Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

FRIDAY 27TH JULY, 2018

PREPARING FOR YOUR FLIGHT?

MEMORISE:
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 2 Peter 1:14

READ:   
2 Timothy 4:6-8
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 7-8 &
Matthew 9:9-26

MESSAGE:
“ Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” 2 Peter 1:14

 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
2 Timothy 4:6

It is so amazing to read the words of Peter and Paul in the above verses of scripture. They spoke of their impending deaths as though they were making preparation for a trip to a better country. Contrary to the common human response to issues relating to death, there is no trace of fear or anxiety in their words. We have important lessons to learn about death from these great apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 9:27, the Holy Spirit spoke through Paul saying:

 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

He also spoke through Peter in 1 Peter 4:7 saying:

 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

These two great apostles had no fear of death because they knew that death was just a vehicle to transport them to the glorious place Christ had prepared for them. They could look death in the eye without flinching because they had lived their lives in holiness, doing the will of God from a heart of love. They lived a victorious life over the devil, and were not held bound by the world with all its trappings. They knew with certainty that death would only be a passage of life in eternity, and that once they closed their eyes in death they would be carried into the presence of Jesus by His holy angels. Death and the grave had no power over them, and they could truly say:

 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
1 Corinthians 15:55

God deliberately gave us these two apostles as examples so that we would learn from their attitude. We who are alive today are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, appropriating the victory He has won for us over death by shedding whatever fear of death we may still have. Christ has indeed delivered us from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). His expectation is that we will begin to make preparations for our flight to eternity, either by death or by rapture. Finally, in the words of Amos 4:12, I plead with you today: “PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!”

KEY POINT:
What is your attitude towards death, and are you prepared to take a flight to glory through it?

HYMN 5:
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, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I 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: WEDNESDAY 25TH JULY 2018

THEME: PROSPERITY MADE EASY.

MEMORISE:
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:25

READ: James 1:21-25

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 MESSAGE
The issue of prosperity is an area where many in the Body of Christ today hold dangerous misconceptions. So many people come to church today in search of blessings, either financial or otherwise, but they are not interested in getting born again in truth.

They care less about holiness or righteousness and are not committed to the service of God in anyway, but they are prepared to do anything the pastor says with respect to sowing seeds and giving sacrificially in order to be blessed. Unfortunately, many in this category are youths.

 After they have practiced sowing and sacrificial giving for a while and the blessings are not forthcoming, they begin to pile up accusations against God and His servants.

 Although some pastors may be taking advantage of the innocence and ignorance of these young minds, such youths have themselves to blame because they have access to the word of God and are intelligent enough to read and understand the principles of prosperity as laid down by God.

 In several passages of the Bible, God promises His people prosperity in physical, material and spiritual things, and He also reiterate His intention to make them great and exalted above all other people of the earth, but this is always based on one condition:
 OBEDIENCE.

 Without exception, the Bible always presents obedience as the prerequisite to blessings.

James 1:25 stressed the point that anyone who continues to live in obedience to the word of God shall be blessed in his or her deeds. The pronouncement of multiple blessings on Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 28 was also based on the condition of obedience in Deuteronomy 28:1.

 Therefore, obedience to the word of God is not negotiable for anyone who is looking up to God for blessings.

 Another important thing to note is that God expects His children to continue in obedience, since the matter of their prosperity is already settled (Deuteronomy 28:2).

 The Creator of heaven and earth is a master planner and He knows how to make everything perfect in His own time. For this reason, giving Him a time limit within which you expect Him to perform His work is not wise and may lead to disappointment.

 When God promised to build me a city instead of the two-bedroom apartment I was asking for, I didn’t know His timing, but I waited patiently for Him. Months later, God started His wonders at the Redemption Camp, and about 40years later, the project has become a huge success, although God is not done with His wonders yet.

I decree that the same God will perfect your package of blessing and deliver it to you very soon in Jesus’ Name.

 PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me the grace to obey you in all areas of my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 1-3
Matthew 7:24-8:17

 AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. 

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
 
DATE:  TUESDAY 24TH JULY 2018

THEME:   OTHER END-TIME SIGNS.

 
MEMORISE:

 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Acts 2:17

READ:     Acts 2:17-21

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

MESSAGE

When considering the signs of the end-times, we are usually so engrossed with looking at the negative things that will happen that we often lose sight of the positive ones. There are several positive ones.  There are several positive things the Spirit of God has indicated will occur in these end times, and children of God who are wise will put these to heart and watch out for them so as not to miss out what God is doing in our time. One of such positive signs is found in Micah 4:1:

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.”

This peaks about the prosperity and the glorification of God’s Church before the whole world. It also speaks of the great harvest of souls that God will send to His Church through this prosperity. Anyone who has his or her ears on the heartbeat of God’s Spirit will know that we live in the time when this sign is being fulfilled. The wise will connect themselves to what God is doing through His Spirit and experience this prosperity is not for God’s children.

Another of positive sign is the great outpouring of revival, which the Holy Spirit spoke about in Acts 2:17, saying:

“ And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”

This has already started, and a greater outpouring is gathering momentum among the youths. For this reason, the Church must being to prepare the youths for the greater revival that is coming. This is not a theological proposition, but a truth that is founded on God’s word. We must therefore allow God to use us to bring it to pass. The old ones in the Body of Christ will dream dreams for the youths to carry out. There must therefore be collaboration and understanding of our distinct role in God’s programme for these end times. While our elders like Moses sit on the mountain to seek the Lord’s face, our Joshuas must take the battle to the enemy’s gates with their God-given vigor (Exodus 17:8-15). When we follow this divine pattern, the battle will be won decisively by the Church of Jesus Christ on earth. And the kingdom of God or Father shall be gloriously inaugurated at the second coming of His Christ.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, let Your kingdom come in its fullness, and let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 9-10

Matthew 7:1-23

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 23RD JULY 2018


THEME:   REMOVE THE LOG, PLEASE.



MEMORISE:

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Romans 2:21

READ:     Matthew 7:1-5

1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

MESSAGE

Today, we will be reflecting on the subject of hypocrisy. In general terms, hypocrisy is the habit of pretending to be what one is not. Hypocrites especially pretend to be morally upright but in reality, they are morally bankrupt. Jesus Christ identified the Pharisees as perfect examples of hypocrites, and He exposes some interesting characteristics they possess. Let us consider some of these traits, so that we can guard ourselves against them. Simply put, hypocrites are blind to their own faults (Matthew 7:5), they are ignorant of the current move of God (Luke 12:56), they do not know what is important to God (Luke 13:15-16) and they obsess over the traditions of men (Mark 7:8). Furthermore, they lack knowledge of God’s true expectations of His people (Matthew 23:14-15), and love to make public display of their moral and religious standing, (Matthew 6:2). Hypocrites view themselves as the only godly, virtuous and spiritual people around. Consequently, they are highly judgmental of other people’s mistakes and short comings in public, whereas they themselves may even be guilty of worse sins in secret. A careful consideration of these characteristics may reveal one or two that may be evident in your life. I pray that God will destroy every root of hypocrisy in your life today in Jesus’ Name.

Jesus often called the Pharisees hypocrites because of the conflict between their external actions and their internal state (Matthew 23:27-28). In order not to end up like them, we must thoroughly check ourselves often. Do you seldom preach to yourself as a Christian? Do you find yourself practicing what you preach against? Are you blind to your own faults? Do you have the habit of crucifying others when they fall into error? Are you judgmental of other people’s mistakes? Is your internal state consistent with your external works? Are you in anyway hypocritical in thought or action? May the Lord shine His light into our hearts and deliver His Church from hypocrisy in Jesus’ Name. Jesus compared hypocrites to whitewashed tombs and to dishes that are clean on the outside but dirty on the inside (Matthew 23:25-28). It’s such a scary thing to be viewed as neat and clean outside while the internal space that matters most is in despicable condition. This illustration also speaks to Christians who are deemed to be mature, and yet are secretly involved in shameful things. If you are in such a situation, it is time to remove the log from your eyes and straighten out your life. Your efforts to do away with hypocrisy will receive God’s approval in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to be honest with myself henceforth in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 7-8

Matthew 6:16-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE



HYMN 15: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.

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 to Thee!

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

There let me see the sight, an open Heaven;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee!

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 to Thee!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
 
DATE:  SUNDAY 22ND JULY 2018

THEME:  YOU NEED A PARTNER!

 
MEMORISE:
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecclesiastes 4:9



READ:    Genesis 2:18-25

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.



MESSAGE


Partnership or friendship involves a deep, strong connection between two individuals who are bound together in a way that affects every aspect of their individual lives. It is a close relationship that involves mutual trust, fellowship, sharing and companionship. Friendship enriches human life. The mutual affection and devotion that David and Jonathan shared with each other was extraordinary, and it is a prime example of what friendship of partnership is (1 Samuel 18:1-4). A friend or partner is a person you feel connected to like your own soul. The Bible discuses the benefits and requirement of friendship or partnership in Proverbs 18:24, while it stresses loyalty and steadfastness as hallmarks of true friendship in Proverbs 17:17, which says:

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”


In Ecclesiastes 4:8-12, the Holy Spirit explains the dangers of being a lone ranger and the benefits of partnership. This passage of scripture states clearly that two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. If they should slip on any issue, they will console and help each with an adversary, the two will put up a more formidable defense, and they stand a better chance of surviving the enemy’s attack together than as individual entities. The Holy Spirit also reveals some more truths about friendship and partnership in Proverbs 19:4 & 6, saying:

“Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.  Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.”

The wise will keep these truths to heart. Many Christians in the business world would have done better with godly partners, but they are running their business alone because they feel that introducing partners will increase their overhead and reduce their profits. The position of the Bible on this is that a right partner will help to increase production and push up profit margins. For example, the great catch of fish in Luke 5:6-7 would have been wasted without the involvement and assistance of partners. The advantages of partnership cannot be overemphasized, even though some people are in a friendly relationship for personal gain. Nevertheless, God wants His children to prayerfully identify, acknowledge and appreciate His talents and special gifts in others. More importantly, He wants us to harness His wonderful investments together in our lives for maximum profit in all that he has destined us to do. The Lord’s declaration in Matthew 18:19 encourages us to work together to achieve greatness that would otherwise be impossible. Begin to harness the power of this word from today.


PRAYER POINT:

Father, please connect me with partners that will lead to greater productivity and efficiency in my life, in Jesus’ Name.



BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 4-6

Matthew 5:43-6:15



AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE



HYMN 4:  TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY 19TH JULY 2018

THEME: AFRAID OF THE DOUBLE PORTION?

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: 2 Kings 2:1-15, Luke 7:20-22 (KJV)

2 Kings 2:1-15:
1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.

9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

Luke 7:20-22:
20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22 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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 34, Matthew 4:1-22

MESSAGE:
In the context of today’s memory verse , the prospect of possessing a double portion anointing or doing “greater works” is somewhat scary and considered impossible by many. However, a prayerful consideration of the Master’s words in this verse will immediately highlight an important difference between Elisha’s experience and the Lord’s revelation here. In 2 Kings 2:9, Elisha’s request was, “let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me”. The focus here is “thy spirit”, referring to Elijah’s anointing in contrast, the Lord’s focus in John 14:12 is not on having a greater portion of the His anointing (which may be virtually impossible to bestow on mortal flesh for many reasons), but rather on doing His works. We carry out the works of Jesus by gaining access to His anointing through His Name (Acts 3:16). Therefore, we don’t need a huge amount of our anointing to do greater works spoken of in John 14:12; we only need to call on Jesus by faith to gain access to His unlimited power, which is an anointing without measure (John 3:34). No wonder Jesus in Matthew 17:20 said:

“…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

Therefore, you should throw away every form of fear, doubt and unbelief in response to Jesus’ call to do greater works than He did.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was quite conscious of the weight of His words in John 14:12, and for this reason, He started His statement with emphasis, saying “Verily, verily, I say unto you”. When Jesus declared that His disciples would do greater works than he did, He meant that their works would have greater reach and impact on the wider world than His. He was not merely referring to miracles, signs and wonders, but all aspects of what God had planned to do by the power of the Holy Ghost. Part of the greater works involves taking the gospel beyond Jerusalem to all parts of the world. It also involves miracles, sign and wonders of salvation, healing, deliverance, raising the dead and destroying the works of darkness wherever we go. I therefore challenge you to recognize Jesus as the Miracle-Worker and see what He will do through you. The Lord does not expect you to do any of His works with your own power. In John 14:14 He said:

“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

So, whenever you are faced with impossible situations in your life and in the lives of others, all you need to do is to call on the Name of Jesus. From today, whatever you decree on earth will be granted in heaven in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the grace to do greater works through the Name of Jesus.

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
 
DATE:  MONDAY 16TH JULY 2018

THEME:   MORE THAN ENOUGH ACCOMODATION.


MEMORISE:
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

READ:     John 14:1-3
1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

MESSAGE

Our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s Bibl reading assured us of His second coming, indeed, He is coming to take use to be with Him, so that we may be where He is. The size of our heavenly home is so large that it has taken over two thousand years to complete it, as the number of saint is increasing continually. Considering the Omnipotent power of the Most High to do all things, this may sound ridiculous; however, the ways of the Lord are unsearchable, and the prerogative of mysteries belongs to Him alone. When dealing with mysteries such as this, all we need to do is believe and take Him by His word.

Isn’t it wonderful that our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:2 said:

“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

In other words, He does not want us to see our present place of abode here onearth as our final destination. He wants us to be mindful of a better place being prepared for us. Those who are busy killing, stealing and embezzling funds in order to amass “mansions” for themselves here on earth are being foolish. Such people do not have an understanding of what is ultimately good for them. Also, those who would not want to be born again because of the material things of this world do not know what they stand to lose in eternity. The truth is that there is enough room for everyone who is born again in the Kingdom of God. Those who teach that there is no heaven anywhere and that our heavenly mansions will be here on earth lack spiritual understanding of the scriptures. Jesus said if what He declared to us about our heavenly mansion was not true He would have told us so. Aside from the fact that He cannot lie, He has no reason to tell a lie about this. Faith in this promise led Paul to pen the words of today’s memory verse, where he referred to the anticipated replacement of our physical bodies and temporal place of abode with celestial bodies and heavenly mansions respectively. Unfortunately, those who miss out on the heavenly mansions being prepared by Jesus Christ will have their place in the devil’s abode, which is the lake of fire. There is  no middle-way about it. My prayer for you today is that you will not miss your celestial body and heavenly mansion in Jesus’ Name. Your portion will not be in the lake of fire in Jesus’ Name. For this prayer to be answered, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and make sure you do not live or die with and unconfessed sin in your life.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, my heart is set on my heavenly home; please don’t let me miss it. Grant me grace to lay aside every besting sin that can prevent me from making heaven in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 29

Matthew 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE



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, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I 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:  SUNDAY 15TH JULY 2018


THEME:   THE SECRET OF COMPLETE RESTORATION.

 

MEMORISE:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11

READ:     Luke 17:11-19

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

MESSAGE

Restoration is the process of returning something or someone back to a state that had previously existed, through the power of God and through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Restoration is said to be complete when the subject of restoration is returned to a pristine state, such as the healing of a wound without leaving a physical scar. Many children of God may think that faith or prayer is the secret of complete restoration, but based on God’s word, this may not be entirely correct. There is no doubt that faith, prayers and others factors may lead to restoration; however, thanksgiving is the secret of complete restoration. Sharing your testimony of what God has done for you and witnessing about Jesus Christ are powerful ways to appreciate God and give Him thanks.

The power of thanksgiving to bring about complete restoration is evident in the story of the ten lepers in our Bible text today. When one of the lepers noticed that he was healed, he returned to Jesus, glorifying God with a loud voice in the presence of everyone around. In appreciation, he offered Jesus the highest worship y falling down on his face before Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for doing something wonderful in his life. Note that when lepers are healed, leprosy immediately stops its destructive work on the body, but those body parts already affected continue to bear the scars of the damage already done by this destructive disease. However, for this grateful man, what followed in Luke 17:19 was complete restoration. This means that the damaged skin, fingers and toes of this leper were restored to their pristine state, so that it would be impossible to identify him as a former leper. I pray that God will grant you complete restoration that will return everything concerning your life and destiny to their original state in Jesus’ Name.

Testifying to God’s goodness involves telling others of what God has done and bearing witness to His might acts, both in your life and in the Bible. We are encouraged to give testimonies as a way of bringing glory to God, perfecting our victory over the devil, receiving complete restoration and building up the faith of others. The power and benefits of testimonies cannot be overemphasized. It was after Nebuchadnezzar blessed the most high God, praised Him as the God who lives forever and testified about His mighty acts that his sanity and kingdom were completely restored to him (Daniel 4:34-36). As you testify t God’s goodness today, you also will experience complete restoration in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me a grateful heart and a testifying mouth in Jesus’ Name.



BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 26-28

Acts 28:11-31

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE



HYMN 1: NOW THANK WE OUR GOD

1. Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

2. Oh, 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 guard us through all ills in this world, till 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 Heav’n adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
 
DATE:  THURSDAY 12TH JULY 2018

THEME:   PROGRESSIVE BREAKTHROUGH.


MEMORISE:
And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: Genesis 26:13

READ:     Mark 8:22-25
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

MESSAGE
Our God works in diverse ways and He cannot be boxed into a pattern. While He may choose to perform something instantaneously, He can also choose to do it I progressive stages. The problem with modern day Christian is that they always want God to perform His work instantaneously, and for this reason, they end up falling for magic instead of experiencing the miracles of God. speaking on Isaac, the Bible makes it clear that he did not become great over night; rather, he progressively increased and moved forward until he was declared to be very great (Genesis 26:13). In contrast to this, what do we see in Christendom today? People are trying to experience a breakthrough that will make them great overnight. This has led to so many falling into diverse temptation of ill-gotten wealth and apostasies. Some people don’t want God to take His time and course to bless them, and so they move away from Him and off they go to the devil, who promises to build them castles in the air like he did with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4-5). In their search for instantaneous breakthrough by ungodly means, such people have shipwrecked their faith. May you never fall victim to the deception of “fast” and instantaneous breakthrough that has its roots in the kingdom of darkness in Jesus’ Name.

Do you know that there was a time when I could not afford to pay two naira pass through a toll-gate while on a preaching assignment as General Overseer? That was a phase God took us through in the ministry. From that little beginning, to the glory of God, we now take the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world with the use of a private jet. However, this testimony manifested itself many years after I had surrendered my personal ambition to God and chose instead to preach the gospel. Again, when I came into fulltime ministry, I left a mansion for a tiny house in a slum, but the Almighty God promised me that He would build me a city. This promise of God is a reality today but it took so many years to manifest. I assure you that whatever God has promised you shall come to pass if only you keep on trusting and waiting with expectation for the fulfillment of His promises.

Today’s Bible reading contains a example of God’s progressive work. The lesson to learn from this is that God has innumerable ways of accomplishing His will in His created world and in the lives of His creatures. He does not only determine what He wants to do and when He will do it, He also determines the pace at which He will do it. The good news I have for you today is that your breakthrough, which seems to be an illusion, is coming your way this season. Irrespective of how long you have waited for your healing, this is the season of your complete restoration in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please complete my restoration this season in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 19-20

Acts 26:24-27:12

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 thousands.

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 BY PST. ENOCH.A.ADEBOYE

WEDNESDAY 11TH JULY,2018

WAITING UPON THE LORD

MEMORISE:
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalm 27:14

READ:
Job 14:7-14
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

MESSAGE:
If there is one man who epitomised what it means to wait on the Lord, that man is Job. In spite of his unquantifiable loss, his wife’s taunts and the harsh, judgmental words of his friends, he could still declare these worlds in Job 14:14:

 “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.”

Irrespective of the contrary voices all around him, all he desired was to hear from God about his situation (Job 13:3). He was even willing to wait until the resurrection of the dead at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to get an answer from God and experience a change of his situation (Job 19:25-27). Because he waited on God with all his heart, God indeed came to “reason” with him as he desired (Job 38:1-3), and his situation was turned around (Job 42:12).

Waiting on God leads to an atmosphere of expectation and confidence in God. it also makes us realize the inadequacy of our own judgment. Waiting on God is associated with patience, submission, dependence on God and contentment with His timing on delivering a pending and much needed divine intervention. For example, while the Psalmist anticipated God’s vindication against his enemies, he told his soul to wait patiently on Him (Psalm 27:12-14). Waiting upon the Lord is an act of faith that God will hear the prayers of His children and respond positively on our behalf. I pray that whatever you are waiting on God for, He will answer you speedily, and your expectations shall not be disappointed in Jesus’ Name.

Waiting requires patience and perseverance, and the word of God is clear that children of God sometimes need to wait on Him. Waiting is necessary when we are anticipating God’s judgment or hoping for His blessings. Children of God must not consider taking revenge or repaying evil with evil; rather they must wait for the Lord’s help and timing in all situations. Persecuted and oppressed Christians must never rely on what human strength alone can do for them, they must pray earnestly with total reliance on the efficacy of God’s word (Psalm 46:1). Finally, waiting upon God comes with many benefits. It builds up your hope, faith and trust in God (Psalm 5:3, Job 13:15, Jeremiah 32:27). Rest in God and wait patiently on Him. Although He will act according to His own will, it will be in your favor and for your benefit.

ACTION POINT:
Confess your trust in God and your determination to wait on Him for His intervention in every perplexing matter you have taken to Him that He has not yet responded to.

HYMN 10:
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

DATE: TUESDAY 10TH JULY 2018

THEME: THERE SHOULD BE NO GAP

MEMORISE: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. – Matthew 26:58

READ: Matthew 26:56-58, Matthew 26:69-75 (KJV) Open Heavens 10 July 2018

Matthew 26:56-58:
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Matthew 26:69-75:
69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 14-15, Acts 25:13-27

MESSAGE:
God is Spirit, and so He does not have physical attributes or possess a form like that of a physical body. For this reason, a “closeness” of “gap” between mankind and God in the real sense of these words is practically untenable. The existence of closeness or space between man and God is therefore used as a spiritual term to express the level of relationship that exists between us and God. The Bible speaks of a gap or space between God and man in terms of a break in fellowship between them, otherwise described as backsliding, falling away or staying away from God or godliness (Ezekiel 22:30). It portrays rebellion, betrayal, faithlessness or apostasy. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the Bible teaches that a falling away will precede the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Confirming this, the Spirit of God further spoke on people falling away from the faith in 1 Timothy 4:1:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

The apostasy spoken of here by the Holy Spirit includes giving attention to doctrinal deception, moral insensitivity and departing from the truth in God’s word. The world is obviously in the last days, as we can see these prophecies being fulfilled more than ever before.

Several things can create a gap between God and man: hardship, temptation, lust, doubt, complacency and self-indulgence. Once a gap is allowed to develop, a more devastating outcome will follow. The gap that existed between peter and Jesus Christ after His arrest eventually led to Peter’s denial of the Master. To maintain a healthy fellowship or relationship with the Lord, we must follow Him closely rather than from afar off. As soon as a gap developed between Peter and Jesus, his status changed from being a member of Christ’s inner circle to being a mere spectator who could only observe things from afar off. Peter lost the privilege of direct communication with Jesus, and he could no longer ask questions or receive directions from the Master. What a terrible loss this was! Thankfully, God is able to heal His backsliding children (Hosea 14:4). He is also able to keep them from falling away (Jude 1:1). However, some people argue that although a Christian may stray, he or she can never totally fall away, and so once saved, a person is forever saved. This is a lie of the devil as we have seen in our devotional for the first two days of the month. Romans 6:1 tell us that if we continue in sin, grace is rendered ineffective. BE WARNED! Maintain a close and healthy relationship with Jesus always.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please grant me grace never to stray from You in Jesus’ Name.


HYMN: 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:  MONDAY 9TH JULY 2018


THEME:   NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER.

 
MEMORISE:

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORDof hosts. Zechariah 4:6

READ:      Judge 7:1-7

1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

MESSAGE

Power and might symbolize human strength of every description, including physical, mental, moral, financial and intellectual strength. They represent the degree of resources at a person’s disposal to undertake an assignment, and therefore from the basis of assessment of a person’s ability to achieve success in any given task. Every human being seems t have an awareness of his or her own abilities and limitations, and for this reason we respond with confidence to things we have the natural ability to do, while we react with fear and anxiety to those things we consider beyond our capability. With this understanding, the purpose of God’s words to Zerubbabel in today’s memory verse should become clearer to the discerning heart. Zerubbabel was responsible for directing the work of building God’s temple in Jerusalem. God sent him these words through Prophet Zechariah because the temple was being rebuilt under very challenging conditions. God gave the prophet a vision of the candlestick with seven lamps, seven pipes and two olive trees, to show that just as oil was being supernaturally supplied to these lamps, so also was the work of rebuilding the temple being accomplished through spiritual means far beyond human understanding. I therefore decree over you that the unseen hand of God will intervene in your situation today, and your victory will confound your enemies and detractors in Jesus’ Name.

So you need not be discouraged by your personal weaknesses, because the weakness of man is not an obstacle to the move of God. god can accomplish His purpose “whether with many or with them that have no power” (2 Chronicles 14:11). God’s purpose in any situation will always be accomplished, irrespective of personal weakness or the limitations of the people involved. God has chosen to work in this manner because He does not want any man to glory in his presence, neither does He share His glory with anyone (1 Corinthians 1:17-29, Isaiah 42:8). God specializes in using physically weak and inadequate persons to confound and dispossess giants. He used David, who was but a young man without military experience, to overcome Goliath the giant champion of the Philistines. He also used four unarmed leprous men to put the whole Syrian army, which had besieged Samaria for months, to flight (2 Kings 7). All these were made possible because God’s purpose is always carried out in the power of His Spirit, and His power is made perfect in human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I prophesy that the power of God will perfect your weakness and use you to accomplish great things in this generation in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to depend completely on You in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicle 11-13

Acts 24:22-25:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE



HYMN 10: 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 BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

DATE: SUNDAY 8TH JULY, 2018

THEME: BE COURAGEOUS

MEMORISE:
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

READ:     
Joshua 1:1-9


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicle 9-10 &
Acts 24: 1-21

MESSAGE:
In the kingdom of God, to be courageous is to have the spiritual, emotional and moral willpower to speak and act without fear in the face of distress or concerns over a threat or challenge being faced. Courage is a cardinal virtue that is required to handle any godly leadership position or spiritual assignment. To underscore the importance of courage, saying like “fear not”, “be strong” and “be courageous” were used in several passages of the Bible to encourage God’s
appointed leaders. For example, God commanded Joshua to be strong and to be of good courage four times in Joshua chapter one alone. In Daniel 10:19, a heavenly being encouraged Daniel saying, “Fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong”.  God also encouraged Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Zerubbabel, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and several others in similar fashion. The Lord will support you, encourage you and grant you the fortitude to overcome every obstacle and challenges of life in Jesus’ Name.

Moreover, God often instructs His children, especially leaders amongst them, to embark on assignments that are new and great, unprecedented, unbelievable, unrealistic and practically impossible by any natural means. The nature of God’s assignments usually strikes fear, doubt and confusion into people’s hearts, making it difficult for them to proceed with such tasks without first receiving divine support and encouragement. Courage therefore derives from the hope and assurance of the divine presence in such circumstances. This was what prompted Moses in Exodus 33:15b to say:

“If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”

Confronted with the impossible task of leading the Israelites to the Promise Land, he hinged his willingness to move forward on the assurance of God’s presence. David also singlehandedly ran through a troop because God was with him (2 Samuel 22:30). I pray that God’s presence will see you through your present challenges and catapult you to your breakthrough in Jesus’ Name.

Courage is demonstrated in various ways, such as leading God’s people against their enemies, proclaiming the gospel to others, and exercising the authority of God’s kingdom in your sphere of influence. God gives strength to His people and enable them to be courageous by giving them faith , God proves Himself faithful to His promises and , and His faithfulness enable His people to trust in Him for sustenance in everyday life. Children of God are created to be the head and not the tail. You were created to take charge as a leader wherever you find yourself. You therefore need to be bold, strong and courageous because that is your heritage in Christ.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me the willpower to influence the world for You in Jesus' Name.

HYMN 4:
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 6TH JULY 2018

THEME: FUNCTIONING AS LIGHT

MEMORISE:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

READ: Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MESSAGE

Light is the manifestation of God's creative word. Having been spoken into existence on the first day of creation, light came into being even before the sun and the moon, which were created on the fourth day. Light was separated from darkness and declared by God to be good (Genesis 1:4 & 18). Light and darkness are contrasted in several verses of the Bible, and in all cases, light is affirmed as superseding darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13 equates wisdom with light and foolishness with darkness. Light is declared to be the path of righteousness, while darkness is the path of those who rebel against God (Proverbs 4:18, Job 18:5). I pray that the light of God will disperse every form of darkness in your life today in the mighty Name of Jesus.

At the beginning of creation, the world was filled with gross darkness. This prompted to create light as a solution to the problem of darkness, which is why He is referred to as the Father of lights (James 1:17). Jesus also declared Himself as the light of the world (John 8:12). As light, Christ's role throughout His earthly ministry was to destroy the darkness of this world and enable humanity become children of light through faith (John 12:46, John 12:36). He succeeded in His assignment and raised for Himself a people who are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). As His chosen people, our light must shine before all men to provide guidance and leadership in a world full of sin, confusion, hatred, danger and all kinds of wickedness. Jesus lived an exemplary life as the light of the world, and we also must follow in His footsteps. Jesus illuminated the world by preaching the good news of the gospel with love and compassion. Through His own life, He showed us how to live in holiness and righteousness in a world full of sin. He brought joy to the hearts of men by healing the sick, delivering the oppressed and raising the dead. He was a father to the fatherless, husband to the widow and hope to the hopeless. Functioning as light therefore signifies replicating everything that He did while He was here on earth (1 John 2:6). We are to preach the good news of the gospel to all nations and ensure that lost souls are saved and properly made disciples of Christ. Holiness and righteousness should be our watchword, and truth should be found in us always. We must be agents of peace and progress in our communities as we show good neighbourliness. Through us, the sick should receive healing and the captives should be set free. We must provide succour to the fatherless, widows and the helpless in our society. We must speak out against sin, violence and wickedness in order to turn sinners to saints. The world must become a better place because of our presence and activities as light.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to function as light in a world full of darkness in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 5-6, Acts 22:30-23:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the Cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss.
From vict'ry unto vict'ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day!
Ye that are men, now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone:
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armour,
And watching unto prayer,
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor's song
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of Glory
Shall reign eternally.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY 5TH JULY 2018

THEME: WEARY IN WELL-DOING?

MEMORISE: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. – Galatians 6:9

READ: 1 Kings 19:9-18 (KJV)

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 1-4, Acts 22:12-29

MESSAGE:

If good works always yield a good reward, why is the Holy Spirit encouraging us in today’s memory verse not be weary of doing good, and what does it really mean to do good? We will be reflecting on these questions today. Good works can be described as those activities that you are specially endowed by God to do for the betterment of others in obedience to His word. Several factors may discourage or hinder a child of God from continuing to do the good works that he or she is empowered to do. Such factors may arise from the fact that good works sometimes attract envy, opposition or persecution from others. Despite the huge investment of time and resources, good works may be misunderstood, may go unappreciated or even be misinterpreted as eye service. In John 3:19, the Lord Jesus Christ revealed the reason why good works may be antagonised by some, saying:

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Just as darkness despises the revealing power of light, so do evil people detest the testimony of good works, because it exposes their inadequacies. For this reason, they usually respond to good works with hatred and persecution. Consequently, the Bible admonishes us to endure in the face of opposition or persecution of our good works, and ensure that we continue in well doing.

Are you weary from the opposition you have faced in spite of your good works? You can learn one or two lessons from Elijah. The Lord performed several great exploits and good works through Elijah, including great miracles of healing, provision and raising of the dead. The Lord also used him to singlehandedly destroy 400 prophets of Baal in a contest, ignite the fire of revival in the hearts of men and call down rain after three years of drought (1 Kings 17 & 18). However, soon after accomplishing these exploits, Elijah experienced the worst discouragement of his life when Jezebel threatened to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-4). He was so discouraged that it took God’s assurance and encouragement for him to continue his life’s journey. Similar attacks and discouragement can come against us from within the Church. Apostle Paul himself experienced this (2 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Timothy 3:10-11). Since persecution and discouragement can come from anywhere, endurance is a necessary component of the Christian life. I therefore pray that no matter what you are passing through right now, the Almighty God will support, encourage and see you through those challenges in Jesus’ Name. You need strength and courage to endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. I pray that God will grant you these in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the grace to faithfully carry my cross as I follow after Your Son in Jesus’ Name.

HYMN10: 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: WEDNESDAY 4TH JULY 2018

THEME: THE IRONY OF COMFORT!

MEMORISE:
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 1 Timothy 5:6

READ: 2 Samuel 11:1-5

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

MESSAGE

While God is not against His people enjoying a comfortable life, He is against us living for pleasure. There is a life of comfort and pleasure that can ultimately lead to spiritual death. After God gave David rest from the life of wandering in the wilderness as a shepherd, fugitive, mercenary and warrior king, he started living in pleasure, so much so that he no longer went to battle. In the course of his life of leisure, pleasure and comfort, he fell into sin that would have destroyed his destiny, but for the mercies of God. He experienced spiritual death and had to cry to God for restoration (Psalm 51). Spiritual death is a condition of alienation from God because of sin. It is the absence of spiritual life, which means physically alive without having a relationship with God. Ultimately, it leads to permanent separation from God. By nature, all of mankind is dead spiritually. However, whosoever accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour becomes genuinely born again and experiences transformative change. Such a person is liberated from spiritual death and is made alive by the Holy Spirit.

After experiencing new life in Christ, we are encouraged to take pleasure in everything God has created, but never to allow pleasure in His creation to overshadow pleasure in the Creator Himself. We live in times when the desire to live a pleasurable life is most paramount on people's mind. We must not allow ourselves to become overtaken by the wanton desire for pleasure we see all around us.  Remember that in the last days, men will become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4). In these perilous times, people are craving to satisfy the lust of the flesh through food, drinks, stimulants and sexual gratification. They also strive to satisfy the lust of the eyes through fashion, materialism and inordinate acquisition of the beautiful things of this life. Lastly, they live to satisfy the pride of life through the accumulation of titles, recognition, fame and other achievements. Children of God must not be caught in the snare of the devil. With respect to the pleasure of this world, the Spirit of God recommends restraint and discipline to every child of God. In 1 Corinthians 7:31, He says:

“And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

God's people must have self-control, be generous and have consideration for others. The Bible insists that anyone who places priority on pleasure or invests much time and resources into a pleasure-seeking lifestyle is spiritually dead, even though alive physically. There are so many of such people in the Church of God today (Revelation 3:1)! I pray that God will help such people to recognise their state and move them to cry to Him for restoration.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to overcome every craving in me that will lead to spiritual death in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicles 28-29, Acts 21:37-22:11

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: TUESDAY 3RD JULY 2018

THEME: GUILTY OF BEING RIGHTEOUS!

MEMORISE:
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Matthew 5:11

READ: Daniel 6:3-10

3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

MESSAGE

Persecution is the harassment and suffering that people and institutions inflict upon others for being different their faith, world view, culture or race, with the intention to intimidate, silence, denounce, convert or even kill them. The story of man outside the Garden of Eden begins with the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous in Genesis 4:3-8. Abel was killed by Cain simply because God respected Abel's offering and considered him to be righteous (Hebrews 11:4). Lot's experience, as narrated in 2 Peter 2:7-8, illustrates the suffering involved in refusing to conform to popularity culture. Daniel was persecuted because he disregarded the king's decree by praying to the God of heaven. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were persecuted because they refuse to worship the image of the king (Daniel 3). Psalm 119:84-87 speaks of the cry of the righteous one who was being persecuted for upholding God's word. Various prophets of God in the Bible also suffered persecution because they tried to live out the will of God in adverse circumstances. Jesus Himself noted in Luke 11:50-51 that the persecution of God's people began from the foundation of the world and would continue throughout history.

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.   If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…” John 15:20

Based on these words of our Lord, persecution is a hard part of life to be faced bravely, and a hallmark of genuine children of God. Are your Christian virtues causing you problems with your friends, colleagues, neighbours, family members or boss? Have you been tagged antisocial because of your modest way of dressing, attitude to the opposite sex, refusal to consume alcohol or other stimulants, and rejection of a worldly lifestyle? Have you been told that you may never make it becomes you have refused to participate in illegal and fraudulent business practices? Have you been told as a woman that you may never get a man to marry you unless you wear skimpy dresses and make up excessively? Are you under any pressure to join a cult or swear allegiance to someone or something in order to make it in life? Are you under any attack because of your constant praises to God, Bible study or witnessing about Jesus? Do not yield to any of these threats or believe their lies. Rejoice because the Lord has pronounced His blessings on everyone who endures persecution to the very end (Matthew 5:10-12). The blessings of the Lord will be permanent in your life in Jesus' Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please strengthen my resolve to endure persecution to the very end in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicles 26-27, Acts 21:17-36

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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.