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OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Wednesday August 3, 2016

ARE YOU GROWING IN GRACE?

Memorise : But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.- 2nd Peter 3:18

Read: Luke 2:39-40

2:39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit in spirit, filled wit wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.


MESSAGE :

Show me a man that is doing great exploits in life and in ministry and I will show you a man that is growing in the grace and knowledge of the Almighty God. It is the grace of the Almighty God that makes us vessels of honour and beneficiaries of this grace; we need to continue to grow in it so that we will not run out of it. By virtue of our past, none of us will be qualified to be amongst the chosen of God, but the grace and mercy of God qualifies us. It was His grace that brought us salvation and not our works. It was the grace of God that blotted out the handwriting of the devil against all the sins we had committed. The devil stood to accuse us before the Almighty God, but His mercy stood in for us.

Long ago when I was a lecturer in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, a woman brought her sick child to me for prayers as she had been told to come see me; a man of God. When she arrived and discovered that I was the man of God she was asked to see, she couldn’t hide her shock because she knew how bad I was in the past. Only the grace of God could have taken me from being a ‘great sinner’ to being a ‘man of God’. The moment we come to the truth of the gospel, there is an expectation from us. There is an expectation to live a life of holiness. A personal knowledge of God is necessary to enable us obtain His best for our lives. As God reveals Himself to us daily, we in turn, must reveal Him to others.

 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8

The grace of God is available in abundance, but must not be taken for granted. We must use the grace that we have received to be a blessing to others. The grace of God makes the forgiveness of sin possible. This is why every child of God must have a big heart to ‘let go’. You must not hold anything against anyone. Others may, but you cannot; because you are expected to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. The grace of God helps us to stand in the gap in the place of prayer. This makes it necessary for us to seek the face of God on behalf of those that God has committed to our trust. We must always remember that it is Jesus that has chosen us out of His own divine grace (John 15:16).

Despite the antecedents of Saul, God chose Him. Jeremiah was chosen and ordained even before his birth. With all these examples and stories of our time, it is wisdom to make the best choice of allowing God to have His way in our lives. We must glorify God in all we do. We must continue to grow in Him and never allow His investment to go to waste. We must justify His being interested in us by living holy and being a blessing to the Body of Christ with all the talents, abilities, endowments and gifts He has given us.

Don’t allow yourself to be led astray by the immoral conduct of those who have given themselves to the lust of the flesh. It is the responsibility of every one to grow in the things of the Spirit and the motivation required for this has been given through the revelation of His grace through the cross.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, cause me to grow daily in your grace and knowledge in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Hebrews 11:13;
Psalm 26

Ride on gallant Soldiers. May God continue to strenthen u all and grant u all victories in Jesus Name. Amen

To me it looks very much like a scam. If u didn't apply for it, then its a scam

Abeg, report to her mother sharperly, to watch and monitor where she learned dat from, or better still seat d girl down and try to find out where she learned dat from before reprting to her mother, so dat she can train her properly and deal with whoever is behind her predicament

