Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Wednesday 24th February, 2016.

HEAVEN: ARE YOU PREPARED?

Memorise
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
-Job 14:1.

Read: 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Message
In the Bible, the word ‘Heaven’ is often used in three ways: to describe a physical part of the universe which is above the sky, the prevailing condition whenever God reigns in the affairs of men, and the invisible dwelling place of God, also known as paradise. Today’s devotional focuses on the need to prepare for heaven, the dwelling place of God, and what such a preparation entails. First, the Bible presents heaven as the dwelling place of God, where His manifest presence is a permanent feature, as He is the only source of light there. Because of the constant presence of God in heaven, it is a place of extreme joy and peace. Heaven is also a place of recognition, reward, celebration, and total rest from trouble. Holiness is the only acceptable currency in heaven.
Several passages of the Bible stress life’s mystery and brevity using two vivid metaphors of “a fading flower or withering grass” and “a swiftly passing shadow”. That life offers little joy, peace and satisfaction is well known even to children. Also, all human beings are familiar with the progressive labour, pain, insecurity, sorrow, and disappointments that we all have to endure as long as we are alive. Furthermore, the concepts of death and the afterlife presented in the Bible reveals the God had purposely packaged heaven as the final destination for all humans that pass the entrance examination. John 14:2-3 says:

“In my father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

This is an expression of God’s love and mercy to all human beings. Out of this everlasting love, the Almighty God has convincingly and systematically revealed His eternal plans and purposes to humanity, about how we are created to start our lives here on earth for the singular purpose of doing the perfect will of God. This is to enable us live our lives in ways that honour God in all things, for the ultimate goal of spending eternity with Him in heaven. Therefore, the above passage makes it very clear that heaven is being specially prepared only for those who are prepared to do whatever it takes to enter. I therefore pray that God will help our preparations and graciously admit us into heaven in Jesus’ name.
Now, Matthew 19:23 says that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, not because riches and wealth are evil, nor because heaven was made only for the poor, but because the typical characteristics of affluent people are contrary to the will of God. Such behaviours include pride and confidence in human wisdom, fame, achievements, money, and power. Another found with these will not enter into heaven. The truth is; Jesus extends the promise of heaven to all who come to Him by faith without classifications such as financial status, gender, age, culture or nationality. Matthew 18:3 says except a person is converted and becomes a little child in faith, total submission and obedience to the will of God, he or she will not enter into heaven. Finally, Matthew 7:21 says, not all churchgoers will be admitted into heaven, but only those that operate in the will of God. The big question is, are you prepared for heaven?

Action Point
Father, please whatever will make me miss heaven; take it out of my life in Jesus’ name.
_____________________
Day 45, Wednesday 24th February, 2016.
»Father, renew Your fire and passion for the work of the ministry in me.
»I declare that my walk with the Lord will not be in vain, Philippians 2:16, 1 Corinthians 15:58
»I declare that as I walk with the Lord, I will not fail Him.
»Declare that as you receive strength and grace for the work that your strength is made perfect in Him.

Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Thursday 25th February, 2016.

HELL IS REAL.

Memorise
And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom.
-Luke 16:23.

Read: Luke 16:19-31.

Message
Hell is a term used in the Bible to describe the place of eternal punishment, originally created by God as the final destination for Satan and his angels, which is the second death. It is also used to define the prevailing circumstances of any human environment that is controlled by the devil. The Bible also portrays hell as the home of evil, a place of intense darkness, and an unquenchable fire that is burning with brimstone. Furthermore, hell is a state of final separation from God, and by extension, separation from life, light, love, peace, pleasure and fulfilment. However, some people do not believe in the reality of hell, which brings us to one of the most frequently asked question on earth, is hell real?
Our Bible passage for today tells us the story of two personalities, a certain rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. They both died at different times, as it has been appointed unto all human beings to die some day. At death, they were both faced with the reality of life after death, their status here on earth notwithstanding. Lazarus found himself cooling off at the bosom of father Abraham in heaven, while the rich man was being tormented in the flames of hell. Hell is very real because the Almighty God, who cannot tell lies, confirmed it so, though hell was originally created for Satan and his angels, it is also for human beings who choose to reject God and follow Satan. May the Lord deliver humanity from the illusion of the devil and open our eyes to the reality of hell in Jesus’ Name.
Matthew 13:40-42 says:

“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angles, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Hell is usually presented in the Bible as the consequence of rejecting God, as evident in the above passage, Jesus, in several passage of the Bible, tried in every possible way, to illustrate to all humanity that hell is real, terrible, and something to be feared and avoided. All paths do not lead to God; Jesus is the only Way through which we can get to Heaven. Jesus is the only way that leads to God. A great man of God once said that the fastest road to hell is a pretentious and gradual one; it is like a gentle slope, a soft underfoot, which is without sudden turnings, milestones, or signposts. People on this path are ignorantly and innocently caressed to hell.
Matthew 7:13 says:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:”

Do not be deceived, hell is real and terrible. There is no possibility of amnesty or reprieve. Candidates of hell will suddenly resurrect to eternal condemnation without remedy. I honestly don’t understand why anyone will risk going to hell when the God who never lies has said clearly that it exists and the only contrary opinion is from philosophies of unreliable men. Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today as the only way to escape the horrors of hell.

Prayer Point
Father, let the reality of hell be imposed upon my heart always in Jesus’ name.
_____________________
Day 46, Thursday 25th February, 2016.
»Father, provide for me emotionally, spiritually, financially for the work You have commissioned me to do.
»Father, open my eyes and reveal what is keeping You from serving you as you desire.
»Lord, birth in me a mighty hunger for Your presence. Jeremiah 29:13
»Father, revive my personal walk with You. Lord fill me with yourself. Jeremiah. 29:13.

Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Friday 26th February, 2016.

ABUNDANT LIFE AFTER DEATH.

Memorise
And he said unto me, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
-Revelation 21:6.

Read: Revelation 21:1-7.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Message
Some of the major quests of humanity are the search for the existence of God, the nature of religion, and the possibility of life after death. Out of deep concern for this topic, philosophers and the great world religions constantly debate specific views about life after death such as reincarnation, resurrection, and some other options. Over the years, philosophical speculations on life after death have yielded various theories on the immorality of the soul, to prove that the soul can exist apart from the body, and thereby suggesting that the human soul will live on after death. This view is well suited to our religious beliefs, because it is something like this that gives people hope in the face of death. The question that must be asked, however, is whether there is any good reason to believe in life after death. Is it a reasonable hope or nothing more than wishful thinking?
Though the average Christian does not need anyone to convince him about the reality of life after death, but generally speaking, it is necessary to consider some facts which are not widely known. There is actually empirical, observable and scientifically verifiable evidence about life after death. This evidence is usually provided by a phenomenon known as a “near-death experience” (NDE), which is an experience where a person who is considered to be clinically dead, is involved in a disembodied state of existence, or other aspects or forms of an afterlife. While in a state of the absence of any discernible signs of life, such as consciousness, pulse, or breathing, some have reported such experiences as having the sense that one is dead and looking down on one’s body. Others have reported things like travelling down a tunnel or a dark passageway, meeting other persons or supernatural beings, seeing beautiful scenery, re-entering one’s body, and experiencing feelings of peace. In some cases, some have shared their experiences about a terrifying visit to hell. It is important to note that most of these people give a very vivid account of their personal encounters.
On the basis of divine revelation, we are confident in the promise of everlasting life. As Christians, we affirm the biblical teaching that human beings do live on after physical death. We can therefore confidently answer the question of life after death in the affirmative. We can say beyond any reasonable doubt, YES, there is life after death. Not as an ordinary life devoid of the divine essence, but an abundant life in accordance with the Word of God in Revelation 20:6 that says:

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
-Revelations 20:6.

Life after death offers abundant life to all that will faithfully serve the Lord till death. First, we will partake in the first resurrection, and then the second death will have no power over us. We will automatically become priests of God, with the special privilege of reigning with Him for a thousand years. What a life to look forward to, I pray we will all make it there in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point
Father, please grant me the grace to faithfully serve You till the end in Jesus’ name.
_____________________
Day 47, Friday 26th February, 2016.
PRAYER FOR NEW BEGINNING.
»Lord, anoint all members of RCCG to excel. Daniel 5:14, Deuteronomy 28:13.
»Lord, anoint Your church with fresh oil. Psalm 92:10.
»Lord, grant all members power to prosper this year in Jesus Name. Deuteronomy 8:18.
»Lord, Let Your church arise and shine in year 2016 in Jesus Name. Isaiah 60:1.

Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Saturday 27th February, 2016.

LOVE, THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW (I).

Memorise
These things I command you, that ye love one another - John 15:17.

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 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.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Message
The Bible takes the subject of love so seriously that love is equated to the sum total of all the commandments of God. The Bible goes further to say that love is the fulfilment of the law. The use of the word ‘law’ in the New Testament sense, is usually a reference to all the commandments and statutes recorded in the Old Testament and specifically those in the first five books of the Bible known as the books of Moses (Pentateuch). Now, the reality that God equates love to the whole of the Old Testament commandments is a serious food for thought.

The Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 says:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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.”

The above passage speaks clearly about the importance of love and how children of God should view or rate love on the scale of spirituality. Here, God compared some special spiritual gifts of uncommon value to love. Speaking in the tongues of men and angles seems to mean the ability to speak in heavenly tongues and at the same time interprete it in the language of men. This has always been a very rare gift which is highly sought after in the body of Christ, yet, anyone with this rare gift but without love, is described as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. In essence, such is viewed by God as a mere noise-maker. Furthermore, the Bible says if one should have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, even if the person should have enough faith to do great miracles, without love, such a person amounts to nothing in the eyes of God. This simply means that love is the golden rule by which whatever gifts we exhibit and whatever services we offer to God are measured. Therefore, love is the ultimate commandment.

Romans 13:10 says:
“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

As I always ask my children, do you truly love God? What price have you paid as proof of that love? If you love what you do, it will be easy to do it with all your heart. Love is missing in our fellowship with God today. All you get from some is lip service. This is professing love without backing it up with physical evidence. Colossians 3:23 says,
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”. Your service to God must come from your heart, borne out of love. The service that pleases God is one from the heart rendered in love, as God is love. If you are born again, you have the capacity to manifest agape love. To what extent does this love manifest itself in your life and service? Do you know that faith requires the oil of love to operate effectively? (Galatians 5:6). Add love to your faith and you begin to bask in the glory of God, because He will equally respond out of greater love and your life will never be the same again.

Prayer Point
Father, help me to love You with all my heart in Jesus’ name.
_____________________

Day 48, Saturday 27th February, 2016.
ENLARGED TERRITORY.
»Father, let me experience enlargement over every area of my life. 1 Chronicles 4:9-11.
»Lord, let Your hand be upon me. I declare no restrictions to preaching of the gospel. Ezra 8:21-23.
»Father, let Your hand be upon RCCG, let signs and wonders be of daily occurrence in RCCG. 1 Corinthians 4:20, Acts 4:33, Acts 5:15-16.

Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Sunday 28th February, 2016.

LOVE, THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW (II).

Memorise
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
-1 John 5:2.

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Message
The memory verse for today tells us in very strict terms the godly means of measuring love among brethren. Any show of love that does not stem from the love of God and obedience to His commandments, should be considered fake and deceptive. It should be noted that the focus of Apostle Paul here is not on the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law, but rather about the biblical principle as established by God for Christian practice. This is to cement in our hearts the teachings of Jesus which emphasizes that we are not operating under the law anymore, but under the love of Christ. Living under the grace and liberty of Jesus empowers humanity first to love God and then to love one another.

The big question is, in what sense does love fulfil the totality of the law? And, how does the idea of fulfilling the law through love compare to doing the works of the law? Romans 13:9-10, says:

“For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

The answer to the above question is embedded in this passage. Accordingly, if the love of God is shed abroad in your heart, you will be able to fulfil the law without grumbling, but with joy. This is why Paul reduced the commandments to only one,

“Love is the fulfilling of the law.”

As I have often counselled my children, Love can insulate you from the pain, discouragement, and difficulties associated with any given task. Love can reduce the length of an assignment from years to days by fulfilling each day with excitement, hope and fun. Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, because of the love he had for her (Genesis 29:20). No price is too much to pay for the one you love. Jacob served a total of 14 years waiting for Rachel, but did not realize he had waited that long, if a man truly loves a woman, he will be prepared to wait for her to be ready before marriage. The one who loves you will not compel you to sleep with him before you are married. To the world, one faulty yardstick for measuring love is one’s readiness to go into pre-marital sex. Anyone who claims to love you but cannot wait for you to be ready before you go into marriage does not truly love you. Love is not hasty but patient. Anyone who is not ready to pay a price for you does not really love you.
Furthermore, obedience is the natural result of love. You will never want to disobey or rebel against the authority of someone you truly love. All the vices mentioned in the above passage such as adultery, murder, stealing, false witness, covetousness, and others are not compatible with love, rather, they are all contrary to love. It is absolutely impossible to think about doing any of these to your neighbour while also claiming to love God. This is contrary to the Word of God (1 John 4:20).

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to love You and my neighbours in practical terms in Jesus’ name.
_____________________
Day 49.
»Father, let there be increase, expansion and growth in my work and business. 1 Chronicles 4:10.
»Lord, I take everything the enemy has stolen from me today. 2 Kings 6:5-7.
»Father, I claim all Your promises, prosperity, healing, fruitfulness, etc.
»Declare that RCCG will prosper, blossom and expand. Exodus 23:25-26.
Lord, I command every power of curses in my life to be broken. Haggai 2:19-20.
»Father, let the glory of this present house (RCCG) be greater than the former. Haggai 2:9.
»Declare joy, peace, restoration, testimony upon RCCG. Zechariah. 10:1.

Open Heavens Devotional & Prayer Points For The 50days Fasting.

Monday 29th February, 2016.

CHILDREN! FOLLOW THE WAY.

Memorise
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
-Proverbs 1:8,

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.

Message
The Bible teaches that children have mandatory responsibilities to their parents. As a matter of fact, Children owe their parents certain important duties that include the obligation to respect honour and obey them. Children are the heritage of the Lord and God has a special interest in their well-being. Meanwhile God is a disciplinarian as revealed in Revelation 3:19

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

God has decided to commit the discipline of children to their parents as caretakers for Him; therefore, children must cooperate with their parents to make easy for their own benefit. Obedience in this respect attracts long life and prosperity.

If you invested so much in your children, but have retired and they are gainfully employed, yet they ignore you, will you be happy with them? Some fathers have placed curses on their children for neglecting them. A righteous child will not neglect his parents at any time. He will make sure that those of them that are not saved are led to Jesus. After all, that is the greatest gift he can give them. Besides that, he will ensure that they have a roof over their heads and their needs are met in the area of feeding, clothing, healthcare, etc.
God has joined children to their parents as partners in progress. For two people to work in agreement, they must see and mind the same thing. They must be focused on the same goal.

God’s focus is that children have parents that will be godly examples to them, while making efforts to bring them up in the way of the Lord. God wants parents that will introduce their children to Him at very tender ages, so that they may learn to obey God and become familiar with His commandments, worship and fellowship. Children should be careful not to be a source of sorrow and pain to their parents. Proverbs 17:25 says:

“A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.”

I pray that God in His mercy will visit every Christian home and intervene in the life of every wayward child today in the Name of Jesus.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to always accept correction joyfully in Jesus’ name.
_____________________

Day 50, Monday 29th February, 2016.
»Thank God for sustaining us through the 50 days of fasting and Prayer.
»Thank God for answered prayers.
»Thank God for granting us the strength to grow through the 50 days fast. 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 18:46-50.
»Glorify God for speedy answers to prayer request presented to Him.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Tuesday 1st March, 2016.

CAST AND CATCH.

Memorise
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
-Proverb 11:24.

Read: Luke 5:4-7.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Message
There are rewards for righteous behaviour and there are punishments for evil deeds. The person who gives freely will never lack good thing while the one who believes that there is wisdom in being stingy will never receive anything. There are some people who mainly focus on their wealth. They are never concerned about the welfare of others. Unfortunately, they are short-changing themselves because when you don’t give, you can never have an opportunity to be blessed.

After speaking to the multitude from Peter’s boat, He told him to launch out into the deep, and the miracle of that catch was so evident that it had a lasting impact on all the beholders; this is what is considered the quality of a true miracle. There is a user of this devotional, I decree in the Name that is above all names, my Father will give you a mouth-watering miracle in Jesus’ name. It doesn’t matter how hard things may be, your blessings will be daily manifested to the world in Jesus’ name. There is nothing as pleasant as the Lord instructing you. The moment I hear my father instructing me on anything, it doesn’t matter how hard it may be, I obey, knowing that it will always end in my favour. The reason some people withhold what they have is because they don’t want it to leave their hands, but in the economy of God, whatever leaves your hand does not leave your life, it will always bring forth a great harvest.

From the experience of Peter and his colleagues, their nets broke so bad that they had to beckon on others to help them. I have always said this; there is at least one of my children who when he goes to the bank to deposit money, because of how much the money usually is, the bank closes for 3 days. And I believe this will be your portion in Jesus’ name. No matter how hard it is to believe, God is not bothered, because He will still do what He wants to do just to show the world that He is God.

In the words of a hymn writer, you must always remember that you are not your own, you are bought with a price, (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Give your whole life to Jesus; let Him take all your moments and your days. Withhold not your hands from moving for Him. Let your feet be swift in His business. The moment we give our lives to the Lord, we become partners with Christ. Just as in a partnership, there are nominal partners and there are active partners. This is equally applicable in your relationship with Christ; you cannot put in your all and lack any good thing. Some people have money, but some of the most precious things in life are priceless. God has divinely selected you so that He can be glorified in your life. Peter waited on the Lord with his boat. He wasn’t in a hurry; he did not see himself wasting away while others were busy catching fish, and one instruction from God made the results of others pale in comparison to his. As you wait on the Lord with your sacrifice, service and gifts, the Almighty God who controls the times and seasons will give you an unprecedented breakthrough in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
If you honour God, He will honour you in return.

Open Heavens Devotional.

Wednesday 2nd March, 2016.

A WITNESS OR A BETRAYER?

Memorise
Now he that betrayed gave them a sign, Saying, whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
- Matthew 26:48.

Read: John 1:20-34.

Message
A witness is someone who bears record that Jesus is the Son of God for heavenly objectives to be realised, while a betrayer is also someone who bears the same record but for destructive reasons; so that the objectives of the Devil can be realised. I have a strong conviction within me that when Judas Iscariot was carrying out this destructive goal, he did not know that it would end so badly. He felt he knew Christ through and through. He was a very smart guy who believed that Jesus as usual would find a way of escape from the Roman soldiers, but unfortunately, the story did not end the way he envisaged. Are you a betrayer or a witness? There are many people that started out as witnesses but ended up as betrayers. They were portraying signs which they did not see as too bad. They thought it was not dangerous. They believed that they knew how to help themselves, till they met their fall. May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name.

The kiss of Judas was a customary gesture of affectionate greeting among the Jews, and this was the same gesture that Judas used in identifying Jesus to the band of officers and Pharisees. The act of betrayal came from someone who was a companion of Jesus in His ministry. A betrayer could be one of your equals who is not happy with what God is doing in your life. Your betrayer may be your guide or your acquaintance, like we saw in the story of the false prophet and the younger prophet. Those who are most likely to betray you might not be far from those you take counsel from, and walk to the house of God with. This is why you must never allow anything to stand between you and God, because He is the only one who can deliver you from their wickedness and mischief. If you don’t know how to call upon God who alone can save you from the hands of betrayers, then you are in trouble.

Amidst the opposition of the unbelieving and disobedient Jews, John the Baptist decided to be a witness. John was not in the palace, his ministry was in the wilderness, yet people were going there to hear the Word of God because he was a true witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Though John was not the Elijah they wanted to see, they saw him witnessing about the person of Jesus with the zeal and the power of a prophet. As a witness he was a lone voice in the wilderness. The happenings of his day did not alter his message, and lives were being changed and transformed. He preached repentance and he alerted the minds of the people to the presence of God. Such messages are scarce on the Pulpits of 21st century Pastors and Evangelists. No wonder some are beginning to doubt what they once believed, which is eventually leading them to becoming betrayers rather than witnesses.

Action Point
Are you a betrayer or a witness of the gospel? Pray for me on this my special day, that God should continue to strengthen me as I take the gospel to more nations of the world.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 3rd March, 2016.
WORK: A DIVINE MANDATE.

Memorise
But Jesus answered them, My father worketh hitherto, and I work.
- John 5:17.

Read: Genesis 2:8-11.
8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Message
It is amazing to know that even though the work of creation ended millions of years ago, the Creator is still working on His creation. The Father has not gone to sleep like many biblical scholars and theologians believe. The Trinity is still very much at work. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have not ceased to work amongst men. God, through redemption, is still working today in order to fulfil the reason for which the world was created.

There are many people who in the name of having faith have refused to do anything productive with their hands. They resign to fate and live their lives by chance. That was not the example God laid when He created the world. Despite His sovereignty, His work was still threatened by darkness and it was in the process of still working, that He pronounced the appearance of light. God went through the process of forming man and breathing into his nostrils, before man could become a living soul. God had to grow every tree in the garden before asking man to tender it. If God worked and is still working, what excuses do you have not to work?

Life is beautiful when you are committed to your work. Moses, Daniel and Paul were men who worked for the intellectual good of their time. They had to work hard to know a great deal about the world and the times they were in. Through hard work, they knew what their contemporaries did not know and this was why they remained relevant till the end of their lives. We should be ready through hard-work to contribute to the church and our immediate environment.

There is so much beauty in working. Jesus did not avoid work and it sustained Him. He said that His food was to do the will of God and to accomplish His work (John 4:34). Philippians 2:12-13 enjoins us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who is at work in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

People are not ready to work any longer. They want to loaf around and settle for overnight miracles, but God does not operate that way. There are principles that must be followed for certain blessings to come your way, and stay permanently. Hard-work does not kill, and those who avoid hard-work at the time they are supposed to embrace it will end up with a hard life. Have you not seen people who at the age when they are supposed to be retired, still struggled to get menial job? Before Jesus healed that man who was born blind in John 9:1-3, Jesus rubbed clay on the man’s face which he had to wash off before the physical laws could be set aside in order for him to experience the supernatural law of God. If he had not followed the instructions of Jesus, he would not have been healed. Paul also said:

“Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily"
Colossians 1:29.

I want to assure you that as you obey this divine instruction, things will begin to work for you.

Key Point
He who does not work hard now, will retire into hardship later.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 4th March, 2016.
THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE.

Memorise
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.
-1 Corinthians 12:8.

Read: Daniel 6:1-3.
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Message
One of the gems that made Joshua took over the mantle of leadership from his master was the excellent spirit he carried. Joshua excelled in all matters than most of his age mates and contemporaries. Those who remain in the crowd cannot become excellent in life, because excellence is a private matter, but with a public pronouncement. The spirit of excellence will never permit you to do things at a level which others are comfortable with. You cannot be flocking around the multitude and achieve greatness in life and ministry. This is why Jesus was always withdrawing His disciples to Himself at the point of every exploit. He did not want them to be carried away with the songs of the crowd. He knew the crowd well and He knew that those who were shouting “hail hail” would be the ones to say “crucify Him” the next day. Excellence is necessary for anyone to become a useful vessel in the hands of the Almighty God. Excellence is what releases the gem in a man’s life and makes him the envy of his generation. The spirit of Excellence is a crucial requirement for being useful and relevant in the scheme of things. It is what puts you on edge in God’s programme and makes you a formidable force.

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

Exploits in life have never been a function of a higher educational qualification or popularity; it is through the spirit of excellence. When you carry the presence of God, it releases the spirit of excellence in you which in turn gives you the wisdom to access the mysteries of life. The presence of God gives you deep insight and wisdom for every difficult situation of life and makes you become a master over situations and circumstances through His presence. You cannot have an excellent spirit and lack understanding. Your level of knowledge will begin to command the attention of all and sundry as we saw when the Queen of Sheba came visiting King Solomon.
Excellence is a goal, so you have to strive for it. Excellence is the attainment of the highest level of perfection in anything you do. It means operating in a class of your own. Those who do things the way others do them cannot become excellent. You have to be willing to go the extra mile. You have to identify your goal and begin to pursue it with vigour. Joseph understood this early and it worked continuously for him until he becomes a reference point in a strange land. Daniel understood this early and he focused on it and remained a formidable force in the reign of three kings. The kings were leaving him behind, but the grace of God upon his life made him relevant under different circumstances. The spirit of excellence will help you to concentrate on your assignment until you become a standard.
However, this spirit can only come from God. If you don’t know God, there is no way you can do exploits (Daniel 11:32). I pray that from this moment, as you surrender totally to God, you will begin to experience the miraculous in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, remove every hindrance on my way to greatness in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 6th March, 2016.
DEFENDER OF THE DEFENCELESS.

Memorise
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, So I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
- Joshua 1:5.

Read: Isaiah 49:24-26.
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Message
God is worthy to be praised at every moment of our lives. He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our shield and high tower. Proverbs 18:10 tells us that the name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous can always run to at any time and remain secure. The Almighty God is the security upon which one should base his life. These days when there is no nation that does not have its own share of the global security crises, it is certain that unless the Lord watches over you, you become vulnerable to the evil events flying around. God is the only guarantee and assurance of our faith; hence, you can be confident that you will always be delivered even in extreme circumstances. Sometimes, God will allow us to fall into a great calamity before He comes visiting. He does this just to reassure you that nothing is over until He says so. He wants us to have an evidence of His deliverance in our lives for future purposes.
Are you in any problem? Don’t worry, as long as you are righteous, you can be assured that help is on the way. He rules in the affairs of men to deliver the righteous from calamity. It doesn’t matter the magnitude of the problems confronting you, just believe that He is never late. He will stand by you during all the attacks of the enemies. All the lies and ganging up of the enemies against your life may be launched, but you will come out victorious because you have made the Lord your delight.

Several times, God will just want to stand by you in order to convince those around you that it doesn’t matter how much the waters the enemies want to sink you in is, His faithfulness will always draw you out.
God is King over all nations of the world. He is mightier than those who are playing god in your life. As we saw His acts in the case of Paul and Silas when they were chained in the prison, the Lord will deliver you from every chain that the enemies have put around you in Jesus’ name.

Deliverance is of the Lord. It is only the Almighty God that can deliver. There is no pastor or prophet anywhere who can deliver. It is only the Almighty God who can deliver us. He saves not once or twice, but all the time. He can deliver today and if the enemy tries tomorrow, He is still on the throne. All you need to do is to hand over all your enemies to God and begin to praise Him. At the end of the day, you will pity your enemies because the Lord will destroy them so much that you will not see the trace that they ever existed. You can see why it is very good for God to be your battle axe. There is only one deliverer from the forces of darkness – the One by whose Name every knee must bow. It does not matter how defenceless you are, the great defender will fight all your battles in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Every counsel of the enemies against my life shall not stand in Jesus’ name.

Hymn 6: What a friend we have in Jesus.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 7th March, 2016.
RECOVER YOUR STOLEN BLESSINGS.

Memorise
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
-Psalm 103:13.

Read: 2 Chronicles 7:12-14.
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Message
Time and time again, we have seen God dealing with us as a father deals with his children. This is because we are His children and He is our father. God has been so gracious to us on many occasions. He will not always punish us without showing mercy, even when it is glaring that we deserve condemnation. There are many of us who have lost many
precious things due to our rebellion, negligence and carelessness, but our Father is always there to show us mercy and grace. If things are bad and you want a positive turn around, there are steps you must be willing to take to recover all your stolen blessings. God does not want His children to be at the mercy of Satan; the Almighty God is willing and eager to deliver us. You have to first of all acknowledge the areas in which you have given room to the devil, find out that specific area in which you have given room to the devil, find out the specific area you missed it and seek the face of the Almighty God for restoration. God wants you to recover your lost lands, your lost status and all the beautiful accomplishments that you have lost to the devil. The moment you recover these lost grounds, you must say to yourself that you will never be a victim again. The only way to guarantee this is to keep in constant touch with your creator and the restorer of your blessings. You need to love the Lord like never before.

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy might”
-Deuteronomy 6:5.

You should make up your mind to obey His voice alone in every area of life. Obedience to the Word of God will lead you into a life of fruitfulness. There are many people who look for God when the devil is dealing with them, but as soon as they are fully delivered from the hands of the devil, they stop doing the will of God. With this kind of attitude, there cannot be complete restoration of lost blessings; you have to remain connected to God by serving Him.

“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.”
-1 Chronicles 28:9

God has placed conditions for the restoration of lost blessings and these conditions are not as stringent as what people go through in the hands of the devil. We are expected to change our attitudes and actions in order for God to answer our prayers. We are to humble ourselves before him and be fully obedient to His will; there should be practical evidence of humility and obedience to His word. I decree in the name of Jesus, an end has come to those who have been going round in circles. Every curse over anyone reading this devotional is broken in the name of Jesus. In the Name that is above every other name you are moving out of the wilderness and entering into your own land flowing with milk and honey in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, let my restoration be permanent in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 9th March, 2016.
AUTHORITY OVER DEMONS.

Memorise
And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.
- Mark 16:17.

Read: Luke 9:1-2.
1 Then he called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Message
Authority is a very powerful tool. Authority indicates an extent of ownership and silences any opposition. There is no way we can survive as Christians in our daily lives without the authority of God. It took authority for Jesus to put the devil and the gods of this world where they belong. Satan came and did all he could to derail Jesus, but at the end of the day, he lost on all fronts because of the authority which Jesus has over the devil and his cohorts. Authority is a powerful tool for good or for justification, and it is with this authority that you can rule over nations and kingdoms. It takes authority to pull down, to root out, to destroy the schemes of men, and throw down the altars of darkness. You also need authority to take your place in life both in building and in planting. When you have the backing of the Almighty God and men begin to fight against you, they will never be able to prevail against you because the Lord will deliver you and many signs and wonders will continue to be made manifest in your life and ministry. This is why it is very important that as children of God we must not exchange our authority in Christ Jesus for anything.
When the devil appeared to Jesus after He had fasted for 40 days, Jesus used the authority He had to dislodge the strength of the devil and to frustrate his plans further. At the end of the day, the devil had to flee. In the Name that is above all names, I cast out every demon on assignment over your family right now in Jesus’ name. The end-time army of God must reflect the outward evidence in the demonstration of the authority of God with many signs following. As a child of God, you are to spoil principalities and powers and make a public show of them,

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Colossians 2:15.

The truth remains that the authority given to the church has not been effectively used by the church to its advantage. Many of us have abandoned intimacy with God as a relationship to be exercised by only ‘great men of God’.

If there is anything a pastor needs very urgently, it is this tool called authority. It was this authority that the Roman Centurion understood which made him to suggest to Jesus that He should just speak a word and the healing would be done. When you carry authority, there will be no room for struggles in your ministry. Devil and all his activities will always bow to the voice of God. You need to submit yourself totally to God for his authority to work for you. The devil himself knows that as long as you are under the authority of God, there is nothing he can do with your life. Demons and unpleasant situations will always bow to the authority of Jesus, but with evidence that the person exercising the authority is operating in Christ alone. This was why the seven sons of Sceva met trouble when they were trying to cast out devils. The demons asked them by whose authority they were attempting to do so, and they could not reply, thus they were beaten up and disgraced by the demons. Never allow anything to disconnect you from the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Prayer Point
Father, by Your authority let every unpleasant situation bow in my life in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 10th March, 2016.
LET GOD HELP YOU.

Memorise
Come now, and let us reason together saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
-Isaiah 1:18.

Read: Matthew 11:28-30.
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Message
Those who realised their spiritual poverty have been given the invitation by the Lord Jesus to come to Him for help. This invitation is for those who need grace and mercy, and those who know that unless the Lord helps them they will never be able to amount to anything. Laws and good works are good but they are never sufficient as a condition for our right standing with God. We need to acknowledge our helplessness and come to the one who can help us out of our weaknesses. Today, there are so many struggles we go through out of self-imposed religious rites and traditions, but Jesus is telling us that there is the need to be free from these burdens.
It is the help we receive from Jesus that makes our yoke very light. When we are motivated through the help of God in the grace and love we receive, we can always approach him and He will always reason with us. Until God helps a man, he can never find rest for his soul. The commandments of the lord are not a burden, but they are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and for instruction in righteousness so that at the end of the day, we all can be thoroughly furnished unto good works. You immediately find peace when you see that your sins are forgiven by God. You find peace when you see that your sins are forgiven by God. You find peace when you see the work of Christ on the cross being appropriated in your life. It is in Christ alone that one can cast all the anxieties of this life, knowing well that He will never fail you.

Are you in a tight corner, a corner so tight that unless God helps you, you will never be able to survive? Then you are a candidate for the help of God. At every given point in our lives, God is always ready to move in and give you your miracle. You must be ready to cooperate with God through obedience to His word in all circumstance. Those who believe this sins are not ‘too bad’ cannot get anything from God. Those who are in the business of always rationalizing what God asks them to do, cannot get anything significant from God.

To receive help from God, be willing to do what God says. Turn away from your head knowledge and look at the Word of liberty that is able to save you and present you blameless before your maker. If there are un-confessed sins in your life, you need to come straight to God and get it right with Him. It is on this premise that you can receive the help of the Almighty God. When there is nothing standing between you and God, then you can come with confidence and boldness to Him and ask for help in times of need.

Key Point
If there are sins you haven’t confessed in your life, God will not be able to help you.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 11th March, 2016.
JOINT-HEIR, JOINT SUFFERER.

Memorise
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.
-2 Timothy 2:12.

Read: Matthew 15:22-28.

Message
Have you compared yourself with many other believers around you and it seems that what you are going through is very different from their own experiences, and you are beginning to ask God why me? I congratulate you, because you are in for a special testimony. What you are going through is evidence that you are a child of destiny and the devil is all out to truncate it, knowing what you are to become. How do you think Joseph felt when he was thrown into the pit by his own brother? He was sold to the Egyptians before finally landing in the house of Potiphar, where everything was committed into his hand. I am sure he would have been consoled by this and would have thanked God that he was finally in a safe place. Little did he know that there was a new devil in that house in the person of Mrs Potiphar. For every new level in the life of a child of God, there is always a new devil, this is why I always remind my children not to rest on their success, and because that is the time the devil will come and knock you out. He watches for your unguarded hour. When you see the devil fighting you at all corners, you should know you are special of God. My prayer is that Satan will never win the battle over you in Jesus’ name.

“When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” -Isaiah 43:2.

In this assurance you should rejoice that despite the numerous tests and trials you are going through and the ones you will still go through, God is with you. The level of suffering you go through will also determine the level of glory you will attain in God if you don’t give in. The extent you are prepared to go through for Christ is also the extent to which you will reign with Him.

“But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold”
-Job 23:10.

To a user of this devotional, I decree in the Name that is above all names; there will be a glorious testimony from your present trials in Jesus’ name. Continue to look unto Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega and do not allow the devil knock you down. Believe that your tomorrow will be alright and don’t let the present situation nullify the permanent promises of God for your life.

Key Point
You are not a victim but a victor in Christ Jesus.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 15th March, 2016.
DWELLING IN THE SECRET PLACE OF GOD.

Memorise
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him: and he will show them his covenant.
- Psalm 25:14.

Read: Psalms 91:1-9.

Message
The psalmist, in our Bible reading, expresses his trust in the Lord and in His protection. In such a time as this, when all systems are failing, this assurance is ever dependable. It affirms that God is for us and we can always find security in Him. It takes only the Almighty God to hide us from the enemy and this is why I am never afraid of the activities of the enemies, as long as I remain connected to God. It amazes me when I see what people do in the name of protection; I just can’t help but pity them. How can you seek protection from the devil when it is the devil that is after your life? Any other source of protection outside God is a wasted effort.

This is why I do not understand how a true Christian lives in fear. How can my father be the Lord of Hosts and I will live in fear. As long as you are on the Lord’s side, you have nothing to fear or worry about. The Lord is willing to fight all your battles if you allow Him. God is asking you to be of good cheer and not give in to doubt or despair because He has overcome the world and in Him you are more than a victor. When fear comes knocking on your door, let fear know that it is a wrong door because the scripture says in Psalm 27:1;
“The lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.”

When trouble comes knocking, just call upon the Prince of Peace. Send your problems to Jesus and victory will be yours.

You must make up your mind not to live in fear. You cannot achieve anything tangible within the atmosphere of fear. It takes courage to take your place in destiny. The only person you are permitted to fear is the Almighty God and this is because He is our creator. Once we give ourselves to the Lord and fear only Him, He will be committed to protecting us from our enemies. Let us run away from the spirit of fear, it is capable of short-changing us. Let us hold unto the Lord for our deliverance. Let us cry to Him in supplication for help and He will hear us and come to our rescue.

Key Point
They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 16th March, 2016.
ARE YOU IN CHRIST?

Memorise
Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold all things are become new.
-2 Corinthians 5:17.

Read: John 3:1-5.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Message
“Are you in Christ?” could mean all the following; are you dwelling in the love of Christ? Are you being filled with God’s Spirit? Do you love Jesus more than the mundane things of this world?
Are you thirsty for the love and righteousness of
Christ? Are you faithful and obedient to God’s Word? When you are in Christ, there should be evidence of new things in your life. Those who don’t have Jesus in their lives are always empty, but when you are in Christ, you become full.
Those who do not have Jesus are always poor but the moment you allow Jesus into your life you become a possessor of the riches that only God can provide. Being rich is not just about driving the best cars and living in mansions or jetting across the world on a daily basis. There are people who can afford all these things but are not happy. However, when you abide in
Christ, the kind of wealth you get from God is without sorrow. It is called true riches. Just look around you and see how the devil is tormenting the lives of many people simply because they have not come to the knowledge of the truth.
Before I met the Lord, I was a victim of the devil’s torment. With all my qualifications, I was constantly in one problem or the other until I graciously met with the Lover of my soul, Jesus Christ. The moment I met the Lord, I shut myself from the world and clung to Him alone and I began to enjoy victory in all the areas I had suffered defeat. There is someone reading this devotional today, I decree in the Name that is above all names; you will never know shame and
defeat again in Jesus’ name.
When you come into Christ, it doesn’t matter how bad your past is, He will bring you out of the horrible pit you are in and clean you up. Those who abide in Christ always have new songs to sing and the Lord is committed to establishing their steps because of their trust in Him. I want you to make up your mind to settle for Jesus. He is the anchor of all creation. He is the focal point of global history. He is the reference point in world dates, the master of all situation and circumstance. Jesus is the solution to all
problems and the answer to every question in your heart. Are you tired and weary? Have you been struggling alone? Is your case and report becoming hopeless? I want to assure you that, with Jesus Christ, everything will have a new beginning. There is no discrimination against anyone who embraces a new beginning in Christ. It is the beginning of a glorious future and the opening of a new chapter. This is why
anyone who wants to enjoy all these will have to
deny himself of those weights that distract, and
follow Jesus all the way. It is a lie of the devil to
think that God created some people to obey Him and others to disobey Him.

Prayer Point
Father, I surrender my life to You, please help me to remain in You.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 17th March, 2016.
A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

Memorise
And hast made us unto our God kings and Priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
-Revelations 5:10.

Read: 1 Peter 2:9-10.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Message
The problem with many believers is that they find it difficult to believe what the scripture says about them. We allow the devil to convince us, telling us that we are not as qualified as God says we are, and that we do not have the ability to do what the Word says we can do. God created us in His own image and gave us the ability to reign on earth. The capabilities and qualities required for us to exercise our priesthood were also given to us. However, many people are not exercising their positions as priests because they do not believe they are priests. They allow the opinions of others to determine how they live; they do not have minds of their own. People commit suicide on a daily basis because they know so little about themselves; they have no idea who they really are. As a child of God, you need to know that every word said about you in the Bible is ever dependable and reliable. It doesn’t matter the circumstances surrounding you at any given time, you must always see yourself as God sees you. Always see yourself in a positive light. Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord no matter what happens. Every morning when you rise up, know that you are a victor and not a victim; there is much more to you than you can see. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants, but in the mind of God the opposite was the case.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:”
-Proverbs 23:7a.

The perception of who you are is crucial to your walk with God. As a royal priesthood, you are an embodiment of beauty, power and royalty. You are an epitome of God’s glory. You are created in the very image and likeness of God. All things created, visible and invisible are under your feet. This is why you need to take your place and not allow your life to be ruined by the devil.

Note however, that you do not have this right and liberty to reflect the image of God anywhere you are, if you haven’t given your life to Christ. Holiness must be a daily lifestyle to you. The nature of royalty as given to you by God must reflect in your appearances and discussion. You can no longer hate those who hate you; you have to show love and forgiveness to those who deliberately do things to hurt you. You have to do according to the instructions in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lonely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

It is when you do this constantly that you can become a partaker of the covenant privileges.

Prayer Point
Father, please let Your glory never depart from me.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 18th March, 2016.

FRUIT BEARING CHRISTIAN?

