₦airaland Forum

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 4TH JUNE 2017
THEME: VULNERABLE?
Memorise:
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10
Read: 2 Samuel 17:1-3
17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
17:3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
MESSAGE
''And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:'' 2 Samuel 17:2
The above scripture reveals one of the strategies that our adversary, the devil, uses to get at us: he seeks to attack and strike us when we are weary and weak. No matter how strong you are spiritually, you are still vulnerable, because every human being is limited and weak. Understanding your vulnerability and mitigating it is one of the keys to living a triumphant Christian life. When you feel weak and vulnerable, that is a good time to fast and pray. The truth is, when you are vulnerable, you are at your moment of least resistance to sin. In such moments, just a little pressure can make you fall into sin. However, being vulnerable reminds us that we were made from dust and reveals to us that we greatly need God's help (2 Corinthians 12:9). Indeed, you are most vulnerable when you need help the most and help is nowhere near. It is during such moments that you need to go to God confessing your helplessness and asking for His help lest you fall.
How does one end up in a vulnerable state? Continuous exposure to temptations can gradually weaken your defences. This is why you must avoid every appearance of evil. For example, if alcohol used to be your lord before you were saved, after accepting Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you would be wise to keep away from parties and social outings where alcohol would be served. You would also need to avoid viewing media publications promoting alcohol and sever your links with drinking pals; otherwise, if you continuously frolic around these, you will soon become vulnerable. In addition, repeatedly avoiding or neglecting spiritual tools that can build up your spiritual muscles and defences will definitely make you vulnerable. If you cannot pray, fast, study the Bible, and attend Church services with the brethren on a regular basis, you will soon become vulnerable. Similarly, if you keep bad friends or advisers, or you are a lone ranger who fails to mix, you will definitely become vulnerable. It is difficult to bend and break a broom but very easy to break a single broomstick. Before striking, the devil will usually try to isolate an individual from those who can help him or her resist temptation. This is why you need God to choose true friends for you. Lastly, failure to develop your faith spiritually will leave you vulnerable. Fortify yourself today!
Action Point:
Are events separating you from fellow believers as you tilt towards loneliness? Watch it! It could just be another ploy of the devil to isolate and finish you off.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 1-2
Jeremiah 42:1-17
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of 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]

June Holy Ghost Service, Friday, June 2, 2017.
Message: Pastor E.A Adeboye
Topic: Abba Father part 5
Text: Proverbs 21:27
Part A
God loves praises very much. He loved to be praised, psalm 50:23, John 4:23-24. God is so interested in praise Joshua 6:20, it was just the shout of halleluyah, that brought down the wall of Jericho. When people praise Him, He removes their obstacles, Acts 16:25-34, 2 Chronicles 20:20-25. The praises of a sinner is an abomination to God, proverbs 15:9, their thought is an abomination, proverbs 15:26. He compares the sacrifice of a sinner to the same thing as shedding of blood, proverbs 6:17, 28:9. The only prayer that a sinner can pray is just to say Oh Lord have mercy on me, Luke 18:10-14, when you come to God to surrender your life to God, you are doing yourself a whole lot of good because your praise, sacrifice and everything you do will be accepted by God but f you refuse to surrender to God, everything you do will be an abomination unto God. You can decide to move away from been an abomination to a true child of God. The decision is yours to take.


Part B.
Text: Mathew 6;9, Luke 6:45
After you have said Abba father, the next thing you have to say is Glory be to your name; Praise God.
Statement as said by Jesus
1. John 14:28, My father is greater than I, John 10:29, My father is greater than them all which means my father is the best. He is the most high, He is higher than the highest, Daniel 3:13-29, 4:28-37. The first thing you should do to your father is Praise Him.

2. Mathew 3:9, Luke 19:37-40 (My father can do the impossible), Exodus 17:1-6

Prophesy: The Lord ask me to tell someone here, He said I have already heard you.

Prophesy: The Lord said there will be two surprises this month, a pleasant one for you and unpleasant one for the enemy.

3. 2 Kings 19:35, My father is the mightiest.

4. John 14:1-2, In my father House, there ate many mansions. Which means, my father is the richest, Revelation 21:21, Genesis 26:1-14, 30:43. My father gives power to get wealth. When Abba father is truly your father, when you pray, He answers.

Prophesy: Daddy said, I will use your case to show that I can still deal with Goliath

5. John 8:58, 1:1-14, My father is the oldest, Exodus 3:13-14, Psalm 90:1-2, before the mountain were brought forth, He is God. When you praise the one who knows the origin of your problem, whatever the enemy may have hidden in you will be forced out.
Praise Him to the extent that He will stand and the enemy will scatter.

