HOW TO MINISTER TO PEOPLE

How to Minister to People (1)

'Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat.' Mark 2:3 NLT

It took four people to get this man to Jesus, and fortunately they weren’t the kind who gave up easily. They refused to let the crowd stand in their way. They even ‘raised the roof’ to get him to Jesus. So if you want to minister to people: 

(1) You must be aware of their need. They may look like they’ve ‘got it all together’, yet inwardly be lying on a stretcher. When they’re alone they cry out, ‘God, unless you help me I’m finished.’ They’re hurting, desperate, and powerless, and they know it. A

(2) You mustn’t let them down. Committing to bring somebody to Jesus means picking them up, refusing to let them down, and carrying them the whole way. It means comforting, encouraging, and holding them securely until He touches them. 

(3) You must allow Jesus to do it His way. Often hurting people don’t know what they need—but Jesus does. So once you get them there, back off and let Him work. When we’ve been in church a while we tend to look for outward signs of change. But Jesus recognised that this man’s first need was for forgiveness: ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ (Mark 2:5 NLT) After that He addressed the man’s second need: ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ (Mark 2:11 NLT) Don’t dismiss God’s tendency to work in ways that don’t make sense to you. He knows what He’s doing, and He never does anything by half-measures. Once He starts working on somebody, He’ll continue His ‘good work in you [and] will perfect it’ (Philippians 1:6 NAS) so Jesus will be glorified.

SoulFood: 2 Sam 12:1-14:20, Matt 26:47-56, Ps 118:19-29, Prov 18:10-12

A PARTAKER OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : FRIDAY 15 JULY 2016

THEME : A PARTAKER OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SINS? 

Memorise: 

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins; keep thyself pure. 1st Timothy 5:22

Read: 2nd Chronicles 18:28-34, (KJV) 

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and I will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

MESSAGE

There is an error now rampant among the children of God, which must be avoided if we will make it to Heaven. That error is partaking in other people’s sins, particularly the unbelievers! The reason for this development is connected with the unwillingness to take our stand in the midst of opposition and antagonism from the unbelieving people of this age. Children of God now conform a lot with the evil in our society because we do not want to be blacklisted, whereas, this is the nature of our calling. Jesus Christ said concerning the experience of His disciplines in this world:

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 10:22

It is unfortunate that those who indulge in aiding and abetting sinful ways do not know that they will also be partakers of the punishment:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers… Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Romans 1:28, 32

In the Bible reading for today, we read about how Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah partook in the sin of his friend, the king of Israel and was almost killed but for divine intervention. He agreed to disguise to be the king of Israel, not knowing that it was the king of Israel that was being sought for destruction. In the same vein, many children of God make friends with ungodly people of the world only to discover that they share the punishment with the ungodly. This should not be so because the Bible says:

“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.”

Psalms 125:2-3

Unless children of God cease from being partakers of the sins of the unbelievers, we may continue to suffer just because of our alliance with the wicked people of this world. For example, when a child of God enters into a business partnership with an unbeliever who refuses to pay his tithe, the business may collapse for this reason and the ignorant child of God suffers together with the unbeliever. May God have mercy on His children.  

Action Point:

Break all alliances with unbelievers and pray that the Almighty have mercy on you for previous alliances.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1st Corinthians 11:17-14:25 and Psalms 10:1-11

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.

INSPIRATION CORNER: Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

At age 5 his Father died.

At age 16 he quit school.

At age 17 he had already lost four jobs.

At age 18 he got married.

Between ages 18 and 22, he was a railroad conductor and failed.

He joined the army and washed out there.

He applied for law school he was rejected.

He became an insurance sales man and failed again.

At age 19 he became a father.

At age 20 his wife left him and took their baby daughter.

He became a cook and dishwasher in a small cafe.

He failed in an attempt to kidnap his own daughter, and eventually he convinced his wife to return home.

At age 65 he retired. 

On the 1st day of retirement he received a cheque from the Government for $105. 

He felt that the Government was saying that he couldn’t provide for himself.

He decided to commit suicide, it wasn’t worth living anymore; he had failed so much.

He sat under a tree writing his will, but instead, he wrote what he would have accomplished with his life. He realised there was much more that he hadn’t done. There was one thing he could do better than anyone he knew. And that was how to cook.

So he borrowed $87 against his cheque and bought and fried up some chicken using his recipe, and went door to door to sell them to his neighbours in Kentucky.

Remember at age 65 he was ready to commit suicide.

But at age 88 Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Empire was a billionaire.

Moral of the story: Attitude. It's never too late to start all over. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDE. NEVER GIVE UP NO MATTER HOW HARD IT GETS. 

You have what it takes to be successful. Go for it and make a difference.

DOING GOD'S PROJECT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : THURSDAY 14 JULY 2016

THEME : DOING GOD'S PROJECT

Memorise : 

Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass. Exodus 35:5

Read : Exodus 25:1-9

1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Message 

One truth that children of God must embrace is that we are partners with God in His divine project. God created man in His image, by implication; man is superior to all other creation and is Lord over the universe. God prepared man to occupy a position of junior partner with Him. This is why after He had created the Heaven and the earth and all that were in the earth, He put man in charge of naming, keeping and dressing them. The Bible says: 

"And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." Genesis 2:19

So, man had been charged with the responsibility of doing God's project from the beginning and up till date, God has not withdrawn this responsibility from man, although at times, man fails to live up to God's expectation. I pray for someone using this devotional; you will from now on live according to God's expectation concerning kingdom projects in Jesus' name. 

In today's Bible reading, the Lord commanded Moses to take offerings from the children of Isreal for the building of the Tabernacle. He told them to bring the offering willingly and joyfully. God is still making demands on us for His projects; missionary, infrastructural or  administrative. It is left to us to respond according to our ability. One other truth we must learn from the story of the children of Isreal is that everything God demanded from them was provided to them by God Himself. When the children of Isreal were leaving Egypt, the Lord caused the Egyptians to send them away in a hurry with the riches of the land. The Bible says:

"And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians." Exodus 12:35-36

Another lesson we must learn from this is that whatever blessing we are blessed with has a reason and the reason primarily is for Kingdom projects. Therefore, I advise someone reading this devotional today to find out the areas where God's project needs his or her urgent attention and go ahead to meet that need. 

Prayer Point : 

Father, please help me not fail you in  Kingdom Business in Jesus name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:16 and Psalms 9:11-20

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE   

HYMN 3: DEEPER, DEEPER

Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Chorus:

O deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

Chorus:

Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

Chorus:

Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu'ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Chorus:

Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow'r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Chorus.

DIVINE VISION

Ask God for a Vision

'Looking unto Jesus...' Hebrews 12:2 KJV

A vision is a picture of what ‘can be’ rather than ‘what is’. Your vision may be to bring health where there is sickness—like the vision Albert Schweitzer had for Africa. Or of education where there’s ignorance—like the one that motivated Gilbert Tennent to help establish Princeton University. 

It may be a vision of freedom where there’s oppression—like the one that made William Wilberforce give up a life of privilege to eradicate slavery. Or your vision may be smaller and simpler—like being the first one in your family to graduate from university, or becoming a great parent to your child even though you yourself never had one. Or breaking a bad habit before it breaks you…or overcoming your fear of technology and learning to use an iPad…or spending your retirement years impacting the world around you instead of sitting in a rocking chair waiting to die. 

Thoreau said, ‘If you’ve built castles in the air…put foundations under them.’ But having a vision isn’t enough; there has to be a commitment to act on it. That’s called a mission—and it requires setting specific, measurable steps to achieve it. Those steps are called goals; they establish a plan for accomplishing your mission and thus fulfilling your vision. 

You’ll generally have one vision, but many goals. And each goal you reach brings you a step closer to fulfilling your vision. And here’s the really good news: when your vision comes from God and you look to Jesus, He’ll give you the strength, wisdom, connections, relationships, and resources to make it happen.

SoulFood: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27, Matt 26:36-46, Ps 118:10-18, Prov 18:7-9

HYMN OF THE DAY

ANCIENT WORDS  

    BY MICHAEL W. SMITH

long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

Oh, let the ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope

Give us strength, help us cope

In this world, where e'er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home

[Chorus:]

Ancient words ever true

Changing me and changing you

We have come with open hearts

Oh, let the ancient words impart

Holy words of our Faith

Handed down to this age

Came to us through sacrifice

Oh heed the faithful words of Christ

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

Oh let the ancient words impart

[Chorus x4:]

Ancient words ever true

Changing me and changing you

We have come with open hearts

Oh, let the ancient words impart

We have come with open hearts

Oh, let the ancient words impart

SUBDING THE FLESH

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 13TH JULY 2016

THEME: SUBDUING THE FLESH

MEMORISE:

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:27

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27

9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE

One of the three expressways to sin is the flesh. Our first parents did not take note of this and so they fell into the trap of the flesh. The Bible says: "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food...." she fell for the lust of the flesh. It should be recalled that it was food that made Esau lose his birthright. The greatest birthright, of course, is the place Jesus went to prepare for the elects and no child of God should trade his Heavenly mansion for a morsel of food. It is written:

"Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Hebrews 12:16-17

This is the categorization John the beloved Apostle made in his first general epistle when he wrote:

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16.

There are terrible products of the flesh as listed in Galatians 5:19-21 which will not allow anyone enter into the kingdom of God. Paul, another Apostle of Jesus Christ did not underplay the havoc the flesh can do and determined to keep his body under and subject it to spiritual authority, so that he could make it to eternity with his God. It is not a surprise that Paul decided to subject his flesh because he knew the evil it perpetrated against his soul as revealed in another of his epistles where he lamented:

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

He however found solution to the devastating effect of the flesh in Jesus Christ, as He wrote further in Romas 7:25a.

The lesson we can readily learn from Paul's experience is that we can overcome the negative influence of the flesh if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Our annual resolution to live a godly life cannot help in this regard. Only with the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ can any man overcome the flesh. This is why Jesus is calling everyone, particularly a reader of this devotional; He says:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

As Paul overcame, we can also overcome the flesh and we shall be able to say like him:

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" 2 Timothy 4:7

May the Lord give us victory over the flesh in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Father, help me to uproot every seed of sin that the devil has planted in my life, and give me victory over my flesh in Jesus' name.

2. Pray for Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, that the Grace and anointing of God in her life will continue to multiply year after year.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 5-7 and Psalms 9:1-10

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.

DIARY OF A CHRISTIAN GIRL PT 3

"Oral s*x is not a sin as long as both parties have mutual consent to engage in it..."

The voice of the pastor's wife stirred me out of the cloud of boredom that had engulfed me through series of previous lectures. This was the 8th lecture I have had in this Bible Institute and I could barely remember anything I have been taught so far.

But this new topic got my adrenaline pumping. (Forgive me, Lord. The spirit is willing but the flesh is very weak)I looked around to be sure that my overactive imagination was not playing tricks on me. However i saw that everybody was paying attention and smiling. (Interesting!)
I checked the course brochure and saw that I was in a class titled 'CHRISTIAN FAMILY LIFE' ( so this involved sex education?Wow! )Such a thing was not on my list of possible Happenings but I was determined to enjoy every moment of this class so I gave the speaker my full attention.

"However premarital sex is a sin. The marriage bed should not be defiled. Don't engage in any form of sex until you are wedded before God" (okay oooo)We spent over an hour listening. Nobody went out to 'ease' him/herself (a.k.a escape boring lectures) Even the papas and mamas paid attention to sex talk within the permissive Christian context.

Question time came and every hand went up (LOL. Choi!)
Then somebody suggested that we put down our questions in little sheets of paper. (Why? You don't want us to know that you may be a perv? Lol. I'm sure nobody would judge you...)

