Open Heavens Daily Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

MONDAY 1ST JANUARY 2018

THEME :
THANK YOU FATHER!

MEMORISE:
Bless The Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psalm 103:2

READ:
Psalm 150:1-6

1: Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary:

2: Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

4: Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

5: Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

6: Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 1

MESSAGE:
King Hezekiah declared a profound truth when he testified that only the living can praise the Lord ( Isaiah 38:19 ). Children of God, as living spirits, we have many reasons to be thankful for. Whenever I consider the lovingkindness of God and His tender mercies, demonstrated through protection, providence, love, forgiveness, healing, good health and, above all else, salvation of the soul, I always come to the conclusion that indeed the Lord has been very gracious to His children. No wonder the Holy Spirit, in Psalm 150:2, succinctly instructs us to

“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.”

This is so important that in Psalm 103:1-5, David counsels his own soul to bless the Lord in thanksgiving, admonishing himself not to forget any one of God’s benefits. In other words, there is tendency for us to forget all that the Lord has done for us. Nevertheless, we have no reason to be ungrateful to God, because His goodness forever flows to us. Prophet Jeremiah testifies of this truth in Lamentations 3:22-23, saying:

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Moreover, what is our joy as children of God? It is the assurance of better tomorrow: the assurance of better year ahead of us. Only those who are saved by the grace that is in Christ Jesus have this assurance. Declaring this assurance, the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 3:10 says,

“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. “

Who is the righteous? The righteous is the one who has accepted Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Saviour. The righteousness of Christ is bestowed upon such person because they believe and have appropriated the ransom paid on their behalf by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world ( John 1:29 ). God is saying to you that you should be grateful to Him for all He has done for you in the past, particularly in the just concluded year . If you remain thankful, your tank of blessings shall be full as you go into the New Year. However, not giving your life to the One who paid the supreme price for your salvation is the greatest form of ingratitude. Therefore, repent and give your life to Christ today! He will be your Shepherd and you shall want nothing throughout the New Year and in the years to come. Hallelujah!

ACTION POINT:
Thank the Lord for all His goodness and mercies over your life in the past; give your life to Him afresh and renew your commitment to serve Him in holiness and perfect obedience in this New Year.

AUTHOR :
Pastor E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1 :
NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD

1. Now thank we all our God, With hearts, and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who, from our mothers’ arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours to-day.

2. O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us.
And keep us in His grace
And guide us when perplexed.
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.

3. All praise and thanks to God
The father now be given,
The Son. and Him who reigns
With Them in highest heaven
The One, Eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY 31ST DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
YOUR LOCATION MATTERS


MEMORISE:
“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”  
Proverbs 10:5

READ:
Genesis 3:7-10

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Songs of Solomon 4-8, Malachi 3:16-4:6

MESSAGE:
Although God is much very willing to help you, before you can receive help from Him, you have to first settle the issue of your spiritual location. In today’s Bible reading, when God came visiting Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and He did not find them where he expected them to be, He made a passionate call to them saying: “Adam, where are you?” If God will help you, He needs to know where you are. Do you want God’s help today? If yes, where are you standing presently? Are you where you were at the beginning of the year? Are you stagnant, unproductive, unprofitable, and not making progress? In the parable of the talents, the fellow who received one talent proved to be unproductive (Matthew 25:24-30). That is however not God’s expectation of you. Some people are unproductive because they do the right thing at the wrong time. Proverbs 10:5 says,

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”

There is a time for everything. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Rest follows work and not the other way round. Today, quite a number of people unfortunately go on vacations even though they have not worked. Rest is earned. If you rest without deserving it, you will be showing to the whole world how unwise you really are. When many children of affluent people, who never worked one day to earn an income, are bequeathed with great wealth, the next thing they think of doing is how to go on a spending spree of the funds they never worked for.

Beloved, where is your present location? If you are located in laziness, disobedience, self-will or unforgiveness, receiving help from God may be a mirage. If you are sleeping when you should be actively engaged for the Master, you are a shame to the Body of Christ. The harvest of this world is already ripe and gradually becoming overripe. This is harvest time. How many souls did you personally win to Christ this year? Is there any significant improvement to your life compared to last year or have you lost further grounds to laziness, procrastination and idleness? Can you say you are experiencing progress? Movement can be sideways, forward or backward. May you never go backward in Jesus’ Name! Consider your location and take appropriate steps so that you can receive God’s help this season.