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
TUESDAY 2 AUGUST 2016
COME BACK HOME
Memorise:
There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. Isaiah 48:22
Read: Isaiah 48:18-22
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.
Message
There was a point in the life of the children of Isreal when God had to bring to their remembrance what He had done for them. He had to draw their attention to their rebellion over the years starting from the point when He used Moses to deliver them from captivity. The children of Isreal soon forgot the faithfulness of God and began to attribute their freedom and victory to idols. How easy it is for us to forget the investments of God in our lives. He delivered them from their afflictions. He made them partakers of His glorious presence. He guided them and led them
through the wilderness. He never left them alone for a moment. He enlightened them and guided them to their destinations. Yet, they began to praise the idols they had made with their hands. God tried different methods to get their attention but they ignored Him. He sent them prophets and raised judges for them. He sent His servants to them to forewarn them of the consequences of their actions and occasionally appeared to them but they never listened until they met their destruction. They forgot the reason for which they were called 'the people of God'. They refused to retain God in their knowledge; they trusted in their idols and intellects, and as a result began to engage in what was not convenient until they lost the peace and joy of the living God.
This is also true of the time and days we live in. God wants us to come back to His love, despite our state of wickedness. God is still interested in having us to Himself for our good. There is great joy and happiness for those who repent and come back to God. The Opportunity is here and I want you to take advantage of the grace of God that is available now. Choose good and not evil. Choose life and not death. Choose blessing and not curse. There can never be peace for a wicked man because he is a stranger and an enemy of God. There is no peace for those who stand in opposition to the Almighty God. They do so to their own peril. Unspeakable happiness and joy comes to those who align themselves with God but uneasiness, fear, sorrow, trouble and destruction comes to those who forget where he is bringing them from. When you are on the Lord's side, there will be quietness, peace, calm and comfort because you are a friend of God and not an enemy.
Like the prodigal son, you may have wasted all that has been committed into your hands. You may have gone beyond where help can reach you but the grace of God is longer than the stretch of your iniquities, therefore return home. Remove rebellion from your heart. Let there be light and a change of heart. Make a fresh resolution that you won't backslide again.
"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!" Psalms 81:13
As you make this strong decision, you will begin to see the peace you desire in your heart. All the good your heart has desired and all the comfort you have ever longed for becomes a reality. Your peace is a function of His presence in your life. Begin to relate with Him daily, praise and worship Him. See His Word as what you must feed on and obey Him even when you don't seem to understand. As you do this, you will enjoy the prosperity and protection of the Almighty God. His blessings in your life will never be interrupted and you will continue to enjoy all that God has to give.
Prayer Point:
Father, please help me to return to you fully.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
HEBREWS 9-10 and PSALMS 25
AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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 power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power 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 DEVOTIONAL 2016

Monday August 1, 2016

BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE 

Memorise : Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. - Deuteronomy 33:38

Read: Deuteronomy 33:27-29

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.


MESSAGE :

There are different kinds of blessings, but there is a kind of blessing that comes from God alone. This is the blessing that has no boundary. It is from above where God sits to coordinate the affairs of His people.

Today, the blessing of God will locate you wherever you are in Jesus' name. If you just prosper the way God desires, you cannot afford the ignore the presence of God. Those who have succeeded exceedingly in life are those whose source of blessing is God. When the presence of God is with you, He causes whatever you lay your hands upon to prosper. With little effort, you enjoy great favour and you becomes a channel of blessings to others around you. 

If you study the biblical men faith; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will notice that God was not only interested in giving them blessings that will be sufficient for them alone, He was interested in blessings them to a point that they became channels of blessings to others. Do you know God can bless you so much that your driver becomes a millionaire just from driving you? He hold Abraham: 

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing." Genesis 12:2

The blessing that came from Above into the life of Abraham made a great nation out of him. That blessing gave him such a great name that there was no nation where his name was not known. The name attracted so many blessings to his life that he become a great possessor of vast expanses of land and today, his seed are all over the world. God can make you a man or woman of great wealth and power.

No matter how dry your ground may be at the moment; He can raise greatness out of it and make your little one become a thousand. The outpouring of God's blessing upon your life can move you beyond the point of daily provision and mere survival, to the point in which you become the talk of nations because of how frightening your blessings have become.

Peter was toiled all night and caught nothing became the talk of the town when he experienced a net-breaking blessing.

I have always said that a day is coming and that season is here for a reader of this devotional, that when you take your money to the bank, the bank manager will order that the branch be shut down for three days to other customers just because they are attending to you. 

For you to achieve this level of blessing, you need to understand that it will not come easy, but you need not be discouraged because God is ever faithful and He knows the path to take you through to get there. God is the fountain of all honour and it is from Him that promotion comes.

What you are going through at the moment may not show that you are a candidate for this kind of blessing but you need to know that the plan and purpose of God for your life cannot be denied. Your faith and obedience will be tried.

You need to be separated and set aside for God alone. Those who forsake their sins and turn to God will get blessings that they never bargained for. You have to take your mind off the mundane things of this world and step up into the higher ground of what God is prepared to do with your life. 

KEY POINT : 
Until there is a departure from the little things, there will be no discovery of greater things. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 
Hebrews 5:10-8:13;
Psalms 24

Hmmm! Hell is about to be let loosed

It was a big disaster rather

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY 31ST JULY 2016

DIVINE BACKING

Memorise:
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua 1:5

Read: Joshua 1:1-7
1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

MESSAGE
Divine backing is the support you receive supernaturally from the Almighty God. Without Divine backing, hardly can any man succeed in life. This is because demonic activities in the world are out to frustrate mankind. The Bible says:
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12

In the memory verse for today, God encouraged Joshua to take up the spiritual mandate of leading His people to the Promised Land. Joshua was assured of divine backing when the Lord said:
"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
Joshua 1:5

God repeatedly encouraged Joshua to be courageous. No wonder he did great exploits in the Name of the Lord. When David faced Goliath, it was divine backing that saw him through the fight against the experienced giant. In response to the giant's curses, David said:
"This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."
1 Samuel 17:46

David, prior to this time had been enjoying divine backing. It was this divine backing that enabled him to kill a lion and a bear that wanted to steal his father's livestock. Beloved, you too will enjoy Divine backing if you surrender your life to Jesus Christ today. Even as a believer, for you to enjoy divine backing, particularly in the ministry, you need to be broken and live in obedience to the Word of God. Jesus said:
"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. John 15:16
Jesus chose you to win souls to His Kingdom and He promised to back you up by providing everything you request for. May the Lord give you supernatural support and the backing you need to succeed in Jesus' name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please support me in all I do in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hebrews 1:1-5:9
Psalms 23
HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

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

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

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there..

Honestly! Nigerian police needs re-orientaion

Hmmm, Nigerians killing themselves because of title

ReneeNuttall:
Thank you lord for good health

thank you Jesus o, for sound health and the breath of life. May, sickness and diseases neva come near our dwelling place in Jesus Name. Amen

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FRIDAY 29TH JULY 2016
JUST DO IT RIGHT
Memorise:
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6
Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23
15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Message
A good number of people confuse service for God's approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is- "just do it right, and God will accept you and your service". The Bible says:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romas 12:1
In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God's instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the spoil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:
"...Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22
There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of King Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites.
Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and King Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with in Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.."
Some so-called workers in the Church are still harboring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are 'zealously' working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said on that day, they will come and say:
"We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:26-27
May this not be your portion in Jesus' name.
Prayer Point :
Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Timothy 1-4 and Psalms 22:1-21
HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.
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.
Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.
Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
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.
Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
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 to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

Benjom:
Real pastor... as in, real pastor?

Oga, giv to ceasar what belongs to ceasar. Shikenah!

GoldenJAT:
see u.. 4 ur shallow mind u de Mk sense?

guy u well so, abi u dey suffer from blood cloth in ur brain? Abi u self na dullard

Hmmm! Drugs never pays. Be wise

In Dullards view, looking for oil in the north is called diversification

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
THURSDAY 28TH JULY 2016
THOU SHALL NOT COVET
Memorise:
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Ephesians 5:3
Read: Ephesians 5:3-7
5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Ephesians
Message
Today, we will examine one of the Ten Commandments; covetousness. The sin of covetousness is a cluster of many sins that sets man against his Maker. Upon the sin of covetousness hangs many other sins like stealing, sexual immorality and murder, hence the law:
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."
Exodus 20:17
David, a God-fearing soldier, King and prophet fell because of covetousness. He coveted Bathsheba, his soldier's wife; and went from one form of sin to another.
Covetousness led him to adultery and adultery led him to a murderous act. When someone is caught in the sin of covetousness in the area of alcohol, he gets drunk and what next? Foolish talking and jetting that are not convenient become inevitable. The Bible says:
"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things." Proverbs 23:31-33
Coveting your neighbour's possession can lead to murder. The reason for this is that when someone covets his neighbour's estate, and is unable to get it, he may resolve to kill the rightful owner to have it. This was the case in Ahab and Naboth's story (1 Kings 21:1-16). Ahab organized a feast where Naboth should be framed up and killed by the scheme of his wife, Jezebel. Immediately the plan was hatched, the Lord sent His prophet to go and deliver His judgment upon Ahab. It was a judgment of vengeance.
"...Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine." 1 Kings 21:19
Beloved, let us beware of the sin of covetousness as Jesus warned in Luke 12:15-20. The man in that story was boasting about what he possessed but that same night God required his soul from him. Our Lord then asked who those things he had acquired shall be for. Think about it and you will discover that covetousness is not worth it after all.
Action Point:
Think of those things that entice you to acts of covetousness, pray and avoid being possessed by them.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Timothy 1-6 and Psalms 21
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
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.
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.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
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.
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.

Quite irritating and disgusting

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2016

ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH

Memorise:
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
Job 22:28

Read: 1st Samuel 30:6-8, (KJV)
30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
30:8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

MESSAGE
Breakthroughs are of the Lord. The earlier the children of God understand this fact, the better for them. People look around for breakthroughs as if their power will bring it to pass. It is pardonable for unbelievers but it is not acceptable to professed children of God who know what the scripture says about breakthroughs.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:7

This is one of the reasons why we know that our tomorrow shall be alright. I discovered this a long time ago and the words “my tomorrow shall be alright” became our anthem in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Not because I know how to go about things, but because I discovered that the breakthrough of a man has already been established before his creation. For example, it was not man that forced light to come, neither was it man that created the animal kingdom over which he was made king. Why should I worry about how God will bring about my breakthrough? My breakthrough is settled in Christ.

Divine guidance is the secret of breaking through obstacles and challenges of life. In our Bible reading for today, we read about the secret of the victory David had at the raid of Ziglag. After David had wept for his loss, he gathered himself together and asked God if pursuing the troops that invaded him would be a profitable one. To receive unfailing breakthrough, asking God for divine guidance is inevitable.

Moreover, a prayer of decree can guarantee assurance of breakthrough according to today’s Memory verse
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ assured us of breakthroughs against all obstacles that the enemies may try to bring our way:
“….Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
Matthew 21:21

Beloved, the Almighty God is the Source of all human breakthroughs. Therefore, bring yourself to the favour of your Maker today and you will experience the breakthrough of your dreams.

Prayer Point:
Father, please remove all obstacles on my way to breakthrough and cause me to excel in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1st Thessalonians 5
2ndThessalonians 3
Psalms 20

HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

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

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

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.

isan:
Who am i to complain if their culture permit it

hmmm! But is there a culture in Nigeria dat doesn't permit it?

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Tuesday July 26, 2016

CLEANLINESS IS PRACTICAL GODLINESS

Memorise : Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.- Isaiah 52:11

Read: Numbers 8:5-7

8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

8:6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.


MESSAGE :

One truth a child of God must embrace is that cleanliness is godliness in practical terms. God pays attention to personal hygiene as much as he pays attention to the spiritual purity of His people. In the book of Leviticus 14:43-45, we read:
"And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered; Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place."

In our Bible reading for today, we read how God instructed Moses to take the Levites from among the congregation and cleanse them. There are many lessons we must learn from this passage. Why were the Levites singled out for cleansing? It is because they were special to God; they were Yahweh's representatives among God's people. 

"But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle." Numbers 1:50

The Levites, being vessels of honor, were required to be cleansed to function as priests unto God. As such, children of God must be clean in and out because it is required of us to be physically and spiritually clean. 

"And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean." Numbers 8:7

It is unfortunate to see that some children of God are not taking seriously the basic hygiene that can enhance their divine health. Some actually believe in divine healing, but do not live in clean environments, nor eat good food. Good food does not cost much. As a matter of fact, it is dangerous delicacies that are costly. So, in order to enjoy divine health, we must live clean lives. May the Almighty God grant us the ability to live clean lives in Jesus' name. 

ACTION POINT :
Take care of your personal hygiene and observe basic health instructions in your home. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 
1 Thessalonians 1-4;
Psalms 19:7-14

kiddoiLL:
is it a must to complain bout someone elses boobs?? dem use boobs swear fr una?

lol. But I think if she no want comments, she for no post such

Lilbrown007:
[size=70pt] LWKMD[/size]

oga, pls watz funny here noW

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY 24th JULY 2016

THE OVERCOMERS

Memorise:
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1st John 5:4
Read: 1st John 5:1-6, (KJV)
5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

MESSAGE

Many people do not know how to overcome. This is the reason why they run from pillar to post, looking for protection against the attack of the agents of destruction. The Bible says:
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Hebrews 2:14-15

It is needless to run helter-skelter in search of protection. As a matter of fact, there is no other source of protection than Jesus Christ. Our memory verse for today affirms that whoever is born-again overcomes the world through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The questions now are: what does it mean to be born-again and how can you be born-again? To be born again, according to John 3:3-5, is to be transformed supernaturally by the Spirit of God when we admit to our sins, confess them, forsake them and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When we experience this transformation, we become children of God. In other words, we become His favourites and He will begin to watch over us. Then, the promise of Jesus concerning protection will be fulfilled in our lives. He said:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Mark 16:17-18
However, to be born of God demands some things from us. The Bible says in our text for today that the only way to know we are born of God is when we keep His commandments. Jesus said:
“…. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”
John 14:23

To be born of God is to keep His commandments. This is contrary to some counterfeit Christians of the present age. You cannot continue committing sin and claim that you are born again. Another obligation of someone that claims to be a child of God is that he or she must keep himself or herself pure (1st John 3:3). The Bible says
“Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
Hebrews 7:25

Beloved, there is abundant safety in Christ, come to Him with a strong determination to go with Him all the way; you will not be disappointed.

Prayer Point:
Father, please make me an overcomer today and forever.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 1-4 and Psalms 18:43-50

HYMN 9: MY FAITH HAS FOUND A PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.
Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.
Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.
Chorus.

@op, if u had tipped one or two almajiri's around dat place, u wld have gotten more than enoff information, and maybe of the real culprit(s)

Swissheart:
The funny part is......'His husband'

Aru eme

general111:
very very possible.u needed to see what skolombo boys were doing to people in calabar..

abeg tell me somtin

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Friday July 22, 2016

NOT A VIRTUE !

Memorise: As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.- Proverbs 26:11

Read: Proverbs 15:20-21

 20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.


MESSAGE :

Foolishness is not a virtue; rather it is a vice that costs its victim eternity in hell fire. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In other words, lack of the fear of God is the beginning of foolishness. So, when someone decides to live without the fear of God, he does whatever he pleases without consideration for the Word of God, he feels he is free to do whatever he likes with his life, he behaves as if he owns his life, but in actual sense, his life is borrowed and the Owner may ask for it anytime.

Our Lord Jesus told a parable of a prosperous farmer who did not reckon with God in all his dealings. Considering the wealth he had possessed he said:

“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:19-20

Some people who claim to be children of God behave foolishly sometimes. Our memory verse for today says:

“As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”

Some brethren who had been modest and holy are now regretting their past pure Christian life! Those vanities they forsook in the past are now back in full force. This scripture is now fulfilled in their lives. Jesus said when a demon is cast out of a man, he goes away but after sometime he comes back to check whether that life is still empty. If he finds the life empty he goes back to take seven more powerful demons to take possession of the life (Luke 11:24-26). It is foolishness to go back to your old lifestyle after you have been cleansed from your former sins and impurities. The Bible says:

“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 2nd Peter 2:20

In the past, you could identify a child of God from afar off (with the few exceptions of those who were pretenders). Many things that are now being celebrated were abominations in those days. It is unfortunate that a wholesale return to those vanities is now in vogue. Some Christian scholars were brought to me in my office by their leaders many years ago and I saw assorted wild paintings – red, green, silver, brown, pink etc on their faces and lips. I could not help but tell them that was the first time I would see Bible scholars in such a wild exhibition of vanities. Their leader then promised that he would do something about it and that when Lazarus came out from the dead he was gradually striped of the grave clothes he had on. Theologians know how to explain things away.

Beloved, going back from your first love is not a virtue; it is rather a vice. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.