Anonymous Q:"Is Anal s*x permitted within marriage?

Pastor's Wife: "For health reasons, I would advise you not to indulge in anal sex because it adversely affects a woman during child birth" ( plus it's very gross. Yuckity Yuck)

Anonymous Q: " Can we kiss and smooch during courtship?( Am sure every single person is wondering)

P.W: "What you dont want to eat yet, it is best not to use it to rub your mouth" (so that's a No? Okay oooo)

Anonymous Q: "My husband is insatiable. He pounds me (pound? Am guessing the sex is terrible. LOL)...sometimes for close to 3hours. What would you advise in this case? ( Ahhhh. Disaster yawns at your feet. RUN four-fourty ooo)

P.W: "Please see me after this class" ( Why now? You don't want to give us the advice too. Tsk tsk)

Others indicated their displeasure with loud groans. Pastor's Wife form deaf. (Lol)Moving on...

Anonymous Q: "Is it good to use enhancing drugs? ( Choi! There are freaks in the church sha...LOL)

P.W: "After proper consultation with your spouse and your physician. If you actually need it but I don't personally believe in it" ( This woman is such a diplomat!)

The freaky questions rolled in non-stop till the time keeper indicated it was time for another course. (Choi!)

And I floated again into my imaginary cloud of rainbow and sunshine.

GET OUT FROM AMONG THEM

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 12 JULY 2016

THEME: GET OUT FROM AMONG THEM

MEMORISE:

BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalms 1:1

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

MESSAGE

Right from the Garden of Eden, there have been two categories of people in the world the godly and the ungodly. Ungodliness didn't just start in the 21st century; it is an edge-long problem. Therefore, all conscientious children of God must make up their minds to watch out for ungodly groups and do everything possible to avoid keeping their company. The difference between the heroes of faith and other people that lived in their generations is that the heroes of faith refused to be influenced by the lifestyle of the ungodly. The Psalmist in our memory verse for today said;

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly; nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the sea of the scornful. Psalms 1:1

An example of a hero of faith who distinguished himself in godliness is Noah. The Bible says that as perverted ash is world was, he decided to live in the fear of the Lord with household ;

"These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God"... "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Genesis 6:9, 6

It is very important that lovers of God abstain from all appearances of evil. In our Bible reading for today, an Apostle of Jesus Christ admonishes us not to keep company with the ungodly; he sees no resemblance in the life of the godly and that of the ungodly. The difference is clear and Apostle spells it out by saying;

"He that committed win is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning, for this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil... In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that liveth not his brother. 1 John 3:9,10

The world is full of the ungodly, sinners and enemies of God. We live among them and they want to keep our company. They entice us to keep their company also. The Almighty God is speaking to us today to come out from among them. And for those who have come out in genuine repentance but are thinking of going back; don't do it. For those still in sin, the command of God to you today is to get out of your life of sin. You stand to be blessed if you obey the voice of God today. As a matter of fact, the evil you plan to execute today may be your last action on the face of the earth if you don't repent.

ACTION POINT:

Look into your life and the company you keep. Does this company glorify the Name of your God? If not, get out of that company, thought, action and habit today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 1-4 and Psalms 8

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.

HELP FROM ABOVE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : MONDAY 11TH JULY 2016

THEME :  HELP FROM ABOVE

Memorise: 

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:2

Read: Psalms 121:1-8

121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

121:7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

121:8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

MESSAGE

When there was a national calamity of famine in Samaria, a woman conspired with her friend to take turns to kill their children for food. After the other woman had helped her friend to eat her son, she refused to surrender her own son for food. The foolish woman cried to the king for help but the king's reply is a food for thought in our devotional reading for today. The king said:

"...If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? Out of the barn floor, or out of the winepress?" 2 Kings 6:27

The Psalmist was right when he said, in our memory verse, that his help comes from the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Genuine help can only come from above. The strength of man is bound to fail. The Almighty God is the present Help in the time of need; He is ever ready to send help to whoever solicits for it. He said:

"And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalms 50:15

When five kings United against the Gibeonites because they made peace with the children of Israel, they cried unto Joshua who in turn cried unto God for help. The Lord sent help from above and the five kings perished by the hand of Joshua. 

