OVERCOMING TRIALS 1

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : THURSDAY 28 APRIL 2016

THEME : OVERCOMING TRIALS 1

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 : Proverbs 1:11-15

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

Message 

The irony of the spiritual realm is that the tempter is the prosecutor. The Bible says:

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:9-10

The Above scripture points to one bitter truth; trials and temptations are characteristics of life whether we believe it or not. It is. However, better to believe it because it is then we can preparedly overcome it. The Bible also confirms it by attaching a blessings to overcomers  of temptation:

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

It takes genuine love of God to be able to overcome temptation. Joseph was able to overcome temptation of sleeping with his masters wife because of the love he had for God. This love was what produced his victory. He said:

 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Genesis 39:9

As said earlier, there will always be temptations as long as we on this earth. Temptation is not a sin but falling into it is a sin. The bad thoughts that the devil flashes at you are not sins until you begin to hatch and execute them. It is our resistance to temptation that makes us overcomers. The Bible says : 

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Hebrews 12:4

My prayer for Someone using this devotional is that you remain an overcomer over sin from now on in Jesus name. 

Prayer Point : 

Father, Sanctify me wholly from every besetting sin by the Blood of Jesus she on the cross.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Kings 8:22-9:28 and Proverbs 16:20-33

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.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY 2

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 2016

THEME : KNOW YOUR ENEMY 2

Memorise : 

O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Romans 7:24

Read : Romans 7:18-25

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Message 

The flesh is another deadly enemy of man. The flesh attacks the soul through its poisonous activities. These are listed in Galatians 5:19-21:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The above listed activities of the flesh are deadly, primarily because they prevent a man from inheriting the kingdom of God. An enemy is not a serious one of it can only kill you, but cannot prevent you from making it to heaven. Jesus Christ said:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both and body in hell. Mathew 10:28

Consequently, the flesh and its activities are very dangerous, but Christians have become so complacent that they sit back and allow these activities drag them off the track to heaven. The Bible says :

 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth into his neighbours wife; whosoever touched her shall not be innocent...But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. 

Proverbs 6:28,32

The works  of the flesh can be destroyed through only one means and that means is Jesus Christ. Beloved, I encourage you to give your life totally today, and do away with all works of the flesh.

Action Point : 

Read Colossians 3:5 and pray with it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Kings 7:1-8:21 and Proverbs 16:6-19

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.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY 1

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : TUESDAY 26 APRIL 2016

THEME : KNOW YOUR ENEMY 1

Memorise:

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Proverbs 1:10

Read : Genesis 3:1-5

1 NOW the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Message 

One of the earliest weapons of the devil against both spiritual and physical well-being of a man is enticement. He has, from time immemorial, been successfully using this weapon against humanity. The first time he used it was in the Garden of Eden.

And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:4-6a

As a matter of fact, the fruit was not better looking than other fruits of the garden, but the mental picture that the devil painted about it suggested to the woman that the fruits was better than the ones God has generously given them to eat. Today, there are many good things of life that God has provided for humanity and His children in particular, but the enticement of the enemy has robbed many people of the joy and contentment in God's benevolence. For example; if am man goes about chasing a woman who is not his wife, he is deluded and enticed to think that the strange woman possesses  something that his wife does not have. It is the lie of the devil when you think that a second marriage will give you the joy that you did not have in the first. Read this confession of the first polygamist in history:

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and  the name of the other Zillah... And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zalilah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to hurt. Genesis 4:19,23

Though we may not have the full details of Lamechs lamentation in this passage, the fact remains than an increase in the number of his wives did not spare him from the agony that instigated this lament.

Beloved, in what areas have you been deceived through the enticement of the devil? I pray that the enticement will loosen its grip over you from today in Jesus name.

Prayer Point :

Father, when sinners come around to entice me, may I not consent in Jesus name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Kings 4-6 and Proverbs 15:25-16:5

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.

BELATED OFFERING?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 25 APRIL 2016

THEME: BELATED OFFERING?

MEMORISE:

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. Luke 24:1

READ: LUKE 24:1-8

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

MESSAGE

Some offerings are acceptable while some are not; some offerings are given at the right time while some are belatedly offered. On the morning of the resurrection, some people brought spices to the sepulchre of Jesus, meanwhile, a few days to His crucifixion, a woman anointed Jesus Christ’s feet with expensive ointment. This woman’s kind gesture was just in time.

“When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”

Matthew 26:10-12

Incidentally, when Jesus Christ died, no one was there to perform the customary anointing before burial for Him. It was in lieu of this that certain disciples came to the resurrection morning that they may anoint Jesus in arrears. However, He had resurrected!

Beloved, there are many lessons to be learnt from this resurrection story; whenever the Holy Spirit asks you to do something, no matter how illogical it may sound, do it immediately. The reason is that if you do it later, it will be a belated offering or service. The disciples who came to anoint Jesus went back with their perfume because the Master was no longer in the grave. James, an apostle of Jesus Christ wrote:

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit.”

