JUST DO IT RIGHT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: FRIDAY 29TH JULY 2016

THEME: JUST DO IT RIGHT

Memorise: 

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6

Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 

15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 

Message

A good number of people confuse service for God's approval or acceptance. It will be profitable for people, particularly children of God, to understand that it is one thing to engage in the service of God and it is another thing for God to accept your service. The simple message for today is- "just do it right, and God will accept you and your service". The Bible says:

"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." Romas 12:1

In our Bible reading today, we read of the first king in Israel who put sacrifice over and above being obedient to God and His Word. God told king Saul to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they possessed; from the king to the least of the beasts. However, Saul went, fought and won the battle, but failed to carry out God's instruction to the letter. When he was cross-examined by Prophet Samuel, he had the effrontery to tell Samuel that he had done what God asked him to do, except the spoil of sheep and oxen which he took to use as sacrifice to the Lord. This unfortunately cost him his throne. Samuel said:

"...Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

There is a great lesson we should learn from the story of King Saul and the assignment he was given to fight the Amalekites. 

Some people seem to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit when you consider the way they claim to know everything about the ways of God. It is not unlikely that king Saul felt it would be a waste of resources by totally destroying the material resources in Amalek. It is also not unlikely that he felt it will be an act of wickedness on the part of God to have asked him to kill the king, Agag. Beloved, there are many types of Amalekites and King Agags that God will want us to get rid of in our life. The Bible lists some things that we must do away with 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.."

Some so-called workers in the Church are still harboring these things that we are to get rid of, yet they are 'zealously' working for God. It is unfortunate that their labour attracts no reward. Jesus said on that day, they will come and say:

"We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:26-27

May this not be your portion in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point :

Father, please help me to be obedient, and begin to do the right thing in your sight from now onward. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

2 Timothy 1-4 and Psalms 22:1-21

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.

THOU SHALL NOT COVET

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: THURSDAY 28TH JULY 2016

THEME: THOU SHALL NOT COVET

Memorise:

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 

Ephesians 5:3

Read: Ephesians 5:3-7

5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Ephesians

Message

Today, we will examine one of the Ten Commandments; covetousness. The sin of covetousness is a cluster of many sins that sets man against his Maker. Upon the sin of covetousness hangs many other sins like stealing, sexual immorality and murder, hence the law:

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." 

Exodus 20:17

David, a God-fearing soldier, King and prophet fell because of covetousness. He coveted Bathsheba, his soldier's wife; and went from one form of sin to another. 

Covetousness led him to adultery and adultery led him to a murderous act. When someone is caught in the sin of covetousness in the area of alcohol, he gets drunk and what next? Foolish talking and jetting that are not convenient become inevitable. The Bible says:

"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things." Proverbs 23:31-33

Coveting your neighbour's possession can lead to murder. The reason for this is that when someone covets his neighbour's estate, and is unable to get it, he may resolve to kill the rightful owner to have it. This was the case in Ahab and Naboth's story (1 Kings 21:1-16). Ahab organized a feast where Naboth should be framed up and killed by the scheme of his wife, Jezebel. Immediately the plan was hatched, the Lord sent His prophet to go and deliver His judgment upon Ahab. It was a judgment of vengeance. 

"...Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine." 1 Kings 21:19

Beloved, let us beware of the sin of covetousness as Jesus warned in Luke 12:15-20. The man in that story was boasting about what he possessed but that same night God required his soul from him. Our Lord then asked who those things he had acquired shall be for. Think about it and you will discover that covetousness is not worth it after all. 

Action Point:

Think of those things that entice you to acts of covetousness, pray and avoid being possessed by them. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

1 Timothy 1-6 and Psalms 21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2016

THEME: ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH

MEMORISE:

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. Job 22:28

READ: 1st SAMUEL 30:6-8, (KJV)

30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

30:8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

MESSAGE

Breakthroughs are of the Lord. The earlier the children of God understand this fact, the better for them. People look around for breakthroughs as if their power will bring it to pass. It is pardonable for unbelievers but it is not acceptable to professed children of God who know what the scripture says about breakthroughs.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:7

This is one of the reasons why we know that our tomorrow shall be alright. I discovered this a long time ago and the words “my tomorrow shall be alright” became our anthem in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Not because I know how to go about things, but because I discovered that the breakthrough of a man has already been established before his creation. For example, it was not man that forced light to come, neither was it man that created the animal kingdom over which he was made king. Why should I worry about how God will bring about my breakthrough? My breakthrough is settled in Christ.

Divine guidance is the secret of breaking through obstacles and challenges of life. In our Bible reading for today, we read about the secret of the victory David had at the raid of Ziglag. After David had wept for his loss, he gathered himself together and asked God if pursuing the troops that invaded him would be a profitable one. To receive unfailing breakthrough, asking God for divine guidance is inevitable.