"And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword." Joshua 10:11

Many people put their trust in mortal beings and always end up disappointed. The Bible discourages us from putting our trust in men (Jeremiah 17:5). Whereas, the same chapter says:

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

Many years ago, someone heard that I was building a house and volunteered to help in the supply of blocks since he was a block manufacturer and that I should pay at my convenient time. 

It was a mistake that I never made again. The moment this man realized that I was doing the roofing of the house he began to  pester me for his money. I reminded him that he was the one who volunteered to help but he continued all the same to pester me for his money. I cried to the Lord for help with a promise that I will never make such mistake again. Beloved, I prophesy to your life, the help that will not expose you to ridicule will come your way this season in Jesus' name. However, you must always put your trust in the Lord; you must not choose to have a "Plan B" in your relationship with the Present Help, the Almighty God. More importantly, you must surrender your life to Jesus Christ and abstain from all appearances of evil (1Thessalonians 5:22). 

Prayer Point:

Father, please send me help from above today and don't let be put to shame in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Romans 13:7-16:27 and Psalms 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..

I CHOOSE PEACE

'Live in peace ... and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.' 2 Corinthians 13:11

When Jesus sent His disciples out to preach, He told them to go into each city, find a suitable house in which to stay, and say, ‘Peace be unto you.’

 If they were accepted they were to stay there and minister. If not, they were to leave and shake the dust of that place off their feet (see Matthew 10:11–15). 

Why did Jesus say that? Because instead of staying where you’re tolerated, you need to go where you’re appreciated. 

You shouldn’t waste your time on people who don’t want to be helped. If you remain where there is strife you can’t be effective. Strife grieves the Holy Spirit. 

When peace leaves, the Holy Spirit leaves, and He’s the one who does the real work. 

Question: when you picture Jesus ministering to others, how do you see Him? Certainly not with the stressed-out, hurry-up attitude we often have.

 Don’t you get an image of Him ministering in a quiet, tranquil peace? That’s a trait you need to develop too. As ambassadors of Christ we need to become more like our Master in dealing with others. 

Paul writes, ‘Live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source of affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence toward men] and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you.’ 

When you resort to force, argument, intimidation, anger, and coercion, you’re on your own. But when you demonstrate affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence towards people, God has promised to be with you. So the word for you today is—choose to ‘live in peace’.

SoulFood: Num 9:15-23, Exodus 24:15, Matt 17:1-8

PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: SUNDAY 10TH JULY 2016

THEME: PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS

Memorise: 

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your may be full. John 16:24

Read: John 16:23-28 

16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father

Message

Children of God must cultivate the habit of persistent prayers so that they may attain their full potentials. The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasised when we consider what those who take time to pray gain. The Bible says;

"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." James 5:17-18

The prayer of Elijah that brought about the rain was not just a five-minute prayer. He prayed and prayed again before the rain fell. When a man of God prays for a few minutes in the public and miracles begin to happen, one should not be decieved that it is the few minutes of prayer that instigated the miracles. The fact is that, the man of God had prayed long hours in private before the public show of God's miraculous deeds. God, in His Word, commands us to "Pray without ceasing." The One who commands us to pray, definitely will answer our prayers, if only we will obey command. God is interested in listening to our petitions and responding accordingly. Our Lord Jesus Christ in our text for today says, 

"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your may be full." John 16:24.

In other words, we must not stop asking if we have not received an answer to the petitions that we put before God. At times, answers to our prayers are double-crossed by the agents of darkness like in the case of Daniel. The following importune prayer of Daniel eventually saved the day:

"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Daniel 10:12-13

Hannah prayed until something happened in her life and so did Jabez. We must begin to pray until the attention of God is drawn to our petition. The Psalmist said in Psalms 30:2 that when he cried to the Lord, the Lord healed him. This is another testimony of someone who believed in the God that answers prayers. My prayer for someone using this devotional is that as you cry unto God today, He will answer you as He answered Hannah, Jabez and Elijah in Jesus' name. 

