit - though not without caution that it should be done in faith. The bedrock of the use of the gifts the Holy Spirit gives and the offices our Lord Jesus Christ calls us into is love. This is why Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:31, as a prologue to his exposition on love, said:
“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
Without love, you cannot adequately fulfill your calling. Through the story of Jonah who was commissioned as a prophet to warn a perishing nation, we learn that without love, there is no way anyone can fulfill his or her calling. The office of the prophet is a desirable office among the fivefold offices in the Church (Ephesians 4:11). This was the office Jonah was called into. However, a lack of love for perishing souls almost made him to lose that office and his life (Jonah 1:1-15). Beloved, into what office have you been called? Are you fulfilling your calling? If not, do you know the cause? May be it is because your heart is lacking in love. 1 Corinthians 13:2 says:
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
It is amazing to read that Jonah was angry because God decided to forgive the people of Nineveh after he had been forced to warn them to repent. Jonah 3:10-4:1 says,
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.”
You cannot fulfill your calling if you don’t have love to operate it. Your gifts would just be monumental but without value. It takes love to be a successful administrator to say the least. It takes love to successfully do the work of an evangelist or teacher. Without love, you may own all the goods in the world and people dying of starvation will mean nothing to you. A pastor without love would just be milking the sheep to fatten himself up for perdition. Love is the excellent way of fulfilling your calling. Release your heart to love, and stay away from hate.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please fill my heart with compassion and love, so that I may fulfill my calling in Jesus’ Name.

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.

Thanks for sharing opened heavens God blessed u

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH.A.ADEBOYE

MONDAY 23RD OCTOBER, 2017

HIS THOUGHTS TOWARDS YOU

MEMORISE:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

READ:
Isaiah 55:8 -13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Thessalonians 1-3,1 Timothy 1-2 & Daniel 11:20-35

MESSAGE :
The Almighty God has special promises for His children. These promises are great and their operation is not dependent on the condition of the economy of the nations where His children are located. When the Lord says, “it is well with you”, He is not saying this because of the things around you. He is saying so because of the things He is capable of doing. You can therefore rest assured, because there is no impossibility with Him. His thoughts and promises towards you are great and perfect, but there are keys required to unlock them. One of such keys is found in Psalm 37:37;
“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”
Righteousness is the key that ensures the enjoyment of God’s blessings in this world. The economy may be hard against other people of the land, but in the midst of the instability, God is saying it shall be well with the righteous. Isaiah 3:10 says,
“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”
The Almighty God knows how to make you experience peace in the midst of crisis. He knows how to lift you up when others are being cast down. He knows how to settle you while others are lamenting. This is because His thoughts towards you are not a function of the economic indices of your country. In hard times, there are lots of compromises made in business and also in practical Christian living, but the eyes of the Lord are fixed on us all the time and He is waiting to reward us according to our works. We must ensure that our stand for God does not change even in hard economic times. We must remain righteous in season and out of season. Others may compromise righteousness for the sake of gain, but you must remember the promises of God concerning your life. If Joseph had compromised his stance when the wife of his boss seductively approached him, he would not have emerged a deliverer in Egypt. There are those who put their trust in men and connections, but those who understand the greatness of God will follow God’s rules for their lives, because they know they cannot get anything better than what God has in store for them. No matter what and who they have access to, the righteous do not trust in themselves or man. Their trust is in the Name of the Lord. Everything that the branch needs is supplied by the Vine. The Vine has the roots that bring all the water and nourishment that the branch needs. This is why Philippians 4:19 says,
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Therefore, trust in God’s promises and hold on to Him tenaciously. He will not fail.

KEY POINT:
Those who follow God are always partakers of good things.

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

TUESDAY 24TH OCTOBER, 2017

THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU.

MEMORISE:
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

READ:
Job 1:13-19; Job 42:12-13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1Timothy 3-6 & Daniel 11:36-45

MESSAGE:
If you will ever achieve anything tangible in life, you need faith that hinges on God and that believes in possibilities. If our God could frame the universe through His word, then there is no situation or circumstance beyond His control (Hebrews 11:3). There is no situation in your life that He cannot reverse. He can bring hope to your life irrespective of the long-standing problems in it. In John 5:1-8, we see the story of a man at the pool of Bethesda, who had been in the same sad condition for 38 years. He claimed that the reason why he had not been made whole was because he had no man to assist him; but by the time the Lord Jesus came on the scene, his problems ceased without the help of any man. Irrespective of the many years of rejection you have suffered, the Almighty God is attending to your situation right now in Jesus’ Name. There are families that have lost so many things. They have been through all sorts of problems. In Genesis 18:1-10, we have the account of Abraham and Sarah, who had waited several years for the fulfillment of God’s promise. The angels of God finally visited them and assured them that their long awaited blessing was on the way. Despite all the odds stacked against them physiologically, God’s purpose was established in their lives. I speak the word of God to every family going through pains: the Almighty God will divinely visit you and settle you in Jesus’ Name.
There are some people in business who are already planning to close down their offices and outlets because of the situation of things. I want you to know that your moment of refreshing is on the way. Don’t quit, because the Almighty God will restore to you all that you have lost. Today’s Bible reading narrates how Job lost everything he had, from his children to his investments. However, the scripture tells us that the Almighty God arose and blessed his latter end than his beginning (Job 42:12). I want to assure you that irrespective of how harsh the economic climate is, the Almighty God will sort you out in Jesus’ Name. Also, there is hope for a nation. A closer look at all that is going on around the world would make anyone feel very uncomfortable. In 2 Kings 6:24-7:1, the economy of Samaria was very bad due to a siege. All the technocrats had tried all they could but things got out of hand. At the peak of this adverse situation, the man of God prophesied that things would change suddenly. Those who understand global economic indices said that this was impossible. The Almighty God however performed His word as He had spoken it. I announce to you that it is about to rain upon your life, family, career, business and nation in Jesus’ Name. God will intervene and put an end to your problems in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT:
Father, let my joy begin now.

HYMN 1:
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour 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 Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 25TH OCTOBER, 2017

TOUCH NOT MY ANNOINTED.

MEMORISE:
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm

Psalm 105:15

READ:
2 Kings 1:1-15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Timothy 1-4 & Daniel 12

MESSAGE:
Although the anointing in the life of the anointed can have positive impact on people’s lives , it can also take actions which have adverse effects against those who abuse the anointed or treat him or her spitefully. The Holy Spirit therefore gave us the warning in today’s memory verse to avoid being on the receiving end of such grave actions. This reminds me of the sad story of a pastor who tried to humiliate my father-in-the-Lord, Pastor Josiah Akindayomi, during his lifetime. Sadly, this fellow became leprous and died. This is similar to the tragic story in today’s Bible reading. Ahaziah, the king of Samaria, tried to lay hands on Elijah, God’s anointed prophet. What was the prophet’s crime? God sent Elijah to point out to him that it was wrong for him to have sent emissaries to consult a strange god for his healing, in defiance of God’s law (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). God’s warning, if heeded, normally brings forgiveness and restoration, as demonstrated in Jonah 3:10, when the people of Nineveh repented of their sins. Unfortunately, instead of crying to the merciful God of Israel, the king ordered the prophet’s arrest. Is this the right response to a message of warning from God? Before you respond to this, think of how you also feel whenever your pastor hands down a strong sermon to you in an effort to make you repent and be delivered from both present and eternal damnation. The story of King Ahaziah’s foolish actions ends in tragedy, not only for him but also for the soldiers he sent to arrest the anointed of God.
There are many lessons to learn and pray about from this story. First and foremost, we must pray for our bad leaders, because when God’s judgment comes, even the innocent may not escape the outcome. Secondly, children of God must always know whether any assignment they are given is of God or of the devil, and they should ask God for wisdom to go about it. I remember some policemen who wanted to extort money from my entourage some years ago. The moment I told their leader, “There is always a last assignment for every individual on earth”, he understood and let us go. If he had not repented, that would have been his last outing, because it was not I who spoke but the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, ministers of God should always live above board so that God’s anointing can fight on their behalf. Elijah said, “if I be a man of God...”. As a pastor, evangelist or prophet, can you confidently say you are a man of God? Have you burnt your spiritual fingers in the fire of sin and covered it up as if nothing happened? If you are in such a situation, repent today so that the anointing can resume its defense of your life. For those fond of ridiculing the anointed man of God, be careful, so that you don’t experience the adverse effects of the anointing. May the peace of God be with you.

ACTION POINT:
If you’ve spitefully treated the anointed of God, repent and pray for forgiveness and healing.

HYMN 15:
1. Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come!

2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

4. O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

5. Sing till the echoes fly above the vaulted sky,
And all the saints above to all below reply,
In strains of endless love, the song that ne’er will die:
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

THURSDAY 26TH OCTOBER, 2017

AS YOU LAY YOUR BED!

