OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 1ST JANUARY 2018

THEME: THANK YOU, FATHER!

MEMORISE:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2

READ: Psalm 150:1-6

150:1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

150:6 Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

MESSAGE:

King Hezekiah declared a profound truth when he testified that only the living can praise the Lord (Isaiah 38:19). Children of God, as living spirits, we have many reasons to be thankful for. Whenever I consider the loving-kindness of God and His tender mercies, demonstrated through protection, providence, love, forgiveness, healing, good health and, above all else, salvation of the soul, I always come to the conclusion that indeed the Lord has been very gracious to His children. No wonder the Holy Spirit, in Psalm 150:2, succinctly instructed us to:

“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.”

This is so important that in Psalm 103:1-5, David counsels his own soul to bless the Lord in thanksgiving, admonishing himself not to forget anyone of God’s benefits. In other words, there is a tendency for us to forget all that the Lord has done for us. Nevertheless, we have no reason to be ungrateful to God, because His goodness forever flows to us. The prophet Jeremiah testifies of this truth in Lamentations 3:22-23, saying:

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Moreover, what is our joy as children of God? It is the assurance of a better tomorrow: the assurance of a better year ahead of us. Only those who are saved by the grace that is in Christ Jesus have this assurance. Declaring this assurance, the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 3:10 says,

“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”


Who is the righteous? The righteous is the one who has accepted Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Saviour. The righteousness of Christ is bestowed upon such people because they believe and have appropriated the ransom paid on their behalf by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world (John 1:29). God is saying to you that you should be grateful to Him for all He has done for you in the past, particularly in the just concluded year. If you remain thankful, your tank of blessings shall be full as you go into the New Year. However, not giving your life to the One who paid the supreme price for your salvation is the greatest form of ingratitude. Therefore, repent and give your life to Christ today! He will be your Shepherd and you shall want nothing throughout the New Year and in the years to come. Hallelujah! (Happy New Year!!!)

ACTION POINT:
Thank God for all His goodness and mercies over your life in the past; give your life to Him afresh and renew your commitment to serve Him in holiness and perfect obedience in this New Year.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 1-2
Revelation 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD.

1. Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

2. O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us,
And keep us in His grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.

3. All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son and Spirit blest,
Who reign in highest heaven
The one, eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE : TUESDAY 2ND JANUARY 2018

THEME : COME WITH US

Memorise:
And he said, My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:14

Read : Exodus 33:12-17

12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

Message

Only a fool would think that he or she can exist independent of God, who is the Maker of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them (Romans 1:20-22). Moses, the servant of God, knew this and he consequently did not make the mistake of doing anything without God’s approval. In today’s Bible reading, he insisted on the presence of God going with them as they journeyed through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

There is this story of three fishes in the sea living under the threat of sharks. They went to the Almighty God to ask for help concerning the danger of death looming over them.
The first fish asked God for many eyes so that it could see sharks approaching from any direction and escape to safety. The second fish demanded for wings so that it could fly away from the reach of sharks whenever they came after it. The third fish only asked for the presence of the Almighty God wherever it went. The Lord granted all their requests, and they swam away happily. Not long after, sharks came after the first fish, and immediately with its many eyes, it saw them coming! It took a jump into a nearby pond where the sharks could not go and began to laugh at the sharks. However, the water in the pond soon began to dry up and this fish died. The second fish also saw sharks coming for it, because it had been granted wings, it flew like a bird out of the water, but only to be caught in the air by an eagle flying by. So, the second fish ended up in the stomach of an eagle, which was happily surprised to have a delicious fish as its mid-flight meal. In contrast to these, the third fish, which had wisely requested the presence of the Lord, went swimming about without any fear of death from ferocious sharks. It was basking in the protection that comes with carrying the presence of the Lord. When the mother-shark would not go after it, the baby-shark asked its mother, “Why don’t we eat this beautiful fish?” The mother-shark cautioned it against entertaining such ideas, pointing to the shadow of the Almighty God following the fish everywhere.

Beloved, all that you need to succeed and have breakthroughs this year is God’s Presence in your life. I therefore encourage you to give your life totally to God through Jesus Christ. For His Presence to envelope your life, you need to walk daily with Him by fellowshipping with Him in the place of prayer and worship, and by framing your every thought around His Word. If you are faithful in doing this, He will abide with you, and you will live in safety throughout this year and beyond (Psalm 91:1-2).

