₦airaland Forum

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2020.
THEME: UNEQUALLY YOKED.
MEMORISE:
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:13-18
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
MESSAGE:
Who you associate with is a great determinant of whether God will be silent over your matter or if He will act on your behalf. In Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to leave his father’s house and go to a land He would show him. Unfortunately, Lot Abraham’s nephew, went with him. Lot being with Abraham hindered God from delivering the promise to him, but the moment Lot was separated from him, God remembered His promise.
“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.” Genesis 13:14-15
Thank God for His mercy that caused Abraham and Lot’s men to fight so that Lot could be separated from him (Genesis 13). I pray for you today: God will separate from you any friend or associate hindering Him from fulfilling His promise to you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Joshua was experiencing victory upon victory until one day when he faced a small army that defeated him. That day, he had to investigate what made him fail and then he found out that there was a bag of bad egg in his company- Achan. After getting rid of Achan, the victories resumed (Joshua 7 & �. The Almighty God who I serve will reveal to you any Achan in your family, company or Church in the mighty name of Jesus.
God wants to help some people, but He would not because of their friends and associates. It is either the person’s sins make it difficult for God to be involved in whatever the fellow is involved in or He knows that if He gives you what He wants to, with that fellow still in your life, it would result in more harm than good. Who are your friends? Who are your business partners? Who are you planning to get married to? Who is squatting with you in your house? You need to choose these people with care. If you choose a business partner who mutters incantations when you are praying, that project is not likely to go well because a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25).
PRAYER POINT:
Prayerfully review the kind of people you associate with from today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 7-8
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 4: BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2020
THEME: VICTORY THROUGH PRAISE
MEMORISE:
I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
READ: 2 Chronicles 20:17-22
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.
MESSAGE:
Living a life of praise is not only the most enjoyable way to live, it’s also one of the most powerful ways to change your life. Praise isn’t what you do only after a miracle has happened; it is what actually makes the miracle happen.
*“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
From the passage above, we see that it was when they began to sing and praise that the Lord moved. If you are waiting for God to do a miracle before you start praising Him, you have got it all wrong. It is when you praise Him that the miracle will happen. It is by faith that you get miracles; the evidence that you truly have faith in God is in your praising Him even before the miracle happens.
Can you praise God in the face of danger? Can you praise Him when all seems not to be well and you are feeling down? You see, that is exactly the best time to praise Him. It is when you praise Him in that situation that He will minister strength to you. Staying down and closing your mouth is exactly what the devil needs for him to keep you in that situation. He knows that the moment you start praising God, the game has changed in your favour. Since God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), your praise will bring Him into that situation and the devil will be defeated.
My beloved, it doesn’t matter how you feel at any point in time, don’t let the devil take the praise of God away from your lips. When the devil comes with his trouble, don’t face him; he is too small to get your attention. Face the living God and give Him the best praise. Go to a quiet place and shout the praise of God loud and clear so that the devil will tremble. What you will realise is that, just as God did for the people of Judah, He will move on your behalf when you begin to sing and praise Him. Halleluyah!
KEY POINT:
Raise God always, even when you are feeling down.
HYMN 14: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER 2020.
THEME: MIND WHAT YOU EAT.
MEMORISE:
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Proverbs 23:20-21
READ: Proverbs 23:1-3
1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
MESSAGE:
I have often heard people say that you are what you eat. This is a wise saying because what you eat can affect who you are- both physically and spiritually. If you eat food that makes your body weak such that you are always lethargic and cannot pray or study your Bible for long hours, your spiritual strength will be low. If on the other hand, you eat organic and healthy food, not only will your body be strong, you will also soar spiritually because you can spend long hours praying and studying your Bible.
It may interest you to know that the devil also uses food to recruit people into secret societies. That is why it is not expedient to eat at every occasion you attend. Before you eat anything that is offered to you, whether in public or private, make sure you pray on it first and ask God for permission. John 6:11 says:
“And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”
One day while I was preaching, I saw a woman dash out of the hall and some ushers ran after her. She then was brought to me after the service. She said while I was preaching, her clothes caught fire so she had to run out. Many years before that incident, she had gone to see a white-garment prophet because she had been losing all her children. Eventually, she met the prophet’s wife who, upon hearing the woman’s problems, gave her a kolanut to eat. From that night, she started finding herself in meetings whenever she slept at night, eating human meat with some other people. Eventually, it was her turn to provide the meat and she was asked to submit her children- the same ones whose lives she was trying to protect in the first place. We prayed a simple prayer that day and when she got home, she excreted a dead snake. Thus, God rescued her from the deadly kolanut.
Mind what you eat or drink.
KEY POINT:
Pray before you eat, drink or even take a snack. Mind what you eat.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 1-3
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER, 2020
THEME: SPARE THE ROD, SPOIL THE CHILD
MEMORISE:
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Proverbs 22:15
READ: Proverbs 23:12-14
12. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13. Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
MESSAGE:
In the school I attended in my village, there were children from both affluent and poor homes. One day, a child from an affluent home committed a misdemeanour, and a teacher meted out corporal punishment to him. This was an approved medium of discipline in the school but the boy reported to his father who came to school the next day and beat up our teacher. Our teacher reported the assault to the local police, however the rich man had been there earlier to bribe them, so the police did not act on the report. Our teacher, frustrated and deeply aggrieved, returned and divided the class into two. He put the children of the rich on one side and the rest of us on the other side. He vowed never to flog the children from rich homes again, but would continue to do so to those of us from poor homes. Today, only a few among the children that were not flogged have amounted to something in life. If you love your children, you would not spare the rod when they err.
Eli’s children grew to become wayward and God held him accountable for not being firm enough with them (1 Samuel 2:29-34). Conversely, God did not hesitate to bless Abraham because He was confident that the patriarch would command his children and household to keep His laws (Genesis 18:17-19). The second law of thermodynamics says everything left to itself tends to disorder. In the same vein, any child not strictly cautioned to behave properly will ultimately become spoilt.
I know using the rod on children is now considered child abuse in this generation, however you must know that there is a difference between correcting a child in love and abusing a child.
*“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”*
Proverbs 13:24
The rod is not just the cane, it connotes firm correction when children err. You cannot be permissive with a child all the time and expect him/her to grow up with good morals.
God expects you to compel your children and entire household to serve Him (Genesis 18:19). Don’t spare the rod.
REFLECTION:
God expects you to command your children and household to uphold his statutes, as Abraham did.
HYMN 6: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 11TH OF NOVEMBER, 2020
THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP IV
MEMORISE:
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Acts 20:35
READ: 1 Corinthians 9:1-11
1. Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
2. If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
3. Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4. Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5. Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6. Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
8. Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9. For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10. Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
MESSAGE:
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
I have observed that when some people say they want a coach and/or mentor, what they are actually seeking is a sponsor. Your coach and/or mentor is not under any obligation to finance you. If anything, you should be the one gifting him/her, taking his/her children out for a fun day, making yourself available to help in any way you can and so on. You need their wealth of experience. Your relationship with your coach and mentor should not be parasitic but symbiotic - as he/she gives to you, you should also give back to him/her. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:11
*“If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?”*
It is your responsibility to make your coach and mentor proud. Many times, I have had to answer for the actions of my children-in-the-Lord, whether I was aware or not. It would be unfair to your coach and mentor if you misbehave, because it could bring about a bad public image for him/her. Finally, even if you become richer, greater and more popular than your coach and mentor, you must remain completely submissive to them. Jesus said the disciple cannot be greater than the master (Matthew 10:24). If that is the fellow that God has paired you with for discipleship, no matter what they do, you must remain submissive in line with the word of God, until their death David became more famous than Saul, but he never lost his respect for him, not even when Saul was trying to kill him. Samuel was the one whom God sent to tell Eli about how he would fall, but Samuel never felt that because he had been chosen to replace him, the old prophet was now to be ignored (1 Samuel 3:9-21 Never dishonour your discipler. God would not have anyone disrespect His chosen vessels (Psalms 105:14-15 ) no matter how little and inconsequential you may consider the action. Learn from the mistake of Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-15 ).Yes, Jesus wants us to perform greater works than He did, but that cannot make us greater than He. Never forget: a disciple may achieve greater feats than his master, but cannot be greater than he (Matthew 10:24 ).
REFLECTION:
Do you have a parasitic or symbiotic relationship with your coach and/or mentor?
HYMN: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED

still available

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 10TH OF NOVEMBER, 2020
THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP III
MEMORISE:
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17
READ: Hebrews 13:17-17
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
MESSAGE:
As Christians, you must be careful when making the choice of who to disciple you. Success in a discipline is not enough reason for anyone to qualify as your coach and mentor. The first thing you should consider is the spirituality of the fellow- how is his/her relationship with God? 2 Corinthians 6:14 says:
*“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”*
You must also be sure that the vision of the person’s life aligns with yours.
A close look at all the people God paired together for a discipleship relationship in the Bible will reveal that both had similar assignments - Samuel and Eli, Elisha and Elijah, Joshua and Moses, David and Solomon, Timothy and Paul among others. Allow God to lead you before approaching anyone to coach and mentor you.
After choosing a coach and mentor, always remember that no matter how great he/she is, the fellow is not God. Whatever he/she says must be first sifted through the word of God before you adopt it. My Father-in-the-Lord always told us to ignore whatever he said that did not have a biblical backing.
You must be submissive to your coach and mentor, regardless of how much smaller he/she appears to be. My Father-in-the-Lord was not educated, whereas I had a PhD in Mathematics. When he said “jump” I jumped the highest I could, without analysing his instruction with my PhD brain. As long as whatever he said was in line with the word of God, I did it without asking questions. You may even be more modern than your coach and mentor, still your obedience and submission must always be total in alignment with the word of God.
Lastly, ensure you pray for your disciples as well (Hebrews 13:18). He that watereth should be watered also (Proverbs 11:23).
KEY POINT:
Let God choose your coach and mentor for you. Allow the word of God provide guidance in the relationship.
HYMN 18:
1. My faith looks up to Thee,

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER, 2020.
THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP (1).
MEMORISE:
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. Mark 4:34

READ: Matthew 13:10-30 (KJV)
10. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13. Therefore speak I to them in parables; because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive;
15. For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
17. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21. Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field;
25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.
MESSAGE:
Discipleship covers both coaching and mentorship. It describes the relationship that exists between a mentor and his mentee, and also that of a coach and the one being coached.
Mentoring and coaching present rare privileges and should be handled carefully as the future of many are influenced thereby.
(1 Corinthians 11:1) says Christ must be the model for all Christian coaches and mentors. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
What you say or do will have great impact on and can even shape the character of those within your sphere of influence. My strong adherence to holiness today is as a result of the teachings and lifestyle of my Father-in-theLord Pa Josiah Akindayomi.
If you would disciple anyone, you must first ensure your values are godly, clear and well set. As a father, you are both a mentor and coach to your wife and children. What you do would impact their character greatly. This also includes your subordinates in the office.
Jesus is the ultimate teacher; one thing you would notice about Him is that He never hid the truth from His disciples.
“… and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.” Mark 4:34
You must be honest in the assessment of your followers; tell them where they have gone wrong and praise them when they get things right. You owe them the truth always.
Jesus never hid anything from His disciples; they knew when He was fasting and when He was praying. He constantly pushed them to become like Him and even greater (John 14:12).
In Matthew 17:16-17, He said “O ye of little faith, how long will I be with thee?” He was saying, in essence: Get up and start doing these things yourself.
If you have a follower that has remained on the same level since he/she met you, you are failing as a coach and mentor. May you never fail God in the mighty name of Jesus.
REFLECTION:
What kind of example are you to those in your sphere of influence? Are you deliberate about their growth?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 26,
Mark 14
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.
HYMNAL 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, 2020.
THEME: DON’T MISS HEAVEN.
MEMORISE:
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Revelation 21:21
READ: John 14:1-3 (KJV)
1. Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
MESSAGE:
No matter how beautiful any earthly city is, none is one-tenth as beautiful as heaven, and this is a fact.
Do you know any city with streets and highways of pure gold? The answer is No, however Revelation 21:21 says the streets of Heaven are made of pure gold.
Jesus says in John 14:2:
“In my Father’s house are many mansions…”

Many years ago, I had the privilege of seeing my mansion in Heaven. It was already as big as an entire city, yet it was still being built. I asked the angel taking me on a tour what I would need a mansion that big for and he said there was a room in it for each of my spiritual children whenever they came to visit.
I once heard the story of an old couple who died and went to Heaven. When the angel taking them round got to a place where food was stored, they were surprised to see all sorts of food there some of which their doctors had told them to stay away from on earth.
The man, surprised, asked if those food items were not dangerous to their health. The angel told them there are no health issues in Heaven.
The man turned to his wife in excitement and said “You should have let us eat whatever we wanted, so that we would have died and gotten here much earlier.”
If you love music, Heaven is the place where you can hear the best music ever. The angels have such melodious voices that we coined the phrase Angelic Voices. Their melody and harmony is so sweet and perfect that when you hear them, you would get lost in the music.
A long time ago, some of us were praying for an elder who was dying when he suddenly looked up and said “Oh what beautiful voices, oh what sweet music!” I knew he was hearing the angels singing to welcome him to Heaven, so we stopped praying and let him go.
In Heaven, there is no pain, no worries, just fun and worship to the Most High God. I am determined never to miss Heaven; I don’t know about you.
REFLECTION:
With the way you live your life now, are you on your way to Heaven or hell?
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 25
HYMNAL 27: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER, 2020.
THEME: GOD THINKS ABOUT YOU.
MEMORISE:
Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Psalms 40:5
READ: Psalms 139:17-18 (KJV)
17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee.
MESSAGE:
The sand at the beach is literally uncountable, yet the Lord says His precious thoughts outnumber them (Psalms 139:17-18).
That is how much God thinks about you and me. No one else will ever think about you that much – not your spouse, not your child, nobody.
Nobody will care about you as much as God – your perfect Heavenly Father thinks and cares about you. Isn’t that awesome? You may often hear voices in your head saying “No one is going to marry you, you are such a disaster, you are never going to be successful, you will always be at the same point, this sickness will kill you …” But NO!
The devil is a liar! Those are not the thoughts of God about you! He says in Jeremiah 29:11:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
When you are a true child of the living God, He is always with you.
In Hebrews 13:5, He says:
“…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
No matter what you may be going through, God is ever with you, able and willing to help. That is why Psalm 46:1 says:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Do you know that as a true child of God you are a friend to Jesus? In John 15:14, He says:
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Jesus loves you so much that He gave His very life for you. The Bible says in John 15:13 that:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
The only way you can repay this love of God is to surrender all to Him and continue walking in His will. He thinks a lot about you, don’t disappoint Him.
REFLECTION:
Isn’t it great to know you are in Gods thoughts and that He wants the best for you always?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 24
HYMNAL 11: I AM SO GLAD THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 5TH OF NOVEMBER, 2020
THEME: FREEDOM FROM DEPRESSION II
MEMORISE:
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:18
READ: Psalms 40:1-5
1. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
MESSAGE:
Yesterday, we looked at how a relationship with Christ can drive depression away from a persons life. However, once in a while, Christians also get depressed. A Christian may get depressed when life's challenges make them lose sight of how great God is or how much He loves them. I have experienced this before. I was already the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God then, and the Church was growing, but somehow, I felt the people I was pastoring did not care about me. I felt I was labouring in prayers and fasting for them, but they didn't care, so I decided that I was going to resign as the General Overseer of the Church. With my decision made, I took a nap and when I woke, there was a young girl who had come to see me. She said God told her to come and give me a cake. I was so touched by that gesture that even though I don't like cake so much, I ate that one. Then God said I thought you said no one cared. I realized that I had paid so much attention to appreciation from the people that I did not remember how much God cares for and loves me. Now, when as a believer you are feeling depressed, what you need is to go deep into the presence of God because Psalm 16:11 says:
*“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”*
You cannot be engulfed in the presence of God and not feel His love and care for you; that love you feel will bring joy to your soul. How can you get into the presence of God? Simple. Through praise and worship. David said in Psalms 100:4 that with thanksgiving, you enter into the gates of God and with praises, you enter into His courtyard. When you praise and worship God for a long period of time, you will feel His presence come down greatly and since in His presence there is fulness of joy, you will begin to feel a joy that is beyond understanding. That is why Isaiah 61:3 says a garment of praise will replace a spirit of heaviness:
*“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”*
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me a garment of praise in place of every heaviness in my heart.
HYMN 3:
Be Glad In The Lord and Rejoice

Gabson247:
Poultry manure still available
Location : osiele Abeokuta
Whatsapp : 08132555464

