₦airaland Forum

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: SPEAK UP!
MEMORISE:
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24
READ: 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
MESSAGE
Is it not amazing how some people can speak against the Christian doctrines that have always worked for us while we who have benefited from these just keep quiet and watch? By so doing, you are indirectly giving the devil the opportunity to sell lies to other people who don’t know the truth yet. When you speak out in opposition to the lies, you are not speaking for yourself alone, but so that the wrong beliefs will not be taken as the truth. Whatever a person hears regularly sinks into his subconscious as the truth, so we must ensure that when the world tells a lie once, we say the truth five times with valid proof from the word of God. While you should never argue with them, you do need to speak the truth so that the lie will not prevail in the minds of the people. The younger ones- both age-wise and spiritually, are listening and if all they have to listen to is lies, then they will adopt these as the truth, so we need to speak up.
Many times, Christian don’t speak up because many of us don’t know the Bible well enough. Thus, you need to study the Bible every day and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. The devil knows the Bible and he is an expert in misinterpreting it. Hence, if you are not well grounded in the word of God, you could begin to believe his own interpretation as the truth. Jesus said:
“…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
If you don’t want to be amongst those deceived, then you must study your Bible in depth and pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth in the word to you. When you know what the word of God says, anytime you hear a contrary message, you can speak up with the truth and back it up with Scripture. When you hear a contrary opinion on tithe, for instance you can tell them what the Bible says. After you have gotten the real message of what God’s word says about a particular topic, you can even organize a Bible Study group and discuss it with other Christians.
KEY POINT:
In these last days, the devil is raising false interpretation of the scriptures. Don’t be deceived by these, get your interpretations directly from God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lamentations 3:37-5:22
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 21ST AUGUST 2020.
THEME: TRUE TO YOUR CALLING.
MEMORISE:
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 1 Corinthians 12:11
READ: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
MESSAGE
There are many people in ministry today who are going off track because they are operating in areas wherein they were not called. Some out of personal ambition, are operating in callings that are not theirs while others are innocently operating in the wrong callings out of concern. Having a burden about something or seeing a need does not automatically translate to a calling
“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 2 Timothy 2:5
According to the above Bible verse, anyone who does things outside the will of the Master will be disqualified. Everyone who God has called is scored by Him. If what you are doing is outside God’s calling for your life, no matter how good you are in that calling or ministry, it is regarded as irrelevant.
Paul was greatly burdened by how the Jews were walking outside the will of God. He kept preaching to them, yet they were persecuting him. The greatest persecution he got were from the Jews because God was trying to point him in the direction of his calling- the Gentiles first, then to kings and then to the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). Had he not been so persecuted by the Jews, he would not have been able to take the gospel to as many gentiles as he did. Thank God that in Acts 18:5-6, he finally decided to leave the Jews and go to the gentiles to whom he was primarily sent.
God calls people for a reason and if everyone were to leave their calling to attend to someone else’s, there would be trouble. Imagine someone who is called to cause a great evangelical revival being so burdened about leadership in the nation that he distracts himself by contesting elections. Imagine what would happen if the one who is to find the cure to incurable disease were to become burdened about the economy that he gets a job in the ministry of Finance. You need to identify your calling through the guidance of the holy Spirit and stay in it so as to fulfil your destiny and more importantly, for the world to be a better place.
REFLECTION:
Are you true to the calling of God upon your life?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 46-48
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 20TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: THE SPIRITUAL REALM
MEMORISE:
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of 2 Corinthians 2:11
READ: Acts 28:1-6
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
MESSAGE
Many people, because of their high level of secular knowledge, enlightenment and exposure, believe they have answers to everything in life and may thus not believe in the reality of the spiritual realm. They believe there is no hell, no heaven, therefore no God; all things – sickness, accidents, death, infant mortality, business failure, natural disaster, physical disability, barrenness, murder, violent crime and so on, can be explained scientifically.
However, we are often confronted with situations that defy any human understanding; cases that are beyond scientific explanation, where an attack in the dream becomes a reality upon awaking, or when a person’s health is suffering but all medical tests reveal nothing wrong. The Bible in Ephesians 6:12 provides some insight into the root of the matter:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Spiritual activities have become an integral part of this present world, since Satan was thrown out of Heaven unto the earth (Revelation 12:12). 1 Peter 5:8 says, “ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” The solution to the devil’s rampant attack on humanity is fond in 1 John 3:8, “……For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
All power belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:1-. At His name, even the devil trembles (James 2:19). No matter the greatness of learning, research and technology, a very active spiritual realm exists. If you are born again, congratulations. You have the backing of Jesus to upturn all activities of the enemy against your life and family. However, if you are not yet born again, you are completely open to all the antics of the kingdom of darkness. Accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior today so you can destroy the works of the devil in your life and family.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, reveal the reality of the negative supernatural, and Your superiority over it, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 41-45
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 17TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: REJOICING IN HOPE
MEMORISE:
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Romans 12:12
READ: Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
MESSAGE:
Abraham, despite being childless at ninety, kept his hope to be a father of many nations (Romans 4:18). However, many Christians today have lost hope in God’s promises, waiting for their physical manifestation before they believe.
If yo are in the category of Christians described above, ask God today for grace to remain hopeful in His promises for your life.
Abraham for example enjoyed this grace (Romans 4:16) even before Jesus was born and our savior confirmed this when He said: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). The grace was so sufficient that he hoped against all odds and developed faith that earned him friendship with the Almighty God.
Hope is a key element in describing faith (Hebrews 11:1) without which no man can please God (Hebrews 11:6). Hope ensures that we obey His command to always rejoice (1 Thessalonians 5:16) even in the midst of tribulations.
Hope is the assurance that what we desire will come to pass (Romans 8:24).
Today’s memory verse also lets us know that through hope, we can develop patience and strength especially in tribulation.
It is saddening however, that some Christians lose hope and backslides in the face of trials. This ought not to be.
In today’s Bible reading, Jesus talks about rejoicing as a means of endurance, as well as the blessings attached to enduring persecution.
James 1:12 also says:
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Hope also helps one to tarry for results in the place of prayer. Someone who lacks hope wont pray long before searching for an alternative.
Abraham had faith in God and it was imputed to him for righteousness (Romans 4:17-22).
Beloved, are you losing hope already? Please do not, because there is glory ahead of you. Be patient so you can obtain (Colossians 1:27).
ACTION POINT:
Take time to give God intense worship even when it seems difficult to do so. Hope shall rise for your comfort.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 38-40.
Psalm 74, 79
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 3: BE GLAD IN THE LORD AND REJOICE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: FOCUS ON ETERNITY
MEMORISE:
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20
READ: Luke 10:17-22
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
MESSAGE:
Jesus, aware that His disciples would be empowered with authority over demons, warned them not to fall into the temptation of glorying in their abilities, but rather to rejoice because their names were registered as citizens of heaven (Luke 10:20).
We too have a tendency to forget what is truly important. Heaven has been built and decorated for us God’s people. It will be hard to fall for Satan’s lies when your mind is filled with thoughts of eternity. How could the devil win any war against an army marching toward its reward in the hereafter? It is amazing how quickly your perspective changes when your heart and mind are set on eternity.
Jesus pointed His disciples toward an eternal perspective when they returned from a successful ministry trip. While sharing in their elation, He however pointedly noted that as awesome as their testimonies were, they were to rejoice even more that their names were written in heaven. What a lesson to popular conference speakers and miracle-working evangelists and pastors!.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12-15”
Beloved, God is telling us today that in whatever we do, we must ensure that our names are written in the book of life. To do this is simple: Give your life to Jesus Christ in genuine repentance of your sins. And, if you have given your life to Jesus, leave it with Him. Then and only then can you be sure that your name is duly registered in heaven.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, do not allow me to do what would erase my name from the Book of Life in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 35-37.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
DATE: WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: FEED YOUR BRAIN
MEMORISE:
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. Proverbs 18:15
READ: Proverbs 18:1-2
1Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Proverbs 20:15
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
MESSAGE:
“……..therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7
How high you fly will depend on the quality of the knowledge and information you feed your brain with. A Yoruba proverb says a bird is propelled to fly by virtue of what it has eaten. In other words, a famished bird may not be able to go a long distance, that is even if it flies at all. People say knowledge is power, but that is not true. If it were, that all world rulers would have been Professors. Knowledge is only useful when properly applied and that is wisdom. With just a little knowledge, some with little have ruled others with plenty. You can’t have wisdom if there is no knowledge. Therefore, you must feed your brain.
When a policeman cries “Hey you”, while an innocent but uninformed person may be afraid, an equally innocent but knowledgeable one would answer with confidence.
Read books across disciplines, attend seminars, watch documentaries. Be an insatiable learner. Push to know as much as possible because ignorance may be costly. Of course, we must allow the Holy Spirit guide us in the choice of information and knowledge we feed our minds.
You may claim to be so busy that you hardly have time to read. But if you consider knowledge as important, you will find time for it. By reading a book, you can gain in a few hours what it took the writer seventy years to learn. Books enrich, so I make out time to learn something from them all the time.
These days, our youth spend hours on social media rather than reading books that can benefit their lives. They can stay alert with their phones for hours, but doze off as soon as they lay hands on inspirational book to read. Some don’t even touch their Bible except on Sundays!
If you would be great- soaring higher than your peers, then you must gather more knowledge than they, and apply it too. That is wisdom.
KEY POINT:
If you think knowledge is expensive, note that ignorance is costlier.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 23-25.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: THE CONSUMING FIRE
MEMORISE:
For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrew 12:29
READ: Deuteronomy 11:26-28
26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
MESSAGE:
If you are not born again and you read the memory verse, you would realise that the God you are fighting and resisting is a fire that can consume. Although He is asking you to surrender your life to Him now, He can suddenly turn and begin to burn you when your time is up. If a person is fire, isn’t it in your best interest to be on His side rather than against Him? As a child of God reading this scripture, you should rejoice that your Father is so powerful as to be a Consuming Fire. With the Consuming Fire backing you up. All your enemies are in trouble.
“A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.”
Psalm 97:3
As compassionate as God is, do not ever forget that He is a Consuming Fire. Some people say that the Scripture “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” (Proverb 9:10) is actually not talking about fear, but reverence. Well, I think I have enough common sense to know what fire can do. Others can just reverence Him; as for me, I will fear the Consuming Fire and all my enemies had better do the same.
The moment fire engulfs a place, everything changes. The fire will consume some things completely and purify some. Being the Consuming Fire, the moment Jesus enters your life, every pain, sorrow, depression, poverty and ancestral curse will be consumed and burned off completely. Also, all your potential, talents and skills will be purified and sharpened for manifestation. Gold that has been introduced to fire will never remain the same; its inner beauty begins to radiate for the whole world to see. Moses was in exile - a depressed man who led an ordinary life until he came in contact with the consuming Fire. Before Moses left this world, the whole world had heard about him and we are still talking about him today. I pray that the Consuming Fire will destroy all He needs to for you to be a voice in your generation, in the mighty name of Jesus. Everything He needs to purify for your potentials to manifest will be cleansed now in the mighty name of Jesus.
REFLECTION:
Are you on the side of the Consuming Fire?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 18-22
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE OH LORD.