Moreover, a prayer of decree can guarantee assurance of breakthrough according to today’s Memory verse

“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ assured us of breakthroughs against all obstacles that the enemies may try to bring our way:

“….Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” Matthew 21:21

Beloved, the Almighty God is the Source of all human breakthroughs. Therefore, bring yourself to the favour of your Maker today and you will experience the breakthrough of your dreams.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please remove all obstacles on my way to breakthrough and cause me to excel in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1st Thessalonians 5, 2ndThessalonians 3, Psalms 20

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.

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: MONDAY 25TH JULY 2016

THEME: RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL

Memorise: 

As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. Proverbs 11:19

Read: Hosea 10:12

10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Message

It is interesting to note that the righteousness that mankind has detested from generation to generation, right from the fall, is not optional! Many scholars have endeavoured to explain away what righteousness entails and play down its importance to the point that sermons that encourage righteous living are now scarce. Sweet and pet talks have replaced sermons that demand righteous living. That is why St. Paul admonished his spiritual son, Timothy thus:

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." 2 Timothy 4:2-3

There are some lessons to be learnt from the above scriptures; firstly, sermons that will produce righteous living must contain reproof, rebuke, exhortation and doctrine. Secondly, there is a time in the life of a Christian pilgrim when he will have to make himself intentionally available to reproof and rebuke. This is because, after a long stay in the Church environment, which might have earned him titles, he might no longer be teachable. 

Thirdly, righteous living requires indoctrination; doctrines that are sound. In other words, there are doctrines that are not sound. So, believers must beware of doctrines of the devil. 

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 1 Timothy 4:1

Today, some children of God make righteousness an optional virtue to their own danger because the scripture cannot be broken. It says:

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

Hebrews 12:14

Beloved, it is true we shall be ultimately saved by grace. This is why we must pray for that grace to live righteously without struggle, because there is no grace in struggle. This is what makes the Christian faith unique. Our God is able to help us live for Him if we are willing and obedient. If we will not rationalise sin but admit it as it is and cry to God for help. The Bible says:

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. " Titus 2:11-12

I pray that as you desire righteousness today, the grace of God will bring it upon your life in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, let your grace abound in my heart so that I may begin to live life pleasing to you as from now on in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Colossians 1-4 and Psalms 19:1-6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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 OVERCOMERS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: SUNDAY 24th JULY 2016

THEME: THE OVERCOMERS 

Memorise: 

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

1st John 5:4

Read: 1st John 5:1-6, (KJV)

5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

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

5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

MESSAGE

Many people do not know how to overcome. This is the reason why they run from pillar to post, looking for protection against the attack of the agents of destruction. The Bible says:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Hebrews 2:14-15

It is needless to run helter-skelter in search of protection. As a matter of fact, there is no other source of protection than Jesus Christ. Our memory verse for today affirms that whoever is born-again overcomes the world through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The questions now are: what does it mean to be born-again and how can you be born-again? To be born again, according to John 3:3-5, is to be transformed supernaturally by the Spirit of God when we admit to our sins, confess them, forsake them and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When we experience this transformation, we become children of God. In other words, we become His favourites and He will begin to watch over us. Then, the promise of Jesus concerning protection will be fulfilled in our lives. He said:

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

Mark 16:17-18

However, to be born of God demands some things from us. The Bible says in our text for today that the only way to know we are born of God is when we keep His commandments. Jesus said:

“…. 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”

John 14:23

To be born of God is to keep His commandments. This is contrary to some counterfeit Christians of the present age. You cannot continue committing sin and claim that you are born again. Another obligation of someone that claims to be a child of God is that he or she must keep himself or herself pure (1st John 3:3). The Bible says

“Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”

Hebrews 7:25

Beloved, there is abundant safety in Christ, come to Him with a strong determination to go with Him all the way; you will not be disappointed.

Prayer Point:

Father, please make me an overcomer today and forever.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 1-4 and Psalms 18:43-50

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.

DIARY OF A CHRISTIAN GIRL

I traveled to one of the south-west states for a small project which later suffered some delay. consequently, i exhausted the money i had budgeted for the trip and the Red threshold (you know the feeling when you have exhausted  your budget on an unprofitable thing, even though you still have cash somewhere, as long as that thing is concerned, you simply consider yourself broke? yea that one!) it hit me hard and i started reviewing my expenses.

"Do i really need to buy airtime to make calls today? Let anybody that wants to talk to me spend their money. Let my phone(i can deceive myself. we all know i mean 'pocket') rest today.
"Must i eat thrice today. Its not mandatory. Besides, i should cut down on those carbs (LOL!)

