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OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday July 27, 2017

WHOLENESS IS POSSIBLE 

Memorise : And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.- Luke 17:19

Read: Luke 17:12-19

17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.


MESSAGE ::

After reflecting on the goodness of God, David wrote in Psalm 103:1 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

The lame man in Acts 3:1-8 must have taken a cue from David in praising God. After his burden of 40 years was lifted, he praised God in a very dramatic way, just like David did in times past. When David praised God, his entire body was fully involved. He went to such great extent as removing his royal robes and dancing before God like one of his subjects (2 Samuel 6:14-16). He was used to leaping in praise and honor of the Most High.

Have you ever leaped to give God praise?
After God has lifted your burden, in addition to praising Him, you can give Him generous thanks- not the kind of thanks that has to be squeezed forcefully out of you. Thank Him from a heart overflowing with gratitude. Some people are just too stingy! Not only do they find it difficult to give God a good offering from what he had already provided for them, they also find it difficult to give Him thanks. What such people fail to realize is that stinginess has never helped the stingy. What you hoard will go stale, become useless or be lost. Give God thanks and do it with a heart full of gratitude.

Moreover, if you give God quality thanks, you will definitely receive something in return. In other words, when God does something for you and you thank Him generously, He becomes so impressed that He gives you something else in addition to what precipitated your thanksgiving. When all is said and done, you end up with double blessings. Those who give shabby thanks or do not give thanks at all cannot get a second blessing, and if care is not taken, they may even lose their initial blessings to the devil. If you look at the example of the 10 lepers who were healed by the lord Jesus Christ in today’s bible reading, you will discover that thanksgiving opens the door to a very special blessing: wholeness!

This is a type of blessing that no gates of hell can prevent. When God makes you whole, everyone will know about it. Wholeness is the height of restoration. It is a return to the original state you were in before a burden was placed on you. As you thank God from today, you shall receive the blessing of wholeness in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT :
Father, as I thank and worship You today, please make me whole.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Kings 3-4;
Ezekiel 16:23-43 


HYMN 5: THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

1. The great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus.

Refrain:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.

2. Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
Go on your way in peace to heav’n,
And wear a crown with Jesus.
Refrain:

3. All glory to the risen Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Savior’s name,
I love the name of Jesus.
Refrain:

4. His name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The charming name of Jesus.
Refrain:

Upaka:
Op thank you...

Thank God, u are welcome

gbenga9ja:
Hi Folks,

I always have this problem when i sleep in the night and wake up in the morning.

I wanna know if it is just me or it also happens to some of you as well.

When i wake up in the morning, i always have waist pains,f immediately i get up, but after having my bath, it goes away, the next morning when i wake up again, my waist pains me, like that everyday.

I don't want you guys to think i sleep on the chair or on the floor or anything, i sleep on a very good big standard bed.

Anyway, i'll like to know if this is normal or unusual, if it happens to you as well, do let me know by repying cos i'm kinda worried.

Just as loverBwoy said, just change ur sleeping position and u'll be fyn. I just tried dat yesternyt and it worked. use to sleep on my tummy before, but slept on my back yesternyt and woke up fyn.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday July 26, 2017

ACCESSING DIVINE COUNSEL 

Memorise : Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.- John 17:17

Read: John 17:15-17

17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.


MESSAGE :

Access to divine guidance is one yardstick you can use to determine whether you are a sheep in the fold of Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd. This is very central to our walk with God, as it determines the status of our relationship with Christ.

Amassing years in the faith is not as important as increasing the frequency of receiving divine guidance. This means that if you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour some 5, 10, 20 or more years ago, but still cannot easily be led by the Spirit of God on various matters, you are hardly growing spiritually. Romans 8:14 says,

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

A close walk with the Holy Spirit is the bedrock for receiving divine guidance. In John 16:13, Jesus clearly stated one major reason why the Holy Spirit was sent to the world. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and so it falls within the purview of His duties to guide you along the path of truth. If you have a knotty issue that cannot be unravelled, simply go to the Holy Spirit, and He will guide you aright. He operates in the realm of truth and not necessarily facts.

Some people equate facts with truth but that is not often the case. Just as lies are a distortion of the facts, facts can sometimes be contrary to truth. Facts are observations that have been subjected to interpretations based on current knowledge, and because knowledge changes, facts can also change.

What then is truth? The Lord Jesus Christ answers this question in John 17:17 :

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The word of God is truth. Also, the Godhead is an embodiment of truth. In fact, Jesus in John 14:6 declared :

“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Truth is based on faith. If you will receive divine guidance, you must be prepared to walk in God’s path of truth. The truth is ever constant. God wants His children to walk with the truth and not necessarily facts. When a child of God is ill for example, the fact is that there are physical signs and manifestations of the ailment on the individual, but the truth is that Jesus has already paid the price for the healing of every child of God. For this reason, the Bible says we walk by faith (truth) not by sight (facts) (2 Corinthians 5:7). This means, you must be a person of faith. You must live by the truth and not contradict God’s word by your lifestyle. Also, you cannot be telling lies and expect the truth of God to be revealed to you. Choose to live by truth today.