ACTION POINT:
Before asking God for anything make sure you are not located in disobedience or unbelief.

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SATURDAY 30TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
OF SEASONS

MEMORISE:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ecclesiastes 11-12, Song of Solomon 1-3, Malachi 2:17-3:15

READ:
James 5:1-6

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

MESSAGE:
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

It is clear from the above scripture that in God’s timetable, there is a time for everything. Life is split into different seasons. There is a time to weep and a time to laugh; there is also a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4). One lesson here is that every man is expected to go through the ups and downs of life. In other words, if you go through a weeping season, you will equally go through a laughing season. If you have experienced a season of mourning, you will also experience a season of dancing. However, if all you experience is the down seasons, something is most likely wrong somewhere. The forces of darkness, together with their human agents, often do what they can to manipulate their victims so that they never experience the good seasons of life. Every evil plot against you that is geared towards separating you from your good seasons shall come to nought in Jesus’ Name!

“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Luke 16:25

In Luke 16:19-31, the Lord told the story of a rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus. These two characters experienced different seasons on earth that contrasted greatly with the seasons they found themselves eternally living in after they died. While the rich man enjoyed a good season on earth, he found himself in an unending season of torment in eternity. On the other hand, Lazarus experienced very bad seasons while on earth, but he found himself enjoying an unending season of joy in eternity. One crucial lesson here is that if your stay on earth is just to enjoy yourself without giving consideration to having a good relationship with God, be prepared to spend an eternity without God. If you live life without Christ, you will live an eternity separated from God. In other words, how you live today will determine the permanent season you will experience in eternity. What season are you bringing upon yourself for eternity? In our Bible reading, rich men living in so much affluence and engaging in the excesses of the rich were asked to mourn over the evil season that would befall them in time to come. Are you going through a bad season in life? You shall soon enter a new season of joy in Jesus’ Name. If you are in Christ, that season of joy will led to a permanent season of joy in eternity. Thank God for your new season of joy. Hallelujah!

ACTION POINT:
Take stock of the high and low points in your life this year. What could you have done differently to avoid some of the low points?

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

FRIDAY 29TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
 EXCELLENT SERVICE OR EYE-SERVICE?

MEMORISE:
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Ephesians 6:6

READ:
Ephesians 6:5-8

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ecclesiastes 8-10, Malachi 2:1-16

MESSAGE:
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

God’s expectation concerning your service towards His Kingdom and your service in your workplace is that in both cases, you serve with the mindset of one serving God and not man. He expects you to render excellent service and to serve without hypocrisy. One mark of hypocritical service is the desire to please men rather than God. A hypocritical worker is more concerned about entering and remaining in the good books of his or her superiors but really does not care whether God is pleased or not. You will commonly find eye-service in such people. Eye-service is service rendered only when the employer is watching. Eye-service is unacceptable to God, especially in His vineyard, and for this reason, the Holy Spirit warns us against it in Ephesian 6:6 saying,

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;”

In the sight of God, a fellow given to eye-service is a hypocrite. When such people do some work for God, it is not from their heart. They are not bothered about the work being done in line with God’s will. All they are concerned about is being seen to be ‘doing something’ by their superiors. They love to be praised by their pastor or superior as being dutiful, diligent and supportive, but is that the record that God has of them?

If you love the praise of men more than the commendation of God, you do not yet know what it is to serve the Lord. The truth is, work or service rendered with eye-service will definitely miss heaven’s mark, and runs the risk of losing heaven’s rewards! How faithful are you to God and His work? Also, how faithful are you to your employer and the objectives of your job? Eye-service is characterized by deception, lies and pretense. If you work in this way, your service is unto the leader whose favour you seek and not unto Christ. You cannot serve Jesus Christ and still have the target to please men. Colossians 3:22 says your service should be backed by the fear of God. If you truly love and fear God, you will serve Him and do whatever He asks you to do, whether your superiors are there or not. If you still see traces of eye-service in your life, repent and turn a new leaf today.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, deliver your Church from eye-service and inspire us to serve you truly.

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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY 27TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
HEAVEN’S SPECS

MEMORISE:
And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Malachi 2:15

Malachi 2:14-15

14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ecclesiastes 1-3, Zachariah 14:10-21

MESSAGE:
Marriage between a man and a woman is approved by God. Besides companionship and receiving a life-time helper, another reason why God established marriage is for the continuity of the human race.
Genesis 1:28 says,

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

After creation, God blessed man to be fruitful, to multiply and refill the earth. Similarly, in Genesis 9:1, after the great flood that wiped out all of mankind except Noah and his family, God pronounced the same blessing on them. Beloved, God loves fruitfulness, and that is one reason why He instituted marriage. He wants the human race to multiply and spread all over the earth. His desire is for the earth to be subdued and dominated by man whom He has created in His own image. However, this does not justify raising a family without planning for it. If you are married, you and your spouse should prayerfully decide how many children you would add to populate the earth. Never bring children you are not able or prepared to take care of into this world.

While God wants all of mankind to multiply, He particularly wants those who are His own to bring forth godly seeds. In order words, while regular inhabitants of the earth are reproducing and adding to the world’s general population, believers are expected to raise godly seeds that would later reach out to the rest of the world. In today’s Bible reading, the Lord plainly stated that He allowed His children to marry so as to produce special children: a godly breed. God wants children who meet ‘heaven’s specifications’ from the homes of His people. Can He say that He has found them in your own home? Not every Christian family can raise these special breed of children, even though they have the potential to. It takes a deliberate collaborative effort between the Holy Spirit and parents to raise children who meet God’s specification of a godly seed. These are heaven-bound children who will walk closely with the Holy Spirit in their lifetime. Their foundations are laid in God’s word and doctrine. They are grounded in the knowledge of God and are carriers of His light. May God help us raise godly seed for His glory in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT:
Christian couples should not just trust God for babies but for godly seeds.

AUTHOR:
PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16:
GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Ope Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY 28TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
 PREVENTING FORNICATION

MEMORISE:
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:2

READ:
1 Corinthians 7:1-9

1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ecclesiastes 4-7, Malachi 1            

MESSAGE:
Yesterday, the Lord spoke to us about His intention for Christian homes not just to add to the population of the earth through procreation, but to produce children that meet heaven’s specification of godly seed, who will represent God everywhere they go and obey Him to the letter. May your home produce such godly seed in Jesus’ Name! Another reason why God established the institution of marriage is to prevent fornication. 1 Corinthians 7:2 says,

“Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”

This scripture speaks of the need for husband and wife to be intimate so as not to fall into the pit of sexual immorality. It is common in some homes today for the wife to deny her husband of intimacy just because he has not fulfilled certain requests she made, or for the husband to deny his wife intimacy because he is not happy with her. This is at variance with God’s expectations and an abuse of the purpose of sexual intimacy. It is wrong to use sex as a tool for punishing your spouse. People should learn to isolate issues and not mix them up. Neither the husband nor the wife has the power to deny sexual intimacy except it is a temporal arrangement, for the purpose of prayer and fasting, and this must be by mutual consent. Denial of sexual intimacy is viewed as fraud from God’s perspective (1 Corinthians 7:4-5).

Both the wife and the husband should strive towards fulfilling the godly sexual desires of their spouse. This is necessary because it is one way the couple will be protected from the hawks outside their home. It is only a foolish woman who will give conditions for intimacy. When you starve your spouse of intimacy, you expose him to external dangers and temptations. Some women who are married to pastors and ministers of God take it for granted that their husband can never go out of their matrimonial homes, and as a result they begin to deny them sexual intimacy at will. Going by recent realities, such women may get the shock of their lives! There are those who use spirituality as basis for starving their spouse. I don’t suppose such people can be more spiritual than Apostle Paul, who wrote the admonition in 1 Corinthian 7:4-5. Some of these people are almost always fasting and praying. Please control your fast before you cause irreparable damage to your home.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, uproot every spirit of immorality causing married people in my local assembly to be unfaithful to their spouses.

AUTHOR:
PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16:
GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TUESDAY 26TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
MARRIAGE: HELPERS.

