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Thursday 28 July 2016

Open Heavens 28 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Thou shalt Not Covet

Open Heavens 28 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Thou shalt Not Covet


Topic: Thou shalt Not Covet [Thursday 28, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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

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

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.

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

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Bible in One Year: 1 Timothy 1-6, Psalms 21

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 jesting that are not convenient become inevitable. The Bible says:

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.” 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 organised 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 judgement upon Ahab. It was a judgement 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Monday 25 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS MONDAY 25TH JULY, 2016. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OPTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS
MONDAY 25TH JULY, 2016.

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.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Colossians 1-4 and Psalms 19:1-6

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.

Friday 22 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS FRIDAY 22ND JULY, 2016. NOT A VIRTUE!

OPEN HEAVENS
FRIDAY 22ND JULY, 2016.

NOT A VIRTUE!

MEMORISE:  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Proverbs 26:11

READ: Proverbs 15:20-21
15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
15:21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ephesians 1:1-4:16 and Psalms 18:20-28

MESSAGE
Foolishness is not a virtue; rather it is a vice that costs its victim eternity in hell fire. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In other words, lack of the fear of God is the beginning of foolishness.

So, when someone decides to live without the fear of God, he does whatever he pleases without consideration for the Word of God, he feels he is free to do whatever he likes with his life, he behaves as if he owns his life, but in actual sense, his life is borrowed and the owner may ask for it anytime.

Our Lord Jesus told a parable of a prosperous farmer who did not reckon with God in all his dealings. Considering the wealth he had possessed he said:

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Luke 12:19-20

Some people who claim to be children of God behave foolishly sometimes. Our memory verse for today says: "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." Some brethren who had been modest and holy are now regretting their past pure Christian life! Those vanities they forsook in the past are now back in full force. This scripture is now fulfilled in their lives.

Jesus said when a demon is cast out of a man, he goes away but after sometime he comes back to check whether that life is still empty. If he finds the life empty he goes back to take seven more powerful demons to take possession of the life (Luke 11:24-26).

It is foolishness to go back to your old lifestyle after you have been cleansed from your former sins and impurities. The Bible says: "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." 2 Peter 2:20

In the past, you could identify a child of God from afar off (with few exceptions of those who were pretenders). Many things that are now being celebrated were abominations in those days. It is unfortunate that a wholesale return to those vanities is now in vogue.

Some Christian scholars were brought to me in my office by their leader many years ago and I saw assorted wild paintings - red, green, silver, brown, pink etc on their faces and lips. I could not help but tell them that that was the first time I would see Bible scholars in such a wild exhibition of vanities.

Their leader then promised that he would do something about it and that when Lazarus came out from the dead he was gradually striped of the grave clothes he had on. Theologians know how to explain things away.

Beloved, going back from your first love is not a virtue; it is rather a vice. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.

ACTION POINT:
Check your life and see if there is any foolish act of sin, unrighteousness or backsliding. Repent.

Thursday 21 July 2016

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER Thursday July 21 2016

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER Thursday July 21 2016

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 Israel 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 hindrance to prayer. Unless we are forgiven, our prayer 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 if 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 us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1John 1:8-9

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught 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 Matthew 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 forgiving spirit made him 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 forgive.

Bible in one year: Galatians 4-6, Psalms 18:1-19

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Open Heavens 19 July 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Habitation of the Lord

Open Heavens 19 July 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Habitation of the Lord


Topic: The Habitation of the Lord [Tuesday 19, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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.

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

Bible in One Year: 2 Corinthians 10-13, Psalms 15-16

MESSAGE:

The characteristics of the habitation of the Lord attract 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.” Psalms 91:1

The issue of holiness is not a subject of debate for those who know that 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;

1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” - Psalms 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 vis-a-vis divine protection:

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. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” - Psalms 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 scripture and find out all you must do to be able to abide in the habitation of the Lord.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Monday 18 July 2016

Open Heavens 18 July 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Not a Hindrance!

Open Heavens 18 July 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Not a Hindrance!


Topic: Not a Hindrance! [Monday 18, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: 2 Corinthians 5:12-9:15, Psalms 13-14

MESSAGE:

While man does not have a way of getting solutions to his problems, God has uncountable ways to 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 & 25 alone, he addressed three different very important personalities namely Felix, Festus, King Agrippa. It was King Agrippa that said to Paul:

“Almost thou persuadest 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:

19….Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20But 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 hindrance if God is with us, rather, it will be a stepping stone to our destiny. Some children of God attributed their failure to certain hindrances. 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Saturday 16 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.. DATE: SATURDAY 16TH JULY 2016 THEME: 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..

Friday 15 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE DATE : FRIDAY 15 JULY 2016 THEME : A PARTAKER OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SINS?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

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,

Thursday 14 July 2016

Open Heavens 14 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Doing God’s Project

Open Heavens 14 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Doing God’s Project


Topic: Doing God’s Project [Thursday 14, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:16, Psalms 9:11-20

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 Israel 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 Israel is that everything God demanded from them was provided to them by God Himself. When the children of Israel were leaving Egypt, the Lord caused the Egyptians to send them away in a hurry with the riches of the land. The Bible says:

35 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: 36 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 to fail you in Kingdom Business in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

Open Heavens 13 July 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Subduing the Flesh

Open Heavens 13 July 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Subduing the Flesh


Topic: Subduing the Flesh [Wednesday 13, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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

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.