When Hunger came, it wasnt funny o! But my mind pushed back. Then i decided to test the Bible. Matthew 4:4
"Jesus answered, "It is written, Man shall not, live on bread alone but on every word that comes from God's mouth"

Thats how i carried my Bible, ready to be filled metaphorically but i was really hoping that it would make the hunger disappear. So i read the Bible and the message on importance of giving to the needy kept recurring. First, Jesus emphasized it then the Apostles especially Apostle Paul also resounded it all through their letters.

My Mind: "Giving is good. We will give prayers to the poor" (LOL. my mind is just something else)
As there was nothing to do, i decided to drag myself to church.

Right there in church, my heart reviewed everything i read in the Bible. I was so restless until i made a decision that i would give something to someone that evening.
After the service, i was walking back home (yes, i still maintain a house in that state for an absurd reason which i would discuss in some post someday). At the major round-about, i saw a weird-looking old woman standing on a spot and begging passers-by. I remembered that i had seen her before because her face was hard to forget and it was on that same area that i had seen her before now. She had a face that makes some people (not me, oh. rme) think that she is something ( a word that begins with W and rhymes with Ditch) but who was i to judge?

I was surprised to see her because the last time i saw her was about a year ago and nothing had changed for her. So i watched her for some minutes and i witnessed an encounter between her and a passer-by whom she asked for help and the guy gave her N10. She looked at the N10 with utmost disgust and then lifted her face up to the sky as if she was looking directly at God. Then i heard a voice say:

"Give that woman X naira" (huh? I have been starving myself and you want me to part with that money. If i hear...)

mehn i paced up but as soon as i passed her, i literally lost my peace. i felt like i was under severe torment (i really cannot explain on here) but it gave me a glimpse of hell.
Thats how i retraced my steps back to the woman and she wasnt even looking at me.

She was busying scanning the environment looking for someone to recite her plea to. Her palms were already facing up, shaped in a begging posture and it was in it i laid the exact amount that i was instructed to. Then she looked at me, then looked at her palms and she jumped, turned around 360 ( i am stilled puzzled by that. If i didnt know better...) and shouted three times in yoruba
"It will be well with you"
Then she smiled and she didnt look scary anymore. I smiled back and carried on with my empty stomach. but i felt some kind of satisfaction.

The next evening, i got a surprise call and got a breathtaking cash gift. I quickly rushed to the spot where i met her the day before so i could take her to a joint and declare:
"Amala for everybody" (LOL!)
and then give her percentage of the money
But she was not there. I did a thorough search for her but i didnt find her. I blamed the rain for her absence...i guess

Some people may call it coincidence. Well...whatever works for you. But I believe that the act of giving attracts amazing physical and spiritual blessings. It works like Magic. I can never be Red again!
Although, i tested the theory in Matt 4:4 to overcome my physical hunger, the Word of God filled actually filled me with the Revelation of Giving.

VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: THURSDAY 21 JULY 2016

THEME: VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

Memorise: 

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Read : Mark 11:22-26

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Message 

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not only give us an outline for prayer in what is popularly called "The Lord's Prayer" (Luke 11:2-4), He also gave us some vital ingredients of prayer. The first in our consideration is faith. The Almighty God demands that we have faith in Him. A man that prays without faith cannot get anything substantial from the spiritual exercise of prayer. When we pray, we should be assured that God is capable of doing whatever our desires are. Doubt is a grievous offence before the Almighty God. The children of Isreal that doubted the capability of God were consumed by the fiery anger of the God who had been erstwhile benevolent to them, however, as many as believed in His Almightiness received great recompense for their faith. 

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." James 1:6-7

Another vital ingredient of the prayer that God will answer is forgiveness. This is a two-edged sword. Blessed is he that is forgiven, sin is a hinderance to prayer. Unless we are forgiven, our prayers cannot be answered. This is why our Lord Jesus put an aspect of confession of sin in the prayer outline (Luke 11:4). No matter how old we may be in the Lord, if we discover any sin ranging from lying, outburst of unwarranted anger etc in our lives while we are getting set to pray, we must confess that sin first. The Bible says: 

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:

"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:25

Many of us come to the throne of mercy without the milk of mercy in our hearts. We come for mercy while we are not merciful; we come for forgiveness and we are not forgiving. What an irony? In Mathew 18:32-35, our Lord told the parable of the wicked servant who jailed his fellow worker that owed him a little after he himself had received pardon for a greater debt. His unforgiving spirit made him to forfeit the pardon for the debt he earlier received. Beloved, let us cultivate the habit of forgiving one another, at least for the fact that our Father in Heaven forgives every of our sins. 

Prayer Point : 

Father, please increase my faith and put in me the spirit that freely forgives.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Galatians 4-6 and Psalms 18:1-19

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.

PRAY WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVES

Pray with the Right Motives

'Search me, O God, and know my heart.' Psalm 139:23 NKJV

Here are two mistakes we make when it comes to praying. 

(1) We focus on our failures. Therefore we pray without faith and confidence (see 1 John 3:21–22). 

(2) We fail to examine our motives. The psalmist wrote, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart … see if there is any wicked way in me.’ (Psalm 139:23–24 NKJV) 

There are prayers God won’t answer for our own good—or at least not right now. Pastor Jerry Sittser writes: ‘Your cause may be right, but you may still be wrong: manifesting pride, gloating in victory, punishing wrongdoers with excessive severity … The great hazard for people on a crusade is … they become blind to their own faults. They fight for civil rights but treat janitors like second class citizens. They uphold standards of Biblical sexuality but show little grace toward their spouse. 

Unanswered prayer is God’s gift … it protects us from ourselves. If all our prayers were answered we’d abuse the power … use prayer to change the world to our liking, and it would become hell on earth. Like spoiled children with too many toys and too much money, we’d grab for more. We’d pray for victory at the expense of others … intoxicated by power we’d hurt people and exalt ourselves. 

Isaiah said, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you … therefore He waits.” (Isaiah 30:18 NAS) Unanswered prayer protects…breaks…deepens and transforms. Past unanswered prayers which left us hurt and disillusioned, act like a refiner’s fire to prepare us for future answers.’ Bottom line: pray with the right motives!

SoulFood: Nah 1-3, Matt 27:45-56, Ps 65, Prov 19:5-8

CALLED UNTO GREATNESS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY 2016

 

THEME: CALLED UNTO GREATNESS

Memorise:

"And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Luke 5:10

Read: Luke 5:1-10

5:1. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon Him to hear The Word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

5:2. And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

5:3. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

5:4. Now when He had left speaking, He said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5:5. And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net.

5:6. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

5:7. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

5:8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' Knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

5:9. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

5:10. And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 

Message:

A. There is something special about The Call of God from Generation to Generation and from Dispensation to Dispensation. 

1. For example, in Genesis, when God made a call among The Trinity about The Creation of man, something great came out of That Call and that is the uniqueness of man as a special creation. 

2. It should be remembered that there was no call at all when other creatures were created. 

3. After the fall, there were many generations up to the time of Abram and when God called Abram and changed his name to Abraham, his life never remained the same.

B. In our Bible reading for today, we read about The Call of Peter into The Office of Apostleship. 

1. When at the lake of Gennesaret, Peter had no idea of The Awesomeness of The Call when Jesus said to him: "Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men." (Luke 5:10). 

2. Peter, an ordinary fisherman, became great as a result of this 'Simple' Call. 

3. Many Cathedrals have been built and named after Peter, the frustrated fisherman before his encounter with Jesus. 

4. One can see that A Single Encounter with Jesus can make a great difference in one's life.

5. Jesus is calling someone today as you read this devotional and He is saying:

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My Yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I Am Meek and Lowly in Heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:28-29

C. To have a profitable encounter with Jesus, certain things must be done. 

1. You must answer His call. 

2. He is calling you to follow Him, but you must not just follow Him, you must learn of Him, and all the ideals He brought from His Father must be imbibed by you. 

3. Jesus said: "My doctrine is not mine, but Him that sent me. If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself."  John 7:16-17

4. Learning of Jesus entails living according to how He lived here on earth. 

5. His life of obedience to The will of His Father must be emulated. 

D. The Bible enjoins us to have The Same Mind like Christ. 

1.  Philippians 2:5-11 The Humbled and Exalted Christ:

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

2. And we shall experience great elevation like Jesus did. 

3. God is calling us to be like Him; 

4. He wants to make us great. 

5. May we not refuse His call today; firstly for salvation and secondly for service. 

Action Point: 

What area do you think God is calling you into? Answer Him now and be blessed. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Galatians 1-3 and Psalms 17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 14: JESUS CALLS US FOLLOW ME!

1. Jesus calls us o'er the tumult 

of our life's wild, restless sea; 

day by day his sweet voice soundeth, 

saying, "Christian, follow me!" 

2. As of old the apostles heard it 

by the Galilean lake, 

turned from home and toil and kindred, 

leaving all for Jesus' sake. 

3. Jesus calls us from the worship 

of the vain world's golden store, 

from each idol that would keep us, 

saying, "Christian, love me more!" 

4. In our joys and in our sorrows, 

days of toil and hours of ease, 

still he calls, in cares and pleasures, 

"Christian, love me more than these!" 

5. Jesus calls us! By thy mercies, 

Savior, may we hear thy call, 

give our hearts to thine obedience, 

serve and love thee best of all. 

EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

CONQUERING THE FEAR OF DEATH (2)

Conquering the Fear of Death (2)

'He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.' John 11:25 NKJV

Years ago a best-selling country song said, ‘Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die.’ 

Why? Sometimes it’s because we’re not sure that we’re ready. But you can be. How? 

(1) You can prepare spiritually and emotionally. Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ (John 11:25–26 NKJV) 

When you put your trust in Christ, death is not the end of you but the beginning of the best version of you. 

(2) You can prepare relationally. How? By letting the key people in your life know on a regular basis how much you care about them. You must also forgive anyone who has hurt you, and seek their forgiveness if you hurt them (see Mark 11:25–26). 

(3) You can prepare financially. One of Christ’s last acts on the cross was to commit the care of His mother to one of His disciples. Good stewardship requires that you leave a valid will with clear instructions concerning your earthly possessions and how you want your funeral to be handled. 

This may not be a pleasant thought, but it’s your spiritual responsibility. Paul writes, ‘I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.’ (Philippians 1:23 NKJV) Why did Paul say Heaven was ‘far better’? Because God had already given him a glimpse into Heaven. David felt the same way: ‘In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’ (Psalm 16:11 NKJV)

SoulFood: 2 Sam 22:31-24:25, Matt 27:27-32, Ps 146, Prov 18:23-24

THE HABITATION OF THE LORD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: TUESDAY 19TH JULY 2016

THEME: THE HABITATION OF THE LORD

Memorise: 

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Job 8:6

Read: Psalms 97:10-11

97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Message

The characteristics of the habitation of the Lord attracts our attention because of the blessings awaiting us there. The qualification of those who can be part of the habitation of the Lord is worthy of note. Our memory verse says:

"If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous." Job 8:6

The habitation of the Lord is the place where God blesses His people with diverse kinds of blessings- spiritual, physical and material. Only the pure and upright can enjoy the blessings of God's habitation one of which is security. 

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1

The issue of holiness is not a subject of debate for those who know what they stand to gain by living holy. If you live holy, you live holy for yourself as the Lord watches over the righteous (Psalms 5:12). Also, there is promotion for those who abide in the habitation of the Lord (Hebrews 1:9). Moreover, the Bible says;

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walk-through uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. Psalm 15:1-2

In other words, the habitation of the Lord is not an "all comers" affair, even though whoever chooses to be there can be there if the fellow is ready to pay the price. The price of living holy is what those who want to abide in the habitation of the Lord must pay. Our text for today emphasises  the necessity of righteousness viz-a-viz divine protection:

"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." 

Psalm 97:10-11

Nobody is careless about his precious possession. Anybody who chooses to live a consecrated life will enjoy divine protection. Such are precious stones in the sight of the Lord. The Lord watches over His heritage, i.e. His saints. This is why Psalms 125:3 says:

"For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. "

He keeps them under His protection and ensures no evil befalls them. My prayer is that you will live under the watchful eyes of the Almighty. 

Action Point :

Search the scriptures and find out all you must do to be able to abide in the habitation of the Lord. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

2 Corinthians 10-13 and Psalms 15-16

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

CONQUERING THE FEAR OF DEATH

Conquering the Fear of Death (1)

'Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.' Psalm 39:4 NLT

Next time you drive through a tunnel and come out on the other side, remind yourself that’s how death will be for every redeemed child of God. You say ‘good night’ on earth, and hear ‘good morning’ in Heaven. 

Dr Elizabeth Kübler-Ross explained that most of us go through the following stages when we face the prospect of dying: 

(1) Shock stage: ‘Oh no, God!’ 

(2) Denial stage: ‘It can’t be true!’ 

(3) Anger stage: ‘Why me?’ 

(4) Bargaining stage: ‘Spare me, God, and I will do something for You.’ 

(5) Depression stage: ‘It’s all over. I have nothing to look forward to.’ 

(6) Testing stage: ‘What can I do to make my remaining days worthwhile?’ 

(7) Acceptance stage: ‘It doesn’t make sense to fight the inevitable.’ 

The truth is, the moment we were born we all began to run out of time. It’s just that in the wonder and excitement of childhood and adolescence, and the busyness and stresses of mid-life, we don’t think about it much. We’re like the hypochondriac who put the words on his tombstone: ‘I expected this, but not just yet!’ 

But as we age and realise that we’ve less time ahead of us than behind us, we begin to pray with the psalmist: ‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ (Psalm 90:12 NKJV) 

Someone asked Charles Spurgeon, ‘Do you have dying grace?’ He replied, ‘Not today, but I will when I’m dying!’ 

And the grace that has saved and sustained you thus far will be with you as you transition from your lesser life into your greater one.

SoulFood: 2 Sam 20:1-22:30, Matt 27:11-26, Ps 140, Prov 18:21-22

DIARY OF A CHRISTIAN GIRL 4

This long post is dedicated to the slain female Evangelist in Kubwa. 

I engaged in evangelism sometime ago and one encounter freaked me back into my non-evangelical shell.

The church organised an outreach. I was in Bible school so i decided to win souls for Christ (by that, I mean share fliers and say "please come to church on Sunday. We have a special program that day")

I walked into a street and noticed a man following me. At first I didn't think it was a big deal till I noticed that the street had a dead end so I turned back and was faced with the stalker who had stopped and was smiling mischievously.

My Mind: "Omg! This man is going to take away our virtue(LOL..my mind is crazy sha!)...or he was an armed robber(OMG, that is a huge possibility)

I was freaked out. I suspected he smoked because his eyes were red and his lips were very black. With the current economy and inflation in everything, he could be looking for alternative stream of income to afford weed which price would be sky high right now (pun intended) but I knew I couldn't show any sign of fear. So I shoved a flier into his hand and said my rehearsed evangelical speech about the Sunday church program.

Stalker: "You are a very beautiful girl"(OMG....my virtue... Noooooo) but the fear was overwhelmed with shock. His accent was so beautiful and his English was incredibly perfect. At this point, I stepped back and gave him a sweeping look. He was wearing an oversized shirt, worn out cotton pants and battered shoes.

So I did what I hardly never do. I preached to him. He listened intently with evident admiration. I made the talk seem casual. I told him I was just about to graduate from Bible school.

Him: "Wow! Bible school. Its hard to see a young beautiful girl...(oh stop it. Hehehe)... engage in evangelism not to talk about attending bible school. I have not been to church in 18years because I have been involved in a lot of evil...(huh, please define evil)...things. In Fact, I was about going to do something evil before you caught my interest."

Me: *swallows spit* 

He watched my reaction. We were still in the dead end corner.  I couldn't tell if he wanted me to be petrified but I fought for control. I knew I had to find a way to come out of that lonely street.

Him: "You don't realise the extent of what I have done, do you? I have never been to this part of the city before. It was my mission that brought me here. Do you know what Paul's mission to Damascus was?That is exactly what I am about to do. In Fact, my target just drove past us now. Because of you, I couldn't accomplish my mission" 

I was about to ask him what he meant by that. Then I figured that he was talking about a person. He probably had been shown the picture of the 'target'. Then I thought what if he was lying to me just to scare me. I couldn't bear the mental torture anymore so I told him I had to leave so I could attend the evening prayer service so I started walking out of the corner.

Him: " Can I go with you?

Me: "To church? I knew I didn't sound excited.

Him: "yes, I am so enthralled (enthralled? I don't think I have ever used that word in my life.Wow!)

Me: "Sure. It's this way"

I led him back out, into the Main Street with loads of people around and loads of bike men waiting patiently for their next customer.

My Mind: "Run! This is your chance. Hop on a bike and flee for your life. Save our virtue and possibly our material possessions"

But I ignored it and walked in silence with my 'new convert'. Thankfully, we arrived at the church in 5mins and sat down. Then his phone started ringing crazily. The first service ended and he asked if we could sit through the second service. I agreed. The phone kept on ringing. I asked him if he wanted to take it outside. He told me that it was his 'employer' wanting to know why he hasn't accomplished his mission. 

My Mind: "He could be wearing a bomb. Why else is he wearing such a big shirt? 

I thought about going to report to one of the pastors but what if he is truly wearing a bomb, he could just set it off. I quickly banished the thought. I couldn't risk. I told myself I needed to get through the service and then bounce.

But after the service, he was so 'enthralled' by the serenity of the atmosphere that he said he wanted to stay a bit longer before he went home. 

My Mind: "You really know how to pick them. Even in a godly mission, you still pick the psychotic"

Me: " Ermmm. I have to go home because I have a lot to do before tomorrow"

His phone started ringing again...

Him: "I have to go to.(oh, thank goodness) I got some explanation to do. I'd like to see you again.(Pleas don't ask for my number) Can I have your number? (Choi!)

I knew I couldn't give him an offline line because he would call the number for confirmation. I gave him my secondary line. He flashed the line and when my phone rang out, he smiled creepily. 

I put him in a cab with instructions on how he could get back to his residence which is in one of the prestigious parts of the city. 

I walked back home going over every detail of the encounter. He called me when he got home, expressing his love and admiration which I didn't encourage. After a while, the frequent calls and texts stopped.  I have not seen him since then. I also stopped personal evangelism. 

My point is Evangelism is a courageous act. Everybody has aired( still airing) their opinions about the death of the female Evangelist. There have been a flood of questions:

(1) "Why did God allow this? 

Nobody can search the mind of God. But we know that everything He does is for the ultimate good of man.

Stephen's death laid the framework for the conversion of Paul(formerly Saul). It is best to understand that God's ways are very different from the ways of man. Every man has a purpose on Earth and death is inevitable. In the grand scheme of things, her death has touched lives someway/somehow... Including mine.

Her death has left me with thoughts about my death day. Wondering what day among the 365/366 that I would return to my maker. I pass the appointed day, oblivious of the fact that it carries my D.O.D stamp on it. 

(2)"These morning criers are so annoying...why do they do this?

You think she enjoyed waking up that early, leaving the arms of her loving husband, getting out of the warm bed, dressing up in a hurry, carry her heavy bible and megaphone and walking out into the dark, cold streets...

She did this for 16years, even if she did this only once a week; in the midst fresh marriage(when she ought to be frolicking with her hubby) in the midst of pregnancies, catering for her babies, menses (we all know mornings are the worst)...

It is important to understand that the evangelism ministry is a heavy burden upon the hearts of many. It weighs heavily on the hearts that unless you yield to it, You won't have peace.

(3)"Will these perpetrators go Scot-free?

Well, one thing is that they understand that the Bible is holding the judgement of every perpetrator of evil. The words(curses) are waiting to take effect. And they always do...eventually!

 An example is Judas Iscariot: It was his purpose on earth to betray Jesus. (Poor guy) yet his curse were already laid up in Psalm 69:25

"May his place be deserted. Let there be no one to dwell in it"

His death was horrible.

And in Psalm 109:8

"May another take his place of leadership"

He was replaced by Matthias in Acts 1:26

Even Paul who persecuted the Christians, after conversion, suffered a lot of trials and tribulations. It is right to say that he was the Apostle who suffered the most.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28

He was imprisoned, flogged, exposed to death, stoned, shipwrecked, laboured, toiled, starved...etc

 

(4)  "Why is her husband and the church leadership saying that they don't want mortal justice?

God doesn't need man to fight his battles.

Deuteronomy 32:35

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them"

NOT A HINDERANCE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: MONDAY 18 JULY 2016

THEME: NOT A HINDERANCE!

Memorise : 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Read : Philippians 1:12-21

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

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

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

Message 

While man does not have a way of getting solutions to his problems, God has uncountable ways of solving universal problems. This is because He is the Almighty. Another thing about the ways of God is that it does not appeal to the natural man. This truth is what Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ tried to convey to us in our memory verse for today when he wrote:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Paul wrote to encourage believers by telling them that the hardship he was going through was for the advancement of the gospel. It takes the eyes of faith to come to terms with this type of truth. In chains, he was moved from one place to another as a criminal under trial. However, at every given time and opportunity to speak, he preached the gospel. In Acts 24 and 25 alone, he addressed three different very important personalities namely Felix, Festus, King Agrippa. It was King Agrippa that said to Paul:

"Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian" Acts 26:28

Then Paul said:

"I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." Acts 26:29

This is a level all children of God must reach if we will enjoy our walk with God. This same truth helped Joseph from misbehaving when he came to power in Egypt and his brothers were afraid of revenge. He told them:

"And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." 

Genesis 50:19-20

In all these, we must learn that challenges will not be a hinderance if God is with us, rather, it will be a stepping stone to our destiny. Some children of God attribute their failure to certain hinderances. This should not be, because the Captain of our battle never lost any battle. As a matter of fact, we are more than conquerors and all things will always work together for our good if we believe. I pray for someone using this devotional; all the seemingly hindering situations on your way to success will become a stepping stone to your breakthrough in Jesus name. 

Prayer Point : 

Father, I command all hindering mountains in my life to give way today in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 Corinthians 5:12-9:15 and Psalms 13-14

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.

WHO TELLS YOU THE TRUTH?

Who Tells You the Truth?

'Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.' Proverbs 27:6 NLT

When it comes to seeing ourselves clearly, we all have blind spots. So we need people who’ll tell us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 

When someone really loves you, they’ll feel compelled to point out the shortcomings in your life, the sinfulness and areas that need improvement. You may be tempted to dismiss them, but you need to get beyond the sting of their words and listen for the truth in their message. 

The writer of Proverbs tells us, ‘Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.’ The truth sometimes hurts. But you must have faith that the encouragers in your life really have your best interests at heart. 

If you’re ever to experience a sense of accomplishment in this life you need someone you can trust; someone who sees where you are, and where the path you’re on is leading. If you want to really know yourself and how you come across to others, you need a trustworthy mirror committed to reflecting the truth back at you instead of what you want to hear. 

And if you find yourself resenting the very input you need, think about these Scriptures: ‘The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.’ (Proverbs 12:15 NIV) 

‘Pride … breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.’ 

(Proverbs 13:10 NIV)

 ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.’ (Proverbs 15:22 NIV)

 So here’s the question: who tells you the truth? That person’s your real friend!

SoulFood: Gen 5:22-24, Heb 11:5, 2 Kings 2:1-12, Acts 1:9-11

SEPARATED UNTO THE LORD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: SUNDAY 17TH JULY 2016

THEME: SEPARATED UNTO THE LORD

Memorise: 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

Read: Genesis 17:1-7

17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying.

17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Message

God Almighty does not hide His feelings about how we must relate with Him; He wants us to be totally His. The Bible says: "Thou shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3). There should be nothing standing between us and our God neither should there be anything taking His place in our lives. The only way we can convince Him of the fact that we are totally His is when we are completely separated unto Him; when nothing/no one else can lay claim on our lives. 

In our Bible reading for today, God asked Abraham to walk before Him and be perfect. In other words, God was telling His friend, Abraham that He needed more of his devotion, commitment and consecration. This is what God demands from all men, particularly His children. To be separated unto the Lord is to be separated from this world of sin. The Bible says:

"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. 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."

Romas 12:1-2

This should be a very pleasant development for those who have suffered from the tyrant Lucifer. The entanglement with this world is enslaving and deadly but the unfortunate thing about this is that the victim may not realise it. Worldliness is a subtle taskmaster that must be avoided by all the children of God.  The "twin sisters" whose names are godliness and contentment are the answers to the challenge of worldliness that brings serious entanglement upon Children of God.  Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

We must separate ourselves from material things of this world if we will please our God. The Bible says:

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Therefore, it is not profitable for us to allow this to take our lives away from our Maker. Let us acknowledge the primacy of the original Royalty, the God of the Heavens and the Earth. May our services be acceptable to Him from today in Jesus' name. 

Action Point :

Determine to be separated unto your God afresh today. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 Corinthians 1:1-5:11 and Psalms 12

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

I WISH...

'I Wish...'

'Love one another as I have loved you.' John 15:12 NKJV

James Dobson wrote: ‘A sixth grade teacher shared with me the results of a creative writing project assigned to her class. She asked the kids to complete a series of sentences that began with the phrase, “I wish…” 

The teacher expected her students to write about their desires for bicycles, toys, animals, and trips to theme parks, etc.

 Instead, twenty of the thirty students made reference to the breakup of their families or conflict at home: 

"I wish my parents wouldn’t fight.”

 “I wish my father would come back.”

 “I wish I could get straight A’s, so my dad would love me.” 

“I wish my mother didn’t have a boyfriend.” 

"I wish I had one mum and one dad, so the kids wouldn’t make fun of me. I’ve three mums and three dads, and they botch up my life.”

 “I wish I had an M-1 rifle so I could shoot those who make fun of me.”

 It’s hardly front-page news that the family is in trouble today, but it continues to distress me to see little children like these struggling at a time when simply growing up is a major undertaking. 

Millions of their peers are caught in the same snare. Every aspect of their young lives is influenced by family instability during their developmental years. 

Without gaining access to professional counselling, many of these kids will drag their problems into future relationships. Then the pattern of disintegration will repeat itself in the next generation. 

Returning to the responses given by these sixth grade students, I wonder how your children would complete a sentence that began with the words, “I wish…”’

SoulFood: 2 Sam 17:14- 19:43, Matt 27:1-10, Ps 133, Prov 18:17-20

OUR CROSS BEARER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: SATURDAY 16TH JULY 2016

THEME:  OUR CROSS BEARER

Memorise: 

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 

Ezekiel 18:20

Read: Ezekiel 18:1-4

18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

18:3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

MESSAGE

The righteousness of God demands that the soul that commits sin will die (Genesis 2:16-17). The first man and woman disobeyed God and then became sinners doomed for perdition. When Jesus Christ was sent to come and die for mankind, He made a demand on man to carry his cross and follow Him. The cross being referred to isn't just two pieces of wood put together.

Rather, it may be the consequence of the sins someone has committed. This is why Jesus came to help us with the cross of sin. He said: 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

When we answer this call of Jesus Christ, He exchanges His Light burden with our heavy load of sin. The Bible says that the reason Jesus Christ came to this world is that He may bear our burden of sin for us. 

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Isaiah 53:4-5

Beloved, come to Jesus Christ today and He will carry your burden of sin for you. As a matter of fact, the cross He carried during His earthly ministry was for you and me. All you need to do is to confess your sin and accep Him as your Saviour and Lord. The Bible says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us. We deny ourselves the privilege of the Cross bearer if we refuse to come to Him and make Him as the Lord of our lives. He must not just be a Saviour; He should also be the Lord. My prayer is that whatever heavy burden you are carrying will be lifted in Jesus' name. 

Prayer Point:

Father, I bring my burden to you today in genuine repentance, please forgive me and help me lift this burden. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 14:26-16:24 and Psalms 10:12-11:7

AUTHOR : Pst 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..