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Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:10pm On Mar 27, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 28TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: DUTIES OF THE BRANCH.
MEMORISE:
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. John 15:4
READ: John 15:1-5
1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
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.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
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.
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.
MESSAGE
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
Since Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches, what then is our duty as a branch? The primary duty of the branch is to bear fruit, to win souls. He said if you don’t bear fruit, then you are no longer qualified to be a branch (John 15:2). How many souls have you won for God since the beginning of this year? Are you sure you are still His branch? In Genesis 1:28, the first commandment to human beings was to be fruitful and multiply. It was a blessing, more importantly, a commandment.
To carry out your duties appropriately as a branch, you must abide- stay connected to the vine. Any branch that disconnects from the Vine will die fruitless. If you don’t abide in Him, how can you bear fruits? You abide in Him by fellowshipping with Him regularly and staying away from sin. He hates sin. So the moment you begin to dip your hands into it, He will disconnect you from Himself. When you abide in Him, He passes spiritual nutrients to you on a regular basis. In other words, in those times of fellowshipping with Him by studying your Bible and praying, you begin to blossom spiritually and the same works that He did during His earthly ministry, you too will begin to do and even more according to John 14:12.
When you start performing the kind of miracles that He performed while on earth, it will be easy to win souls. In fact, the souls will be the ones coming to ask you to let them meet with your God. Abiding in Him is the most important duty of a branch. If you can abide in Him, you will be fruitful and everything else will fall in place.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, give me the grace to win more souls to Your kingdom.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 22-24
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 9: HOLD THE FORTH.
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Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 8:16am On Mar 27, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 27TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: DO YOU RESEMBLE JESUS?
MEMORISE:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
READ: John 15:3-7
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
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.
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.
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.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
MESSAGE
When you ask someone to introduce him or herself, you want the surname, first name and so on. In the above passage, Jesus introduced Himself as the Vine and His Father is the Husbandman. He went on to say in verse two that His children are the branches. At other times, Jesus introduced Himself as the Door, Lamb, Way, Truth, Life, Resurrection, Alpha, Omega and so on. As strange as these illustrations may seem, they carry the true picture of who He is.
He is the Vine and we are His branches; therefore, we are an extension of Him. If you open up a vine and you open up a branch, you would find the same thing in both of the; one is only bigger. That is why Jesus said in John 9:5 that He is the light of the world and then said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the of the world; this simply means that we bear the light of Jesus. 1 John 4:17 tells us that as He is, so are we in this world. In Romans 8:16-17, we are called join heirs with Christ. This means that we are His brothers, this the same genes that are in Him are in us also. Ephesians 2:6 says we are seated together in heavenly places. In Acts 4:13, people saw Peter and John speak and they recognize Jesus in them. All these scriptures make one thing clear; as long as you are a child of God, you are to resemble your Father.
But then, how come we have so many ‘Christians’ who don’t resemble Christ? The answer is in our memory verse for today- they do not behold His glory. If you immerse yourself in God’s presence everyday- studying your Bible and praying, you will begin to resemble Him as the days go by. When a man and a woman have been married a few years, they begin to look, sound and even think alike. That is because they have been spending time together for long. Who you spend time with determine who you become. You want to truly resemble Jesus? Spend time with Him daily.
REFLECTION:
Can anyone take a look at you and say you resemble Jesus Christ in your words and actions?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 19-21
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 13: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 9:44pm On Mar 25, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 26TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: GOD’S PRINCIPLE.
MEMORISE:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7
READ: Galatians 6:4-5
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
MESSAGE
God has principles and even He abides by them. For example, His principle is that for the cleansing of sins, there must be the shedding of blood, so when the blood of animals was not enough to take away sins, He did not change the principle; rather He sent His own Son (which was a great sacrifice) who was completely unpolluted to shed His blood for our sins (Hebrews :13, 10:12). This is why I wonder how people do things contrary to the principles of God, yet expect good result. If God, in His sovereignty abides by His own principles, then we ought to also.
One of His principles is that if you don’t work, you will not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). So, when a lazy fellow is asking for a breakthrough, I wonder if he expects God to drop the money into his lap. If you want to be wealthy, then you have to be willing to work and work hard. Another principle of wealth that God has laid down is the principle of giving. Do you know that even herbalist use this principle and it works? Yes, because God’s principles are universal; whoever obeys them will reap the fruits. The reason many Christians are still in poverty is simply because they do not give. Luke 6:38 says:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
One general principle of God is that whatsoever you sow is what you will reap (Galatians 6:7). , This means that if you want kindness, sow kindness to others. If you want help, help others. There are so many prayers that will not be answered until we begin to work in line with God’s principles. His word is yea and amen; you cannot use prayers to cajole Him into going against His word. Do the right thing!
KEY POINT:
When you want something from God, check what His word says about it, then obey.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 16-18
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 8:54am On Mar 25, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: HE CAN ERASE YOUR PAST.
MEMORISE:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
READ: Luke 15:11-24
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
2 Corinthian 5:17-19
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
MESSAGE
Jesus came for one assignment: to shed His blood for the remission of our sins. 1 John 3:8 says:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
For Jesus to erase your sins, all He needs you to do is confess them. It does not matter how badly you have sinned, the moment you confess and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, He will cleanse all that unrighteousness away.
The devil however will keep coming to remind you of all your sins. When he comes, quote 1 John 1:9 to him:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
Tell him that the fellow he is talking about is dead because 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that when you give your life to Christ, you become a new creature and old things have passed away; all things have now become new. Don’t ever all the devil to make you feel guilty for sins that no longer exist as far as God is concerned.
After confessing your sins, you are to forsake them. Proverbs 28:13 says:
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Forsaking your sins means throwing away anything connected to your old lifestyle and sincerely resolving never to go back to it. If you still hang around the same friends and places that made you sin, enjoying the same worldly music or movies that your ‘old man’ used to love, then you are unwilling to let God erase your past. Confess your sins and forsake them today, you will experience peace like never before.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, I ask that You erase every sin in my past and give me a brand-new life today in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 12-15
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 29: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:53am On Mar 24, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 24TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: SHEEP OR GOAT.
MEMORISE:
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Psalm 119:4
READ: Matthew 6:31-34
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seeksmiley for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
MESSAGE
Jesus is the Shepherd of sheep, not goats. John 10:27 says:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
The sheep is totally dependent on the shepherd while the goat is stubborn and disobedient. No matter how anointed you are, if you are disobeying or ignoring God in any way, you are behaving like a goat.
Jesus Christ said His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. Did you see any part of that passage that talked about the sheep asking questions? No. when Jesus gives an instruction, His sheep follows immediately. They trust Him and know that He will not mislead them.
Has God been telling you to reach out to certain people for so long but you are stalling? Has He been asking you to write a book but you are wondering if people will buy it? Has He been nudging you to sow something into His work but you are wondering how you will cope after sowing the seed? Obey today. It is a dangerous thing for God thing for God to stop asking or nudging you to do something, because it means He gets a replacement for you.
Many times, His instructions don’t make logical sense, but that is exactly what miracle is- something that is logically impossible. A long time ago, God asked me to tell the Pastors in The Redeemed Christian Church of God not to contribute for feeding during the annual convention anymore; that He would use me to feed the people. I was afraid, so I ignored the instruction until He said “You are about to lose a miracle”. I quickly announced it, though my plan was to sell the two cars we owed back then to pay for the feeding. I had decided that, once the provision ran out in the middle of the Convention, I would simply announce that the programmes was over, assured everyone that they had received their miracles and could go home. What little faith I had! It has been over twenty years now and I have not had to sell any car to feed the people during our programmes.
KEY POINT:
When God instructs, His sheep obey immediately and completely.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 9-11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 11:31pm On Mar 22, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 23RD MARCH 2020.
THEME: INGREDIENTS OF PERFECTION.
MEMORISE:
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31
READ: 2 Peter 1:1-11
1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
MESSAGE
When we talk of Christian perfection as demanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, many may think the demand is a ‘mission impossible.’ This is not true, especially when we consider the ‘grace factor’ which is exclusive to those who are born by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-5). Now, what are the ingredients of perfection? The first is grace according to our text. It is grace that imparts on us the divine nature and power (1 John 2:15-17). Peter entreats us to add virtue to our faith. Virtue is the behavior that exhibits excellence. Virtue also must be accompanied by knowledge or else your good intention may be evil spoken of. To knowledge we are encouraged to add temperance if we are not going to be guilty of being arrogant because the Bible says: “…. knowledge [without temperance] puffed up, but charity edifieth.” (1 Corinthians 8:1). You must be patient with others – dealing with them with understanding. However, chief among these ingredients is charity which in modern language is love (Matthew 22:39).
“ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:8-9
We can see in the above scripture that, indeed, perfection has ingredients which, when present in our lives as Christians, bring us to the level of perfection as required by the law of liberty (James 1:25). Here we see the need to be well-grounded in the word of God. The problem with modern-day soul winners is that they do not do due diligence in feeding converts with the sincere milk of the word- precept by precept, line upon line according to Isiah, the prophet (Isaiah 28:9-10).
Beloved, we must be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please make me perfect by your grace.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 5-8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 29: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 7:38am On Mar 22, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 22ND MARCH 2020.
THEME: TRUE WORSHIPPERS.
MEMORISE:
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 1 Corinthians 14:15
READ: 2 Kings 3:156-17
15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
1 Samuel 16:23
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
MESSAGE
Worship is the most important part of any meeting with God. Anyone who is not baptized in the Holy Ghost should not be a worship leader. A good voice is not the qualification to be a worship leader. There is difference between a talented singer and the anointed one- which are you?
Worshippers are supposed to glorify God and it takes the Holy Spirit to do this. In John 16:13, Jesus Christ said it is the Holy Spirt who would glorify Him. John 4:23-24 tells us that God is a Spirit and those who worship Him are to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
While the presence of God is felt when some singers get on the stage and miracles happen, others do so without the same results because they have not connected with the Holy Spirit. Our spirits are lifted when singing hymns and choruses- not because they were written by angels but by people who were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit breathed on them and they wrote what He inspired them to write. The Spirit never dies, that is why hymns are evergreen. When next you are writing a song, remember that the letter kills but the Spirit makes alive (2 Corinthians 3:6).
If you are a chorister, seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit if you are a Pastor, make sure that everyone who climbs on the altar to lead worship is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Let there be no instrumentalist who is not baptized in the Holy Ghost. Worship is like food to God let us be very careful with the kind of food we bring to His table. If there are no instrumentalists, we have a ten-stringed instrument provided by God- our hands. God made voices and hands before musical instruments. If that is the only pure thing you have to offer Him, He is fine with it.
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Psalm 47:1
KEY POINT:
The role of a worship leader is not to entertain, but rather, to bring down the power of God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 11:17pm On Mar 20, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 21ST MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE FIRE III.
MEMORISE:
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Luke 3:16
READ: 1 Kings 18:31-38
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
MESSAGE
In 1 Kings 18:38, the fire consumed the water. In this context, water represents tears and sorrow. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter who licks up your tears and gives you comfort. For all those tears you shed at night behind closed doors, God sees you and He will send His Holy Spirit to comfort you. Note that Elijah had purposely asked that water be poured on the sacrifice. There are certain sorrows that are self caused; the Holy Spirit comforts us in such also (John 14:18).
That is why I have good news for anyone who may have made several mistakes in the past: the Holy Spirit will wipe your tears and give you a fresh start in the mighty name of Jesus.
The fire also consumed the dust. Humans are made of dust (Genesis 2:7). The dust represents human flesh. One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Transformer as we see in 1 Kings 18:46:
“And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.”
When the Hand of God (another name of the Holy Spirit) came upon Elijah, he became stronger and faster than chariots drawn by horses. He was transformed. In Judges 15:14-15, we see the Holy Spirit transform the jaw bone of an ass into a weapon of warfare. Romans 8:11 says:
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
When the fire of the Holy Ghost comes on you, you no longer live by the flesh but by the Spirit. The moment you are baptized by the Holy Ghost and fire, you become transformed. May you experience the transforming fire of the Holy Spirit, in the mighty name of Jesus.
ACTION POINT:
Make time to pray in the Holy Ghost for at least one hour daily.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 32-34
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 15: IN CHRIST ALONE.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 12:49am On Mar 20, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 20TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE FIRE II.
MEMORISE:
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 1 Kings 18:38
READ: 1 Kings 18:36-39
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
MESSAGE
The fire is proof that your offering has been accepted (1 King 18:38). No offering is acceptable to God except it is by fire. Always pray to God to send down fire to take your offering up before you drop it. In Judges 6:19-21, when the angel put his staff on Gideon’s offering, fire fell.
The Holy Spirit as fire also has the power to consume wood. Every piece of wood has the potential to become fire, hence the term firewood. Every piece of wood will die an ordinary death unless fire comes upon it. Every Christian has the potential to become a mighty man or woman of God. Unfortunately, many Christians will die without performing a single miracle for God because the fire never came to change their wood (gifts) into firewood (manifestation of the gift). Even though Jesus had said he would make Peter a fisher of men, he still needed the fire to come upon him on the day of Pentecost, after which he preached a single sermon and won three thousand souls on that same day.
That is something great that God has deposited in you, a great purpose God has for your life. You did not become a Christian just so that you can go to Church, shout Halleluyah, eventually die and go to Heaven. You were created for greater things, but that hidden potential will not find expression until the fire of the Holy Ghost comes upon you.
The fire also consumed stones which are representative of hardship and poverty. God says in 3 John 2:
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
He wants you to prosper; it is the devil who brings hardship and poverty. When you see someone struggling so much, yet with minimal results, it is very likely that a demon is behind it. Once the fire of the Holy Ghost comes upon that fellow, the demon will flee and an end will come to suffering in his/her life. You need the fire of the Holy Ghost.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, let Your fire fall upon me now in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 30-31
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 27: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:17pm On Mar 18, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: THURSDAY 19TH MARCH, 2020.
THEME: THE FIRE I.
MEMORISE:
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.Acts 2:3.
READ: Acts 2:1-3 (KJV).
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
MESSAGE:
Our memory verse for today tells us straightaway that there is a link between the Holy Spirit and fire. In Exodus 3:2, The Spirit of God spoke to Moses as fire burning in a bush. This was no ordinary fire as the bush was not consumed. Hebrews 1:7 says:
“And of the angels saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”
Hebrews 12:29 says our God is a consuming fire. This verse is talking about the Holy Spirit. For you to fully understand this aspect of the Holy Spirit, let us look at 1 Kings 18:38:
“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”
When Elijah prayed and fire fell from Heaven, it consumed the offering, the wood, the stone, licked up the water and the dust round about the altar. This is certainly no ordinary fire!
When you see a man who has fire, tread gently around him. Ananias and Sapphira were careless with the fire and paid with their lives (Acts 5:1-10). The fire also must not be grieved. When Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31), it is because the Holy Spirit is fire and carelessness can be fatal. That is why I pity people who fake speaking in tongues and joke with it. If only they knew who they were toying with, they would never try that.
The fire of the Holy Spirit is not the exclusive right of a limited number of people; you too can carry the fire of God if you are willing. It was not only the Apostles that were at the upper room when the fire of the Holy Ghost came, but it rested on every single one of them, including Mary the Mother of Jesus and His brothers (Acts 1:13-14). The fire of the Holy Ghost can come upon you too if only you would lead a life of intense prayers and supplications.
PRAYER POINT:
The fire of the Holy Ghost available to all who can pay the price in intense prayers and supplications.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 28-29.
HYMN 25:ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 7:18am On Mar 18, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE WIND III.
MEMORISE:
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Acts 2:2
READ: Acts 2:1-18
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
MESSAGE
the Holy Spirit can move massively, so massively that you would even think there is a storm. In Exodus 14:21, when Moses lifted his hand across the Red Sea, the Bible says the east wind blew all night, massively, until the Red Sea parted. Moses described it thus in Exodus 15:8:
“And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.”
Now, while the speedy move of the Holy Spirit within a man is to work miracles, the massive move of the Holy Spirit is to birth an unusual passion for the things of God such that you will bear and do anything for the sake of the gospel. When the massive wind hit the Red Sea, the water received unusual strength such that the flood stood upright as a heap. When a timid person like Peter preached to thousands of people such that three thousand people surrendered their lives to Christ, you know the wind of the Holy Spirit has moved massively.
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29
This was Peter- the formerly timid Peter, speaking boldly to the rulers of the city. Something within him- a force that was pushing him to do whatever was required for God, had strengthened him greatly. Oh, how I wish Christians of today can catch that fire! Christians today are too careful for their lives. No one wants to go on a missionary trip again, no one is willing to take the gospel to war-torn areas where it is really needed; we prefer to stay in our comfort zones and talk about Jesus from there. Many of us these days cannot preach the gospel in the face of the slightest opposition, allowing and even partaking of atrocities because we are afraid of what people will say if we oppose them. God has not given us the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).
REFLECTION:
Is there a limit to how far you can go for the gospel? Break that limit today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 24-27
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE O LORD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 11:40pm On Mar 16, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE WIND II.
MEMORISE:
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. Psalm 78:26
READ: Exodus 14:21-28
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
MESSAGE
The Holy Spirit can blow like a mighty rushing wind as recorded in Acts 2:1-14. Occasionally, the Holy Spirit has to move speedily to intervene, especially when things are about to get out of hand, just as in Judges 15:14:
“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.”
When an urgent miracle is needed, the Holy Spirit moves speedily, speak His language. As you build momentum speaking in tongues, the wind of the Holy Spirit and His power will begin to build up within you. When you have felt the wind and power strongly within you, let it out by speaking a word into that situation and you will see changes.
However, do not wait for a dangerous situation before you begin to call upon the Holy Spirit to move speedily. Many times, when challenges come, they don’t give enough time for speaking in tongues. Make speaking in tongues a lifestyle. Speak in tongues for at least one hour every day. Build up the wind of the Holy Spirit in your inner man so frequently and fervently that every word that comes out of your mouth is fire. When a man of God speaks to situations in public and things begin to change, that man must have spent time building up the wind of the Holy Spirit in himself privately.