MEMORISE:
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
2 Timothy 2:6

READ:
Proverb 27:23-27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Titus 1-3, Philemon 1 & Hosea 1

MESSAGE:
Insincerity is a terrible character flaw that has led to the undoing of different generations of mankind. Take for instance Cain. He had no reason whatsoever not to have known that it was the nature and attitude of his sacrifice that made the Righteous God reject his offering. Furthermore, there was no justifiable reason whatsoever for him to have gone ahead to murder his brother, after he had been told that his wicked intentions were known to the Omniscient God. However, because he was not sincere to himself, he did what he did and he forever lived with its consequences. One dimension of the insincerity of men is manifested when people speak or work against paying a labourer his due wages. If you are one of such people, please know that this character is not a part of God’s nature and His word is against it. In 1 Timothy 5:18, God said:
“...Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
Some people envy hardworking colleagues who are being promoted. As it is generally assumed, promotion comes with its responsibilities as well as attendant goodies and benefits. More often than not, people refuse to see the added responsibilities of a hardworking leader; they only see his or her derivable benefits. This attitude is not godly.
There are some valuable lessons on labour and reward which I would like to point out to you today. First, I want you to know that since God has said that He who does not work should not eat, the righteousness of God makes it imperative that he who works must eat, (2 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:18). Secondly, as you lay your bed, so will you lie on it. The more diligent you are in business, the more comfortable you will be after fulfilling all godly conditions. Thirdly, when you are diligent in your vocation, business or job, you will be promoted to lead, because Proverbs 12:24 says,
“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.”
The fourth lesson I want you to note is that riches are not forever. However, they can endure on one condition: if you continue to be diligent at your business. The fifth lesson is that God must be factored into whatever you do. Remember that except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it (Psalms 127:7). This consideration has to do with being faithful in paying tithes, offering, vows and the first fruits of your increase (Malachi 3:10, Psalm 50:14, Proverb 3:9). Beloved, the most needful of all these is that you give your life to Christ and accept the redemption which He used His life to produce for all mankind. It shall be well with you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, through the knowledge of Your word and Your Holy spirit, help me to be sincere with Your principles which govern being blessed in this world and the world to come.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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

FRIDAY 27TH OCTOBER, 2017

THE ESSENCE OF SPIRITUAL OFFICE

MEMORISE:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ephesians 4:11

READ:
Ephesians 4:8-14

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hebrew 1-4 & Hosea 2

MESSAGE:
When God calls a person into a spiritual office, it is because there are roles he wants such a person to play in the scheme of things as regards God’s agenda for man on earth. Spiritual offices are not just for the purpose of accumulating titles or occupying position. If you are called into a spiritual office, you are called to serve God, and to be a blessing to lives. God is the giver of all spiritual gifts through His Holy Spirit. However, it so obvious today that some people are not using the spiritual offices they occupy for God’s original purpose. If you have been called as a pastor, your responsibility is to raise a church and care for the spiritual needs of those God has placed in your trust as a pastor. Today, there are many sheep wandering away, because they are not being properly guided by the shepherds the Good Shepherd has set over them. There are members of the Body of Christ who cannot identify their left from their right, and for this reason the Holy Spirit in 2 Timothy 4:2, gave this mandate to those He has set over them as pastors:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Are you an evangelist? You are a preacher and messenger of the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As an evangelist, you are to declare the entire counsel of God wherever you are. The word of the Lord should not be watered down because of the presence of certain people in your audience (Jeremiah 1:. You are to constantly remind your hearer of the genuine word of God and avoid messages that will not bring people to the knowledge of Christ and His saving works. If you are a teacher of the word, you have been gifted by the Holy Spirit to explain God’s word in order to build and equip the church. You are to communicate biblical truths effectively to the understanding of your hearers. Are you occupying the office of a prophet? If you are, you have been authorized by God to speak on His behalf.
There are lots of problems in the Body of Christ today because people are not using these spiritual offices for the purpose for which they were given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace has been given to everyone according to the measure of the gift of Christ; hence, it is important that people disengage from causing divisions within the Body of Christ. The offices are meant to complement one another for the perfecting of the saints and to edify the Body of Christ. The offices are to be used together for the unity of the church, so that God’s people can come into the full knowledge of Him.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, may Your grace upon my life not be in vain.

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 28TH OCTOBER, 2017

POVERTY OR RICHES?

MEMORISE:
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7

READ:
2 Corinthians 8:7-9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hebrew 5-8 & Hosea 3-4