Action Point :

Set aside quality time to pray today and you will receive unprecedented answer to your prayers. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Romas 9:30-13:6 and Psalms 6

AUTHOR : Pst 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.

DIARY OF A CHRISTIAN GIRL PT 2

I just realised that I find it hard to tell lies these days. The art of Lying ( yes, it is an art) has become a norm in the world. People even expect you to lie and when they hear the truth they wonder if something is wrong with you.

For instance, in a case of a caller who you don't want to talk to...

*phone rings*

*checks number*------->*hiss*----->*drops phone*

Moments later...

*phone rings*----->

*checks number*---->*frowns because you don't know the number*-------->*hits the answer button because it could be important*

And the conversation goes like this:

Me: "Hello"

Caller: Hello, this is ... I am calling you with a friend's line. Why didn't you pick up when I called you earlier? (RME)

Two choices; lie or tell the truth

THE LIE:

Me: "oh sorry. I was not with my phone when you called....( and because you know what he/she would say next, you just quickly add)....I just wanted to call you back just now. How are you doing today?

Even with the suspicion that you are lying from both sides of your mouth.. You'd get:

Caller: "Oh ok. I am fine. Thanks for asking. How are you today? Have you eaten? What did you eat? (OMG!!!!! Rme)

That statement contained 2 and a half lies.

First, you screened his/her call on purpose because you did not want to talk to him/her.

Second, you never intended to call back.

Third, you don't really care how he/she is..

THE TRUTH:

Me: Hello

Caller: Hello, this is ... I am calling you with a friend's line. Why didn't you pick up when I called you earlier? 

Me: (*clears throat* because it is a norm to clear one's throat whenever you want to speak the truth...LOL...like you want the truth to have safe passage)  ermmm...*calls name* I screened your call earlier because I was not in the mood to talk to you. In fact, I don't even like talking with you. I am not even sure i even like you. I am always uncomfortable talking to you because we really do not have anything meaningful to say to one another. It's so exhausting...."

Then you get a sworn enemy for life.

So we just go through life carrying a big sack filled to the brim with ready lies to distribute when needed.

Check list:

1. Phone (*check*)

2. Glasses (*check*)

3. Car keys (*check*)

4. Face towel (*check*)

5. Stash of lies (*check*)

Another common situation much more serious than annoying phone calls is when you have got a friend that asks you questions that have obvious answers:

Friend: "EM, do you think  i am getting fat" (Setup of life)

My Mind: ( duhhhhh... You look like a whale)

My Mouth: "No..... Your clothes are only shrinking" (Not today, Satan)

When it became very difficult to tell a lie because my heart is getting very bold these days, vehemently challenging the authority of my mind, I decided to employ a scope to save myself.

Friend: " Do you think my Tummy is protruding?

My Mind: "wait... you are not pregnant? Wow!)

My Mouth: "Is it?

Friend: "Do you think he is deceiving me?

My Mind: "Is the Sky blue?

My Mouth: "My dear, I don't know"

I tried avoiding my friends in order to avoid awkward and uncomfortable situations. But even that did not work because they kept up blowing up my phones with questions about my recent change in attitude. Then I stumbled on Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is a principal thing therefore get wisdom...

How does one get wisdom?

I browsed through the Subject Guide on the last pages of the Bible and I found the answer:

James 1:5

If anyone of you needs wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all Men liberally and without reproach and it shall be given."

Even The Almighty God used wisdom in creating the world (Proverbs 3:19) He must know the importance of wisdom in the world made through His Wisdom. So I asked for wisdom. 

Now whenever a situation is threatening my honesty....

Friend: *stupid question*

My Mind: *sarcastically supplies the obvious answer*

My Mouth: "Let us pray about it. Luke 1:37. There is nothing impossible with God"

I didn't realise at first but then it hit me when I was reviewing my new approach that praying about something is actually an application of wisdom. 

So if the stupid questions persist, I just might end up raising up a band of prayer warriors....

You: "Huh? How would you do that? I don't understand"

Me: "Let us pray!!! (Looool)

LISTEN TO GOD AND TRUST IN HIM

Listen to God's Voice

'Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it.' Isaiah 30:21 

One of England’s finest preachers decided because of his wife’s failing health not to go to America and speak at an important conference. 

Although he’d purchased his ticket, the ship sailed without him, and J. Stuart Holden missed a golden opportunity in the prime of his preaching career. A devoted husband, he gave himself to caring for his wife and tried not think of what he was missing on the other side of the Atlantic. 

The truth is we’re too easily disappointed when our plans fall through; too easily discouraged when ‘great career opportunities’ are missed, and our complaining proves that we don’t know God like we say we do. 

Delay is often the protective hand of our heavenly Father. It certainly was for Holden, who resolved never again to question God’s timing. Why? Because the unused ticket he held reserved his passage on the new ‘unsinkable’ luxury liner—RMS Titanic. 

There’s so much talk in the Church today about self-help, that God’s providence and guidance is seldom mentioned. But the bottom line is we don’t decide God’s plan for our lives, we discover it. Much of the time we don’t understand how He leads us, and it’s only in retrospect that we see His hand at work. 

Paul wrote, ‘When I go to Spain... I hope to visit you.’ (Romans 15:24) But, as far as we can know for sure, he never made it; instead he ended up in prison. But it was from there that he wrote the Epistles. 

So here’s the question: if you really believe God is directing your steps then why are you questioning, doubting, and complaining?

LISTEN TO HIM AND TRUST HIM!

Please Read: Eph 4:17-6:24, Matt 26:1-13, Ps 109:1-15, Prov 17:27-28

THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF GOD

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 9 JULY 2016

THEME: THE MIGHTY DEEDS OF GOD

MEMORISE:

The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Exodus 15:3

READ: EXODUS 15:1-6

1 THEN sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

MESSAGE

One attribute of the Almighty God that children of God cannot afford to be ignorant of is that He is the Greatest Warrior. The Children of Isreal experienced the mighty deeds of God and they spontaneously composed a song as we read in our text for today:

"The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea." Exodus 15:2-4

When children of God fail to recognise the fact that their Father in Heaven in a Man of war, the tendency is that they cringe and bow to worship their enemies in fear. This in turn will bring the judgment of God upon their lives because God says in Exodus 20:3 that we must have no other god before Him. This is why Jesus Christ came to deliver those who, for the fear of death, have subjected themselves to everlasting bondage;

"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

I have seen the mighty deeds of God in my life and I have come to the conclusion that there is no god as mighty as my Daddy in Heaven, the Lord of hosts. One day I was travelling with my driver and we got to the middle of a narrow bridge that could take only one vehicle at a time before we discovered that a truck was coming from the opposite direction on the same bridge. It was the mighty deed of God that made the bridge "elastic" for my car and the truck to pass without colliding with each other. I pray for someone using this devotional; the mighty deeds of God will produce your desired miracle today in Jesus' name. For you to experience the mighty deeds of God, you must be one of His own. The Isrealities experienced the mighty deeds of God because they belonged to Him. To experience the mighty deeds of God, you need to be born-again. The Isrealites were covenant people and so God kept His covenant of great deliverance with them such that the enemies that pursued them to the Red Sea were never seen again. The mighty deeds of God will become a daily occurrence in your life if you can identify with the covenant which Jesus made with His blood at Calvary. May the Almighty God cause great deliverance to an oppressed user of this devotional today in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please make me experience your mighty deeds this season in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 7:7-9:29 and Psalms 5

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: HOLY HOLY HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

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

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

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

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

Who wert and art and evermore shalt be.

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

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

Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

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

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

Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity!