₦airaland Forum

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Sunday July 9, 2017

THE HEALING TOUCH 

Memorise : And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.- Matthew 8:3

Read: Matthew 8:1-3

8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

8:3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.


MESSAGE :

There are many methods the God of all flesh uses in healing people. A leper once came to Jesus saying, “Lord, I know you can heal me, but I don’t know if it is your will”. Jesus touched him and said, it is My will to heal you; be clean”, and immediately, he received his healing.

Through this encounter, we understand that the God of all flesh can heal you by His touch. Some people find it easy to believe that God can touch them spiritually, but they cannot believe that He can touch them physically. Yes, God still touches people physically today.

Many years ago, we went to church on a Sunday morning, and after the service, we returned home to rest before going back to church for worker’s meeting in the afternoon. In those days, if you were late for worker’s meeting, you would be in serious trouble with my father-in-the-Lord.

On this particular day, after the morning service, we came back home to rest. We decided that nobody would lie down lest we slept. Afterward, I went to pray in my room and fell asleep in the process. Then all of a sudden, I felt a strong hand pressing my leg down and I awoke. I glanced at my wristwatch and screamed because we were almost running late! I thought my wife woke me up, so I went to find her to thank her. However, when I got downstairs, expecting to meet her ready and waiting, I met her and the children fast asleep! I then realized I had received a divine touch. Today, the Lord will touch you physically and deliver your healing to you in Jesus’ Name!

On the other hand, the God of all flesh can just speak a word, and you will receive your healing. Hence, Psalm 107:20 says,

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

When the Lord Jesus Christ was going to heal Bartimaeus, he did not touch him but only spoke a word, and the blind man received his sight (Mark 10:52). He still does this today.

During a holy Ghost Service we had, the lord announced that a woman with cervical cancer was in the congregation, and that the cancer was gone, adding that she should go and confirm with her doctor. Indeed, such a woman was there, and she received the word. She went to her doctor for a check-up, and she discovered that her cancer was indeed gone.

Are you sick? Receive your healing now in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT :
Thank God for the success of past Holy Ghost conventions. Pray that this year’s Convention will be the greatest ever experienced.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 22-23;
Ezekiel 4


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 dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’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]

Tiny23:
He should have made an attempt at least and ask his bae to show him the way to the kitchen...the parents tho,that's not enough reason to call the relationship off.

Pls what kind of attempt shld he make. Was he suppose to clear the plate in the first place?
No be only attempt, na temptation

God please let there be no loss of life o

Jesus christ! may her gentle soul rip. the govt. shld look into the case and give yhe family justice.

July 2017 Holy Ghost Services
Theme: Abba Father6
Date: 7/07/2017

1John 4v8 God is Love and He Loves you John3v16, He loves you because you are part of the world. John 6v44 God is drawing us because He loves us, this love will make God not prosper you if you are living in sin, Psalm 92v7 even though some sinners some times flourishes, is for their destruction.
God loves you so much that He will not heal you if you are a sinner John 5v2-14, the man at the pool of Bethseda was Healed on credit then Jesus asked him go and sin no more else worst thing come on him, Mark 2v1-5, God will not prosper you if living in sin because it will lead you to destruction. Jeremiah 6v17, Prov1v32. A fool says their is no God, you might not have say it with your mouth but in action for obeying Christ. A fool says their is no God, no Heaven or no Judgment Luke 12v16-21, Heb 5v27. Reasons people toil with sin is because they are all fools Prov10v23.

Job36v11-12 their are categories of pastors e.g prosperity preachers, faith preachers, grace preachers, few are called holiness preachers. The reasons is that they preach to the extreme to preach and deliver their message, all are very important, because faith is needed to please God, Grace is important too because it saves us, however Holiness is the master key that opens all doors, how ever we will talk about prosperity tonight Gen17v1 the first time God appeals to man He said I am more than enough. Abba Father is enormously wealth, like father like son. Our daddy is so much wealthy that the roads of heaven are tiled with Gold, He is not just wealth but generous with His wealth. Their are no reasons why a child of God should die poor Pslam35v27. God desire us to prosper. Note true prosperity is not limited to money that is wealth not prosperity in total.

True prosperity contains:
1. Material needs Prov22v7 the rich is the head and the borrower is the tail, you can take away the tail from any animal and it still live, but not the head.
Ecc3v12 Money is a defence. Psalm 23 v5 security should be our defence, people die because they were poor. Money helps to spread the gospel Zach1v17, God can proper you abundantly to spread the gospel all over the world
2. Good health is prosperity 3John2, Job2v1-4. Good health is greater than money 2king11v1-5, Ecc6v2. Its a gift for you to have food and a stomach to hold it Ecc5v30, 1Tim6v17 God doesn't give you just wealth but gives you grace to enjoy your wealth.
Prayers: Father give me divine health along divine wealth.

3. Peace of mind: Wealth is meaningless without rest of mind 1John4v18, 2Tim1v7, pslam121v2 sleep is a blessing. Pslam23v1-2 Sleep is what God gives us free of charge, 1 Sam16v14-43 demons torment Saul even as a king John14 v27 peace I give unto you Jesus said. Phil4v27 peace that passes all understanding God gives His children. A wealthy man without peace is not a prosperous man.
Prayer: O Lord don't take away your peace from me, I don't want the kind of wealth that will take away you peace.

4. Joy: Wealth is meaningless to someone drowning in sorry. Prov10v22 sorry is a killer prov15v13, prov17v22, phil4v4 rejoice in the Lord not in your wealth or money.
Prayer: Father don't let me know sorry again for the rest of my life, keep sorry far from me.

5. Hope: A hopeless man is cursed especially when their is no hope of making it to heaven. Ecc9v4 a living dog is better than a dead lion, a poor man is with a hope of heaven is better than a wealthy man hopeless col1v27, Christ in you the hope of glory. John14v1-3 every Child of God has a glorious hope 1pet 1v3,1 God called it a lively hope He gives us 1John3v1-3 our hope is that we will be like Jesus. Their is hope for us our future is glorious in Christ.
Watch a film called Ben Hur for a key lesson "stay in the race as I ensure you win"
Prayer: Father help me to win and finish well.

In conclusion:
All the listed above are necessary for us to have true prosperity.

What the Father want from us to have true prosperity are below:

1. Obey and serve God Job36v11 Deu 28v1-2,11-12 God can even prosper you that you begins to learn to nations.
2. Do what is right, obey and serve God, he will heal you Ecc15v26
3. Obey and serve God so He gives you peace Isaiah 48
4. For Joy Pslam32v11 obey God then you shout for Joy Ecc 2v18 obey and get wisdom and knowledge
5. Obey and serve him for Hope John15v14

But if you refuse to obey Abba Father, destructions await.

Prayer: Father give me the grace to obey and serve and give me all round prosperity.

You are blessed in Jesus name.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday July 8, 2017

PERMANENT PEACE IS POSSIBLE 

Memorise : Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. - Isaiah 26:3

Read: Matthew 14:22-33

14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

14:32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.


MESSAGE :

The Blood of Jesus Christ is a very potent weapon available to us today (Revelation 12:11). The moment you surrender your life to Jesus, victory comes, because the same blood that cleanses from all sins also conquers Satan. However, if the Blood does not first wash away your sins, you will remain a slave to the devil (Colossians 1:14). It is only after the Blood has worked on you through salvation that the same Blood gives you victory over Satan.

For 13 years, I was running from witches and wizards, and then I met the Lord Jesus Christ. He saved me, and ever since then, no witch anywhere in the world can come close to me, because I am covered with the Blood of Jesus.

Moreover, apart from the Blood of Jesus that is made available to us after salvation, peace that surpasses human understanding is another benefit that comes in after the door of salvation is opened. In fact, while there is no peace to the wicked, peace like a river is made available to you if you are saved. Jesus, in John 14:27, says to you :

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The One who comes into your heart the moment you are born again is the Prince of Peace; you therefore must experience peace in all areas of your life if you have received Him. I pray for you that as you receive Jesus into your life today or draw closer to Him, you will experience peace in every area of your life in Jesus’ Name. Have you been troubled? I speak peace from the Prince of Peace into your troubled situation now! Peace that passes all understanding shall locate you today! In addition, that peace that you receive from the Prince of Peace can be retained in your life. Yes, you can have permanent peace. How? Isaiah 26:3 says,

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

If you have Jesus, you have peace. Anytime you make Jesus your focus, your peace is sustained, and if Jesus remains your focus, you will have permanent peace irrespective of the raging storms of life. While Peter focused on Jesus, he could come out of the troubled boat and walk on water towards Jesus, but the moment he shifted his focus to the wind, he began to sink.

What has been your focus? Through the peace that Jesus gives, you can now determine the quality of peace you experience and for how long it will last. Set your focus on the Prince of Peace today.

ACTION POINT :
Pray for every family that is experiencing storms to encounter the Prince of Peace and receive His peace that is beyond understanding.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 20-21;
Ezekiel 3:16-27


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 7, 2017

WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE? 

Memorise : And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. - 1Samuel 24:5

Read: 2 Samuel 12:7-13

12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

12:11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.


MESSAGE :

One day, after being on the run for his dear life for quite some time, David finally had the chance to kill King Saul, his persecutor (1 Samuel 24:2-6). However, instead of doing this, he chose to simply cut off a part of Saul’s robe, to show that he harbored no ill feelings towards the king.

Nevertheless, after carrying out this seemingly magnanimous act, his conscience pricked him. 1 Samuel 24:5 says,

“And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's” skirt.”

His heart asked him, “David, what have you done? Have you forgotten it is written, “Touch not my anointed?” he immediately lost his peace. That is the response of a true sheep belonging to a great shepherd. In addition to finding it easy to obey, a sheep that strays from the fold of the great shepherd will have his or her heart smitten.

On the other hand, goats are hard-hearted. Are you a sheep or a goat? How many times have you spoken against the anointed of God without feeling any remorse? You mean you can sit down and discuss an anointed man of God for hours, pulling him apart and highlighting what you call his faults, forgetting that it’s only before his Maker that he stands or falls? Is your conscience dead or alive? The conscience of a goat is dead but that of a sheep is alive.

In today’s Bible reading, when Prophet Nathan visited David and narrated to him the story of a rich man with many sheep, who used his poor neighbor’s only lamb to entertain his visitors, David was furious. He declared that whoever carried out this act must die. Then the prophet looked at him and said, “you are the man! “Remember that Nathan was talking to the king of the land. If you expose a goat, he or she will be angry and pounce on you. If David had been a goat, immediately he was confronted with his sin, he would have ordered his guards to cut off the prophet’s head. If he wanted to be subtle, he could lure the prophet to attend a private dinner for them to discuss the matter further, where his wine would have been poisoned. However, what did David do? He said, “I am finished!”, and he began to confess his sins.

What is your attitude when God’s word hits you? Do you say, “This pastor is preaching about me again? I wonder who reports me to him?’ Is your attitude the type that says, “Preacher, mind your own business?” How often have you broken down to weep over your atrocities? How many times have you cried to God for mercy, not caring about those people who are around you? Are you a goat or a sheep? 

KEY POINT :
If you are a sheep, it will show in your response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 18-19;
Ezekiel 2:8-3-3:15


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

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

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

Eyah! RiP bro

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday July 6, 2017

CHOOSE WISELY 

Memorise : Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.- 2Corinthians 5:11

Read: Luke 23:39-43

23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

MESSAGE :

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” - 2 Corinthian 5:11

The reality of an eternity in Hell fire is the reason why we continue to preach relentlessly to people about the need to give their lives to Christ right now! Hell is worse than any kind of suffering ever known to man. It is worse than any World War or nuclear holocaust. It is worse than any type of plague, be it Ebola, HIV, leprosy or the Black Death. It is even worse than death itself. Why, you may ask? If a believer in Christ is tortured to death for his or her faith in Christ, he or she will be in pains for a while, but eventually, the pain will stop and he or she will be taken into glory. Such a fellow would have moved from extreme pain to extreme joy, glory and peace in Heaven.

In contrast, anyone who goes to Hell will burn in fire day and night. After burning for a billion years, his or her suffering will just be beginning. Worse still, after the Great White Throne Judgment, the inhabitants of Hell will be moved into the Lake of Fire, where they will go through the worst of torment and will keep burning without being consumed. Revelation 20:14 says,

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Whatever you can do to skip Hell, do it today because nobody knows tomorrow!No religion can save you from Hell. No form of self-righteousness, personal belief or positive thinking can save you either. In fact, John 3:18 says that some people will be banished to Hell not because they do not attend church but because they did not genuinely give their lives to Christ. You have a choice to make here. When the Lord Jesus Christ was being nailed to the cross, two thieves were equally nailed to their own crosses on either side of Him. One of them said to the Lord, “I thought you called yourself a prophet, how come you cannot deliver yourself and deliver us also?” The second thief rebuked him saying, “While on your way to Hell, you are still talking like this?” Then he turned to Jesus and said “Lord, I don’t know if it is still possible, but when You get to Your Kingdom, please remember me.”

The first thief chose to go from the cross to Hell, and he got his wish, while the second chose to go from the cross to paradise and it was so. What is your choice today?

ACTION POINT :
Visit www.spiritlessons.com and read up people’s accounts of their experience of Heaven and Hell. Wisely adjust your lifestyle based on your choice of eternal destination.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 17;
Ezekiel1:22-2:7


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;
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

Wednesday July 5, 2017

LIMITED TO SWEET EXPERIENCES? 

Memorise : And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.- 2 Corinthians 1:7

Read: Deuteronomy 8:2-7,

8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

8:7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

Hebrew 2:9-10

2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


MESSAGE :

Jesus is the Great Shepherd, and He wants His sheep to eat and drink from that which He provides for them. If you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you will be filled. In order words, you will experience the right growth in the Kingdom when you are receptive, and not selective of what the Master gives. Every good word of God counts in helping you grow to become like Jesus.

In the Church of God today, under the guise of “grace” or “liberty” found in the New Testament, a lot of funny things are happening. Some people choose to read only the New Testament and call the Old Testament stale or outdated. Some others choose to read only specific portions of the Bible that speak of blessings, while they never go to the portion on sacrifice and curses. Some people never want to see passages on tithes and offering and other forms of giving, believing that offerings do not go to God but to men.

Some of such people prefer to donate their tithes to the poor and needy, rather than to pay it as tithes in their church. Such tendencies will definitely affect their growth and hinder them from enjoying God’s full blessings.

“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

From the above, scripture, we see that the Lord Jesus Christ did not promise us a life free of hardship. Anyone who goes through life experiencing only pleasure, abundance and happiness without any moment of sorrow, sadness, denial, lack or disappointment will not develop a strong, well balanced character. Such a person will be vain, will lack compassion for others, and be conceited. God allows us to go through both the ups and downs of life so that we can truly fit into His plan for us. A one-sided spiritual diet leads to uneven spiritual growth. Romans 5:3 says that tribulations help us develop patience. Hebrew 2:10 tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ himself was made perfect through sufferings.

How can you then become perfect without undergoing hardship? 1 Peter 4:13 says that when we partake of Christ’s sufferings, we shall also partake of His glory that shall be revealed. Don’t let anyone deceive you; you need to take in every truth of God’s word in order to become who you were created to be.

KEY POINT :
God allows His children to go through difficulties in order to develop their character.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 15-16;
Ezekiel1:1-21


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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

listenersky:
I just discovered my fiancee has been cheating on me. I discovered the chats she had with a married elderly man ,she initially denied it but she confessed after I showed her the evidence i had. We have been dating for six years and we did our intro early this year. We have picked the date of our wedding which is in few weeks time. People have been invited.

Her relationship with this elderly man didn't start now, she made me to understand that it has been going on for years. Now she has been begging me to forgive her and not put her to shame because PEOPLE are already looking forward to our wedding day.

Wedding preparations already in place. Infact preparations already 80% done. I'm really in a state of confusion right now because I don't know if I should go ahead with the wedding out of pity. And I am also scared that if I marry her out of pity, I might not love her the way I should as the thought of her being unfaithful over the years will never leave my head And how am I sure she's not cheating with more than one man?

Pls nairalanders, matured advice needed at this time.

Please what was the reason she gave for embarking on such moves, and when was there last encounter? was it after your marriage proposal or after your introduction? The answer to this qst will help in shaping your decision

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday July 4, 2017

HAVING A SERVANT SPIRIT 

Memorise : For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. - Luke 22:27

Read: Luke 22:24-27

22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.


MESSAGE :

Signs and wonders easily flow in an atmosphere where authority is respected. The moment a person becomes rebellious or refuses to submit to the authority of leaders, God withdraws and so do His signs and wonders. If you want God to use you in the miraculous, learn to remain submissive to the authority of those set over you by God.

Moreover, another attribute of the fellow God will use to perform signs and wonders is the possession of a servant spirit. If you take a critical look at the person of Philip as recorded in the book of Acts, chapters 6 and 8, you will see a man who happily obeyed when he was sent to serve food as an usher, even though he was full of faith, power and the Holy Spirit. If some people had such credentials as these, they would suddenly become very choosy in the nature of assignments they are willing to carry out.

If a pastor asks some workers to clean the toilet today, they may give the pastor a look that says, “Don’t you know who I am? Is it because I am a worker in your church? In my place of work, I am a Managing director” Nobody is contesting with you. The truth remains that in God’s kingdom, a worker is a servant. When you get to your office, you can be the boss there, but when you are in God’s house, you must be prepared to serve. Do you know that anyone who is unwilling to serve can never reach the top in God’s house?

You need to always remember that even the Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant! In Luke 22:26, He admonished us with these words:

“But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”

Not only did He instruct us to serve, He himself did exactly that. He came as one who serves (Luke 22:27). Do you remember He washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:5)? This is why I teach my students at the School of disciples that the hands that cannot do manual labour cannot heal the sick. Some people have abandoned house chores to their domestic workers and other helpers. If you really want God to use your hands to perform signs and wonders, then you must engage them in manual labour.

By virtue of my position as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, people try to keep me from doing chores. However, do you know that even with all the help and assistants at my disposal, when I realized they are not around, I quickly iron some of my wife’s clothes or go to the kitchen sink to wash some plates? I know what I am doing. Are you a servant or a lord that everyone must obey?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, give me the servant spirit of Jesus Christ, so that I may serve others just as He did.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 14;
Lamentation 4:19-5:22


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.

Franzinni:
my brother I am very sure you have not taken the time to read the literature in the book please go and read it and understand what the topic and answers In the book are all about then you will not mind the topic op. Used.

But let me say my own piece...

The book doesn't talk about abstinence it clearly says something like...

How to receive and give pleasure without actually having sex... Which masturbation is one of the ways... So there is no need for demonstration besides any kid that knows. The meaning of the word masturbation does not need a demonstration anymore...

But pls educate me d more. How do kids at dat age knw what masturbation is if u dnt teach them. And if they dnt knw, dnt u think they wld be curious to knw?

Franzinni:
sir, I am not slow and I had started masturbation precisely in jss1. And back then it was extremely uncomfortable for me but I enjoyed it so it made me feel weird... But if I was educated by my parent in the same subject don't you think it would have helped me understand my biology better? It's time Africans come out of the stone age... That same jss1 kid is already watching hours or porn in this age and time... You all should stop thinking like you are in the. 70s or 80s educate your child so they don't fall victim to pervs

Sir, pls how do you educate a child dat you are teaching 'abstinence' and telling d child dat masturbation is a form of abstinence, does it really make sense, so he can go on and practise masturbation before d time of marriage reaches, since its wrong to have sex before marriage. l wld like to really tell me if u, as a teacher can demonstrate masturbation to those little kids when asked in a classroom

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday July 3, 2017

FOCUSED ASKING 

Memorise : I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.-
Luke 11:8

Read: Luke 11:5-10

11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

11:6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

11:7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

11:8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.


MESSAGE :

One of the conditions to be met before one’s burden is lifted is the need to see that burden is an anomaly. You must acknowledge the existence of the burden, and be willing to be helped, before you can be set free from it. In john 5:2-9, Jesus asked the man who had been sick for 38 years, “Do you want to be made whole?” you may wonder why Jesus asked him such an obvious question. Why didn’t he just heal him straightaway? The truth is, not everyone wants to be helped.

I have shared the story of a sick woman whom I prayed for many times without results. Then one day, the Lord told me, “Ask her if she wants to be healed”. Initially, I wondered what kind of question that was, but later I asked her, “woman, do you want to be well?’. To my utmost shock she replied, “No”. In my astonishment I asked her why not, and she said, “When I was well, immediately my husband closed his from work place, he would go to club houses, but since I took ill, after work, he comes home to me. I would rather be sick and retain my husband’s attention”.