MESSAGE:
It is the ultimate desire of our Father to see that we are blessed. He wants all His children to dwell in His blessings (Psalm 92:13-14). It is not His desire that our lives should be at the mercy of unbelievers. The more wealth the Lord empowers us with, the more His Kingdom on earth should increase. Don’t believe those who tell you that as a child of God, you are not supposed to be wealthy. This is a false doctrine! It is written in God’s word that you are to lend to nations and not borrow (Deuteronomy 15:6). It is also recorded in God’s word that the blessings of the Lord make rich and add no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). Furthermore, God says in His word that He wishes above all things that you prosper and be in good health (3 John 1:2). God has the key to all things, including all the wealth of this world. Psalm 24:1 says,
“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Although God’s word contains all these truths about wealth, as long as believers doubt their efficacy, they will never be able to access God’s wealth. Before you can take possession of God’s wealth, you need to have certain keys that will separate you from poverty and bring you to a realm of unprecedented riches of God. If the Almighty God gives you the power to get wealth, everything you touch automatically turns to riches. You need to acknowledge the fact that true and enduring wealth only comes from God. Deuteronomy 8:18 says,
“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Experiencing true riches is not about millions coming into your account. There are people who have experienced this several time, without the grace to retain such riches. God wants to bless you and also give you the power to retain His blessings. The type of riches that comes without any element of sorrow in it is what God desires for you and your children’s children.
God is against wealth obtained through sin. It doesn’t matter how much you contribute to the work of God, if your money is not earned legitimately, you are placing a curse on yourself and your contributions to the kingdom project will not deliver you from God’s judgment (Proverb 21:27). If God’s children would fear and obey His principle for wealth creation, poverty will become a thing of the past in their lives. You have to hate poverty because a poor man will always live another man’s life. If you seek the righteousness of God, all other things will be added to you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, separate me from all forms of ungodly riches and poverty.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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

SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER, 2017

TURN PROPHECIES INTO REALITIES

MEMORISE:
This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;1 Timothy 1:18

READ:
James 5:17-18
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hebrew 9-10 & Hosea 5-6

MESSAGE:
A prophecy is of little or no good to the one it has been sent if it does not move from the realm of the spirit into the physical realm. Your attitude to prophecy plays a great role in determining its manifestation in the physical world. Today’s Bible reading tells us how best to relate with prophecies. Through it, we understand that it is important to pray before making a decree and also after you prophesy. At a time when the nation of Israel was in the grip of a serious national backsliding, Elijah stood before King Ahab and decreed that there would be no rain until he reversed the decree (1 Kings 17:1). Immediately after he made this decree, he went into seclusion. The King only heard the decree, but he did not know what went on behind the scenes. Apostle James tells us that Elijah prayed earnestly before he made this decree. After the nation had experienced intense famine for 3 & 1/2 years, God asked Elijah to show himself again to the king. Elijah then stood before King Ahab on Mount Carmel and told him to celebrate because he had heard the sound of abundant rain (1Kings 18:41-46). He said this only after he had successfully turned the backslidden hearts of the children of Israel back to God. After making this declaration to Ahab, he left the presence of the King, fell on his face and prayed earnestly to God until his prophecy came to pass.
Never make a decree or release a prophecy without the backing of prayer. Several people have received certain prophecies that they knew without a doubt was meant for them, and yet they have not witnessed their manifestation in their lives, even while several others are testifying of the fulfillment of the same prophecies in their own lives. What could be wrong? The difference is that some heard, received the prophecy and prayed for its fulfillment, while others heard, received it, but did nothing afterwards. The good thing is that all is not lost; every prophecy that has been spoken into your life or that you have received is still hanging around in the spirit realm, waiting for you to bring it into the realm of the physical through your earnest prayer. A man who had been barren for over 30 years once asked God what he should do, and God said he should wait. When he attended one of our meetings, a prophecy came forth saying “the waiting period is over”. He thanked God, received it and prayed earnestly. That month, his wife conceived. Go ahead and pray for the manifestation of every prophecy God has sent to you that is yet to become reality in your life.

KEY POINT:
Every prophecy can become reality if only you can apply the tool of effective, persistent prayer.

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

MONDAY 30TH OCTOBER, 2017

SHUTTING UP MOCKERS

MEMORISE:
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. Proverbs 10:28

READ:
Psalm 35:15-19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hebrews 11-13 & Hosea 7

