Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH – Monday December 19th 2016

Memorise:

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

Bible Reading : 1st Timothy 6:11-14 (KJV)

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

MESSAGE

The basis for all spiritual warfare can be explained as the opposition or hostility between light and darkness. Darkness is associated with blindness, emptiness, uncertainty, inactivity, stagnancy, ignorance, failure, wickedness, fear and evil. Darkness was dominant authority over the universe in the beginning, and this was evidently the status quo at the time of creation in Genesis 1:1. Then God said let there be light and there was light. Light is a very powerful force.  

When there is light, darkness has no choice than to disappear. John 1:5 says,

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

However, the truth is, not all light can outshine darkness. For instance, Genesis 1 talks of categories of light.

“And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.” Genesis 1:16

There are lights of the sun, moon and stars. Then there are man-made lights of varying sizes. If you put on tiny torch in the midst of total darkness, you will only see the spot that the torch is pointing at. Everywhere else will be surrounded by darkness. The size of a light determines the area it will dominate or rule over. The sun rules over the day because it is far brighter than the moon. If the moon were to replace the sun during the day, there will be darkness during the day. Similarly, if you bring sun to replace the moon during the night time, the night will turn into day. This tells us that what determines the result of a situation is the amount of light it is exposed to. This means that exposing varying degrees of light on the same situation will give you different results. The volume of the light of God’s Word that you are exposed to will determine the degree of the change you will experience.

The intensity and size of God’s light in you will determine the sphere of domination. Although, God has commanded you to dominate everything, the actual scope of your dominance will be determined by the amount of God’s Word that is in you. The Word is the light of the world. If you lack the Word, you lack the light that gives definition to your ability to dominate. As you increase your Word content, you enlarge your coast. Staying away from the Word automatically reduces your glow and ultimately your ability to control forces, situations and circumstances. On the other hand, the moment you stop shinning as light, darkness will swallow you up. If you want to be victorious over forces of darkness, you should daily expose yourself to the light from God’s Word. The Word is the sword of the Spirit and the chief weapon of our warfare as Christians.  

  

Prayer Point

Father, please baptize me in the pool of Your Word today in Jesus’ name.

Bible In A Year:

Leviticus 13:1-59; Psalms 123:1-4; Psalms 124:1-8

12-Year-Old Boy Rescued From A Wall In Ondo State (Photos)

It's no new story that the world is a wicked place with lots of wicked people, which is why this story will definitely shock you.

Recently photos of a little boy who was rescued alive from the middle of a wall in a community in Ondo state -went viral.. According to a new report from a public relations officer and online media personality, Rose P. Graham, here’s the true story of what happened.

Here’s the true story of the Boy that was buried alive in an old wall in Ondo state

The owner of a brick house where a young boy was rescued alive in Ondo state recently has been declared wanted by the officials of Ondo State Police Command.

The innocent boy who is said to be 12 years old was declared missing by his parents several years back.

He was rescued at a house located on Oduduwa street in Ijapo area of Akure few days ago.

When his parents were contacted, they claimed some spiritualists told them he has been used as sacrifice and that they should stop looking for him but as fate will have it, those who heard the sound of the boy as he was singing broke the wall and rescued him alive.

People are still wondering as to how the boy made it to the foundation of the building that is over 20 years old and how he managed to survive.

An Eyewitnesse at the scene who identified himself as a priest said the boy was called into the place from a spiritual altar and that he has been there for more than 5 years and that they fed him with human flesh and blood from the spiritual realm.

He urged the parents of the boy to take him to a powerful native doctor for redemption ritual because he is now a demon in human form.

This Was How MMM Warned Participants Before Freezing Accounts

Several hours before popular money doubling scheme called Mavrodi Mondial Movement (MMM) froze the accounts of its subscribers, the scheme apparently warned Nigerians not to be “unnecessarily greedy”.

In an update on its Twitter page on Monday, December 12, MMM Nigeria advised participants to use only their “spare money”.

Read the tweet below:

“MMM has always advised that you use your #SpareMoney. Use your #SpareMoney and #SpareMoney only. Don’t be unnecessarily greedy,” it tweeted.