Key Point:
The God that creates is the One that prospers, and He is the One that protects. Seek and ask for His Presence in all that you do from today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 3-4 and Revelation 2:1-17

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 2 : I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Chorus:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 3RD JANUARY 2018

THEME: THE OVERCOMERS

MEMORISE:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:32

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

Since the advent of sin into this world, life has become a battle for mankind. In the battle of life, one is either an overcomer or a victim. My prayer for you is that you will live the rest of your life as an overcomer in Jesus’ Name. Today’s memory verse expressly reveals to us the secret of overcoming in the battle of life:

“…whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered:”

However, the truth in this verse of scripture throws up this question:

“How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed?” Romans 10:14

Therefore, before you can overcome by calling on the Name of the Lord, you need to first believe in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His finished work on the cross of Calvary. When you believe this and you confess so with your mouth, you become “born of God”. Here is what the Bible, in 1 John 5:4-5, says about those who are born of God:

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Living the reality of being an overcomer in this world means that you daily experience the victory that Christ has obtained for you over the enemies of your body, soul and spirit. It means living your life everyday as having been delivered from the power of sin, and when you overcome sin, you have invariably overcome death, which is at the pinnacle of the battle of life. James 1:15 says,

“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Are you under any siege in the battle of life? Has life dealt you so many blows that you do not have the will to go on? Don’t give in to depression, and don’t contemplate suicide. This is a great time for you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, through genuine repentance. In prayer, call upon the Name of Him That is able to save, and you will overcome! Are you saved but still living under the shackles of this world? It is time to realise who you are, shake yourself up from the dust of pity and begin to enforce the victory that Christ has won for you!

ACTION POINT:
Call on the Name of the Lord convening any area of life where you have been experiencing defeat.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 5-7 and Revelation 21:18-3:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my Cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my cleansing this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

4. This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 4TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: ONLY BELIEVE


MEMORISE:
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. John 3:18


READ: Romans 8:31-39

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


MESSAGE

Whenever I ruminate over the many-sided blessings embedded in the Good News that came through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, my heart is filled with great joy. I equally find it fascinating that no elaborate process involving complexities is required for us to access these blessings. Jesus did the hard work and made things simple for us. One of such blessings is freedom from condemnation. The righteous judgment of God against sin has brought all of mankind under condemnation. This is the reason why no man can escape the pain of guilt that results from sin, or the consequences that follow it. Romans 3:23 says,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 further says,
“For the wages of sin is death,”

However, the Good News is that Jesus Christ gives us freedom from the condemnation that had put a seal on the destiny of all mankind. In Romans 8:1, this Good News says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Those who are in Christ Jesus can now live a life free from guilt of sin or the feeling of inadequacy resulting from past misdeeds. Their conscience is liberated from condemnation because they know their sins have been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus (Revelation 1:5). What does it take to access this blessings of freedom? Only Believe! Believe in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, believe He is who He says He is, and believe in the work of salvation He has completed. How do you know you truly believe all these? When your actions and confessions reflect what you claim to believe, that is when you truly believe.


Another blessing of the Good News that you can have access to by faith is the truth that Jesus Christ, though rich, became poor, so that through His poverty, you might be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Your faith in this article of the Good News will prevent you from doing diabolical or criminal things to get rich, because you know that your prosperity lies in the sacrificial life that the Master has lived. Believing in the words and works of Jesus gives us contentment, the absence of which brings many sorrows to those who want to be rich by any means (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Beloved, do you believe all these? If you do, live your life by the ideas of the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will forever be free from condemnation, now and in eternity.


PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to live according to Your will, so that I may not be condemned with this world. Grant me grace not to lose sight of the words and works of Jesus. Amen.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 8-10 and Revelation 3:7-22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE


HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

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

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

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

4.Whenlife’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Howoheye, what happened bro? You stopped posting Open Heavens....

Howoheye, what happened bro? You stopped posting Open Heavens....

I'm sorry for this very late response, I've been off.

I stopped posting as a result of the mission's directive.
Thanks