MESSAGE:
God is a specialist at disgracing mockers and giving His children the last laugh. This season, you shall laugh last in Jesus’ Name! in Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus was crying to Jesus for help, some people were irritated. Do you know that there are people who do not want your voice to be heard at all? “Shut up you blind beggar! With people like us around, do you think the master would have time for a beggar like you?” They laughed at him with an air of importance, but he ignored their mockery and cried out for help all the more. They got angry at his defiance. “You’ve got some nerve, you noisy fellow! If you know what is good for you, you better keep your mouth shut!” They continued mocking him as the crowd moved along. However, to their amazement, Jesus suddenly stopped and said, “There is a blind beggar along the street behind us. Go and bring him here now.” Immediately, the laughter of the mockers ceased. The laughter of your mockers has come to a permanent end today in Jesus' Name! The same mockers became his helper. They politely took him to Jesus, and after Jesus healed him, he became the center of attraction. Very soon, you that people thought would never amount to anything will become the center of attraction in Jesus’ Name!
A particular sister was dying at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital. Her husband met the doctor and they confided in him that she would not live to see the following morning under any circumstance. So he went to his wife, pretending to care for her, and he told her he would see her the following morning, secretly expecting to meet her corpse by then. As he left the hospital, he phoned his mistress and said, “My stupid wife will pass away tonight. Come over and let’s have fun.” The mistress came to his house and they were “having fun”, but because they never expected anyone to disturb them, they did not even lock the door of the bedroom. They were in for the shock of their lives. After this man left the hospital earlier on, that same night, the Lord Jesus Christ visited his sick wife and said “I am the Lord that healeth thee; rise up and go home.” As she got up and walked out of the hospital, the nurse thought they were daydreaming and seeing her ghost, and so they did not stop her. She got home and caught the two evil doors in their illicit act. She said to them, “You thought I was dead, but I am alive and well.” Every evil expectation of your enemies shall be disappointed in Jesus’ Name! You shall laugh from now on!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, turn every expectation of my mockers to disappointment.

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

TUESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2017

PRAYERLESSNESS DISALLOWED.

MESSAGE:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

READ:
Mark 13:32-37

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 1-3 & Hosea 8

MESSAGE:
Prayerlessness is a major challenge facing contemporary believers. Many refused to pray as they ought to because they have become overconfident and proud. The more you pray to God, the less dependent on yourself you become. As young Christians, some people prayed quite often. When they became workers in God’s vineyard, they sustained their prayer tempo, but the moment they became pastors, their prayer-life nosedived. Why the decline? It is because such people began to believe that they could now do things on their own. This is the highway to ruin. Are you praying less after God has elevated you spiritually? If your answer is yes, check yourself very well, you will discover that you now have more faith in yourself to succeed by your effort than by God’s support. This is one reason why God keeps a distance from the proud: He knows if He helps them achieve a feat, at the end, they will not think twice before taking His glory.
Besides pride, another reason for prayerlessness is carelessness. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Also, in Mark 13:32-37, the Lord emphasized the need to watch. You cannot afford to be careless. You can’t afford to be cold, lukewarm or carefree in these days that we live in. Praying goes along with watching. You cannot pray effectively if you fail to watch as well. If you watch effectively, it will help to give your prayers direction. You will know what trending issues to lift before God’s throne. You will have some burdens in the place of prayer that will only be lifted after you have prayed through. Similarly, if you watch as you should, you will be able to relate events that are happening around you with the second coming of Jesus Christ. If you are keeping watch, you will be on your guard and on your toes. If you watch, you cannot be asleep. Beloved, this is not the time to sleep but the time to be spiritually awake, alert and prepared. This is the time to pray about virtually everything that comes across our path. It is a time to wholly depend on God, who knows the way, to show us the way in the midst of growing confusion and evil spreading around the world. Wake up! Fast more! Watch more! May the Lord guide you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please silence everything in me that is working against me having an effective prayer life.

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.

4.Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 1ST 2017

OVERFLOWING LAUGHTER.

MEMORISE:
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. Genesis 21:6

READ:
2 Kings 2:1-15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
James 4-5, 1 Peter 1 &
Hosea 9

MESSAGE:
In Joshua 7, after the Israelites had defeated the people of Jericho, Joshua sent a handful of soldiers to attack Ai. Because Ai was just a little town, he expected victory without a sweat, but to his utter dismay, his people were defeated. After receiving the sad news, he fell on his face overwhelmed by shame, because defeat brings shame. The enemy would have laughed, wondering how a small city such as Ai could defeat Israel. However, while Joshua was lying before the Ark of the Covenant with his face to the ground, God told him the cause of the defeat and what to do to have victory again. Have you been defeated by a weakness or an enemy you considered too weak to bring you down? I declare to you that this is your season of laughter! The Lord will show you the way to victory today, and your laughter will begin.
Moreover, beyond laughter, there is something called overflowing laughter. In today’s Bible passage, when Elijah was about to be transported to Heaven, Elisha his servant had some unpleasant experiences everywhere he went with his master. As they visited each of the schools of the prophets, the sons of the prophets, who were students in these schools, called Elisha aside and said to him, “Daddy’s boy, everywhere daddy goes, you go with him. Do you know that your daddy will be going finally today, and you will have no one else to follow about? We shall soon see what will become of you.” Every time they say this, Elisha replied them saying, “I know my master is going today, but mind your own business.” After Elijah was taken to Heaven and his mantle dropped, Elisha grabbed it and smote the river like his father had done, and the River Jordan parted into two for him to go through. The sons of the prophets, who were watching from a distance, came and bowed down to him. They had no choice but to admit that indeed, the spirit of Elijah is now rested on him. The greatest laughter comes when your mockers become your servants. When God called me into ministry, a lot of people laughed. The greatest laughter came from my village, where they said, “Look at him - the only lecturer from this village who we thought was going to become an important personality. We knew something was wrong with him the moment he joined that church of 'Amen' and began saying 'Amen, Amen'.” Nevertheless, today, God has given me overflowing laughter. Wherever they are laughing you to scorn, the Lord will give you overflowing laughter in Jesus’ Name!