James 2:14-16

If I may answer the apostle; there can be no profit whatsoever. There could, however, be a loss of that person in need, and it may be a physical or spiritual loss as the fellow may die of hunger or backslide. In this same vein, whenever the Holy Spirit asks you to do something and doing that thing attracts criticisms from men, be undeterred, go ahead and do exactly as you were told. Your critics will soon realise that they were wrong to have criticised you. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us, and may we continue to obey Him as we journey from the world to our eternal home above.

ACTION POINT:

Listen to the Holy Spirit and do all that He asks you to do immediately.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 2:13-3:28 and Proverbs 15:11-24

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.

1. O Jesus, I have promised,

To serve Thee to the end;

Be Thou forever near me,

My Master and my Friend;

I shall not fear the battle

If Thou art by my side,

Nor wander from the pathway

If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

IDENTIFYING WITH JESUS?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 24 APRIL 2016

THEME:  IDENTIFYING WITH JESUS? 

Memorise: 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10

Read: John 19:38-42

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

Message 

From the beginning of the New Testament Church, identifying with Jesus takes dogged determination. Jesus Himself said it in Mark 8:34:

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

In the above passage, Jesus Christ demands total commitment from His followers. Whoever will not totally put himself under the Lordship of Christ does not belong to him. John 8:31-32 says:

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continued in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”

Identifying with Jesus is identifying with the Word from above. In the Bible reading for today, we read about two secret disciples, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus who came forward to claim the body of Jesus for burial. This is noteworthy, because it must have taken very important personalities to go to the governor to demand the body of a ‘condemned criminal’. On the other hand, it must have taken someone who did not only love the so-called criminal but also believed in his innocence, to go through the trouble of asking for Christ’s body and burying it.

Identifying with Jesus has to do with believing and living by His ideals. Many so-called born-again Christians have become so nominal that the Word of God is of no effect to their lives any more. Some pastors have tuned the Christian faith to a mere vocation. One wonders whether they mean to go to the same heaven that apostles like Paul worked hard for. Our Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples:

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

John 15:18-19

Therefore beloved, let us take the yoke of Jesus Christ upon ourselves with all seriousness and steadfastness. We will all make it to heaven in Jesus’ name. 

 

 Action Point:

Decide to follow Jesus all the way in spite of the hostility of the world around you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1:1-2:12 and Proverbs 4:32-15:10

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 13: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;

 Tell it to me again;

 Wonderful story of love;

 Wake the immortal strain!

 Angels with rapture announce it,

 Shepherds with wonder receive it;

 Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?

 Wonderful story of love.

Chorus:

Wonderful! Wonderful!

Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;

 Though you are far away;

 Wonderful story of love;

 Still He doth call today;

 Calling from Calvary’s mountain,

 Down from the crystal-bright fountain,

 E’en from the dawn of creation,

 Wonderful story of love. [Refrain]

Chorus:

3. Wonderful story of love;

 Jesus provides a rest;

 Wonderful story of love;

 For all the pure and blest,

 Rest in those mansions above us,

 With those who’ve gone on before us,

 Singing the rapturous chorus

 Wonderful story of love. [Refrain]

Chorus.

UNGODLY SORROW

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 23 APRIL 2016

THEME:  UNGODLY SORROW 

Memorise: 

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. Luke 27:5

Read: Matthew 27:3-8

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

Message

The type of sorrow that Judas Iscariot experienced is undesirable. I pray that you will not experience such a sorrow in your life in Jesus’ name. We need to know why the sorrow that Peter experienced is seen as godly and why that of Judas Iscariot is perceived as ungodly.

When a man thinks he can outsmart his creator, the results is usually ghastly, and it is only when that person has godly sorrow for his acts that he can be saved. Greed and materialistic tendencies can make a man think he can outsmart God. It is unfortunate that some so-called Christians are not spared for this monster called greed (or the love of material things). The Bible says:

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8

Judas Iscariot thought he could swindle the Jewish leaders by betraying Jesus, he thought Jesus could not be arrested because he had, before then, witnessed Him escaping from the hands of the Jews. However, he didn’t know that Christ escaped then because His time was not yet up.

“And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way.”

Luke 4:28-30

With the background knowledge of what Christ could do, he felt that once he had collected the money and showed them who He is, Christ would disappear and life would continue as usual. To his surprise, Christ surrendered Himself. The type of sorrow he had does not lead to repentance; rather, it leads to despair, frustration, and eventually suicide as seen in today’s memory verse.

Beloved, let us fear the Lord and abstain from all forms of greed and the love of money. These things drown men in destruction and perdition.   