KEY POINT :
A liar cannot receive a revelation of the Truth until he or she is ready to dump falsehood.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Kings 2;
Ezekiel 16:6-22 


HYMN 15: THE COMFORTER HAS COME

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

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

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY JULY 25TH 2017

THEME: ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES

Memorise:
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:3

Read: Psalm 51:1-4
51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Message:
As believers, although we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, we are still capable of making mistakes, because of the nature of the body our spirit man still inhabits. Until we shed this body and put on the glorious body of the resurrected Christ, we will still be prone to mistakes and error (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54). Hence, we need to be more prayerful and careful in all our dealings (Matthew 26:41). To reach your God-given goal, you must avoid mistakes. You must avoid falling too. If you however fall, you can humbly and sorrowfully admit your mistake. After David fell into the sin of adultery and murder, he said,
“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:3

If you sin, admit that you have sinned. 2 Corinthian 7:9-10 says godly sorrow leads you to repentance. Those who are close to me can testify to the fact that whenever something goes wrong with whatever I’m working on, the first question I asked myself is, “where have I gone wrong?”
You cannot make progress if you keep passing the buck or shifting blame. It is easy to make excuses. The lazy and the proud will look for every reason to justify their weaknesses or failure. When you acknowledge and confess your weaknesses to God, you trigger a release of God’s power to enable you live above them. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says,
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

In the parable of the talents, the man with the five talents never gave any excuse for why he should not succeed; hence, he was able to double his talent (Matthew 25:14-30). The man with two talents equally made no room for excuses, and so, he too doubled his talents. The man with one talent however came up with excuses for non-performance. If you are always quick to explain away your failures, it is because you are too proud to admit your mistakes. Who does not make mistakes? When you err, admit your wrong doing. Studying mathematics taught me that I can be wrong. Many people find it difficult to accept that they are wrong. If you try to prove to them that they are wrong, they will do everything possible to wriggle out of it. Explaining away your wrong-doing does not make you any less guilty. Have you made any mistake? Sorrowfully admit your error and ask for forgiveness.

Key Point:
Admitting your mistake is not a sign of weakness like many think. Rather, it is a manifestation of strength of character.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 1
Ezekiel 15:1-16:5
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Refrain:

3. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:

4. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY JULY 24TH 2017

THEME: LIVING IN FEAR?

Memorise:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

Read: 1 John 4:17-18
4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Message:
If you have God as your Refuge, you have a priceless treasure because this gives you access to help in times of trouble. With God as your Refuge, irrespective of what is happening around you, you have no cause to panic. As unlikely as this may sound, it is possible to be under God’s cover and be unaffected by every satanic missile flying around both day and night (Psalm 91:5-6). Due to negative influences from their environment, some people have grown up with a particular phobia for the last quarter of the year. Between January and August, they go about their normal business activities with boldness, but as the month of September approaches, fear envelopes their hearts. As they read or hear of various accidents happening here and there, their fear is heightened. Some people allow this condition to degenerate to the extent that fear redefines all their remaining activities of the year. They may have to cancel all their air travel for fear of air crash. Even their road trips would be seriously reduced for fear of road accidents. They try as much as possible to confine themselves to their houses and will therefore give all kinds of excuses for not accepting any assignment or invitation during that period. Such people are being manipulated by fear!
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

If you live in fear, you are in Satan’s bondage (Hebrew 2:15). Your love for God and fellow brethren cannot be perfected if you still create room for fear. When you live in fear, you give the devil so much attention, thereby empowering him over your life and destiny. Whatever or whoever you fear controls you. Luke 1:74 says we were saved to serve God without fear. So if you say you are born again but you still live in fear, you need to know who you are serving, because you should not live in fear of anything while serving God. You cannot have the fear of God in your heart and the fear of the devil at the same time. The moment you begin to fear the devil or is agents, you drift into bondage. If you are sure of your salvation but still live in fear, check yourself; it is likely you are ignorant of who you are in Christ. Also, as a child of God, when you engage in disobedience or harbour a secret sin in your heart, you lose your confidence and fear sets in. If this is your case, repent of your sin and fully turn to God!

Action Point:
If your heart is always filled with fear, invest time to study who you are in Christ from the book of Ephesians.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 23-24
Ezekiel 14:12-23
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

The CEO self no talk maturedly

pls relax, and allow God to take control. Just pour out ur heart to him on ur kneels and watch him take d wheels.

This yr shall be ur yr of celebration in Jesus Name.

dionysus7:
what i'll never get my head around is why we believe so much in the unknown, why we believe so much in what has no proof whatsoever...

read your bible and follow events around the world, u will knw dat rapture is real

Beyhiodie:
. something is strange I have been having this feelings from like 2days now that the thing is very. near I just don't know, I have seen different things giving the same message .... Mercy ooo

May his mercy be sufficient for us all in Jesus Name.

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

LESSON FORTY-SEVEN

SUNDAY, 23RD JULY 2017

TOPIC: RAPTURE: PURPOSE AND QUALIFICATION

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’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." - John 14:2

BIBLE PASSAGE: John 14:1-6

INTRODUCTION:
Our last lesson revealed the meaning of the word, rapture. We also discovered events surrounding the rapture as regards timing and other issues. Today's lesson will show us the reasons and the qualification for rapture. May the good Lord teach our hearts and bless our lives with His truth by His Spirit, in Jesus' name.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. Why will the rapture take place?
2. Who will be rapture?

WHY WILL THE RAPTURE TAKE PLACE?
1. To resurrect the just of all ages from among the dead (1Thessalonians 4:13-17).
2. To take the saints out of the world before the tribulation (2Thessalonians2:7-8; 1Thessalonians 1:10).
3. That Jesus Christ might present to Himself a Church without spots or wrinkles (Ephesians 5:27; John 14:1-3).
4. To transform or change the bodies of all faithful saints from mortality to immortality (Philippians 3:20-21; 1Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-53).
5. To assemble the saints at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelations 19:7-9).
6. To allow the revelation of the anti-Christ (2Thessalonians 2:1-4).
7. To present saints to God the Father (Jude 24)
8. To make the saints become like Christ at His appearance (1John 3:2-3).

WHO WILL BE RAPTURED?
1. Those who are in Christ at His coming (John 1:12; 2Corinthians 5:17).
2. Those who earnestly desire His appearance (Titus 2:13; Philippians 3:20).
3. Those who love the Lord wholeheartedly (Philippians 3:7-10; John 21:15-17).
4. Those whose citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20-21; Ephesians 2:19).
5. Those who will live holy even as He is holy (1Peter 1:16; Hebrews 12:14; 1John 3:1-3).

CONCLUSION:
Let us be sober in watchfulness, always fellowshipping together and keeping the unity of the faith in the bond of peace (1Thessalonians 5:6; Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 4:3).

QUESTIONS
1. State five reasons the rapture would take place.
2. Mention the qualifications of people that would be raptured.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...
DATE: SUNDAY JULY 23RD 2017
THEME: DANGERS OF FINANCIAL STORMS I
Memorise:
The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends. Proverb 14:20
Read: Proverb 14:20-22
14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends.
14:21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
14:22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
Message:
Peace is desirable because it signifies everything that is calm, quiet and in order. On the other hand, storms are undesirable because they bring turbulence, trouble, fear and absence of rest. While all storms are bad, a financial storm is one of the worst storms that can hit the foundation of an individual, family and community. One reason why financial storms are more deadly is because they can trigger off other storms. For instance, Proverbs 14:20 says,
“The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends.”
This means that because of the poverty of the poor, many of his neighbors prefer to avoid him. Some would even develop hatred for him just for that reason. This describes the attitude of many unsaved people to their poor neighbors. It is most unfortunate that some believers also follow this evil trend. This has led to the formation of cliques and factions in places where there should be unity and togetherness. Psalm 10:2 says that only a wicked and proud fellow would subject the poor to such treatment. Some Church leaders cannot stand seeing those who are not well-to-do. As a result, they discriminate against them, using every excuse in the book. They appoint only those who are rich into positions, even when they know that the poor are more ideal for such positions. If you are involved in such discriminatory practices, remember Psalm 12:5 which says that when the poor cry out to God, He will arise on their behalf against their oppressors.
Are you hated by your neighbors because of the financial storms you are confronted with? Fear not! According to Psalm 69:33, the Lord will hear your cry today and bring you out of poverty and reproach. Moreover, financial storms can make an individual contemplate suicide. In 1 Kings 17:12, due to the financial storms that the widow of Zarephath was going through with her son, she decide that they should just take their last meal and afterwards die. Have you found yourself in a similar situation where you are contemplating or have even attempted suicide? Stop right there! Suicide can never solve your problems. It is worse than going from frying pan into fire. See your pastor, tell him your situation and see what he can do to help. However, more importantly, call on the Lord to deliver you from the challenges you are confronted with. I rebuke every spirit of death suggesting suicide to you right now! I pray that hope be restored in your heart right now in Jesus’ Name.
Action Point:
If your financial storm is so bad that you feel seriously pressured to commit suicide, just know that your turnaround is truly around you. Don’t ever quit, and don’t kill yourself!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 21-22
Ezekiel 13:20-14:11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR
THROUGH the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.
Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Holy through the Spirit's guiding:
All must be well.
We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying;
In our living, in our dying;
All must be well.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday July 22, 2017

MISDIRECTED REQUESTS

Memorise :Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.- James 4:3

Read: Genesis 30:1-2

30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?


MESSAGE :

In Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord thought Hid disciples the right way to pray. Prayer is an outcry in order to be victorious. Usually, when an individual encounters a problem too big to handle, he will call for the help of others. In the midst of a famine, when Elijah went to ask for water and food from the widow of Zarephath, he was simply praying (1 King 17:8-16). Also, when this widow’s son died and she cried to the man of God to restore him back to life, that was a prayer (1 Kings 17:17-23). F

Furthermore, when Rachel asked Jacob to give her children, she was praying (Genesis 30:1). In 2 Kings 6:25-29, we see a woman praying to the King for help in enforcing her agreement to feed on another woman’s son after her own son had been devoured.

From all these cases, it can be established that prayer can be made to individuals, Kings, men of god and ultimately, to God Himself. People also pray to the devil and his agents, when they go to them for help. There are some believers who go to their village to cry to their unsaved parents for help over a nagging issue. Such parents are compelled to consult their oracle and apply charms in resolving these issues. Such parents are compelled to consult their oracles and apply charms in resolving these issues. When this occurs, that believer has been brought into covenant with the idols consulted, thereby giving the demonic spirits behind such idols the right to manipulate their lives.

Be very careful who you run to for help!
When Rachel asked Jacob to give her children in Genesis 30:1, Jacob got angry. Rachel even threatened to commit suicide if she did not have children. Her husband’s response in Genesis 30:2b says it all :

“Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?”

She was directing her right request to the wrong quarters. What she was asking was beyond his ability. Many times, we pray to the wrong person or send our desires to those who cannot truly help us. The Bible in Psalm 60:11 says,

“Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.”

Are you channeling your request to man instead of God? Stop doing so today! God is the only one with all the resources to meet all your needs; therefore, it is wise to direct your entire requests and cries to Him alone. As you do so, He will hear you.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, visit all the widows in my local church; meet their needs and that of their children. Also, keep them pure and ready for your coming.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 19-20;
Ezekiel 13:8-19


HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

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

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

3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday July 21, 2017

DO AFFLICTIONS SWALLOW YOUR GOD?

Memorise : For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: - Job 19:25

Read: Job 19:23-27

19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

19:24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.


MESSAGE :

Prophecies are great tools that God uses to intervene in the situations of His people’s lives. Every prophecy has certain conditions attached to it to trigger actualization.

Knowing this truth, one particular year, when the Almighty God said that there would be an overflow in that year, I immediately realized that there was some work to be done. When he then asked us to fast for 100 days, I was not surprised.

Undertaking such a task was not an easy one, but obedience to it produced a great harvest in joy, overflowing blessings and much more. This is your session of overflow of God’s blessings in Jesus’ Name!

In 1Kings 17:8-16, when Elijah asked the widow of Zarephath to bring him some food, her response is worthy of note. 1 kings 17:12a says, 

“And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:”

In other words, she took a good look at Elijah and said, “I know your God”. Daniel 11:32 says if you know the Almighty God, you will be empowered to do exploits. ‘Exploits’ here refers to activities that are way beyond the ordinary.