ACTION POINT:
Pray that everyone who has been experiencing sorrow, disgrace and shame for long in your local assembly will begin to experience overflowing laughter from now on.

HYMN 4:
1.Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor;
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched out 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,
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,
In our living, in our dying,
All must be well

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 2ND 2017

EXPECT TEST.

MEMORISE:
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. 2 King 2:2

READ:
1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 King 2:1-15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Peter 2-5 & Hosea 10

MESSAGE:
There are some vital lessons we can benefit from the story of Elijah and Elisha found in our Bible reading today. The first thing we see in that story is that God always has something better, more precious and more glorious in store for His children. No matter where you are and where you plan to be, God always has a better plan for you. This is why 2 Timothy 1:9 says,
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
God has a unique purpose for your life. When you became born again, you were called by God to fulfill that purpose, and He also called you to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7). This call of God on you is referred to as a 'high calling' (Philippians 3:14). Therefore, no matter how good you are in strategic planning, there is still a need for you to subordinate your plans under God’s will and allow Him to have His way in your life. No wonder Psalm 37:5 says that you should not fail to commit your ways unto God and trust Him to help you in actualizing your plans. This is also why Proverbs 3:5-7 says that you should always tell God of your plans, so that He will provide divine guidance. Do you trust God enough to let Him direct your steps? Elisha was a successful businessman before the mantle of God’s call fell on him, and he left his business to follow God’s plan for his life (1 kings 19:19). Eventually, he became a father to the whole nation of Israel and kings called him ‘father’.
Moreover, another lesion is that although God has a higher glory ahead of you, He can use people, situations and circumstances to test your resolve along the way. Sometimes when test come, we don’t recognize them as tests, and because of this, many of us fail the test. You have to pray that in the test of life, you will not be a failure. When Prophet Elijah was to be taken away, he told his servant Elisha that he had been sent by God on some errands and that Elisha should not bother to follow him. Thank God Elisha was dogged and sensitive enough to realize that it was a test, and he passed the test brilliantly. Some tests of life are so crucial that failing them may rubbish all the past good efforts one has put into achieving greatness. May you not fail in the tests of life!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, whatever tests I would have to go through, please see me through. In the tests of life, let me not be a failure.

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 Savior and my Friend.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 3RD NOVEMBER, 2017

UPTURNING BLESSINGS

MEMORISE:
And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. Joshua 6:18

READ:
Malachi 2:1-6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Peter 1-3, 1 John 1 &
Hosea 11

MESSAGE:
God can bless you by pronouncing a blessing on you, canceling a curse or even turning a curse into blessing. It is important to establish at this point that no man can change your blessings into a curse - not even the one through whom the blessing was pronounced. Once the blessing is pronounced, it cannot be taken back. We see a manifestation of this truth in Genesis 27:30-37. After Esau returned from his father’s errand and realized his brother had stolen his blessing by impersonating him, he went to his father and said, “Daddy, what have you done?” Isaac, his father, replied, "I am sorry son, I have already blessed him and he remains blessed. I didn’t know I was blessing the wrong fellow, but I can’t change the blessing now. He is already blessed!" In the Name that is above all names, every blessing that has been pronounced on you and your family shall come to pass! Your blessing shall never be reversed in Jesus’ Name! Every plan of the wicked to upturn your blessings shall fail and meet with disappointment!
However, God can change blessing into a curse. In 1 Samuel 2:30, God told Eli, “With my mouth, I said that you and your father’s house would stand before Me forever, but now, because of what you have done, I have changed My mind”, and with the same mouth, God cursed Eli and his descendants forever. In that scripture, the Lord revealed that honouring Him is very crucial. If you want Him to fulfill His promises and beautiful prophecies to you and your family, you must be prepared to honour Him. God will only honour those who honour Him. I have often told those brethren who attend our monthly Divine Encounter programme that when God asks you to give Him your first fruits, it is not because He is in need. It is simply a way of you honouring Him. Proverbs 3:9-10 says,
“Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
Have you been faithful in paying your first fruit? If you pay it faithfully, He will definitely keep His word by bringing His promises to fulfillment in your life. If however, you cannot meet his conditions, do not waste your time claiming the promises. God is a responsible God, and He is the Father of responsible children. If you ignore the commands of your earthly father, it doesn’t show you are responsible. It works the same way with God.