The scheme put up a disclaimer on its website on Tuesday, December 13, informing Nigerians of a temporary freeze on payments to existing subscribers.

The scheme blamed a “heavy workload” being experienced by its servers and the panic caused by the Nigerian government and media for the development, but said it will be back by mid-January, 2017.

It also continued to encourage new users to sign up and existing ones to continue making donations.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reacted to the freeze just hours after reports began to emerge that the freeze could mean the beginning of the end of the scheme in Nigeria.

The anti-corruption agency said on its official Twitter handle that there was nothing it could do if indeed the scheme had failed entirely.

It noted that Nigerians had been warned about the scheme in advance and so there was nothing that it could do. Besides, it noted, there were more important corruption matters for it to face than MMM freeze.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 

Topic: PROOF OF LOVE – Wednesday December 14th 2016

Memorise:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Bible Reading : John 21:15-19 (KJV)

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

MESSAGE

The Bible teaches Christians to love God. The Bible also teaches that such love should be expressed in worship and practical service. One of the most important lessons that the Bible teaches on love is that love is unconditional, and that the ultimate test of love is sacrifice. Therefore, any declaration of love that is devoid of sacrifice is questionable. The Bible is strongly in agreement with the fact that love is sacrificial. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

When you are genuinely in love, making sacrifices for the one you love will be a thing of pleasure and not a burden. Jacob was in love with Rachel and asked her father what he must do to marry her. Rachel’s father told him to serve for seven years and he willingly did so. Because of his love, seven years were like seven days to him. When he was deceived, he yet agreed to serve another seven years for his heartthrob (Genesis 29:18-28). No price is too much to pay for the one you love. If you truly love your wife, you will pay the price of faithfulness in the midst of pressure to be unfaithful to her in your workplace, or even in the ministry. 

Some husbands are yet to demonstrate their love for their wives by sacrificially giving to her. If your relationship with your wife is all about convenience – you do things for her only when it is convenient, then you owe your wife big time. Wives of such husbands should demand of their husbands the debt of sacrifice. 

 

 

Sacrifice help to gauge your love for God. We can say God loves us exceedingly because He was prepared to part with His only begotten Son. If you say you love God, you will be ready, like Paul was, to spend and be spent for Him. Some questions I often ask people are; can you serve the Lord for 14 years without pay? Can you serve the Lord in the rural areas with no social amenities? Can you serve under an uneducated man of God when you are well educated? Can you leave certainty for uncertainty in the name of vision and revelation? What do you have to show for your love for God? Where is the sacrifice in your relationship with the Lord?   

Prayer Point

Father, please help me to fully appreciate Your sacrificial love for me.

Bible In A Year:

Leviticus 1:1-17; Leviticus 2:1-16; Leviticus 3:1-17; Psalms 119:113-128

Singer Omawumi Tells Fans To Help Her Beg That Her Friend Waje Forgives Her

Musician Omawumi who has so far so good avoided drama of any sort is in the news now…

She is begging you all who browse the internet to beg her Colleague and friend Waje,to forgive her……….Are they quarreling or is this just a joke from Oma? *Hmmmmm*

Omawumi Wetin you do Waje? Can you not beg her privately?You wan come cast una matter for net abi?Ok oh!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD – Monday December 12th 2016

Memorise:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Bible Reading : Acts 10:34-35 (KJV) 

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

MESSAGE

God’s acceptability of any human being is an act of His love, mercy, grace and favour. This is clearly evident in God’s interaction with the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. However, the Bible reveals that God does not open His arms to all who come to Him; there are heavenly conditions for acceptability. God accepts people who respond to him by faith. This is why we have categories of children in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father (John 1:14), while the rest of us that are saved are His adopted children. Amongst the adopted children, there are golden, sliver, wooden and earthen sons and daughters. Also, there are repentant and reliable as well as deceitful and unreliable children. What kind of child are you?

Although, God loves all His children, yet, not all of them please Him equally. While the unrepentant ones displease the Lord, the repentant and reliable ones please Him. In John 4:34 Jesus says,”….My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” God’s acceptability therefore depends squarely on our readiness to pay the price of loyalty and obedience to God. 

Jesus paid the ultimate price; He dumped His personal desires and aspiration for that of His Father’s. What He enjoyed doing the most was making God very happy. Even when the task involved giving His life. He obliged. At the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was struggling between His own will and God’s will, He gave up His (Matthew 26:39-42). No wonder God gave such a wonderful commendation of Jesus in Matthew 17:5

“While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

Hence, to be acceptable to God as a beloved son or daughter is not an easy task. It requires total submission to God’s will and total obedience to His commandments. This translates to living our lives to please God in all ramifications. Some people are ready to please God only when the price is affordable or cheap. For instance, a beloved child of God will not struggle with paying tithe or placing personal preference on fashion, entertainment, and other social consideration above the Word of God. Are you ready to pay the price for God’s acceptability?

Prayer Point

Father, help me to meet the standard of Your acceptability in the Name of Jesus.

Bible In A Year:

Exodus 35:30-35; Exodus 36:1-38; Exodus 37:1-29; Exodus 38:1-20; Psalms 119:81-96

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: LOVE: AN ANTIDOTE FOR DEATH – Tuesday December 6th 2016

Memorise:

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 1st John 3:14

Bible Reading : 1st John 3:9-11 (KJV)

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.

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

MESSAGE

The first attribute that becomes noticeable in a genuinely born-again child of God is the love for God and humanity. Every converted and renewed child of God operates under the control of the Holy Spirit, he is fully aware of new spiritual experiences and desires, as the Holy Spirit kick-starts the work of character restoration in him. A loving relationship between a Christian and Jesus therefore provides the most credible evidence of the grace of God at work in the life of a believer.

We all know that true lovers always enjoy each other’s company and fellowship. When one lover has an opportunity to spend time with the other, and for any reason misses that opportunity, he becomes sad. God loves to fellowship with man and this has been so from the very beginning. 

God created man to fellowship with Him; this is the major reason why He created us in His image. He enjoyed coming to meet and fellowship with Adam in the cool of the day. How He cherished it! It became a daily appointment which He never missed. Then imagine His disappointment when He came one day and Adam was nowhere to be found. After that, God needed another person continue from where Adam had stopped. He kept searching until He found Enoch. Genesis 5:24 says:

“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took him.”

Enoch walked with God for at least 300 years! The fellowship was so intense that death could not touch him. God had to call him to glory to continue the fellowship there. The reverse is the case for anyone that hates God. Proverbs 8:36 says:

“But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.”

 

 

Indeed, love is an antidote for death, if you truly love God and obey His commandments, death will be far away from you. Do you love God? Do you have a regular time to fellowship with God? Some believers do not have a standing altar of fellowship with God as a family. This is wrong; God wants to be intimate with you. Open yourself and your whole household to God, and create time for regular fellowship with Him today. 

Prayer Point

Father, please help me to love You with all my heart, soul and spirit in Jesus’ name.

Bible In A Year:

Exodus 22:16-31; Exodus 23:1-33; Exodus 24:1-18; Psalms 118:1-29

SHOCKING!! Truck Crushes Bottled Water Seller To Death In Broad Daylight (Graphic Photo)

A bottled water seller in Owerri, the Imo state capital, identified as Chibueze Uguru, has been killed.

The man was yesterday crushed to death by a heavy duty truck that lost control.

According to an eyewitness, the truck with the registration number, Lagos XY – 844 – EKS, lost control at the the holy ghost secondary school – Assumpta road and hit a non moving pay loader before ramming on the young man who was hawking on the road side which led to his instant death .

The eyewitness said that the truck which was conveying sharp sand stocked in cement bags, was coming into town from the Onitsha road before officials of Imo Environmental Transformation Commission who were on duty to stop heavy duty vehicles from accessing the state capital in the day time allegedly went after it.

He said that, the driver of the truck noticing that the ENTRACO officials were after him, paddled off, but unfortunately he lost control and started horning and shouting for people to desert the road, but that was to late, as Uguru, was smashed to death by the speeding truck.

See the full photo below:

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: DON’T BURY YOUR TALENT – Monday December 5th 2016

Memorise:

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2nd Corinthians 9:6 

Bible Reading : Matthew 25:24-29 (KJV)

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

MESSAGE

God ordained seedtime and harvest not just to mark time, but as a life principle. He also gave varying degrees of talents to every human being as a form of heavenly investment. Consequently, every legitimate human task, however menial it may seem, is of intrinsic worth and a potential means of glorifying God. 

God expects us to use our God given talents and abilities profitably. I once told my children that if they understand the natural farming process with the scriptural principles on sowing and reaping, entering into their harvest will be a work-over, because they will know what to sow, how to sow it and how to water the seed sown in order to have their desired harvest. In essence, they will know how to profitably use their talents for the progress of God’s kingdom. 

When the Holy Ghost Service congregation grew beyond what I could handle all by myself, I chose seven elders to assist me. I gave each of them a neck tie I had used during previous ministrations, and asked them to wear them as mantle from me. Each time they wore them while ministering, there were records of miracles, signs and wonders. But then, I also observed that I began to harvest neckties from close associates and friends who travelled to South Africa, London or America. I became curious about the fact that whenever anyone brought me a gift, it was a neck tie. So I asked God why. The Lord said; “Son, if you sow ties, you will reap ties.” Then I realised that I was receiving the harvest of the ties I gave out. 

So I began to sow shoes to pastors who shared the same shoe size with me. After giving out several of them, some of which were my best, I waited the first and second months but no shoe gift came from anywhere. Worried over the delay, I asked God why the harvest was yet to come and He taught me another lesson. He said; “Son, if you plant maize, you can harvest it within three months, but if you plant yam, you will have to wait a little longer.

 

 

Shoe are more valuable than ties; the greater the quality of the seed you have sown, the longer you will have to wait for its harvest. Since you have planted shoes, you will have to wait a little longer, but the moment the harvest begins, it will not stop.”

When the harvest came, I got shoes of different sizes, colours and levels of sophistication. Have you sown a seed? Your harvest will come. If you have sown quality seeds, give it time to mature, if you are impatient with your seed, you cannot obtain its full potentials. On the other hand, sow quality seeds; sow only what you want to reap. It is wrong to expect a harvest from where you have not sown. Have you sown towards your desired harvest?  

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me sow towards my desired harvest.

Bible In A Year:

Exodus 20:1-26; Exodus 21:1-36; Exodus 22:1-15; Psalms 117:1-2

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 

Topic: MIRACLE-PRODUCING OBEDIENCE – Monday November 21st 2016

Memorise:

His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. John 2:5

Bible Reading : John 2:1-11 (KJV) 

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

MESSAGE

Many people do not know the secret of daily miraculous living. They think it has to do with strange things or occultism. Little do they know that a life of obedience enhances the supernatural intervention that results in miraculous events. It is unfortunate that even some children of God are missing out this truth as well. In our Bible reading for today, we can see the confirmation of the title of today’s devotional reading. 

There was a marriage ceremony in Cana of Galilee and our Lord Jesus, His family and disciples were present. There came a need that only God could meet. The mother of Jesus Christ knew that the Representative of God was on ground to do what was humanly impossible. So, she approached the Miracle Worker but not without a seemingly negative reaction. It is interesting to note that despite our Lord’s reaction, His mother gave a profound instruction to the waiters. “…Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” (John 2:5). Afterwards, Jesus Christ instructed the servants to fill the empty water pots with water and asked them to go ahead and serve it as wine. I decree to someone using this devotional; whatever potential shame the enemies are planning concerning you, God will intervene with a miracle that will nullify it.

There are lessons we must quickly learn from this story; God always involves man in the process of miracle-working events. When man cooperates with God through obedience, he experiences the miraculous. Naaman said that his expectation was that the man of God will come out and touch him. Howbeit, he was disappointed; he was to be part of the process. He had to go and dip himself in the Jordan River seven times before he could experience the miracle he sought for. He almost missed it when he refused to comply with the instruction of the prophet of God. 