There is also the case of a witch who was brought to us for deliverance some time ago. Although we prayed, she would not be delivered. So, I asked, “Woman, do you want to be delivered?” “She replied, “Do you want me to lose the power I use in controlling my husband? I don’t want to be free.” As long as you are not willing to let go of the burden on you, there is nothing God will do to take it off you. In any case, God does not force things on you against your will, except in very rare cases.
In addition, you must be ready to cry to the Burden Bearer for help like Bartimaeus did in Mark 10:46-52. He cried once and again saying :

“Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me”

When others shouted him down, he raised his voice even higher. He kept calling until the Lord heard him. If you are weighed down by a burden and you pray lackadaisically, it simply shows that you are not really concerned about that burden. If you are, you will throw caution and decorum to the wind and call upon the Lord with your whole heart, and He will answer you. Some people call on God for a little while and stop. Such people may not get the answer they seek because they are not desperate enough. If you want results, call on Him and continue calling on Him. Use every opportunity you have to call on Him.

Let Him see that you have resolved not to give Him rest until he answers you. When He sees that the answer to your prayers means everything to you, He will answer. As you call on Him this season, the Lord will answer you speedily in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT :
If you are not ready to petition God repeatedly until He has no breathing space, you are not desperate enough for your desired change.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 12-13;
Lamentation 4:2-18


HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

Through the love of God, our Savior, 
all will be well;
free and changeless is his favor, 
all will be well;
precious is the blood that healed us, 
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched out to shield us, 
all will be well.

Though we pass through tribulation, 
all will be well;
ours is such a full salvation, 
all will be well.
happy when in god confiding, 
fruitful if in Christ abiding,
holy through the Spirit's guiding, 
all will be well.

We expect a bright tomorrow; 
all will be well;
faith can sing through days of sorrow, 
all will be well;
on our Father's love relying, 
Jesus every need supplying
in our living, in our dying, 
all will be well.

Franzinni:
who keeps saying the book is wrong? Anybody in that category is a prime example of an illiterate...

Now the book say clearly, ways to give and receive pleasure without actual intercourse... How is masturbation out of place?

Some dingbat. Had posted this same thing a while ago and due to poor comprehension, hoped to find similar minds to swallow this misdirection based on the topic...

Read well... The book is accurate in that regard.

Oga literate. that thing is very wrong for the children of dat age. though it falls under d category of obtaining pleasure, it shld have been excluded from the study of dat stage but may be put at an advance education stage. if not, can you demonstrate masturbation to a JSS 1, student?

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

LESSON FORTY-FOUR

SUNDAY, 2ND JULY 2017

TOPIC: THE PREACHER'S TOOL

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" - 1Corinthians 1:24
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1Corinthians 1:18-24

INTRODUCTION:
We were made to understand last sunday that the preaching of the gospel is compulsory for all believers. It follows, therefore, that if this assignment is to be carried out cheerfully and fearlessly, and with divine approval, divine wisdom, compassion and the Holy Spirit, power must be possessed by any would-be preacher of the gospel. May the Holy Spirit teach us as we study, in Jesus' name.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. Godly wisdom
2. Compassion
3. Power

GODLY WISDOM
It is God's perfect will to give wisdom to any who lack it and who will ask in faith (James 1:5- for it is the wisdom of God that can confound the wise of this world (1Corinthians 1:27) as it happened during Paul's ministration to the Athenians (Acts 17:15-34). Furthermore, the preaching of the gospel that has Jesus Christ as its theme always, is indeed wisdom because He does not only expose carnality but also impacts spiritual things (1Corinthians 3:2-4; 2:13, 16).

COMPASSION
This was the divine nature that was manifested in the Lord Jesus Christ throughout His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:36; 23:37; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). Gospel preachers can be likened to Pharaoh's daughter who came to the rescue of baby Moses (Exodus 2:6). We must take a cue from our Lord and be compassionate. His admonition to persecutors as well reveals this (Luke 6:28). When we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:.

POWER
The need for power in gospel preaching cannot be over emphasised. The Lord made an open declaration of this in His great commission to us (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:. Believers are to preach the gospel with boldness, for the Spirit of God is for boldness, love, power and sound mind (Acts 4:31; 2Timothy 1:7). This power will pull down all the strongholds of the enemy (Satan) and his agents, in and around both the speaker and the hearer, which may want to render the message ineffective (2Corinthians 10:4-5; Acts 16:16-18).

CONCLUSION:
Let us, as true ambassadors for Christ (2Corinthians 5:20), rise up in obedience to the command of our Lord and preach the gospel with compassion and power. His grace is our sufficiency (Philippians 4:13). Please pray to God and go. Tomorrow may be too late.

QUESTIONS
1. The Lord Jesus Christ is what and what from our study?
2. Why is it compulsory for gospel preachers to be compassionate?
3. Give reasons for the need of the Holy Ghost power in gospel preaching?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY JULY 2ND 2017

THEME:
WHY YOUR HEALING IS NOW

MEMORISE:
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

READ: Jeremiah 32:26-27

26 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,

27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 10-11, Lamentation 3:37-4:1

MESSAGE:

In Jeremiah 32:27, God said something very profound:
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”
In this scripture, God introduced Himself as the God of all flesh. Similarly, in Ezekiel 18:4, He said all souls are His; so we can correctly say that God is also the God of all souls. Also, Hebrew 12:9 calls Him the Father of spirits; we can therefore correctly say that He is the God of all spirits. Considering all these, we can confidently say that God is the God of the spirit, soul and body (the flesh). It therefore means that He knows everything about spirit, soul and body, and being the Owner of them all, he can work on any part of you. Praise God!

As the God of all flesh, God is genuinely interested in whatever happens to your body. John 1:1&14 reveals that the Word was God, and He eventually became flesh. So then, what are the implications of the Lord being the God of all flesh? First, He can change any damaged flesh and make it brand new. A particular brother was taken on a visit to Heaven many years ago, and there he saw a particular store-house with spare body parts of all types, sizes, colors and shapes. These are not needed in Heaven but meant for people on earth. He said with faith in Jesus Christ, you can pull your required body part(s) from that store into your body. Does any part of your body require replacement? Receive it now in Jesus’ Name! One individual who benefited from this truth was Naaman. His skin was so damaged and ravaged with leprosy that God had to give him brand new skin (2 Kings 5:1-14). All he had to do was to obey God’s instruction, and his skin suddenly became like that of a new born baby. In Jesus’ Name, receive that miracle of brand new part you need for your body now! The level of destruction experienced in the flesh cannot hinder the God of all flesh from doing His job. Some people look at how certain afflictions or sores have ravaged their bodies, and they conclude that there is no more hope for them. No, don’t give up! Job had an understanding of this when in Job 19:26, he said:
“And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:”
There is a user of this devotional who is afflicted by a sore that has refused to heal. The God of all flesh says He is doing something about it right now. When you are healed, go and testify to God’s glory. Call on God today, worship Him because he is in charge of all flesh and thereafter ask him to replace your damaged body with brand new parts.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, you are the God of all flesh, solve every problem I have with my body today!

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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 dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’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]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday July 1, 2017

SALVATION COMES FIRST 

Memorise : Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. - 1Peter 2:24

Read: 1Peter 2:21-25 

2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 


MESSAGE :

Just as the repercussions of sin can affect every facet of life, so also can salvation become the platform of recovery for every area of life that has been devastated by sin. When a sinner comes in contact with the lamb of God and His blood, his or her sins are washed away, and all the devastating effects of sin can be reversed in one day. Take for instance the impotent man in John 5:2-14, who was sick for 38years. Immediately he came in contact with Jesus, he was healed. From that moment, he stopped failing, hope came to his hopelessness, he was able to fellowship with people in church, peace came to his life and joy returned to his heart. All these happened in one day.

When you give your life to Jesus and He saves your soul, peace and joy will suddenly flood your heart. From that very moment, you have access to all the precious promises of God. You can claim them and they will become reality in your life. 

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1Peter 2:24 

God’s process for healing is revealed in the above scripture. First is the transfer of your sins to the crucified body of Jesus Christ by faith, and thereafter comes healing. Many people want God to heal them but they do not want God to first roll away their sins. It doesn’t work that way! Any prophet, man of God or pastor who promises to heal you without the experience of salvation from sin must be avoided like a plague. Why? It is because instead of a miracle from God, you might be getting magic from Satan, and you can be certain that Satan is a very wicked taskmaster.

Moreover, quite a number of sicknesses and diseases are caused by sin. The moment you settle the issue of sin at the cross of Jesus Christ, healing will then be released. Are you sick and still wallowing in sin? Give your life to Jesus now! Renounce every link with the devil, break every covenant with demons and commit your life to Christ. Ask God to forgive you for your life of sin and promise never to return to that life.

Ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Saviour today. If you have truly done these from your heart, I command every sickness or disease hibernating inside your body to be uprooted now in Jesus’ Name! 

ACTION POINT : 
Use every opportunity to pray for the healing of the sick, but first lead them to Christ. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 
1 Samuel 8-9;
Lamentation 3:7-36 


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

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 June 30, 2017

WONDERFUL PROTECTION

Memorise :Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; - Psalm 91:5

Read: Psalm 91:5-7

91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.


MESSAGE :

Besides being a God of wonders who does wonders, God can also turn you into a wonder. A young man gave a profound testimony during one of our monthly Holy Ghost Services some years ago. He testified that during a prior Holy Ghost Service, the Lord instructed me to inform the congregants that the clothes they wore to that programme had just been anointed and had therefore become special. Unknown to him, some hired killers had been sent to kill him. Coincidentally, on the day marked for his assassination, he was wearing the very clothes that had been anointed during the Holy Ghost Service. As he passed by the assassins on this fateful day, he heard them say, ''This is the fellow'', and immediately, they opened fire on him. Six bullets passed through the front of his clothes and came out at the back, but nothing touched him. He brought the clothes he wore and showed us the bullet holes in front and at the back. He said he could not explain how that could happen without affecting his body.

Indeed, there is a God who can turn someone into a wonder! As people looked at him, they saw someone who by all standards should have been dead, but who was alive because God miraculously protected him from weapons of destruction. This season, God will turn you into a wonder! He will miraculously protect you from every weapon of death formed against you!

Moreover, God can perform wonders through you! He can turn you into an instrument that performs wonders. For instance, on one ordinary day, Peter and John were going along the way when they encountered a lame man who asked for alms, but God used them to heal him (Acts 3:1-11). This same man who had sat at a gate of the temple for years suddenly rose up, began to walk, leap and praise God. He became a wonder to everyone who knew him, and the duo that God used to perform the miracle also stood out as wonders. Acts 3:11 says,

''And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.''

Beloved, God wants you to be a wonder. He also wants to use you to perform wonders. Are you ready to cooperate with Him? Can you pay the price to become a conduit for signs and wonders to flow through? How concerned are you about God's Kingdom? How consecrated are you? Are you prepared to give it all it takes?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, as You used Peter and John to perform miracles, use me and my family to perform spectacular miracles today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 6-7;
Lamentation 2:14-3:6


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!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

2. Have we trials and temptations?
ls 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 your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
You wilt find a solace there.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday June 29, 2017

THINK IN THE SPIRIT

Memorise : In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. - Proverbs 3:6

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6

3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.


MESSAGE :

Life in the Spirit is possible, even though for most believers it is still a struggle (Galatians 5:25). To grow your spirit-man, you need to earnestly seek more opportunities to be refilled with the Holy Spirit after being baptized with Him (Ephesians 5:18-19).

To live in the Spirit, you need to think in the Spirit. In our thought life, many of us leave out the Holy Spirit, and this is one of the reasons why we don't go far in our walk with God. Whenever God is left out of an equation, it never balances. This is why today's Bible reading says we should acknowledge Him in all and not some of our ways. It is only then He will direct our paths. Some of us usually announce to God the decisions we have already reached, instead of consulting with Him earlier, so that He can help us arrive at the best decision. What is wrong with God deciding for you? Who decided that you would be born? Were you a part of that decision? Who decided your sex, nation, looks, height, complexion and the parents you would have? If He could decide all these, would it be too much for Him to be involved in the decision-making process of your life?

When He is involved in a decision, He will ensure it does not fail. However, if in playing ''mature'' boy or girl, you leave Him out and your decisions later backfire, you will have only yourself to blame.

When there is an issue on ground and you present the issue to God, asking for His guidance or instruction on how to handle it, He will be pleased that you are giving Him His rightful place in your life. To what extent do you involve God in your personal and family affairs? Do you see Him as an intruder or as a partner? How often do you involve God in your thoughts and plans? If you really want Him to be a part of your thought life, then shun all evil thoughts. Load your mind with His word. Think often on God's word and focus on Jesus. By doing these, it will become easy for you to think in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only Person who can help you see things from God's perspective. This is why 1 Corinthians 2:11 says,

''For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God.''

When you yield your mind to Him, you will see yourself thinking more like Jesus, and what is important to God will gradually become important to you. When this continues, His likes will become your likes, and you will hate what He hates. There will be an alignment between what He wants and what you want.

Start involving God in your thought process from today.

KEY POINT :
The extent to which you involve God in your personal or family affairs shows the extent of your trust in Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 3-5;
Lamentation 2:3-13


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:]

Oga, and u dey there dey count how much dem dey give police, u no.fit shout make d police them comee rescue you

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday June 28, 2017

WHAT KIND OF GROWTH?

Memorise : But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: -Ephesians 4:15

Read : Ephesians 4:10-16

4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists: and some, pastors and teachers;

4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive:

4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.


MESSAGE :

If you are a sheep in the fold of the Great Shepherd, you will not lack rest or what to eat. Beyond these, you will not thirst, as He leads you beside the still, calm waters. This is another way of saying that your thirst will be quenched. The Lord in Matthew 5:6 spoke of this when He said :

''Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.''

Hunger and thirst are part of the mechanisms that have been programmed into the human body to produce growth. How you respond to these impulses will determine the quality or type of growth you experience. Prolonged starvation and refusal to eat both lead to death.

Similarly, while taking only a particular kind of food, some people experience abnormal growth patterns, due to the absence of the required quantity of nutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and so on, needed by their body. This is why children who are exclusively fed a diet full of carbohydrates tend to have oversized heads and stomachs, rickety legs and hands – a growth problem known as 'kwashiorkor'. For growth to be even and progressive, all the needs of the body must be provided.

The observed effect of food on physical growth in the natural world also applies to what happens in the spirit. Today, spiritual growth is so distorted in the Body of Christ as a result of the nature of food being fed and the attitude of believers towards spiritual food. There are different stages of growth in the Kingdom of God. 1 Peter 2:2 says baby Christians should be fed with milk, so as to grow normally.

Today, you have those who claim to have been saved for 5, 10 or more years still insisting on being fed with milk. lf a 10 year old child still wants to be breastfed, what kind of growth would result from this? Also, there are so many false doctrines being propagated through the airwaves and in churches today. What kind of growth will such doctrines deliver to those who receive them? In addition, a number of those who are being fed the sound, undiluted truth of God's word do not have enough time to receive it.

What kind of growth do you think will result from such spiritual eating pattern? When you do not grow as you are expected to, you become a problem to yourself and others around you. How are you growing today? What are you feeding on? How often do you feed on God's word?

ACTION POINT :
Change your spiritual diet and feeding pattern to reflect the desire for healthy spiritual growth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
1 Samuel 1-2;
Lamentation 1:13-2:2


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

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

5. 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 June 27, 2017

UNDER AUTHORITY?

Memorise : Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. - Romans 13:1

Read: Acts 8:12-17

8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)

8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.


MESSAGE :

It is one thing to serve the Lord, and another thing to submit to authority. Some people can render service to God but they cannot submit themselves to the authority of someone the Lord has placed over them.

In today's Bible reading, after the apostles heard that a deacon was making waves in Samaria, they decided to go and see what was going on. Peter was asked to lead the delegation there. On arrival, Philip received them warmly, introduced them to the Samaritan converts as his leaders and submitted himself to their authority. There was no conflict whatsoever! If it were some people today, there would have been a rift. They would have confronted these leaders with rash words such as ''Pastor Peter, where do you think you have come to? When there was no revival here, you never came to Samaria. Now that God has used me to bring revival to Samaria, you have come to take over the work and the glory. I will never allow you to do this. You may be an apostle, but I am the one God used to save these souls and perform these signs and wonders, so please return to your Jerusalem."

Do you know that there are some pastors that God used in building up a church, who down the line defy all moves to transfer them elsewhere? They believe that since they did all the hard work of building from scratch, they should be left to enjoy the 'dividends' of their labour. This only shows a lack of understanding. In the first place, whatever work we do in the Kingdom of God is done for God and not for any man. Also, the means used for the work, whether physical, financial or material, come from God. Furthermore, no human being can adequately reward you for work you do for God. Similarly, God does not owe any one who serves Him: He always rewards them here on earth and later in eternity, as promised by the Lord in Matthew 19:29 :

''And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.''

There should be no conflict at all on such matters. When a person is told by their authority to relocate, it should be clear to him or her that God is most likely through with using him or her in that current location. If you find it diffrcult to submit to your earthly superiors, it means that you are not ready for the ministry of signs and wonders.

Are you under authority, or do you resist and struggle with your superiors? Repent and make amends today!

KEY POINT :
Refusing to submit to the powers above you makes you a rebel, and this attracts divine condemnation (Romans 13:2).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Ruth 2-4;
Lamentation 1:1-12


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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday June 26, 2017

BORN INTO CAPTIVITY?

Memorise : He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.- 1 John 3:8

Read: Exodus 1:8-12

1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.


MESSAGE :

While some people fall into captivity through traps set by the tempter, some others, like Joseph, are sold into slavery (Genesis 37:23-28).

In some parts of Africa, when a child is born, both parents of that child or either one of them enter into a covenant involving that child and some deity or spirit-wife or husband. Such a child later grows up to find that he or she has been sold into slavery. There are many childless couples who go to some deities for help, because they can no longer wait on God to give them good children. This opens the door to satanic offsprings in their life. Later in life, such demonic children will become devourers of their resources and peace.

May you never be so frustrated as to go to the devil for help! Satan's ''help'' is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Moreover, in today's Bible reading, we understand that some people enter into slavery right from birth. When a pharaoh that did not know Joseph arose in Egypt and enacted new laws that made the Israelites slaves, every child that was born to them from that moment was born into slavery. In whatever way you have found yourself in captivity, whether by choice, design or by birth, there is deliverance for you today. The Great Deliverer is able and willing to deliver you. 1 John 3:8 says Jesus Christ was manifested in order to destroy the works of the devil. Captivity is the work of the devil, and he seeks to control and ruin lives by it.

The predator runs the lives of his captives. When he wants, he whips them, pushes them into difficulties and mocks them while they struggle. He dictates what they become and where they will end. The fellow in captivity has virtually lost control over his or her life. You cannot be a captive and at the same time be free to serve God the way you want. One of the reasons why Jesus Christ came into this world was to make us free to serve God. Contained in the prophecy of Zacharias about the Lord Jesus Christ is this statement about His mission, in Luke 1:74-75:

''That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.''

This is why you have to arise in anger today and rebel against any form of captivity you have found yourself in, and ask Jesus Christ to deliver you now. You shall be free today!

PRAYER POINT :
In any way I and members of my family have found ourselves in captivity, we rebel and break away from it today!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 21;
Ruth 1;
Jeremiah 52:24-34


HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

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

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

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

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

LESSON FORTY-THREE

SUNDAY, 25TH JUNE 2017

TOPIC: THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea' woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" - 1Corinthians 9:16

BIBLE PASSAGE: Mark 16:15-20

INTRODUCTION:
Shortly after the baptism and wilderness experiences of Jesus Christ, His earthly ministry started with the preaching of the gospel and ended with the commissioning of the disciples for the same assignment (Mark 1:9-14; Matthew 28:18-20). Without doubt, this must have been an issue topmost in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ for all generations. May the Holy Spirit teach and help us to obey the will of the Master today, in Jesus' name.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. A must for all believers
2. The message is simple

A MUST FOR ALL BELIEVERS
The Lord commands the believer to go and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), the power and the wisdom of God (1Corinthians 1:24). A refusal to preach, as Apostle Paul was concerned, is a curse (1Corinthians 9:16). It is a duty that is not limited by seasonal changes, societal, spiritual or marital status (2Timothy 4:2; Acts 18:26).
The Lord does not want anyone to perish (2Peter 3:9; 1Timothy 2:4). He promises rest for the weary, rescue for the perishing soul and everlasting life for the repentant sinner (Matthew 11:28; John 3:36). He remains our Advocate with the heavenly Father (1John 2:1-2) and His blood still cleanses from all sins (1John 1:7). Therefore, every believer must see the task of preaching the gospel and soul winning as an inevitable one (1Corinthians 9:16). Do not shy away from it (Romans 1:16).

THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE
The word from the beginning (John 1:1, 14) makes it abundantly clear that all souls are His (Ezekiel 18:4) and that these souls have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Whosoever confesses and forsakes his or her sins will obtain mercy (Proverbs 28:13; 1John 1:8-10) since the grace of God in Christ Jesus will grant him or her eternal life (Romans 6:23). This is a new covenant in the blood of Jesus, which alone can atone for the sins of the whole world (Hebrews 9:14).

CONCLUSION:
If the Lord Jesus Christ saw the preaching of the gospel as unavoidable, then, believers therefore have no excuse. He has promised that we will do greater works (John 14:12) and that He will be with us always (Matthew 28:20). Pray and obey now.

QUESTIONS
1. Why is the preaching of the gospel a must for all believers?
2. Give a summary of the simple message.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Sunday June 25, 2017

WHY HEALING IS YOURS

Memorise : But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.- Isaiah 53:5

Read: Isaiah 53:3-5

53:3 He is despised and rejected of me with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.


MESSAGE :

In life, what you tolerate goes a long way to determine what you go through, and how you go through situations and circumstances. While God expects us to be tolerant of the weaknesses, character defects and inadequacies of our fellow human beings, He does not expect us to be tolerant of the devil and his tokens. For this reason, in 1 Peter 5:9, we are commanded to steadfastly resist the devil and his antics. In fact, we are even permitted to be violent in our approach towards effectively resisting the devil (Matthew 11:12).

Whatever you allow in your life, stays, multiplies and may even dominate your life! Never allow anything evil to come into your life or to continue to hibernate in your life.

One of the tokens of the liar that you must not allow is sickness. You should not tolerate sickness because it hinders you from effectively serving God. Sickness hinders and makes one an ineffective witness of Jesus Christ. If you go out to preach about Christ and His power and you are sick, some people will challenge your message, saying that the power you attribute to Jesus should first be seen in your life before they can believe.

In addition, sickness hinders how we praise God. Isaiah 38:18-19 says only the living can praise God and not those in the grave. It is not easy to praise God when your body is going through severe pain. Isaiah 53:5 says,

''But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.''

Jesus has already paid the price for our healing, and so when a believer remains sick, it means that the suffering of Christ over that person is being wasted. Are you sick? You cannot afford to remain sick. Receive your healing now in Jesus' Name! Mark 9:23 says if only you believe, your healing can be delivered to you. This means that your faith is being challenged whenever you are sick. Do you have enough faith to appropriate the sufferings of Christ over your situation in order to be healed? Beyond this, God gave me a revelation that sickness does not only challenge our faith, it also challenges our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, when sickness challenges our faith, then it is the Author and Finisher of our faith that is also being challenged (Hebrews 12:2). This season, your healing will suddenly manifest and you will see the tokens of sickness no more.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, since You have already paid the price for my healing, I receive all-round healing today in Jesus' Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 20;
Jeremiah 52:12-23


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 dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’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]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday June 24, 2017

CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Memorise : The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.- Job 15:20

Read: Genesis 3:8-19

3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was Unclad; and I hid myself.

3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast Unclad? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gravest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.


MESSAGE :

Sin can bring unimaginable consequences upon the sinner. Some years ago, I visited the maximum security prison at Kirikiri, Lagos, where I met a man who had been condemned to death. For 27 years, he had waited for the day the executioner would come for his head. While we discussed, I trembled at the repercussion of sin. He said to me, ''Even if I am released now, where do I start from, having wasted 27 years of my life?'' Do you expect such a man to be joyful during all that period of waiting? No way! He must have been sad for 27 years! Psalm 16:4 says,

''Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.''

According to this scripture, sin and sorrow go hand in hand. If you are living in sin, you cannot be separated from sorrow. If you enjoy sinning, you will be compelled to enjoy sorrow as well. If you are always sorrowful, examine your ways: it is possible your life of sorrow is the product of a sinful life.

Similarly, sin is linked with pain, struggle and tears. Job 15:20 says,

"The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.''

This scripture simply means that if you sin and continue in it, get ready to suffer for a long time, possibly throughout life. These repercussions of sin did not just start today; they have been there from the beginning. In today's Bible reading, after Adam and Eve sinned, the serpent was cursed above all other creatures and lost its legs. For the woman, the process of conception and childbirth became an issue of life and death, while the ground was cursed for man's sake. Since then, it has been a struggle for man to enter into his harvest.

Before you take out your harvest from the fields, you have to sweat, suffer, weed out what you did not sow, and so on. Are you going through a lot of struggle, pain and tears over your efforts to move to the next level? First crosscheck your life to find out if these are caused by sin. If there is sin, confess it to God, ask for forgiveness and beat a fast retreat. Follow after the path of righteousness, because righteousness will ensure sorrow stays far from your life.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, in any way I have brought sorrow into my life because of sin, have mercy on me and deliver me today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 19;
Jeremiah 51:59-52:11


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

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 June 23, 2017

BECOMING A WONDER

Memorise : Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.-
Psalm 77:14

Read: Psalm 77:11-15

77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

77:14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

77:15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.


MESSAGE :

God is a wonder and He does great wonders. I pray that He will perform wonders in your own life, so that you can testify that you have experienced His wonder-working power, in Jesus' Name. Beyond this however, do you know that God can turn you into a wonder? For instance, look at the mad man of Gadara, He was so mad that all hope was lost concerning his recovery; but when Jesus touched his life, he was seen not only in his right senses, but also decently dressed and even evangelising the goodness of the Lord. Many people who saw him were amazed and had their doubts as to whether he was the same person who once terrorised the community (Mark 5:20). He became a wonder!

Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, also became a wonder and a tourist attraction after he was raised from the dead. John 12:9 says this about him :

''Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead."

Several years ago, during a particular Holy Ghost Service we held at the National Stadium, Surulere (Lagos), there was a man with a huge growth attached to his neck sitting beside a particular woman. The growth was so huge that it overshadowed his face. While the programme was on, the woman sitting beside him kept peeping at the protruding growth. During the sermon, the word of God came that there was someone in attendance with a huge growth around the neck and that it had gone. On hearing this, the woman sitting next to this man immediately turned to look at him and it was as if the growth suddenly grew wings, flew away and disappeared, This woman was so amazed at this wonder that after the programme was over, she had already trekked from the stadium to Palmgrove, a distance of about 5km, before she remembered that she had left her car parked in the parking lot inside the stadium.

When God turns you into a wonder, even sceptics will find it difficult to doubt your testimony because it will be so profound. Also, your life will become a perpetual signpost for God's Name to be glorified.
Are you in dire need of a miracle? Beyond that need, ask God to make you a living wonder for the glory of His Name.

This season, as the Lord turns you into a wonder, the same mouths that have mocked you and challenged your God will become the instruments for spreading your testimony and for reverencing your God! Worship the Almighty God who alone can make you a wonder.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, today, make me a positive wonder to my generation, so that they can come to know You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 17-18;
Jeremiah 51:45-58


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 dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’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]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday June 22, 2017

WHO IS BEHIND THIS ROADBLOCK?

Memorise : Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.- Psalm 26:2

Read : Numbers 22:22-31

22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and wem into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

22:29 And Balaam said umo the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: l would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would l kill thee.

22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.


MESSAGE :

''Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him."
Psalm 68:1

The above scripture is one of those very popular passages in the psalms. When a baby Christian hears it, he will say ''Amen!''. Some adult Christians have even turned it into a song. A mature believer in Christ, I mean a real bone-cracker, will however react differently. When he or she hears this passage being quoted, the first thing he or she will do is to carry out a brief self-examination and introspectively ask: ''I hope l am not one of those enemies?'' In other words, he is not in a hurry to say amen. ln 2 Samuel 12:1-7, after Prophet Nathan told King David the story of an oppressive act committed in his kingdom, the king rose up in fury and decreed, ''That fellow must die.'' Then the prophet replied, ''You are the man, O king''.

Be very careful how you judge others because Matthew 7:2 says,

''For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.''

If only some people were merciful while judging others, they too would have been shown mercy when they were going through their own judgment.

Beloved, before you cry to God to arise and let His enemies be scattered, first find out if you are not that enemy. Have you even tried to find out whether God is the one fighting you? ln today's Bible reading, God had told Prophet Balaam not to go and curse His people. Nevertheless, when Balak invited him to curse the children of Israel and promised him a lot of money, he disobeyed God. God therefore sent an angel to block his way. The donkey he rode on saw the angel and stopped, but because his own eyes were blinded by covetousness, he could not see the angel.

What will you do if you find yourself in this scenario? You perceive something is blocking your way but you do not know what exactly it is, and you say, 'You demon standing between me and my destiny, move!'' You get a response saying, ''I am not a demon but an angel'' You then insist and say, "No problem, whatever you are, move out of my way!'' He then asks, ''ln whose name?'' You say ''In the Name of Jesus Christ'', and the response is, ''Oh, He is the One who asked me to block your way!'' What would you do?

Today, many people are busy fighting non-existent forces of darkness that they believe are blocking their way. Go back to God and find out who is really blocking your way in order to pray correctly.

KEY POINT :
Many children of God are doing God's work their own way and refusing to do it God's way. God is therefore grinding them to a halt!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 15-16;
Jeremiah 51:27-44


HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday June 21, 2017

WHY HUNGER?

Memorise : My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: - Psalm 63:5

Read: Proverbs 19:23-24

19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.


MESSAGE :

One of our benefits as the sheep of the Great Shepherd is the assurance of provision. If you are a sheep of Jesus, you will definitely be fed and hunger wilI be alien to you. Psalm 37:3 says,

''Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

If God has promised that we shall be fed, why then are some of us hungry and even starving today? Several factors are responsible for this, first of which is that some people have erroneously mistaken poverty for righteousness and wealth for sinfulness.

Some people have chosen to be poor so as to make Heaven. This is a fallacy! Do you know that so many poor people on earth, after suffering here, end up in Hell, whereas many believing Christians who were rich on earth continue to swim in eternal riches in Heaven? The choice is yours. Do not choose what will destroy but what will deliver you. Abraham was rich on earth, died and continued to live in God's abundance in Heaven. What is your choice? If you are still holding onto such negative beliefs or stereotypes, then you need to have a change of mindset.

Also, some believers are hungry today because they have violated God's financial principles. For instance, if you are not faithfully paying your tithe, you are inviting devourers to drive you into hunger. If you fail to pay your first fruits, you will be giving the enemy legal grounds to contest your job, open doors or breakthrough, and this could lead to hunger. Similarly, when you eat up the seeds you are meant to sow after every provision that comes to you, you will lose the harvest that could keep you from starving tomorrow.

Some believers are in hunger as a result of reckless spending. They want to spend everything they have in one day. lf you eat up a month's provision in one week, you may have to spend the remaining weeks in hunger. In addition, some believers do not really trust in God but in the quality of their certificate, wisdom, knowledge and skill. This attitude has resulted in God stepping aside from their affairs in order to make them realise how little they can achieve by their limited strength. Hence, such people have ended up in disappointment and lack.

Beyond this, others are in hunger because of laziness, as they have refused to take up opportunities to gather wealth. Lack and poverty may also be as a result of satanic manipulation and control. Are you hungry? Is it caused by your actions or inactions?

Arise and put things in order today and turn away from hunger and lack!

KEY POINT :
The child of a billionaire cannot be starving for what to eat. You are the child of the richest person in the universe. You should not lack any good thing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 12-14;
Jeremiah 51:12-26


HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS 

1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.

Refrain:
_Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead._ 

2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
[Refrain]

3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honour Thy Word.
[Refrain]

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
[Refrain]

5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday June 20, 2017

EVANGELISM: BE MORE PROACTIVE

Memorise :Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:- Proverbs 24:3

Read: Acts 5:12-16

5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women)

5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.


MESSAGE :

Soul winning can trigger the miraculous, as seen in the lives of the apostles. If you really want signs and wonders to attend to your life and ministry, you must be prepared to declare Jesus Christ at every opportunity you have, and if you lack such opportunities, you must be prepared to create them. In our Bible reading for today, it is recorded that through the hands of the apostles, several miracles were performed. This was a generic statement affecting all the apostles because they were all preaching the word of God (Acts 5:12). After this generic statement was made, Peter was singled out. Concerning him, it was said that he did not need to lay hands before miracles took place; rather, even his shadow was conducting deliverance and healing services while he was busy moving from place to place.

Why was this so? How did Peter excel in signs and wonders? lt was because he took advantage of every opportunity he had to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He could face any crowd and declare his faith in Jesus Christ to them (See Acts 2 & Acts 3). God saw this attitude and was quite impressed, and He said, ''Since you are unstoppable in declaring My word, signs and wonders will never cease in your life."

Can you take the act of witnessing to such limits as you have never been before? In various life endeavours, several Christians plan, set goals and targets, and come up with strategies to accomplish them, but when it comes to soul-winning they don't do any of these. As a marketer, you devise plans on how to reach out to a larger segment of the market and on how to get a larger market share for your products. That is how it should be for soul-winning too. What is your plan or strategy for winning more souls to Christ this year? For many individuals, couples or families, there is no plan for evangelism. No specific number of converts is being targeted daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Due to this lack of planning, some people cannot boast of five converts in 12 months. What a shame! Several opportunities that God gave us to win souls have been lost to lack of planning. If you set a monthly target of winning 20 souls, you will take every opportunity that comes your way more seriously and exploit them in order to achieve your target.

Success in evangelism can never be attained without a plan. Repent today and become more proactive in evangelism. Come up with a plan for the year and prayerfully pursue it. It shall be achieved in Jesus' Name.

ACTION POINT :
Draw up a one-year evangelism plan stating the number of souls to be won daily, weekly and monthly, and prayerfully execute it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 10-11;
Jeremiah 50:44-51:11


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]