LORD JESUS: A MERE SLOGAN

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 31st MARCH 2016

THEME: "LORD JESUS": A MERE SLOGAN?

Memorise: 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Mathew 7:21

Read: Luke 6:43-46

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Message 

There are those who know God and there are those who claim to know Him, but do not submit to His Lordship. They came to the presence of God, but their sins do not allow His glory to rub off on them. They are religious in nature and partake in every ritual of the church but it is only for the benefits of being seen as members of the community of saints. They depend on their own righteousness and not the grace of God. They read the Scriptures but the Scriptures do not reflect in the way they live. They understand all the letters of the commandments but there is no life in their spirits. Their hypocritical nature draws people away from Christ. Do you know God, or you are only claiming to know Him? Is your life in harmony with the message you preach? It is the conduct of your life that will be used in justifying whether you know Him or not. As a tree in the vineyard of God, are you producing good fruits or bad fruits. Is your life a good example to people or have you lost your salt? Everyone whose life does not conform to the requirements of the Master cannot enter into the kingdom of God. When you hear the Word of God, do you obey it? Are you motivated by love to obey Him? One cannot claim to love Jesus and not willing to abide by His standards. There is no other foundation upon which one's life can be fruitful eternally outside Jesus. It is not enough to know what is in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation; what is require of us is to live by the Truth in His Word.

The people who are blessed are those who do not have a lifestyle of sin, because true joy comes from doing the will of God. You are to be defined by your desire to do that which is pleasing to God at all times. Your mind should be focused always on godly things. Let Jesus be your source of life so that you can truly live. The faith of a child of God is continually nourished by the Word of God. When you hear the Word of God, it should produce faith in you, and faith should compel you to do what is acceptable before Him. For those who know Him as Lord Jesus, they are blessed. If He is your Lord, there is no room for pride and arrogance in your life. You must empty yourself of self-reliance and submit to His Lordship. The one that is humble always look to Jesus and place all his inadequacies before the Cross. Your nature as a Christian who is under the rulership of Jesus must change for good; the focus is no longer on self. If Jesus is Lord over your life, you cannot seek the downfall of others. There will be no room in your heart for evil motives because your heart now reflects the pure nature of God. No room for hypocrisy

“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” Psalms 15:1-2

Your heart should produce a holy life and be focused only on God. Apostle Paul said “that I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10). Is He your Lord or ‘Lord Jesus’ is a mere slogan to you?

Key Point:

If He is your Lord, you will do His will.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 2 and Proverbs 2:12-3:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED. 

O Jesus, I have promised, 

To serve Thee to the end;

Be Thou forever near me,

My Master and my Friend;

I shall not fear the battle

If Thou art by my side,

Nor wander from the pathway

If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;

The world is ever near;

I see the sights that dazzle,

The tempting sounds I hear;

My foes are ever near me,

Around me and within;

But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,

And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,

In accents clear and still,

Above the storms of passion,

The murmurs of self-will;

Oh, speak to reassure me,

To hasten, or control;

Oh, speak, and make me listen,

Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised

To all who follow Thee

That where Thou art in glory

There shall Thy servant be;

And Jesus, I have promised

To serve Thee to the end;

Oh, give me grace to follow,

My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,

And in them plant mine own;

My hope to follow duly

Is in Thy strength alone.

Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,

Uphold me to the end;

And then to rest receive me,

My Savior and my Friend.

THE FAITH OF A CHILD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH 2016 

THEME : THE FAITH OF A CHILD

Memorise : 

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God.

Matthew 18:3

Read : Mathew 18:1-4

1 AT the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Message 

One of the greatest lessons to learn from  little children is that they don't worry about anything. This is the way God expects us to relate with Him; relaxing and putting all matters in His care, knowing that it will always end up in our best interests. Nothing good can be achieved when we trust only in ourselves, because every step we take will always lead to one mistake or another. Your faith in God must be real. A father will promise his son an aeroplane even though the man does not own a bicycle, yet the child believes , because his father said so. As a child of Almighty God, you should humbly come before Jesus, surrendering all your desires and worries to Him. With this attitude, you will always leave His presence with a confirmation that all your requests are granted. Real faith goes beyond the natural to a point in which those things that seemed impossible become possible. Faith causes events contrary to natural laws to take place. Faith is required to move the immovable and to reverse the irreversible. 

When you go into the presence of God, focus on Him and worship Him. He will wipe your tears and remove all forms of worries, sorrow and problems from your life. Seek the face of God concerning anything He wants you to do. As you release your faith and follow God as a child who trusts the instructions of his father, you will be amazed at the wonderful things that will begin to manifest in your life. Sometimes when I go before God with the aim of presenting my requests, He asks me to do something Sacrificial myself. At a moment in the History of RCCG, when we were not growing the way I wanted, I decided to seek the face of God by engaging in some spiritual exercises. Suddenly the Lord asked me what I would give Him, I responded by saying that I was ready to give anything in order to see the kind of Church I was praying for. Then, He told me to sow my Pajero Jeep which was as good as private jet to me at that time. I loved my Pajero so much because it was one car that never gave me problems, but the Lord asked me to sow it into another ministry and I obeyed. The day the representative of that ministry came to pick it up, my driver wept; but that was the beginning of a turning  point in my ministry. It was really painful to give out the  car, but the pain could not be compared to the joy that I eventually had, simply because I believed in God's faithfulness.

Faith in God is very vital to our walk as Christians. It is an expression of our confidence in God and on His promises. Nothing ever works without faith. Repentance is impossible without faith. The prodigal son had faith in his father, knowing that the worst that could happen was that he would be made a servant. Through his act of faith and his going before his father in true repentance, his sonship was restored. Do you think you have missed it beyond repairs? Have faith in God. Do you think that opportunity will never come again? Have faith in God.

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" 1 John 5:4

Key point ; 

Nothing works without faith.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 1 and Proverbs 2:20-3:12

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 

Chorus:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. 

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil. 

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay. 

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Chorus.

YAM PANCAKES

A friend of mine shared this and i decided to share it with you.

Breakfast.

Something different with yam.

Yam lakte or yam pancakes.

Uses less oil and it's so tasty.

Recipe. 

Yam 

Salt

Egg

Pepper.

Peel and grate your yam using the bug side of the grater.

Wash the grated yam to remove all the starch. 

Squeeze all the water out of the grated yam.

Place in a bowl and add remaining three ingredients. 

Mix well and add a lol oil in a non stick pan.

Pour in mix and make a circle. 

Allow to brown then flip. Cook on low heat.

Serve as desire.

Mine is going down with sautéed onions tomato and peppers, Shredded left over chicken and spinach.

Enjoy.

SIN AGAINST THE BODY

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 27 MARCH 2016

THEME: SIN AGAINST THE BODY

Memorise: 

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

Read : 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

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 

The Scripture tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Almighty God. This is to let you know how important our body is to Almighty God. He dwells in it. Can you imagine that divinity lives inside you? As Christians, our bodies are the extension of Christ in this world. This is why we are been admonished not to conform to this world. The moment a person begins to sin against his body through fornication, that person is already doomed for destruction because you are taking the body of Christ and laying it with a harlot. All sins are against the Almighty God. Some sins are against those around us when we engage in certain acts, but the sin of fornication is destruction against one's own body. 

Your body is a tool entrusted into your hands by the Almighty God and everyone will give account of what they do with their body. You will be answerable to all the damages against your body because the body does not belong to you; it was only entrusted to your care by God. The moment a person gives his life to Christ, Jesus Christ becomes the Owner and Lord of your life. Every part of your body becomes a tool in His hand. Your eyes, hands, legs, tongue, nose and every organ of your body becomes His. You can no longer sin with your body; you can no longer walk in that company of the ungodly. You can no longer taste alcohol, Indian hemp, smoke cigarettes, cocaine etc. Your hands become clean and for His glory alone. You are no longer the owner of your body. You are only the owner of something that you created. You did not create your body.

"And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7

Fornication is a very terrible sin because it is a total abuse of the temple of the Almighty God. Anyone that destroys the temple of the Almighty God will see the wrath of God! The consequence is always disastrous on the part of the person abusing the temple of God.

There are different kinds of teachers today who trivialise some things that God has a great disgust for. You cannot play with fire and not have your fingers burnt. Are you the leader of a group and you are abusing the bodies of those God has put in your care? Are you an executive in the fellowship and you are sleeping around with the sisters in the name of ‘brotherly love’? Are you single but becoming so impatient that you have started doing what is exclusively reserved for married people? You are looking for the ‘consuming fire’ side of God and you can be sure you will not be able to withstand the consequences. I want you to make up your mind this moment that enough is enough on every unholy relationship and affair. If you don’t want your destiny to be truncated by sin, you must FLEE from every appearance of evil.

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to honour You daily with my body.  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 18-19 and Proverbs 1:1-19

AUTHOR: Pst E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 4: 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 ceaseless praise,

Let them flow in ceaseless 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 power as Thou shalt choose,

Every power 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.

JESUS IS ALIVE

Halleluyah,

Jesus is alive

Death has its victory

And the grave has been denied

Jesus lives forever

He's alive!

BEWARE OF THE TRIPARTITE SINS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2016

THEME : BEWARE OF THE TRIPARTITE SINS 

Memorise: 

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is 

finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:15

Read: 1st John 2:15-17,

 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Message 

Christians are not to attach themselves to this world. When you get consumed with the affairs of this life you are distracted from keeping your mind on the things of God. 

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”

Romans 12:2

Satan and his agents are trying to deceive people, to see the things of this world as desirable. We must not give room for the evil values and morals that have been embraced by those who have given their hearts to the devil. The devil always wants to prove a point against God. He is always devising ways by which men will focus on themselves and the material possessions of this world. Is your mind occupied with the material things of this world? Are you a victim of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life? These three are tripartite sins which we must not give in to. All that the world system contains is built around these three categories of sin.

The lust of the flesh refers to those things we crave for with the intent of satisfying our fleshy desires. They could be the pursuit of food and other things that give the flesh a good feeling. We must not forget the encounter Jesus had with the devil after fasting for 40 days. The first test is the test of food. There are many people who are serving God today only because of their stomachs. Are you one of them?

The lust of the eyes refers to those activities that make men follow after things that look appealing to the eyes. The experience of David with Bathsheba is a good example of the lust of the eyes. The moment he set his eyes on her, he could not resist the temptation, until he fell for it and lost his kingdom. Today there are many things people do because they want to satisfy the lust of the eyes. The moment they see that someone’s house or car is better than theirs, they do all manner of things to get it. They are never grateful for what they have, but rather they chase after flashy things. Are you in this category? I pray he will not succeed over you in Jesus’ name.

The pride of life refers to those things you do in order to make a point about how important you are in the society. It is the accumulation of things not just because you need them, but to engage in a show of self-worth and superiority. This has become the norm today even among believers. They boast about their names, degrees and background. A son of mine once said that if you remove God from his life, all that will be left will be carcass. I replied him by saying, “you even still have carcass left, if you remove God from Adeboye, there will be nothing left”. This is why I cannot allow anything people call achievement to enter into my head, because I know that He is the one behind all. This is why the youths in RCCG have developed a chant: WHO DID IT? And the congregation responds by saying; JESUS! OH MY GOD, WOW!

Prayer Point

Father, please help me not to be a victim of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 15-17 and Job 42:10-17

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 9: MY FAITH HAS FOUND A  PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,

Not in device or creed;

I trust the ever living One,

His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:

I need no other argument,

I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,

This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul I come to Him,

He'll never cast me out.

Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,

The living Word of God,

Salvation by my Savior's Name,

Salvation through His blood.

Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,

The lost He came to save;

For me His precious blood He shed,

For me His life He gave.

Chorus.

THE ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 25 MARCH 2016

THEME: THE ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER 

Memorise: 

My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not, And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1

Read: Hebrew 12:22-26

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Message 

At the point of the counsel in our memory verse for today, John had gained enough experience as an elder and a counsellor, that he could counsel new converts that one sin does not have to lead to another, and a feeling of guilt should actually birth the fruit of repentance rather than a surrender to a life of sin and perpetual guilt. There are many people who in times of trials and weaknesses commit sin against God, like the wife of job who advise her husband to curse God. The words of John warn all Christians against the possibility of allowing sin become habitual in our relationship with God.

The fact that you sinned yesterday does not mean that you have been completely rejected by God. In fact, that you are still alive means that Jesus is currently pleading your case with God, to give you a chance to change your ways as He sets you up with messages that will speak to your conscience and save you from imminent destruction. I pray that you will change your ways immediately, because you never can tell when God will run out of patience waiting for you to change (1 Samuel 16:1)

The Holy Spirit has been given to us to inspire us into all truth. Jesus is our Advocate who stands between us and the Father, and speaks in our favour in the heavenly realm, so that we can receive help with our problems of sin. He is the One who pleads our case every night and day, and blots out the handwritings of the devil over our lives. He works in close communion with the Father so that there is no barrier when we want to access the throne of grace. Jesus, as the Advocate, is the One who atones for our sins and reconciles us back to the Father through His precious blood that was shed on the Cross of Calvary. Through the role of Jesus as our Advocate, we can come back to the Father and experience the peace we lost through sin. 

The reassurance of our salvation comes from knowing that we have an Advocate in Heaven, not by affirming that we have no sin. Our relationship with God is assured as we keep His commandments daily and remain friends with Jesus our Advocate. The truth is that our righteousness is as a filthy rag to the Father. Our perfection is of Jesus, there is therefore the need to rely meekly upon His grace to make us perfect by His love. The self-made religious traditions of men and our works alone cannot guarantee our perfection. You are a child of God basically because you believe in your heart that Jesus died for you and you have given your life in obedience to the instructions of God and not the self-imposed dictates of man. 

Prayer point: 

Father, please let me be justified through Your grace.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 12-14 and Job 42:1-9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS. 

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there.

LIVING IN THE SPIRIT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH 2016

THEME : LIVING IN THE SPIRIT 

Memorise : 

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Read : Galatians 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Message

When you are not living in the Spirit, you will suffer spiritual famine. You will become victim of the works of the flesh such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, heresies envying etc. But when you allow your life to be directed by the Spirit, you will be able to express the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, long suffering, meekness, patience ,faith etc. Those who walk in the Spirit cannot make wrong decisions and even when they have decided to make a move, their moves will always lead to the right destinations, because they are guided by God. This is why it's important to allow God to speak to you so that you can hear His voice and find rest for your souls. When you live in Spirit, you will not grope around as someone in darkness. There are many people who have lost the energy required for the Christian race because they allowed their hearts to be taken over by the mundane things of this world. Don't be a carnal Christian. A carnal Christian enjoys what the world can offer as long as it it satisfies his ego. A carnal Christian is always a victim of sin because the body has not been trained to be disciplined. If you live in the spirit, you will no longer compete with the world in fashion. If you are walking  in the Spirit you will not be comfortable exposing your body to cause others to fall into lust. You must make up your mind to break away from every act of carnality, so that the peace of God can rest on you.

 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,neither indeed can be  Romans 8:7

Do not be consumed any longer with the lust of the flesh, the list of the eye and the pride of this life. Make up your mind to be ruled and governed by the Spirit of God. Our hearts, deeds and fruits we bear must be patterned to please God. One of the ways to ensure we live in the Spirit is to continue to fellowship with Him. Those who find it difficult to come to the presence of God and fellowship cannot experience the power of the Spirit. You are supposed to value the presence of God more than any other thing in life. You may be denied of every other thing but not the presence of God. Also, to grow in the Spirit  we must create time for the study of the Word of God. Make the study of the Word of God important in your agenda. The moment you begin to have excuses for not attending fellowship and not studying Gods Word, you can be sure that the devil is already causing you to experience spiritual famine, and at the end , there will be a manifestation of the flesh. Some who are no longer walking in the Spirit have given themselves over to the false doctrines blowing across the world. If you are in this category, you have to cry to God to help you so that you will not be a victim of heresy. The flesh is programmed to always yield to sin. Ask God to deliver you from the desires of your flesh so that you will no longer gratify its dictates.

Prayer Point : 

Father, let not my flesh have dominion over me. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 8:29-9:57 and Job 4:15-17

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 5: OH SPREAD THE TIDING ROUND 

Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,

Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;

Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:

The Comforter has come,

The Comforter has come!

The Holy Ghost from heav’n,

The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;

Oh, spread the tidings ’round,

Wherever man is found,

The Comforter has come! 

2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last;

And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,

As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!

The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:

3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,

To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;

And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings:

The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:

4. O boundless love divine! how shall this tongue of mine

To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine

That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!

The Comforter has come! 

Chorus.

GROWING IN GRACE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 22 MARCH 2016

THEME: GROWING IN GRACE

Memorise: 

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

Read: Titus 2:15

15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Message 

It is the responsibility of every Christian to grow spiritually. It is not enough for us to allow our spiritual growth to be at the expense of the pastors, or the number of church programmes we attend. There is a need to be personally committed to your growth. The capacity of growth is within the grace and knowledge which has been given to us by Jesus Christ. The fact that Jesus became a sacrifice for us is an expression of the height of love which the Fathers has for us. Each time we put this in remembrance, it should condition us to do only those things which are pleasing and acceptable to God. Many people today have abused the grace of God, they became so familiar with the ways and acts of God. The fact that we do not see fire fall like the days of old, or the fact that we do not see the manifestation of instant judgment like when the ground opened and swallowed those leaving in rebellion to God's authority, does not mean God has gone on vacation. It only means that many people have frustrated the grace of God in their lives and have totally stopped growing spiritually. 

Believers must collectively ask for the spirit of prompt obedience to the instructions and commandments of God. There is great grace in the covenant and if you don't take the grace of God for granted, you will enjoy every provision accessible in it. The moment the grace of God leaves a person, it is disgrace that takes over. This we can confirm through the experience of King Saul and David.

Believers should not toy with sin because the devil is out searching for that one moment of carelessness. We need to always be on guard and use the grace of God to dislodge the devil and his agents. It is the grace of God that helps us to justify our calling as children of God. There is nothing unique about us, it only pleased the Almighty God to count us worthy to be vessels in His hands and this is what the devil is sad about. If not for the grace of God, many of us are not qualified to be saved by account of our pasts deeds, yet He chose to use us and bless us with great talents and abilities. May the grace of God over your life continue to abound in Jesus' name. 

Let us always remember that we were not chosen because we were better, we were chosen because of the grace of God. You are a product of divine grace, therefore hold unto whatever He has promised you. You may be forgotten, but God is preparing you to show forth His glory in your life.

Prayer point: 

Father, let your grace  be sufficient for me in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 6:36-8:28 and Job 40:15-41:4

AUTHOR: Pst. E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 

Chorus:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. 

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil. 

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay. 

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Chorus.

THE PEACE OF GOD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : MONDAY 21 MARCH 2016

THEME : THE PEACE OF GOD 

Memorise: 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Read: John 14:23-27

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

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Message 

Peace is the result of one’s communion with God. Peace is an inner rest that cannot be expressed in words. Every God given direction and instruction is accompanied by peace. This is why the Psalmist said;

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Psalms 23:2

When God leads, it is always in the path that guarantees peace and rest. Whenever you want to make a decision and you lose your peace, there is a need for you to re-examine that decision because, if you do not have peace concerning that thing, God may not be involved. All the battles of my life till date have been fought by God; I just fold my hands and bask in His rest. There are people running from one point to the other, until you allow the peace of God to come into your heart, God cannot be at work in your life. With the peace of God in your life, there will be achievements of many feats. With the peace of God in your life, triumphs in your pursuits are guaranteed. As disciples of Jesus, we must seek for peace of God above all things and this can be achieved when we make our ways right with Him.

“Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee”

Job 22:21

We must return to the will of God so that there can be peace in our hearts. Let us set our hearts on the truth of the Word of God, even if it means experiencing social intimidation. Let us pattern our lives after the will of God. Let us focus on that which is true, noble and right. Let us keep our minds on the pure, lovely and admirable ways of life which please God, so that all things can work together for our good. We live in a world where there is no peace except in Christ alone. Nations are lifting up arms against nations; there is so much tension in world affairs. Suicide rates are on the increase. Terrorism is spreading like fire. You never can  tell what the next person standing next to you is capable of, yet in all these things assured us that;

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”

John 16:33

Jesus is the author of peace. He is the Prince of peace, when He dwells in you, war and crises cease.

 Prayer point : 

Father, please let Your peace never cease in my heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Judges 5:1-6:35 and Job 39:26-40:14

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 7: HOLY HOLY HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

Who wert and art and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,

Though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,

Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;

Holy, holey, holy! merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

BEWARE OF ENTICING MOCKERS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2016

THEME: BEWARE OF ENTICING MOCKERS

 

Memorise: 

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived

thereby is not wise. Proverbs 20:1

Read: Genesis 19:30-38

30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Message 

There are many people who argue as to whether it is a sin to take alcohol or not. This is amazing; simply have to look at the fruit of an action before you know whether it is good or not. In our Bible reading, the acts of the children of Lot wouldn’t have been possible if their father had not been drunk. So in his senseless state of mind, both daughters laid with him and conceived from his seed. The children born through this means became the Moabites and the Ammonites who become sworn-enemies of the children of Israel.

Wine is a mocker that leads to uncontrollable behaviour. I have seen very quite people who will never, under normal circumstances, say anything that will put them into trouble. But the moment these people come under the influence of strong drink, they become someone else. There are many people who have lost precious things under the influence of alcohol. Many have lost their wives as a result of alcohol. With a ‘little shot’ many have been poisoned through alcohol. There are people who have experienced fatal accidents because they were not in control of themselves. Some were duped because they were under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, the devil is always waiting for such times when people are out of their senses to strike. He allows some of them to suffer damages which they may never recover from.

“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts”

Proverbs 31:6

Those who cannot stay away from alcohol will always be victims of wrong decisions. They will never be able to judge well. Men of integrity who value the life that God has given to them will control themselves and not allow the desire of the flesh to derail them.

Alcohol is an instrument of unrighteousness and you should not yield to it. If you love God, it will show in your attitude to such things. God wants you to abstain from the old wine of sin and embrace the new wine of life in the Spirit of God. This is the wine of the Holy Spirit which is totally devoid of the input of man. There is no addition of chemical that will do your harm. The new wine produces joy and happiness in the Holy Ghost, while the old wine of flesh produces death and shame. You will not be a victim of mockery in Jesus’ name.   

Key Point:

It is a sin to engage in what destroys you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 3:7-4:24 and Job 39:13-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 9: MY FAITH HAS FOUND A  PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,

Not in device or creed;

I trust the ever living One,

His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:

I need no other argument,

I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,

This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul I come to Him,

He'll never cast me out.

Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,

The living Word of God,

Salvation by my Savior's Name,

Salvation through His blood.

Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,

The lost He came to save;

For me His precious blood He shed,

For me His life He gave.

Chorus.

BACKSLIDING: NOT AN OPTION

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2016

THEME: BACKSLIDING: NOT AN OPTION 

Memorise:

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Message 

Never attempt backsliding because of the few challenges you are going through, because you may never recover from the consequences. Backsliding is capable of destroying all that one has laboured for in the past. The seed father Abraham sowed when he decided to settle for an alternative is the cause of all we see today in the name of religious terrorism. Never consider backsliding because what you see as a pleasurable fling is always a death trap which will erode all you have ever worked for. As a child of destiny, you must avoid all forms of defilement that comes unannounced.

“The fear of the LORD is the fountain of life, to depart from the snare of death.”

Proverbs 14:27

The ten virgins heard the cry announcing the arrival of their long awaited bridegroom and they knew that their moment of truth had come at last, but only a few among them were ready. The others had become passive. This is why we must be sober and vigilant so that we don’t lose out when He comes in His glory. On that day, a lot of hidden secrets will be revealed. Those you thought were serving Christ will be left behind. For this reason, you must not allow hypocrisy or hidden sins in your life.

Backsliding is synonymous to rebellion. A hardened backslider has reached a state of no return. To backslide means to go in the opposite direction of what God has commanded. It is a dangerous adventure to work in opposition of God because it will always lead to destruction. Those who have backslidden will tell you about the torment they go through in the hands of the devil. The moment you feel you have fallen short of the grace of God, you need to immediately shut yourself from the world and seek His face for a time of refreshing. You need to retrace your ways back to your father before you become forgotten. You need to examine yourself before the devil begins to afflict you and all that is yours. Don’t allow the devil to celebrate his victory over you. Satan will not celebrate over you in Jesus’ Name.

It is very important that we intercede for believers who are going through intense persecution and trials all over the world. We need to remember them daily in prayers so that God’s grace will prevent them from backsliding.  

Prayer Point:

Father, may I never backslide in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR l: Judges 1:1-3:6 and Job 38:39- 39:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 4: 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 ceaseless praise,

Let them flow in ceaseless 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 power as Thou shalt choose,

Every power 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.

FRUIT BEARING CHRISTIAN?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2016

THEME:  FRUIT BEARING CHRISTIAN?

 

 Memorise: 

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life And he that winneth souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

Read: John 15:1-7

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Message 

Jesus is the true source from which anyone can receive spiritual and physical sustenance. It is only in Christ Jesus that we can find peace, fruitfulness and the essence of life. It is by staying connected to Him that we can produce fruits. This is why we need to allow God to work in us so that we can be productive in every aspect of our lives. As we show an attitude of total obedience to God by bringing our lives into conformity with what His Word says, we begin to bear fruits that are profitable to God. To bear fruit in the vineyard of God therefore, there is a need to allow the Word of God to permeate every aspect of our behaviour; it is until then that our behaviour will begin to affect the lives of others.

Anyone who chooses to bear fruits will eventually be happy that he did so, because in the time of harvest, he will be the first partaker of the products of his wise decision. However, when you fail to be fruitful in whatever the Lord has kept in your trust, there is no way you can be blessed, and if you are not blessed, there is no way you can increase. There are people who give so many excuses for not bearing fruits. They complain about what others have and ignore what the Lord has blessed them with. They focus on the exploits of others and ignore their own vineyard. You can determine how far you want to go in life by the fruits you bear today. This is the reason why you should not be weary in bearing good fruits.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”

Galatians 6:9

The truth of the matter is that whenever God entrusts a duty to your care and you handle it carelessly, you do not only short-change yourself, you are also telling God that you are not capable of making success out of that opportunity He has given to you. This is why I am so passionate about soul winning, because I know the wisdom involved in looking for those that have been tagged vagabonds and prodigals and bring them back through grace to the Father. The greatest thing you can give to anyone is not money but salvation, because this is what guarantees other things. We have to prayerfully identify people we can bring to the knowledge of Christ. 

Prayer Point: 

Father, help me to be a fruit bearing vessel in Your hand.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 23:24 and Job 38:25:38

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. 

Chorus:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. 

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil. 

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay. 

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Chorus.

A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2016

THEME :  A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD 

Memorise: 

And hast made us unto our God kings and Priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelations 5:10

Read: 1st Peter 2:9-10

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Message 

The problem with many believers is that they find it difficult to believe what the scripture says about them. We allow the devil to convince us, telling us that we are not as qualified as God says we are, and that we do not have the ability to do what the Word says we can do. God created us in His own image and gave us the ability to reign on earth. The capabilities and qualities required of us to exercise our priesthood were also given to us. However, many people are not exercising their positions as priests because they do not believe they are priests. They allow the opinions of others to determine how they live; they do not have minds of their own. People commit suicide on a daily basis because they know so little about themselves; they have no idea who they really are. As a child of God, you need to know that every word said about you in the Bible is ever dependable and reliable. It doesn’t matter the circumstances surrounding you at any given time, you must always see yourself as God sees you. Always see yourself in a positive light. Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord no matter what happens. Every morning when you rise up, know that you are a victor and not a victim; there is much more to you than you can see. There is much more to you than you can see. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants, but in the mind of God the opposite was the case.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:”

Proverbs 23:7a

The perception of who you are is crucial to your walk with God. As a royal priesthood, you are an embodiment of beauty, power and royalty. You are an epitome of God’s glory. You are created in the very image and likeness of God. All things created, visible and invisible are under your feet. This is why you need to take your place and not allow your life to be ruined by the devil.

Note however, that you do not have this right and liberty to reflect the image of God anywhere you are, if you haven’t given your life to Christ. Holiness must be a daily lifestyle to you. The nature of royalty as given to you by God must reflect in your appearances and discussion. You can no longer hate those who hate you; you have to show love and forgiveness to those who deliberately do things to hurt you. You have to do according to the instructions in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lonely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there will be any virtue, and if there will be any praise, think on these things.”

It is when you do this constantly that you can become a partaker of the covenant privileges. 

 Prayer Point : 

Father, please let your glory never depart from me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Joshua 22 and Job 38:12-24

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 

Chorus:

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand. 

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil. 

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay. 

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Chorus.