 

 

Another lesson we must learn from this story is that whenever you are trusting God for a miracle, you must not only be ready to receive instruction from God, you must also be attentive to the details of the instruction. After you get the message right, you must then go ahead and carry out the instruction. The servants indeed fetched the water; they also served it as wine under the instruction of our Lord. One may think it is simple to do what the servants did. They took the risk of being accused of playing on the intelligence of the people that came to the ceremony. 

Beloved, perfect obedience will change your story, just be willing to do whatever God asks you to do. 

Prayer Point

Father, give me the spirit that trembles at your Word and does whatever You want me to do.

Bible In A Year:

Genesis 37:12-36; Genesis 38:1-30; Genesis 39:1-23; Psalms 106:32-48

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: ETERNAL LIFE STARTS HERE – Wednesday November 16th 2016

Memorise:

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition: that the scripture might be fulfilled. John 17:12

Bible Reading : John 17:9-12 (KJV)

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

MESSAGE

In our Bible reading, Jesus explained that those that the Father gave to Him have been safely kept and there was none that was missing except the son of perdition. Children of perdition are those who revolt against the teachings and guidance of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ kept the disciples in the faith and His labour over them was not in vain. 

Today, we see the evidences of that investment through the spread of the gospel from one nation to another. This is possible because of the labour of the Apostles who were first commissioned to spread this good news.

When you follow Jesus through and through, He will keep you from falling into the persecution of your enemies. They will try all their best to trap you, but the Almighty God will always deliver you from their traps.  One truth we must always remember is that we are weak and we cannot keep ourselves. This is why it is important to be a partner with Jesus. Once you leave your life in His care, you can be sure that your blessing is guarantee in Him. The Almighty God will keep you in Jesus’ name.

There are sons of perdition that will refuse to be kept by Jesus Christ. They will always intentionally disobey the instructions of the father. They are usually referred to as rebellious children who will not allow their lives to be governed by the truth in the Word of God. When a person who has been in God decides to forget his creator and also refuses the assembly of the brethren, such a person is already lost. It is not good for one to be left alone. Demas was left alone because he had given his heart to the world. Lot’s wife looked back and she became forgotten. The sons of Eli did not fulfil their destiny despite the fact that they had all the opportunities to succeed in life. 

Children of perdition are those who have not said goodbye to sin. They are still living in sin and sin is a destroyer not a builder. Sin separates people from the blessings of God; it does not attract them to the place of God. At salvation, God comes inside of you and turns your journey towards perdition to the path of eternal life. This means that you and God are on the same page, and you are running away from those things that will affect His relationship with you. 

If you resist His will, you will not be a partaker of His glory. This is why you have to leave behind all those things hindering you from serving God and surrender all to Him. Judgement is coming; to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Tomorrow may be too late. There is still an opportunity for you to rededicate your life. God rewards those who allow their lives to be guided by Him with pleasant blessings and assurances of security. Those who refuse the government of Jesus have already exposed themselves to the wickedness of this world. You will not miss it in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point

Father let nothing take me away from you in Jesus’ name.

Bible In A Year:

Genesis 27:1-46; Genesis 28:1-220; Psalms 104:19-35

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: FACING TRIALS OF FAITH? – Monday November 14th 2016

Memorise:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Bible Reading : Hebrews 11:36-40 (KJV)

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

MESSAGE

There are several challenges that will confront us as we progress in the journey of faith, but none of them will dominate us. As a child of God, when you pass through the fire, the mighty man in battle has promised that it will not burn you.

At one point or the other, your faith will be tried; your love for God will be tested. There will be persecutions of all kinds. Because of your belief in Christ, people will say all kinds of things against you. There will be false accusations despite your level of commitment to your assignment. No matter how good your intentions may be, sometimes, they may be spoken of in an evil way. Many times these tribulations, trials and persecutions will come from quarters you least expect. You should be bothered because the same people who hailed the triumphant entry of Jesus were the same people, who said to Pilate, crucify him. Have you been persecuted because of your faith and your holy living? 