eluyerab:
All in perfect condition and BARELY ever used.

Binatone Water Dispenser (mini fridge compartment) - 12,000
Rug (120cm X 170cm) - 8,000
Toddler Rocker + poofy layer - 3,000 (+ free Graco carrier)
Mother Care Cot - 5,000 (+ free portable bed with net)

Location : Gowon / Shagari Estate, Ipaja, Lagos.

What's the last price for the Binatone water dispenser

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 2020.
THEME: STOP THE ENVY.
MEMORISE:
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 14:30
READ: 1 Peter 2:1-2
1Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
MESSAGE:
I always wonder at those who envy others. Why are you envying someone else? That fellow’s success does not hinder yours. What God wants to do for you does not hinder what He is doing for the someone else. My blessings cannot hinder yours and yours cannot hinder mine. In fact, the only way my blessings can hinder your is if you are envious of me. If instead of concentrating and praying for your own blessings, you put your attention on envying someone else’s, how will you be blessed? Job 5:2 says that envy slays a silly fellow.
Instead of envying someone who has been blessed by God, why don’t you seek to lean from him/her? Note however, that you cannot learn from someone you resent. Students usually find it difficult to learn from teachers they don’t like. If someone else is making more sales than you for example, you have two choices; either to envy the person- gossip about them and end up making yourself sad or you rejoice with him/her- get close to them and learn their success strategies. You lose from the former and again tremendously from the latter.
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Romans 12:15
God’s standard is that you rejoice with those rejoicing. If you find yourself unhappy when you see a particular person rejoicing then you need to check yourself. whenever you feel envious of someone, make sure you pray for the fellow. When the devil sees that whenever he suggests envy to you, you respond by praying for the fellow, he will stop. You also cannot resent someone you pray for. Bringing yourself to pray for that person will help you get over the envy. Then, you can begin to love the person genuinely.
ACTION POINT:
Be truthful to yourself; if there is any fellow you envy, pray for that person now.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 14-17.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 25: ROCK OF AGES. CLEFT FOR ME.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 9TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT
MEMORISE:
Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
READ: 1 Samuel 15:22-23
15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
MESSAGE
Many times, the Spirit is speaking to us, but only those who are sensitive hear and obey. If the Holy Spirit dwells within you, He would keep communicating with you through whispers. You may feel it was just your mind, but believe me, it is the Holy Spirit, so listen. As a Christian, you need to get accustomed to the voice of God and recognise when He is nudging you in a particular direction. Knowing this can save you a lot of trouble. Job 32:8 says:
”But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”
If the Spirit of God is urging you to pray, do so immediately. You don’t know what He wants you to command in the Spirit or how urgent it may be. It may also be that He is bringing something your way and you have to be in the mood of prayers to receive it. Imagine if Peter had gone to the restroom when the Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost. The cloven fire fell on those present in the room, '
God could ask you to take a particular route to your destination. He could ask you to wear a particular garment or shoe. Listen and obey immediately. A former cultist gave his life to Christ on campus. One day, returning to his room in the middle of the night after studying, he prepared to sleep, but the Spirit kept nudging him to pray, so tired as he was, he got up from his bed and began to pray. After only a few minutes of prayer, a huge demon walked through the wall into the room. Immediately he saw the demon, his eyes opened wide and he began to cast it out. The demon started going backwards, brushing against the leg of the brother’s roommate who was sleeping on his own bed.
When he told me the story, I asked if he was sure it wasn’t a dream. He said he would have thought so, except that, in the morning, his roommate’s leg had swollen to almost five times its normal size. Thank God he listened to the Holy Spirit; imagine what would have happened if that demon had met him sleeping and touched his head.
ACTION POINT:
Learn to recognise the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey it immediately.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 10-13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 20: Nearer, my God to Thee

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: FIRE-QUENCHERS
MEMORISE:
1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
READ: Matthew 5:27-30
5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 5:29 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. 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, 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.
MESSAGE
A fire-quencher is something that reduces your zeal and heat for God. They are in three categories as listed in 1 John 2:15-17:
"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. 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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Beware of the lust of the eyes. Samson saw and kept coveting what he had no business desiring (Judges 14:1 , Judges 16:1). In Joshua 7:21, Achan saw and coveted what he had no business touching. It also led to the destruction of himself and his family. Colossians 3:1-2 says:
”If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Beware of the lust of the flesh. Paul said if we live by the flesh, then we would die.
”Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
Romans 8:12-13
Like Paul, you must keep your flesh under (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). It was the lust of the flesh that destroyed Gehazi and Eli’s family.
Beware of the pride of life. The devil is the father of pride. He was the first to exhibit pride (lsaiah 14:13-14). Where pride is, you will find the devil. Pride quenched his fire when he was an archangel and he is using it now as a tool to quench the fire of many people. When your sentences are filled with so many ’I’s, beware!
Do not tolerate fire-quenchers in your life because their ultimate goal is to cause eternal death.
ACTION POINT:
Watch out for the basic fire quenchers - lust of the eyes, lost of the flesh and the pride of life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 7-9
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 27: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

*Urgent sale for today;*

*1500 pieces of old layers is available for sale*

*Location: Odeda Abeokuta *
*contact : 08132555464

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST 2020
THEME: EXALT NOT THYSELF
MEMORISE:
Luke 14:11 "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
READ: Luke 14:7-11, Proverbs 16:18
Luke 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 14:8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 14:9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
MESSAGE
Every human being has the tendency to be proud. We see our possessions as a leverage for us to feel better than others who are less privileged. Beware of pride; God hates it. Indeed, He said in 1 Peter 5:5 that He resists the proud.
One thing about pride is that even though it makes the proud feel he is better than others, it actually makes him less than they are, as seen in today’s memory verse.