Still available for sales. We have new ones in stock for sales

Location please

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER, 2020.
THEME: JUDGING THE SIN OR THE SINNER?
MEMORISE:
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
2 Timothy 4:2
READ: Matthew 7:1-5
1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
MESSAGE:
As Christians we must resist the urge to hastily take positions on both public and private issues without making proper findings. It is very easy to judge others, even more so now with the advent of social media.
Though a crime suspect is yet to be pronounced guilty by a competent court, a lot of people would have made competent court, a lot of people would have made conclusions already about him/her especially if the suspect’s appearance portrays him/her as a criminal.
People are especially good at speaking out against things they find offensive. Sadly, their focus may be on the person, instead of the action.
In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus cautions us against judging others in a hypocritical way. We shouldn’t be habitually critical of others when we need correction as well. Only God’s judgments are flawless (John 8: 15-16).
Don’t be quick to condemn someone else’s actions. God is patient, but He would not overlook anyone’s disobedience (Romans 2:1-5). Don’t attack people, be a good example for others (Romans 14:13).
While believers are not to condemn others, we are however not to ignore or condone sin.
There is a difference between the judgment that comes with discernment. John 7:24 says:
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
If you see another believer falling into sin, you should confront the person in a respectful and loving way. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus teaches us to judge sin, not the sinner.
The ultimate goal of confronting a believer who is backsliding is so the fellow can repent and abide.
Thus, when we judge sin, let it be done in meekness with the goal of repentance and reconciliation. This is the will of God (Galatians 6:1).
KEY POINT:
John 7:24: judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Matthew 22
Mark 12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.
HYMN 20: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2020
THEME: WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING.
MEMORISE:
And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. Mark 14:18
READ: Psalm 41:6-12
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
MESSAGE:
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 2 Corinthians 11:26
As we see above, Apostle Paul enumerated the dangers he had encountered in the course of preaching the gospel and ‘perils among false brethren’ made the list. You must be wary of false brethren within your family, neighborhood, workplace and even in your local assembly.
In 1 Samuel 17:26-28, while David was making enquiries about the reward for slaying Goliath, his elder brother wanted him to go back to look after sheep. The elders say that if the household enemy cannot kill a person, neither can the external ones. David was already dreaming of how he was going to become a giant-killer but his brother wanted to silence him, just as Joseph’s brothers sought to kill his own dreams in Genesis 37:17-20. One would think that his brothers would have been interested in helping him become a great ruler as he had dreamed, after all, they would have been “the great ruler’s brothers”. Rather, they not only wanted his dreams to be aborted, they also wanted to kill him.
Don’t be fooled; not everyone smiling with you genuinely wishes you well, so be careful who you share your dreams with. Be like David and follow the counsel of God rather than those of men.
When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, there was a man I had considered to be a good friend as we had done some wonderful things together for God in the past. I went to visit him one day to discuss my new assignment as the General Overseer. When I got to his house, he drove me away, saying he had hated me since the day I came into the Church. I was shocked and really felt sad.
I pray that every wolf in sheep’s clothing around you shall be exposed and disgraced in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, every wolf in sheep’s clothing around me, expose this week in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 18:15-19:48
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 30TH OF OCTOBER, 2020
THEME: STEER CLEAR OF DOUBT
MEMORISE:
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Romans 14:23
READ: JAMES 1:5-8
5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
MESSAGE:
Faith is the bedrock of Christianity. Hebrews 11:6 says:
*“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”*
In Romans 10:9, we see the steps to salvation:
*“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”*
Faith is the most important ingredient in the Christian walk. That’s why Paul said anything done outside faith is a sin (Romans 14:23). You may doubt if an action is a sin or not. You may have asked some spiritual leaders, yet still remain unsure. Today’s memory verse says once you are unsure if an action would amount to a sin or not, then you should choose not to do it. It says anything you do in doubt and not in faith is sin.
As a Christian, it is best you stay off that act that you are not sure about and let go of the benefit you may receive from it. It is better to deny yourself of earthly benefits than finding out at the judgement seat that such an act is a sin. That you have conflicting opinions alone is probably an indication that God wants you to beware of doing that thing.
There has been a lot of debate on whether wearing trousers or jewelry is a sin or not. Beloved sister, if God has instructed you not to wear trousers for example, (maybe through your church doctrine, your parents or personally) and you go ahead to wear it, you are not doing it in faith because there will be that caution in your heart that you shouldn’t be wearing trousers; hence you are committing a sin.
Be wise; if there is a conflict in your heart concerning anything, it is best to stop and steer clear of such. Only do things when you are sure they are not sins.
KEY POINT:
Anything you do in doubt is a sin.
HYMN 13: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: LET GO OF ANGER.
MEMORISE:
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Proverbs 16:32
READ: Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
MESSAGE:
Anger is so dangerous because it can destroy a lifetime of achievement within seconds. Ask Moses: a man who God spoke to face to face (Exodus 33:11), the man who led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and also caused the Egyptian army to be destroyed in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27,28). Many great miracles had happened through him and he was on the to leading the children of Israel to the promise land, but anger ended his mission within seconds. (Numbers 20:10-12).
Anger is a destiny-killer and that is why I am determined never to get angry again in my life. I was once asked to act the role of an angry man in a play. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t do it because I had dealt with anger so much in my life. Once in a while, things happen around me that can get me anger but I ensure that I do not stop doing things that help me avoid anger.
Always be in control of your emotions. Anger has a way of making people say or do things they wouldn’t normally. You need to be in control so anger does not take you in that direction. When people say “That is how I behave when I get angry”, it shows they don’t place great value on their destiny. If you let anger dictate how you behave, it will also dictate how far you go. Proverbs 25:28 says:
“ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”
You have control; use it!
When someone gets me angry, I sing choruses. As I sing, I am inviting the Holy Spirit to take control and since He is a gentle Spirit, once He comes in, the anger will go. At others times, you may just quietly leave a place to avoid getting angry.
Whatever you do, ensure anger does not control you.
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Ecclesiastes 7:9
Don’t be a fool.
KEY POINT:
If you let anger dictate how you behave, it will also dictate how far you go in life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 17:11-18:14
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 25: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: LOOK DOWN ON NO ONE.
MEMORISE:
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. Proverbs 14:31
READ: 1 Samuel 17:42-51
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
MESSAGE:
Whenever you look down on a man, you are indirectly looking down on God. He is so in love with mankind that He said whatever you do to them is what you have done to Him.
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40
You must be careful because you cannot simply tell who a person is from their looks. David looked like an ordinary teenager, but inside him was a giantkiller. Goliath paid with his life for looking down on him. Inside some prisoners today are Presidents tomorrow; Joseph is a classic example.
Never look down on anyone because they could be the solution to your challenges. Naaman was very great. He had all he needed but he was leprous. The solution to his leprosy was in Israel, but he did not know until a slave girl told him. If you read the story carefully, you will note that when Naaman was storming off in anger from Elisha’s house, it was his servants who pleaded with him to obey the man of God. As a matter of fact, they referred to him as “father” (2 Kings 5:13). Naaman listened to them and got his healing.
If he had been wicked to his servants, they wouldn’t have bothered to plead with him, neither would they have been able to call him “father”. The beggar on your street may be the one to help you when no one would be able to. The poor people living next door may provide information required to save you from an impending trouble. Do not look down on anyone.
Many Christians also feel so holy that they don’t want to relate with unbelievers. Yes, we should not be unequally yoked together with them (2 Corinthians 6:14) but we are not called to be hostile to them either (Luke 6:35). God called us to love, not to hate and snub. There could not have been a more aggressive or harsh enemy of Jesus’ followers than Saul of Tarsus. Yet, once God showed Saul the light and truth, there was never a more devoted, enthusiastic or fearless disciple of Christ. Saul became the Apostle Paul. His life offers a wonderful example of how God sees beyond people’s current status to their potential.
We all have in our own lives Saul-like individuals with Paul-like potentials. Can you imagine how our families, our communities, and the world at large might change if we all tried to see each other as God does?
God hates a proud look (Proverbs 6:16-17).
ACTION POINT:
Is there anyone you currently look down on? Stop it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 16:1-17:10
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: STAFF, NOT SLAVE.
MEMORISE:
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Ephesians 6:9
READ: 2 Kings 5:1-3
1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
MESSAGE:
Many people treat those who work for them- Personal Assistant, house keeper, gateman, gardener and others as though they are a lower breed of humans. That fellow who works for you is a human being, just like you. With God, there are no differences; you are only privileged to be the employer or supervisor while he/she serves you. When such people give their lives to Christ, there is rejoicing in Heaven just as there is when the president of a nation becomes born again.
Would you want your employer to treat you the same way you treat your domestic staff or some subordinates? You would like some respect in the office, why not give some to those who work for you? After all, they are in their respective office too, no matter how low their cadre may be. Don’t insult or slap them, don’t make them eat your leftovers or sleep in the kitchen. Jesus said:
“ And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31
Most domestic staff and even some other junior employees who work with you have more access to information about you than many of the people you think highly of, hence can hurt or help you. Your house keeper has access to your food at any time and can put whatever he/she wants in it without your knowledge. Your gateman can also decide who goes in and out of your house, so if he wants, he can let unwanted visitors in at night. Your driver practically has your life in his hands every time he takes you out. The worst you can do is make them feel worthless and probably withhold their salary- an action God completely frowns against.
“At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.” Deuteronomy 24:15
The worst they can do to you has more far reaching consequences. This is why you must teach them the word of God and also be interested in their advancement in life. Look at them the way God does and He will bless you for it.
KEY POINT:
Your domestic staff and all those who work with you are fellow human beings and God cares for them. You should too.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 14-15
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN5: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SUNDAY 25TH OF OCTOBER, 2020
TOPIC: NO VACCUM
MEMORISE: "Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first". Luke 11:26
BIBLE READING: Luke 11:24-26
24. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
MESSAGE:
Scientists have established that there is no vacuum anywhere in the world. It is the same in the Spirit realm; wherever the Spirit of God is not present, an evil spirit takes a seat. This is why many people keep going for deliverance sessions - trying to get rid of the same demon over and over again. It is not that the demon did not leave the first time, only that, when it did, the delivered fellow did not invite the Spirit of God into his/her heart to dwell, hence the demon came back with a legion to take over the heart. Such people end up worse than they were before they went for the deliverance session.
“See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you. John 5:14”
In the Bible verse above, when Jesus chased the disease-causing demon out of the life of the man at the pool of Bethesda, He warned him not to go back into sin, lest a demon with a worse disease enter into him. If you want total and permanent freedom from demons, you must keep your heart filled with the Holy Spirit.Have you recently become free from the hold of pornography, alcohol, hard drugs, sexual immorality or cultism? This is the time to constantly read your Bible and pray, because if you just keep rejoicing in your freedom without growing in grace, you would soon find yourself back in your old ways, or even worse. This is why many return to their old addictions. Deliverance ministers should also not leave a person alone after praying for him/her. There must be a proper follow-up to ensure the Spirit of the Lord is fully formed in such a person. Teach them to read their Bible daily, to pray and be a part of the fellowship. Follow-up is the real deliverance; it is what determines if all the efforts in getting a person delivered are worth it or not. It gives an assurance that you did not leave the person worse than you met him/her.
Never leave a vacuum for the devil to take advantage of. Welcome the Holy Spirit today.
KEY POINT:
Deliverance is not complete until the Holy Spirit is fully formed in the delivered.
HYMN:
1.I am Thine O Lord I have heard Thy voice

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: FRIDAY 23RD OCTOBER, 2020.
THEME: GIVING THAT PLEASES GOD (1).
MEMORISE:
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs 11:24
READ: Luke 21: 1-4
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
MESSAGE:
God doesn’t assess the quality of your giving by its actual value, but by the value of what you have left after the donation.
In Luke 21:1-4, the rich dropped fat offering in the basket, but none of them pleased God as much as the giver of the least- a poor widow. Jesus said she had “cast in all the living that she had.” You have not given your ‘widow’s mite’ until you have given all your living to God.
“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.” Luke 6:38
If you want a spectacular breakthrough, give a spectacular offering. God is interested in what you give Him; if He weren’t, He wouldn’t have been looking into the basket as people were giving in Luke 21.
He is observing; if He finds your offering to be of good measure, a ground-breaking blessing will surely come your way.
Some people say they don’t give because they don’t have. Actually, they don’t have because they don’t give. If a poor widow could have had something to give, then everyone can. People remain poor because they hold back more than is necessary instead of sowing it (Proverbs 11:24).
The Bible says He gives bread to the eater and seed to the sower. If you eat your seed when you should be a sower, how would you have bread when it is time to be an eater? Give your way out of poverty.
As God blesses you, increase your giving so that He can also increase His blessings.
I once met a man who rather than pay 10% of his income as tithe, paid 90%! He once challenged all of us at a conference to give our best offering and that he would match it.
He did! He constantly gave like that poor widow and God also continued to bless Him in return.
You want a spectacular breakthrough? Give a spectacular offering.
KEY POINT:
God measures your offering, not by its value, but by the value of what you have left after giving.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 9:1-10:21
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: THURSDAY 22ND OCTOBER, 2020.
LET US TAKE A MINUTE AND PRAY FOR #NIGERIA:��
O Lord, Please Have Mercy On Us, Let The Siege Be Over Quickly And Let Us Your Peace Reign Across Nooks and Crannies of our Dear Nation In Jesus Name. Amen! ��PEACE
THEME: LEGALISTIC OR CHRIST-LIKE?
MEMORISE:
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19
READ: Luke 18:9-14 (KJV)
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
MESSAGE:
A Christian is not necessarily someone who follows a set of religious rules, but rather, someone who has a cordial relationship with Christ. A Christian behaves like Christ.
Christianity is about Christ who lives in you and not all about do’s and don’ts. Most people who see Christianity only from the viewpoint of rules and regulations are hypocrites.
The Pharisees and Sadducees condemned Jesus for healing on a Sabbath. Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy when He asked if they would not go searching for any of their sheep their went missing on a Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6).
Rules and regulations are good, but they must never take the place of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Ghost in you that helps you live completely holy and not the rules.
Adhering to rules does not make a sinner acceptable to Christ, it is only the willingness to surrender all that guarantees salvation. Your Christianity should be cantered on Christ’s love for you, His death, resurrection and promise of eternal life, not some rules to be followed.
For some people, they give pre-eminence to rules so they can earn the right to boast and arrogantly declare their ‘holiness’ forgetting that “ … we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6)
The best thing rules can give you is self-righteousness. Which can make one to be like the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray in Luke 18:10-12. However, justification By God can only come through God’s Spirit in you.
Legalistic people care more about how people see them than how God sees them. they are always looking out for who is breaking the rules so they can attack and even gossip about them (Luke 18:11).
God does not want you to boast about your holiness because only through His Spirit can you live holy.
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:9
KEY POINT:
The Christian life epitomizes dying to self and being Christ-like in all we do. Are you really Christ-like?
AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: WEDNESDAY 21ST OF OCTOBER, 2020
THEME: SHOW ME YOUR WAYS, LORD
MEMORISE:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
READ: Exodus 33:12-23
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
MESSAGE:
*Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.* Psalm 25:4
The word ‘way’ was used four times in Proverbs 25 (verse 4, 8, 9 and 12) while ‘paths’ was used twice (verse 4 and 10). This indicates the importance of depending on God’s ways and having Him direct one’s paths.
As Christians, we can know God’s way by immersing ourselves in His truth. David in Psalm 25:5 pleaded:
*“Lead me in thy truth, and teach me.”*
God’s word is where His truth is found. It contains instructions on how to live a fulfilling Christian life. God’s percepts are not hidden; if only we would just read and apply them.
You cannot be a Christian and not study the word of God daily. Christianity is not the same as attending church services. If you don’t have a relationship with Christ, fostered by reading His word and praying daily, then you are not Christ-like.
Children who are close to their parents usually know their parents’ ways. They can tell what food they like, how hot or cold they like their drinks and so on. They know what can make their parents angry and exactly what will make them glad. They know all this because of the constant association they have with their parents. Likewise, when you read your Bible and spend time with God regularly, you will get to know Him more and more daily.
If, on the other hand, you only read your Bible when a Pastor is on the altar, the best you can know of God is what he or she tells you, which would never be sufficient. Imagine someone having to tell you everything about your own father- that is proof that you don’t know Him.
Is a huge privilege to know your Father’s ways. His ways are so distinct and learning them would distinguish you greatly in all you do (Isaiah 55:9). God will show you His ways through His word. Study His word diligently.
KEY POINT:
Meditate on God’s word day and night. It shall be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalm 119:105).
*Remember to #PrayforNigeria, that God should destroy every counsel that is contrary to His over Nigeria in Jesus' name*,

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER, 2020.
THEME: BE SANCTIFIED.

MEMORIZE:
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
Ephesians 5:26
BIBLE READING: COLOSSIANS 3:5-17
5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6. For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so a so do ye.
14. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
MESSAGE:
Some people keep returning to sin over and over, despite having asked Jesus to come into their lives.
They wonder how others live above sin. The answer is sanctification. When a person is sanctified, he/she loses the taste for sin.
The Bible describes it in Hebrews 1:9:
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
When a person is sanctified, sinful habits that used to excite him/her become irritating.
As a result, the fellow is able to lead a life of holiness in Christ.
Sanctification is the grace of God that helps man to live above sin.
If you are still struggling with sin, then you need to be sanctified.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9″
To be sanctified, you must first confess all your sins to God (1 John 1:9).
You can also experience sanctification if you are an avid student of the word of God.
John 17:17 says:
”Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
If you want to enjoy your Christian life; feed on the word of God. David said in Psalm 119:11:
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
The more of God’s word you study, the more sin will disgust you.
If you are always studying your Bible, God’s word will begin to influence the way you see things and how you behave.
The word of God has a Spirit which gives life, and that life, being Jesus will enter into you as you study it daily. It is Jesus who makes it easy for you to live holy.
Take up the challenge today and you will overcome sin, in the mighty name of Jesus.
ACTION POINT:
Study at least one chapter of the Bible by yourself daily. You need the word to stay sanctified.
BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
MATTHEW 17:1-27,
MARK 9:1-50,
LUKE 9:28-62
HYMN 27: TAKE MY LIFE , AND LET IT BE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER, 2020.
THEME: OVERCOMING DESTINY-THREATENING ENEMIES.
MEMORISE:
Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.
Psalm 6:10
READ: 1 Samuel 17:45-51
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
MESSAGE:
Ever since Adam sold the liberty of man to the devil, everyone else who desires freedom has had to fight for it.
Success in this fight however, is only guaranteed through prayer- engaging God to do what we cannot do on our own. It is the only way to deal with destiny-threatening enemies- whatever and whoever they are.
After Hezekiah received a letter from Sennacherib, he asked God for help and He obliged according to (Isaiah 37:14-20).
In today’s Bible reading, after Goliath had cursed David (1 Samuel 17:43), the young man intelligently invited God – the greatest Ally, to the battle between him and Goliath and by extension, between Israel and the Philistines.
“…Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45
After the invitation, David became more than a match for Goliath. The devil was indeed the primary figure behind the attack against David- he didn’t want him to become the king of Israel.
We can learn from David. He was a successful warrior who relied on divine intervention in all his life’s battles. In numerous Psalms, he promptly reported his real and potential enemies to God.
Most famous is Psalm 35:1 where he wrote: “Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.”
He knew he could not handle these enemies himself. He was specific about what he wanted the Lord of hosts to do with his enemies
(Psalm 6:10).
Beloved, are you faced with battle from destiny-threatening enemies? Hand the battles over to God- Jehovah Nissi today. He will fight for you if you surrender to Him
(Isaiah 59:19).
PRAYER POINT:
Jehovah Nissi, please fight my battles for me today in the mighty name of Jesus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: PRESERVE THE HARVEST.
MEMORIZE:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever l have commanded you: and, lo, l am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28:20
BIBLE READING: MATTHEW 28:18-20
18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
MESSAGE:
It is one thing to be able to gather a harvest; it is another thing entirely to preserve it.
It is sad that while the Church is making valiant efforts to gather plentiful harvests through evangelism, numerous outreaches and programmes, even less and less is being done to preserve the souls won for Christ.
Many souls are won to Christ on a daily basis, but how many will eventually remain in the body of Christ as committed Christians?.
ln Matthew 9:37, Jesus laments the scarcity of people committed to keeping His harvest.
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;”
Many Christians are like drainages always receiving emoluments, yet without productivity.
This is very dangerous as Jesus says He will take such people out of His vine.
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2”
The parable of the talents teaches that the Lord expects every one of His children to diligently put their talents and special gifts into profitable use for the advancement of His kingdom.
lf you fail to be fruitful or productive, then you are guilty of receiving the grace of God in vain, becoming an unprofitable servant.
I pray that you will never be guilty of being an unprofitable servant in the mighty name of Jesus.
Do everything within your power to be one of the few faithful labourers of the Lord Jesus today.
Work very hard to win souls for Christ, and more importantly, preserve every harvest God brings your way through the work of other evangelists.
May you not be found guilty of receiving the grace of God in vain in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to win souls and preserve the great harvest for You, in the mighty name of Jesus.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.
BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
MATHEW 15
MARK 7
HYMN 9: HOLD THE FORT

An experienced farm manager who knows about livestock farming is needed urgently in Delta for fast employment, practical knowledge in livestock farming is needed
Requirements/Job Description:
Applicants can call this number 08033715133
Salary: Attractive with accommodation
Application Closing Date: October 16, 2020