Prophesy: Because of what am about to do for you, very soon people will begin to notice how you danced for the Lord

Let somebody shout Halleluyah!!! Praise Him.......

June Holy Communion Service
Abba Father 5
Ministering: Pastor E A Adeboye
Bible Text: 1cor 11 vs 23-26
Let someone shout Halleluiah!
The holy communion service actually should be a thanksgiving service, a celebration of what Abba father did for us, twice in the passage we read Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me”, keep remembering so that you can remain grateful, remember how your healing was guaranteed , remember his stripes, 1 pet 2 vs 24, remember that someone has already paid for your healing and as you remember this say thank you Jesus, remember the blood that was shed for your sin and say thank you Jesus, remember the victory his blood won for you over Satan and say thank you Jesus, remember how your entrance to Heaven was guaranteed because of someone who went to the cross to die for your sin matt 24 vs 46, remember he was forsaken so that you can be accepted and say thank you Jesus, remember how that your endowment with the Holyspirt was guaranteed Luke 24 vs 49, remember that it was because He died and rose again to guarantied you to receive the holy spirit and say thank you Jesus. Remember He purchase your Healing, forgiveness for your sin, victory over satan, your way to heaven and just keep on saying Thank you Jesus , thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus. The holy communion service is a thanksgiving service, if you will thank him for your salvation , healing, deliverance, and assurance that one day you will see God then He will do more. David said the lion came I killed him, a bear came I killed it, the God who deliver me from the lion and the bear will deliver also. Just say thank you Jesus and he will do more for you. But how can you say thank you Jesus when you don’t have him and you don’t please Him, but if you will come to Jesus Christ tonight he will save your soul and give you a new beginning, come and accept Jesus Christ as your savior. As you partake of the communion, just keeping on saying thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus!!!

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Saturday June 3, 2017

SCATTER TO INCREASE

Memorise : There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.- Proverbs 11:24

Read : Proverbs 11:23-25

11:23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.


MESSAGE :

John 15:16 says you have been chosen to bear fruits and to sustain these fruits. To bear fruit, you are required to win souls regularly. Newly saved souls are like new born babies that require a lot of care and nourishment in order to grow into adulthood (1 Peter 2:2).

To sustain such converts therefore, there is a need for us to keep planting churches. No wonder Genesis 1:28 says that if you are fruitful, you must strive to multiply. Plant a parish and continue planting more. Just repeat the right things you are doing that works. Do not wait to start a church of 2000 people. You can start small churches of about 20-50 people and these will grow into churches of 100, 150 and more. The house fellowship unit can be effectively used in doing this. You can start a house fellowship with just a few people and as it grows, you can split it and have another house fellowship centre. In doing this, you are applying the principle of scattering to multiply. As these grow, you will soon have enough people to start a church parish. How effective is your house fellowship centre? Are you even a member of a house fellowship?

Another area where you can apply the principle of scattering to multiply is in the area of giving. Luke 6:38 says if you give, you shall receive in return. Keep giving and God in His own way will give you your reward. Today's Bible reading reveals that it is possible to scatter but yet increase, whereas you can hold back and remain poor.

There is a particular man I know; when he goes anywhere and people get to know he is around, they would gather round and he will fling bundles of money at them; every one of them then scrambles for their share of this money. Someone once asked me why this man does this, and I told him that the devil knows the principle of scattering to increase. lf you go to a witchdoctor for a charm to make you rich, one of the conditions he would likely give you is that you must learn to scatter some of your wealth to the poor. This is a universal principle; so if unbelievers practice it, they will get results. So would believers if they can practice it. Consider the weeds that grow rapidly around us; they multiply so fast because they scatter their seeds through the wind, water and by sticking to so many different things.

In the past, those of us who were Bible study leaders went all out to meet the needs of the gospel by sacrificing our salaries and the little we had. Today, many years after, I see the same people who once lived in a room and parlour now living in their own mansions.

Are you ready to pay the price of multiplication through scattering?

ACTION POINT:
When you want to scatter your seeds, start with needy members of your local church.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 27-28;
Jeremiah 41:4-18


HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

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

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

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

[Refrain]

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

[Refrain]

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

[Refrain]

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

[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday June 2, 2017

BELIEVE AND DOUBT NOT

Memorise : And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.- Luke 1:20

Read: Luke 1:5-20

1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

1:7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

1:9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou
shalt call his name John.