When you have the mighty rushing wind of the Holy Spirit within you, every decree you make is accomplished speedily. Make speaking in tongues a lifestyle. It is a pathetic thing to be called a child of the most powerful being in the world and not have any power. Every night when I go out on prayer walks, I am building the wind of the Holy Spirit within me by speaking in tongues for hours. Start today, the Holy Spirit will take over and make it your lifestyle.
ACTION POINT:
Make time to speak in tongues for at least one hour today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 21-23
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POW’R.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:16pm On Mar 15, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 15TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: EVANGELISM TIPS: PRAY FOR THEM.
MEMORISE:
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? John 6:30
READ: Luke 9:1-2
1Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
MESSAGE
When going to speak to someone or a group of people who are religious, but are not born again, prayer is an excellent tool to draw their attention. In Nigeria for example, if you want to evangelize in a bus, because the people generally believe that prayers are effective, you can start with a short but powerful prayer asking God for journey mercies. When you have their attention, you can go ahead and preach.
“Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” John 4:48
When people see signs, they will believe. Ask the people you wish to evangelize if they would like you to pray with them concerning any need they have. After you have prayed and God has answered the prayer, it will be easier to convince them to accept Christ. Many years ago, I had a team of youth who I had trained in evangelism. I had taught them that, when they encounter anyone who wouldn’t listen to them, they should simply ask if there was any issue the fellow wanted them to pray with them about. One day, they got to the house of a herbalist, who was antagonistic. They said “Baba, we know you are very powerful, but is there anything at all that you have not been able to solve? We want to pray about it.” He told them that every time he got topped bleeding and he was ready to accept married, once the bride got pregnant, she would begin to bleed and bleed until she died. Now he had married again and his new wife was pregnant but, like all the others, she had begun to bleed and was close to death. My children prayed a simple prayer and left. They had only been gone for a little while when they heard someone calling them from afar. They looked back and saw the herbalist chasing after them, when he got to them, he said his wife had Stopped bleeding and he was ready to accept Jesus into his life.
ACTION POINT:
Ask God for the gifts of the Spirit so that you can use them to bring more people to Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 14-16
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: I AM SO GLAD THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:15pm On Mar 15, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 16TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE WIND I.
MEMORISE:
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
READ: Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
MESSAGE
The first sign of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was that there was a sound of a mighty rushing wind that filled the upper room (Acts 2:2). Before the apostle saw the fire, they heard the sound of the wind. In Genesis 2:7, the Bible tells us that when God formed man, He breathed into him. From the innermost being of the Almighty God came a little bit of wind that went into lump of clay to make it into a living soul. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says:
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
What God breathed into the dust that turned it into a living soul was the spirit. We can see therefore that there is a link between the Holy Spirit and the wind.
The Spirit can blow gently like a breeze. In Judges 13:24-25, the Bible talks about how the Spirit began to move Samson at times. Samson was growing up and Spirit, in form of a breeze was moving him, shaking him a little. Occasionally, when someone is experiencing the Holy Spirit for the first time, he may find himself shaking just a little; not violently or convulsing as in when manifesting demonic possession, but just shaking a little bit. That is the Holy Spirit moving like a breeze. Sometimes, when worshipping God- alone or even in a congregation, when the Holy Spirit takes over, a little shaking may be experienced, that is the Holy Spirit moving as a breeze. You need to be sensitive at times like that so the Holy Spirit can do His complete work in your life.
On the day of Pentecost, the wind came into the room and filled the whole place. In Genesis 1:1-2, when God made the Heaven and the earth, and the earth was void and without form, the Spirit moved over the whole earth. This tells you that when the Holy Spirit is moving during the service, it is not the time to begin to look around; but to be in and be moved by the Spirit.
Key into the manifestation of the Holy Spirt during private or corporate worship and trust Him to work wonders in your life.
ACTION POINT:
Worship God until you feel the wind of the Holy Spirit
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 17-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 14: IMMORTAL INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:37pm On Mar 13, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: SATURDAY 14TH MARCH, 2020.
THEME:: EVANGELISM TIPS: SHOW LOVE FIRST.
MEMORISE:
We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
READ: JAMES 2:15-16 (KJV)
15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
MESSAGE
Everybody responds to love. If you want to talk to someone about accepting the one who is Love Himself, then you should at least show some love to the fellow first and foremost.
An evangelist must be full of smiles at all times.
The person you are going to talk to may be going through a hard situation and your smile may just brighten his/her day.
You should always ask yourself when going on evangelism “What does this person need?” if the need is taken out of the way, then he/she can listen to you.
You can’t be talking about Christ to someone who is hungry and expect him to listen, but if you come with food, then they would.
A woman with a crying baby is more likely listen to you if you help calm the baby first. (1 John 4:16) says:
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
There is nothing too big for you to do if you want to win a soul to Christ. If you meet the fellow washing clothes or their car, join them.
Don’t feel too big to do it. When you show humility, they see Christ in you and can easily believe your message.
God throws a party in heaven when one single soul is won to Christ.
What could be too hard for you to do to make your Father that happy?
If the people you’re sharing the gospel with perceive you as someone who cares about them, they would see God like that too.
If on the other hand, they see you as someone who only cares about himself and does not seem to be behaving like the loving God they have always heard of, they push your message aside.
Now, I know that some people will try to take your love for granted.
If you cannot find a polite way to stop them from doing that, then allow them.
If your message does not convert them, at least they will never forget your Christ-like character.
AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
KEY POINT:
Nobody can resist a show of love. That is the way to get potential converts to listen to you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: DEUTERONOMY 11-13
HYMNAL: HYMN 5 – DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:35pm On Mar 12, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: FRIDAY 13TH MARCH, 2020.
THEME: EVANGELISM TIPS: START FROM THE KNOWN .
MEMORISE:
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. – (ACTS 17:23).
READ: ACTS 17:22-28 (KJV)
22. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25. Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us;
28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
MESSAGE:
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus likened evangelism to fishing.
“And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
When you want to go fishing, you need to have some bait that will attract the fish to you before you catch it in your net or hook.
This is the same way we must approach evangelism.
If you make it obvious while approaching people that you have come to preach the gospel, they are likely to put up a front, but if you approach them with a possible point of interest and they warm up to you, then you can present the gospel to them.