ACTION POINT:
Pray that your blessing will never become a curse.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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

SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER, 2017

DON’T FAINT!

MEMORISE:
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 Corinthians 4:1

READ:
2 Corinthians 4:15-16
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 John 2-4 & Hosea 12

MESSAGE:
As children of God, one lesson we derive from Luke 6:38 is that giving precedes receiving. Those who expect to receive when they have not sown are waiting for an empty harvest. Some people may contend with this truth by citing John 4:38, which says,
“I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”
Yes, it is possible to reap where you did not sow, but you will always reap what you sow. If you check the scriptures, you will find out that the privilege of reaping where you did not sow is reserved for the hardworking fellow and not for the lazy. If you consider the parable of the talent in Matthew 25:14-30, you will discover that the servant who had 10 talents was given the extra talent that was taken away from the lazy servant. The Lord justified this action with these words in Matthew 25:29:
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
If you work hard and excel in whatever assignment the Lord has given you, if you make sacrifices in doing God’s bidding beyond every other person, or if you out-give everyone else, you will not only enter into abundance, but you may also qualify to receive the harvest of the lazy.
Moreover, we see that the lazy servant lost his harvest. May you not lose your harvest to someone else! It is interesting to note that some people lose their harvest not only to laziness but also as a result of lack of patience. A story was told of the pastor of a local assembly, who fasted, prayed and evangelized his community but could not get a harvest. It appeared as if the ground was iron. Unknown to him, God was working out something that would bring a lot of people to that community. Sadly, before God could finish what He was doing, this pastor got discouraged and quit ministry. Just about the same time, another pastor started a ministry in the same community. The people that God caused to relocate to this community as reward for the toiling of the pastor that quit now became a harvest for the new pastor. This new pastor must have concluded that ministry was so easy, without knowing what really happened. In light of this, never give up on your assignment! No matter how tough things may be, remain with God and you will reap your harvest.

KEY POINT:
If you remove people out of their rightful harvest, get set to be thrown out of your own harvest, unless you fully restitute.

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.
Refrain:

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.
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 DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5TH 2017

THEME: WHY PRAISE HIM?

Memorise:
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:5
Read: Psalm 103:1-8
103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
103:6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
103:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Message:
Anytime you find it difficult to worship God, just know that pride might be creeping into your heart. If pride finds a place in your heart, God will begin to resist you from that moment (James 4:6). May God not resist you! Some people have become too big to dance for the King of kings in public. Be warned! 1 Peter 2:9 says we were created, chosen and called to praise God, and so, anything that tries to hinder you from praising God must be avoided like a plague. However, why should you be grateful to God? Why should you thank and praise Him? Our Bible reading gives some reasons. The first reason is for the salvation of your soul (Revelation 1:5-6). When the blood of goats and that of other animals could not wash our sins, God had to send His Son Jesus Christ to shed His Blood for that purpose (Hebrew 10:4). How much did you pay for the Blood of Jesus to wash away your sins? How much have you also paid to receive cleansing by the same Blood, whenever you fall into sin? If Christ had not offered His Blood, there would not have been one soul saved in all of the earth! So what do you do about this? Be thankful for the blood of Jesus!
Similarly, you ought to be grateful for your deliverance. Concerning this, Hebrews 2:14-15 says,
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Revelation 12:11 also says that the Blood of Jesus Christ makes it possible for you to overcome your worst enemy: Satan. The blood protects you from harm’s way. What about your translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, made possible by the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:13)? Have you ever paid for this? How about the healing stripes? 1 Peter 2:24 says because of the lashes that Jesus received, you and I can now access divine healing for every category of sickness. What about His love? Can you pay for His incomparable love with which He has loved you, even while you were deep in sin? But for this love, where would you be by now? Yes, you ought to equally praise Him for His tender mercies that keep you alive on a daily basis (Lamentations 3:22-23). Even when you go to sleep, do you realize it is not by your power that you wake up? Psalm 3:5 says it is God who does this daily, and this is just another reason to praise and worship Him. Are you ready to give Him the thanks and praise that is due to His holy Name?

Action Point:
Today, use every opportunity you have to just praise, thank, adore and worship the Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 John 5
2 John
3 John
Jude
Hosea 13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

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

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

3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious 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.

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY 6TH NOVEMBER, 2017

HE RESPONDS TO LOVE

MEMORISE:
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Proverb 8:17

READ:
Proverb 8:17-18
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Job 1-4 & Hosea 14

MESSAGE:
From the encounter the widow of Zarephath had with God in 1 King 17:8-16, we learn that God knows how to reciprocate love. It takes deep love for God for you to be ready to give your very last meal for His sake. When in Proverbs 8:17 God said,
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
He meant every word of it. When the widow was told to go and first prepare food for Elijah, she looked at him and said, ‘I will do it. Not for you, but for your God and because of my love for Him”. Can it be said that you truly love the Lord? The testimony of genuine love for God is a great testimony every believer in Christ should have. After all is said and done, may it be declared concerning you that you loved the Lord.
Beloved, do you know that giving of first fruits is just a test of your love for God? By the grace of God, out of my love for God and to reach and to reach out to lost souls, I desire to convene a Holy Ghost Congress. The first Congress took place in 1977. I wanted to invite students to come together for this purpose, but I could not afford to feed them all. I had no money but I had a car, and without thinking much about it, I sold the car for that purpose. I did this with every sense of joy and satisfaction. At that time, some people thought I was mad, and really, I was madly in love with God.
When God says he loves those who love him, He means it. When you demonstrate how much you love Him, he will reciprocate. Just recently, I announced to the congregation that I no longer had a need for cars, so nobody should give me a car as a gift anymore. When I got home that same day, four new cars were already waiting for me. I said I didn’t want any more cars, but God said I haven’t seen anything yet. I gave Him my first car and ever since, He keeps sending me cars. The widow gave God her last meal and God kept sending more, meals to her. While everyone around her was either starving or dying due to famine, she and her household got more fattened. You may not believe this, but do you know that I gave the very first house I built in my life to the Lord? For me, it was indeed a pleasurable thing to do. I did not come into this world with a house. God built one for me and when He needed it, I gave it to Him out of love. I can tell you that He has been very faithful to me ever since. Are you still holding back lands, houses, money and other things that you could have given Him to demonstrate your love and provoke greater returns? Do you really love Him?

ACTION POINT:
Pray that God will cause your nation to make progress in every sector.

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

TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, 2017

SEEING JESUS PURIFIES

MEMORISE:
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Malachi 3:3

READ:
2 Corinthians 3:15-18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Job 5-8 & Joel 1

MESSAGE:
When you see Jesus, everything blocking your vision will give way. At the time I came into ministry, we served God selflessly. Nobody had to promise any of us a house, car, position or title. We just loved God and we were ready to serve Him no matter the cost. We were ready to take the shame and suffering that came along with our service. Furthermore, when we suffered, we did not grumble or complain because our focus was on Jesus. This is where our focus should also be today. In Mark 10:17-22, a young man came to Jesus to find out what he needed to do in order to make Heaven. The Lord told him to go and sell all that he had and give to the poor, and then he should take up his cross and follow Him. This was too much for him to bear, and so he went away grieved. He thought he had met all the requirements but the Lord told him what he lacked which he never knew of. Beloved, when you see Jesus, you will realize what is lacking in your life that you never thought about. When you see Jesus, you will be able to see yourself more clearly and deeply. Jesus is the mirror through which you see yourself for who you really are.
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
It was after Isaiah saw the Lord that he realized he had been inviting God’s judgment on himself as well as on the people. He did not know that his lips, which he thought anointed, were also unclean (Isaiah 6:1-7). He saw his true picture and he cried out to God for help. When you see the Lord, it will change your prayer point, and you will begin to pray more appropriately. Isaiah cried for help and God sent an angel to touch his lips with a coal of fire from the altar to purify his lips. Malachi 3:2-a3 says the sons of Levi must be purified by fire. This is why servants of God should not be afraid of trials. When you go through trying times, it is likely that God wants you to be purified. He wants to take out the dirt and anything that will not allow you to truly manifest the grace of God that is upon your life. It takes you seeing Jesus to know how dirty or unclean you really are. Seeing your true state through Him will motivate you to call on Him for help.

KEY POINT
Looking at Jesus, the perfect eternal mirror makes you see yourself in the realities of eternity.

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]

Yes....nice post.
Julivas or Lekan or Soji...not quite sure what your name is cause you have given me so many (please forgive me)....however I have a comment for you.
It's a dangerous. ...and I mean dangerous thing to use God deceptively in order to get something from someone.
What people don't know.....God knows.
Jesus help me....cause my discernment's been way off recently.

MsNgo40:
Yes....nice post.
Julivas or Lekan or Soji...not quite sure what your name is cause you have given me so many (please forgive me)....however I have a comment for you.
It's a dangerous. ...and I mean dangerous thing to use God deceptively in order to get something from someone.
What people don't know.....God knows.
Jesus help me....cause my discernment's been way off recently.

You are absolutely correct. HIS eyes are in every place looking at the good and the bad.