Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Thursday, 25th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 25TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT III

MEMORISE:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38

READ: Luke 22:47-53

47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

MESSAGE

In continuation of our reflection on the fruit of the Spirit, we will be considering the following dimensions of the Holy Spirit’s character: gentleness and goodness. Gentleness is a nature that maintains the appropriate comportment in the face of provocative events. Only the Holy Spirit can help a mortal being behave correctly or appropriately in the face of an event that seems to threaten his or her peace, or which stands in his or her way to actualising a desired goal. In today’s Bible reading, we see the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting this character in the Garden of Gethsemane. In spite of Judas’ betrayal, the sorrow of bearing the burden of sin and the degrading treatment meted out to Him, He stilled healed the ear of Malchus, servant of the high priest, which Peter had chopped off in His defence. The gravity of the character exhibited here by the Lord becomes more sobering when we realise that He could have asked for more than twelve legions of angels to fight for Him and they would have been granted Him, but He chose not to do this in order to achieve His goal of finishing the work of salvation for mankind (Matthew 26:53-54). Beloved, we need to manifest the nature of gentleness if we will not take laws into our hands. Romans 12:19 says:
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

The Lord will always fight our battles for us, if only we will allow Him to do it in His own way.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

How can a man obey these words? How can a person do good to those who hate him or her? The Lord Himself showed us the possibility of obeying this difficult injunction by doing good to those who out of hatred came to arrest and crucify Him. How was He able to do it? Acts 10:38 answers this question; it reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good because He had a relationship with the Holy Spirit. The character of goodness is the nature of the Holy Spirit, and only by cultivating a relationship with Him can we manifest this character. If we don’t do good to others, our faith is useless and without meaning (James 2:14-26). I encourage you therefore to be doer of good deeds, because by this your soul-winning efforts will be effective.

PRAYER POINT:
Gentle Holy Spirit, I covet your gentle nature. Let this character of Yours manifest in my life and empower to do good deeds to all those around me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 4-6, Romans 1:1-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR
1. I Need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Chorus:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh bless me now, my Saviour;
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.

5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Wednesday, 24th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 24TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT II

MEMORISE:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

READ: Acts 27:20-36

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

MESSAGE

Yesterday we established that the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a person is a result of cultivating a relationship with the Holy Spirit, a process which the Bible refers to as walking in the Spirit. We also started taking a closer look at individual character traits that emanate from such a relationship. Together, these character traits form the totality of the character of the Holy Spirit. Today, we will consider the dimensions of this character that enables the Holy Spirit reach out to us as the Comforter: Joy, Peace and Longsuffering.

Joy is a nature of gladness in the spirit that is not impacted by external circumstances. How does a person manifest joy in the midst of sorrow and calamity? A person who walks in the Spirit is able to manifest joy because he or she is privy to heaven’s information and is therefore able to see the bigger picture of what God is doing in every situation. Due to his or her relationship with the Holy Spirit, such a person receives secret information from heaven on the true state of things (John 16:13). This was why Paul, even as a prisoner about to be shipwrecked, was able to eat, drink and give thanks in the middle of a storm! The Holy Spirit had already revealed to him what was going to happen, and so he was full of good cheer, unmoved by the external circumstances around him. I pray that from today, you will be filled with joy in the Holy Ghost in Jesus’ Name. similar to joy, peace is a nature of calmness that reflects a freedom from strife within. To understand peace, just watch a little child sleep. The Lord Jesus Christ manifested this when He was able to sleep in the midst of a raging storm. When He was awoken by the disciples, He was able to extend the nature of peace within Him to the stormy environment around Him (Mark 4:37-39). This is what He expects of us also (John 14:27). You can only manifest the peace of God when you are at peace with the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. you cannot be at peace with the Holy Spirit if you are involved in anything that is contrary to His nature. If you confess that you are saved, yet you are not at peace, examine your ways and motives; there might be some things contrary to the nature of the Holy Spirit hiding somewhere.
Longsuffering is a nature built on the hope of a greater glory that lies ahead after enduring sufferings.

How does a man hold on to his faith in the midst of adversity? When the Holy Spirit reveals to you the glory that is reserved for you after overcoming hardship, you will manifest a longsuffering nature. This nature continually propelled Paul in the face of adversities (Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 11:23-27). How we need the Spirit in these perilous times!

PRAYER POINT:
Father, let the nature of Your Spirit in joy, peace and longsuffering find expression in my life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 1-3, Revelation 22

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I Need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Chorus:

I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh bless me now, my Saviour;
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.

5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Saturday, 20th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 20TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: SACRIFICIAL BUT PROFITABLE LIVING

MEMORISE:
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Ephesians 3:13

READ: Luke 5:8-11

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

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

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

11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

MESSAGE

When Peter left the object of his breakthrough in life – the big catch of fishes – to follow after a nomadic teacher, it was a sacrificial decision. However, that singular decision brought purpose and meaning to his life. I often credit Peter as one of the most popular men who ever lived, because in every continent of the world you will find at least one edifice or another named after him. How did he achieve this? He chose to live a life that was profitable to his Maker, even though it required a lot of sacrifice in the beginning. In like manner, it took a lot of sacrifice for Apostle Paul to abandon his doctorial title in law for the sake of evangelising the Way which he once opposed so vehemently.

A life that is profitable to God begins with the second birth. A fellow who gives his or her life to Christ is saying, “The marvellous grace of God which Jesus Christ paid such a high price for, will not go to waste over me”. If you haven’t given your life to Christ, you have to start a profitable life today by surrendering your life to Him. Peter did this at the Lake of Gennesaret, in Luke 5:8:

“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Paul also did the same thing on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6). Beloved, God is also calling out to you. These are His words to you today:

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19

However, if you are born again, you need to know that a life of sacrifice is what is expected of a disciple of Jesus Christ. The Lord expects you to be ready to give your all, and if required, lay down your life for the sake of the gospel. Here is His promise to those who do this:

“…Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

May the Lord help your decision in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to live a sacrificial and profitable life for You through the help of Your Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 42-43 and Revelation 18:19-19:10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: 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 endless praise,
Let them flow in endless 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 pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Thursday, 18th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 18TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION

MEMORISE:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 Timothy 3:1

READ: Romans 1:18-27

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

MESSAGE

It is a statement of fact that the world is changing and people are being changed by its evil whims and caprices. Irrespective of this fact, one truth that people, particularly children of God, must not allow to slip out of their mind is that although the world is changing, God does not change along with it (Malachi 3:6). His nature and standards are forever the same. Beware that He will not judge by what is acceptable in your world but by the standard He has set in His word (2 Timothy 2:19). The Lord knew that the world would come to its present evil state and so He forewarned us of the signs that will herald His coming judgement on this world. One of the signs that He gave to us is that in the last days, men and women will lack natural affection (2 Timothy 3:2-3). In other words, natural feelings, relationships and expression of love would no longer appeal to them. The lack of natural affection is a state of mind caused by the expunging of God from their so-called knowledge (Romans 1:28). Anyone who knows God as a consuming fire will dare not challenge Him to ideological arguments on morals. God dictates what He regards as moral or not. However, what do we see today? The philosophy of relativism argues that it is how you feel about yourself that matters; if as a man you feel you are a woman or if as a woman you feel you are a man, so be it! This is the reason why a man and a man would want to do what naturally a man should only do in a relationship with a woman. Some women also prefer to engage in sexual perversions with other women. Such people choose to ignore the divine order set by God in the beginning. Genesis 1:27 tells us what this divine order is:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

This Bible verse is in variance with the idea of homosexuality or being transgender. There is a distinction between male and female in the divine order. It is therefore rebellious when a person, due to lust, is dragged out of his or her natural affection into abnormal instincts that pervert the original plan of God for his or her life. This was exactly what doomed Sodom and Gomorrah, and it must be avoided today. Beloved, do you have a feeling that there is a mix-up in your being, such that you want to change your natural or original makeup into another form? You need Jesus Christ urgently for restoration. You need the prayer of deliverance to restore you to God-given personality. Do not be deceived: the world and everything in it are not the result of an arbitrary “big bang”. Everything was perfectly and methodically put in place by God. You are not a mistake; to think otherwise is the age-old deceit of the devil. Come to Jesus Christ today and be free.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, destroy any unnatural instincts in me and silence every satanic voice in my mind in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 38-39 and Revelation 17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Wednesday, 17th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 17TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: GOD OF ABUNDANCE

MEMORISE:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

READ: Luke 5:1-7

1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESSAGE

The Lord revealed Himself to us as the God of abundance by declaring these profound words about Himself in Psalm 50:9-10:

“I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”

Having experienced the reality of this truth, Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:19, penned these words to bear witness to the Lord’s capability as the God of abundance:

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit also reveals to us that Jesus Christ is the channel through whom the abundance of God is made accessible. Why is this so? For you to understand the reason why, you need to know that Jesus Christ is the Living Word through whom all things were created. Hebrews 1:2 says this concerning Him:

“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

This means that the earth and the fullness of it are His handwork – the handwork of the Word who became flesh (John 1:1-14). We can therefore get nothing in this world except through the Owner of it all. The story in our Bible text demonstrates that this material world is indeed at the disposal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter had toiled all night long, but he caught nothing in his fishing net. However, when the God of abundance released His word, there was a great catch.

Beloved, what are those needs that have been bothering your mind? Tell it to Jesus today. He is the God of abundance, and He is capable of meeting you at the points of your need. When He came to this world, He decided to become poor in your place so that His riches may come to you. The Bible, in 2 Corinthians 8:9, says,

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

The only situation that can prevent you from benefitting from the self-imposed poverty of the Lord Jesus Christ is your refusal to accept Him your Lord and Saviour, and your refusal to walk by His principles. I pray for you today that the abundant riches of God in Christ Jesus will be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please meet me at the points of my need today according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 36-37 and Revelation 16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 13: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE

1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might.
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above,
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

3. To all life thou givest, to both great and small
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought changeth Thee.

4. Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight,
All laud we would render, O help us to see,
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee.

5. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Tuesday, 16th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 16TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS

MEMORISE:
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

READ: John 15:13-16

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:  but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

MESSAGE

An ambassador is a worthy representative of a kingdom and its people in general. In particular, he or she represents the head of the realm. Our memory verse today describes us as Christ’s ambassadors. It also spells out our responsibilities as the mouthpiece of God as He persuades all people to come over to His side. We are to speak for our Lord Jesus Christ concerning the work of redemption which He has finished for all mankind. As Christ’s ambassadors, we are not just His servants or errand boys; our relationship with Him goes deeper than that. The Lord Jesus Christ made us to understand from today’s Bible text that following His decision to choose us, He has promoted us to the level of a friend, and He is ready to reveal things He and His father discuss in secret to us. What a privilege! Psalm 25:14 says,

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.”

Why has the Lord made us His ambassadors? Some of the reasons are revealed in Mark 3:14-15:

“And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:”

Ambassadors for Christ are ordained, first, to fellowship with the Master. In addition, they are to go out and preach the gospel of the kingdom they represent. They are to exert the dominion of their King over all obstructions to the expansion of His kingdom, by ministering healing and deliverance to all those who are oppressed of the devil. The ambassadors of Christ are expected to do what He did, and even greater works than He did (John 14:12). There are lots of benefits attached to being Christ’s ambassadors. One of these benefits is speedy answers to prayers. Elijah is a classical example of an ambassador for Yahweh. He prayed down fire that could quench water and God answered him immediately (1 Kings 18:36-38). Another benefit of being an ambassador for Christ is that after your tenure here on earth, you will live eternally with Him heaven. The Lord gave us His word on this in John 14:2-3:

“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

To be an ambassador for Christ, you must live a life that represents the Holy God. Choose to represent Christ everywhere you go, and you will not regret doing so.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me grace to be a worthy ambassador of Your Person and Your Kingdom everywhere I go.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 34-35 and Revelation 14:14-15:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: 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 endless praise,
Let them flow in endless 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 pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r 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.

TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE SIDE MIRROR

TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE SIDE MIRROR

Text: Philippians 3:13-14

Life is a race. An unending race. However, life is not the kind of race where we look out for the first, second or third positions. It is a race of destiny. A race where getting to the finish line is all that matters. Little wonder this race is not for the swift;

“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” - Ecclesiastes 9:11.

When we drive in our cars on a smooth, long road, we get to come across other drivers, potholes or even ditches (in some countries of the world). Sometimes, we aim to overtake other drivers, at other times, they outsmart us. When we drive, we are of the habit of keeping track of other cars and drivers through our side mirrors. Unfortunately, in the race of life, many believers have taken a long drift off the focus in a bid to keep track of the past.

When we give the past too much attention, we automatically lose sight of the great things right ahead of us. The past could entail previous achievements and attainments or even disappointments. But, please take your eyes off the side mirror because no one makes accelerated progress by dwelling on the past; the windscreen have a lot more to offer.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Monday, 15th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 15TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: DARING THE MOST HIGH GOD?

MEMORISE:
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: Psalm 78:56

READ: Daniel 3:14-30

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

MESSAGE

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?” Isaiah 45:9

Whenever I read the words of this scripture above, I tremble. It is quite astonishing to see mere mortals “flexing muscles” with the One who made them. You can be a ‘dare-devil’, but you better not dare the Almighty God; the end result will always be catastrophic for you. Today’s Bible text narrates a classical example of someone who dared to challenge his Maker: King Nebuchadnezzar. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded all to bow before the golden image he had set up, the Hebrew boys refused to bow, daring the devil in King Nebuchadnezzar. In response, Nebuchadnezzar dared the God of heaven and threw His children into the fiery furnace in defiance of God’s supremacy. However, the God of those Hebrew boys, who is also the God of all flesh, showed up in the furnace and rescued His children. It is unfortunate that those who, by the order of the king, threw them into the fiery furnace were all burnt to ashes. I decree that as it happened to those who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fiery furnace, so shall it be to all the enemies of God in your life in Jesus’ Name. Although Nebuchadnezzar temporarily repented of his folly after witnessing the awesome power of God, he still got a taste of God’s punishment down the line: he was turned into a beast for a season (Daniel 4:28-37)! May those who are challenging the Almighty God in your life be like Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Herod and all those who dared the King of glory throughout history.

How can a mere mortal possibly challenge the Almighty God? It seems ridiculous, but amazingly, this happens on a daily basis in the world that we line in today. We see nations making law against the natural order set by God, judges redefining marriage contrary to what the Almighty God Himself instituted, and people calling to question the very existence of God. Such attitudes are not new. This defiant trend has persisted throughout all of history, but the sponsors of such assault on the Divine have always paid dearly for their actions. Are you daring God in any way? I hope your answer is no. Please, never you dare the Almighty God, not even through subtle disobedience. May the Lord cause you to be wise enough never to dare Him.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please remove folly far away from me so that I may not challenge You to a fight through disobedience.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 32-33 and Revelation 14:1-13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Thursday, 11th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 11TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: HELP FROM ABOVE

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

READ: Psalm 121:1-8

1 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.

MESSAGE

Not many people that the surest source of help is the God of heaven and earth, and for this reason, so many people struggle for a very long time without having anything to show for their efforts. No wonder wise King Solomon, in Psalm 127:1, confessed thus:

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

If you have been struggling all your life, with little or nothing to show for it, your struggles have come to an end today in Jesus’ Name. one struggle a lot of people battle with throughout their lifetime is the struggle against the power of sin. Apostle Paul, before coming to the knowledge of the saving grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, found himself in this situation. In Romans 7:24, he bemoaned his spiritual condition, saying,

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

The good news is that Paul found help from above and he is today, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, numbered among the saints. The same Jesus who did it for Paul can do it for you. the Lord is telling you to look up to Him for that help you seek, because looking elsewhere is an exercise in futility. The Lord Himself will send help from above to you today in Jesus’ Name. the Saviour who helped the woman caught in adultery to come out of her state of spiritual hopelessness, will set you free from the power of sin and empower you to sin no more in Jesus’ Name (John 8:3-11).

Beloved, let Jesus help you. He is calling you today, saying,

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

For you to receive help from above, you need to answer His call as matter of urgency. You can do this by surrendering your life to Him. You must stop relying on your own ability and stop trusting in the arm of flesh (Jeremiah 17:5). As a child of God, you must put your trust in Him even as you call upon Him in prayer to come and help you. However, before calling on the Lord, first ensure that there is no impediment in your life that would deny you of His help, because in Isaiah 59:1-2, He says,

“Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

PRAYER POINT:
Abba Father, please send help to me today, and don’t let me be put to shame.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 25-26 and Revelation 9:20-10:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4.Whenlife’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Wednesday, 10th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 10TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: THE PERFECT BOOK OF INSTRUCTION

MEMORISE:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

READ: 1 John 1:1-5

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

MESSAGE

One of the problems confronting contemporary Christians today is accepting the infallibility of the Holy Scriptures. The truth of the matter is this: the Christian faith falls into disarray the moment the integrity of the Bible is destroyed by any so-called logical argument. Glory be to God, our Christianity is not based on logic or human reasoning; rather, it is built on the wisdom of God and on the demonstration of His power. Hallelujah! This is the foundation built upon by the prophets and apostles of the early Church. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 says,

“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Is it not amazing that right from the time of the early apostles, some people crept into the Church to argue against some of the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith, such as the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12, 2 Timothy 2:18)? It should therefore be no surprise to any student of the Bible that toady, even some so-called clergy do not believe in the resurrection of Christ. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:13-20, used the wisdom of God to present the truth about the resurrection and its significance to the Christian faith. Some people choose to ignore such presentations of truth, and consider them to be fables or allegory. The early Church succeeded in subduing many heresies because they held unto the Scriptures as the infallible word of God. More then ever before, the sufficiency of the Bible for doctrine, for reproof and for instruction in righteousness is being questioned and doubted today. Thank God, the Holy Spirit knew this would happen, and He, in 2 Timothy 3:16, declared thus to all this who will listen and be saved:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

