OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: FRIDAY 14TH APRIL 2017

THEME: CHANGE YOUR WAYS

Memorise:

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:8

Read: Acts 3:13-19

3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorif|ed his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3:17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfllled.

3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord

MESSAGE

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, hypocrisy has been a character trait of mankind. For this reason, God has continuously reached out to man with the message of living a changed life. The Mosaic Law was all about making the Israelites live a life that was different from that of all the other nations around them, a life of change which conforms to God's expectation. At different points in time, when they erred from the Mosaic Law, God still sent prophets to them with the message of change. One of such prophets was Ezekiel. Speaking through him, the Lord demanded that His people repent and change from their hypocritical ways (Ezekiel 14:6). The Lord also spoke through Prophet Ezekiel about the change of life He would bring about by the regeneration of the human spirit through Christ (Ezekiel 36:25-27). When this prophecy was to be fulfllled, the Lord sent John the Baptist to preach the baptism of repentance. However, John discovered that some people were just coming religiously for baptism without any intention of changing their ways, and he had this to say to them:
"Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Matthew 3:8-9

The apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ also had the message of change forming the central theme of the gospel they preached. In spite of the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit with signs and wonders, the apostles did not mince words in declaring heaven's demand for a change of life to the people of their day. Peter in Acts 3:19 boldly declared thus:
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord,"

It is sad, however, that many modern-day preachers have deleted the message of change from their sermons because they would not want to be "offensive" to modern minds. What such preachers fail to realise is that the message of change is the only hope for the world. The message of change brings repentance, and repentance brings times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. I therefore beseech you to effect the necessary changes befltting of a Christian pilgrim in your life today. Remember, tomorrow may be too late!

Prayer Point:

Father, grant me the grace to change my crooked ways, and give me the strength of character to walk with You on the straight and narrow path all the days of my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 26-27
Jeremiah 13:15-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: l HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I'II carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me,
The cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me,
The cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Thursday, April 13th, 2017) - I WILL PAY YOU YOUR WAGES

1.Thank you, Father, for the gifts of children and for counting us worthy to nurse them on your behalf.

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

3.Father, give me wisdom to nurse the children You have divinely placed in my care, in your way, and when they grow up, do not allow them to depart from it, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, let me not miss my reward for nursing your heritages, according to Your counsel, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, let my children be useful for your glory and for the expansion of your kingdom, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, let every plan of Satan over the life of my children be scattered, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, put your fear in the hearts of my children, and let your fear, keep them far away from iniquities, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, let my children prosper under the grace of Jesus, that they have been exposed to, since infancy, and use them as your battle axe, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, let every weapon of the enemies, fashioned against your heritages, in my care, be destroyed today, by the blood of Jesus.

10.Father, let my children be fruitful, in all areas of their lives and in all good works, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, as many, who are looking unto you for the fruits of the womb, answer them today, (mention names), in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal Petitions.
(Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonica 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation

Bro....that's yesterday prayer points

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Friday, April 14th, 2017) - CHANGE YOUR WAYS
1.Thank you, Father, for the blood of Jesus Christ, that was shed on the Cross of Calvary, for the remissions of my sin and the sins of the whole world.
2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
3.Father, give me the grace to repent from my sins and help me to bring forth fruits, meet for repentance, in Jesus' name.
4.Father, blot out all my transgressions and sanctify me holy and without blemish, till the coming of Christ, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, let every spirit of hypocrisy in my life and in the body of Christ, be consumed by your fire, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, please, uproot, by your mercy, anything, that does not represent your image, in my life, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, do not replace me with stones, or with another person, please, quicken me to understand and fulfill your purpose for my life, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, fill me to the brim with your Holy Spirit, that l may be able to preach your gospel of change, with conviction and with results.
9.Father, help me to live the new life, the crucified life, that conforms to your expectations, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, grant me the grace to change my crooked ways, and give me the strength of character to walk with You on the straight and narrow path all the days of my life.
11.Father, empower me to preach the pure, undiluted, unadulterated, gospel of change brought by our Lord Jesus Christ, without fear, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal Petitions.
(Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation
HAPPY EASTER!!!

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens, ( Saturday, April 15th, 2017) - AND HE SPENT ALL
1.Thank you, Father, for daily loading us with benefits.
2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
3.Father, give me the grace, to sow my seeds on fertile grounds, where my rewards will be assured and guaranteed.
4.Father, help me not to waste heavenly resources entrusted in my care, on frivolous, worldly and riotous living, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, give me the grace, to cultivate the habit of saving for the rainy day, instead of eating with my ten fingers.
6.Father, give me the wisdom to spend and give wisely, in order that my expectations of reward, may not be in vain.
7.Father, please, give me a very large heart of giving, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, let me never miss my rewards, for all my labours, in your vineyard, here on earth and in heaven, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, you give seed to the sower; please, put the seeds that l will sow regularly in your kingdom, into my hands, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, you are the one who gives bread to the eater; please, don't let me beg for food or lack any good thing, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, please, give me wisdom to manage the resources you have entrusted to my hands, for the furtherance of your work.
12.Your Personal Petitions.
(Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonica 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation