₦airaland Forum

omoadeleye:
can you remove the accesories and recipet, cause the two are kind of costly, so how much are you willing to sell the phone then we can start negotiating?

well as u done take d fone, make i manage d accessories and d receipt. Oya, oga seller how much be d 2?

Shineke! last pics, looks like their sponsors

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL.
LESSON 38:
RAISING GODLY CHILDREN
MAY 21ST, 2017
OPENING PRAYER:
My father, do not let our parents be guilty of their children, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE PASSAGE: DEUT 6:6-9
6: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9: And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
MEMORY VERSE:
Proverb:22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
LESSON INTRODUCTION:
Riasing a godly generation in the midst of a godless society is a challenging task. While the responsibility of nurturing godly children falls primarily on parents, it is not confined to them only but to the entire believers’ community. Notice the sequence according to Deuteronomy 6:6-9. God’s commandments must be central in the lives of fathers and mothers first before they are taught to the children.
LESSON OUTLINE 1:
GOOD AND UNGODLY CHILDREN
i. Goodly children are not the same as Godly children
ii. A child may be good looking or beautiful[in dress] but ungodly in heart. Such good looking is vanity- Prov31:30
iii. David taught Solomon with the following instructions:- Prov4:1-7
a. Let your heart retain my words. V4
b. Keep my commandments
c. Get wisdom and understanding
d. Forsake not wisdom and understanding for thy shall preserve you
iv. Solomon grew to love wisdom in line with his father’s teaching and he prospered by it. -2Chronicles1:6-12
v. The father and the mother must emphasize the significance of godliness with contentment to their children- 1Tim6:6
LESSON OUTLINE 2:
EXAMPLES OF GODLY CHILDREN RAISED IN THE BIBLE.
i. Josiah walked in the ways of his father, David, and not deviate- 2Chron34:1-3
ii. Timothy was blessed to have a godly grandmother and mother who taught him the scriptures as a child- 2Tim1:5; 3:15
iii. Sons of Rechab kept the instructions of their father for generations even when persuaded to do contrary by a reputable Prophet of God- Jer35:1-6; 2Corinth11:3-4; Gal1:8
iv. Daniel and the three Hebrew boys upheld the godly training they had received and refused to comprise with others even in a strange land- Dan1:4-8; 3:16-18,28;6:3-
10
v. Samuel grew in the knowledge and fear of God- 1Samuel2:26; 3:1,19.
SUMMARY- Believers children should not only be good looking but godly in their behaviors.
CONCLUSION-
We should remember that s godly child is more than a virtuous child or well-trained child. A godly child has those qualities, but he also has a great affection for God, His Word and His ways.
CLOSING PRAYER-
i. Father, help all parents to bring up their children in the fear of God.
ii. Every wrong foundation laid for our children, scatter, in the name of Jesus.
iii. Every enemies of our children destiny expire, in the name of Jesus.
iv. Oh Lord, let the Joseph of this nation, manifest, in the name of Jesus
v. My father, help our children to walk in your way, in the name of Jesus.
vi. My father, heal this land and the people therein, in the name of Jesus. God bless you

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY MAY 21ST 2017
THEME: SAUL BROKE THE PRIDE BARRIER
Memorise:
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalm10:4
Read: Acts 9:1-11
9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
9:7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
9:8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
9:11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Message:
Yesterday, we considered the need to fast often in order to maintain the Spirit’s control over the desires of the body. Today, let’s consider another reason why we need to fast often, which is, to submit ourselves to God in humility (James 4:6-7). David had this understanding and that was why in Psalm 35:13 he said,
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.”
Whenever you find yourself becoming haughty, too full of yourself or looking down on others, you need to declare a fast so as to subdue the rise of pride in your life. Those who live in pride are distant from God. Even when He makes attempt to reach such people, it will be very difficult because they have built a fence of pride round themselves. One major reason why some people don’t accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, even after witnessing His power and miracles, is pride. This is why you need to pray against the spirit of pride hindering the salvation of your loved ones.
Let us take a look at the life of Saul of Tarsus and learn some lessons from him. He was a very zealous and intelligent young man who wanted to please God, but he was proud. Meanwhile, God had been trying to reach out to him, but the fence of pride he had around him kept God out. Do you know that pride directs? If you are proud, it will direct you in the way you go about things, in what you do and what you don’t do. Whenever faith is combined with pride, at best you will get religion. As Saul tried to serve and please God in the atmosphere of pride, he drifted further away from the One he thought he was pleasing, to the point where he began to fight the One he was supposed to satisfy. Pride blindfolds its victims. It makes a person work against what he or she is originally set out to do or stand up for. It wasn’t until Jesus manifested Himself to Saul that he realized he had been working against the God he thought he was serving. Nevertheless, after he humbled himself with fasting and prayer for three days, he received salvation, healing of his blind eyes, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a divine call of God to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. If only you can submit yourself to God in humility through prayer and fasting, you can connect with God’s purpose for your life.
Prayer Point:
Father, let all my loved ones who are separated from you through pride, overcome this barrier and yield completely to your will today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 1-2
Jeremiah 33:1-11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, 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.

all dis pple posing on custom uniform up and down. hmmn. most of dem are scammers. He will surely meet his match ahead, where he will vomit all hehas swallowed and even d one he has not

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday May 20, 2017

HOW OFTEN DO YOU FAST? 

Memorise : In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and unclothedness. - 2 Corinthians 11:27

Read: Matthew 6:16-18

16:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

16:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

16:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.


MESSAGE :

One of my sons was travelling with me for the very first time sometime ago, and after we had been together for two days he asked me, “Daddy, why do you pray so much?” he said he observed that before we left the room, we prayed; when we got into the car, we prayed; on arrival at our destination, we prayed; when we entered the venue of the programme, we prayed; on arrival at the lodging place, we prayed; also when he peeped to check on me, he still saw me on my knees. Well, I pray a lot because prayer is an activity we are commanded to always engage in (1 Thessalonians 5:17). How often do you pray? Do you use every available opportunity to pray?

Apart from prayer, another spiritual activity you should regularly engage in to keep you spiritually fit and growing is fasting. Some people believe that doing a long fast for 30days or 100days is sufficient for a year. While this is a good spiritual exercise, there is still the need to continue fasting in the course of the year. When the Lord addressed the question of why His disciples were not fasting often like those of John the Baptist, here is what He said in Luke 5:34:

“And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?”

Since the Master has been received into glory, it is clear from His words that we now are expected to fast often. Some people fast for a short period at a stretch and thereafter they want to feast for the rest of the year. This is not good enough. A better practice is to find or create some time monthly or better still weekly to engage in fasting. Fasting was not strange to the patriarchs of old. Fasting does you so much good spiritually, so it should be a part of your lifestyle. You can live a fasted life. While detailing his experience in life, Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:27 said that fasting was a reoccurring activity in his Christian life :

“In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and unclothedness.”

Most people who find it difficult to fast simply have a problem with discipline. They are so used to eating that they cannot sacrifice a few meals to seek God’s face. Anyone who cannot control his or her appetite may remain enslaved to the body. Fasting helps to subdue or break the controlling power that the weaknesses and desires of your body have over you.

ACTION POINT :
Stop talking about your plan to fast, just go ahead and fast. You can start with one day per week.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 33-34;
Jeremiah 32:36-44 


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]

U drink burukutu wen u dey choose state of origin neh U

Nigeria has nwver witness such high rate of succide before. It seems to me it has to do with this administration. Everything is just going the wrong way

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday May 19, 2017

SACRIFICE OVERTURNS WRATH 

Memorise : And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. - 2 Samuel 24:24

Read: 2 Samuel 24:16-25

24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? letthine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded.

24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.m

24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.

24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24:25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.


MESSAGE:

Sacrificial sowing can deliver an unending harvest to you, make your harvest irreversible, make you the talk of town and even turn away God’s anger from you. In 2 Samuel 24:1-25, we read about how God was provoked to anger by King David, thereby bringing God’s judgment on the people. So many people died in the ensuing plague. After the first wave of destruction, the angel was about to effect the second phase when God stopped him, while he was on Araunah’s farmland. David’s seer, Prophet Gad, came and instructed him to raise an altar to the Lord on Araunah’s farmland, where the angel was last seen. On arrival, Araunah went to welcome King David and he offered him all he needed to make the sacrifice, but David politely decline it. Why? It is simply because he knew the importance of sacrifice and the power of sacrificial seeds.

“But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2 Samuel 24:24

When David pleaded with God to temper His justice with mercy and judge him instead of his innocent people, God said “Alright, I will do something about that. I will overlook your errors, I will forgive you and stop my judgment, but you have to first bring me a sacrifice.” David agreed to give that sacrifice, and he turned down Araunah’s offer to make the offering an easy one. He said, “This sacrifice must cost me something. It is a sacrifice in sorrow so that I can go home rejoicing”.

Some of us have found ourselves in a similar situation as David, where it was required of us to make painful and costly sacrifices in order to achieve our heart desires. However, instead of going headlong into it, we rather sought and received help from the Araunahs of this world to make the task an easy one. Never accept an affordable or convenient alternative in the place of the sacrifice you need to make in order to enter into your desired breakthrough. If you can make the required sacrifice, you will receive the joy you so desire. If you can make the sacrifice, you can overturn God’s wrath from yourself or your family.

If you can stand in the place of prayer long enough and pay the price the situation you are facing requires, you will return with joy. Are you ready to do this?

ACTION POINT :
There is no alternative to a sacrifice that should be made. Just ask God for grace to do it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 31-32;
Jeremiah 32:26-35


HYMN 7: OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.


2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Saviour and my Friend.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday May 18, 2017

DEFENDING HIS NAME 

Memorise : Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. - Psalm 106:8

Read: Psalm 106:7-9

106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.


MESSAGE :

The Bible declares that our God is a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). This means that He is ever-present or always ready to help in the time of trouble. There are several reasons why God makes His help available to a person. Understanding these reasons and applying them to your life will go a long way in helping you experience God as an ever-present help. One of these reasons is to fulfil His promises. God is very committed to His promises; hence, Psalm 89:34 says,

“My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”

If He has purposed to help you, he will not change His mind midway. Numbers 23:19 says,

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

God’s word has integrity. He regards His word above His name (Psalm 138:2). Every promise He has made to you shall be fulfilled speedily! God cannot violate his word, so you can be sure that He will keep His promise to help you.

Another reason why God reaches out to help a man is for the sake of His Name. if you genuinely belong to God, he will help you because you bear His Name and are called by His Name in this world (Acts 15:17). No wonder Psalm 106:8 says,

“Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”

That means His intervention goes beyond your asking. He will intervene to defend His Name and show His power. At certain bus stops in life, some people will challenge you by asking “Where is your God?” Some may even say “If your God is truly alive, He should have delivered you by now.” If you are in such situation, take heart and be unmovable. In Daniel 3:14-29, King Nebuchadnezzar initially asked the three Hebrew children “who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” however, by the time God was through with him, he publicly confessed that there was no God like their God.

Is your child in a situation that appears hopeless? Is your business or career going through some impossible storm? God will step into your situation and calm the storms! The Lord is speaking peace to every impossible situation you are up against right now. He will surely bring you out of the storm, not just because of you, but because of His Name that you bear. In that situation you are going through, the Lord will defend His Name, and He will not put you to shame. He will demonstrate His power just to give you the last laugh in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, in this present situation I find myself, arise and defend your matchless Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 29-30;
Jeremiah 32:16-2 5


HYMN 12: HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

1 How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.

3 Jesus, my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

4 Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

5 Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday May 17, 2017

BLESSINGS WITH SORROW 

Memorise : And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. - Psalm 106:15

Read: Genesis 16:1-5

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

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

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

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

16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.


MESSAGE :

A lot of people have gotten their finger burnt in the place of seeking an alternative to God’s promise. When God’s promise is seemingly delayed, some Christians do not have the strength of character to keep waiting on the Lord and holding on to His promise; they therefore seek out and accept man’s alternative to God’s precious promises. Not only does man’s alternative take you off God’s course and provide you with quick fixes that cannot really fix anything, they also give you monetary joy that cannot absolve you of sorrow. This was the experience of Sarah.

In today’s Bible reading, after Sarah gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to raise children through her, she was happy and relieved that her problem of barrenness seemed solved. But her relief soon turned into grief as her happiness became sorrow. Genesis 16:4 says,

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

Sarah took good care of Hagar, in expectation of using her as a means to an end. For the purpose of child-bearing, she exempted her from the usual chores that her fellow maids would perform. However, the moment Hagar conceived, the tables turned against Sarah. Suddenly, all attention shifted to the new queen of the house. Everyone and everything had to be at her beck and call. She no longer had regard for her mistress. Realizing she now had what Abraham earnestly wanted, she used her pregnancy as an excuse for gross misbehaviour. She took over Abraham’s attention and the poor man hardly even had time for Sarah anymore. When she was disobedient and her mistress tried to correct her, she would simply tell her, “Madam, if you were ever pregnant, you would understand what I am going through. “That was the beginning of Sarah’s sorrow”

When you are tired of waiting for God’s will, plan or timing, and you decided to follow one of the alternatives that comes your way, you will only be hurting yourself. May you not use your own hands to undo yourself! When God blesses you, he removes every form of sorrow from it (Proverb 10:22), but whatever blessing you think you can derive from substituting God’s plan with an alternative will only be short-lived and will definitely come with sorrow. Some people who knew and turned down God’s will in marriage, following the dictates of their flesh, ended up in sorrow. A good number of them are secretly weeping today. They cannot cry out because people warned them before venturing into such marriages, but their ears were deaf to those warnings.

In your own interest, take time to find out God’s will for every area of your life and apparently follow it. In years to come, you will understand why that was the best decision you ever made.

KEY POINT :
It is better not to be blessed, than to be blessed and have sorrow with it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 28;
Jeremiah 32:1-15


HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

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

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday May 16, 2017

RELEASE YOUR FAITH 

Memorise : Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.- John 14:12

Read: Mark 11:22-24 

11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.


MESSAGE :

The ministry of signs and wonders is the ministry of God, and He reserves the right to partner with anyone He chooses (Hebrew 2:4). He can partner with someone operating in any of the five-fold ministries: apostle, prophets, pastors, teachers or evangelists. He can equally partner with ushers, choristers, instrumentalist, sanitation workers, etc. when God partners with even an ordinary choir member or instrumentalist, demons will flee! This happened in David’s life when God partnered with him as just a harp player (1Samuel 16:23).

Never look down on yourself! God can work with anyone who is willing to cooperate with Him. Are you willing? Are you ready to meet with His requirements? Are you asking like some followers of Jesus once asked Him in John 6:28b:

“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”

Here is His response to you in John 14:12:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

Note however, that if you desire to operate in the miraculous, you must be a person of faith. Why? Faith attracts God into the ordinary situations of life. It brings the divine into contact with the natural. In fact, in Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says if only you can believe in Him, signs will definitely follow you. Are you experiencing signs and wonders in your ministry? If you are not, it could be that you are not releasing your faith, not necessarily because you do not have faith. If you lack faith in God, you could never be born again in the first place. If you follow the steps to salvation and became born again, you definitely have faith. The same faith is required of you every time you go before God for something: whether to make a request, to worship or to praise Him. You need to release your faith. In Mark 11:22-23, Jesus says if only you can release your faith, you can command a mountain to move, and it will go to the destination that you have sent it. Faith is the key to the miraculous. When you lay your hands on the sick and pray for them, do you release your faith as well? If you refuse to release your faith, nothing will happen. When you pray, God looks for your faith before He acts on that prayer.

Beloved, where is your faith? If you have faith, you will trust in God’s ability to meet your needs. If you have faith, you will have great expectations. If you have faith, you won’t seek any other alternative to God’s intervention. If you have faith, you will not be double-minded. Where is your faith? Release it today!

KEY POINT :
Faith is like an identity card that you must present whenever you go into God’s presence.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 25-27;
Jeremiah 31:31-40


HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY MAY 15TH 2017

THEME: WHEN GOD GIVES LAUGHTER

Memorise:

And think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Matthew 3:9

Read: Psalm 33:8-11

33:8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

33:9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

33:10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

33:11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

MESSAGE:

God makes you laugh when He turn his prophesies into decrees. There is a difference between prophesies and decree. When you hear “Thus says the Lord” that is the prophecy for which you will need to wait to see its fulfilment. In contrast, when God suddenly decides to issue a decree, such as “Let there be light”, you will know that your waiting period is over, as your miracle will manifest immediately. In Genesis 1:3, when God said “Let there be light”, there was no need to vote on it, and neither was there any delay, because He had decreed it. Psalm 33:8-9 says one reason why the whole earth should fear God is that whenever He speaks, it is done. All He has to do is to speak, and the next moment, it is done. By the grace of God, I have witnessed God operate in this dimension. Sometimes ago, a couple came to us believing God for the fruit of the womb. I asked them, what kind of baby do you want? Their response was simultaneous: the man wanted a boy while his wife wanted a girl. So I said we should make it twins – a boy and a girl – and both of them said “Amen”. Exactly nine months after, the man was carrying his baby boy and the wife carrying her baby girl. This season, God is saying let there be light, healing, fruitfulness, increase, promotion, victory over enemies and fullness of joy in your life, and so shall it be!

Moreover, God makes you laugh when He decides to show you His Almightiness. After declaring that Sarah would have a child, she laughed, but denied laughing when He asked her why she laughed (Genesis 18:11-15). Then He asked, “is anything too hard for the LORD?” Every man definitely has his limits, and even spirits are limited, but not the Father of spirits (Hebrew 12:9). Hence, Luke 1:37 says nothing is impossible with our God. He can suspend physical laws and have His way any day.Matthew 3:9 says this God can produce children out of stones! Whatever the specialists have said cannot hinder my God. Where they are limited, He is not. The resources they lack, He has in abundance. What they do not know, is common knowledge to Him. His word is full of power and gives direction to anything he wants done. This is why I know that this season, everything standing in your way to laughter shall give way so that you can laugh. You shall laugh last and your laughter shall be unstoppable!

Prayer Point:

Father, for every couple trusting you for the fruit of the womb in my local assembly, please give them laughter today!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 23-24
Jeremiah 31:15-30

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]

paxonel:
So, the Bible teaches that the man should pay bride price first before he is regarded as husband?
Where in the Bible?

I will give u about 5 cases in d bible where bride price was discussed.
1) In the case of Jacob and Racheal
Genesis 29:16-28
Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."
read more.
Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me." So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her." Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?" But Laban said, "It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn. "Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years." Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
(2) In the case of Isaac and Rebecca
Genesis 24:53
The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
(3) In the case of Shechem and Dinah
Genesis 24:53
The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
(4) I the case of David and Michal
2 Samuel 3:14
So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
(5) In the,case of Moses passing God's commandment to the children of God(Isrealites)
Exodus 22:16-17
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife. "If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the dowry for virgins.

paxonel:
Why is it wrong? They love each other and are ready to start a family

That's not what d Bible teaches.

barrysome001:
I was referring to that of my church;that he didn't attend Sunday school in my church.
'Twas on a lighter mode bro.

OK, op means original poster

barrysome001:
This Sunday school teaching was very interesting in my church today, wondered why the OP missed it

how did u come to the conclusion dat op missed it?

paxonel:
When the man cannot afford to do the marriage ceremony and pay her bride price,yet they agreed to live together, is it marriage?

That is cohabitation and not marriage, and its very very wrong

FRANKOSKI:
NICE AND SIMPLE. GOD BLESS YOU @POSTER.

AMEN! Bless u too sir

micomfortevents:
I am in the church but no Sunday school book with me. So I find this post useful. Thanks

uwc

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
LESSON THIRTY-SEVEN
SUNDAY, 14TH MAY, 2017
TOPIC: CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
MEMORY VERSE: ‘’And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." - Genesis 2:23
BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 2:21-25
INTRODUCTION:
The marriage institution was ordained by God as part of the essential process of life. It is one of the fundamental and basic sacraments in the Christian church. It is the oldest institution which God Himself established at the beginning of creation. It is the bedrock of the church. We should approach marriage with dignity as a sacred and divine institution (Hebrews 13:4).
LESSON OUTLINES
1. The reason for marriage
2. Marriage is for adults
THE REASON FOR MARRIAGE
There are various reasons people go into marriage relationship. The first principal reason for Christian marriage is for mutual fellowship. Loneliness is not good. It is dangerous. The Lord saw the man needed companionship, hence, the creation of woman (Genesis 2:18-22, 24). There are exceptions according to the Apostle Paul in 1Corinthians 7:32. Secondly, God made us with sexual desires that are good, holy and legitimate but must only be satisfied in marriage. This will also check the sinful life of adultery or fornication (1Corinthians 7:12). Thirdly, to obey the command of God, which is to be fruitful, multiply, propagate the human race and replenish the earth through child bearing/rearing in the fear of God (Genesis 1:28; 9:1; Proverbs 22:6). Fourthly, two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labour (Eccles. 4:9-11). Lastly, it takes two (a man and a woman) to make "one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).
MARRIAGE IS FOR ADULTS
Anyone who wants to marry must be matured physically and should have attained the age of accountability. Financially, the intending couple, especially the man, should be strong enough to provide for a household (1Timothy 5:. They should also be mentally and emotionally balanced (Titus 1:. Marriage requires a separation from parents (Mark 10:6-9). It carries a lot of responsibilities that childish minded persons cannot bear (1Samuel 25:18-25). A good Christian marriage also requires the consent and blessing of parents of both parties (Genesis 24:50-51, 59-60).
CONCLUSION:
Marriage is a holy institution and God is the author. He has set the ideals in the Bible. Anyone who fails to apply these will surely have problems with their homes. Let us pray for the success of all Christian marriages worldwide.
QUESTIONS
1. Give reasons for marriage?
2. Who is qualified to marry?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY MAY 14TH 2017

THEME: NINEVEH’S FASTING EXPERIENCE

Memorise:

So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. Jonah 3:5

Read: Jonah 3:1-10

1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

MESSAGE:

Fasting is a spiritual exercise every believer should often engage in because of the several benefits that can be derived from it. When the Lord was teaching His disciples about fasting during His earthly ministry, what he said to them was “when you fast” and not “if you fast” (Matthew 6:16). The Lord’s choice of words shows that he takes it as a given instruction that you will have to fast. However, if you engage in a spiritual exercise such as fasting but lack an understanding of the basis for doing so, you may not be able to optimize your gains from it. In other words, it is important to know why you should fast and know what you stand to gain from fasting. Knowledge plays a key role here.

Why should you fast? Prayer and fasting can help to restore spiritual fervour in your relationship with God. You can fast whenever you feel estranged or separated from God, whenever your heart is spiritually cold or when you sense that you lack sincerity in your humility. You can also fast as a mark of repentance, and to seek pardon and restoration from sin. Sin separates anyone from God, but if fasting is properly engaged, the estranged fellow can be drawn into God’s presence for mercy. If you take a look at Nineveh, you will see the effect of fasting in action. The people of Nineveh lived a very riotous life. They were engaged in several atrocities and abominable acts that called for God’s fiery judgment, like it happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. However, because of His righteous and merciful nature, God sent Jonah to go and warn them of His intention to destroy them because of their wickedness. As soon as Jonah sounded the warning, the people of Nineveh received the word and immediately declared a national fast. Nobody was exempted from the fast: the king, the nobles and even all their animals joined in the fast. Besides the fast from food and water, they abstained from all those things that provoke God’s anger, humbled themselves and cried out to God for mercy, and He heard them. Jonah 3:10 says,

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

If you realize you are far from God, you can set aside things that give the body pleasure; fast and pray earnestly, asking God for His mercy and you will see His hand. If done according to heaven’s pattern, fasting is an exercise that can easily cause God to notice you as a candidate of His mercy. How often do you fast?

Key Point:

Fasting is a work of faith because it takes faith to fast and pray to a God you cannot physically see.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 21-22
Jeremiah 31:1-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

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

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

2. Deeper, deeper, 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

Saturday May 13, 2017

FORBID EXTENSION!

Memorise : But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. - 1Peter 5:10

Read: Genesis 15:10-15 

15:10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

15:11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.


MESSAGE :

One assurance you have as a believer is that the boat of your life and endeavours cannot sink. Be assured that every storm, contrary wind and wave that is working against you is only for an appointed time. The Holy Spirit made this clear in 1 Peter 5:10 when He said,

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Beloved, don’t believe the lie of the devil that things will continue to get worse. They will not! Don’t believe that the unpleasant situation you find yourself will persist. It will not! Every pain, sorrow or distress is for a set time and it will definitely expire. After its expiration, the imperfect shall be perfected, the unstable shall be established, the weak shall be strengthened and there shall be divine settlement. These shall be your portion from now on in Jesus’ Name!

However, sometimes the devil attempts to extend the period of a trial of faith beyond what was originally sanctioned by God. This is why we need to know God’s will concerning a situation and thereafter stand on it. You need to know your kingdom rights and insist on receiving them. The devil is rightly called a thief in John 10:10. He steals what does not belong to him. Any ground you fail to conquer in the Kingdom will be lost to the enemy’s camp.

Any promise of God you do not know and lay claim to shall be lost to the enemy. How much of God’s promises and prophesies do you know? How many of them have you laid claim to? Do you know that God can allow you go through a trial of faith situation for three years, but if you fail to know the exact duration or are not sensitive enough, the devil can take advantage of that situation and prolong the hardship? This was the case in today’s reading. God spoke of Abraham’s descendants going into slavery in a strange land for a period of 400 years and thereafter they would come out with great wealth; but do you know that by the time the Israelites were delivered, they had spent an extra 30years in slavery (Exodus 12:40)!

Even today, many believers have allowed the devil to enjoy extra time in afflicting them. They have moved from the preset trial period to a period of satanic affliction, thinking they are still going through the God-ordained trial of faith. How can you check this? Ask God. Seek His face over it. Use all the weapons you have as a Christian: the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, the promises of God and a life of holiness to combat that unpleasant situation. If the situation stops, it means your trial is over.

PRAYER POINT :
Every satanic extension to my “trial of faith” period is terminated now in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 18-20;
Jeremiah 30:10-24


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

Friday May 12, 2017

LESSONS ON VOW

Memorise : That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. - Deuteronomy 23:23

Read: Judges 11:29-36 

11:29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

11:31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

11:32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands.

11:33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

11:34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back.

11:36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.


MESSAGE :

Sometimes, some people promise God one thing, but when the time comes to redeem the pledge, they bring something else. Do you think that God does not have records in Heaven? Once you make a pledge to God, don’t try to change it. Ecclesiastes 5:6 says,

“Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”

After you have committed yourself to a particular thing as a vow, if you later return to say “it was a slip of tongue, God will understand”, you are only deceiving yourself. Such an excuse is not acceptable to God. God expects you to stand by your words. Hence, as part of the requirements to stand in God’s holy place, Psalm 15:4 says if you make a vow, you are expected to do everything possible to redeem it, no matter the cost, sacrifice or inconvenience involved. Do you have this quality? It is part of the integrity we must have as believers.

Another lesson on vow is that you must be extremely careful before making a vow. Think very well before pledging a commitment to do a particular thing, because once it has gone out of your mouth, you may not be able to beat a retreat. Some people get carried away with zeal and make mouth-watering vow but later find it difficult to redeem it. Be careful! Only vow to give up what is within the limit of your capacity and not what you know you cannot cope with! The story of Jephthah is a very touching one. He needed victory so badly that he vowed to sacrifice to God whatever first came out of his house to meet him on his return. After the battle was over, as he returned home with great joy, it was his only child – his virgin daughter – that came out first to welcome him. He felt so bad. He realized the rashness of his vow, but he could not turn back from his promise. Finally, one more lesson on vows is that God does not like to hear the voice of vow-defaulters, and he would ultimately destroy their efforts (Ecclesiastes5:6).

Is God fighting you over a vow you have defaulted on? Repent now and restitute. If need be, seek guidance of a Spirit-filled Christian counsellor or pastor. 

ACTION POINT :
Unpaid vows are debts that can hinder you from making Heaven. Prayerfully recall your unpaid debts and redeem them fast.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 16-17; 
Jeremiah 29:24-30:9


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

Thursday May 11, 2017

GOD WILL HELP YOU

Memorise : For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. - Isaiah 41:13

Read: Isaiah 41:10-14 

41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

41:12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

41:13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.


MESSAGE :

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

As we have seen in our previous studies, it is a terrible thing to be lonely and forsaken by relatives and friends, or to be told by your pastor that your problem defies all spiritual efforts. In that seemingly hopeless state, God can reach out to you and turn things around. Let us look at some reasons why He will help you. First of all, Isaiah 63:1 says He is mighty to save.
In other words, not only is this God the Almighty God, He can equally save in a mighty way. This means, not only can He save you from “small” or “medium size” problems, He can also deliver you from problems that have defied all attempted solutions. In Deuteronomy 32:39, the Lord says,

“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.”

From this scripture, we understand that He has the final say regarding life and death. He is the only one who can tell the fellow that the whole world has condemned to death, “You will surely live.” Have you been condemned to death, sickness or barrenness of any kind? Fear not! This Almighty God will arise because of you, and He shall deliver you today!

Moreover, in today’s Bible reading, He made some very powerful promises to you. He says He knows you are weak, helpless and defenceless, but that He will strengthen you. He says He will also help you. He knows the vanity of receiving help from men, hence the reason He says He will help you. God’s help is coming your way this season! Expect divine assistance to come your way now! Furthermore, He says He will uphold you. This means no problem or difficulty can swallow you. When God upholds you, you cannot fall.

He also promises to disgrace your enemies. Every agent of darkness working against you shall be disgraced today! Furthermore, He says He will confound your enemies. That means they will be so confused that they will not know what they are doing. He says He will reduce them to nothing and cause them to perish. Every sickness or sorrow in your life shall be reduced to nothing in Jesus’ Name. Every battle against your life and destiny shall be overturned this season. All those who have risen up against you shall fall for your sake! The Lord will help you! The Lord will fight for you!

From now on, you are moving from your point of weakness and vulnerability to a point of power and strength!

ACTION POINT :
Receive all the promises discussed in the devotional study with thanksgiving. Personalize and confess each of these promises.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 13-15;
Jeremiah 29:15-23


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 May 10, 2017

MICROWAVE CHRISTIANITY

Memorise : And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: - Hebrew 6:11 

Read: Hebrew 6:1-3 

6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.


MESSAGE :

In the midst of delay, man often comes up with alternatives to God’s original plan or purpose. This is a dangerous thing to do because man’s alternative charts a new course, which can completely take the individual concerned out of God’s original plan. Also, any such alternative is usually nothing more than a quick fix compared to God’s permanent solution. Speaking of quick fixes, the age we live in encourages that. We live in an age of instant gratification. Most people are no longer interested in any type of process; whatever they want they want now! This is what I term the “Microwave Mentality”. People are so much in a hurry that they cannot dedicate time to do what they should do properly.

Sadly, the trend of microwave mentality has crept into the church and has given birth to what I call “Microwave Christianity”. Microwave Christianity is doing more harm than good to the Body of Christ. A preacher says, “All you have to do is just believe”. The sinner says, “I believe” “Praise God, you are now born again”, the preacher replies. He is in so much of a hurry to get the sinner saved that he cannot even tell him or her to confess his or her sins to God. Can God save a sinner who has not confessed his or her sins (Romans 10:10)? That is “microwave salvation”! The name of that sinner may be written in the preacher’s book or register of church members, but is it in the Lamb’s book of Life? What about discipleship? Everything follows the same pattern – microwave! When products of this anomaly are confronted by the storms of life or persecution for their faith, they find it difficult to endure. Isaiah 28:10 reveals to us the pattern we must follow in raising champions for God:

”For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:”

In this age of instant gratification, God remains unmoved and unchanged: He still follows His order and timing in raising those He will use. Every spiritual microwave product portends problems, sorrow and regret in the future. From salvation to discipleship, no stage must be skipped. Diligence plays a key role in everything that concerns the Kingdom of God. Hence, Hebrew 6:1 says the elementary principles must be laid first, before you can move on to perfection. If the foundation is tampered with, the product will be unstable. When people are recommended to occupy spiritual positions that they are not spiritually qualified for, those sponsoring them are only creating problems for the future.

Are you a product of Microwave Christianity? Go back to the basics and rebuild yourself!

KEY POINT :
If we fail to diligently fight for the faith that was delivered to us, a time will come when all we would be left with will be fakes! 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 11-12
Jeremiah 29:1-14

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 May 9, 2017

UPGRADE YOUR TITHE

Memorise : And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. - 2 Chronicles 31:5

Read: Malachi 3:8-12 

3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. 


MESSAGE :

If you want to experience the blessings that God promised His children, you must be prepared to follow divine financial principles. Do you know that your seed will determine your harvest? 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, 

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

From the above scripture, we learn that if you spare or hold back a good part of your seed, God will also hold back a good part of the harvest He wanted to give to you. On the other hand, if you go beyond the norm in your giving, God will also do the extraordinary regarding your harvest. This is why I encourage you to grow in all forms of giving. It is wrong for you to remain on the same spot in your offerings when God keeps increasing you.

Do you know that you can provoke a change in your financial situation by increasing your offering even when your income has not changed?

In addition to growing your offering, you can also grow in your tithe. You can go beyond the basic level of tithing which is 10%. The Lord once told me to exceed my tithe and watch what He would do; He said I could call the difference a seed. Since 1979, I attended the Kenneth Hagin conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which had about 17,000 people in attendance. During the meeting, there was a fund raising event. The brother who took the offering challenged everyone to give their best, and surprisingly, he added that he and his wife would match the total sum we all gave. Astonished by his challenge, we were certain he would be in the red by the time our offering was counted. When we had all given our offering, a total sum of $13.5 million was raised; surely, we thought, he would be unable to match this! However, to our surprise, when the total was announced, he said, “Is this the best you all can do?” He and his wife then wrote a check for the exact sum. When I saw this, I said to myself, “This man must know something I don’t know, and I am going to find out what it is.” Wise people always gather knowledge; they seek to know what made a great person great, so as to apply the same principles. By the time I discussed with this brother, I learnt that five years before, he started a business with $500 and struck a deal with God that God would receive 90% of his profit while he would keep just 10%. As at the time he was telling me his story, his business had grown into $50million Company. I took up this challenge and increased the percentage of my tithe.

What can you do that you have not done before, to change what you normally receive from God? Rise up and do it now.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, grant me the grace to upgrade all areas of my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 9-10;
Jeremiah 28:5-17


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 HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY MAY 8TH 2017

THEME: SEASON OF LAUGHTER

Memorise:

Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. Isaiah 54:4

Read: Isaiah 54:1-4

54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

Message:

“When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Psalm126:1-3
God’s mercy can provoke Him to override your doubts and trigger off your season of laughter. That shall be your portion this season in Jesus’ Name! Several years ago, a man brought his friend to my office, saying his friend had a big problem. His wife had gone mad and was roaming completely naked on the street. They were very perplexed about her situation because according to popular beliefs of the Yoruba tribe in southwest Nigeria, if a person runs mad but is still within the house, that madness can still be brought under control, but once the madness has escalated to the point where the fellow goes naked on the streets to the market place, nothing can be done to reverse it. This woman’s case had reached the climax that was believed to be beyond redemption. Before they came to me, they had grabbed this woman, bundled her and kept her in the house of an herbalist in Kwara State, Nigeria. They gave me the address of the place where she was, and so I went there, prayed for her and left. When the man and his friend were told that I had come, but that the prayer I said was under five minutes, they began to doubt how such a brief prayer could deal with something that serious. They therefore bundled this woman again and took her to the psychiatric hospital. On arrival, the specialist they met said they would observe her for two weeks before determining the kind of treatment to administer on her. After two weeks of observation, the specialist sent for her husband and said, “Sir, if you say something is wrong with this woman, then something must be wrong with you, because since you brought her, we have not administer any medication on her, and yet she has been as normal as any healthy human being can be.” God had overruled this man’s doubts! Because this is your season of laughter, as God is laughing, He will laugh over your doubts and cause you to laugh! This season, nothing will stop your laughter! If you have never known what it is to laugh before, you will experience it this season. If the challenges of life have stopped you from laughing, get ready for a new season of unstoppable laughter! Have you been weeping? This season, when you begin to laugh, you will not remember your sorrow and tears anymore! Go ahead and thank God for ushering you into your season of laughter!

Prayer Point:

Father, thank you for my season of laughter. Let my voice of rejoicing never cease.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 7-8
Jeremiah 27:16-24:4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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 THIRTY-SIX
SUNDAY, 7TH MAY 2017
TOPIC: MARITAL PREREQUISITES
MEMORY VERSE:
‘’House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD ." - Proverbs 19:14
BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 24:1-21
INTRODUCTION:
Marriage is the legal relationship between a husband and wife that lasts for a life time. The steps taken before going into this journey are very important to prevent pitfall (Genesis 2:21-22). You do not have to rely on vague hunches and weird rituals to know who to marry. This lesson shall teach us the basic requirements for marriage.
LESSON OUTLINES
1. The relationship with God first
2. Godly counsel for marriage
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD FIRST
Marriage is a creation of God. It all started from Him (Genesis 2:18). God will only guide His own (Jeremiah 10:23). He will not play a guessing game with His people. He wants us to know and do His will and He is actively involved in revealing it. Therefore, before seeking God's will in marriage, first have a relationship with Him (Psalm 119:130; Psalm 119:105).
You must not live your life in fear but in fellowship with God (2Timothy 1:7). Develop your God's gift and master how God deals or guides your steps (Psalm 85:. Discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have such a relationship, you may find that of man and woman very difficult. This will reduce stress, give your life meaning and prepare you for eternity (2Peter 1:3-4).
GODLY COUNSEL FOR MARRIAGE
Take heed to the following counsel before jumping into a marital relationship:
1. God does not want His people to be joined with unbelievers (2Corinthians 6:14-16; 1Corinthians 6:15-17).
2. God has placed His word in our hands so we could have a much more objective set of guidelines to follow than dreams, feelings and impulses. Despite your dreams and conviction, pray to have scriptural backing (Proverbs 18:22; Genesis 2:22; Proverbs 19:14).
3. God will work in you to do His will. He will use circumstances and situations to perfect His will for your life (Romans 8:28; Philippians 2:13). You must , therefore, remain sensitive; paying attention to doors He opens and closes to direct your path.
4. Seek the counsel of elders or spiritual heads in the church (Proverbs 19:21; 11:14; Romans 15:14).
5. Do not allow passion for sex to influence your decision or make you despise godly counsel from spiritual heads (Judges 14:1-3; Proverbs 14:29).
6. The environment you are and the peers will also influence your choice. Therefore, keep company with believers and not unbelievers (1Corinthians 15:33; 1Samuel 8:5-6).
7. You must be found working in His will (vineyard) like Adam, and doing something legitimate to earn an income (Genesis 2:15-18). Marriage is not for lazy people.
CONCLUSION:
Prayer, pure word of God, worship, fellowship and service for God and right environment are factors that aid our spiritual sensitivity. Pray for our singles today.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the first thing to do in knowing God's will in marriage?
2. Mention three things you can rely on in knowing God's will.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Sunday May 7, 2017

BE A PERPETUAL WORSHIPPER!

Memorise : Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! - Psalm 107:15

Read: 2 Kings 5:8-17

5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.


MESSAGE :

If you try to fathom the vastness of the universe and the precision with which all things work together to maintain a balance, you will appreciate the greatness of our God who created it all. When you then contemplate on the micro details of your place in this universe, and how God is still concerned about “little you”, showering you with His love, goodness, faithfulness, mercy and grace, you will be left with no other option than to forever worship Him. God deserves our worship.

Worship should not be something you do for a period and then take a brake; it should be something you do for the rest of your life. How consistently have you worshipped God? One Bible character who understood this principle of worship is Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-17). Naaman had a physical burden that defied all medication until he met with the man of God, Elisha. He was asked to go to the River Jordan and dip himself in it seven times. He did this, and was cleansed. Thereafter, He returned to thank God with a lot of money, but the man of God turned down the gifts saying, “Freely I received, and freely I give to you.” Naaman then requested for some of the soil of the land, so that he could take it back to his homeland and build an altar where he would worship God perpetually. He plainly said to the man of God, “For what your God has done for me, I will serve no other god but your God for the rest of my life”

For a good number of people, God has done several big things for them, and yet they do not have an altar dedicated to worshipping His majesty in their homes. I am not referring to a physical building, but rather a place consecrated to worshipping God and God alone. Some people say that if only they had several rooms, they would dedicate one to God. Even if all you have is one-room apartment, you can just dedicate a corner of your room to worshipping Him. Sometimes ago, the only place I could worship God without distraction was in my bathroom. There I could sing and dance to God without anybody watching. I could jump and do whatever I wanted in my bid to worship Him. With the door locked, it would just be God and I. If you desire to worship God in spirit and in truth, start by getting a place where you can do that in your home.

Also fix a time or times when you will do this, so that the manifest presence of God will always come down at such time. Get your Bible, hymn book, notebook, and anything else that can aid your worship and get on with it. Be a perpetual worshipper of God!

ACTION POINT :
Worshipping God is one of the few activities we will continue to do in eternity. Ask God for grace to worship Him continuously and acceptably.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 5-6;
Jeremiah 27:1-15


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

Saturday May 6, 2017

SONS ARE SPIRIT-LED

Memorise : For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.- Romans 8:14

Read: Romans 8:13-14

8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

MESSAGE : 

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”John6:36

To a natural man, the words of Jesus Christ and the message of the cross are all foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14). A person who is not living in the Spirit cannot comprehend the message of Jesus Christ because it originates from the Holy Spirit. This is why it takes the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of the natural man’s understanding and convict his heart, before he can accept Jesus Christ into his life.

To live in the Spirit, you need the Holy Spirit to quicken you. It is His work to make you alive and to strengthen you spiritually. When you are down or tired, if you pray in the Spirit long enough, you will find the strength to undertake the assignment ahead of you. Every assignment that God has for you is first spiritual and then physical. This is why you cannot effectively perform a divine assignment using only physical means. Even when you have to undertake the physical aspects of a divine assignment, you need spiritual stamina or input to be effective.

Moreover, if you live in the Spirit, you should also be led by the Spirit. Who leads you reveals who owns you (Romans 6:16). To understand what it means to be led by the Spirit, read up the account of the operations of the Holy Spirit in the life of Philip in Acts 8:26-40. If you are saved and you barely receive divine guidance from the Holy Spirit, you are still a babe in the Kingdom; but if you are regularly led of the Holy Spirit – meaning you hear His voice and follow His instructions – then you have most likely attained the level of maturity in the faith where you can be called a son (Hebrews 5:11-14).

God is looking for sons and not just babes! There are several Kingdom assignments that God wants to give out, but He is looking for sons to take them up. Sons hear His voice and obey promptly, but babes find it difficult even to recognize God’s voice. Sons are guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth, because they can accept it and run with it, but babes cannot stand certain truths (John 16:12-13). If there are some truth from God’s word that can make you to turn back from following the Lord, you are still a babe and not yet a son. The word of God contains depths of truth.

While babes read through it without getting much, sons carefully go step by step through it to harness the volumes of truth contained in it. Are you a babe or son?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, give me ears that hear your Spirit, and give me a heart that follows His leading.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 4;
Jeremiah 26:12-24


HYMN 15: THE COMFORTER HAS COME

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

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

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


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

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday May 5, 2017

ANY PENDING VOWS?

Memorise : When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.- Ecclesiastes 5:4

Read: Ecclesiastes 5:4-6

5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?


MESSAGE :

Our God is a God of faithfulness and He takes vows seriously (Deuteronomy 7:9). In Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob made a vow to the Lord at a time of distress and uncertainty in his life. Twenty years later, after the Lord had prospered Him, the Lord reminded him of the vow he had made unto Him (Genesis 31:13). Later, the Lord reminded him yet again of his vow and instructed him to move on from where he was to the place where he would fulfill the vow (Genesis 35:1-6). It does not matter how long ago you made a vow, God doesn’t forget!

“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.” Ecclesiastes 5:4

One of the lessons from the above passage is that you are not compelled to make a vow to God. However, if you do, don’t delay in redeeming it, or else, God will regard you as a fool. It is important to note that in life, what comes or doesn’t come to you will be largely determined by your sspiritual standing or status before God. If God sees you as righteous, He will release all the blessings reserved for the righteous upon you, as long as you ask Him. In order words, if your status before God is that of a righteous fellow, God will treat you with respect. He will treat you like he would treat His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who accorded you that your spiritual status and change the way God relates with you.

For instance, if you fail to pay your vow after so long a time, your status is changed from that of a righteous person to that of a fool. Eventually, you lose the honour, respect and royal treatment God accords to the righteous. Why? It is because a fool denies the existence of God (Psalm 14:1). In other words, if you believe God exist and is aware of your vows, you would hurriedly redeem it. When you do not pay your vow to Him, you are saying that God does not exist, and this puts you into the same category as King Nebuchadnezzar, who in Daniel 3:15 pompously asked,

“who is that God that can deliver you from my hands?”

When God is thrown such a challenge, whether verbally, in thought or in actions, He is forced to accept the challenge and to prove His existence. Vow defaulters call for God’s divine hammer to fall on them. Some people make a vow or pledge to God, yet one or two months after God has kept His part, they are still dillydallying their vow.

Are you defaulting in your vows to the Lord? Ask God for forgiveness and immediately set out to redeem them.

ACTION POINT :
Take stock of all your pending vows and take steps to redeem them today!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Deuteronomy 2-3;
Jeremiah 25:34-26:11


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.