People argue against Scripture passages that attack their ego or their weaknesses. They pick up what suits them in the Old Testament, like the blessings listed in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, but when they get to Malachi 3:10 that speaks on tithing, they see it as an outdated instruction to the Jews only. Moreover, some people jump at Philippians 4:19 and appropriate it into their lives as infallible Scripture, but when they get to places like 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, they will claim such passages were written only for the Church at Corinth. Such people choose to ignore the words of 1 Corinthians 10:11. All these are signs of the end-times. Know this for sure: the word of God is settled in heaven, forever. Amen.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help my faith in Your holy word to be unshakable, and grant me grace to live by it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 24 and Revelation 8:13-9:19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

4.To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Monday, 8th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 8TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: PREACH THE WORD

MEMORISE:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19

READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

MESSAGE

You will observe that parents often pass across their most important instructions to their children at the time they about to leave the world. In like-manner, our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was about to leave this world, gave us the instructions contained in our memory verse today. The Body of Christ refers to this set of instructions as The Great Commission. Due to the place of this mandate in the heart of God, I always encourage my spiritual children to be guilty of the error of neglecting to act upon it. Not only must we do the work of The Great Commission, we must also do it right. We must be like a certain torch bearer at a railway crossing, whose responsibility was to warn people from crossing the rail lines whenever a train was approaching. He indeed waived the torch at the sight of an approaching train, but alas, the torch had no light in it. You can be sure the result of such error of omission would be catastrophic. It is terrible to not engage in evangelism, but it is much kore terrible to engage in it as an empty routine. On the other hand, it is life-giving when we engage in it with all due diligence.

In 2 Timothy 4:2, the Holy Spirit gave us a template for what the mode of our evangelism and content of our message should be:

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

From this scripture, we understand that the gospel should be preached when it is convenient (in season), and also when it sounds offensive to the society we live in (out of season). We also understand from this scripture that our gospel message should contain reproof, rebuke, exhortation and doctrine. Many preachers today chose not to dabble into doctrinal issues because they would not want to be caught in controversies. You hear them saying, “I am sent to preach prosperity or deliverance and not doctrine!” One wonders whether they preaching the same message given by the Holy Spirit to the early disciples, which put Stephen and James to death. Are they preaching the same gospel that landed and Paul and Silas in the midst of controversies and ultimately in jail? Should we, because of the fear of controversies, imprisonment or even death, fail to preach the word as we ought to? God forbid (Revelation 2:10)! I encourage you, if you have encountered the saving grace of Jesus Christ, to rise up for the salvation of others, in season and out of season, by preaching the unadulterated word of God to them.

ACTION POINT:

Organise a line of action on evangelism in your local assembly and ensure that the undiluted word of God is preached regularly through it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 19-20 and Revelation 7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

Chorus:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional For Saturday, 7th January, 2018

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 7TH JANUARY 2018

THEME: REDEEMED FOR DIVINE PROMOTION

Memorise:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  Colossians 1:13

Read: Psalm 75:5-7

5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Message

“ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”   John 10:10

For you to reap the full benefits of the abundant life that Jesus Christ came to give, you need to understand the character of this life. Many children of God short-change themselves because they do not know that the redemption which Jesus Christ earned for us through His Blood is an all-round redemption that touches every aspect of our lives (Colossians 1:14,20). For example, not only did He redeem us from the power of sin, He also translated us to become citizens of God’s Kingdom. As Kingdom citizens, we are lifted above principalities and powers of this world. The Holy Spirit makes this truth clear through these verses of the Scripture:

“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” Ephesians 1:20-21

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  Ephesians 2:6

The implication of this is that the devil should no longer dominate, buffet or torment us anymore because we are no longer under his feet, where sin had previously kept us. We have been bought with a price that frees us from the tyrant master (1 Corinthians 7:23, Hebrews 2:14). We are divinely promoted as kings and priests, as declared in Revelation 5:10:

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

We are redeemed and promoted above sorrow, poverty, sickness and every form of oppression of the devil. Beloved, learn to celebrate and enforce the divine promotion you have obtained through redemption. Moreover, if you desire promotion in any facet of life, our text tell us that only God promotes. Therefore, put your trust in God, and your promotion will manifest sooner rather than later, and it will be beyond your wildest imagination in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:
Spend some quality time to celebrate your divine promotion by rendering high praises to God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 17-18 and Revelation 6:3-17

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: A NEW THING
(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

1. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because GOD will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.

2. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.

3. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten

4. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.

5. We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations

6. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully

7. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousands.

8. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.