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: THURSDAY 15TH OCTOBER, 2020.
THEME: THE COMMANDOS (1).
MEMORIZE:
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.
2 Timothy 2:4
BIBLE READING:
2 SAMUEL 23:8-17
8. These be the names of the might men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10. He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victor that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of round full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13. And three ofthe thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14. And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16. And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
MESSAGE:
Sometime ago in the American Army, a battalion was dropped behind enemy lines.
Initially, it was believed that the enemies were not aware, however the enemies eventually surrounded the battalion.
Once it became clear that the battalion would be defeated, the leader of the group phoned their headquarters for support saying We are totally surrounded and outnumbered at least 100 to 1; send the Marines.
Legend has it that the phrase send the marines was derived from this event.
At that time, only three Marines were available for the assignment and they were all sent.
They worked all night and created a path for the battalion to escape.
While the battalion was moving, they saw thousands of dead enemies. The three commandos had killed them in just one night.
There are ordinary Christian soldiers and there are Christian commandos.
As for me, l have determined not to be an ordinary soldier for Christ, I want to be a commando. What about you?.
Commandos go through the most rigorous qualification training.
That is why a commando for Christ can weather any storm. He is unshakable.
Job was a commando. No wonder he stood strong and even came out stronger in the face of adversity.
The true strength of a boxer is measured by the opponent he/she faces.
Likewise, the strength of a true Christian soldier is known by the kind of opponents he/she has brought down.
If an ordinary insult is enough to bring you down, then you are not yet ready to be a member of this select group in the army of Christ.
If you are still finding good excuses to commit sin, you are obviously not yet ready for the training, talk less of becoming a commando.
If you would be used by God, you must go through the training.
Just as no one can join the army without being fit, God cannot use an untrained person.
If you would be a commando for God, you must go through the most rigorous training.
Surrender all and make yourself available today. Stay on the winning side.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, I surrender all to You. Please help me to trust You even more as You train me to become a commando for You, in the mighty name of Jesus.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.
BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
MATTHEW 9:1-38, MATTHEW 10:1-42
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2020.
THEME: BLOCK THAT CHANNEL II.
MEMORISE:
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
READ: Luke 9:57-62
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
MESSAGE:
An army once went to war on the island. On seeing the size and strength of the opposition, they were afraid and sought their commander’s permission to retreat. In response, the commander burnt the ships that had brought them, declaring that there were only two options- fight or die. No going back. They fought, and in the end, won. This is how you should approach temptations. Burn the ship so there is no option of returning to sin. Fight your way into Heaven and you will win in the mighty name of Jesus.
Perhaps you have friends who entice you into sin; if they refuse to give their lives to Christ, cut them off immediately and completely. If you don’t, you would be leaving open a channel for the devil to get at you. If access to the internet will lure you back into the world, why not get a phone that is not internet-enabled or delete the applications that keep drawing you back to sin? Any channel through which the devil can get you is an evil agent; deal with it decisively.
“And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29
Joseph ran from Potiphar’s wife; he didn’t wait to resist or convince her into letting him be. He ran! He knew that if he stayed, he could fall, but if he ran out, she couldn’t follow him. Even if she did, nothing would have happened outside. If you stay in a room alone with your fiancé or fiancée, you are leaving wide open a channel for the devil to enter into your courtship; block all such channels from now.
If little drops of water keep falling into a tiny crack on a rock, sooner or later the rock would begin to break apart. Likewise, it is not wise to keep a channel of sin open, thinking you can continue to resist its lure. If indeed you don’t want to sin, block that channel!
PRAYER REQUEST:
Father, please help me to deal with all channels of sin in my life decisively from now, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 8:14-34
Mark 4-5
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 8: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: GOD REWARDS BOUNTIFULLY.
MEMORISE:
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24
READ: Luke 5:1-11
1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
MESSAGE:
In Luke 1:1-11, Jesus entered into Simon’s boat and asked him to push a little from the land. Simon not only accepted but also allowed the Lord to preach from his boat for as long as He wanted. Afterwards, Jesus rewarded Simon by blessing Him with the greatest catch he had ever had. God never ignores any good act. He always rewards, and He does so bountifully.
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
Sometimes, it may appear that you are not getting rewards for your labor in the house of God. This may be because the coming reward is indeed very great and God is preparing you for it. Don’t lose hope. It will come at the right time if you keep working for God.
Joseph was honest and hardworking, yet he was thrown into prison. In the prison, he interpreted the chief butler’s dream yet for two years it appeared there was no reward coming (Genesis 40, 41). However, by the time God was going to bless him, the reward was great. He became the second in command to the most powerful man in the whole world at the time. That is what happens when you are not weary in well-doing.
God will reward every sacrifice – your time or money, in multiple folds. Hebrews 6:10 says: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Only an unrighteous person will refuse to say Thank you when something has been done for him/her, not God. He is not unrighteous.
Matthew 19:29 says anyone who sacrifices the comfort of family and home just to please and obey God will get a hundred-fold reward and also inherit everlasting life.
Do not be weary in well-doing, your reward is coming.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to serve You with all of my heart and to wait patiently on You, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 12:22-50, Luke 11
HYMNAL: Hymn 4 – Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2020
THEME: BE WISE: WIN SOULS
MEMORISE:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30
READ: MATTHEW 28:18-20
18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
MESSAGE:
God wants you to be involved in winning souls. That is why He did not take you to Heaven immediately after you became born again. Like Christ, your aim should be to seek and to save that which is lost (Luke 19:10). May God enable you to fulfil that Heavenly mandate in the mighty name of Jesus.
The world may regard great scholars, powerful rulers and rich business tycoons as wise; however, Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, says in today’s memory verse that he who wins souls is wise.
“… and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Proverbs 11:30
If winning of souls is wisdom, then the refusal to win souls is definitely foolishness. If as a preacher you don’t win souls, you are in the category of the foolish. While you may never get on the pulpit, if your lifestyle makes a sinner accept Jesus, you are in the category of the wise. Everything you do must point people to Jesus.
You may be an usher, chorister or even a member of the prayer band; you are not wise until you engage in the best occupation on earth to seek and to save that which is lost.
What is the wisdom in souI-winning?
While every human achievement and reward will be left behind when we leave this world, souls are everlasting; they will live forever in eternity. There is no occupation more noble than plucking souls from the path to hell and transporting them safely to Heaven.
Soul-winning glorifies God and guarantees you a great legacy. All of God’s creation glorify Him but none more so than a new creature made in the image of Christ.
It takes wisdom to win souls. So many things keep souls in the bondage of the devil pride, lust, the pleasures of this world, unbelief and so on. It takes divine wisdom to be deliberate about leading others to Christ. May you receive grace to be wise, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Reflection:
Are you amongst the wise who win souls or the foolish who do not?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MATTHEW 11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE O LORD