1:14 And thou shalt havejoy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of thejust; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for l am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, | am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

1:20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.


MESSAGE :

Do you know that God is a person and not a force? Because He is a person, He has emotions. His emotions are manifested in Him being pleased or displeased, happy or grieved, and so on. Those who are wise will seek to do the things that will make God respond to them with a favourable emotion. One way you can upset God is by doubting Him. According to Hebrews 11:6, before approaching God, you must believe that He exists and that He will respond to your call. It is pretty impossible to relate with God without faith. Infact, Romans 14:23b says,

"... for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.''

Once you give room to doubt as regards to who God is and what He can do, you have opened the door to sin. How can the One who made the heavens and earth make a promise to you and you will not believe Him? How can the One who brought water out of a rock, and the One who turned a valley of dry, useless bones into a full-bodied army not be trusted (Exodus 17:5-6, Ezekiel 37:1-10)?

If He could resurrect a whole army, resurrecting you is simply a walk in the park for Him. lt is a great insult to doubt that God can do what He says He will do. Are you living by faith or in doubt?

God feels personally displeased when we doubt Him. It is a worse situation when His servants who should know Him better, get caught up in the web of unbelief. It is important to know that God responds to your doubts and unbelief. When God sent Angel Gabriel to tell Zacharias that his aged wife would have a baby, he found it difficult to believe because they had both grown old. For the reason of his unbelief, he was struck with dumbness until the prophecy was fulfilled.

Are you trusting God for the fruit of the womb but you are now over 40 or even 50 years old? Have you like Zacharias given up on the possibility of having a child? Do not give up on God! Always remember this: if God chooses to give you a baby at the age of 70, He will definitely renew your body and make it able to carry the baby. Your age will definitely not diminish, but your body will be renewed and made younger.

Trust Him. At the point when some people already have their miracle quite close to them, they suddenly begin to doubt God and hence destroy the process. Stop doubting God! You can never get anything good from it.

KEY POINT :
You are either in faith or in doubt but definitely not in both. Where are you?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 24-26;
Jeremiah 40:7-41:3


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.When life’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 HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday June 1, 2017

BE REFILLED

Memorise : And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; - Ephesians 5:18

Read: Ephesians 5:17-19

5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;


MESSAGE :

The moment you give your life to Christ, a long drawn out battle for your soul begins. While your spirit would want to begin to exercise control over your soul as it rightfully should, your body would resist it and ask you to go in the opposite direction.

To be victorious in this protracted battle, you need to understand your new nature and the life of the Spirit, so that you can easily flow in it. From time to time, people ask me how I was able to grow in the Spirit, but they are never satisfied with the answer l give them.

Let me share some of what helped me with you. The moment you become born again, your spirit man is brought back to life. The fish is born in water and so cannot survive outside its natural habitat - water. John 3:6 says,

''That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Therefore, now that your spirit man is born again, you are expected to gravitate towards the things of the spirit if you want to grow. Your new birth is a spiritual experience, and only the things of the Spirit will help you grow.

One way to grow in the Spirit is to repeatedly experience being filled with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended, the disciples gained their first experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 says,

''And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Later on, when they gathered to table a pressing challenge before the Lord, they prayed earnestly, and they experienced the in-filling of the Holy Spirit against Acts 4:31 says

''And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Furthermore, to successfully live the life of the spirit, it is not enough to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You must pursue a growing, personal relationship with Him and crave for more opportunities to be filled by Him. No wonder Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Like the disciples, if you want to be filled over and over again, be separate from the things of the flesh, have fellowship with God where you can worship Him in spirit and in truth, attend Church services together with like-minded believers, feast on His word and pray in tongues regularly.

ACTION POINT :
Consistently try to increase the amount of time you spend praying in tongues. Pray in tongues and sing in tongues. This will help your spirit grow.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 22-23;
Jeremiah 39:11-40:6


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:]

Now, how him wan take spend dat money wey dem dey troway forram inside grave. hmmm

Money dat wld have gone a long way in helping d poor around them

NA Wah to Nigerian security operatives o. I wonder wat kind of training they undergo

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday May 31, 2017

WHOSE WILL? 

Memorise : Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:10

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.