ACTION POINT :
Check your life and see if there is any foolish act of sin, unrighteousness or backsliding. Repent.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Ephesians 1:1-4:16;
Psalms 18:20-28

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Thursday July 21, 2016

VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

Memorise: And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.- Mark 11:25

Read: Mark 11:22-26

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

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.

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

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.


MESSAGE :

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not only give us an outline for prayer in what is popularly called “The Lord’s Prayer” (Luke 11:2-4), He also gave us some vital ingredients of prayer. The first in our consideration is faith. The Almighty God demands that we have faith in Him. A man that prays without faith cannot get anything substantial from the spiritual exercise of prayer. When we pray, we should be assured that God is capable of doing whatever our desires are.

Doubt is a grievous offence before the Almighty God. The children of Israel that doubted the capability of God were consumed by the fiery anger of the God who had been erstwhile benevolent to them, however, as many as believed in His Almightiness received great recompense for their faith.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James 1:6-7

Another vital ingredient of the prayer that God will answer is forgiveness. This is a two-edged sword. Blessed is he that is forgiven, sin a hindrance to prayer. Unless we are forgiven, our prayer cannot be answered. This is why our Lord Jesus put an aspect of confession of sin in the prayer outline (Luke 11:4). No matter how old we may be in the Lord, if we discover any sin ranging from lying, outburst if unwarranted anger etc in our lives while we are getting set to pray, we must confess that sin first. The Bible says:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1st John 1:8-9

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Many of us come to the throne of mercy without the milk of mercy in our hearts. We come for mercy while we are not merciful; we come for forgiveness and we are not forgiving. What an irony? In Matthew 18:32-35, our Lord told the parable of the wicked servant who jailed his fellow worker that owed him a little after he himself had received pardon for a greater debt. His forgiving spirit made him forfeit the pardon for the debt he earlier received.

Beloved, let us cultivate the habit of forgiving one another, at least for the fact that our Father in Heaven forgives every of our sins.  

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please increase my faith and put in me the spirit that freely forgive.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Galatians 4-6;
Psalms 18:1-19

Saraki: Hmm Emefielu, how do u think we can get back at this pple dat are tryin to throw us out?
Emmefiele: sir, u are the boss, just bring up d plan and we'll find a way of executing it

OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 2016

Wednesday July 20, 2016

CALLED UNTO GREATNESS

Memorise : And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. - Luke 5:10

Read : Luke 5:1-10

5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 


MESSAGE : 

There is something special about the call of God from generation to generation and from dispensation to dispensation. For example, in Genesis, when God made a call among the Trinity about the creation of man, something great came out of that call and that is the uniqueness of man as a special creation. It should be remembered that there was no call at all when other creatures were created. After the fall, there were many generations up to the time of Abram and when God called Abram and changed his name to Abraham, his life never remained the same.

In our Bible reading for today, we read about the call of Peter into the office of apostleship. When at the lake of Gennesaret, Peter had no idea of the awesomeness of the call when Jesus said to him :

"Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men." (Luke 5:10).

Peter, an ordinary fisherman, became great as a result of this 'simple' call. Many Cathedrals have been built and named after Peter, the frustrated fisherman before his encounter with Jesus. One can see that a single encounter with Jesus can make a great difference in one's life. Jesus is calling someone today as you read this devotional and He is saying :

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." 
Matthew 11:28-29

To have a profitable encounter with Jesus, certain things must be done. You must answer His call. He is calling you to follow Him, but you must not just follow Him, you must learn of Him, and all the ideals He brought from His Father must be imbibed by you. Jesus said :

"My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." John 7:16-17

Learning of Jesus entails living according to how He lived here on earth. His life of obedience to the will of His Father must be emulated. The Bible enjoins us to have the same mind like Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), and we shall experience great elevation like Jesus did.

God is calling us to be like Him; He wants to make us great. May we not refuse His call today; firstly for salvation and secondly for service. 

ACTION POINT : 
What area do you think God is calling you into? Answer Him now and be blessed. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 
Galatians 1-3;
Psalms 17