I congratulate you, because you are fulfilling your part of the Christian calling. You have to know that the hostility of the world against believers in Christ Jesus is a transferred hostility. We are not the first set of people to be hated; the world hates us because they hated Jesus Christ. Despite the innocence of the young shepherd boy, king Saul attempted to kill him several times. 

You need to know that even in the household of faith, there are king Sauls. They are ready to kill you, not because you have committed any crime, but because they are uncomfortable with your standard of righteous living. On several occasions, Jesus Christ, before his final persecution on earth, was persecuted by the people listening to Him in the synagogue. They did not like the way He was preaching with so much authority. And they always rose up against His good acts. What should you do in times of trials, tribulations and persecutions? You must rejoice in the Lord. 

 

 

When Paul was going through persecution, rather than murmur and complain, he fellowshipped. No wonder he could say:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37

He said this despite the fact that he was beaten with rods, he was stoned, he suffered as shipwreck, and he was kept in the deep prisons. He suffered in the hands of robbers as well as in the hands of his countrymen. False brethren also surrounded him. There were times when situations and circumstances of weariness, hunger, nakedness and the cares of his missionary obligation threatened to discourage him, yet he finished well. You will finish well in Jesus’ name. 

Prayer Point

Father, give me victory over every trial I come across.

Bible In A Year:

Genesis 24:1-67; Psalms 103:11-22

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: WHY YOU NEED JESUS II – Thursday November 10th 2016

Memorise:

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

Bible Reading : Read: John 10:1-10 (KJV)

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door 

into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a 

thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he 

calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, 

and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for 

they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not 

what things they were which he spake unto them.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I 

am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the 

sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and 

shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 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.

MESSAGE

The fight against the devil is a fight that you must win. You must make a deliberate decision to keep the devil out of your life. There is nothing good that can come from him.

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

 

 

Jesus started categorically here that both Himself and the devil have clear missions. Anyone who is not saved through Jesus is already a victim of the activities and works of the devil. There are many people who have accepted defeat from the devil; they see themselves as being unable to do anything about the activities of the devil in their lives. 

The seed of Christ enables you to overcome the devil in every aspect of life, but you must be on guard against the devil’s activities in your lives. Thieves are always after treasures, they bother themselves with things that are valuable and this is why you must keep your life and guard it away from the devil.

Those who think they are enjoying what the devil has to offer are only deceiving themselves. The devil has nothing good to offer. The devil is a thief who comes with the evil intent to steal, kill and destroy. Majorly, he wants to steal the heart and affections of people for God. Deception is the devil’s greatest tool, he is a strategist in deceiving people, this is why the Bible tells us to

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Ephesians 6:11

It is only in Jesus Christ that you can experience true riches and enjoy the fullness of living. It is only in Christ that there are blessings that have no link to sorrow. Those who do not allow Jesus to have a say in their lives are only destroying themselves, because the devil will put them in total bondage. Those who know the voice of God will follow Him because He will speak peace into all their storms. He will set those that are in captivity free.

The Christian’s number one treasure is salvation. The salvation of your soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world. Jesus teaches us that nothing can be as valuable as the soul and nothing is worth being replaced with your soul. The devil is after the salvation of our souls because thieves are only after treasures.  

The devil would do anything within his power to make us lose our salvation. The challenge is to keep our salvation even if we lose everything else.  

Key Point

Those who assume that the devil is not thief do so at their peril. Be wise.

Bible In A Year:

Genesis 11:10-32; Genesis 12:1-20; Genesis 13:1-18; Genesis 14:1-24;  Psalms 101:1-8

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: GOD GETS ANGRY TOO – Friday October 28th 2016

Memorise:

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5

Bible Reading : Psalms 30:1-5 (KJV)

1 I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

MESSAGE

A truth catches one’s attention in today’s Bible reading; God can be angry! If this wasn’t the case, the Bible wouldn’t have said; 

“For his anger endureth but a moment”. 

Jeremiah 25:6 further corroborates this fact by saying that the God of love can be provoked to anger: 

“And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.”

It is only a false teacher or prophet that will teach that God is so lovingly holy, therefore, He can’t be provoked to anger. This type of teaching makes children of God take the love of their heavenly Father for granted.

Having said this, we must also acknowledge the fact that His anger does not last forever. There is a condition though. When you don’t take God and His mercies for granted, and you genuinely turn away from your wickedness, He will deal with you as if you have never sinned before. Proverbs 28:13 says:

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

When God is angry with an individual, that fellow cannot know joy. Psalms 32:10 says:

“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.”

Going by this scripture, every man born of a woman is doomed for sorrow until Jesus Christ redeems him from the curse of sin. Our trust in the work of redemption without taking the One who made it possible for granted, will bring us unspeakable joy. When our relationship is cordial with God, we can boldly say like the Psalmist; 

“weeping may endure for a night…” (Due to the variable nature of life) “…but joy cometh in the morning.”

When I first became General Overseer, anytime I returned from my missionary journeys, my wife would be eager to tell me about all the matters that needed my attention. After listening to them all, I would ask for my food and after the meal I would go to bed. My wife kept on wondering about my attitude. I had to explain to her the fact that joy will come in the morning because I was leaving everything to God while I sleep. Faithful is He who has promised us joy in the morning; it shall surely come.

Prayer Point:

Father, let my morning of joy come now.

Bible In A Year:

Zechariah 1:1-21; Zechariah 2:1-13; Zechariah 3:1-10; Zechariah 4:1-14; Zechariah 5:1-11; Zechariah 6:1-8; Psalms 86:15-37

Open Heavens Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Topic: OCCUPYING WHILE WAITING? – Monday October 24th 2016

Memorise: 

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Luke 19:13

Read: Joshua 13:1-6, (KJV)

1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:

5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.

6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

MESSAGE

The parables of Jesus sometimes were directed to the multitude and at some other times are directed to the disciples in particular. The parable of Jesus in the memory verse for today was directed to the disciples who were being prepared for the great commission (Mark 16:15-16). They were being told to occupy till He comes.

Sometimes we think the word “occupy” means “keep yourself busy” alone; it means more than that. We must not keep ourselves busy doing nothing substantial. To understand the important of Christ’s command in Luke 19:13 we must take a look at the Bible reading of today. The Lord gave not too good assessment of the journey to the Promised Land under Joshua, which should be a food for thought for the Church of the 21st century.

“Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” Joshua 13:1

One lesson we must quickly learn from the above scripture is that Joshua was now old and there was no more strength and energy to lead the battle against the inhabitants of the land which God had given to them. They failed to occupy the Promised Land. In the same vain, when Jesus Christ told His disciples (and us by extension), to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He was actually saying that we should go and occupy the land for Him and the Kingdom of His Father. It is beyond keeping ourselves busy just for its sake. The question now is, “Are we really occupying while we await His second coming?”

Another food for thought is, in our evangelistic and missionary efforts, can we say we are occupying both the geographical and spiritual landscape and atmosphere of the world? What can we show for all the money spent on missions and evangelistic efforts? Have we taken a break in our efforts to occupy the nooks and crannies of world kingdoms like the disciples of old? We must remember that our mandate is to make disciples of all nations.

Beloved, we must not lose grounds any more. As a matter of fact, the grounds we have lost to the enemy must be taken back. Like David encouraged himself in the Lord after the raid of his barrack at Ziklag, we must summon courage to go after the enemy and recover back the Kingdoms that once belongs to the Church. The cathedrals that have been turned to bars must be brought back for the worship of the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. Christian nations that have turned secular must be revived and brought back to the light of the gospel of the Son of the Living God. May the Lord help us in Jesus’ name.

Action Point

Let us set a strategic plan to go to the “garrison” of the children of the bondwoman and take what belongs to our God back to Him because He is the God of all flesh.

Bible In A Year:

Micah 1:1-16; Micah 2:1-13; Micah 3:1-12; Micah 4:1-13; Psalms 86:1-17