Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: THURSDAY 1ST JUNE 2017

THEME: BE REFILLED

Memorise:

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians 5:18

Read: Ephesians 5:17-19

5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

MESSAGE

The moment you give your life to Christ, a long drawn out battle for your soul begins. While your spirit would want to begin to exercise control over your soul as it rightfully should, your body would resist it and ask you to go in the opposite direction. To be victorious in this protracted battle, you need to understand your new nature and the life of the Spirit, so that you can easily flow in it. From time to time, people ask me how I was able to grow in the Spirit, but they are never satisfied with the answer l give them. Let me share some of what helped me with you. The moment you become born again, your spirit mari is brought back to life. The fish is born in water and so cannot survive outside its natural habitat - water. John 3:6 says,
''That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Therefore, now that your spirit man is born again, you are expected to gravitate towards the things of the spirit if you want to grow. Your new birth is a spiritual experience, and only the things of the Spirit will help you grow.

One way to grow in the Spirit is to repeatedly experience being filled with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended, the disciples gained their first experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 says,
''And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Later on, when they gathered to table a pressing challenge before the Lord, they prayed earnestly, and they experienced the in-filling of the Holy Spirit against Acts 4:31 says
''And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Furthermore, to successfully live the life of the spirit, it is not enough to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You must pursue a growing, personal relationship with Him and crave for more opportunities to be filled by Him. No wonder Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Like the disciples, if you want to be filled over and over again, be separate from the things of the flesh, have fellowship with God where you can worship Him in spirit and in truth, attend Church services together with like-minded believers, feast on His word and pray in tongues regularly.

Action Point:

Consistently try to increase the amount of time you spend praying in tongues. Pray in tongues and sing in tongues. This will help your spirit grow.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 22-23
Jeremiah 39:11-40:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: THE COMFORTER HAS COME

1. Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts
And human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue
Proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n,
The Father’s promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come!

2. The long, long night is past,
The morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail
And fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills
The day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
[Refrain]

3. Lo, the great King of kings,
With healing in His wings,
To every captive soul
A full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells
The song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
[Refrain]

4. O boundless love divine!
How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell
The matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell,
Should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
[Refrain]

5. Sing till the echoes fly
Above the vaulted sky,
And all the saints above
To all below reply,
In strains of endless love,
The song that ne’er will die:
The Comforter has come!
[Refrain:]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 31ST 2017

THEME: WHOSE WILL?        

Memorise:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Message:

“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

God is a God of purpose, and He is highly organized. He plans far ahead of His deeds. For instance, Ephesians 1:4 says that long before God laid the foundations of the earth, He had already chosen us to live a holy and blameless life before Him. God knows exactly what He wants and where He is going. God could not have created the world and everything in it without a definite plan or purpose for His creation (Isaiah 45:18). He has a will which is clearly revealed by His word. May God cause you to know His plan for your life and give you the grace to follow it in Jesus’ Name.

From the teaching of Jesus commonly known as “the Lord’s Prayer”, one thing is very clear: only the will of God is done in Heaven where He dwells. No one can violate His will or commandment over there and continue to stay there. He cannot live with rebels; hence, Lucifer and the angels who rebelled against God were thrown out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). Everyone and everything existing in Heaven conforms to God’s will and plan, and they all make Him happy. How about on earth? Since the fall of man, Satan and his demons have done a lot to cause men to take after rebellious path. For this reason, Jesus Christ came so that we can once again unite with those in Heaven in doing God’s will and pursuing His pleasure. Matthew 6:10 says,
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Why were you saved? God saved you so that you can join His family in Heaven in doing His will. David had this understanding, and so he said in Psalm 143:10:
“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

You are here on earth to do His will and not to please yourself (Romans 12:2). For this reason, Colossian 1:16 says we were created by Him and for Him. You were created for His purpose. At the end of time, only those who follow God’s will diligently on earth will be translated to continue doing so in Heaven. Whose will are you following? Are you daily doing God’s will or yours?

Prayer Point:

Father, teach and grant me grace to do your will with all of my heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 20-21
Jeremiah 38:24-39:10

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,
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,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

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

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

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

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TUESDAY MAY 30TH 2017

THEME: THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION        

MEMORISE:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matthew 7:13

READ: Matthew 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 18-19 & Jeremiah 38:14-23

MESSAGE:

God wants to change your life, but beyond this, He wants to change your final destination. Over the ages, many people have had to move from one location to another within the same country. Others have had to relocate to other countries for one reason or the other. However, at the end of the day, irrespective of where we live, we shall all arrive at a final destination. That destination is eternal and cannot be changed after we die. There are two eternal destinations: Heaven and Hell. Whether you believe it or not, you are heading towards one of these. The Bible is very clear on the truth that every sinner is heading to Hell. Psalm 9:17 says,
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

If you are still living in sin, Jesus Christ has come to change your eternal destination from hell to heaven. For this change to happen, you have to accept the remedy for sin which He has made available in His Blood. If a person does not achieve this crucial change before death, all other achievements during his or her lifetime will fade into nothingness, and the fellow will be faced with an eternity in Hell.

The shocking truth about this is that God will never force a person to change his or her final destination. He won’t force you to change from the hell-bound broad way to the heaven-bound narrow path. He allows you to make your decision and to live with the eternal consequences hereafter. I was talking to an important personality recently about being born again. He kept arguing with me, and so I told him this: “Sir, it is not something we should quarrel about. It is not compulsory for you to go to heaven. If you prefer to go to hell, it’s your choice.” Then he said, “Why are you begging me to be born again or give my life to Jesus?” I laughed and replied, “Me, begging you? I am not begging you but only sounding a note of warning. If you chose to wind up in Hell, it is your choice.” Some people think that as long as they do not believe in the existence of hell, they cannot go there. Hell is real! Many people are entering into Hell every day, and yet it is not full (Proverb 27:20). If the only feat you can achieve on earth is to avoid hell, it is worth the trouble. Many people were mocking those who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them during their life time until they ended up in Hell. Hell is worse than any type of suffering or punishment you know on earth. Do everything possible to avoid it by genuinely giving your life to Christ today.

ACTION POINT :
To make Heaven your final destination, do the following: repent and confess your sins to God; ask Him to cleanse your sins with the Blood of Jesus; invite Jesus into your life and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour and ask God for grace to live for him till you die.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow;
Though none go with me, I still will follow
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 29TH 2017

THEME: BREAD OR CRUMBS?        

MEMORISE:
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Proverb 30:8

READ: Proverb 30:7-9

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 16-17 & Jeremiah 38:1-13

MESSAGE:

What you get from God depends on how contented or dissatisfied you are. While some people ask nothing from the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things, some others ask for crumbs. Your desire and request go a long way in determining what you get in life. In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons met the Lord, all she asked for was crumbs:
“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.                                                                                                                                                             Matthew 15:27

Even today, after Jesus had said that the children of the Kingdom are meant to eat at God’s table, many of these children still prefer crumbs that fall from the Master’s table (Luke 12:32, Matthew 15:26). Where is your focus: the table or crumbs?

Similarly, there is a correlation between your desire and your trust in God. If you really have faith in God, you will be able to ask big. The Bible says those who know their God shall do exploits (Daniel 11:32). In other words, when you know little or nothing about God, when asked to make a request, you will be afraid of asking for too much, and so you will be confined to asking for so little. However, when you know how inexhaustible the resources of God are, it will stir up courage in your heart to ask for big, great and impossible things. Therefore, if you are asking for a used car, a tiny rented apartment or a job that can barely take you away from starvation, it is very possible that you do not know or trust God enough. In today’s Bible reading, Agur made a very humble request. He asked for neither poverty nor wealth. He feared poverty, lest he might be tempted to steal; and he also feared wealth, lest he deny God. Just enough was what he asked for. Using the children of Israel as a model of God’s plan for your life, you will observe that God took them from the wilderness, where they had Manna that was just enough for each day, to a land flowing with milk and honey, where they had more than enough (Exodus 16:15-19, Deuteronomy 6:10-11, Joshua 5:12). Just enough might mean not having reserves to take care of emergencies. That means, in an emergency, you may be forced to go cap in hand borrowing. Are you asking for little in consideration of others who are also asking God for the same thing? You can never exhaust God’s resources. Ask big and stop limiting yourself!

ACTION POINT :

Ask God for something really big that only He can do for you.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10:
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.

Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
[Refrain]

3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honour Thy Word.
[Refrain]

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
[Refrain]

5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY MAY 28TH 2017

THEME: ANY FRUIT OF REPENTANCE?      

Memorise:

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. Matthew 3:8

Read: Matthew 3:1-10

3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

3:5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Message:

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:” Joel 2:12

Fasting can be used to demonstrate genuine repentance before God. Exemplifying the above scripture, Prophet Daniel embarked on a fast to show repentance for his sins and the sins of the children of Israel in Daniel 9:3-20. All through the Old Testament, when individuals or a group of people fell into sin and judgment was imminent, they returned to God in fasting and mourning, expressing sorrow for sins committed. How truly sorrowful are you when you sin against God? Is there any deep sorrow for sin anymore? Today, when you see a believer asking God for pardon over a wrong he or she has committed, you will be amazed. A few seconds after he or she has apologized, he or she is seen carrying on as if nothing ever went wrong. There is no manifestation of godly sorrow. People do not see offending God as anything anymore. They hide behind grace to cover up their evil lifestyle. However, can God be fooled?