Memorise: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life And he that winneth souls is wise.
- Proverbs 11:30.

Read: John 15:1-7.

Message
Jesus is the true source from which anyone can receive spiritual and physical sustenance. It is only in Christ Jesus that we can find peace. Fruitfulness and the essence of life. It is by staying connected to Him that we can produce fruits. This is why we need to allow God to work in us so that we can be productive in every aspect of our lives. As we show an attitude of total obedience to God by bringing our lives into conformity with what His Word says, we begin to bear fruits that are profitable to God. To bear fruit in the vineyard of God therefore, there is a need to allow the Word of God to permeate every aspect of our behaviour; it is until then that our behaviour will begin to affect the lives of others.

Anyone who chooses to bear fruits will eventually be happy that he did so, because in the time of harvest, he will be the first partaker of the products of his wise decision. However, when you fail to be fruitful in whatever the Lord has kept in your trust, there is no way you can be blessed, and if you are not blessed, there is no way you can increase. There are people who give so many excuses for not bearing fruits. They complain about what others have and ignore what the Lord has blessed them with. They focus on the exploits of others and ignore their own vineyard. You can determine how far you want to go in life by the fruits you bear today. This is the reason why you should not be weary in bearing good fruits.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”
Galatians 6:9.

The truth of the matter is that whenever God entrusts a duty to your care and you handle it carelessly, you do not only short-change yourself, you are also telling God that you are not capable of making success out of that opportunity He has given to you. This is why I am so passionate about soul winning, because I know the wisdom involved in looking for those that have been tagged vagabonds and prodigals and bring them back through grace to the Father. The greatest thing you can give to anyone is not money but salvation, because this is what guarantees other things. We have to prayerfully identify people we can bring to the knowledge of Christ.

Prayer Point
Father, help me to be a fruit bearing vessel in Your hand.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 21st March, 2016.
THE PEACE OF GOD

Memorise
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:7.

Read: John 14:23-27.
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Message
Peace is the result of one’s communion with God. Peace is an inner rest that cannot be expressed in words. Every God given direction and instruction is accompanied by peace. This is why the Psalmist said;
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
-Psalms 23:2
When God leads, it is always in the path that guarantees peace and rest. Whenever you want to make a decision and you lose your peace, there is a need for you to re-examine that decision because, if you do not have peace concerning that thing, God may not be involved. All the battles of my life till date have been fought by God; I just fold my hands and bask in His rest. There are people running from one point to the other, until you allow the peace of God to come into your heart, God cannot be at work in your life. With the peace of God in your life, there will be achievements of many feats. With the peace of God in your life, triumphs in your pursuits are guaranteed. As disciples of Jesus, we must seek for peace of God above all things and this can be achieved when we make our ways right with Him.

“Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee”
-Job 22:21

We must return to the will of God so that there can be peace in our hearts. Let us set our hearts on the truth of the Word of God, even if it means experiencing social intimidation. Let us pattern our lives after the will of God. Let us focus on that which is true, noble and right. Let us keep our minds on the pure, lovely and admirable ways of life which please God, so that all things can work together for our good. We live in a world where there is no peace except in Christ alone. Nations are lifting up arms against nations; there is so much tension in world affairs. Suicide rates are on the increase. Terrorism is spreading like fire. You never can tell what the next person standing next to you is capable of, yet in all these things assured us that;

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”
-John 16:33

Jesus is the author of peace. He is the Prince of peace, when He dwells in you, war and crises cease.

Prayer Point:
Father, please let Your place never cease in my heart.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Tuesday 22nd March, 2016.
GROWING IN GRACE.

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

Read: Titus 2:15.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Message
It is the responsibility of every Christian to grow spiritually. It is not enough for us to allow our spiritual growth to be at the expense of the pastors, or the number of church programmes we attend. There is a need to be personally committed to your growth. The capacity for growth is within the grace and knowledge which has been given to us by Jesus Christ. The fact that Jesus became a sacrifice for us is enough to motivate us to grow daily. The excruciating pain He went through on the cross for our salvation is an expression of the height of love which the Father has for us. Each time we put this in remembrance, it should condition us to do only those things which are pleasing and acceptable to God. Many people today have abused the grace of God; they have become so familiar with the ways and acts of God. The fact that we do not see fire fall like the days of old, or the fact that we do not see the manifestation of instant judgement like when the ground opened and swallowed those leaving in rebellion to God’s authority, does not mean God has gone on vocation. It only means that many people have frustrated the grace of God in their lives and have totally stopped growing spiritually.

Believers must collectively ask for the spirit of prompt obedience to the instructions and commandments of God. There is great grace in the covenant and if you don’t take the grace of God for granted, you will enjoy every provision accessible in it. The moment the grace of God leaves a person, it is disgrace that takes over. This we can confirm through the experience of King Saul and David.

Believers should not toy with sin because the devil is out searching for that one moment of carelessness. We need to always be on guard and use the grace of God to dislodge the devil and his agents. It is the grace of God that helps us to justify our calling as children of God. There is nothing unique about us, it only pleased the Almighty God to count us worthy to be vessels in His hands and this is what the devil is sad about. If not for the grace of God, many of us are not qualified to be saved by account of our past deeds, yet He chose to use us and bless us with great talents and abilities. May the grace of God over your life continue to abound in Jesus’ name.

Let us always remember that we were not chosen because we were better, we were chosen because of the grace of God. You are a product of divine grace, therefore hold unto whatever He has promised you. You may be forgotten, but God is preparing you to show forth His glory in your life.

Prayer Point
Father, let Your grace be sufficient for me in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 23rd March, 2016.
LIVING IN THE SPIRIT.

Memorise
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-2 Peter 3:18.

Read: Galatians 5:22-26.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Message
When you are not living in the Spirit, you will suffer spiritual famine. You will become a victim of the works of the flesh such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, heresies, envying etc. But when you allow your life to be directed by the Spirit, you will be able to express the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, meekness, patience, faith etc. Those who walk in the Spirit cannot make wrong decisions and even when they have decided to make a move, their moves will always lead to the right destinations, because they are guided by God. This is why it is important to allow God to speak to you so that you can hear His voice and find rest for your soul. When you live in the spirit, you will not grope around as someone in darkness. There are many people who have lost the energy required for the Christian race because they have allowed their hearts to be taken over by the mundane things of this world. Don’t be a carnal Christian. A carnal Christian enjoys what the world can offer as long as it satisfies his ego. A carnal Christian is always a victim of sin because the body has not been trained to be disciplined. If you live in the Spirit, you will no longer compete with the world in fashion. If you are walking in the Spirit you will not be comfortable exposing your body to cause others to fall into lust. You must up your mind to break away from every act of carnality, so that the peace of God can rest on you.

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”
-Romans 8:7.

Do not be consumed any longer with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of this life. Make up your mind to be ruled and governed by the spirit of God. Our hearts, deeds and the fruits we bear must be patterned to please God. One of the ways to ensure we live in the Spirit is to continue to fellowship with Him. Those who find it difficult to come to the presence of God and fellowship cannot experience the power of the Spirit. You are supposed to value the presence of God more than any other thing in life. You may be denied of every other thing but not the presence of God. Also, to grow in the Spirit we must create time for the study of the Word of God. Make the study of the Word of God important in your agenda. The moment you begin to have excuses for not attending fellowship and not studying God’s Word, you can be sure that the devil is already causing you to experience spiritual famine, and at the end, there will be a manifestation of the flesh. Some who are no longer walking in the Spirit have given themselves over to the false doctrines blowing across the world. If you are in this category, you have to cry to God to help you so that you will not be a victim of heresy. The flesh is programmed to always yield to sin. Ask God to deliver you from the desires of your flesh so that you will no longer gratify its dictates.

Prayer Point
Father, let not my flesh have dominion over me.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Thursday 24th March, 2016.

THE PURE IN HEART.
Memorise:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
-Matthew 5:8.

Read: Psalm 24:3-6.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Message
There are certain encounters in the journey of an individual which birth a lifestyle of holiness in the
individual. This is why we should always pray to God to encounter a touch of His glory. When Jesus was addressing His followers on the mountain, He taught them among other things the necessity of having a pure heart. Purity of the heart, as far as God is concerned, is a basic requirement in achieving and maintaining an uninterrupted fellowship with God. This is because the heart of man is the engine of his life. The heart, according to the Bible, should be guided diligently, because out of it are the issues of life.
The pure in heart refers to a heart that contains no other thing apart from God and His counsel. According to Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.”

The intents and contents of the human life go on in the heart so God is interested in the purity of our hearts. If the heart is pure, it will be reflected in the actions of a man. God wants our heart to be yielded to Him and not to the world or the pleasures in it. When the heart is pure, it will produce transparency in our dealings with other people. When our heart is pure, the motive behind our actions will not be evil spoken of and when they are misconstrued for something else; we will always have a good conscience towards God. A pure heart produces holy living.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for tree is known by his fruit.”
Matthew 12:33

I want you to examine your heart, is it pure? Are your motives correct? Are you speaking the truth in that report? If your heart is revealed by the Almighty God towards your boss, will he find love there or hatred? Do you really know God or are you playing along because of the crowd?
There are lots of blessings attached to having a pure heart. When your heart is holy and pure, there will be no iota of fear and condemnation in you. You will have unlimited access to your Maker because there is no hindrance in you. Purity of heart will make you never lack the help of the Almighty God because He is interested in the cases of those whose hearts are pure and humble, He is committed to helping them Psalms 73:1, 2nd Chronicles 16:9). You need to nail all your affections to the cross and make your heart right with God. Exercise dominion over self and sin, both within and without. Let God rule over the affairs of your life so that there will be communion and unbroken fellowship with His presence.

Prayer Point
If God looks into your heart, what will He find?

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 25th March, 2016.
THE ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER.

Memorise:
My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not, And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
-1 John 2:1.

Read: Hebrews 12:22-26.

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Message
At the point of the counsel in our memory verse for today, John had gained enough experience as an elder and a counsellor, that he could counsel new converts that one sin does not have to lead to another, and a feeling of guilt should actually birth the fruit of repentance rather than a surrender to a life of sin and perpetual guilt. There are many people who in times of trials and weaknesses commit sin against God, like the wife of job who advised her husband to curse God. The words of John warn all Christians against the possibility of allowing sin become habitual in our relationship with God.

The fact that you sinned yesterday does not mean that you have been completely rejected by God. In fact, that you are still alive means that Jesus is currently pleading your case with God, to give you a chance to change your ways as He sets you up with messages that will speak to your conscience and save you from imminent destruction. I pray that you will change your ways immediately, because you never can tell when God will run out of patience waiting for you to change (1 Samuel 16:1).

The Holy Spirit has been given to us to inspire us into all truth. Jesus is our Advocate who stands between us and the Father, and speaks in our favour in the heavenly realm, so that we can receive help with our problems of sin. He is the One who pleads our case every night and day, and blots out the handwritings of the devil in our lives. He works in close communion with the Father so that there is no barrier when we want to access the throne of grace. Jesus, as the Advocate, is the One who atones for our sins and reconciles us back to the Father through His precious blood that was shed on the Cross of Calvary. Through the role of Jesus as our advocate, we can come back to the Father and experience the peace we lost through sin.

The reassurance of our salvation comes from knowing that we have an Advocate in Heaven, not by affirming that we have no sin. Our relationship with God is assured as we keep His commandments daily and remain friends with Jesus our Advocate. The truth is that our righteousness is as a filthy rag to the Father. Our perfection is of Jesus, there is therefore the need to rely meekly upon His grace to make us perfect by His love. The self-made religious traditions of men and our works alone cannot guarantee our perfection. You are a child of God basically because you believe in your heart that Jesus died for you and you have given your life in obedience to the instructions of God and not the self-imposed dictates of man.

Prayer Point:
Father, please let me be justified through Your grace.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Saturday 26th March, 2016.
BEWARE OF THE TRIPARTITE SINS.

Memorise
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. - - - James 1:15.

Read: 1 John 2:15-17.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Message
Christians are not to attach themselves to this world. When you get consumed with the affairs of this life, you are distracted from keeping your mind on the things of God.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”
Romans 12:2.

Satan and his agents are trying to deceive people, to see the things of this world as desirable. We must not give room for the evil values and morals that have been embraced by those who have given their hearts to the devil. The devil always wants to prove a point against God. He is always devising ways by which men will focus on themselves and the material possessions of this world. Is your mind occupied with the material things of this world? Are you a victim of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life? These three are tripartite sins which we must not give in to. All that the world system contains is built around these three categories of sin.
The lust of the flesh refers to those things we crave for with the intent of satisfying our fleshy desires. They could be the pursuit of food and other things that give the flesh a good feeling. We must not forget the encounter Jesus had with the devil after fasting for 40 days. The first test is the test of food. There are many people who are serving God today only because of their stomachs. Are you one of them?
The lust of the eyes refers to those activities that make men follow after things that look appealing to the eyes. The experience of David with Bathsheba is a good example of the lust of the eyes. The moment he set his eyes on her, he could not resist the temptation, until he fell for it and lost his kingdom. Today there are many things people do because they want to satisfy the lust of the eyes. The moment they see that someone’s house or car is better than theirs, they do all manner of things to get it. They are never grateful for what they have, but rather they chase after flashy things. Are you in this category? I pray he will not succeed over you in Jesus’ name.

The pride of life refers to those things you do in order to make a point about how important you are in the society. It is the accumulation of things not just because you need them, but to engage in a show of self-worth and superiority. This has become the norm today even among believers. They boast about their names, degrees and background. A son of mine once said that if you remove God from his life, all that will be left will be carcass. I replied him by saying, “you even still have carcass left, if you remove God from Adeboye, there will be nothing left”. This is why I cannot allow anything people call achievement to enter into my head, because I know that He is the one behind all. This is why the youths in RCCG have developed a chant: WHO DID IT? And the congregation responds by saying; JESUS! OH MY GOD, WOW!

Prayer Point
Father, please help me not to be a victim of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 27th March, 2016.
SIN AGAINST THE BODY.

Memorise:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own body.
1 Corinthians 6:18.

Read: 1 Corinthians 6:15-20.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Message
The scripture tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Almighty God. This is to let us know how important our body is to the Almighty God. He dwells in it. Can you imagine that divinity lives inside of you? As Christians, our bodies are the extension of Christ in this world. This is why we are being admonished not to conform to this world. The moment a person begins to sin against his body through fornication, that person is already doomed for destruction because you are taking the body of Christ and laying it with a harlot. All sins are against the Almighty God. Some sins are against those around us when we engage in certain acts, but the sin of fornication is destruction against one’s own body.

Your body is a tool entrusted into your hands by the Almighty God and everyone will give account of what they do with their body. You will be answerable to all the damages against your body because the body does not belong to you; it was only entrusted to your care by God. The moment a person gives his life to Christ, Jesus Christ becomes the owner and Lord of your life. Every part of your body becomes a tool in His hand. Your eyes, hands, legs, tongue, nose and every organ of your body becomes His. You can no longer sin with your body; you can no longer walk in the company of the ungodly. You can no longer taste alcohol, Indian hemp, smoke cigarettes, cocaine etc. Your hands become clean and for His glory alone. You are no longer the owner of your body. You are only the owner of something that you created. You did not create your body.

“And the lord formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man become a living soul.”
Genesis 2:7.

Fornication is a very terrible sin because it is a total abuse of the temple of the Almighty God. Anyone that destroys the temple of the Almighty God will see the wrath of God! The consequence is always disastrous on the part of the person abusing the temple of God.
There are different kinds of teachers today who trivialise some things that God has a great disgust for. You cannot play with fire and not have your fingers burnt. Are you the leader of a group and you are abusing the bodies of those God has put in your care? Are you an executive in the fellowship and you are sleeping around with the sisters in the name of ‘brotherly love’? Are you single but becoming so impatient that you have started doing what is exclusively reserved for married people? You are looking for the ‘consuming fire’ side of God and you can be sure you will not be able to withstand the consequences. I want you to make up your mind this moment that enough is enough on every unholy relationship and affair. If you don’t want your destiny to be truncated by sin, you must FLEE from every appearance of evil.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to honour You daily with my body.

Hymn 4: Take my life and let it be.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Monday 28th March, 2016.
YOUR KEY TO FREEDOM.

Memorise
And Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
-John 8:32.