MESSAGE :

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

God is a God of purpose, and He is highly organized. He plans far ahead of His deeds. For instance, Ephesians 1:4 says that long before God laid the foundations of the earth, He had already chosen us to live a holy and blameless life before Him. God knows exactly what He wants and where He is going. God could not have created the world and everything in it without a definite plan or purpose for His creation (Isaiah 45:18). He has a will which is clearly revealed by His word. May God cause you to know His plan for your life and give you the grace to follow it in Jesus’ Name.

From the teaching of Jesus commonly known as “the Lord’s Prayer”, one thing is very clear: only the will of God is done in Heaven where He dwells. No one can violate His will or commandment over there and continue to stay there. He cannot live with rebels; hence, Lucifer and the angels who rebelled against God were thrown out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Everyone and everything existing in Heaven conforms to God’s will and plan, and they all make Him happy. How about on earth? Since the fall of man, Satan and his demons have done a lot to cause men to take after rebellious path. For this reason, Jesus Christ came so that we can once again unite with those in Heaven in doing God’s will and pursuing His pleasure. Matthew 6:10 says,

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Why were you saved? God saved you so that you can join His family in Heaven in doing His will. David had this understanding, and so he said in Psalm 143:10:

“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

You are here on earth to do His will and not to please yourself (Romans 12:2). For this reason, Colossian 1:16 says we were created by Him and for Him. You were created for His purpose. At the end of time, only those who follow God’s will diligently on earth will be translated to continue doing so in Heaven.

Whose will are you following? Are you daily doing God’s will or yours?

PRAYER POINT :
Father, teach and grant me grace to do your will with all of my heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 20-21;
Jeremiah 38:24-39:10


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.

MrBrownJay1:
How convenient.... So they are beating this guy to a coma,and nobody from that same church asked for forgiveness( like that bible teaches)?!?! And instead they left them all leave with the fan on the thief's neck?!?!

Guy, the way i see the scenario is dat nobody was at d church, wen the guy broke in, and it must have been somebody from outside dat spotted him and raised alarm

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Tuesday May 30, 2017

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION 

Memorise : Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:- Matthew 7:13 

Read: Matthew 7:13-14 

7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

MESSAGE :

God wants to change your life, but beyond this, He wants to change your final destination. Over the ages, many people have had to move from one location to another within the same country. Others have had to relocate to other countries for one reason or the other. However, at the end of the day, irrespective of where we live, we shall all arrive at a final destination. That destination is eternal and cannot be changed after we die. There are two eternal destinations: Heaven and Hell. Whether you believe it or not, you are heading towards one of these. The Bible is very clear on the truth that every sinner is heading to Hell. Psalm 9:17 says,

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

If you are still living in sin, Jesus Christ has come to change your eternal destination from hell to heaven. For this change to happen, you have to accept the remedy for sin which He has made available in His Blood. If a person does not achieve this crucial change before death, all other achievements during his or her lifetime will fade into nothingness, and the fellow will be faced with an eternity in Hell.

The shocking truth about this is that God will never force a person to change his or her final destination. He won’t force you to change from the hell-bound broad way to the heaven-bound narrow path. He allows you to make your decision and to live with the eternal consequences hereafter.

I was talking to an important personality recently about being born again. He kept arguing with me, and so I told him this: “Sir, it is not something we should quarrel about. It is not compulsory for you to go to heaven. If you prefer to go to hell, it’s your choice.” Then he said, “Why are you begging me to be born again or give my life to Jesus?” I laughed and replied, “Me, begging you? I am not begging you but only sounding a note of warning. If you chose to wind up in Hell, it is your choice.”

Some people think that as long as they do not believe in the existence of hell, they cannot go there. Hell is real! Many people are entering into Hell every day, and yet it is not full (Proverb 27:20). If the only feat you can achieve on earth is to avoid hell, it is worth the trouble. Many people were mocking those who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them during their life time until they ended up in Hell. Hell is worse than any type of suffering or punishment you know on earth.

Do everything possible to avoid it by genuinely giving your life to Christ today.

ACTION POINT :
To make Heaven your final destination, do the following: repent and confess your sins to God; ask Him to cleanse your sins with the Blood of Jesus; invite Jesus into your life and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour and ask God for grace to live for him till you die. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 18-19;
Jeremiah 38:14-23


HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

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

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

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

4. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday May 29, 2017

BREAD OR CRUMBS? 

Memorise : Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Proverb 30:8

Read: Proverb 30:7-9

3:7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

3:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

3:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

MESSAGE :

What you get from God depends on how contented or dissatisfied you are. While some people ask nothing from the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things, some others ask for crumbs. Your desire and request go a long way in determining what you get in life.

In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons met the Lord, all she asked for was crumbs:

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Matthew 15:27

Even today, after Jesus had said that the children of the Kingdom are meant to eat at God’s table, many of these children still prefer crumbs that fall from the Master’s table (Luke 12:32, Matthew 15:26). Where is your focus: the table or crumbs?

Similarly, there is a correlation between your desire and your trust in God. If you really have faith in God, you will be able to ask big. The Bible says those who know their God shall do exploits (Daniel 11:32). In other words, when you know little or nothing about God, when asked to make a request, you will be afraid of asking for too much, and so you will be confined to asking for so little. However, when you know how inexhaustible the resources of God are, it will stir up courage in your heart to ask for big, great and impossible things. Therefore, if you are asking for a used car, a tiny rented apartment or a job that can barely take you away from starvation, it is very possible that you do not know or trust God enough. In today’s Bible reading, Agur made a very humble request. He asked for neither poverty nor wealth. He feared poverty, lest he might be tempted to steal; and he also feared wealth, lest he deny God. Just enough was what he asked for.

Using the children of Israel as a model of God’s plan for your life, you will observe that God took them from the wilderness, where they had Manna that was just enough for each day, to a land flowing with milk and honey, where they had more than enough (Exodus 16:15-19, Deuteronomy 6:10-11, Joshua 5:12). Just enough might mean not having reserves to take care of emergencies. That means, in an emergency, you may be forced to go cap in hand borrowing.

Are you asking for little in consideration of others who are also asking God for the same thing? You can never exhaust God’s resources. Ask big and stop limiting yourself!

ACTION POINT :
Ask God for something really big that only He can do for you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 16-17;
Jeremiah 38:1-13


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]

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL LESSON THIRTY-NINE SUNDAY, 28TH MAY 2017 TOPIC: WELCOME TO THE 3RD INTERACTIVE SESSION *To ask questions on treated lessons for clarity *To give critical appraisal of the outlines *To give useful suggestions towards better performances *To give useful spiritual contributions *etc

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Sunday May 28, 2017

ANY FRUIT OF REPENTANCE? 

Memorise : Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.- Matthew 3:8

Read: Matthew 3:1-10

3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

3:9 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.

3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.


MESSAGE :

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:” Joel 2:12

Fasting can be used to demonstrate genuine repentance before God. Exemplifying the above scripture, Prophet Daniel embarked on a fast to show repentance for his sins and the sins of the children of Israel in Daniel 9:3-20.

All through the Old Testament, when individuals or a group of people fell into sin and judgment was imminent, they returned to God in fasting and mourning, expressing sorrow for sins committed. How truly sorrowful are you when you sin against God? Is there any deep sorrow for sin anymore? Today, when you see a believer asking God for pardon over a wrong he or she has committed, you will be amazed. A few seconds after he or she has apologized, he or she is seen carrying on as if nothing ever went wrong. There is no manifestation of godly sorrow. People do not see offending God as anything anymore. They hide behind grace to cover up their evil lifestyle. However, can God be fooled?

The “repentance” of some people today is highly questionable. True repentance must be backed up by godly sorrow. 2corinthians 7:10 says

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

Genuine repentance must exhibit the fruits of humility, confession, brokenness, a desire for restitution where necessary and a commitment to never return to the evil act. Take King Ahab as a case in point. He was a wicked king with a satanic wife, jezebel. The wickedness perpetrated during his reign far exceeded that of other regimes (1Kings 21:25). Yet, when God spoke to him about an impending judgment, he immediately readjusted, tore his royal robe, wore sackcloth, humbled himself and fasted (1 King 21:27). When God saw the fruit of repentance in him, He deferred his judgment till the next generation. When you say to God “Father, I’m sorry, please forgive me”, is there any fruit of repentance to back it up?

Some leaders get involved in terrible sins, and after whispering, “Father, I am sorry”, they continue as if nothing ever happened. Is that genuine repentance? People hardly weep or mourn over their shortcomings anymore. They hardly set themselves apart in fasting and prayer to reach out to God for mercy. No wonder they continue in their sins.

If you are sorry, you will bring forth fruit consistent with repentance through your actions. Do you have such fruits?

KEY POINT :
Repentance goes beyond just saying, “I am sorry”. Your comportment and inner resolve go a long way to validate or discredit your claim.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 14-15;
Jeremiah 37


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 HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY MAY 27TH 2017

THEME: SOUL-WINNING: A MARK OF LIFE

Memorise:

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.John 15:2

Read: john 15:1-6

15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Message:

Just as it was needful to fast and pray, it is also needful to win souls to God’s Kingdom regularly. Don’t just win one, two or five souls and stop, continue to win souls at all times. John 15:16 says
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Do you know that regular evangelism can keep you in shape spiritually? If you belong to Christ, you are like a living tree that produces fruit (Psalm 1:3). Any tree that produces good fruit will definitely be appreciated by its owner. Bearing spiritual fruits is one obvious sign that you are still spiritually alive. If you are winning souls often, it shows you are growing spiritually. It takes obedience to the Holy Spirit and partnership with Him to win a soul and to give life to the spiritually dead. If you are not bearing fruit, it could be because you are dead or separated from God. A dead fellow cannot be used as an agent of life. Moreover, in the course of soul-winning, there are some ideas, teachings and abilities that the Holy Spirit will endow you with which you may not easily access through any other means.

The truth is that those who go out for evangelism never go out alone. Why? Since they are out to obey the Lord’s command, which is so important to the Godhead, the Trinity works with them (Mark 16:20). The Lord sees to it that the word of the evangelist does not fall to the ground (Hebrew 2:3-4). The evangelist is a true fellow-worker with God. On the other hand, the fellow who does not win souls is not bringing joy to God’s heart and is also not showing signs of spiritual life. If you continue your Christian life without leading others to Christ, you may be cut off from your source (John 15:2, Luke 13:7). It therefore follows that if you want to grow spiritually, you must make soul-winning a regular activity. You must win souls and continue to win more souls. If you are actively winning souls, you will experience God’s special love and attention. God will also answer your prayers more easily, and increase your capacity to be fruitful by taking away hindrances to fruitfulness from your life. Using your attitude to soul-winning as a benchmark, are you dead or alive?

Action Point:

To catch up on the number of souls you should have won in the past, launch an aggressive personal evangelism outreach drive to bring in at least 100 souls to God’s kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 12-13
Jeremiah 36:20-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Friday May 26, 2017

STAND UP FOR SOMETHING 

Memorise : So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.- Revelation 3:16

Read: Revelation 3:15-16

3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

MESSAGE :

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”
Revelation 3:15

If there is one state that God never wants His children to be in, it is the state of lukewarmness. As seen in the above scripture passage, the Lord speaks His mind on this issue in very strong terms. He says if you want to be hot, be hot, and if you want to be cold, be cold; if you are neither cold nor hot, He will spit you out of His mouth.

God has zero tolerance for lukewarmness. As foretold by the Holy Spirit long ago, many Christians in these last days are falling into the state of lukewarmness. Lukewarm people are tasteless in God’s mouth, and hence He cannot stand them. You cannot mix your worship of God with the worship of an idol. How can you put the Ancient of Days on the same platform as an idol that is the contraption of men’s hearts? God is greatly insulted by this. If you want to be a Christian, be a completely devoted one. Serve Him with your life and ensure you glorify Him in all that you do. If you however do not want to be a Christian, do not pretend to be one.

One soul I wish I could have won for Christ is Fela Anikulapo kuti, the late Nigerian Afro-beat music icon. I loved him for one thing: he was not a pretender. His lifestyle clearly showed that he was not on the side of Christ. This man married 27 wives in one day! He was a law unto himself. Some people say they are serving God, and at home they have one wife but outside, they have several mistresses. Stop pretending! If you want to serve, serve Him, but if you don’t want to serve God, stay away from Him. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. A lukewarm fellow will say he likes something, whereas he hates that same thing in his heart. He or she lives a false life. Some people appear to be very active and zealous for God when they are in their country of origin, but when they travel abroad, you will not believe they are the same person you thought you knew. Such people are unable to stand for the truth, and so will find excuses to justify their lack of zeal for the things of God.

Lukewarm people are dream-killers and acts as bad influencers. If you are hot and you stay around them, they can discourage you by their attitude. Are you lukewarm? It’s time to come out of that state today! Take a stand for the truth and for living right!

KEY POINT :
Those who find it difficult to stand up for Jesus still love the world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 10-11;
Jeremiah 36:4-19 

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

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

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

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

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

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

let them treat him same way, so dat he wld feel wat d lady is feeling

Lord have mercy. Why engage in what u cant bear ? This is very bad

forreelinc:
Abeg abeg make sure u no put name and address

Ok Sir

forreelinc:
oh I be dey think say na my picture you wan put
Becos I told you I don't like publicity #CodedThings

Dnt worry 2morrow, i go post ur own 2morrow, without pics. #codedthings

Check out Lagos big boy who flies first class flights, owns Bureau De Change office in Lagos (photos)

Another Lagos big boy has just been discovered but unlike Hushpuppi who we do not know how he makes his money, Ismaila Mustapha owns a very lucrative business both home and abroad which is proud of flaunting on social media.

Mustapha who is married to a beautiful Muslim lady and his union is blessed with a son, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mompha Bureau De Change located in Lagos Island.

Aside from visiting his office while in Lagos, Mustapha is never tired of taking trips around the world either alone or in the company of his wife and son. When traveling outside Nigeria, he is always seen flying in first class cabins.


Ismaila Mustapha with his wife and son
Living his life on a low key and not bragging about his wealth on social media just like Hushpuppi, this young man dressing is very simple and in a recent post on his Instagram handle, he called himself ‘Babaolowo’ while he calls his son, Money Man Jnr.


Mompha enjoying in first class cabins
Mustapha who recently took a trip to Indonesia was seen having a nice time on a Yacht as he was surrounded with seven light-skinned and beautiful ladies. He posted the picture on Instagram saying: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it #Babaolowo #YachtLife”

See post below:


As part of his regular tradition of posting himself counting foreign currencies in his office based in Dubai, he posted his usual picture with the caption: “I don’t want to be Good, I want to be Great – Pablo Emilio Escobar.”
Going through his Instagram handle one can easily discover that the young CEO’s favorite designers are Gucci and Louboutins, as his dressing is never complete without a touch of expensive designer. He most times makes these purchases while in Dubai.


Mompha with his Gucci and Louboutin shopping bags
On his celebrity encounters, Mustapha while on a particular flight met with top Nigerian female music artist Tiwa Savage and her son Jamil. Also in Nairobi, Kenya, he met popular music star Patoranking and they took a picture together.


Ismaila Mustapha with Tiwa Savage and Patoranking
Above all his luxurious lifestyle, Ismaila Mustapha does not forget to give thanks to his maker. He is seen always wishing his friends Jummat Mubarak on Fridays and does not miss traveling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

https://gossip.naij.com/1106292-lagos-big-boy-ismaila-mustapha-shows-expensive-lifestyle-instagram-photos.html

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Thursday May 25, 2017

FOR THE GLORY 

Memorise : And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.- Exodus 14:17

Read: Exodus 14:15-17

14:15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.


MESSAGE :

Do you know that every time God moves to deliver a helpless individual, He gets some form of glory from it? After God led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were on their way towards the Red Sea, the Egyptians, forgetting all that they had suffered on account of the Israelites, resolved to go after them and bring them back. This was a serious problem for the Israelites, who had lived as slaves all their lives and were just experiencing freedom for the very first time. However, God did not leave them alone; in fact, He prepared Moses and Joshua to physically lead them while He provided spiritual direction and protection.

On your way to the place of destiny, the Lord will not leave you alone. As he led the Israelites, so will He lead you in Jesus’ Name. Be assured in your heart that God will not allow your present predicament to drown you, because He knows that His intervention will definitely bring glory to His Name.

“And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.” Exodus 14:17

When God’s children were faced with the serious threat of returning to slavery, although they cried to God for help, one major reason why God intervened was because of the glory or honour He was going to get from it. If you are confronted with a situation you can easily come out of, or a situation someone can help you out with, either you or the fellow who helped you might want to take or partake of the glory when the problem is solved.

In contrast to this, when you are pushed to a corner, with no specialist, parent, relative, friend or pastor to help, when God intervenes in such situations and the issue is resolved, He alone will take the glory. God does not like to share His glory with anyone or anything (Isaiah 42:.

Unfortunately, many people who give testimonies still share in or even completely rob God of His glory. The summary of their testimonies is that they prayed so much, fasted so long, gave a lot or were very smart and got their miracle because of this. Such people are glory thieves. There are many people who have done much more than they did and yet their situations have not changed.

God can step into your situation because of the glory He will get from it, so never tamper with His glory.

ACTION POINT :
Man has problem and wants a solution. God gives the solution and wants the glory. Never allow anything to tamper with God’s expectation!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 8-9;
Jeremiah 35:12-36:3 


HYMN 8: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
[Refrain]

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Wednesday May 24, 2017

TRYING TO CORNER GOD?

Memorise : But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.- Genesis 17:21

Read: Genesis 17:15-21

17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.


MESSAGE :

After Abraham and Sarah used their own alternative means to attempt to solve their problem of childlessness, and Hagar delivered Ishmael to Abraham, they thought that God’s plan for their lives would change to accommodate Ishmael. They were wrong! In fact, in Genesis 17:18, Abraham made a passionate plea to God to recognize Ishmael as his covenant heir, but God insisted on His original plan. In Genesis 17:19, God said this to Abraham :

“…Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”

A crucial lesson here is that we cannot force, deceive, manipulate or corner God into doing what He did not plan to do. Isaac is a product of the Spirit while Ishmael is the product of the flesh (Galatians 4:23-29). Never expect God to dump the Spirit for the flesh. Do you know that some Christians go against God’s word and will by marrying an unbeliever and then later pretend to be sorry by feigning tears, whereas inside them they are rejoicing that they have married their chosen heartthrob and have thus outsmart God? Such Christians would try to justify themselves by asking you whether God would expect them to divorce their unsaved spouses when God Himself says He hates divorce. Oh how smart they think they are! Unfortunately for them though, they will later realize how foolish they really are, when faced with the consequences of their choice.

If you go against God’s word and choose an unbeliever as your marriage or business partner, it is your choice. You will have to live with the repercussions of that choice. You may have 100 “Ishmaels”, but God’s covenant can only be established with “Isaac” (Genesis 17:21). Isaac is a product of God’s blessings, while Ishmael is the product of man’s lust, impatient, and self-government.

Do not expect God to legitimize your Ishmael! Some people acquire wealth through illegitimate means and later expect God to sanctify it for them. They are only deceiving themselves. Anything you add to yourself that God has not added to you will ultimately be a curse that will haunt you. This is why it is better to wait on God to receive the blessing that comes from Him and not fall for cheap alternatives. Have you devised alternatives to God’s original plan for your life? Repent and dump them today! Go back to God and ask him to continue from where He stopped in your life.

ACTION POINT :
Have you ever tried to outsmart God? Go on your knees and confess how foolish you have been, and ask for His mercy today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 7;
Jeremiah 34:17-35:11 


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]

what a wicked world. a lot of pple no longer have conscience

Fellow NLnders, i got this msg from my bank last week and i dnt knw what we have done wrong for voting this administration in.

access>>>Debit Alert
Amt: NGN 50.00 Dr
Acc: 004****828
Desc: MONTHLY DEBIT CARD MAINT FEE -
Time: 19/05/17 @05:51 PM
Bal:

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

Monday May 22, 2017

ASKING FOR NOTHING?

Memorise : Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. - John 16:24

Read: Luke 15:25-32

15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

15:26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

15:27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

15:28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.


MESSAGE :

The benefits you derive from a person depends on how much that individual has and on how desperate you are to receive. If God is the One you need something from, then you are dealing with the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things. Before approaching God, you need to first determine what you want and how much of it you want from Him. If your response is to ask God for nothing, am afraid you will leave empty-handed. James 4:2 says

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

In John 16:24, after several years together, the Lord addressed His disciples one day and said something that should shock us:

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” 

They lived, ate and slept with the Fountain of living waters, yet they failed to drink from it. Some people take contentment to the extreme. They think it is covetousness to ask God for anything decent, whereas God is waiting for them to ask. How much have you asked from God? Are you like the disciples who asked for nothing? They asked for nothing at a time when others, who were not even walking with Jesus, were already using His Name to get benefits from Heaven (Luke 9:49-50). Even God knows that having nothing is not good for you. The container of joy of the fellow who asks for nothing will always remain empty, whereas God wants it to overflow.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the senior son is another example of those who swim in abundance but hardly ever ask for a bit of it. When his younger brother returned and his father declared a feast, he was annoyed. How could his father slaughter a cow to celebrate his brother’s return, whereas he had not even had a ram to celebrate his birthday with his friends? This was one major difference between the two brothers. While he never asked for the least of all he was entitled to, his brother did not mind exceeding his limits. The younger brother had asked for all he could get from his father and wasted it, and yet on his return, the father kept spending on his account. Whose cow was being slaughtered for the prodigal son? It was definitely that of the elder brother. This teaches us that what you fail to ask for may be taken over by those who ask. God gave you a mouth with which to ask. Ask and ask big!

From today, as you ask, God will answer you speedily in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT :
When we get to Heaven and some people see what they asked for in comparison with what they could have asked for, they will feel seriously cheated.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Acts 3-4;
Jeremiah 33:12-26 


HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

omoadeleye:
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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.

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