OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 3RD 2017

THEME: FINDING ALTERNATIVES?

Memorise:

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:7

Read: Genesis 16:1-4

16:1Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

MESSAGE

After several years of waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled, Sarah sat down one day, had a long thinking session, and came up with an alternative plan which she presented to Abraham, and he accepted it. She had been barren for several years and was now obviously tired of being in that state; hence, she decided to give Hagar, one of her slaves, to her husband hoping to get a child through this arrangement. How mistaken she was! Sarah’s experience has a lot to teach contemporary Christians. When God is leading you in a certain direction, or if He has made a promise to you, any contrary opinion or alternative is borne out of impatience, doubt or unbelief. Its when people can no longer wait for God’s plan that they come up with their own alternatives. One lesson from this story is that man’s alternative charts a new course for you, which can take you completely out of God’s original plan.

Just like Abraham and Sarah, many people have come up with alternatives that have landed them at destinations they never expected. But for God’s patience and mercy, the step Abraham and Sarah took was enough to derail them from God’s original course. The reason why the Holy Spirit says in Proverbs 3:5-6 that you should subordinate your plans under God’s will is so that He can guide you along His original plan for your life. Believe it or not, God has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 1:4-5). If you follow this plan, you will definitely obey God’s word and remain in His will. God’s word never negates His will for your life (James 1:18). The question is, “Are you still in God’s plan?”

To keep within God’s will, you must be filled with His word and His Spirit, prayerful, watchful, thankful and humble. Why? The natural man within you will always come up with alternatives to God’s perfect plan for your life. You need to be watchful because some alternatives may look like the original plan, but in essence, they are miles apart. If you will access God’s perfect plan for your life, then you must leave no space for the flesh or the devil to give you an alternative. You must trust, rely on and completely depend upon God. God’s choice is always the safe choice. For this reason Proverbs 29:25b says,
“…but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
If you depend on God 99% and leave 1% for an alternative, that is enough to derail you. Never rely on what you think you know or your assessment of the situation. No matter how brilliant your ideas may be, God has something better. Bring your plans before God’s searchlight and let Him tell you if its okay or not.

Action Point:

Has impatience made you pursue your own alternatives? Stop and beat a retreat today!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Numbers 34-36
Jeremiah 25:1-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR

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

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

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

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017) - FINDING ALTERNATIVES?
1.Thank you, Father, because your thoughts for me are thoughts of good and not of evil, to bring me to an expected end.
2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, have mercy and forgive me.
3.Father, let every spirit of impatience, doubt and
unbelief, that could derail me from your original plan for my life, be consumed by your fire in Jesus' name.
4.Father, give me the grace never to look for alternatives, outside your plans for my life, no matter how fierce, the storms of life may rage, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, help me to subordinate my personal Will and arrangements, to your own plans and Will for my life, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, give me the grace to patiently seek your face and wait on you, until my change comes and my joy is full, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, when my faith is tried, give me the grace, not to begin to look for satanic short cuts, or lean on my own understanding, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, empower me to remain focussed on you, the author and finisher of my faith and help me to look beyond my present suffering, unto the joy place ahead of me, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, as l continue to walk in your Will and counsel, let all things work together for my good; and let your perfect Will be done in my life, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, in anyway l have veered off, the narrow path, your original path for my life, please, have mercy, seek and restore your son back, in Jesus' name.
11.Father, at any point in my life's journey, that l have left the star guiding and leading me, to enter into Herod's palace, please, bring me out and reconnect me back to the star, you have assigned to lead me, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal petitions.
( Phil 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(Jn 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation

*TODAY'S FASTING AND PRAYER POINTS FOR PRAYER CHAIN MINISTRY* 3/5/2017
TAGGED : UNCOMMON FAVOUR
TEXT : PSALMS 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Confession
This is my Season of Uncommon Favour,The Lord will look down upon me and my household and favour us and no any good things shall be withhold from us in Jesus Name!
Prayer:
Give thanks to God for Another gift of life and the grace to witness this month Fasting and Prayer.
Say Father, if there is any sin in the past or present that will hinder my prayer today let your mercy work for me. Wash me clean and have mercy on me in Jesus Name!
Say Father, I declare this is my season and set time to the favour. Let this come to pass on my life in Jesus Name!
Father, You are my and my Sun, do not allow me to operate outside your will for my life in this month in Jesus Name
Lord, You are forever my Sun. Do not allow the darkness of life to disturb my glory to shine in Jesus Name!
Father, because in You am righteous do not withhold any good things from me and my household this season in Jesus Name!
Father, from today let my household begin to Operate under new covenant of Uncommon Favour in Jesus Name!
Lord, let this month be my own awaiting month to be favoured in Jesus Name!
* Father, please continue to be my shield..... defend me always, oh Lord.
* Lord, please give grace to do exploits, to excel and to preach the gospel unto me and every member of my household
* Father, because you are my glory, let me radiate and shine brightly in Jesus name
* My father, you are a good God. Please do not withhold anything good from me... spiritually, financially and in every area of my life
• Father no matter the circumstances of life.. Help me not to live a day without you
• Father help me to walk with you and not just work for you
• Father as I surrender my life to the glory of your name, please withhold not your favour, mercy, greatness etc from me
• Father against every snares of the evil ones, continually be my shield
• Father in your mercy never cease to be the source of my strength
• Father I declare your praise will never ceased from my mouth all the days of my life
• Father make my life experiement of good success
• Father open all doors I need to manifest so as to fulfil destiny and grant me the grace to walk through them..
- spiritual doors
-financial doors
-Marital doors
- doors of fruitfulness
- doors if favour etc
• Father help me to continually thirst and hunger for your love.
• Father make my life the treasure house of your blessings
• Father make me your divine teasurer
• Let your glory continually radiate through me
Go ahead and give God lavish Praise and Worship for answering Prayers..
What A FAITHFUL FATHER!
Halleluyah!

can I get Open heavens for 28th May 2017