Read: John 3:16-18.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Message
The Old Testament law was not sufficient to make people flawless before God. So since no man could be
adequately justified by the provision of the law, Jesus had to intervene through His blood to set man free from the law of sin and death. This is why as true disciples; obedience to the truth of God is the only way to liberty. The truth of God’s Word sets one free without any form of condemnation. No legal system or religious doctrine can ever bring true and complete freedom to people. Freedom comes only through the truth and grace in God’s Word. Freedom comes to those who are able to see the truth in God’s Word. You can’t come into the revelation of God’s Word and remain the same. The moment you have access to the Truth, bondage is automatically a stranger to your life. There are many people going to Church, but are still in bondage because they have not got access to the Truth. Lack of access to the Truth puts you in the same level with those who do not know God.

When things were no longer going on well for the prodigal son after wasting all the opportunities he had been given, the scriptures says “….he came to himself” (Luke 15:17). He had to come to knowledge of the Truth by saying “enough is enough; I should not continue to be foolish by allowing rebellion to destroy my life further”. He realised that it is foolishness to continue in self-government. Have things been so bad that you have been moving in a circle? Maybe you need to take a break and ask “why am I going through this?” don’t be deceived into believing that God is the cause of your predicament. I have noticed this insincerity on the part of many believers. The prodigal son was sincere. He sat himself down and reasoned. He compared where he was when he had a relationship with his father to where he was when he had a relationship with his father to where he had reached after he attained a pre-mature independence. Even servants in his father’s house were living like kings. I sometimes wonder when people who come to our programmes for the first time, return with multiple blessings from the Almighty God and some of those who are regular attendees have no testimonies.
“I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.”
-Ecclesiastes 10:7.

It is important to tell yourself the truth and refuse to believe the lies of the enemy. It is time to put an end to a life of falsehood. You cannot serve God in spirit and in truth and still live in stagnation. Do not believe the lies of the devils that says without cheating you cannot be successful. Don’t believe that without engaging in fraud, you cannot be wealthy. Don’t believe that without pulling down others you cannot rise. Don’t believe that without sleeping around you cannot win the contract. Don’t believe that without examination malpractices you cannot gain admission. You need to ask for the grace to be true to yourself. It is the truth you know that will set you free. Jesus is the Truth. Do you know Jesus or you only claim to know Him?

Prayer Point
Father, deliver me from the spirit of insincerity.

Howoheye, u doing a great job here, God bless you.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Wednesday 30th March, 2016.
THE FAITH OF A CHILD.

Memorise
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
-Matthew 18:3.

Read: Mathew 18:1-4.
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Message
One of the greatest lessons to learn from little children is that they don't worry about anything. This is the way God expects us to relate with Him; relaxing and putting all matters in His care, knowing that it will always end up in our best interests. Nothing good can be achieved when we trust only in ourselves, because every step we take will always lead to one mistake or another. Your faith in God must be real. A father will promise his son an aeroplane even though the man does not own a bicycle, yet the child believes , because his father said so. As a child of Almighty God, you should humbly come before Jesus, surrendering all your desires and worries to Him. With this attitude, you will always leave His presence with a confirmation that all your requests are granted. Real faith goes beyond the natural to a point in which those things that seemed impossible become possible. Faith causes events contrary to natural laws to take place. Faith is required to move the immovable and to reverse the irreversible.

When you go into the presence of God, focus on Him and worship Him. He will wipe your tears and remove all forms of worries, sorrow and problems from your life. Seek the face of God concerning anything He wants you to do. As you release your faith and follow God as a child who trusts the instructions of his father, you will be amazed at the wonderful things that will begin to manifest in your life. Sometimes when I go before God with the aim of presenting my requests, He asks me to do something Sacrificial myself. At a moment in the History of RCCG, when we are not growing the way I wanted, I decided to seek the face of God by engaging in some spiritual exercises. Suddenly the Lord asked me what I would give Him, I responded by saying that I was ready to give anything in order to see the kind of Church I was praying for. Then, He told me to sow my Pajero Jeep which was as good as private jet to me at that time. I loved my Pajero so much because it was one car that never game me problems, but the Lord asked me to sow it into another ministry and I obeyed. The day the representative of that ministry came to pick it up, my driver wept; but that was the beginning of a turning point in my ministry. It was really painful to give out the car, but the pain could not be compared to the joy that I eventually had, simply because I believed in Gods faithfulness.

Faith in God is very vital to our walk as Christians. It is an expression of our confidence in God and on His promises. Nothing ever works without faith. Repentance is impossible without faith. The prodigal son had faith in his father, knowing that the worst that could happen was that he would be made a servant. Through his act of faith and his going before his father in true repentance, his sonship was restored. Do you think you have missed it beyond repairs? Have faith in God. Do you think that opportunity will never come again? Have faith in God.

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

Key Point
Nothing works without faith.

Segadem:
Howoheye, u doing a great job here, God bless you.

Thanks sir, God bless you too.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Friday 1st April, 2016.
DIVINE ALTERNATIVE.

Memorise
And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
-1 Samuel 15:28.

Read: Acts 1:15-26.

Message
Many people do not know that God has alternatives for all His plans. This is why they behave as if God exists at their mercy. Such people cannot be more wrong in their perception of the Almighty God. The truth is that God cannot be held to ransom on any issue or event. This is why He always provides alternatives that are more often better than the original plan. Our memory verse for today confirms this, as we read about how God saw David as a better alternative to the first king of Israel, Saul. When a child of God becomes swollen-headed and he begins to disobey God in matters that seem very little like tithing and offering, first fruits and soul winning, he or she is on the way to being replaced. My prayer for someone using this devotional is that you will not be replaced in the scheme of divine projects in Jesus’ name.
In the Bible reading for today, there is a great revelation of God’s foreknowledge of all things and how this attribute makes Him provide alternatives beforehand. The replacement of Judas Iscariot was predicted by the mouth of King David who was also a prophet in his right. The implication of this revelation is that before Judas Iscariot chose to be a betrayer which in turn disqualified him among the twelve, God had planned an alternative for him! Another lesson we can learn from this as children of God is that whenever a way seems blocked, God has more than a thousand alternative ways to replace the blocked one. The Bible says:

“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.

Beloved, learning from the story of King Saul and Judas Iscariot, we must be very careful about the way we lead our lives, so that what happened to them does not repeat itself in our lives, 1 Corinthians 10:6 says;

“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

As I was growing up in my father’s house, I learnt to be obedient through the experience of my elder brother with our disciplinarian father. My elder brother was a very strong young man with a good physique, strength and wrestling prowess. Only a few young men among his contemporaries could dare challenge him to a fight. However, the day our father disciplined my elder brother and this so called ‘hero’ cried like a baby, I decided never to do anything that would make our father think of punishing me. God has alternatives to any child of His that is not law-abiding. Let us therefore beware of doing things that will make God replace us with someone else.

Prayer Point
Father, help me never to do that which will make You replace me in Your Kingdom.

Open Heavens Devotional.
Sunday 3rd April, 2016.
APPOINTED DAY OF MERCY.

Memorise
And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up
so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
-Luke 18:13.

Read: Genesis 19:15-17.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lordbeing merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Message
Since the fall of man at the Garden of Eden, the only factor that has sustained man in this world is God’s mercy. When a man receives God’s mercy, it would appear as if he is a genius or his righteousness has bestowed upon him some divine benevolence. This is not true.

The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

In our memory verse for today, we read of the mercy which brought justification to the repentant publican. Because he begged for it, his day of mercy came unhindered.

Jesus said in Luke 18:14
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

One striking revelation in Christ’s assertion is that we can only obtain mercy when we acknowledge our sins and repent of them as the publican did. According to Luke 18:14, what prevents some people from receiving mercy from God is failure to admit that they are sinners and that they need to turn from their wicked ways.

It is amazing that some children of God are in the habit of living in the world of relativism where what is right or wrong depends on the justification they have for it. This is not the gospel.

When they are caught stealing, they would rationalise it by putting the guilt on the fact that they are jobless. Some ladies claim that they took to prostitution because they were jobless and needed to take care of their aged parents!

“Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.”
Ezekiel 33:14-15.

It takes humility to acknowledge it if we do something wrong against God or against our neighbour. The Bible says in Proverbs 28:13
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Your appointed day of mercy comes when you humbly ask for it from the One who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). I appeal to someone using this devotional; if you have not repented of your sins through Jesus Christ, bring forth the day of God’s mercy into your life by calling on the God of mercy today for forgiveness.

Or, if you are a child of God, but seem to be void of His mercy, call on Him like a child will cry to his loving father for mercy. Today is the day of the Lord’s mercy for you and your loved ones in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me and give me testimonies.