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

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.

Bible in One Year: 1 Corinthians 5-7, Psalms 9:1-10

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 lost 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.

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 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 categorisation 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 Romans 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 Point: 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. Pray for Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, that the grace and anointing of God in her life will continue to multiply year after year.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Open Heavens 12 July 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Get out from among them

Open Heavens 12 July 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Get out from among them


Topic: Get out from among them [Tuesday 12, July 2016]

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 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: 1 Corinthians 1-4, Psalms 8

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 age-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 seat 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 as his world was, he decided to live in the fear of the Lord with his household;

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And 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 the 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 John spells it out by saying;

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 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 loveth 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 will 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 at 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Monday 11 July 2016

Open Heavens 11 July 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Help from Above

Open Heavens 11 July 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Help from Above


Topic: Help from Above [Monday 11, July 2016]

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

Read: Psalms 121:1-8 (KJV)

1 (A Song of degrees.) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible in One Year: Romans 13:7-16:27, Psalms 7

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 the convenient time. It was a mistake that I never made again. The moment this man realised 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 God for help with a promise that I will never make such a 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 (1 Thessalonians 5:22). 

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

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Sunday 10 July 2016

Open Heavens 10 July 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Pray Until Something Happens

Open Heavens 10 July 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Pray Until Something Happens


Topic: Pray Until Something Happens [Sunday 10, July 2016]

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

Read: John 16:23-28 (KJV)

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Bible in One Year: Romans 9:30-13:6, Psalms 6

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 say;

17 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. 18 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 deceived 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 pubic 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 joy 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:

12 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. 13 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 30:2that 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.


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.Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Friday 8 July 2016

Open Heavens 8 July 2016: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Foolishness in Vow Taking

Open Heavens 8 July 2016: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Foolishness in Vow Taking


Topic: Foolishness in Vow Taking [Friday 8, July 2016]

Memorise: Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. – Ecclesiastes 5:5

Read: Psalms 15:1-4 (KJV)

1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Bible in One Year: Romans 4-7:6, Psalms 3-4

MESSAGE:

There will be both pleasant and unpleasant surprises in Heaven. The reason being that many who we think will not make it to Heaven will make it in, just like the robber on the right hand of the Cross of Jesus Christ did. The Bible says;

“But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.” - Ezekiel 33:19

The lawful thing for the wicked to do is to repent, as God is more than willing to forgive and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:7-9). However, the Bible equally says:

“When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.” - Ezekiel 33:18

One deadly habit of some 21st century Christians is making a vow and not fulfilling it. This is foolishness of the highest order. The Bible warns us against making vows and not fulfilling them. One of such cases is when funds are being raised for the work of God; careless children of God make very big vows ‘in faith’ that they are not able to fulfil. You hear them saying, “God understands!” How dangerous. Our memory verse says;

“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” -Ecclesiastes 5:5

Verse six of the same scripture further say:

“Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”

Worse still, despite being capable of paying their vows, some refuse to, even after God has fulfilled His own part. Nothing could be more dangerous than this.

An aspect of vows that is even more delicate is the marriage vow. People no longer accept the fact that marriage vows remain valid until death separates the husband from the wife or vice versa. They give flimsy excuses for divorcing their spouses. Like one of my children would ask: “When you were saying ‘for better and for worse’, did you put a limit to the extent of the worse you were talking about?” You should never consider breaking your marriage vows. God hates divorce(Malachi 2:16)

Beloved, always keep and pay your vows, and if you have broken your business or marriage vow, repent, restitute and reconcile before it is too late. Covenant breakers will not enter into the Kingdom of God.

Action Point: Think of all the unfulfilled vows you have made and make amends without further delay.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Thursday 7 July 2016

Open Heavens 7 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Don’t be an Ingrate

Open Heavens 7 July 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Don’t be an Ingrate


Topic: Don’t be an Ingrate [Thursday 7, July 2016]

Memorise: We love him, because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19

Read: Luke 17:11-19 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible in One Year: Romans 1-3, Psalms 1-2

MESSAGE:

The attitude of ungratefulness irritates God. Where I come from in the western part of Nigeria, our people would say, “Don’t follow-up your benevolent act so that you don’t give the impression that you want a ‘thank you’ or some ‘hero worship’.” This saying is very correct because only God deserves our worship. As a matter of fact, it is only God that is capable of constantly following up His benevolent act and that is why He said;

“…When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you….” -Leviticus 23:10-11

Love is reciprocal. The question is how many people reciprocate the love being showered on them by fellow humans, not to talk of their attitude to God’s benevolent acts. The Psalmist saw the danger in the act of ingratitude and preached vehemently to his soul when he wrote:

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” - Psalm 103:1-2

The story in our Bible reading confirms that God expects us to appreciate Him sufficiently for His goodness. Our Lord Jesus Christ queried in Luke 17:17:

“…. Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”

He went further to bless and perfect the healing of the grateful Samaritan. It is unfortunate that many children of God are already so used to the miraculous act of God that they are no longer moved by these acts. New comers into the Church who still remember clearly what they have suffered by the hands of the devil and his cohorts give thanks to God for every miracle. Whereas, some people don’t give testimonies of how God healed them of headache because they don’t see it as a “big deal”. Such people have forgotten that the headache they consider as ordinary has claimed the lives of thousands. My prayer for someone using this devotional is that you will never be ungrateful again in Jesus’ name. When you continue in your sins after you have been cleansed of them or when you backslide, you are ungrateful to God who gave His Son as ransom for your sins and to Jesus Christ who paid the supreme price of laying down His life for you. When you don’t forgive your brother who offends you, you are ungrateful to God who pardoned your numerous sins.

Prayer Point: Father, forgive me of my sin of ingratitude. Holy Spirit, help me to be grateful to my Father in Heaven always in Jesus’ name.

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..Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.

Sunday 3 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE SUNDAY 3RD JULY, 2016. GUILTY OF INJUSTICE?

OPEN HEAVENS BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
SUNDAY 3RD JULY, 2016.

GUILTY OF INJUSTICE?

MEMORISE: Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. James 5:6

READ: Amos 8:4-10, (KJV)
4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Acts 20:17-22:21 and Song of Solomon 5:10-6:9

MESSAGE
Injustice has been in existence with mankind since the fall. The unfortunate thing is that God hates injustice because He is the God of justice and equity. In our Bible reading for today and in several others verses of the Bible, we see that God vehemently abhors injustice. This injustice is all-inclusive, because it is found among traders through false measure, the employers of labours who do not pay the correct wages or delay it unnecessarily and the employees who cheat on their employers by not putting up their best for the wages they earn. James 5:4 says:

“Behold the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”

It is injustice when an employer keeps the wages of the labourers unpaid or holds back some of the wages meant for the workers. God says He will not take it lightly with whoever is guilty of this act. In the same vein, when an employee uses the time meant for his employer to do something else, it is injustice. This is why many employees do not have anything tangible to show for the wages they earn. When a man works for fifteen days put together in a month and he is given a salary of thirty days worth, at the end of the month, the value of what he will use the money for will not be more than his actual wage for fifteen days. Many traders are fond of using false measures to sell their merchandise. Only ignorance makes people indulge in such practices, because the God of justice will always bring judgement upon such businesses.

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
Leviticus 19:35-36

The consequence of the above injustice is written in our text for today:

“The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works… And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.” Amos 8:7,10

Beloved, beware of injustice of any kind so that you are not found guilty of practicing that which the Lord hates. The Bible says:

“Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.” Proverbs 20:23

ACTION POINT:
Examine your life; if you are in any way indulging in injustice, repent today and restitute your ways.

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.

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.

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.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
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.

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.

Saturday 2 July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE SATURDAY 2ND JULY, 2016. SUBDUING THE THREATENING GIANT

OPEN HEAVENS BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
SATURDAY 2ND JULY, 2016.

SUBDUING THE THREATENING GIANT

MEMORISE: THE LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1

READ: 1 Samuel 17:45-50
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Acts 18:18-20:16 and Song of Solomon 5:2-9

MESSAGE:
There is a threatening giant mightier than Goliath that we must overcome if our lives will be meaningful and highly fulfilling. This giant is no other one than the devil. As a matter of fact, Goliath in our Bible reading for today was just an apprentice in the school of Satan.

The Bible says that the devil is a roaring lion walking about, seeking whom he may devour ( 1 Peter 5:8 ). This was exactly what Goliath did, he roared at the children of Israel and they trembled before him.

"And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, why are ye come out to set your battle on array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants of Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be you servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." 1 Samuel 17:8-9

How did the children of Israel overcome the threatening giant of their lives? They overcame him through their representative, the young David, who knew the God that he served. The giant came, cursing David by the name of his gods and David returned the curses by giving a deadly prophecy against the uncircumcised Philistine in the name of his own God:

"This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."
1 Samuel 17:46

One lesson we learn from the story is that battles of life are beyond the physical. Even the giant did not rely on his strength alone; hence the reason he cursed David by his gods! David was up to the task, so he replied, not in the same way but in a greater dimension by condemning the host of the Philistine carcases to the beasts, not only the Champions. This is why the Bible says.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

This is equally why we must put on the whole armour of God to be able to withstand the giants of our life, particularly in our Christian lives. Another lesson is that, since our weapons are not carnal, we must not attempt to fight against the giant with our senses or physical weapons.

When King Saul gave physical weapons to David, he rejected them because he knew they would fail. He confidently challenged Goliath with his God. I encourage you to take hold of the Name of the Lord on your battle against the giants in your life and you will subdue them all. However, you must have a cordial relationship with the bearer of the Name through holiness and perfect obedience to His Word.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I come against all the giants of life threatening my destiny and I destroy them completely today in Jesus' mighty name.