God is in the business of doing exploits. It takes God to turn the hideout of highway robbers into a beautiful godly city. It takes the God of exploit to construct the present auditorium at the Redemption Camp, even with its staggering cost. If you ever want to see exploits, you must know this God personally.

In addition, not only did this widow know Elijah’s God, she also declared Him to be alive. One of the most profound statements in the Bible was made by Job. In Job 19:25, he said :

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:”

At the time he said this, he was in a most distressing situation. Things were very bad indeed. He had lost all his wealth, property, children and even health. However, in spite of his ordeal, he still proclaimed that God was alive.

Many people tend to believe that God is not alive or that He is not who He says he is, just because of the severe trials of faith they are facing. Problems can never take God away. He doesn’t cease to exit just because He has not answered your prayers.

How much faith can you repose in God while going through difficult times? That is a true test of your character.

ACTION POINT :
Ask God to open more doors for us to reach the unreached countries with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 17-18;
Ezekiel 12:21-13:7


HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

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

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

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

4. When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done,
Be near to me.
Blest savior, then in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
Redeemed and free!G

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday July 20, 2017

ABANDONING GOD’S ASSIGNMENT?

Memorise : Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house - Haggai 1:9

Read: Haggai 1:5-11

1:5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

1:6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

1:7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

1:8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

1:9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

1:10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

1:11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.


MESSAGE :

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

The above scripture clearly tells us that God can be for us. It is so reassuring to know that God can stand for you. Whenever He is for you, anyone against you is in trouble. However, do you know that just as God can be for you, He can also be against you? Yes, He can! If you check through the scriptures, you will see many instances where God stirred up the enemies of his children to fight against them (Judges 4:1-3, Judges 6:1-10). They remained defeated until they realized their evil, repented and ran back to God. Judges 13:1 says,

“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.”

Every time you turn away from God, violate His word or live to gratify your fleshly lusts, you turn Him against you.

Moreover, God can personally fight or frustrate the efforts of His children. In our Bible reading, because some people refused to complete the building of God’s house, he decided to frustrate their personal efforts. It is frightening to see the extent God can go to infighting His own children! In Haggai 1:6, it is written that his people worked like elephants but brought harvest of ants. They ate but were never satisfied, and their thirst could not be quenched no matter how much water they drank. No matter how many clothes they wore, they could not get warm. They worked and were paid, but kept losing their wages. Haggai 1:9 even goes further to say that if they managed to bring in any little gain, God would blow it away. God also prevented the heavens from releasing rain and the earth from releasing its increase. He went further to declare a famine on their land. This was God fighting His children and not any devil!

Why the fight? It was because they abandoned God’s house and focused on building their own mansions with the resources God had given them. If you abandon God’s assignment or project in pursuit of yours, you are calling for God’s hammer.

In any way you have erred, repent today and return to what you abandoned, and the Lord will turn away from His anger.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, prosper all your missionaries in mission fields across the globe. Back them up with signs and wonders. Help them to win souls and to disciple your end-time army.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 15-16;
Ezekiel 12:7-20


HYMN 14: TAKE MY LIFE

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Hmmm! my own be say, no to jungle justice

nothing wey pple no go hear under dis administration. in there bid to generate funds for thier selfish use, they have resorted to make everybody a suspect

EYAH! May her gentle soul rip. i pray they meet their soonest in Jesus name

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday July 19, 2017

A NEW MANAGEMENT 

Memorise : Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? - Romans 6:16

Read: Romans 6:13-20

6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

16:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

16:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

16:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

16:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

16:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

16:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

16:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.


MESSAGE :

When you have an encounter with Jesus that results in you accepting Him as your personal Lord and Savior, your life comes under a new management.

In Matthew 11:28-29

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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.”

Before encountering Jesus, your affairs were managed by Satan and also by your own self-will (Ephesians 2:2-3).

A choice to welcome Jesus into your heart means that you have chosen to do away with all your former masters and have embraced the Lordship of Jesus over your affairs. My father used to say that whosoever you allow to be your master will take care of you with whatever he has. If Satan is your master, he will give you what he has: sickness, sorrow, fear and all kinds of problems. If Jesus is your master, he will take care of you with good health, joy, peace and all kinds of blessings. Who are you yielding to presently? Who is your master?

I was once invited to preach at the thanksgiving service of a particular king. While I was preparing for the service, his chiefs, dressed in regalia of various secret societies, began to come in. An ushers saw them and ran to ask if they should be allowed to enter the church. I told him to seat them in the front row where Jesus would be able to reach them quickly. I immediately changed my sermon to talk about Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.

At the end of the sermon, because I know who my Master is, I said this to them: “I challenge all of you, if you can use all your powers to deflate one of my tires, I will surrender to your god, but if you cannot, you must surrender to my God”. I then told them the registration number of my car. By the time I gave the alter call, the second-in-command to the king, who was the leader of all the secret societies, was the first to come forward. When the other chiefs saw this, they followed suit. After the service, the kings said we should go and check up on his second-in-command to find out if he understood what he just did. When we got to him, he said he knew what he had done by surrendering to Christ, adding, When you see a small boy like this challenging all of us, who doesn’t know that he must have someone behind him?

It is the One behind him that we surrendered to. “Thirty days later, this chief died. He had served the devil all his life and was heading for hell, but thirty days before his death, he changed to a new government and he is now in Heaven. Who is managing your life?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, wherever forces of darkness are challenging your children in this nation, show up and paralyse them today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 14;
Ezekiel 11:14-12:6


HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

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

3. My cross I’ll carry till, I see Jesus;
my cross I’ll carry till, I see Jesus;
my cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. 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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday July 18, 2017

WHAT ABOUT YOUR HOUSEHOLD? 

Memorise : One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; - 1Timothy 3:4

Read: Acts 21:8-9

21:8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.


MESSAGE :

Philips was a church planter, obedient, submissive to authority, had a servant spirit and was a man of good report. Beyond these, another valuable trait he had which made God use him mightily for signs and wonder is the fact that he was a man of total commitment to God. Philip served God, but it did not end with him alone; he ensured that his family members followed the same godly path.

Joshua who declared the children of Israel that he and his household had decided to follow the Lord alone (Joshua 24:15), Philip decided in a determined way that everyone in his household would serve God. In our Bible reading, we are told that he had four virgin daughters, who were all saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and operated in the gift of prophecy. This clearly shows us that he lead his household in the way of the Lord. It also me and that he was a good role model to his children. They saw how real the Christian faith was in the life of their father and they desired it.

Do your children follow the Christ you claim to follow? Are you a good role model for them? Does your life attract them to become true children of God?
Joshua in Joshua 24:15 said,

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Contrary to this stance, it is very unfortunate that today, some parents make excuse for the lukewarmness or even godlessness exhibited by their children and wards. Such parents may say, “Sir, you don’t understand; my children are now in the university”. Are they implying that children in the university should not obey their parents anymore, or that such children are incapable of doing God’s will?

Some will even say, “We believe that when it comes to the issue of faith, it should be voluntary”. Is it alright if your children voluntarily go to hell? No way! No child should be left to take such a foolish decision! It is your duty to instruct your household after you in the way of the Lord.

My biological children, who are now adults, can testify to how I raised them up. None of them dared to come late for morning devotion. If you were late, you would remain standing or be spanked. Joshua commanded his family to serve the Lord. No wonder he was able to command the sun to stand still and it did. If you can instruct your household to genuinely serve God, you will be able to command what God created, and they will obey you.

Who is in charge of your home: you or your children?

KEY POINT :
If you raise your children well to follow and serve the Lord, he will reward you, but if you don’t, he will judge you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 12-13;
Ezekiel 10:20-11:13


HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

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

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

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

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

Memorise : Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; - Psalm 46:2

R OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday July 17, 2017

NO SHAKING! 

Read: Psalm 46:1-3

46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

46:3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.


MESSAGE :

When you have God as your refuge, you stand to derive numerous benefits. Having God as your Refuge places you in an advantageous position and makes you truly blessed. One of the blessings that money cannot buy is having divine cover over your life that keeps you safe from the enemy. If you consider your strengths and weaknesses, and take a stock of the opportunities and threats you are exposed to continuously, you will realize that having God as a Refuge is priceless benefit indeed.

With God as your cover, you are shielded from so many attacks of the enemy. Even the losses that are programmed to come your way are terminated by God before they get to you. If you are not yet enjoying the strength of God’s cover, you are experiencing a big minus in your life.

Another benefit of having God as your Refuge is that His strength will be made available to help you in the time of trouble. Speaking about God’s strength, 1 Corinthians 1:25b gives this insight :

“…. and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

In several scriptures, Good promises to help us in the time of need. For instance, Psalm 50:15 says,

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
If God is not your Refuge and you call on Him when you need help, He may not respond to you. On the other hand, He easily responds to those under His cover. Are you under God’s cover? Is He your Refuge?

Moreover, when God is your Refuge, no matter what happens, there is no cause for alarm. Just think about this for a minute: Psalm 46:2-3 says that as you are under God’s cover, when there is an earthquake and uproar in the seas or even if the mountains are blown off their locations, you will still be safe where you are. Praise God! It is an anomaly for you to be under God’s protective cover and still be afraid of storms of life. Beloved, do not be scared of the storms confronting you! Don’t be afraid of the earthquake! Don’t even shake when the unmovable are moved from their secured places.

Why? As long as God is your Refuge, you cannot be moved. Whatever cannot move God cannot move you. If out of fear, you have been displaced from under God’s cover, in the Name of Jesus Christ, as you repent of your lack of faith, the Lord will return you to the place of His Refuge! With God as your Refuge, there is no shaking for you!

PRAYER POINT :
Father, because You are my Refuge, let everything that is designed to shake me fail.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 10-11;
Ezekiel 10:3-19


HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

LESSON FORTY-SIX

SUNDAY, 16TH JULY 2017

TOPIC: RAPTURE DESCRIBED

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." - 1Corinthians 15:51

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1Thessalonians 4:13-18

INTRODUCTION:
The second coming of Christ prophesied by Daniel in Daniel 7:13 is a sound biblical fact. This return shall be in two stages. The first is to receive unto Himself His Church. This is popularly called the rapture (1Thessalonians
4:15-17). The second stage is Christ's coming with His saints to set up the millennium reign (1Thessalonians 3:13). May the Holy Spirit Himself guide us into all truth in Jesus' name.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. What is the rapture and when?
2. What will happen at the rapture and how?

WHAT IS THE RAPTURE AND WHEN?
The word, rapture, is not found anywhere in the Bible although it is used to describe this great upcoming and memorable event. The rapture is the sudden catching up or sudden disappearance of holy and faithful saints from the earth to meet with our Lord and Saviour in the air. It is also referred to as the translation or translocation of believers (1Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1Corinthians 15:51-58). Examples of such translation in the Old Testament are: Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24; Hebrews 11:5) and Elijah (2Kings 2:11). It shall be as sudden as the twinkling of an eye (1Corinthians 15:52).
The exact timing of the occurrence of the rapture is not known (Matthew 24:42, 44). It is a secret that only God knows (Matthew 24:36). We, however, know that it shall precede the tribulation (1Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE RAPTURE AND HOW?
The following are to be expected at the rapture:
1. The trumpet of God shall sound (1Corinthians 15:52; 1Thessalonians 4:16).
2. The dead in Christ shall rise first (John 5:25; 1Thessalonians 4:16).
3. Saints which are alive shall be "caught up" to meet our Lord in the air (1Thessalonians 4:17).
4. The dead in Christ and saints who are left shall have glorified or immortal bodies and live forever (1Corinthians 15:51-54; Philippians 3:20-21).
5. There shall be extraordinary chaos on the earth (1Thessalonians 5:2-3; Matthew 24:40-41). The sudden "vacanies" produced by such disappearance shall give birth to the chaos.

HOW?
1. It shall happen suddenly (1Corinthians 15:52; 1Thessalonians 5:3), 'like the coming of the theif in the night' (1Thessalonians 5:2; Matthews 24:43-44).
2. The power of God shall make all saints' bodied immortal (Philippians 3:21).

CONCLUSION:
The greatest calamity that could befall anyone who claims to be a believer is to be on earth a second after the rapture. The one who is coming back for His own "suddenly", warned us to be prepared, at least six times in different parables. Are you ready? (Mark 13:32-37; 1Thessalonians 5:6).

QUESTIONS
1. What is the rapture?
2. Mention five things that will happen at the rapture.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Sunday July 16, 2017

LEGS ON VACATION? 

Memorise : And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. - Acts 3:8

Read: Acts 3:1-9

3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

MESSAGE :

“And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:52

From the above scripture, the way Bartimaeus responded after the Burden Bearer lifted the burden of blindness off his life is a lesson to us all.

After the Burden Bearer has answered your call and lifted off your burden, certain follow-up steps are expected of you. Some people after receiving their miracle thank God for a minute and then bid him farewell. This should not be so! Immediately after Bartimaeus received his sight, he became a follower of Jesus Christ. Know for sure that the devil will definitely contest every victory you secure over him.

For failing to take the necessary follow-up steps required of you after each victory, the devil can reintroduce an entirely new burden into your life (Matthew 12:43-45). Post-victory follow-up action is as pre-victory perseverance.

After a burden is lifted off your shoulders, what should you do? You should praise God. For taking your burden away, praising God is the least you can do. Praise should flow naturally out of you as it did from the lame man in today’s Bible reading. Immediately after his burden of stagnation was lifted, he got up, walking, leaping and praising God.

For 40 years he was placed in front of the temple gate, but he could not go in; but after he gained the ability to walk, he entered the temple, compelled a praise service to be held on his behalf, and on that day, many people learnt how to praise God through him. For 40 years, this man had observed how those parishioners came to the temple and would barely move their legs and bodies while praising God. He would have said to himself several times, “Oh God! I wish I had legs, I would have shown these people how to dance for you”. Then that day, God granted his desire and strengthen his two legs, and boy, he really did dance! He singlehandedly changed a regular service into a praise service.

You who have always had the use of your two legs, when did you ever praise God by leaping? When you truly praise God, your legs cannot be motionless. When some people praise God, only their lips are moving; the rest of their bodies, especially their legs, go on vacation. How do you plan to praise God when he finally lifts that nagging burden off your neck?

From now on, start praising Him that way, and you will have your miracle speedily.

KEY POINT :
Those who understand the efficacy of praise are never shy to praise God anyhow, anywhere and anytime.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 7-9;
Ezekiel 9:1-10:2


HYMN 17: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Refrain:m
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Refrain:

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy 
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Refrain:

4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday July 15, 2017

SALVATION: HOW GENUINE? 

Memorise : He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. - Proverbs 28:13

Read: 2 CORINTHIANS 7:9-11

7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.


MESSAGE :

God’s offer of salvation is for all those who come to Him. To access this salvation however, there are certain criteria you must meet. For instance, you cannot experience salvation without genuine repentance. Unfortunately, there are people who think that they can be saved even without repenting from their sins.

Some people believe that responding to an altar call for salvation is enough. No, it is not! Can you believe that when some people come out to answer an altar call, instead of repenting of their sinful lifestyles, they take pictures? Those who do so can only come out and go back the same way they came. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name!

Heaven’s demands for obtaining salvation are clearly stated in Proverbs 28:13 :

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

If you do not satisfy Heaven’s demand of confessing your sins to God and forsaking your sinful lifestyle, you will never be saved. If you claim to be born again, how did you get saved? Did you confess your sins to God out of a sorrowful heart and resolve not to return to your sinful lifestyle? If your salvation lacks this key foundational pillar, you will need to revisit the salvation experience.

In Luke 13:2-5, Jesus plainly taught His hearers that except they repented, they would perish like those who went before them. God does not want anyone to perish, but He wants us all to repent (2 Peter 3:9). God wants you to change your ways and to stop doing the wicked things you do. It is then you will obtain mercy from him.

Today, the term “born again” has been so abused. Many people say they are born again but they do not even know what it means. If you are truly born again, you will receive genuine salvation that will completely turn your life around (2 Corinthians 5:17). When you come out to receive Jesus, you come out because you are truly sorry for your sins; you come out with a determination to change your ways. You need to come to the altar of God crying to Him for help, not only to forgive you your sins but to also change you inside out.

When you do this, you will obtain salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says it is godly sorrow that brings about repentance that yields salvation. Are you really born again? If your salvation is not genuine, go back to the cross of Calvary today!

KEY POINT :
Fake salvation can never produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 5-6;
Ezekiel 8:7-18


HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS
1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

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

3. My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus; 
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus; 
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus; 
 No turning back, no turning back.

4. 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.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday July 14, 2017

FOUNDATION: HOW STRONG? 

Memorise : Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. -1 Timothy 6:19

Read: Psalm 11: 3-5

11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

11:5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.


MESSAGE :

The foundation of any building or structure is very important. According to Proverbs 22:6, if a child is given the right foundation, it will be easy for him or her to build on it and succeed in life. The question then is, what kind of foundation are you laying for your child or ward? Do you know that some parents are the ones who push their children into destruction?

For instance, if you have a child whose Christian foundation is not solidly established and you send such a child into the society with liberal values, don’t be surprised to see the child follow ungodly lifestyle. For this reason, when you are considering tertiary education for your child, also put into consideration how that child will access spiritual growth in the institution you want to send him or her to. An ideal school should be able to satisfy the academic, moral and spiritual needs of a child. All these should be well balanced. A child’s foundation is laid from kindergarten to university, after which the child will be able to continue in the righteous path of his or her upbringing.

Do your children have a solid foundation in Christ? Is their foundation strong enough to carry whatever will be built on it?

On the other hand, the strength of a child’s foundation is a function of several factors such as: the spiritual level of the parents, the values upheld in that family, the parents’ level of education, the financial resources available to the child, and so on. It is true that you cannot give what you don’t have. This invariably means that as parents, the more you invest in your spiritual life, the greater the chances of giving your children a more solid foundation.

Children learn a lot by simply copying their parents. Many parents engage in certain unhealthy habits and their children are watching them. The laughable thing is that some parents who practice unwholesome habits even warn their children not to try such. To believe that their children will take them seriously is to engage in self-deception. Some men have girlfriends and their children are aware of this, but they beg them never to tell their mothers. Some even bring such ladies home and bribe their children to keep their mouth shut. How can such children ever grow up to become faithful to their spouses?

The strongest legacy you can give your children is to live the kind of life you desire to see in them.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, help me to lay a very solid foundation for every member of my family.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
2 Samuel 3-4;
Ezekiel 7:23-8:6


HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

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

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

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

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

The cabals team speaking

Pls jungle justice is not the right way to go

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 13TH JULY 2017

THEME: PRAY IN THE SPIRIT

Memorise:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

Read: Romans 8:26-27

8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Message:

Prayer is very important for every Christian. Most times, we pray in the language that we speak and understand, but sometimes, we get into a fix, not knowing exactly how best to pray on a particular subject matter. This may be caused by our limited knowledge of the situation or of the people involved in it. There are also times in which we are so weighed down by the pressures of life that our understanding cannot string together the right words with which we ought to pray. Our Heavenly Fathr knew ahead of time that we would find ourselves in such situations, and so He made provision for the Holy Spirit to help us out at such times. This ministry of the Holy Spirit is revealed to us in Romans 8:26, which says,
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

This passage of the Scripture clearly tells us that we do not know how best to pray. In other words, no matter how good you are in crafting prayers, the Holy Spirit knows better what needs to be said in prayer at any given time, and He will help you if only you can pray about issues in the spirit. The Holy Spirit can cover grounds that we cannot cover. For example, I cannot be at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria and know what is going on in Australia, England and other parts of the world, but the Holy Spirit knows everything. Even when I am at the Redemption Camp, I may not know how many women are in the maternity centre, there calling on God to assist them in delivering safely, but the Holy Spirit knows this. So when I do not know how to pray anymore, I hand it over to the Holy Spirit. He knows who needs prayers the most in any part of the world, and He will pray through me for them according to their need, even though I do not realize exactly what I am praying about. That is why I find it quite disturbing to hear that even in Pentecostal circles, there are some churches where they hardly pray in tongues. The Bible says we do not know how to pray as we should. Since you don’t know how to pray, why don’t you let the Holy Spirit help you by praying through you? Pray regularly in tongues. Pray at least for one hour daily, speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives you utterance.

Prayer Point:

Spirit of Truth, knowing my limitations, please pray regularly through me with Your perfect knowledge of my situation.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 1-2
Ezekiel 7:5-22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday July 12, 2017

THE RESTORING SHEPHERD

Memorise : He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.- Psalm23:3

Read: Psalm23:1-3

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.


MESSAGE :

For the sheep of the Great Shepherd, the infallible word of God in Psalm 23:3 guarantees restoration of that which is lost.

Sometimes, God allows His chosen ones to experience a loss so that they can have the opportunity of experiencing Him as the Great Restorer. Be assured in your heart therefore that if you experience a loss that you did not cause by an act of carelessness or disobedience, you can obtain restoration. However, if you fail to ask for restoration, you may not experience it. In Joel 2:23-26, God promised to restore all categories of losses. Every good thing that you have lost shall be restored to you as you hold the Lord to His word, in Jesus’ Name.

Moreover, not only does the Great Shepherd restore physical and material losses to His sheep, He also restores them spiritually. Speaking of spiritual restoration, virtually all believers need this in some measure. In His letter to the Church at Ephesus, the Lord Jesus Christ told the brethren that they had left their first love, in other words, they needed spiritual restoration so that they could embrace the good things they did before, which they had abandoned. Revelation 2:5 says,

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

For many of us, the zeal, love and fire with which we serve God when we first became saved have since ebbed. Our commitment, dedication and consecration are no longer the same. In those days, we made some vows to God such as “No Bible, no breakfast”, but are we still true to those pledges? We promised to win the world to Christ, saying that no day would pass without us winning a soul into the God’s Kingdom. How true is that today?

Some of us are even so shy or afraid of speaking about Jesus at God-given opportunities. We prefer to read books, surf the internet, or visit social media sites than to preach in buses or cabs like we used to. We surely need spiritual restoration!

To be restored, you need to recall how committed you were in time past, repent of your lukewarmness and pick up from where you stopped. Go back to consecration and holiness! Go back to reaching out to the lost on a daily basis! Do you know that no day should pass without you prospecting for sinners to be saved into God’s Kingdom? Ask God to restore you today!

KEY POINT :
Words like consecration, sanctification and dedication which were common place in Christianity of old are now almost completely out of our vocabulary today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 29-31;
Ezekiel 6:8-7:4


HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Refrain:

3. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Refrain:

4. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday July 11, 2017

LEAVE A MARK 

Memorise : That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.- 1 Thessalonians 1:12

Read: Acts 19:8-10

19: 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

19:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.


MESSAGE :

If you will be used by God to perform signs and wonders in these last days, you must have the heart of a missionary or church planter.

In the days of early church, although there was a church in Jerusalem, Philip left his base and went to plant another church in Samaria (Acts 8:5). If God sees you as an incurable church planter, he will gladly use you in the miraculous. Take for instance Paul the apostle: today you would find him in Corinth, tomorrow he would be in Galatia and the next time, you would hear of him being in Colossae. As he travelled round these countries and cities, he kept planting churches. He hardly visited a city without leaving a mark behind for God’s Kingdom. No wonder the Bible records that the kind of miracles God performed through Paul were quite outstanding. Acts 19:11-12 says,

“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”

There are some lessons we can learn from the experience of Paul in this regard. The first is that having the opportunity to travel around the globe is a great privilege. There are people who enjoy travelling from one country to another. There are some people who are required by their official assignment or business transactions to move across countries. Some go to other places for school or simply on vacation. Whatever the reason for your travels, it is a great privilege. Every Christian traveller is expected to leave a godly mark behind in the places he or she visits.

How can you visit a country for a week or two and not share the gospel of Jesus Christ with at least one person? You as a true believer in Christ should be able to have converts in the different countries you visit, and if you are there for a minimum of three to six months, you should be able to start a house fellowship, or even a church. By doing this, you will be opening the door for God to use you for signs and wonders.

Have you travelled away from home without winning souls for Christ or establishing a house fellowship or church for His Name? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Use the opportunity of your travels across different locations to glorify God.

Travelling is meaningful if you can leave a mark of God’s Kingdom behind.

KEY POINT :
One way of becoming a father of many nations is to have converts in every country you visit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 26-28;
Ezekiel 5:13-6:7


HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday July 10, 2017

THE LORD OUR REFUGE 

Memorise : But he passing through the midst of them went his way, - Luke 4:30

Read: Luke 4:16-30

4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,


MESSAGE :

God has several names and titles that will definitely benefit His children who have an understanding of the purpose and power in these names. It is one thing to know the names and titles of God and another thing to have the revelation behind them.

When you receive the revelation of a particular name or title of God, you are brought into a covenant relationship with Him on the basis of that name, and as a result, you gain access to the benefits that such names or titles confer. May God reveal Himself to you by His Name today!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

One of God’s powerful titles is that He is our Refuge. A refuge is a kind of shelter or a place of protection from harm, danger, trouble or pursuit of the enemy. Why is God a refuge? It is because He knows that in this evil world, people will encounter lots of dangerous situations and circumstances at some point in their lives. Do you know that even our Lord Jesus Christ faced dangers many times? However, because God the Father was His refuge, He was protected from them all. One instance of this is recorded in today’s Bible reading.

After hitting the people of his childhood town of Nazareth with the truth, they became very angry with Him and decided to kill Him. Luke 4:29 says, 

 “And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.”

This was just one of the several failed attempts made on the life of Jesus Christ until He voluntarily surrendered Himself to die at Calvary (John 10:17-18).

From today, every attempt on your life shall fail in Jesus’ Name! You shall not die before your appointed time! Every plan of premature death against you and members of your family shall be disappointed! God is our refuge because of the dangerous and evil times we may have to live through. One fellow who knew God as his Refuge was David. He faced great storms! Although his eyes saw troubles and great dangers, he could still say that while passing through treacherous valleys, he would not be afraid (Psalm 23:4). He could say this because he knew God as his refuge. God is our Refuge because He knows that the enemy will definitely pursue His children, and so they will need a place to hide.

From today, you will hide safely in the Lord! The Lord will be a sure Refuge for you in Jesus’ Name!

PRAYER POINT :
Father, in these perilous times, hide me under the shadow of Your wings.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 24-25;
Ezekiel 5:1-12


HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.


2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

LESSON FORTY-FIVE

SUNDAY, 9TH JULY 2017

TOPIC: THE CHRISTIAN
MISSIONARY

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" - Mark 16:15

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 28:19-20

INTRODUCTION:
The business of missions does not exclude the Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Church. Mission is a must and all real Christians should be interested.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. Christian missions and home support
2. Lessons from the macedonian and philippian churches
3. You can be personally involved

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AND HOME SUPPORT
Missionaries are those Christians sent across geographical and cultural boundaries to proclaim the gospel. The take off point is usually from an established body of Christ. It automatically follows, therefore, that the upkeep of the missionary there is the sole responsibility of other members of the body at home. It is written that if a member suffers, other members suffer also (1Corinthians 12:25-26). Christians are supposed to be co-labourers together with God (1Corinthians 3:8-9). Support in prayers and provision of physical needs for the missionaries on the field are the responsibilities of Christians at home. This is missions by proxy. There, on the mission field, it is expected of the missionary to concentrate in order to achieve the purpose for which God has sent him or her (Matthew 6:20-21). Any distractions whatsoever may hinder the speed of his or her primary assignments. Hence, the need for active and prompt home supports.

LESSONS FROM THE MACEDONIAN AND PHILIPPIAN CHURCHES
The Macedonian churches submitted themselves to the will of God and they willingly gave of their substances for the cause of the gospel. Similarly, the Philippians church communicated their substances with Apostle Paul, their gifts were sacrifices acceptable and of sweet odour unto God (Philippians 4:15-18). The unique ability of the Philippians chur ch to give to the mission field as compared to other churches at that time was also commended by Paul (Philippians 4:19).

YOU CAN BR PERSONALLY INVOLVED
The woman of Shunem in her spiritual perception found out the man of God (2Kings 4:8-10). God needed a place for the man of God to lay his head. Both she and her husband agreed to make a chamber for the man of God and put there some essential things needed by him. Priscilla and Aquila, a wonderful Christian couple, were helpers of Apostle Paul (Romans 16:3-4).

CONCLUSION:
It is obvious that not all born again Christians can be out there on the mission field but all can be involved either directly or by proxy. God is still calling today. Whosoever is willing should respond. You can decide to begin to support a missionary, at least.

QUESTIONS
1. Give the biblical support for missions and home support.
2. What is peculiar about the Macedonian and Philippians churches in relation to missions?
3. Give two examples of families involved in mission by proxy, in the early Church.