In Acts 17:22-26, Paul wanted to win a community for God.
Having noticed that they we already ignorantly worshipping god at an altar dedicated to “THE UNKNOWN GOD”, he decided to start from there.
When you want to preach to someone, find out their interest or curiosities first, then start form there.
If you approach a person to discuss his/her area of interest, you would definitely get their attention and then you can present the gospel afterwards.
One day, I was on a plane and seated beside me was a man who had on gold necklaces, a gold wristwatch and even his walking stick was gold.
I said to him, “Sir, do you know my father? He owns plenty of gold, He even has gold factories all around the world.”
I had the man’s full attention. He asked “What is his name?” I said “His name is Chief Emmanuel” and then I went on to describe God some more to him.
By the time I was through, he was eager to meet my Father, so I introduced him to Jehovah, the King of all kings.
I am sure nobody had ever presented God to him in that light before, so it was easier for him to accept.
If you are preaching to a farmer, speak the language of farming that he understands; if you are talking to politicians, tell them Someone somewhere has been a leader even before we were all born and no one has ever been able to overthrown Him.
Get good knowledge about the person you are to preach to and approach them from their area of interest.The Holy Spirit will do the rest.
KEY POINT:
Every successful fisherman goes fishing with a bait. If you don’t have any bait when fishing for souls, you may not get any results.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
DEUTERONOMY 8-10.
HYMN 9: HO, MY COMRADES! SEE THE SIGNAL
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 7:50am On Mar 12, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 12TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: EVANGELISM TIPS: BEFORE YOU GO.
MEMORISE:
No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Mark 3:27
READ: Luke 9:1-6
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
MESSAGE
It is unfortunate that many people go on evangelism without any preparation. They take secular assignments more seriously than the one most important to God. There are certain things you need to do before you go out on evangelism in order for it not to become a futile exercise.
First, you must ensure that you spend quality time in prayers, soaking in the Holy spirit. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 24:49:
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
After intense prayers and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, when you speak to sinners, your words will come out like fire and many souls will be won to Christ like it happened for Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). During this period of intimacy with God, boldness to preach is developed. Peter was a very timid man; he even denied knowing Jesus when a young girl identified him as His disciple (Matthew 26:69-74), but after spending time in the upper room, he was facing rulers of the land and telling them boldly that he would not stop preaching the gospel (Acts 4:8-13).
Today’s memory verse says:
“No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.”
Evangelism is a spiritual battle. The devil is the strong man referred to in the passage above. If you would rescue the sinner out of the strong man’s bondage, you must first bind him- bind that demon that has kept that fellow or community in captivity first, then frustrate all their activities and plans to keep the person or community captive for life. That way, the coast would be clear for you to rescue them from the hands of the devil.
KEY POINT:
The Holy Spirit is the One who convicts sinner; if you would win souls, then you must be filled with Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 5-7
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 2:26pm On Mar 11, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: THE HOLY SPIRIT.
MEMORISE:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
READ: Acts 1:1-8
1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
MESSAGE
The Old Testament, until Jesus died and rose, was the dispensation of God the Father. The millennium- when Jesus Christ will return to reign for a thousand years will be the dispensation of God the Son. We are however now in the dispensation of God the Holy Spirit.
So, who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third Person of the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13:14). He is Comforter. John 14:16 says:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”
He is the teacher (John 14:26). He is the One who reveals the future (John 16:13). He is the glorifier of Jesus (John 16:14). He is the source of divine power (Acts 1:cool. You may then wonder: if He is the third Person of the Trinity, what is the Trinity? Well, the Trinity consist of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). When we say the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, we recognize that human beings can only sympathize, it is the Holy Spirit who knows how best to comfort anyone who is sorrowful. Friendship with the Holy Spirt means joy forever.
The Holy Spirit is the One who can teach you the deep secrets of God. He not only teaches well; He also brings to your remembrance whatever you have forgotten. The Christian life becomes more joyful when from time to time, the Holy Spirit tells you what is to come. When God gave Jesus the name that is above every other name. the Holy Spirit went into action to ensure that everywhere the name of Jesus is called or used in prayer by His children, miraculous results are produced. The Holy Spirit gives the power to raise the dead, to make the lame walk the barren conceive. The moment you become born again, the Holy Spirit seals you as a child of God. So, whenever the devil sees God’s seal on you, he knows that you are untouchable. The fruit of the Holy Spirit also distinguishes you and helps men identity you. Indeed, as Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, by their fruits you will know be able to identify a child of God.
KEY POINT:
You need to befriend the Holy Spirit. It is the best relationship you can ever have.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 33-34
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 29: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
ComputersRe: ### by Gabson247(m): 7:22am On Mar 10, 2020
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Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 7:14am On Mar 10, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 10TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: GUARD YOUR HEART.
MEMORISE:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
READ: Psalm 24:3-6
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
MESSAGE
When it comes to having a pure heart, many people need serious prayers. A lot of people, while not committing sin physically, do so in their hearts. As far as God is concerned, what happens in their heart is of greater consequence than anything else because the heart is meant to be His throne.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Be careful what goes in and out of your heart. Jesus said that it is not what goes into the mouth that corrupts but what goes out of it (Matthew 15:11). Since we also know that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Mathew 12:34), then it means that there are certain channels through which things go into the heart to corrupt it. One of such ways is through the ears. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says evil communication corrupts good manners. No matter how good you are, if you keep staying in the company of people who talk dirty, soon your heart will be full of dirt. No matter how holy you are, if you are a regular at places where worldly music is the order of the day, your holiness is only a façade, and the heart will have been polluted. You must be careful what goes into your heart through your ear gates.
Your eyes can get you into trouble also, if you don’t control them. Jesus said if you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery (Matthew 5:28). What kind of movies do you watch? If someone is indecently dressed around you, just look away because your heart must remain pure. You can’t view nude pictures and claim that you are so spiritually strong that they will not move you. If you are really spiritually strong, the Holy Spirit will make those pictures repulsive to you. The internet is another means through which the devil feeds the eyes with corrupt images and ideas these days. Which websites do you visit? Who do you follow on social media? If you want a pure heart, you must keep evil away from your eyes and ears. Feed on the word of God instead.
