OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2017

THEME: RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION I

 
Memorise:

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8


Read: Luke 19:1-10

19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

19:6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

19:7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

19:9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Message:

When you are genuinely saved, you will desire to find what you can do for the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be a strong desire in your heart to reciprocate the Saviour's gesture of love. Is it so with you? When I newly got born again, there were quite a few people around me who got saved at about the same time also. We all had certain characteristics in common, one of which was: anytime there was work to be done for God, we volunteered. We did it joyfully, spending our money, time and energy. Unfortunately, when you ask some people who claim to be born again to do some work in the house of God today, they will charge you double the job’s worth, while some unbelievers would just give you a normal bill. Such people need to seek genuine salvation!


Moreover, another sign of genuine conversion is the desire to right your wrongs. True salvation yearns for restitution. Nobody will experience genuine salvation without asking questions such as these: How much of my past iniquity can I correct? How much can I salvage of the damage I have done? These questions will come from your heart even without being taught the doctrine of restitution. This happened to Zacchaeus in today’s Bible reading. Immediately Jesus entered his house, Zacchaeus responded to His love with these words in Luke 19:8:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Zacchaeus, even without being instructed, decided to give 50% of his wealth to the poor, and offered to return four times whatever he had taken from any man by false accusations. This pleased the Lord. Indeed, restitution pleases God. When you restore whatever you have stolen, and whenever you right your wrongs, it becomes a testimony to the genuineness of your repentance. When you make restitution to people you offended or cheated, it softens the ground for you to eventually present the message of the gospel to them. If you hold back what you stole, even after you claim to have been saved, you will retain the enmity of those you defrauded, and because of you, they may never respond to the message of salvation. Is there any pending restitution you need to make? Go ahead and right your wrongs. For controversial and very weighty cases, please seek counseling before going ahead.


Key Point:

The practice of restitution gives you a clear conscience before God and man.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 24-25
Ezekiel 39:21-40:4

 AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
 
HYMN 14:  TAKE MY LIFE

1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4.Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

��� *LET US PRAY* ���

.. _*MONDAY, September 11, 2017*_

*PRAYER POINTS* :- _RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION (I)_

1. *THANKSGIVINGS* .

2. *INTERCESSIONS/SUPPLICATIONS.*

3. *PRAYERS FROM OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

----- Father, i thank you for *YOU ARE THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION.*

*_---- Father, I thank you for saving me and for the salvation of my soul....._*

*_---- Father, I thank you for the grace to be alive, today;......_*

----- *_Father, Please help me to do restitution in every necessary area of my life, in Jesus’ Name......._*

----- *_Father, from today, please grant unto me the grace to always prove the genuineness of my Salvation, in Jesus’ Name......_*

----- *_Father, please grant unto me the boldness to evangelise and declare Your love unto others, in Jesus' Name......_*

----- *_Father, please help me so that I will not lose my salvation at any point in time till I see you in glory, in Jesus' Name...._*

4. *PERSONAL PRAYERS REQUESTS:*
-- (John 16:23 - 24,
-- LUKE 18:1,
-- MATT 7:7 - ......

---- FATHER, I thank you for the answers, for in *JESUS SAVING* Name I have Prayed.

Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: (Monday, September 11th, 2017) - RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION I

1.Thank you, Father, for shedding your light abroad my heart, through the salvation of my soul.

2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

3.Father, give me a heart, that will serve you, selflessly, without looking for personal gains, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, help me to be proactive and sensitive to the needs of your church, kingdom, and my pastor, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, empower me to voluntarily be committed to your service, with joy, without being forced to do so, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please, give me a clear conscience before You and man, in Jesus' name.

7.Holy Spirit, give me the grace to list my past errors, misdeeds and sins, and show me the way to right them, especially, the difficult ones, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, bring to my remembrance, every restitution that l need to make, and help me to make them, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, give me a strong desire to always right my wrongs and restitute my ways, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, whatever, l have obtained by falsehood, in my life, from anyone or organisation, please, give me the courage to restore it, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, rekindle the fire of your revival in my life, and restore my initial zeal, drive, and commitment, to You and your Kingdom, in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation

dupsai:
Prayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: (Monday, September 11th, 2017) - RESTITUTION: EVIDENCE OF SALVATION I

1.Thank you, Father, for shedding your light abroad my heart, through the salvation of my soul.

2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

3.Father, give me a heart, that will serve you, selflessly, without looking for personal gains, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, help me to be proactive and sensitive to the needs of your church, kingdom, and my pastor, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, empower me to voluntarily be committed to your service, with joy, without being forced to do so, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please, give me a clear conscience before You and man, in Jesus' name.

7.Holy Spirit, give me the grace to list my past errors, misdeeds and sins, and show me the way to right them, especially, the difficult ones, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, bring to my remembrance, every restitution that l need to make, and help me to make them, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, give me a strong desire to always right my wrongs and restitute my ways, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, whatever, l have obtained by falsehood, in my life, from anyone or organisation, please, give me the courage to restore it, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, rekindle the fire of your revival in my life, and restore my initial zeal, drive, and commitment, to You and your Kingdom, in Jesus' name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus' name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation

Hi sister dupsai. Could you help to adjust your posting of the prayer points earlier than this later times? I follow PST dallyemmy daily on the open heaven devotional, and he has been a blessing to me. He usually post the daily devotional a day before the morning for the devotional. I do my morning devotion between 5am and 6am daily. I observed your prayer points are posted sometimes after I have completed my prayers and I really would love to pray along the prayer points. Thanks and God bless you.

Jonwesley:


Hi sister dupsai. Could you help to adjust your posting of the prayer points earlier than this later times? I follow PST dallyemmy daily on the open heaven devotional, and he has been a blessing to me. He usually post the daily devotional a day before the morning for the devotional. I do my morning devotion between 5am and 6am daily. I observed your prayer points are posted sometimes after I have completed my prayers and I really would love to pray along the prayer points. Thanks and God [quote author=Jonwesley post=60335747]

Hi sister dupsai. Could you help to adjust your posting of the prayer points earlier than this later times? I follow PST dallyemmy daily on the open heaven devotional, and he has been a blessing to me. He usually post the daily devotional a day before the morning for the devotional. I do my morning devotion between 5am and 6am daily. I observed your prayer points are posted sometimes after I have completed my prayers and I really would love to pray along the prayer points. Thanks and God bless you.

Calvary greetings brethren, I am not the one composing the prayer points. I always copy it from a group wall. I always paste it as soon as it was posted. My family also use it for morning devotion. At times I depend on Ibunkuore06 prayer points which is posted earlier.

[quote author=dupsai post=60358156][/quote]

Ok, I do understand very well. God bless you real good. Thanks.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2017

THEME: LITTLE REQUESTS LIMIT GOD


Memorise:

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22

Read: James 1:5-6

1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:


Message:

The Lord Jesus Christ instructed us to ask until our joy is full (John 16:24). Due to a lack of faith in God’s ability to meet our needs, many of us ask for crumbs, and by doing so, we insult or dishonour God. Are you one of such people? During one of our special programmes sometimes ago, while in my prayer room, God took me up on this issue. He reminded me of an incident that happened several years before then, when I went to London to prepare our Sunday School manual. After finishing it, I still had three days to go before my flight is due, but I had completely run out of money. The kind of ticket I paid for on that trip was a cheap one and so it did not allow for rescheduling of dates. I felt I could go without food for three days but could not avoid buying certain materials, books and tapes that I needed. These would cost me £50 and I had no money. So I said, “Daddy, it would be good if I could get £50” Shortly after, my phone rang and I picked it up. The fellow on the line said, “Biyi”. I told him there was nobody with that name there. He asked, “Is that not so and so number?” As we talked, he got to know who I was and he screamed. He called out to his brother with excitement, telling him that he was speaking with me. Obviously, they had been discussing how they could see me and now I was on the phone with them. Eventually, they came over, we talked, and as they were leaving, they gave me £50. As soon as they left, I said, “Daddy, if I knew it would be this easy, I would have asked for £100!”

As I went upstairs in the apartment I was staying at, I rejoiced over the 50pounds I had just received. Just then, the doorbell rang, and then it rang a second time. By this time, it was night already. Before I got to the door, the fellow at the door had slipped an envelope through the door into the room and left. I picked it up, opened it and realized it had come from a man I had known for a long time. He was a very wealthy man who was also very stingy. He had never given me a dime before. In the envelope was £50 and a note saying, “I just felt like giving you some money.” As I went towards the bedroom, I told God that if I had known this second £50 would come, I would have asked for another £50! That night, before I slept, another £50 came. Then I became afraid and told God I was joking and did not want to offend Him. In my prayer room, the Lord told me I had been a foolish boy. “If you asked me for £50 and I could provide it, why didn’t you ask for £5000?” Are you trying to help God conserve His resources when you ask? He doesn’t need your help! Ask, and ask big! Don’t limit Him.

Key Point:
If the over seven billion inhabitants of the earth were to ask their best from God, they still could not exhaust a drop of His resources.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 26-28
Ezekiel 40:5-19


AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: HOW GREAT THOU ART

1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

2. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Refrain

3. And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Refrain

4. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then shall I bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain