Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 1ST APRIL 2018

THEME: THE SECRET THINGS

MEMORISE:
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant. Psalm 25:14

READ: Daniel 2:10-23

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king?  Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:  he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.

MESSAGE

The benevolent Creator of all things speaks to mankind using different means and methods, one of which is dreams. King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream which became worrisome to him when he realised that he could not even remember its details. Indeed, the awesome God of heaven and of earth does what pleases Him in the affairs of men. The king thought he had experts who could unravel his mysterious dream, but he was mistaken. His astrologers and stargazers could not reveal the secret things of life to him. Disappointed, he threatened to kill them all. Little did he know of the way God works, outlined in today’s memory verse. If you will be wise and learn from King Nebuchadnezzar’s experience, you need to first recognise and accept that there are secret things which determine the course of life. The knowledge of such secret things could avert evil, make a person wise in decision making and even lead to unimaginable breakthroughs in life. My prayer for you today is that secrets which will lead to your success will not be hidden from you in Jesus’ Name. In Joseph’s time, it was the revelation of the devil’s secret plans to destroy the whole of Egypt and all other surrounding nations with hunger that saved from dying during a devastating seven years of famine (Genesis 41). King Nebuchadnezzar would have killed all his so-called wise men out of frustration, but for the God of heaven who intervened through His prophet, Daniel.

When King Nebuchadnezzar’s decree brought the threat of death to the doorstep of Daniel and his cohorts, they sought the mercies of the God of heaven, and He released His wisdom to them. Beloved, where do you seek wisdom: from God or from men? The wisdom of men will definitely disappoint you, and so you must seek the wisdom you need for overcoming life’s challenges from God. You may be wondering what the basis of my recommendation is. God is rich in mercy and His mercy endures for ever (Ephesians 2:4, 1 Chronicles 16:34). Because He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, He knows the secrets behind all things that are yet to happen (Isaiah 46:10). You would therefore be wise to put your trust in Him. Daniel and his brethren consulted Him and they were not disappointed. Furthermore, learn a vital lesson from their attitude after the secret things of the king’s dream were revealed to them by God: they gave all the glory back to Him immediately (Daniel 2:20-23). This attitude is unlike that of some people who after obtaining just one degree would conclude that there is no God. We know what the Bible calls such people in Psalm 14:1. I pray for you today: the knowledge that would take faith away from your heart will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
I thank you Father because sound wisdom come from You; please don’t deny me secrets of life that will lead me to Your presence on the last day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 29-30, Philippians 3:1-4:1.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: A NEW THING
(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

1. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because GOD will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.

2. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.

3. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten

4. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.

5. We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations

6. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully

7. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousand.

8. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: WHAT IS THE VALUE OF YOUR LIFE?

MEMORISE: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 (Scroll down for Open Heavens Hymn)

READ: Genesis 5:21-24 (KJV)

21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 28, Philippians 2.

MESSAGE:

The value of a man’s life is not dependent on the number of years he spends on earth, and neither is it dependent on the amount of goods that he possesses. The value of a man’s life has to do with what he does with his life in appreciation of the benevolence of his Maker, who is also the Redeemer of his soul. The wisdom of God in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says:

“13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

According to the above scripture, the value or quality of a man’s life is based upon the service he renders to his Maker in obedience to His commands. God hates a life of disobedience. He likens disobedience to the sin of idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23). Reading through the Bible, you will discover that idolatry is passionately abhorred by God with a promise of severe punishment to the fourth generation of those found guilty of it (Exodus 20:5).

Some people erroneously think that the amount of material possessions they have determines the value of their life. For this reason, they struggle at all costs to get rich, even to the extent of abandoning the pursuit of eternal life. Eventually, they end up frustrated and in serious agony. How I wish such people would listen to these words of Jesus in Luke 12:15:

“…Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

The Lord Jesus Christ admonished His audience to labour for things that have eternal value (John 6:27). They in turn asked Him what works they must do in order to do the works of God. Here is His answer to them in John 6:29:

“…This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

This is the only way our labour in life will have value and meaning. Any labour you put up that will not further your cause of having eternal life in God’s Kingdom is an exercise in futility. Believing in Jesus Christ and the work of redemption He did for all mankind is a great work of faith that will add value to your life, which transcends this present life. Enoch’s life was so valuable to God that God decided to personally come to take him to Himself. He did not send any of His angels on this assignment because of the value He placed on Enoch. Such a life is worthy of emulation. I encourage you to determine to add value to your life by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and by living a life of obedience to God in truth.

KEY POINT: The worth of a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things that he has.

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 30TH MARCH 2018

THEME: THE LIVING FAITH

MEMORISE: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1 (Scroll down for Open Heavens Hymn)

READ: James 2:17-26 (KJV)

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 25-27, Philippians 1.

MESSAGE:

The title of today’s devotional presupposes at least two categories of faith: living and dead faith. In James 2:17-26, the Holy Spirit confirms to us that there is indeed dead faith, and He also teaches us what makes faith have life. My prayer for you is that any aspect of your faith that is dead will come alive today in Jesus’ Name. Is it not amazing that faith, as powerful as it is, cannot stand on its own without works? This is not contestable, because it is the word of God. James 2:18 puts it this way:

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Faith sees into the invisible and beholds what the Almighty is capable of doing. While the act of exercising faith can spur God into action, there is also an obligation on the part of the one exercising faith. This obligation is the work of faith which we are talking about today. Without this, faith is seen to be lifeless. Apostle James expounded on this truth with the classical example of the father of faith, Abraham:

“21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” – James 2:21-23

Beloved, what would have been left of Abraham’s walk of faith if he had refused when God asked him to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering? Thank God Abraham acted on the demand of God. In response to the demonstration of his faith that had moved from theory to practical, God said to Abraham:

“…Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Genesis 22:12

After all the time that Abraham had been walking with God, why did God say “It’s now I know you fear Me”? It’s because his works had collided with his faith, which then came alive and became substantial. Beloved, do you have living faith in God?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please impart in my spirit the living faith that pleases You in practical terms from today, in Jesus’ Name.


HYMN 5: 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 29TH MARCH 2018

THEME: TIME FOR EVERYTHING

MEMORISE: “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” – Psalm 126:6

READ: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 23-24, Ephesians 6.

MESSAGE:

Our loving Father commanded His prophets and apostles of old to record the words of the Bible so that through these sacred writings, we may live profitable lives to Him, ourselves and to all of humanity in general. The wisdom of God manifested in these writings can make us wise, if we apply our hearts to His teachings. This wisdom speaks to us in Ecclesiastes 3:1 saying,

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

When a man knows the appropriate time to act and not to act, he is considered wise. It is profitable for the children of God to be observant of times and seasons so that they are not found to be labouring against the divine timetable. Our memory verse speaks of the time of sowing, which is often not as pleasant as the time of reaping, even though there is an assurance for the sower that in the time of harvest there shall be rejoicing. In other words, the Bible teaches us to endure in the time of sowing so that there could be a time of harvest. Consequently, if there is no sowing, there will be no reaping. It takes the grace and wisdom of God for us to know the correct time of sowing and the correct time of reaping. It is calamitous for a man to be sleeping when he should be reaping, because his harvest would have been wasted before he wakes up from his slumber. On the other hand, if by the time you ought to be sowing you are sleeping, at the time of harvest you would have nothing to reap.

Timing is so important that there is even a time to speak and a time to be silent. There is a thought provoking message that sounds paradoxical but is perfect in wisdom, found in Proverbs 26:4-5:

“4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”

In other words, although not speaking out during an argument is wise and virtuous, it becomes a vice when there is a need to speak out and you keep your mouth shut. At such times, silence insinuates consent or denial of the truth. Our Lord Jesus Christ kept mute in the face of malicious and unfounded allegations against Him until He was asked if He was the King of the Jews and if He was the Christ (Matthew 27:11, Luke 22:67-70). To these questions, He answered in the affirmative. He could not have denied who He was because that would have contradicted or negated the Scripture. As a born-again Christian, do you deny or refuse to affirm who you are in front of friends and colleagues? Ask God for forgiveness and begin to take a stand for your faith.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me wisdom that will make me accurately discern the right time and season for all things.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Open Heavens 28 March 2018 Wednesday — The Belated Offering’’

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

1. Nearer, my God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down.
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

3. There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou send’st to me
In mercy given:
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 28TH MARCH 2018

THEME: THE BELATED OFFERING

MEMORISE:
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10

READ: Mark 16:1-7

1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee:  there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

MESSAGE

A belated offering is a worthy present that is offered a little too late. A perfect example of this is found in Mark 16:1:

“And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.”

These women had real love for Jesus. They followed Him everywhere He went as part of His disciples, and they catered to His needs. They were there at His crucifixion and even stayed behind to see where He was buried (Luke 23:55-56). After observing His burial place, they combined resources to invest in preparing sweet spices for the purpose of anointing His body in the grave. Sadly enough, it turned out to be a belated offering: a wasted effort that didn’t serve the intended purpose and a colossal disappointment. Indeed, it was the news of the resurrected Lord that served as their consolation. As children of God, we must avoid coming late to the presence of God or delaying our praise, worship and service to God beyond the appointed time; neither should we offer our vows, first fruits, tithes or special offerings belatedly.

Many years ago, at the inception of the Redemption Camp building project, I told one of my sons of the need to urgently carry out an assignment that God would want Him to handle. He responded that he would go and pray about it over the weekend and then feed me back. As soon as he walked out of my office, God brought someone else who accepted the responsibility and immediately went to work, finishing the assignment in record time. My son came in early the following week to announce his readiness to do the work. He was dazed when I told him the project had been completed someone else, and he saw the evidence of this. He learnt his lesson that day and has never allowed such opportunities slip through his hands since then. I pray that you and your offerings will be acceptable to God in Jesus’ Name. The terrible thing about a belated offering is that it is always an opportunity lost that may never be regained. Esau carelessly lost the opportunity of a lifetime, and although he later sought it carefully with tears, it was impossible to reverse the situation. Hebrews 12:17 says,

“For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Please don’t let this be your story. God bless you.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, restore to me every missed opportunity of giving that will provoke the release of a breakthrough blessing from You in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 21-22, Ephesians 5.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 27TH MARCH 2018

THEME: THE TIMELY OFFERING

MEMORISE:
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: Exodus 22:29a

READ: Matthew 26:6-13

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

MESSAGE

What is a timely offering? It is a worthy gift that is offered to God at the right time. People who offer timely offering are always inspired or motivated to do so by unseen divine power. Such people usually tell stories of a strong inner influence encouraging them to do a worthy deed, particularly in the house of God in support of His work. Today’s Bible reading gives us a perfect example of a timely offering. A few days to the very weekend that Jesus was arrested and crucified, a woman was motivated by the Holy Spirit to anoint Him with a very precious ointment. In the presence of the disciples and a few guests, she poured an alabaster box of very precious ointment on His head. The disciples responded with anger because they could not understand the reason for action, but Jesus explained it to them in Matthew 26:2:

“For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”

Just as Jesus said, this woman’s precious ointment was the only perfume that He had on His body throughout His three-day sojourn in the grave. After His death, by the time some women arrived in the morning of the third day to anoint His body, it was too late because Jesus had already risen from the grave (Luke 23:55-24:3). The woman who did this good work received her due reward, stated in Matthew 26:13. You will receive your due reward for obedience in Jesus’ Name.

God is not only interested in your obedience; He is also interested in your timely obedience, according to today’s memory verse. God wants you to render to Him on time the first portion of your produce which has been set aside for Him. He wants you to honour Him with one tenth of your income and bring all your offerings without delay. Delayed offerings are not acceptable to God. In our service to God, He demands our punctuality. Be faithful in attending the teaching and preaching sessions in your church. Arrive on time, appropriately dressed and ready to make meaningful contributions toward the effectiveness of all that is going on. Be faithful in the giving of your time, talents, and in rendering other services to God. There is something about rising early to praise and worship God as exemplified by the life of David (Psalm 57:8-9, Psalm 63:1). Whatever you have decided to do for God, do it on time. He is interested in the timing of your actions. Proverbs 8:17 says,

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Abraham, David, Solomon, and other God lovers in the Bible always rendered anything they have to offer to God promptly and without delay, because only a timely offering is acceptable to God.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, grant me grace to yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to give timely offerings that will release a reward from heaven in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 18-20, Ephesians 4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 26TH MARCH 2018

THEME: SIGNS OF THE END TIMES II

MEMORISE:
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:4

READ: 2 Peter 3:10-14

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

MESSAGE

Although the events that will herald the second coming of Christ are disturbing and could even be frightening, our Lord did not forewarn of these events in order to frighten or terrify us. His purpose was to prepare and empower us with the right attitude and mindset. Based on yesterday’s study, since it is obvious that we are now in the end times, we will be considering the instructions that the Lord gave to us on how to live in these last days. The Lord instructed us to watch out so that we are not deceived by anyone (Matthew 24:4). This warning should be taken seriously as it is increasingly becoming difficult to focus on the message of the gospel. Some false prophets, hiding under the cloak of possessing special revelations, are peddling new doctrines that have no foundation in the Bible. Many issues that are clearly stated in the Bible, such as those relating to salvation, sexual orientation, abortion, divorce and remarriage, termination of life on request, tithing and the giving of first fruits are now being presented in ways that are contrary to the word of God. Do not be deceived, but rather hold on to the true word of God in all situations.

As we read about the signs and observe their fulfilment, we should not be alarmed, because they must happen. Having foreknowledge of their occurrence should remove the element of surprise that may affect those who are uninformed. We are to use our knowledge to our advantage by standing firm to the very end. Our knowledge should also motivate us to continue preaching the gospel throughout the world, warning all men about the reality of the second coming of the Lord and the impending danger of ignoring this warning. We must be well prepared for the persecution that may come in form of government laws and regulations, or as conditions to be met in order to have access to certain benefits. Our duty is to watch continually for our Lord’s second coming. He repeatedly stressed that His coming, though certain, would happen when people least expect it to. As His bride, we are to continually stir ourselves up to be ready for His coming at any time. Frequent reflection on Christ’s beauty, love, mercy, glory and honour, in addition to a lifestyle of praise and worship will help to cultivate a readiness to meet Jesus in the air. Aggressive evangelism in our families and communities will also help to increase our readiness for Christ’s coming. We must actively strive against worldliness because a worldly mindset is contrary to a watchful spirit. Finally, we must pray for the coming of the Lord according to Revelation 22:17:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

ACTION POINT:
Assess your readiness for the coming persecution of believers, and for the return of the Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 16-17, Ephesians 3.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 25TH MARCH 2018

THEME: SIGNS OF THE END TIMES I

MEMORISE:
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5

READ: Matthew 24:1-13

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled:  for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

MESSAGE

While Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him privately to ask what has now become a recurring question: “What shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?” Even scientists today are interested in knowing if and how the world will end. In response to their question, the Lord took it upon Himself to outline to anyone who will care to listen, the signs and significant historical events that would herald His second coming and that will eventually lead us to the end of the world. A diligent study of Matthew 24:4-28 reveals about thirty signs of the end times, and the most prominent of these are the appearance of the deceivers and impostors, wars and rumours of wars, famine, earthquake and natural disasters, the hatred of Christians around the world leading to persecution and martyrdom, many renouncing their faith in Christ, the love of many waxing cold, the rise of many false prophets performing signs and wonders, the sun and moon getting darkened, and people living a carefree life just as it was in the days of Noah.

In the last few decades, we have witnessed the appearance of deceivers and impostors of the Lord Jesus Christ in different parts of the world. Some famous ones have succeeded in leading people astray, even to the point of committing mass suicide. Civil unrest, rumours of war, terrorism and full-scale wars have been constant news items for years now. The occurrence of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters have been on the increase in the last few years. It is sad to hear of and witness the unbelievable level of persecution and martyrdom of Christians currently going on in several parts of the world. There has been leaked video footage of Christians being lined up and murdered in parts of Africa and Middle East. Several governments, including those of western world, are now making laws that are hostile to the Christian faith. In some countries, Christians are being pressurised to perform activities that are contrary to their faith. Some Christians have even caved in under pressure to renounce their faith. False prophets in various forms are showing up everywhere on the surface of the earth. They all claim to be representing the Lord Jesus. Some of them display the gift of revelation and prophecy, even performing convincing miracles. They usually give themselves off as false prophets because their works and lifestyle are not consistent with the image of he Lord Jesus Christ. Despite the abundant evidence that the time of the Lord’s coming is near, most people in the world are still living carefree lives, just as it was in the days of Noah. Unsurprisingly, everything is playing out according to the warning and prophecy of our Lord. Therefore, be alert! The trumpet could sound any moment from now. Are you prepared to meet your Creator?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, making heaven at last is my goal. Please help me actualise this in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 13-15, Ephesians 2.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 24TH MARCH 2018

THEME: LESSONS FROM THE TEN VIRGINS

MEMORISE: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” – Matthew 25:13

READ: Matthew 25:1-13 (KJV)

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 11-12, Ephesians 1.

MESSAGE:

In the Jewish culture and tradition, wedding festivities are usually held in the evening and run into the night. Typically, the bridegroom would go to meet his bride in her father’s house with lamps, and the bridal train would proceed from the bride’s father’s house to the groom’s house, where a feast would be provided for the invited guests. It was against this backdrop that the Lord Jesus Christ gave the parable of the ten virgins. In general, the parable speaks of the second coming of our Lord and of the judgement that will accompany His return. In this parable, the Lord classified the people His message was targeted at into two groups: the wise and the foolish.

There are various lessons to be learnt from this parable of the ten virgins, especially because it contains a lot of symbolism with deep spiritual meanings. The virgins, lamp, oil, the absence of the bridegroom, slumbering and sleeping, the midnight, the cry, the trimming of lamps, having no oil, asking for oil, the refusal to give oil, entering into the feast, and several other aspect of the story represent different aspects of our Christian race to heaven. However, we will be considering just a few lessons behind some of these metaphors. The virgins represent the Church, while Jesus is the Bridegroom. The message of the parable is therefore for the Church and not for the world. We are warned in this parable that the Bridegroom may delay His coming. He may not come at the time we expect, but he will surely come at midnight, meaning that He will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Note that all the virgins who set out to meet the bridegroom dozed off and slept. The only thing that separated the wise virgins from the foolish ones was the level of their preparedness. The wise virgins took extra oil with them in anticipation of a delay in the bridegroom’s arrival, while the foolish ones failed in this regard. They obviously did not anticipate that the coming of the bridegroom could be so delayed. Their failure to take extra oil made the difference and determined their fate. The Lord will take only those who are ready at His coming into the marriage supper. The door will be shut against those who are not ready after the call has gone out, and it will not be opened to anyone who comes late.

The practical lesson of this parable therefore is the unexpected nature of the Lord’s Coming. We must be ever ready to meet the Lord. The lamps of our faith and Bible study must be kept burning all through the day and night. We must uphold and defend the truth in the word of God. We must not allow modern thinking and liberal theology to water down or pollute our faith. We must keep our focus on the message of the gospel as we continue to follow the footsteps of our Master, Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me never to lose sight of Your second coming in Jesus’ Name.

Hymn 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 23RD MARCH 2018

THEME: THE TEMPLE OF GOD

MEMORISE:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

READ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

MESSAGE
From the beginning, God’s plan has always been to have continuous fellowship with mankind. Looking at God’s interaction with Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3, we see that He normally visited them at a certain time of the day to have fellowship with them.

However, in the dispensation of the New Testament, because the Almighty has better things in store for us, He has chosen not to visit, but rather to dwell in us. How privileged and blessed we are! The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul expounded on this truth in today’s Bible reading. As a Christian, you need to recognise that your body is sacred dwelling place of the Almighty.

You also need to know that because you have been redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus, you have been purchased by God at a very high price. You therefore do not have any claim over your body anymore, and consequently, you have no right to pervert, misuse or engage your body in anything that is contrary to the will of God.

God expects us to exercise responsible stewardship over our bodies. He expects us to do everything necessary to glorify Him with our bodies and make them suitable for His worship. 1 Corinthians 3:17 says,

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

This is an important statement with very serious implications. A lot of people in the world today, especially youths, view their body as their, and so they believe they can do anything they like with it. They have chosen to tread the path of defiling their bodies, which should be the temple of God, through ungodly lifestyles and association with evil companions.

 Obviously, this is the reason why early death is trending in the upwards in the world today. Those who choose to abuse their bodies with unhealthy foods, alcohol, sexual immorality, hard drugs and other dangerous substances usually fall sick and end up dying prematurely.

 Some develop emotional or psychological problems that eventually lead to instability, loss of sanity, depression and even suicide. Defiling your body has such terrible consequences. You need to trust God on His recommendations for the wellbeing of your body. Keep your body away from anything that contaminate or pollute it. Don’t yield to any contrary peer group pressure.

 Those who keep their body pure are directly inviting the presence of God into their lives, and they will receive divine visitation from above. It is a great privilege and honour to embody the presence of the Almighty.

ACTION POINT:
Examine the people and things you have been granting access to your body: do they pass God’s purity test?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 9-10, Galatians 5:16-6:18.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE

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 Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 22ND MARCH 2018

THEME: NECESSITY OF HOLY LIVING

MEMORISE:

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 1 Peter 1:15

READ: Hebrews 12:13-17

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

MESSAGE

Today, we will be reflecting on the necessity of holy living to the success of our Christian journey. Looking at this topic through the eyes of the book of Leviticus helps us to better understand God’s mindset concerning it. The book of Leviticus reveals the holiness of God and His love for His people in a way found nowhere else in the Bible. Today, this book is still calling on God’s people of all ages to embrace holiness as a way of life. In reality, holiness is the only kind of life approved by God. The purpose of Leviticus was to show Israelites how to live in ritual and moral purity. Whenever they met God’s standard of purity, He approved of them, so much so that He came to live amongst them. However, whenever they forsook the lifestyle of holiness, He would in turn abandon them to the hands of their enemies. From the example of the children of Israel, it is obvious that holy living is necessary for a continuous, unbroken fellowship with the Almighty God.

To understand the necessity of holy living as a Christian, we have much to learn from the instructions of holy living in the book of Leviticus. First, we must understand something about God’s holiness. Leviticus 11:44 and 1 Peter 1:16 both contain the same message from God on holiness: “You have to be holy because I am holy.” Holiness is the nature of God, and because He cannot change, He remains holy forever. Since He cannot behold sin, it is therefore necessary that anyone who will come to Him must live holy (Habakkuk 1:13). Secondly, holy living becomes necessary when we consider the great price paid for our redemption from sin (1 Peter 1:18-19). As a true Christian, when you think about the agony, pain, deep sorrow and emotional trauma of the passion of Christ, you would not want to do anything that will amount to crucifying Him the second time. Thirdly, all Christians have the honourable duty of presenting only their best to God in every situation they find themselves. In light of this, Romans 12:1 tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. You need to understand that the view of some that the salvation received when we become born again cannot be lost under any circumstance is at variance with the true message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:26 says:

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,”

Hence, a holy lifestyle is not an option, but rather a necessary condition for a successful Christian life.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me walk in holiness as a lifestyle for the rest of my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 7-8, Galatians 4:21-5:15.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

1. Nearer, my God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down.
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

3. There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou send'st to me
In mercy given:
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 21ST MARCH 2018

THEME: LIKE MASTER, LIKE DISCIPLE

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: Acts 4:8-14 (KJV)

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 5-6, Galatians 4:1-20.

MESSAGE

Today’s memory verse focuses on one of the farewell statements of the Lord Jesus Christ that I consider to be of utmost importance to the Body of Christ today. This statement was addressed to anyone who believes in Jesus as the Messiah. Note that the mandate contained in this statement is not directed at the 12 disciples or any special group. It was not directed at bishops, pastors, prophets, evangelists or other “highly spiritual” Christians. Jesus was speaking to anyone who believes in Him, which means all Christians. Although all Christians claim to believe in Jesus, a vast majority are not even aware of this important mandate of the Master, while some others, due to unbelief, argue that it is impossible to walk in the reality of it. The word “works” in this mandate comprises of everything Jesus did during His whole earthly ministry. These include teaching, preaching, discipleship, miracles, signs and wonders. The question then is: are we Christians doing the works that Jesus did? The answer is obvious. May the Lord ignite the fire in His Church and wake us up to our responsibilities in Jesus’ Name.

Discipleship is the process of following Jesus Christ, serving Him and obeying Him in all things. Jesus encouraged His disciples to strive to become like Him so that they can represent Him in His absence (Mark 9:17-19, Matthew 10:25a). The template of discipleship instituted by the Lord demands that anyone who wants to be a true disciple must first deny himself or herself (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial is all about sacrificing personal interests and preferences to focus on the will of the Master only. The Christian race becomes very easy for anyone who is able to take this very importance step. Soon after I gave my life to Christ, the Lord helped me to give up my personal ambition of becoming the youngest occupant of the highest office in the academic world on the African continent. This decision helped me to commit the whole of my time, attention, money, and all other resources at my disposal to the service of God. It paid off, as the Lord took me from my humble beginnings to where I am today. The Lord says no one can serve two masters; every disciple is therefore expected to be totally committed to God and His kingdom business (Matthew 6:24). Doing the works of Jesus entails going out to proclaim the message of the gospel, and demonstrating acts of mercy, love and compassion around the world. Our message must be backed up with the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit in signs, wonders and miracles. We must win souls and disciple them to maturity. Nothing short of these is acceptable as the works of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please grant me the grace to do greater works as mandated by Your Son, in Jesus’ Name.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Open Heavens 20th March 2018 Tuesday — Your Sun Shall Rise Again’’ 

HYMN 5: 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 20TH MARCH 2018

THEME: YOUR SUN SHALL RISE AGAIN

MEMORISE:
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2 Peter 1:19

READ: Malachi 4:1-3

1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

MESSAGE

The Almighty God created the sun as the major source of light and heat for the earth. He also appointed the sun as an indicator of time and direction (Genesis 1:14-15). A new day begins with the rising of the sun, and its setting indicates the end of the day. Have you noticed the effect that the sun has on people’s overall mood? People tend to be more active on a bright and sunny day. Ecclesiastes 11:7 says,
“Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:”

The sun also serves the vital role of sustaining life on earth by stimulating plants and other organisms to produce food. Deuteronomy 33:14a says,
“And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun,”

As advantageous as the sun is to mankind, God also uses as a weapon against evildoers and to correct His own disobedient children (Revelation 16:8-9). Jonah 4:8 says,

“And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die,”

When you understand the importance of the sun to mankind, you will then begin to appreciate and better comprehend what the Holy Spirit declares to you in Isaiah 60:20:

“Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.”

I therefore pray that in accordance to God’s word, your sun will not go down, and your day will not be turned to night in Jesus’ Name. The devil knows the importance of light and is very familiar with darkness. This is the reason why he attacks people by extinguishing their light and throwing them into utter darkness. If you are experiencing darkness in any way, I am happy to announce to you that Jesus has the power to turn your night to day (John 8:12). Darkness may endure for a night, but be sure that the Sun of Righteousness will rise over your life in the morning. Even though the devil may have succeeded in putting out your light by whatever means, our Lord Jesus Christ is able to make your sun rise again by the power of His word, and He has sent His word to you today. I therefore decree in the Name of Jesus, wherever there is darkness inn your life, let there be light now! Receive the light of God for illumination, direction, sustenance, health and joy!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let my light shine all over the world, and make me relevant to Your plans in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 4, Galatians 3.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: 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 ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 19TH MARCH 2018

THEME: THE LORD’S SEEKERS

MEMORISE:
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. Psalm 40:16

READ: Psalm 24:1-6

1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.

MESSAGE

To seek is to diligently search for or pursue after an object or person of value. The greater the value placed on an object of person of interest, the more intense the labour, time and money that will be expended on the search process. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, yet He loves us so much that He gave up His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sin so that we may have abundant life in this world and spend eternity with Him in heaven. Having done so much for us, His desire is that we all should seek after Him and His kingdom. God has a reward for all those who seek Him with all their heart, but those who ignore Him do so at their own peril. Hebrews 11:6 says,

“…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

God wants His children to know that seeking after Him and His kingdom is like acquiring a gem of inestimable value; which is why the Lord Jesus Christ in His parables compared the kingdom of God to seeking a treasure (Matthew 13:44-46). In as much as God’s desire is for His people to seek after Him, He also is seeking for those who display genuine interest in fellowshipping with Him (Psalm 14:2, John 4:23). The word of God encourages us to seek the Lord and worship Him always for who He is. He is our Creator, Redeemer, Provider, Healer, the Mighty Warrior and Saviour of the world. We need to show appreciation for His goodness, enduring mercy and great kindness towards us. He is our peace and our shelter in times of trouble. We must seek after God wholeheartedly and with simplicity of heart; we must seek Him continually and without delay. We must also seek Him in holiness and righteousness. Seeking God and His kingdom should be the priority of our lives (Matthew 6:33). When you seek after God, He will offer Himself to you as a gift, just as He did to Abraham (Genesis 15:1). When God gives you Himself as a gift, you have access to everything that belongs to Him, and of course all things in heaven and on earth are His. No wonder the Holy Spirit, speaking to those who seek after God and not men, in 1 Corinthians 3:21b said “all things are yours”. In conclusion, I leave you with the word of a dying father to his son in 1 Chronicles 28:9:

“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”

KEY POINT:
Those who seek after God receive God as their reward.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 2-3, Galatians 2.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I Need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Chorus:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh bless me now, my Saviour;
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.

5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 18TH MARCH 2018

THEME: GOD’S FAVOURITE

MEMORISE:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

READ: Hebrews 1:7-9

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

MESSAGE

The word ‘favourite’ is used to describe a person who is preferred to others or who is especially well liked. Treating a certain class of people as favourites is generally considered to be an unfair practice. Why would God then have favourites? Looking at God’s principles of truth and justice through the prism of our human understanding of favouritism makes this question a very tricky one to answer. Indeed, Deuteronomy 32:4 tells us this about God:

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”

We also understand from John 3:16 that He loves all human beings alike. Likewise, Romans 2:11 clearly states that there is no respect of persons with Him. However, another truth of God’s word is that He is sovereign and He does as he pleases (Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6). To demonstrate His sovereignty, in Romans 9:15 He declared:

“…I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

The choice to have favourites is therefore a manifestation of God’s sovereignty which He says cannot be questioned (Romans 9:20). God has shown this aspect of His sovereignty in the lives of individuals like Abraham, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, Moses, Pharaoh, Esther, Mary and several others. I am happy to declare to you that my Daddy has a special relationship with me that come with special privileges that are not common to all men. How else can anyone explain my appointment as the General Overseer of the redeemed Christian Church of God, or the phenomenal growth the Church is experiencing even now? What shall we say about the fulfilment of seemingly impossible prophecies, outstanding miracles and great testimonies of unbelievable proportions? How can one explain all these, except that I am God’s favourites?

In Matthew 3:17b, God proclaimed these words concerning Jesus:

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

For those who are born again, it then follows that since we are joint heirs with Christ, and since the Holy Spirit has indicated that has Jesus is, so are we in this world (Romans 8:17, 1 John 4:17), we are truly the beloved of God and therefore His favourites. I pray that you will begin to walk in the reality of this truth from today in Jesus’ Name. Being God’s favourite surly sounds good, but it comes with some responsibilities. As a favourite of God, you must make holiness your lifestyle. You must dedicate yourself to God in true worship, submitting yourself totally to His will. You are also expected to dedicate yourself to service in the Body of Christ. Are you God’s favourite?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let it be glaring to the whole world that I am Your favourite in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 1, Galatians 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

1. Nearer, my God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down.
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

3. There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou send'st to me
In mercy given:
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 17TH MARCH 2018

THEME: THE UNCHANGEABLE CHANGER

MEMORISE:
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8

READ: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD:  for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

MESSAGE

I love to hail my Daddy as the Unchangeable Changer for many reasons. He is unchangeable because He is not subject to variation or alteration (James 1:17). The Almighty God is an infinitely perfect and self-existent Being. He is exalted far above the possibility of change because He is independent and not limited by all the factors that cause change. As a self-existing being, God cannot be changed by forces outside Himself. He is also not subject to change from within His person because He is perfect in nature. He cannot be subject to any form of change at all because He is eternal and independent of time (1 Timothy 6:16). The unchanging nature of God is established throughout the Bible (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Isaiah 46:9-11, Ezekiel 24:14). Here is His declaration about Himself in Malachi 3:6:

“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

The moral consistency of our God guarantees His commitment to unchanging principles. Just as His nature is unchanging, His character is also unchanging. The Psalmist testifies to this truth in Psalm 100:5:

“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

In addition to God’s character being constant, His plans and purposes cannot also be altered by any outside force. Proverbs 19:21 says

“There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.”

As our God lives, His good counsel over your life shall come to pass in Jesus’ Name.

God’s unchanging nature is connected to the fact that He is Omniscient. A person usually changes his or her mind because of new information that was previously unavailable, or because of new developments that require a different approach. Since God is Omniscient, He cannot learn something new that He did not already know. The unchanging nature of God, coupled with His ability to turn situations around for good is a great advantage for His children. Because our God is faithful, you can be sure that every promise in His word to you will come to pass. Remember also that the fact that He has not imposed His promised judgement on workers of iniquity is indicative of His enduring mercy and unchanging grace. Please tap into this grace while it is yet available.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please turn around every unpleasant situation in my life today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 34-36, 2 Corinthians 13.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE

1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might.
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above,
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

3. To all life thou givest, to both great and small
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought changeth Thee.

4. Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight,
All laud we would render, O help us to see,
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee.
5. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 16TH MARCH 2018

THEME: HE STILL RESTORES

MEMORISE:
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. Luke 7:22

READ: Luke 4:16-21

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

MESSAGE

When God completed the process of creation, He carefully appraised everything He had created and concluded that they were very good. Genesis 1:31 says,

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

However, looking at the world created by God today, it is obvious that a lot of things are no longer very good. Why is this so? Through the deception of the devil, Adam and Eve fell into the error of sin, and this brought corruption and degeneration into the world. After the fall, mankind began to worship created things such as the moon, stars, mountains, rivers, trees and animals as God. Because the Almighty God is a jealous God, He responded by cursing the earth, and this led to a situation where these created things began to work against humanity, thereby making life terribly difficult for them. The land refused to yield its increase, weather became contrary, and animals became wild and unfriendly. However, the Almighty God knew that humanity needed restoration: the kind of restoration that only He, the Creator, could provide. This prompted Him, out of love and compassion, to send His only begotten Son on the difficult assignment of restoring mankind to his original state. May God’s Name be praise forever.

During the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth, He went about restoring things that had been destroyed by the enemy back to God’s original plan and purpose. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, the restoration power of God was released, not only by miraculous healing and deliverance, but also through forgiveness of sin, restoration of destiny, recovery of lost glory, and restoration of communities (Luke 8:39-40). Through His restoration work, a once shunned leper could now freely join other people to worship God, and people who were previously blind, lame and incapacitated became useful members of their society instead of living as beggars. Those freed from demonic possession were no longer feared by their neighbours. Some even became evangelists, openly testifying to the glory of God. The same Jesus is still in the business of physical and spiritual restoration. I pray that in any way your destiny has become corrupted, the Lord will grant you total restoration in Jesus’ Name. I also pray that in any way perversion has entered into the Body of Christ, to attack and paralyse its operation, the Lord will step in to completely restore His church in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
Call on Jesus to restore every good thing that has lost its purpose in your life and community.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 32-33, 2 Corinthians 12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my pardon this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

3. Nothing can my sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of works, 'tis all of grace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

4. This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!