Generally, a humble fellow gains more respect and honour, but people tend to ridicule the proud. If even we humans don’t like proud people, how much more God. Wear humility like a garment, pride is a destroyer. It destroyed King Saul: in a bid to protect his ego, he sinned against God. 2 Chronicles 26:1-21 tells us about King Uzziah. When he was young, he did the will of God, but later became proud and died a leper. What do you have that makes you feel you are above others? You need to recognise that God can take it away in an instant. Psalm 75:6-7 says:
”For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”
God dethroned a proud Vashti to raise a humble Esther as queen in her stead (Esther 1, 2). King Herod in Acts 12:22-23 was destroyed because of pride. He never uttered a word in that instance; his pride was in the heart. He heard the people praising him, but did not stop them. God does not share His glory with anyone. If you are beginning to feel like several things or people cannot do well without you, then He will show you that you are nothing. So when you hear anyone praising you, immediately ask them to stop before it annoys God. Remain humble, otherwise destruction is coming. Proverbs 16:18 says:
”Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a faIl.”
KEY POINT:
You cannot do anything without the grace of God. However, He only gives His grace to humble people. Are you humble?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Zephaniah 1-3
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: THURSDAY 30TH JULY 2020
THEME: WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
MEMORISE:
For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:15
READ: 2 Kings 3:11-12
11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
MESSAGE:
These days, people just call anyone “Daddy” in the church, and not necessarily out of respect as it is done in the Yoruba culture. You need to be careful who you call your father; Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that they have only one father but many instructors, as seen in our memory verse for today.
I miss the good old days when we all used to call each other ‘Bro’ or ‘Sis’. The choice of who you call your father has a lot to do with your destiny. In our Bible reading for today, the only introduction that Elisha needed was that his Father-in-the-Lord was Elijah and Jehoshaphat immediately concluded that “The word of the Lord is with him.”
First you cannot be greater than your father, at least not while he is still alive. Luke 6:40 says:
“The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”
Whoever your father is sets limit to how far you can go in life. This information alone is enough to make you careful with respect to whom you refer to as “My Father-in-the-Lord.”
Secondly, anointing flows from the head downwards, so if you don’t check that the character of whoever you make your head is very good, well, he could be passing a dangerous anointing to you. It is from my Father (Pa Josiah Akindayomi) that I learnt that holiness is the master key; it is from him that I learnt discipline. His anointing was not the kind that you use to extort money from congregants, it was not the kind that needed a special concoction for it to work. I inherited the pure anointing of God from him.
It is not wise to choose a Father-in-the-Lord by yourself; ask God who your father should be. Your destination in life will determine whom you should understudy. The affluence, eloquence and large congregation of a man does not necessarily make him fit to father you. My Father-in-the-Lord had none of those things. He was illiterate, yet God told me to submit to him. Today, I give God the glory that Pa Josiah Akindayomi was my Father-in-the-Lord.
KEY POINT:
Let God choose a Father-in-the-Lord for you. Don’t call everyone Daddy.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 59- 63.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 29TH JULY 2020
THEME: THE MATHEMATICS OF PRAYER
MEMORISE:
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24
READ: Luke 11:1-13
1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
MESSAGE:
In my book the Mathematics of Answered Prayers, I explained my points using simultaneous equations, but here, we will be using simple algebra. For your prayers to be answered, you will need to apply the following algebraic equation.
F (P+ W + R + JN) = Answered Prayers
Faith (F) is the constant variable that must affect every other element of your equation before your prayers can be answered. 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.”
Without faith it is impossible to please God and of course if you displease Him, how would you expect Him to answer your prayers?
The next thing you need is to Praise Him (P). Psalm 100:4 shows that praises attract God’s attention and make Him willing to hear you. In fact, if you just praise God and don’t make any requests, He will ask you for what you want. This was the case with Solomon after he had given a thousand burnt offerings to God without making any request. God told him in a dream to ask for whatever he wanted (1 Kings 3).
Pray with reference to the word (W) of God. Before you bring a request to God, find out what His word says about it, then quote it back to Him; this is praying according to His will. James 4:3 says we ask and do not get our miracles because we ask amiss. When you ask according to the word of God, you cannot ask amiss. After this, present your Request (R). Lastly, make sure that you are presenting your request in Jesus name (JN). When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are placing the personality of Jesus behind your request and since God cannot deny Him anything, He will not deny you. He will attend to your request just as He attends to the request of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
Don’t just barge into God’s presence with your requests; make sure you have all that you need for your prayers to be answered.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 54-58
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 24: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 28TH JULY 2020
THEME: WHILE WAITING
MEMORISE:
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. Habakkuk 2:3
READ: 1 Samuel 13:7-14
7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
MESSAGE:
There is always something we desire, and sometime we have to wait a little before we get it. A secondary school student is waiting to graduate, then gain admission to a higher institution of learning, get a job and so on- and that is just within the family circle. In career, ministry, business, there is always something we are aspiring to get. Our attitude while waiting can seriously influence whether we will get it or not.
While waiting, never stop asking. John 16:24 says that you should ask that your joy may be full. If your joy is not yet full, don’t stop asking. I ask until my joy overflows. Daniel 10:12-13, Daniel had been praying for a long time and God had actually sent the answer to his prayers, but the Prince of Persia blocked the angel that was bringing the answer, until Angel Michael came to his recue. Daniel did not stop praying all the while that he was waiting for the answer to arrive.
The second thing you must do while waiting is to remain holy. Galatian 6:9
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Don’t go back to the world because the answer to your prayer has not yet come. Don’t look for alternatives to get your requests granted. Stay put with God. There was a particular sister in need of the fruit of the womb, for whom my wife and I were praying. At some point, she became weary and consulted a herbalist who did some charms for her and she got pregnant. That was over twenty year ago; up until now, she has not delivered the baby. Anything gotten from the devil must have been traded for something more precious than what he appeared to have given. I have noticed from my little walk with God that when He delays a miracle, it is because the glory that is coming with it will be great. Elizabeth and Zechariah had to wait until six months before Jesus was to be born because their first child- John, the Baptist was to be the greatest of all the prophets. Your miracle is coming with great glory, don’t miss it by looking alternatives to Christ.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, give me the grace to wait patiently for my miracle in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 49-53
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 26TH JULY 2020
THEME: DEAL WITH THAT WEAKNESS
MEMORISE:
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
READ: Matthew 5:28-30
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 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.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, 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.
MESSAGE:
When hunters want to catch eagle, they tie a big hen in a place where the eagle can easily spot it. When the eagle is flying and it sees the hen, it rejoices, then it flies down to pick the hen. Unknown to the eagle, the hen is tied down. When the eagle carries the hen and attempts to fly with it, it pulls hard, triggering a heavy basket that falls over, trapping it there until the hunter comes. The hen is the eagle’s weakness; it cannot resist going for it, so the hunter use that against it. This is the same way the devil traps Christians who fail to deal with their weakness. This is why you need to discover and deal with your weakness fast before it destroys you.
Dealing with a weakness takes conscious painstaking effort. If your weakness for example is money, you need to consciously resist any temptation to steal. After you have resisted a few temptations to steal and it looks like you have gotten over that weakness, don’t be deceived to relax; stay alert. Moses had one weakness and that was anger. He seemed to have dealt with this weakness as the Bible recorded that he was the meekest man on earth.
“Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Numbers 12:3
When the Bible says someone is meek, the fellow is really meek. However, he relaxed and that same weakness that seemed to have been dealt with was what put him in trouble (Numbers 20:8-12). Just like hunters, the devil is very patient. Once he knows a person’s weakness, he will wait until the fellow relaxes, then strike. David’s weakness was women and that brought a curse upon his lineage such that up until today, the sword has not departed from Israel, the nation is always involved in one war or the other (2 Samuel 12:10). Not dealing with your weakness can bring generational consequences. Stay alert; deal with that weakness and never take the devil’s bait.
ACTION POINT:
Identify, resolve and deal with your weaknesses.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 44-48.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 25TH JULY 2020
THEME: DANGERS OF BACKSLIDING 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 9:59-62.
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:
Backsliding is horrible. In 2 Peter 2:20-22, the Bible says it is better not to have tasted salvation than to have been saved once and then backslide. Hebrews 6:4-6 says:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
The passage describes backsliding as though the backslider were actually crucifying Jesus Christ again. In Acts 1:15-20, the Bible tells us of the sorrows and torment of Judas Iscariot. Luke 15:11-17 tells us of the depression of the prodigal son. In Psalm 51, after David had lost the joy of his salvation, he cried to God for it to be restored to him. The devil knows what it is to be close to the Almighty God and then to be far from Him. He is aware of the sorrows of backsliding and losing contract with God; that is why his greatest desires is to lure you back to sin, but you will overcome him in the mighty name of Jesus. 1 Peter 5:8 says:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Just as God is looking for people to set aflame for His kingdom, Satan is looking for people to devour (John 10:10). The fact that he is seeking, however shows that he cannot devour everything. He shows you all the glitters of the world and uses them as bait. Don’t ever let those things entice you. The moment you get to the stage where the pleasures of this world do not matter to you anymore, he knows he has lost you. I pray for you just as Jesus prayed for Peter: the devil will not get you in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
Backsliding is like crucifying Jesus afresh and putting Him to open shame. Don’t do it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 40-43.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 8: HAVE YOU MOVED TO JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: THURSDAY 23RD JULY 2020
THEME: TAKE HEED
MEMORISE:
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
READ: 1 Corinthians 10:12
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
MESSAGE:
“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.” 2 Timothy 4:10
Who was Demas? Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 1:24 tell us that Demas was a fellow laborer with Paul, just like Luke. Who wrote the Gospel of St. Luke. How could anybody be that close to Paul and end up back in the world?
I want you to get something clear: there is no one above the possibility of backsliding. The Bible says that Moses spoke to God face to face; he had seen His wrath, yet he disobeyed Him. Don’t think you are above the possibility of backsliding. This was Samson’s mistake. He had won so many battles that he started to feel invincible. So he relaxed in the lap of Delilah. Apostle Paul said that he kept his body under subjection so that he would not mis heaven (1 Corinthians 9:27).
Backsliding does not occur at once; it is a gradual process. The devil makes this process so slow that the one backsliding may not even realize it, when a person reduces the time spent in praying and/or reading his Bible and attending to fewer Christian programmes, before long, it will be normal for the fellow to go a whole day without reading his Bible or talking to God. Once there is a separation, the devil will begin to introduce little things that don’t look like sin; if the fellow accepts those, then he would bring in the little sins and before long, he would have started doing things he once vowed never to do again. The devil may be many negative things, but he is no fool.
Check yourself: are you reducing the time you spend reading your Bible and talking to God every day? Are you beginning to have certain desires that you thought were already dead? If the answer is yes, then you urgently need another piece of iron to sharpen you; you need to be in fellowship with other Christians who can help rekindle your fire.
Take heed, the devil is on the prowl (1 Peter 5:.
REFLECTION:
Be sober and vigilant. The devil, your adversary is actively seeking whom to devour. Take heed.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 35-36.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: WEDNESDAY 22ND JULY 2020
THEME: WORLDLY TRENDS
MEMORISE:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
READ: Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
MESSAGE:
It amazes me when I see Christians trying to copy the world. It is even more shameful when we see Church leaders following worldly trends. The world is now dictating how we dress, sing and dance in the Church. It appears that a lot of people is the Church no longer follow Christ but the world. While Jesus Christ said that we are the salt of the earth, He said further that if the salt loses its savor, it becomes useless and will be trampled upon by men. I pray from the depth of my heart that we will not lose our savor in the mighty name of Jesus. we must not, in a bid to be acceptable, lose our savor. The sad thing is that the people of the world know the truth and they wish that they had the discipline to embrace the ways of God, but when they see you copying them, you make it more difficult for them to leave their lifestyle.
The problem is that we don’t understand the kind of power we carry.
When it comes to fashion, our God has been wearing the same clothes from the day of creation and up until now, it is not outdated (Psalms 104:2). In music, He is the best, such that if you were to visit heaven just once and hear the angels singing, you would not want to come back. Talking about dancing and feasting, our God throws a party in heaven every time one single soul surrenders his/her life to Christ. Everything our God has is better than what the world can offer; the problem is that we are not seeking Him for inspiration. If we did, we like the Psalmist would say:
“ I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Psalm 119:99
Technology is good. We can use it to reach more people for Christ. However, dressing like the world does not bring more people to Christ, neither does drumming the beat of worldly songs to our own choruses, or dancing like the people of the world. While we are adopting new technologies, we must not adopt worldly culture. We must be the perfect reflection of who Christ is.
KEY POINT:
Light and darkness don’t look or act alike; be the light.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 31-34.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 21ST JULY 2020
THEME: SHOW ME YOUR FRIENDS
MEMORISE:
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
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:
There is a popular adage that says “show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.” This saying is very true. No matter how spiritual you are, 1 Corinthians 15:33 says that “Evil communication corrupt good manners.” There are certain friends who would pull you back and there are others who would help you grow spiritually and in other areas of life. Choose your friends wisely. Before I became born again, I had friends with whom I regularly drank alcoholic wines. Then, I met Christ and my lifestyle changed. When my friends visited, I served them non-alcoholic drinks, and before long, they realized that things were different, and withdrew from me. It was painful to lose my friends then, but I let them go because I didn’t want them to drag me back to the world. Today, God has replaced those friends with a lot of brothers and sisters all over the world. I have made new friends who helped me in my walk with God. It is this kind of friends that you should have too- friends who will draw you closer to God, challenge you to pursue your dreams, pray with you when you are down and whose positive impact on your life will be evident to all. I must warn you that such friends are not many, but even if it is only one of such you can find, he or she is better than a hundred others who would pull you down.
Jesus is the best friend that any man can have. He said in John 15:15 that:
“…I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
Jesus’ friendship should be your standard, if you cannot see through a person’s lifestyle that they have a relationship with Jesus, then they should not be your friend. While Matthew 22:39 says that we should love our neighbors as ourselves, we are only to have a few true friends. Jesus loved everyone when He was on earth, but He kept His inner circle small. Don’t hate those you cannot be friends with. You must love them; just don’t share intimate things with them. Set clear boundaries.
Remember, iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).
REFLECTION:
Are your current friends drawing you closer to God or far from Him?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 28-30.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: MONDAY 20TH JULY 2020
THEME: THE WAGES OF SIN IS STILL DEATH
MEMORISE:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
READ: Ezekiel 18:20-24
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
MESSAGE:
Though many people seem to have forgotten, I want to remind you today that the wages of sin is still death. Death is a salary for sinners as stated in Romans 6:23. The sinner cannot dodge it; you work and must be paid. Ezekiel 18:20 says:
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
There are three categories of death. One is physical death. Sickness is an agent of physical death. In Mark 2:5, Jesus forgave the sin of the paralyzed man before healing him. If sin does not get out of the way, sickness will remain and eventually kill the fellow. Jesus told the man at the pool of Bethesda after healing him that if he went back to his sin, a worse illness would come upon him (John 5:14). Physical death could come through sickness when sin is in the life of a man.
The second category of death is material death. In Deuteronomy 28:15-24, there is a list of curses for those who will not obey God. If you read that scripture, you would be amazed at how many of those curses have to do with poverty. Many people are wallowing in poverty simply because they refuse to let go of sin. If only they could turn a new leaf and live holy, they would enjoy great blessings they never thought possible.
Lastly, there is spiritual death. This is the most dangerous; it is separation from God. In Genesis 3:3-10. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and the moment they heard the voice of God, they ran. God wasn’t the one chasing them, it was their sin. When you commit sin, you automatically run from God; the devil sees that you and your protector are now apart, he attacks with all kinds of issues. Spiritual death leads the sinner to eternity in hell. May you not experience spiritual death in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
Avoid sin, avoid death.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 8-14.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 8: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 19TH JULY 2020
THEME: KNOWLEDGE PUFFETH UP
MEMORISE:
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 1 Corinthians 8:2
READ: John 9:39-41.
39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
MESSAGE:
“…Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” 1 Corinthians 8:2
One of the biggest problems facing this generation is what is called ‘too know’ in Nigerian local parlance. In the past, it was the University lectures and professors who had this problem, but now that we have the internet, everyone feels very wise. Knowledge is good, but you must be careful that it does not make you puffed up. When something is puffed up, it is difficult to get anything into it because it is already full of air. One who feels he has a lot of knowledge may not be able to acquire more. If you feel like you know all about computers for example, when someone comes to teach about them, you would have the tendency to ignore the fellow. No matter how much knowledge you have, your disposition should still be that of someone who knows nothing.
Several times, I have been under ministrations where the fellow ministering did so from a Bible passage that I know well, yet I learnt something new from it. A wise philosopher once said “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.”
The phrase ‘Knowledge puffed up’ means that the knowledgeable is often proud. God hates pride. James 4:6 say God resist the proud. To resist means to push against the enemy. When someone is teaching, and you begin to correct the fellow in your heart, watch out: pride has set in. you are calling for God’s resistance.
Lastly, ‘knowledge puffed up’ can also mean that the knowledgeable is so swollen up, that he goes about boasting. As we can see from Romans 1:22, some in professing themselves to be wise, become fools. There is no wisdom is being talkative. Wise people talk only when necessary.
Get as much knowledge as you can, but never get puffed. Just like our memory verse for today says, no matter how much you know, never think that you know it all.
REFLECTION:
Are you puffed up with your knowledge?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 18:1-8.
2 Chronicles 29-31.
Psalm 48.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2020.
THEME: GODLY SORROW.
MEMORISE:
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
READ: 2 Corinthians 7:8-12
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
MESSAGE:
While generally sorrow is a bad thing, godly sorrow is good; it brings about repentance. If you fall, first admit sorrowfully that you have made a mistake, then go to God pleading for mercy. David was a man who had godly sorrow, that is why even though he made many mistakes in his lifetime, he kept on moving forward. He said in Psalm 51:3:
“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.”
Several times in the Scriptures when David made a mistake, the Bible says his heart smote him. You will not make progress if you are always shifting blame. Only failure makes excuses.
Godly sorrow leads you to learn from your mistakes. David never repeated any of his mistakes because he was truly sorry for his sins. If for instance, you fall into fornication because you were close friends with someone of the opposite sex, godly sorrow will alert you the next time you are getting close to someone who could make you fall, so you can break off that relationship.
Having godly sorrow does not mean feeling rejected by God when you do wrong. The feeling of rejection is a trap of the devil to keep us out of God’s light. 1 John 1:9 says:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God is always happy to forgive and reconnect with anyone who has erred from the faith, as long as they confess their sins. When God has had mercy on you and welcomed you back into His light, you must run away from anything that can make you fall again. The doctrine of grace which teaches that you can continue in sin once you are born again is a strategy of the devil to eradicate godly sorrow. He raises up preachers to tell you that the Most Holy God does not mind if His children are unholy. That is a big lie!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, give me a heart that will be genuinely remorseful and repentant any time I offend You.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 18:1-8.
2 Chronicles 29-31.
Psalm 48.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 25: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: FRIDAY 17TH JULY 2020
THEME: WALK IN THE SPIRIT
MEMORISE:
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
READ: Romans 8:6-7
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
MESSAGE:
The moment you become a child of God; you have His Spirit within you.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ John 3:6
Being born of the Spirit, you must learn to walk in Him so that you are not drowned by the world and its ways. Fish is born inside water and so cannot survive outside it. Birds are born to fly and can only thrive when they are flying, not when they are hopping. We are born of the Spirit so we thrive when we walk in Him.
When an eagle wants to kill a land animal, it takes it to the air. That is its territory. In the same way, you cannot win the world by using its principles; take the battle to the spirit realm. While you do all that is required in the physical to succeed in life, engage in the spiritual realm to win the battle of your life.
Think in the Spirit. Many of our thoughts leave out the Holy Spirit and thus limits our success. If you always put God in the equation, everything becomes possible. To walk in the Spirit, you must always be attentive to what He is saying at all times. You must ask the Holy Spirit for direction before you take any step. Before you speak, ask Him to give you utterance. Anyone who will walk in the Spirit must pray in tongues regularly; you must also sing in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15).
The basic secret of progress is consistency. If you will walk in the Spirit, then you must consistently be close to Him. You can’t decide to follow His lead when you are in trouble and then go your own way when you think everything is fine. If you want to walk in the Spirit, then you must surrender completely to Him, whether it is convenient or not.
KEY POINT:
Having the Spirit of God gives you an advantage over the people of the world; use that advantage wisely.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 23-27.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 16TH JULY 2020
THEME: JUST A LITTLE SIN
MEMORISE:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
READ: James 2:10-13
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
MESSAGE:
The temptation to commit just one little sin is a trap that the devil uses to get many Christians. He tells them that they have been faithful all through and it wouldn’t hurt if they just indulge in this little sin; after all, many other people are doing far worse. Beloved, don’t fall into this trap of the enemy. The Bible says in Galatians 5:8-9 that:
“ This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
James 2:10 says:
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
This is why Jesus said that if your entire body is holy except your eye, then you should pluck it out, because that little eye can bring trouble to the whole body (Matthew 5:29). It would be very sad for you to have done and avoid all you should as a Christian, only to go to hell because of “one little sin.” There is no little sin in the eye of God. Sin is sin and any soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).
The good news is that grace is available to overcome even the greatest of temptations; all we have to do is go to God and ask for help. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
One seemingly little sin would always lead to another and the web would continue till you are fully entangled in the devil’s trap. 1 John 3:8 says:
“ He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning….”
That seemingly little sin can send you to hell. Submit completely to God, resist the devil and he will flee! (James 4:7).
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to access Your grace to overcome any temptation that the devil brings my way, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 18-22.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN : PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY 2020
THEME: FEED THE SHEEP
MEMORISE:
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 2 Corinthians 12:15
READ: 2 Corinthians 12:14-18
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
MESSAGE:
“ Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” 2 Corinthians 12:14-18
It is very sad that these days, many pastors are not after souls, but rather, what is in the possession of these souls. Jesus’ instruction is “Feed my sheep” not “Get fed off my sheep.” We should all learn from the example of Apostles Paul. He was a man who was willing to spend and be spent for the sake of the flock. Even when they didn’t seem to be reciprocating his love for them, he loved them even more. As a pastor, Head of department or leader in whatever capacity, you need to check your motivations from time to time. Are you more interested in what the people have or in the prosperity of their souls? When you are more interested in what they have, you will find yourself excusing the sin of one fellow because he is rich while you condemn the same when committed by someone poor. You would find yourself visiting only the rich members of the Church or your department/unit as the case may be, while you hardly check on the poorer ones. Indeed, the Church needs money to do a lot of things, but are we supposed to look to human beings instead of God to sponsor His work? Apostle James warned against this preferential treatment in the house of God in James 2:2-4 which says:
“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”
God sent us out to bring souls into His kingdom, not money. Don’t leave the most important for the least important.
This charge is to every Christian and not just pastors and leaders in the Church alone. Ensure you bring the word of God to the fore in every situation or gathering you find yourself in. God is relying on you to feed His sheep and bring the lost ones into the fold.
KEY POINT:
Pursue souls, not what they have.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 13-17.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 9: HOLD THE FORT.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 14TH JULY 2020
THEME: TAKING HIM FOR GRANTED
MEMORISE:
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12
READ: Luke 7:36-47
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
MESSAGE:
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 8:11-12
The words above were spoken by Jesus when He saw how great the faith of the Centurion was. He attested to the fact that He had never seen such great faith in Israel. This man was considered an unbeliever, yet he had faith that was greater than that of everyone Jesus had met.
A chronic unbeliever who has an encounter with Christ would likely hold on to Him fervently. On the other hand, the one who has been a Christian for a long while, especially since childhood, has a great tendency to begin to take Jesus for granted. In our Bible reading for today, Jesus dined at a Pharisee’s house, but the man did not even offer to wash His feet, he took such an august visitor for granted because he had known Him for long. Many Christians are fervent in the first few months or years after they encounter Christ, and then begin to relent, this could be because the memory of their salvation experience is beginning to wane or they may have seen other Christians slipping and still looking holy. Beloved, it is very dangerous to forget your salvation encounter with Christ, very dangerous to take examples from people who are not as fervent as you; rather, take examples from those who have gone higher than you in the faith.
Hold on to Jesus for dear life! When He gives you an instruction, obey immediately. Always go early for Church services; if you are a worker in the Church, serve to the best of your ability. Make Him a priority in your life; increase your commitment to His Kingdom rather than reducing it. I pray that you will not be replaced in the kingdom of God in the mighty name of Jesus.
KEY POINT:
Never take God for granted.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 7: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE: SATURDAY 11TH JULY 2020
THEME: GRACE TO THE HUMBLE
MEMORISE:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1 Peter 5:6
READ: Luke 18:10-14
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:
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:17
One of the fastest ways to commit spiritual suicide is to believe that you are a giant in the Christian faith- Believe me, there is no giant in Christianity. Man’s righteousness is like filthy rag before the Most Holy One. Many years ago, during a meditation session at a conference, I fell into a trance in which I found myself among angels. They were all so pure that you could practically see through them; then I looked at myself and I was disgustingly filthy. This was surprising then because I was already a holiness preacher. If anyone had told me I was that dirty, I would have argued with them, but I could see it for myself.
Everyone may see you like a spiritual giant, but don’t be fooled; to God, you are still a baby. Never come before Him stating all your credentials- “I pay my tithe, I preach the gospel, I forgive my neighbor….so Lord, You have to hear me.” That is spiritual pride and God resist the proud (1 Peter 5:5). If anyone owes the other anything, you are the one that owes Him. Tell Him “Lord, please have mercy on me in this area where I need Your intervention. Remember my dedication to Your kingdom and please have mercy on me.” When you pray thus, He responds quickly.
David was a man after God’s heart because he always came humbly before Him. Despite His achievements and feats for God, he never boasted in His presence. He always came seeking mercy. That is the kind of man that God can call “A man after my heart.” You may have done many great and mighty things for God; remember Moses. Even after all he had done for God, he still did not get to the promised land. It is only those who remain babies in the hands of God who can reach the promised land of Heaven. In Matthew 5:3, Jesus said:
“ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Are you humble or proud in the spirit?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to remain humble, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 6-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 16: LET US WITH A GLADSOME MIND.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 10TH JULY 2020
THEME: BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT
MEMORISE:
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48
READ: Matthew 5:38-48
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
MESSAGE:
One of the commandments of God that is considered by many as impossible to keep is found in Matthew 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” It is generally believed that perfection is not achievable by any human being. The biblical concept of perfection involves two main ideas which are wholeness and purity. Wholeness involves bringing something to maturity while purity refers to sanctification. Perfection can be seen from three major perspectives in the Bible and these are physical, moral and spiritual. Physical perfection talks about something that is outwardly spotless, clean and healthy. Moral perfection refers to acting in the manner perceived to be right at all times, while spiritual perfection focuses on holiness and sanctification.
If a person is examined and is lacking in just one of these aspects, he loses his perfect status. For this reason, many scoffs at any talk of perfection among believers. However, when God says be perfect, He expects us to take it seriously. I have always told my children that perfection is achievable and that it was a matter of personal conviction. It is made possible through salvation, sanctification, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:
“ All scripture …..is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect…...”
The journey to perfection starts with the word of God. Scripture teachings must be the basis for the development of our personal ideology and worldview. Every rebuke and admonition in the Bible must be strictly applied to our lives. A perfect Christian is he who is born again, sanctified and has learned by experience to discern between good and evil. You can do all things by the grace of God (Philippians 4:13). May you receive the grace to succeed in your journey towards perfection, in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me the grace to pursue perfection diligently- physically, morally and spiritually, in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1-5.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: I AM THINE OH LORD.