Prayer Point:

Father, please don’t let the love of money drown me in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 23-24 and Proverbs 14:18-31

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.

THE NEW MAN 1

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : SUNDAY 10 APRIL 2016

THEME :  THE NEW MAN I 

Memorise: 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2ndCorinthians 5:17

Read: Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 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.

Message

One of the basic signs of redemption in the life of a man is the newness of the life that he lives. This change of his spiritual living standard is never covert; rather, it is always obvious. When Zacchaeus, the publican, encountered Jesus in Jericho, his life never remained the same. A notoriously corrupt tax collector said:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” 

Luke 19:8

The memory verse for today corroborates the story in the above quoted scripture. Indeed, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things must pass away. Today, it is a different ball-game; people seem to maintain the status quo of their past lives even after their claims of a born-again experience. The thief still steals yet he claims to be born-again. The adulterous woman who succeeded in snatching another woman’s legally and scripturally wedded husband, lives comfortably with the man, speaking in “tongues”

John the Baptist, when addressing those who decided to follow godliness by coming for his baptism, encouraged them to bear fruits that met with genuine repentance, and take a total turn-around from past sinful living.

The Bible says  

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.”

Matthew 3:7-8

The above scripture is a food for thought: the religious leaders of John the Baptist’s time humbled themselves to come for baptism in order to usher in a new move of spiritual revival. This is a lesson for those who are claiming to have risen through the ranks and files of established Churches to seek spiritual reawakening. 

This may also account for many older generations embracing the Pentecostal experience. This is very good provided they also “bring forth fruits meet for repentance”, not maintaining the status-quo of their highly esteemed positions in their (former) Churches without transformation. The cry of the regenerative Spirit is change!

You may need to change your friends, eating and dressing habits to be able to conform to the image of the Son of the Living God.

   

Action Point:

Look at your past life in comparison with your newly found faith in Christ and effect necessary changes.  

  

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 24-25 and Proverbs 8:1-21

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.

DEMON INVITING HABIT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : WEDNESDAY 6 APRIL 2016

THEME : DEMON-INVITING HABIT

Memorise: 

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

Read: Proverbs 23:29-35

29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Message 

There are many avenues through which demons can possess an individual. One of them is alcoholism. Alcoholism is a subtle habit that introduces a man to demonic possession and/or introduces demons to the alcoholic. It is a volatile avenue, a broad avenue open to many categories of demons, violence, sexual immorality, pride, folly, to mention but a few. It is unfortunate that some believers are beginning to consider ‘moderation’ in the consumption of alcohol. It is this liberal approach to the handling of the issue of alcohol consumption that is increasing demonic operations in lives that are supposed to be Holy Spirit-filled. This is why Ephesians 5:18 says:

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

How does alcoholism invite demons? Our Bible text for today answers that in part: One of the symptoms of demonic possession is sorrow, and the text asks: “who hath sorrow?” and answers straightaway: “…they that go to seek mixed wine.” The scripture goes ahead to warn; “look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” The demon of sorrow is put in motion to possess an alcoholic; and this is confirmed by the infallible Word of God. In addition, our text says: “Thine eyes shall behold strange women….” Here the demon of sexual immorality is set in motion by alcoholism. A married man does not remember his marriage vows when put under the influence of alcohol. An alcoholic can sleep with the worst psychiatric patient. Alcohol promotes the sexual immorality of incest.

“And the firstborn said unto the young, 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: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 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.”

Genesis 19:31-32

The products of these incestuous acts were the hateful Moabites and the children of Ammon who later became sworn enemies of the children of Israel (2nd Chronicles 20:1). 

“….and thine heart shall utter perverse things.” Alcohol can turn you to a talkative or a blasphemer. Those who ordinarily may not speak perverse things momentarily become outspoken under the influence of the demon of alcohol. Beloved, if you have not considered alcohol as a medium of demon-possession till date, I advise you to give it a second thought, be faithful to yourself and abstain forthwith. Most of the woes that many people face can be traced to the demon of alcohol. The Word of God is forever settled; the earlier we live by its precepts, the better for us.  

Action Point :

Break yourself loose from the demon of alcohol and pray that all that the demon of alcohol has destroyed in your life be restored in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 14:47-16:23 and Proverbs 6:1-15

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 ELECT OF GOD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : MONDAY 4 APRIL 2016

THEME : THE ELECT OF GOD 

Memorise: 

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry 

day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Luke 18:7

Read: Colossians 3:12-17, 

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Message 

An elect is a chosen or preferred person. In Christian parlance, an elect is someone God, by His grace, has chosen to be qualified as righteous before Him. The Bible says:

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Romans 8:33-34

It is a pleasant thing to be an elect of God, because He watches over His elect. He is not ashamed of them even among His holy angels, because they are doing Him proud in this pervert generation.

“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

Hebrew 11:16

In the light of the above scripture, therefore, the elect of God has both a moral and scriptural obligation to live in accordance to the commandments of God. The elect is more mindful of eternal life than the ephemeral things of this life. At times he suffers trials of cruel intimidation, marginalisation, and poverty because he cannot sell his conscience for a loaf of bread. This certainly made Jesus Christ assure us in Luke 18:7

“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”

The above assertion of Jesus Christ is pleasantly reassuring to the elect of God who has turned his back against all forms of godlessness and wickedness. The Almighty God will always be there for all His elects provided they cry to Him in the days of trouble (Psalms 50:15).

Beloved, are you an elect of God? If not, all it takes is for you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, repent of your sins and begin to live your life as approved by Jesus Christ in the gospels. I pray that the benefits of the elect shall be your portion in Jesus’ name. 

Action Point:

Act upon John 3:3-5 and ask God to make you one of His elects.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 10:17-13:7 and Proverbs 4:20-5:6

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.

APPOINTED DAY OF MERCY

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 3 APRIL 2016

THEME: APPOINTED DAY OF MERCY 

Memorise:

And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13

Read: Genesis 19:15-17

15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Message

Since the fall of man at the Garden of Eden, the only factor that has sustained man in this world is God’s mercy. When a man receives God’s mercy, it would appear as if he is a genius or his righteousness has bestowed upon him some divine benevolence. This is not true. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”

In our memory verse for today, we read of the mercy which brought justification to the repentant publican. Because he begged for it, his day of mercy came unhindered. Jesus said in Luke 18:14

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abase, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

One striking revelation in Christ’s assertion is that we can only obtain mercy when we acknowledge our sins and repent of them as the publican did. According to Luke 18:14, what prevents some people from receiving mercy from God is failure to admit that they are sinners and that they need to turn from their wicked ways. It is amazing that some children of God are in the habit of living in the world of relativism where what is right or wrong depends on the justification they have for it. This is not the gospel. When they are caught stealing, they would rationalise it by putting the guilt on the fact that they are jobless. Some ladies claim that they took to prostitution because they were jobless and needed to take care of their aged parents!

“Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.”

Ezekiel 33:14-15

It takes humility to acknowledge it if we do something wrong against God or against our neighbour. The Bible says in Proverbs 28:13:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Your appointed day of mercy comes when you humbly ask for it from the One who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). I appeal to someone using this devotional; if you have not repented of your sins through Jesus Christ, bring forth the day of God’s mercy into your life by calling on the God of mercy today for forgiveness. Or, if you are a child of God, but seem to be void of His mercy, call on Him like a child will cry to his loving father for mercy. Today is the day of the Lord’s mercy for you and your loved ones in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point

Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me and give me testimonies.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 8:19-10:16 and Proverbs 4:10-19

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.

ETERNAL DAMNATION

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : SATURDAY 2 APRIL 2016

THEME : ETERNAL DAMNATION 

Memorise: 

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but 

he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Read: Mark 16:15-18,

 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Message 

Eternal damnation is the worst thing that can happen to anyone, it is damnation for a lifetime here on earth and in eternity. Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

Luke 12:4-5

Jesus Christ in the above passage is taking about eternal damnation for sinners and the ungodly. Many people choose eternal damnation indirectly by escaping the cost that godly living poses to them. In the midst of trials and tribulations, some children of God deny their Lord. Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:25-34 said we should not be anxious for what to eat or drink because our Father in heaven knows we will need them and so will provide them for us. We should not bow to the enticement of the devil. Rather, we should heed the Words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, even if this exposes us to some challenges that are, as a matter of fact, temporary. This is the reason Jesus admonished His disciples saying:

“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

To escape eternal damnation, therefore, we must accept the gospel of Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. It is unfortunate that there are many people in the Church today who do not believe the gospel. Some see the gospel as outdated; they believe that Christ came to redeem man from eternal damnation but they refused to keep to the terms and conditions of salvation. According to the text of our reading for today, accepting the gospel entails accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives. We cannot do what pleases us anymore; we cannot afford to follow the whims and caprices of the world anymore (1st John 2:15-17). Moreover, we must learn His ways and imbibe His ideals (Matthew 11:28-30). Failure to keep to these principles of Christian living makes our profession of Christianity a mere exercise. Jesus Christ asked His audience:

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

Luke 6:46

May the Lord give us hearing ears and obedient hearts to do according to His perfect will.

Prayer Point : 

Father, drench me with new anointing, and remove every hindrance to its flow in my life in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Samuel 6:1-8:18 and Proverbs 3:28-4:9

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE 

HYMN 10: WHEN THE TRUMPET OF THE LORD SHALL SOUND

1. When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;

When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,

And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.

Chorus:

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.

2. On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,

And the glory of His resurrection share;

When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,

And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.

Chorus:

3. Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,

Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;

Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,

And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.

Chorus.