MEMORISE:
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Proverbs 31:11

READ:
Proverbs 18:22-24

22 Whosoever findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth the favour of the Lord.

23 The poor useth entreaties, but the rich answereth roughly.

24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 28-31, Zachariah 13:7-14:9

MESSAGE:
On the 23rd of this month, the Lord took us to the beginning of His creation to learn that companionship is one major reason why He established the institution of marriage (Genesis 2:18). God does not want adults to be alone. After marriage, some people refuse to stay in the company of their spouse, giving excuse such as not being “compatible” with their spouse. If you knew you were not compatible with your spouse, why did you venture into marriage with him or her in the first place? Sometimes, the untold underlying reason behind this incompatibility is the gap in educational qualifications, social status or financial power of the couple. In such case, God expects that the one in the advantage position in the relationship would assist the other to climb up until the gap is bridged. Your wife is your number-one companion. Some men are always in the company of other women. This is a violation of God’s law on companionship.

Moreover, another reason why God established marriage is to raise a permanent helper for the man and vice versa. The term “help meet” used in Genesis 2:18 refers to adequate and appropriate help. In other words, if you obtain your wife or husband from God, you can be assured that God has given you an appropriate destiny helper. Do you know that the fortunes of some people improve tremendously after marriage? Adam could say he had a helpmate because Eve was the bone of his bone, and the flesh of his flesh (Genesis 2:21-23). If you marry the right woman God has for you, favour will suddenly reside in your home (Proverbs 18:22). She will prevent waste of resources in your home and load you with good throughout your lifetime (Proverbs 31:11). This also applies to a woman who marries the right husband. For this reason, it is very important to go to God for your spouse, like Adam received Eve from God. If you get a spouse from God as His child, it enhances your prospects of making Heaven (1 Kings 21:25). However, if you get your spouse from friends, relations, computerized match-making services, date clubs, or by your own self will, you may be getting a destroyer instead of a helper. When you have the right man as a husband, he will be a crown over you and help you become what God has in store for you. Help is reciprocal. The reason why some people were plunged into ‘hell” from the day their marriage started is because they refused to go to the Creator for Him to help them take that crucial decision that has the potential of determining lives and destinies.

ACTION POINT:
To make the right decision on who to marry, go to the Creator of all men for help, and He will surely lead you to the right person for you. He knows all people and the contents of their hearts.

AUTHOR:
 PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16:
GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4.God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 25TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:  WHO DO YOU SEEK?

MEMORISE:
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. Matthew 28:5

READ: Matthew 2:1-11

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.


MESSAGE:

What you focus on will seriously affect your ability to achieve your destiny, realise your goals and glorify God. Many children of God were focused on Jesus Christ before they became exposed to luxurious cars, mansion and exotic lifestyles, but after the Lord prospered them, they began to ask the Lord questions as to why they should live their lives in accordance with His principles, which got them to where they are in the first place. While prosperity is good, it is only beneficial for as long as it is balanced with a lifestyle of godliness. Prosperity that does not have Christ at its center is vain and only a passing shadow. A beautiful mansion without Jesus is Hell, while a hut with Jesus in it is heaven on earth.

In todays’ Bible reading, we are told that some wise men came to seek Jesus. According to Bible scholars, these men must have travelled for at least two years before they got to their destination. They did not arrive immediately Jesus was born, as it is popularly depicted. From Herod’s enquiries on what time they first saw the guiding star, he could calculate that Jesus could be up to two years old when the wise men arrived. This was why in an attempt to kill the child, he decreed that children who were two years old and younger be killed (Matthew 2:16). When the wise men eventually arrived at the place where Jesus was, they worshipped Him and gave Him gifts. Worship is incomplete without an offering. Proverbs 13:20 says,

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”

If you want to be wise like the wise men, you will back your worship up with a good offering. Come before His presence with joy and singing; bring Him gifts and worship Him, and you will be glad you did. Why? Everyone who ever saw Jesus and worshiped Him benefitted from it. The wise men did not travel for two years in vain. After they saw the young Jesus and offered Him gifts, their deed was immortalized. For over 2000 years, their story is still being told around the world wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached. Who or what would you really love to see? I want to see Jesus. After working with God for several years, Moses still asked God to show him His glory (Exodus 33:17-23). I often wondered why, before I got the revelation. Job equally had the rare privilege of seeing God (Job 42:1-6). If you search for Him this Christmas season, you will surely find Him. Are you focused on the reason for the season or lost in the vanity that the world seeks?

KEY POINT:
The wise men diligently sought for Jesus and they found Him. If you also seek Him diligently, you will surely be rewarded.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 24-27
Zachariah 12:10-13:6

                                                                                                   
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

1.      What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

2.      Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3.      Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 24TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:  BENEFITS OF SUPREME LOVE

MEMORISE:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

READ: John 14:20-23

14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

MESSAGE:

One of the greatest invitations we have from the Lord Jesus Christ is the call to love Him. In Matthew 10:37 he says,

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

This invitation is not just to love Jesus, but to love Him supremely. It is a call to love Him above everyone who is precious to us: parents, children, family and friends. If you truly love someone, you would be ready to defend your love for that person at any cost. Sometimes, when you love two different people and the two parties are in disagreement over an issue, you will find yourself supporting the person you love more against the one you love less. When the Lord’s instructions are in conflict with the beliefs of loved ones, most people would choose to please their loved ones rather than obey the Lord’s instructions. Do you love Jesus above everyone and everything else? Do you love Him above your career, work, academic pursuit, etc?

There are great benefits for those who love Jesus supremely. First, Jesus says they will be regarded as being worthy of Him. They will be qualified to carry His banner everywhere they go, and they are assured of the backing of the Most High God. Also, according to John 14:21, if you love Jesus supremely, God the Father will make you the target of His love and you will bask in it. In addition, the Lord will manifest Himself to you. Check out all those who experienced a manifestation of the Lord, like Saul of Tarsus; their lives never remained the same (1Corinthians 15:5-8). Furthermore, John 14:23 says,

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

From this scripture, another benefit of you loving Jesus supremely is that both Jesus Christ and God the Father will make your heart their permanent residence. If you experience the reality of this truth, you will enter into the realm of Heaven on earth, where no devil or demon dares to come near you (Deuteronomy 11:21). Are you satisfied with your relationship with the Godhead? Why stay where you are when you can take your love for Christ to the limits and have the Godhead fully living with you?

KEY POINT:
Love is so powerful! You can love God to the extent that He will personally come and introduce Himself to you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 21-23
Zachariah 11:15-12:9
                                                                                                         

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

1.      What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

2.      Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3.      Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

FRIDAY 22ND DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
WORKING SOMETHING OUT

MEMORISE:
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians2:13                                                                                                                                    
READ:
Genesis 50:15-21

15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 13-16, Zachariah 10

MESSAGE:
Not every seemingly negative situation is as bad as it looks or sounds. In fact, for those called according to God’s purpose, who love God and are in His will, every event works to deliver something good to them (Romans 8:28). This is why we are told that we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If you view every incident with your limited understanding, you will be deceived. God can bring out something good from the evil works of your enemies, and in the end, they will end up being fooled, deceived or misguided. If you walk with the Holy Spirit and allow Him shed His light on events happening around you, you will see what He is working out for you, and you will react differently to seemingly unpleasant things. Instead of sorrowing or being aggrieved, you would be rejoicing and celebrating. Why? It is because you have begun to see as the Holy Spirit sees.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

Beloved, if you are saved and standing in God’s will, please know that whatever God allows to come your way is for your good. In the various situations of life you are confronted with, God is working something out for you. He is always in control. The devil may brag, shake the whole place and get everyone afraid, but God is the One at the helm of affairs. He is the One holding the rudder of the ship. He is fully in control and He never stops working. As the devil is scheming, God tampers with his plans. By the time his plans materialize, instead of working against you as originally designed, the devil will see them working for your good and in your favour. Even in very bad situations, God can still work out something good. Can you imagine anything good ever coming out of Samson’s fall? After he fell and was arrested, he was shaved, blinded and made an object of mockery by the Philistines (Judges 16:17-30). However, when he repented, God tinkered with his situation and at the end of it all; the enemies he killed in his pitiable state were more than all those he killed while he had his eyes and freedom. Beloved, just submit to God in whatever situation you find yourself and you will be shocked at what great feat God can still achieve through you in that situation.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I thank You for always causing all things to work together for my good.

AUTHOR:
PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4:
THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR

1.Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor;
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us;
All must be well.

2.Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation;
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit’s guiding,
All must be well.

3.We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Or in living, or in dying,
All must be well.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 21ST DECEMBER 2017

THEME:  ASHAMED OF YOUR FAITH?

MEMORISE:
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

READ: Philippians 1:20-21

1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.


MESSAGE:

Do you desire and seek rest for your soul? There is a rest in Jesus Christ that you can never find elsewhere. To access this rest, you must be ready to receive His yoke by denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him daily. (Matthew 11:29). To find rest for your soul, you must reach a point where you are no longer ashamed of Jesus Christ. You must conquer shame or be dead to it with regard to your faith in Christ Jesus. To this end, Paul said this to us, from his experience:

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”                                                                                      Philippians 1:20

Are you still ashamed to publicly declare your faith in Christ? Do you allow people to intimidate you concerning your faith in Christ Jesus? Get out of that pit of shame today and let everyone who cares to know be informed that you are a true child of God! Let your lifestyle support your confession and copy Jesus in all that you do!

A confirmation that you have conquered shame with respect to your faith in Christ is that you would be bold to face anyone, anywhere and say to them that you are for Jesus Christ. If you are not bold, it is because you are infested with fear. If you have fear inside you and you are not a baby Christian, please check your life for sin. Why? Proverbs 28:1 says,

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Sin always brings in some degree of fear to a person’s life. There is a relationship between sin and fear. In the same vein, there is a relationship between righteousness and boldness (confidence). When you live your life transparently in righteousness, you will be bold and courageous. You will also be able to muster increasing levels of faith. If you do not have faith in your prayers being answered, it could indicate the presence of sin in your life. Sin kills expectations and hope. When you live to please God, your expectations will be strong and your hope will be strong. Check your life today. If you are lacking in boldness, faith, hope and expectation, there just might be some sins you haven’t confessed lurking around the corner.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, grant me boldness to declare my faith in every situation I find myself in this world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 9-12
Zachariah 9
                                                                                                         

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1.      My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior 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 ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:
A MATTER OF CHOICE

MEMORISE:
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Psalm 35:27

READ:
Genesis 32:3-6

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 5-8, Zachariah 8:9-23

MESSAGE:
If you measure life by the experiences of some people, you will live far from your God-given purpose and barely scratch the surface. Some people are alive but only just surviving from day to day. In Luke 13:11-17, the woman who was bound for 18 years did not die, but she was merely surviving and not living. Also, the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 1:23-26 was continually going to church, and yet he was inhabited by an unclean spirit. It was even in the synagogue that the Lord met him. Although he was living, he was the captive of a demonic spirit. What of Naaman who appeared to be a distinguished and successful man, and yet he had a problem that no man could solve (2 Kings 5:1)? Just like the individuals in all these examples, many people today are barely surviving, and are not living life as purposed by God for them. God not only wants you to live life, He also wants you to enjoy the abundant life that He gives (John 10:10). Are you not tired of “managing”, struggling to survive, and living from hand to mouth? If you are truly tired, the Lord will make a way for you.

God is interested in the overflow of His blessings upon your life. He does not just want you to be healed; he also wants His healing virtue to flow through you to others. He wants you to be free from captivity, and beyond this, He also wants you to set the captives free. God does not want you just to be rich but also to lend to nations. He wants you to be so prosperous that when nations cannot balance their budgets, they will come and pay you a visit. God wants you to bring great joy to your family, community, city and nation. However, no matter how much He wants the overflow for you, He will respect what you want for yourself. He cannot force an overflow of His blessing on you when you want so little of it. There are different levels of greatness, and your choice of the type of life you want for yourself has a role to play in determining how great you become. Let us see the example of Esau. Yes, he sold his birthright, but as a seed of Abraham, he was so blessed from the remnant of blessing pronounced on him that he had 400 bodyguards. How many bodyguards do ministers, senators, state governors or even presidents have today? So you would agree that Esau was not doing badly. However, compared to Jacob his brother, who became a great nation, the difference is definitely clear. Do you want to merely survive, or do you want to be truly blessed with the overflowing portion of God’s blessings? The choice is yours!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I am tired of just managing to survive. I choose the overflow of Your blessings. Please release it to me and my family now.

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 Savior 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 honor 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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE:  TUESDAY 19TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:  STUDENT FOR LIFE!

MEMORISE:
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: Proverbs 1:5

READ: Proverbs 1:1-6

1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

MESSAGE:

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”  Proverbs 1:5

According to the above scripture, knowledge is good, although not all knowledge is necessary for the children of God. It also states that only a wise fellow will benefit from what he hears. If you are taught something but you fail to act on it, you are at a great disadvantage compared to those who were not exposed to such information at all. Why? Jesus says that on the last day, it is the word of God that will judge us. In other words, any sound teaching from God’s word that you heard but fail to act upon will stand against you on the last day. This means that just as the word of God can liberate a person, that same word can also condemn him or her. May you not be condemned by what you have heard in Jesus’ Name! This is why you need to live your life by every word of God or teaching from the Bible you have received.

From Proverbs 1:5, we also learn that if knowledge is given its rightful position in your life, what you are taught will provoke you to desire more knowledge. In other words, if you are wise, you will always remain a student throughout your life, because one revelation of God’s word will prompt you to search for another in an unending chain. In this regard, believers are expected to be like professionals who need to constantly update their knowledge. Are you always seeking to know more? Do you find time to read good, inspiring books? It is popularly said that leaders are readers. If you fail to read and learn from the experiences and wealth of knowledge of others, you will only be left with the stale information that you have inside you. Therefore, seek knowledge from today! For you to lead in your group, you ought to know what others do not know. According to Ecclesiastics 9:18, winning a war is not only dependent on the nature of the weapons available to you, but more on what you know and your ability to apply what you know to the situation at hand. If there is one area every believer in Christ should work on, it is to know God more. How well are you doing in this area?


KEY POINT:
It is either you are current and relevant, or you become stale and abandoned. Its your choice to make!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 1-4
Zachariah 7:1-8:8

                                                                                                       
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 sorrow, heals his wounds,
And drives away our 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. O Jesus, Shepherd, Guardian, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring,

4. How weak the effort of my heart,
How cold my warmest thought;
But when I see you as you are,
I’ll praise you as I ought.

5. Till then I would your love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of your name
Refresh my soul in death.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

MONDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2017

THEME:  AVOID DEFILEMENT! 

Memorise: “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Revelation 21:27

Read: Isaiah 52:11-12 (KJV)

^52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

^52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

Bible in one year: Revelation 20-22, Zachariah 5:5-6:15, 
Sing Hymn 9

MESSAGE:

It is the great desire of the wonder-working God to work wonders through His children. However, for you to be a partaker of the manifestation of this desire, you must be prepared to pay the price. Nothing good comes cheap. Anything that is cheap is obviously of low quality and value. If you are interested in working wonders as a worker in God’s vineyard, you must be prepared to be a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). You must be ready to say, “Lord, for the rest of my life, feel free to do whatever you want with me.” In addition, to work wonders, you must have clean hands. Isaiah 52:11 says,

“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.”

Your hands must be free from defilement at home, at work, when nobody is watching, and everywhere else. Many years ago, while I was still lecturing in the university, rccg open heaven 2017 I wrote a personal letter, and as I reached out to take one of the official envelopes assigned to me, the Lord said, “You wrote a personal letter, but that envelope is for official use.” I replied, “Lord, how much is an envelope?”, and He said to me, “If it is so cheap, go and buy your own.” If you want to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, or if you want to lay hands on demon-possessed individuals and have the demons obey your voice, then it cannot be with hands that have been stealing, defrauding or writing false reports.

Moreover, you need to be in constant touch with God. 1^st Thessalonians 5:17 says that you should pray without ceasing. One way to do this is by regularly praying in tongues like Paul (1^st Corinthians 14:18).open heaven 
You can also keep in touch with God by constantly thanking Him. I tell you, Jesus would like that. I heard the testimony of a man who on his 50th birthday said all he wanted to do was say ‘Thank You’ to Jesus at least 50 times. I said that was a beautiful idea which had never crossed my mind. How old are you now? When you want to pray, say thank You to Jesus the number of times corresponding with your age, and you will be amazed at what could happen through this. Do you want to be a worker of signs and wonders? Are you ready to pay the price?

Prayer Point:

Father, by Your power, keep me from being defiled, every day of my life.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

Hymn 9

ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

Verse 1

On a hill far away

Stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:

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 some day for a crown.

Verse 2

O 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.

(Chorus)

Verse 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.

(Chorus)  

Verse 4

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,

its shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,

Where his glory forever I’ll share.

(Chorus)