PRAYER POINT:
Lord, please help me to guard my heart with all diligence.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 1-2
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 16: LET US WITH A GLADSOME HEART.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:41pm On Mar 08, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 9TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: LOVE NOT THE WORLD.
MEMORISE:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
READ: 1 John 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
MESSAGE
“…….If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15
To love the world is to be materialistic; to chase material things so much that you leave God behind. God wants us to be prosperous, but not materialistic. In fact, the reason God has not prospered many people is because He knows that when He prospers them, they will forget Him.
There are many things we chase that we don’t need; we just want them by all means, and God may not be ready to give them to us yet. Due to this insatiable hunger, the devil begins to suggest means by which you can get what you want, how can you cut corners so you can enjoy the pleasures that you so much desire. The devil is watching you; when he notices that you love jewelry so much, he will always bring the most alluring pieces your way and then suggest how tou can cut corners to get them. It is not enough to always cast the devil out when he brings such suggestions, if you don’t work on your mind to stop loving things of the world, he will soon be back, sooner or later, he will succeed. Many young ladies have jeopardized their destinies simply because they wanted to marry rich men, only to find out that the wealth was just a disguise for the demon in the man.
One thing about materialistic people is that they are never satisfied; they are in a rat race to satisfy their selfish desires. This is no surprise because Ecclesiastes 5:10 says:
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”
Why should material things prevent you from getting to heaven? Jesus said you should seek first His kingdom and righteousness, then He will add all these things to you (Matthew 6:33). Anything that you desire more than God, that you can offend God just to acquire, is dangerous and can destroy you. Beware.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to love You more than anything else in this world.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 35-36
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:33pm On Mar 07, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: SUNDAY 8TH MARCH, 2020.
THEME:: FAR ABOVE RUBIES.
MEMORISE:
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10
READ: PROVERBS 31:10-31 (KJV)
10. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16. She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle goeth not out by night.
19. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
MESSAGE
Rubies are precious stones considered to be next in value to diamonds.
The value of a stone is determined by its purity.
A Christian woman has been bought by the blood of Jesus and you can never put a price on that.
To be far above rubies is to sit with Christ in heavenly places far above principalities and powers.
To be far above rubies is to be a woman of virtue-filled with the Holy Ghost and bearing fruit, a woman whose mouth is controlled by the Spirit of God, having a quiet spirit.
She can hear the Lord when He speaks.
To be far above rubies is to be a woman of prayer – not the one who sleeps all night.
A woman who is far above rubies is a warrior – a prayer warrior.
Many of us are here today because of the prayers of our mothers but how many of us pray for our children?
“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” – (Proverbs 31:15)
To be far above rubies is to be a woman who is trustworthy. Sister, are you trustworthy?
Can your husband’s heart, sister’s heart or church members’ hearts safely trust you?
Any woman operating below this standard has lost her value and like salt without savour, will be thrown on the ground to be trodden on.
Nobody throws gems or precious stones on the floor.
A woman who is far above rubies is a mother – she nurtures.
This goes beyond carrying a child in your womb; it is about serving others with your gifts and resources so hery can prosper.
Deborah was such a woman. In judges 5:7, she said:
“The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”
Deborah’s generation was preserved because of her.
What will your generation say about you?
My sister, you are far above rubies; don’t live as though you were less.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please restore every virtue that has gone out of me and cause me to arise to take my place in the mighty name of Jesus.
AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: NUMBERS 33-34
HYMNAL: HYMN 20 – NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 9:33am On Mar 07, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 7TH MARCH 2020.

THEME: PRAISE: A WEAPON OF WARFARE.

MEMORISE:

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 2 Chronicles 20:22

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:1-26

1. It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.
25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.
MESSAGE
We are always engaged in battles and the greatest weapon of our warfare apart from holiness is praise. When you are going to war against odds that are far too great for you, the only way to win is by praising God. That was the strategy of Jehoshaphat. He knew that there was no way he could have defeated three great kings, so instead of calling a meeting with the general of his army to plot strategies, he went to God in praise.
“ And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?” 2 Chronicles 20:6
There were Jehoshaphat’s words to the Most High God. There is no way God would hear such words of praise from His child and not pay attention to the fellow. When Jehoshaphat was through, God told him: Don’t worry boy, I will fight this battle Myself. When you pray, you fight your battles, but when you praise, God fights for you. On the day of the battle, Jehoshaphat appointed singers, not soldiers to go to the battle field. Today’s memory verse says:
“And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”
By the time they got to the battlefield all their enemies were already destroyed; all they had to do was to take the spoils of war. As you sing and praise God henceforth, all your enemies will be destroyed.
If you have already been captured by the enemy, put in prison and bound, the only way to get out is by praise. If you don’t believe me, ask Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25-34). When you are in any impossible situation, deploy the weapon of praise. Praise has never failed me before. It will not fail you either, in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
With praise as your weapon of warfare, there is no enemy too great for you to conquer.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 31-32
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 16: LET US WITH A GLADSOME MIND.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 11:49pm On Mar 05, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 6TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH.
MEMORISE:
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. Acts 1:14
READ: Acts 1:1-18
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
MESSAGE
PRAYERS:
1. Praise the Head of the Church, glorify the One who established the Body of Christ, bless His name, adore His excellency, exalt Him above all things.
2. Father, let Your fire fall and put an end to all forms of Lukewarmness in Your Church.
3. Father, let Your fire fall and consume any agent of the devil, any plant that You have not planted in your Church.
4. Father, You promised us that the gate of hell will not prevail against Your Church; destroy every enemy of the Church today, in the mighty name of Jesus.
5. Father, empower Your Church as in the days of old so that miracles will become commonplace again amongst us.
6. Father, unite Your Church like the Apostles were united at the Upper Room so that we can begin to do the impossible. Remove strife, envy and unhealthy competition in Your Church.
7. Father, let Your Church not be ordinary, let our voice be heard and impact felt all over the world in the mighty name of Jesus.
8. Father, please help every local assembly that needs Your help in one way or the other.
9. Father, raise faithful men who will be sold out to You in this generation, to serve You with all their heart and all their might.
10. Father, every assembly or denomination where there is conflict, please Lord, calm the storm.
11. Father, every group, society or establishment terrorizing Your Church, if they refuse to repent, send Your fire into their midst and let them destroy themselves in the mighty name of Jesus.
12. Pray for your local assembly.
I join my faith with yours and pray that God will grant your request in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
An excellent spirit should be in every Christian because we have the excellent Father living in us.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 28-30
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:59pm On Mar 04, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 5TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: DELAY GRATIFICATION.
MEMORISE:
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
READ: Matthew 16:25-26
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
MESSAGE
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:” 1 Peter 5:1
If there is glory to be revealed and the best is yet to come, it means that the future is superior to the present. Hence, a sensible person will not sacrifice a glorious future on the altar of the present. Peter in the scripture above was telling the elders to be willing to sacrifice the present for the future.
The desire for instant gratification is a lethal weapon in the hand of the enemy. In Genesis 25:28-34, we are told that Isaac loved Esau and was thus ready to hand over the baton to him. Esau however lost his future for his present. Whenever Esau killed an animal, he ate it immediately. Jacob on the other hand kept few animals he could lay hands on. When it was time for Esau to prepare a delicacy for his father so as to get the firstborn’s blessing, he didn’t have any meat, so he had to go out to hunt; Jacob on the other hand who obviously had delayed gratification had meat in the backyard that he quickly cooked, served to his father and got the blessings before Esau got back. If only Esau had restrained himself from eating just one of all the animals that he had previously hunted, if only he had delayed gratification a little, things would have turned out differently.
Peter said there is a crown of glory that never fades away (1 Peter 5:4). Don’t trade the pleasures of today for that crown of glory. You don’t want to miss that for anything. The things that look alluring to you now are just tools in the hands of the devil as he fights hard to ensure you don’t get that crown that never fades. The fight will not end until you get the crown. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus set His eyes on the joy ahead, hence He was able to endure the pain He suffered. Set your eyes on that incorruptible crown and all the pleasures of this world will mean nothing to you.
KEY POINT:
The future is glorious for those who choose to delay gratification.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 26-27
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 28: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:32pm On Mar 03, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH 2020.
THEME: INDULGING THE FLESH?
MEMORISE:
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 1 Timothy 5:6
READ: 2 Timothy 2:3-4
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
MESSAGE
Food and relaxation are good, but if excessive, can be dangerous. If fasting for even one day has become difficult for you, then your flesh is exerting too much control over you. Even in marriage, if you cannot go one week without being intimate with your spouse, then you really need to get yourself under control.
Humans are actually spirit beings; the flesh is just a container that helps us operate in the physical world. Many however have given the container priority over its content- the spirit. The spirit is supposed to be in control of the flesh and not the other way round. What happens mostly however is that, a fellow will look fresh and healthy in the physical, but spiritually, he is weak and dying. The purpose of your flesh is to keep you alive, not to kill you. If you let it dictate to you, it will end up killing you. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Apostle Paul urges us to subdue our flesh.
When I first became born-again and was introduced to fasting, I thought “These people want to kill me!” But I eventually tried it and found it most rewarding. When you decide to start putting your body under control through fasting, it will be difficult at first, in fact, it may feel like you are trying to kill yourself. that is just the flesh battling for the position of authority that it has always enjoy. At that time when it seems really difficult, energize your spirit in prayers. You will discover that during the prayers, your flesh will be suppressed and its voice will be silenced.
I leave you with the words of Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:12-13:
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”
ACTION POINT:
Stop indulging your flesh; rather subdue it with prayer and fasting.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 23-25
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE O LORD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 11:19pm On Mar 02, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 3RD MARCH 2020.
THEME: NIGHT TIME.
MEMORISE:
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Matthew 13:25
READ: Acts 23:23-35
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33 Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.
MESSAGE
*“Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.” 2 Kings 6:14*
The night is supposed to be for rest and relaxation, so how come the King of Syria sent army against Elisha at night? If you ask any military person, they will tell you that the best time to attack the enemy is when they are relaxed- at night. Secret societies hold meetings at night; it is also when witches fly to their covens. Fortunately, angels are also active at night. Those who are wise pray at night.
In today’s Bible reading, we see how military operations were constantly being carried out at night. The night, though generally known as a time to rest and relax, is also a time for soldiers to move. Soldiers are deployed at night; both heaven and hell send out soldiers at night. A lot of things that are observed in the day time would have been decided and executed at night. That is when you can move what you want moved and stop what you want stopped, in the spirit. If you slack at night, you have given the enemy easy access to sow tares in your field.
Beware of what you do during your time of relaxation. It was during the period of relaxation that Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:20-27). A man rescued by the Lord with his family when the entire world was wiped away relaxed, and got drunk. One of his sons mocked his unclothedness causing him to pronounce a curse on the young man. Samson was relaxing in the lap of Delilah when his hair was cut off and he lost his strength. The enemy always looks out for when a person is relaxed so he can attack him then.
Don’t relax in your study of the Bible, don’t relax in prayers, don’t relax in evangelism, don’t relax in giving, don’t relax in working for God. All the devil needs to attack is a little time when you are relaxed. Don’t give him that opportunity. Stay alert at all times (1 Peter 5:cool.
KEY POINT:
Never take a day off concerning the things of God. The enemy is consistently seeking whom to kill.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 21-22
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 26: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:42pm On Mar 01, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 2ND MARCH 2020.
THEME: FRESH OIL.
MEMORISE:
But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Psalm 92:10
READ: Psalm 92:10-15
10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
11 Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
MESSAGE
The word ‘Fresh’ does not only mean something newly created, it could also mean ‘new impact’. For example, when somebody goes for a refresher course, iit is the same person and the same course, but now he is doing it so he can make new impact.
‘Dew’ is an embodiment of freshness. It refreshes everything it touches and makes it blossom. In Hosea 14:5 God says:
“I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.”
From this passage, it is clear that the dew, which symbolizes freshness, makes things to blossom anew. So, when we talk about fresh oil, we are talking about an anointing that makes dry things blossom. It is an anointing that makes the beautiful more so, the fruitful to abound even more and the great even greater. It is a dangerous thing when the anointing of a man begins to go stale. That is what happened to Saul and we see the link between Saul’s stale anointing and the absence of dew, from David’s statement in 2 Samuel 1:21 “Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.”
When a man has been doing many exploits, and all of a sudden, his frequency begins to reduce, he needs fresh oil. When someone is well on his way to fulfilling destiny and somehow, he begins to slow down, he needs fresh oil. Lack of fresh oil is what turns champions into ex-champions. I know that any boxer who does not keep refreshing his skills, no matter how good he is will soon be beaten in the ring. As long as the oil remains fresh on your head, great miracles and exploits will not cease in your life. Every time the oil is refreshed, you move from one level of glory to a higher level. If you are tired of being on a level for long and you want to go higher, seek fresh oil. Ask the Lord to anoint you afresh.
PRAYER POINT:
Today is my birthday, please pray for me, that the Lord should pour fresh oil on my head; that all the great things I have achieved will be small compared to the new exploits He will do in my life from now.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 18-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 21: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 9:47pm On Feb 29, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 1ST MARCH 2020
THEME: ALWAYS BE BATTLE READY.
MEMORISE:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10
READ: Psalm 18:39
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
MESSAGE
Any Christian who does not face battles from the kingdom of darkness is either considered irrelevant or a relic. As long as you remain relevant, there will be battles to fight. So, if the devil no longer fights you, if he no longer tries to discourage you, it is not time to rejoice; it is time to check and see if you are still relevant in the kingdom of God. The Bible did not record that any of the first seven sons of Jesse who were not chosen to be kings ever had to fight lions and bears. When Paul was still in the world persecuting Christians, he never had to run for his life or get stopped by anyone, but the day he gave his life to Christ and became an evangelist, he faced battles everywhere he turned.
The day you stop taking examination is the day you stop getting certifications and promotions. While Goliath was bragging, even though everyone was still calling Saul the king, he had become a relic. In fact, 1 Samuel 16:14 says:
“But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”
You will become a relic when you stop being battle-ready at all times. Those who are still making waves and troubling the kingdom of Satan must expect the enemy to fight back. In science, we learnt that for every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, the bigger the waves you are making, the bigger the reaction of the enemy, so you need to be battle ready at all times.
To be battle ready means that you have the armor of God on at all times. This means that you must live a righteous life (the breastplate of righteousness), your salvation must be intact (the helmet of salvation), your faith must be strong (the shield of faith), you must always meditate on and memorize the word of God (the sword of the spirit), you must grid your loins with the word of God (the belt of truth), and preach the gospel everywhere you go (the sandals of the gospel). Praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:7) must be your lifestyle.
Are you always battle-ready?
ACTION POINT:
Don’t become a relic. Put on the whole armor of God and be battle ready always.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 16-17
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 25: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:14pm On Feb 28, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 29TH FEBRUARY 2020.
THEME: YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.
MEMORISE:
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. Psalm 102:13
READ: Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
MESSAGE
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1-3
There are two basic instructions in the passage above- Arise and Shine.
‘Arise’ could have different meanings to different people. To the dead, ‘arise’ could mean resurrect, for example, Jarius’ daughter in Mark 5:35-42. From now on, anything dead in your life will arise in the mighty name of Jesus. To someone sleeping, it means awake. If you have been sleeping spiritually, the Lord says ‘Arise!’ To someone who has been stagnant, it could mean ‘move.’ Everything that has been on one spot in your life will arise now in the mighty name of Jesus. To the person already moving, it means ‘increase in speed.’ You may have been struggling to have enough to pay the rent and eat. I command that as from today, struggling is over in your life; you will have more than enough to take care of your basic needs in the mighty name of Jesus.
To one already running, it means ‘fly.’ Those flying have left struggling behind. I decree, from now on, you will fly in every area of your life. To the person who is already flying, ‘arise’ means to move from great heights to greater heights.
I decree that your breakthrough will be a wonder to all those who hear it. You will experience a level of greatness that only a few people have ever experienced in the mighty name of Jesus.
The second instruction in Isaiah 60:1 is to shine. To shine means to show your light. Matthew 5:14-16 says you are the light of the world. God wants you to use your talents for His glory.
Whatever you do, wherever you are and whoever you are, ensure you make an impact to the glory of God. Help those around you, console the broken-hearted, preach the gospel to sinners, heal the sick and raise the dead. It is possible. This is God’s will for you. Arise and shine!
PRAYER POINT:
Lord, let nothing dim my light in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 3: BE GLAD IN THE LORD AND REJOICE.
Christianity EtcRe: Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Gabson247(op): 10:26pm On Feb 27, 2020
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2020.
THEME: UNDERSTANDING LIGHT.
MEMORISE:
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3
READ: Habakkuk 2:1-4
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
MESSAGE
The first thing God said before creation was “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Thousands of years later, in John 9:5, Jesus Christ said:
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
He was and is the light of the world. Light gives vision and vision is so important that without it, people will perish (Proverbs 29:18). How great you will be is determined by what you can see. In 2 Kings 2:9-15, when Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, the later said he had asked a hard thing, but that if he ‘saw’, he could have it. Elisha saw and he got the mantle. In Genesis 13:14-18, God told Abraham that all he could see was going to be given to him. Then God advised him not to stay in the place, but to move around so he could see more. This is why exposure is good. These days, being exposed has become even easier with the internet. You can ‘see’ any part of the world from your phone or computer.
When my father-in-the-Lord was *alive* and we would have a crowd over one thousand people at our Conventions, I thought that was big. Then I saw hundreds of thousands at Kenneth Hagin’s Camp meeting. I was also at Dr. Yonggi Cho’s church in South Korea and saw that every Sunday; they held seven services and would appeal to those in attendance not to show up next Sunday so those who couldn’t attend that week could attend the next. My prayer point changed! I realized I needed to expand my vision greatly. I did and by God’s Grace, millions of people attend our programmes.
Get exposed: through books, internet, travelling or talking to more experience people. Ensure that you expand your horizon every day. When God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the chariots of fire surrounding him and his master, his confidence grew (2 Kings 6). Vision will also enable you to endure until the end (Hebrews 11:24-27). From today, receive light that will help you overcome all challenges in the mighty name of Jesus.
REFLECTION:
How big is your vision? Write it down and run with it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 11-13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 19: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS.

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