The “repentance” of some people today is highly questionable. True repentance must be backed up by godly sorrow. 2corinthians 7:10 says
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Genuine repentance must exhibit the fruits of humility, confession, brokenness, a desire for restitution where necessary and a commitment to never return to the evil act. Take King Ahab as a case in point. He was a wicked king with a satanic wife, jezebel. The wickedness perpetrated during his reign far exceeded that of other regimes (1Kings 21:25). Yet, when God spoke to him about an impending judgment, he immediately readjusted, tore his royal robe, wore sackcloth, humbled himself and fasted (1 King 21:27). When God saw the fruit of repentance in him, He deferred his judgment till the next generation. When you say to God “Father, I’m sorry, please forgive me”, is there any fruit of repentance to back it up? Some leaders get involved in terrible sins, and after whispering, “Father, I am sorry”, they continue as if nothing ever happened. Is that genuine repentance? People hardly weep or mourn over their shortcomings anymore. They hardly set themselves apart in fasting and prayer to reach out to God for mercy. No wonder they continue in their sins. If you are sorry, you will bring forth fruit consistent with repentance through your actions. Do you have such fruits?

Key Point:

Repentance goes beyond just saying, “I am sorry”. Your comportment and inner resolve go a long way to validate or discredit your claim.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 14-15
Jeremiah 37

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY MAY 27TH 2017

THEME: SOUL-WINNING: A MARK OF LIFE      

Memorise:

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.John 15:2

Read: john 15:1-6

15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Message:

Just as it was needful to fast and pray, it is also needful to win souls to God’s Kingdom regularly. Don’t just win one, two or five souls and stop, continue to win souls at all times. John 15:16 says
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Do you know that regular evangelism can keep you in shape spiritually? If you belong to Christ, you are like a living tree that produces fruit (Psalm 1:3). Any tree that produces good fruit will definitely be appreciated by its owner. Bearing spiritual fruits is one obvious sign that you are still spiritually alive. If you are winning souls often, it shows you are growing spiritually. It takes obedience to the Holy Spirit and partnership with Him to win a soul and to give life to the spiritually dead. If you are not bearing fruit, it could be because you are dead or separated from God. A dead fellow cannot be used as an agent of life. Moreover, in the course of soul-winning, there are some ideas, teachings and abilities that the Holy Spirit will endow you with which you may not easily access through any other means.

The truth is that those who go out for evangelism never go out alone. Why? Since they are out to obey the Lord’s command, which is so important to the Godhead, the Trinity works with them (Mark 16:20). The Lord sees to it that the word of the evangelist does not fall to the ground (Hebrew 2:3-4). The evangelist is a true fellow-worker with God. On the other hand, the fellow who does not win souls is not bringing joy to God’s heart and is also not showing signs of spiritual life. If you continue your Christian life without leading others to Christ, you may be cut off from your source (John 15:2, Luke 13:7). It therefore follows that if you want to grow spiritually, you must make soul-winning a regular activity. You must win souls and continue to win more souls. If you are actively winning souls, you will experience God’s special love and attention. God will also answer your prayers more easily, and increase your capacity to be fruitful by taking away hindrances to fruitfulness from your life. Using your attitude to soul-winning as a benchmark, are you dead or alive?

Action Point:

To catch up on the number of souls you should have won in the past, launch an aggressive personal evangelism outreach drive to bring in at least 100 souls to God’s kingdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 12-13
Jeremiah 36:20-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
[Refrain]

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY MAY 26TH 2017

THEME: STAND UP FOR SOMETHING      

Memorise:

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

Read: Revelation 3:15-16

3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Message:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”
Revelation 3:15
If there is one state that God never wants His children to be in, it is the state of lukewarmness. As seen in the above scripture passage, the Lord speaks His mind on this issue in very strong terms. He says if you want to be hot, be hot, and if you want to be cold, be cold; if you are neither cold nor hot, He will spit you out of His mouth. God has zero tolerance for lukewarmness. As foretold by the Holy Spirit long ago, many Christians in these last days are falling into the state of lukewarmness. Lukewarm people are tasteless in God’s mouth, and hence He cannot stand them. You cannot mix your worship of God with the worship of an idol. How can you put the Ancient of Days on the same platform as an idol that is the contraption of men’s hearts? God is greatly insulted by this. If you want to be a Christian, be a completely devoted one. Serve Him with your life and ensure you glorify Him in all that you do. If you however do not want to be a Christian, do not pretend to be one.

One soul I wish I could have won for Christ is Fela Anikulapo kuti, the late Nigerian Afro-beat music icon. I loved him for one thing: he was not a pretender. His lifestyle clearly showed that he was not on the side of Christ. This man married 27 wives in one day! He was a law unto himself. Some people say they are serving God, and at home they have one wife but outside, they have several mistresses. Stop pretending! If you want to serve, serve Him, but if you don’t want to serve God, stay away from Him. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. A lukewarm fellow will say he likes something, whereas he hates that same thing in his heart. He or she lives a false life. Some people appear to be very active and zealous for God when they are in their country of origin, but when they travel abroad, you will not believe they are the same person you thought you knew. Such people are unable to stand for the truth, and so will find excuses to justify their lack of zeal for the things of God. Lukewarm people are dream-killers and acts as bad influencers. If you are hot and you stay around them, they can discourage you by their attitude. Are you lukewarm? It’s time to come out of that state today! Take a stand for the truth and for living right!

Key Point:

Those who find it difficult to stand up for Jesus still love the world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 10-11
Jeremiah 36:4-19

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
[Refrain]

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
[Refrain]

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY MAY 25TH 2017

THEME: FOR THE GLORY      

MEMORISE:
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.                            
Exodus 14:17

READ: Exodus 14:15-17

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 8-9 & Jeremiah 35:12-36:3

MESSAGE:

Do you know that every time God moves to deliver a helpless individual, He gets some form of glory from it? After God led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were on their way towards the Red Sea, the Egyptians, forgetting all that they had suffered on account of the Israelites, resolved to go after them and bring them back. This was a serious problem for the Israelites, who had lived as slaves all their lives and were just experiencing freedom for the very first time. However, God did not leave them alone; in fact, He prepared Moses and Joshua to physically lead them while He provided spiritual direction and protection. On your way to the place of destiny, the Lord will not leave you alone. As he led the Israelites, so will He lead you in Jesus’ Name. Be assured in your heart that God will not allow your present predicament to drown you, because He knows that His intervention will definitely bring glory to His Name.

“And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.” Exodus 14:17

When God’s children were faced with the serious threat of returning to slavery, although they cried to God for help, one major reason why God intervened was because of the glory or honour He was going to get from it. If you are confronted with a situation you can easily come out of, or a situation someone can help you out with, either you or the fellow who helped you might want to take or partake of the glory when the problem is solved. In contrast to this, when you are pushed to a corner, with no specialist, parent, relative, friend or pastor to help, when God intervenes in such situations and the issue is resolved, He alone will take the glory. God does not like to share His glory with anyone or anything (Isaiah 42:8). Unfortunately, many people who give testimonies still share in or even completely rob God of His glory. The summary of their testimonies is that they prayed so much, fasted so long, gave a lot or were very smart and got their miracle because of this. Such people are glory thieves. There are many people who have done much more than they did and yet their situations have not changed. God can step into your situation because of the glory He will get from it, so never tamper with His glory.

ACTION POINT :
Man has problem and wants a solution. God gives the solution and wants the glory. Never allow anything to tamper with God’s expectation!

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
[Refrain]

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 24TH 2017

THEME: TRYING TO CORNER GOD?

Memorise:

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 17:21

Read: Genesis 17:15-21

17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Message:

After Abraham and Sarah used their own alternative means to attempt to solve their problem of childlessness, and Hagar delivered Ishmael to Abraham, they thought that God’s plan for their lives would change to accommodate Ishmael. They were wrong! In fact, in Genesis 17:18, Abraham made a passionate plea to God to recognize Ishmael as his covenant heir, but God insisted on His original plan. In Genesis 17:19, God said this to Abraham:
“…Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”

A crucial lesson here is that we cannot force, deceive, manipulate or corner God into doing what He did not plan to do. Isaac is a product of the Spirit while Ishmael is the product of the flesh (Galatians 4:23-29). Never expect God to dump the Spirit for the flesh. Do you know that some Christians go against God’s word and will by marrying an unbeliever and then later pretend to be sorry by feigning tears, whereas inside them they are rejoicing that they have married their chosen heartthrob and have thus outsmart God? Such Christians would try to justify themselves by asking you whether God would expect them to divorce their unsaved spouses when God Himself says He hates divorce. Oh how smart they think they are! Unfortunately for them though, they will later realize how foolish they really are, when faced with the consequences of their choice.

If you go against God’s word and choose an unbeliever as your marriage or business partner, it is your choice. You will have to live with the repercussions of that choice. You may have 100 “Ishmaels”, but God’s covenant can only be established with “Isaac” (Genesis 17:21). Isaac is a product of God’s blessings, while Ishmael is the product of man’s lust, impatient, and self-government. Do not expect God to legitimize your Ishmael! Some people acquire wealth through illegitimate means and later expect God to sanctify it for them. They are only deceiving themselves. Anything you add to yourself that God has not added to you will ultimately be a curse that will haunt you. This is why it is better to wait on God to receive the blessing that comes from Him and not fall for cheap alternatives. Have you devised alternatives to God’s original plan for your life? Repent and dump them today! Go back to God and ask him to continue from where He stopped in your life.

Action Point:

Have you ever tried to outsmart God? Go on your knees and confess how foolish you have been, and ask for His mercy today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 7
Jeremiah 34:17-35:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
[Refrain]

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
[Refrain]

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY MAY 23RD 2017

THEME: BE FULL OF FAITH    

Memorise:

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,                                                                                                                                                                                                     Jude1:20

Read: Acts 6:3-10

6:3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,

6:6 Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

6:8 And Stephen, full of faithand power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

6:9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.

6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Message:

According to Mark 16:17-18, the ability to demonstrate faith in God is very necessary in the ministry of signs and wonders. Hebrew 11:6 also says without faith you cannot please God. So how do we recognize someone with faith? A look at the life of someone in the Bible declared was full of faith should be able to provide us some answers. Acts 6:8 says,

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”

Stephen was only a deacon in the early church. He was chosen as an usher to join the others in serving food, and yet because he was full of faith, he performed great signs and wonders, even more that some apostles. From the example of Stephen, it therefore means that you can be a worker in the church and God could still use you to perform mighty signs and miracles even more than a pastor. This simply tells us that walking in the miraculous is not about titles but about faith. You can be full of position or titles but empty of faith and therefore of little or no use to God in the ministry of signs and wonders. Some senior pastors cannot mention just one miracle the Lord has performed through them in the last two or more years, and yet God is doing wonders through their subordinates. It is doubtful that such pastors are full of faith. Are you full of faith or doubt? There is no way God will be among His people and His supernatural touch will not be visible for all to see.

Instead of building up their faith until it is full, some people choose to use everything at their disposal to secure position or an ordination in the Body of Christ, believing that the higher their position, the greater the anointing at their disposal. Unfortunately, they fail to realize that those who pursue position or ordination may get the title but not the power that backs it up. What is important is to build up your faith. After you are saved, do not keep your faith stagnant; grow it. Feed your faith by meditating regularly on God’s word, praying in the Holy Spirit, reading sound Christian literature and texts, and by listening to good Christian music and testimonies. You also need to fellowship regularly in a Bible-believing Church, so that you are constantly exposed to the truth. When you are full of faith, fear will have no place to hibernate inside you. This makes you a sure candidate for God to work with. May God work with you! Do all you can to build up your faith.

Key Point:

Your spiritual growth is your personal responsibility, and not that of your pastor.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 5-6
Jeremiah 34:1-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4.When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

MONDAY MAY 22ND 2017

THEME: ASKING FOR NOTHING?

MEMORISE:
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24

READ: Luke 15:25-32

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 3-4 , Jeremiah 33:12-26

MESSAGE:

The benefits you derive from a person depends on how much that individual has and on how desperate you are to receive. If God is the One you need something from, then you are dealing with the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things. Before approaching God, you need to first determine what you want and how much of it you want from Him. If your response is to ask God for nothing, am afraid you will leave empty-handed. James 4:2 says
“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

In John 16:24, after several years together, the Lord addressed His disciples one day and said something that should shock us:
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

They lived, ate and slept with the Fountain of living waters, yet they failed to drink from it. Some people take contentment to the extreme. They think it is covetousness to ask God for anything decent, whereas God is waiting for them to ask. How much have you asked from God? Are you like the disciples who asked for nothing? They asked for nothing at a time when others, who were not even walking with Jesus, were already using His Name to get benefits from Heaven (Luke 9:49-50). Even God knows that having nothing is not good for you. The container of joy of the fellow who asks for nothing will always remain empty, whereas God wants it to overflow.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the senior son is another example of those who swim in abundance but hardly ever ask for a bit of it. When his younger brother returned and his father declared a feast, he was annoyed. How could his father slaughter a cow to celebrate his brother’s return, whereas he had not even had a ram to celebrate his birthday with his friends? This was one major difference between the two brothers. While he never asked for the least of all he was entitled to, his brother did not mind exceeding his limits. The younger brother had asked for all he could get from his father and wasted it, and yet on his return, the father kept spending on his account. Whose cow was being slaughtered for the prodigal son? It was definitely that of the elder brother. This teaches us that what you fail to ask for may be taken over by those who ask. God gave you a mouth with which to ask. Ask and ask big! From today, as you ask, God will answer you speedily in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT :
When we get to Heaven and some people see what they asked for in comparison with what they could have asked for, they will feel seriously cheated.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10:
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.
Refrain:

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
[Refrain]

3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honour Thy Word.
[Refrain]

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
[Refrain]

5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY MAY 21ST 2017

THEME: SAUL BROKE THE PRIDE BARRIER    

MEMORISE:
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalm10:4                                                                                                                                                                                                    
READ: Acts 9:1-11

1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 1-2 & Jeremiah 33:1-11

MESSAGE:

Yesterday, we considered the need to fast often in order to maintain the Spirit’s control over the desires of the body. Today, let’s consider another reason why we need to fast often, which is, to submit ourselves to God in humility (James 4:6-7). David had this understanding and that was why in Psalm 35:13 he said,
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.”

Whenever you find yourself becoming haughty, too full of yourself or looking down on others, you need to declare a fast so as to subdue the rise of pride in your life. Those who live in pride are distant from God. Even when He makes attempt to reach such people, it will be very difficult because they have built a fence of pride round themselves. One major reason why some people don’t accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, even after witnessing His power and miracles, is pride. This is why you need to pray against the spirit of pride hindering the salvation of your loved ones.

Let us take a look at the life of Saul of Tarsus and learn some lessons from him. He was a very zealous and intelligent young man who wanted to please God, but he was proud. Meanwhile, God had been trying to reach out to him, but the fence of pride he had around him kept God out. Do you know that pride directs? If you are proud, it will direct you in the way you go about things, in what you do and what you don’t do. Whenever faith is combined with pride, at best you will get religion. As Saul tried to serve and please God in the atmosphere of pride, he drifted further away from the One he thought he was pleasing, to the point where he began to fight the One he was supposed to satisfy. Pride blindfolds its victims. It makes a person work against what he or she is originally set out to do or stand up for. It wasn’t until Jesus manifested Himself to Saul that he realized he had been working against the God he thought he was serving. Nevertheless, after he humbled himself with fasting and prayer for three days, he received salvation, healing of his blind eyes, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a divine call of God to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. If only you can submit yourself to God in humility through prayer and fasting, you can connect with God’s purpose for your life.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, let all my loved ones who are separated from you through pride, overcome this barrier and yield completely to your will today.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SATURDAY MAY 20TH 2017

THEME: HOW OFTEN DO YOU FAST?   

MEMORISE
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2 Corinthians 11:27

READ: Matthew 6:16-18

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 33-34 & Jeremiah 32:36-44

MESSAGE:

One of my sons was travelling with me for the very first time sometime ago, and after we had been together for two days he asked me, “Daddy, why do you pray so much?” he said he observed that before we left the room, we prayed; when we got into the car, we prayed; on arrival at our destination, we prayed; when we entered the venue of the programme, we prayed; on arrival at the lodging place, we prayed; also when he peeped to check on me, he still saw me on my knees. Well, I pray a lot because prayer is an activity we are commanded to always engage in (1 Thessalonians 5:17). How often do you pray? Do you use every available opportunity to pray?

Apart from prayer, another spiritual activity you should regularly engage in to keep you spiritually fit and growing is fasting. Some people believe that doing a long fast for 30days or 100days is sufficient for a year. While this is a good spiritual exercise, there is still the need to continue fasting in the course of the year. When the Lord addressed the question of why His disciples were not fasting often like those of John the Baptist, here is what He said in Luke 5:34:

“And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?”

Since the Master has been received into glory, it is clear from His words that we now are expected to fast often. Some people fast for a short period at a stretch and thereafter they want to feast for the rest of the year. This is not good enough. A better practice is to find or create some time monthly or better still weekly to engage in fasting. Fasting was not strange to the patriarchs of old. Fasting does you so much good spiritually, so it should be a part of your lifestyle. You can live a fasted life. While detailing his experience in life, Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:27 said that fasting was a reoccurring activity in his Christian life:
“In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

Most people who find it difficult to fast simply have a problem with discipline. They are so used to eating that they cannot sacrifice a few meals to seek God’s face. Anyone who cannot control his or her appetite may remain enslaved to the body. Fasting helps to subdue or break the controlling power that the weaknesses and desires of your body have over you.

ACTION POINT :

Stop talking about your plan to fast, just go ahead and fast. You can start with one day per week.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
[Refrain]

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
[Refrain]

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY MAY 19TH 2017

THEME: SACRIFICE OVERTURNS WRATH  

Memorise:

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 2 Samuel 24:24

Read: 2 Samuel 24:16-25

24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? letthine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded.

24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.m

24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.

24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24:25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

MESSAGE:

Sacrificial sowing can deliver an unending harvest to you, make your harvest irreversible, make you the talk of town and even turn away God’s anger from you. In 2 Samuel 24:1-25, we read about how God was provoked to anger by King David, thereby bringing God’s judgment on the people. So many people died in the ensuing plague. After the first wave of destruction, the angel was about to effect the second phase when God stopped him, while he was on Araunah’s farmland. David’s seer, Prophet Gad, came and instructed him to raise an altar to the Lord on Araunah’s farmland, where the angel was last seen. On arrival, Araunah went to welcome King David and he offered him all he needed to make the sacrifice, but David politely decline it. Why? It is simply because he knew the importance of sacrifice and the power of sacrificial seeds.

“But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2 Samuel 24:24

When David pleaded with God to temper His justice with mercy and judge him instead of his innocent people, God said “Alright, I will do something about that. I will overlook your errors, I will forgive you and stop my judgment, but you have to first bring me a sacrifice.” David agreed to give that sacrifice, and he turned down Araunah’s offer to make the offering an easy one. He said, “This sacrifice must cost me something. It is a sacrifice in sorrow so that I can go home rejoicing”. Some of us have found ourselves in a similar situation as David, where it was required of us to make painful and costly sacrifices in order to achieve our heart desires. However, instead of going headlong into it, we rather sought and received help from the Araunahs of this world to make the task an easy one. Never accept an affordable or convenient alternative in the place of the sacrifice you need to make in order to enter into your desired breakthrough. If you can make the required sacrifice, you will receive the joy you so desire. If you can make the sacrifice, you can overturn God’s wrath from yourself or your family. If you can stand in the place of prayer long enough and pay the price the situation you are facing requires, you will return with joy. Are you ready to do this?

Action Point:

There is no alternative to a sacrifice that should be made. Just ask God for grace to do it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Deuteronomy 31-32
Jeremiah 32:26-35

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED

1. O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment:
Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Saviour and my Friend.

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY MAY 18TH 2017

THEME: DEFENDING HIS NAME  

MEMORISE:
Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
Psalm 106:8

READ: Psalm 106:7-9

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 29-30 & Jeremiah 32:16-2 5

MESSAGE:

The Bible declares that our God is a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). This means that He is ever-present or always ready to help in the time of trouble. There are several reasons why God makes His help available to a person. Understanding these reasons and applying them to your life will go a long way in helping you experience God as an ever-present help. One of these reasons is to fulfil His promises. God is very committed to His promises; hence, Psalm 89:34 says,

“My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”
If He has purposed to help you, he will not change His mind midway. Numbers 23:19 says,

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

God’s word has integrity. He regards His word above His name (Psalm 138:2). Every promise He has made to you shall be fulfilled speedily! God cannot violate his word, so you can be sure that He will keep His promise to help you.

Another reason why God reaches out to help a man is for the sake of His Name. if you genuinely belong to God, he will help you because you bear His Name and are called by His Name in this world (Acts 15:17). No wonder Psalm 106:8 says,

“Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”

That means His intervention goes beyond your asking. He will intervene to defend His Name and show His power. At certain bus stops in life, some people will challenge you by asking “Where is your God?” Some may even say “If your God is truly alive, He should have delivered you by now.” If you are in such situation, take heart and be unmovable. In Daniel 3:14-29, King Nebuchadnezzar initially asked the three Hebrew children “who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” however, by the time God was through with him, he publicly confessed that there was no God like their God. Is your child in a situation that appears hopeless? Is your business or career going through some impossible storm? God will step into your situation and calm the storms! The Lord is speaking peace to every impossible situation you are up against right now. He will surely bring you out of the storm, not just because of you, but because of His Name that you bear. In that situation you are going through, the Lord will defend His Name, and He will not put you to shame. He will demonstrate His power just to give you the last laugh in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, in this present situation I find myself, arise and defend your matchless Name.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

1 How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.

3 Jesus, my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

4 Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

5 Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 17TH 2017

THEME: BLESSINGS WITH SORROW  

Memorise:

And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Psalm 106:15

Read: Genesis 16:1-5

16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

MESSAGE:

A lot of people have gotten their finger burnt in the place of seeking an alternative to God’s promise. When God’s promise is seemingly delayed, some Christians do not have the strength of character to keep waiting on the Lord and holding on to His promise; they therefore seek out and accept man’s alternative to God’s precious promises. Not only does man’s alternative take you off God’s course and provide you with quick fixes that cannot really fix anything, they also give you monetary joy that cannot absolve you of sorrow. This was the experience of Sarah. In today’s Bible reading, after Sarah gave her maid, Hagar, to Abraham to raise children through her, she was happy and relieved that her problem of barrenness seemed solved. But her relief soon turned into grief as her happiness became sorrow. Genesis 16:4 says,

“And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”

Sarah took good care of Hagar, in expectation of using her as a means to an end. For the purpose of child-bearing, she exempted her from the usual chores that her fellow maids would perform. However, the moment Hagar conceived, the tables turned against Sarah. Suddenly, all attention shifted to the new queen of the house. Everyone and everything had to be at her beck and call. She no longer had regard for her mistress. Realizing she now had what Abraham earnestly wanted, she used her pregnancy as an excuse for gross misbehaviour. She took over Abraham’s attention and the poor man hardly even had time for Sarah anymore. When she was disobedient and her mistress tried to correct her, she would simply tell her, “Madam, if you were ever pregnant, you would understand what I am going through. “That was the beginning of Sarah’s sorrow”

When you are tired of waiting for God’s will, plan or timing, and you decided to follow one of the alternatives that comes your way, you will only be hurting yourself. May you not use your own hands to undo yourself! When God blesses you, he removes every form of sorrow from it (Proverb 10:22), but whatever blessing you think you can derive from substituting God’s plan with an alternative will only be short-lived and will definitely come with sorrow. Some people who knew and turned down God’s will in marriage, following the dictates of their flesh, ended up in sorrow. A good number of them are secretly weeping today. They cannot cry out because people warned them before venturing into such marriages, but their ears were deaf to those warnings. In your own interest, take time to find out God’s will for every area of your life and apparently follow it. In years to come, you will understand why that was the best decision you ever made.

Key Point:

It is better not to be blessed, than to be blessed and have sorrow with it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 28
Jeremiah 32:1-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
[Refrain]

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
[Refrain]

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
[Refrain]

She Has Done What She Could

The General Overseer of Christ Authority Bible Church Worldwide Ministry, Rev. E.O. Adepegba, last Sunday at the Headquarters church, 44, Ogbowankwo Street, Apapa Lagos,  teaches Christian on how to live a life, pleasing God without regards to men's commendation

    She Has Done What She Could.

He explained from the Bible text - mark 14: 3-9 that
The woman gave what she had to honour the Lord Jesus Christ at the right time. According to him, it is expedient, Christians must always take it as their responsibility to do their best in the Kingdom of God and give their best for the growth of the Kingdom.

He further helps to analyse the topic sighting salient points

1. The Action Of The Woman: Bible says the oil was so precious. It was generated from the root water of a tree normally use for embalming. The woman knew that Jesus is more precious than the ointment. Every Christians should know that,  Jesus Christ is more precious than anything they had gotten or achieved in life. A house is less valued compare to its owner, because he's the owner of it, God is our creator and provider of all we had, that makes him more precious than anything in life.

The woman doesn't mind the value of the ointment, she just broke the box and pour it on Jesus' head. Anything we value in life more than our creator as a Christian, we will surely lose it. Making reference to Lk 7:36-50. " to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little".

2.The Action of the People: The people criticised this woman for her action.  In like manner,  some Christians took it upon themselves as their duty to become critics to others' actions and works in the church, which is very bad and it's a sin. As a christian whenever you are around people doing good, always support them. When a christian pass through the test of power, authority, prosperity and popularity, if such a Christian could succeed these tests, then he or she is fit to be called a christian indeed. The Scripture tells us in Neh.4:1-3, Sanballat and Tobiah mocked and criticised the Jews led by Nehemiah to build the broken wall of Jerusalem, but they called on God to defend them.

   "A Christian should be a pillar and not a caterpillar."

3.The Action of Jesus Christ: When the people started criticising the woman Jesus told them  " leave her alone". Because of what she did, her action shall ever be mentioned wherever the gospel is preached.
 As Christians, we are not expected to heed people's  words but only listen to the action and word of Jesus Christ.
 A christian must be a staff and not a casual worker in God's vineyard. God doesn't have any useless son or daughter but you can only be less used.


   "God doesn't have any useless son or daughter but you can only be less used." 

Prayer:
1. Lord help me to play my role at the right time in your kingdom.
2. Lord give me the anointing to be looking fresh and useful in your Kingdom.


Reports gathered by Adeoye O. Toyin
Edited by Adigun Oluwatosin

Open Heaven Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TUESDAY MAY 16TH 2017

THEME: RELEASE YOUR FAITH  

MEMORISE:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:12

READ: Mark 11:22-24  

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

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Deuteronomy 25-27 & Jeremiah 31:31-40

MESSAGE:

The ministry of signs and wonders is the ministry of God, and He reserves the right to partner with anyone He chooses (Hebrew 2:4). He can partner with someone operating in any of the five-fold ministries: apostle, prophets, pastors, teachers or evangelists. He can equally partner with ushers, choristers, instrumentalist, sanitation workers, etc. when God partners with even an ordinary choir member or instrumentalist, demons will flee! This happened in David’s life when God partnered with him as just a harp player (1Samuel 16:23). Never look down on yourself! God can work with anyone who is willing to cooperate with Him. Are you willing? Are you ready to meet with His requirements? Are you asking like some followers of Jesus once asked Him in John 6:28b:

“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”

Here is His response to you in John 14:12:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

Note however, that if you desire to operate in the miraculous, you must be a person of faith. Why? Faith attracts God into the ordinary situations of life. It brings the divine into contact with the natural. In fact, in Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says if only you can believe in Him, signs will definitely follow you. Are you experiencing signs and wonders in your ministry? If you are not, it could be that you are not releasing your faith, not necessarily because you do not have faith. If you lack faith in God, you could never be born again in the first place. If you follow the steps to salvation and became born again, you definitely have faith. The same faith is required of you every time you go before God for something: whether to make a request, to worship or to praise Him. You need to release your faith. In Mark 11:22-23, Jesus says if only you can release your faith, you can command a mountain to move, and it will go to the destination that you have sent it. Faith is the key to the miraculous. When you lay your hands on the sick and pray for them, do you release your faith as well? If you refuse to release your faith, nothing will happen. When you pray, God looks for your faith before He acts on that prayer. Beloved, where is your faith? If you have faith, you will trust in God’s ability to meet your needs. If you have faith, you will have great expectations. If you have faith, you won’t seek any other alternative to God’s intervention. If you have faith, you will not be double-minded. Where is your faith? Release it today!

KEY POINT :
Faith is like an identity card that you must present whenever you go into God’s presence.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4.Whenlife’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!