Open Heavens Devotion 22nd Juky 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 22ND JULY 2016

TOPIC: NOT A VIRTUE!

MEMORISE:

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

READ: PROVERBS 15:20-21

15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

15:21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

MESSAGE

Foolishness is not a virtue; rather it is a vice that costs its victim eternity in hell fire. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In other words, lack of the fear of God is the beginning of foolishness. So, when someone decides to live without the fear of God, he does whatever he pleases without consideration for the Word of God, he feels he is free to do whatever he likes with his life, he behaves as if he owns his life, but in actual sense, his life is borrowed and the owner may ask for it anytime. Our Lord Jesus told a parable of a prosperous farmer who did not reckon with God in all his dealings. Considering the wealth he had possessed he said:

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

Some people who claim to be children of God behave foolishly sometimes. Our memory verse for today says: "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." Some brethren who had been modest and holy are now regretting their past pure Christian life! Those vanities they forsook in the past are now back in full force. This scripture is now fulfilled in their lives. Jesus said when a demon is cast out of a man, he goes away but after sometime he comes back to check whether that life is still empty. If he finds the life empty he goes back to take seven more powerful demons to take possession of the life (Luke 11:24-26).

It is foolishness to go back to your old lifestyle after you have been cleansed from your former sins and impurities. The Bible says:

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." 2 Peter 2:20

In the past, you could identify a child of God from afar off (with few exceptions of those who were pretenders). Many things that are now being celebrated were abominations in those days. It is unfortunate that a wholesale return to those vanities is now in vogue. Some Christian scholars were brought to me in my office by their leaders many years ago and I saw assorted wild paintings- red, green, silver, brown, pink etc on their faces and lips. I could not help but tell them that that was the first time I would see Bible scholars in such a wild exhibition of vanities.

Their leader then promised that he would do something about it and that when Lazarus came out from the dead he was gradually striped of the grave clothes he had on. Theologians know how to explain things away. Beloved, going back from your first love is not a virtue; it is rather a vice. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.

ACTION POINT:

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

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

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 21st July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 21ST JULY 2016

TOPIC:  VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

MEMORISE:

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

READ: MARK 11:22-26

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

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

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

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

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

MESSAGE

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

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

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

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

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:

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

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

PRAYER POINT:

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Galatians 4-6 and Psalms 18:1-19

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 19th July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE: TUESDAY 19TH JULY 2016

TOPIC: THE HABITATION OF THE LORD!

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

Read: Psalms 97:10-11
97:10. Ye that love The LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His Saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
97:11. Light is sown for The righteous, and gladness for The upright in heart.

Message:
A. The characteristics of The Habitation of The Lord attracts our attention because of The Blessings awaiting us there.
1. The qualification of those who can be part of The Habitation of The Lord is worthy of note.
2. Our memory verse says:
"If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make The Habitation of Thy Righteousness prosperous." Job 8:6
3. The Habitation of The Lord is The Place where God blesses His People with diverse kinds of blessings- spiritual, physical and material.
4. Only The pure and The Upright can enjoy The Blessings of God's Habitation one of which is Security.
5. "He that dwelleth in The Secret place of The Most High shall abide under The Shadow of The Almighty."  Psalm 91:1

B. The issue of Holiness is not a subject of debate for those who know what they stand to gain by living holy.
1. If you live holy, you live holy for yourself as The Lord watches over The righteous
2. Psalms 5:12 "For You, O Lord, will Bless The righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield."
3. Also, there is promotion for those who abide in The Habitation of The Lord.
4. Hebrews 1:9
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
5. Moreover, the Bible says;
"Lord, who shall abide in Thy Tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy Holy Hill? He that walk-through uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh The Truth in his heart." Psalm 15:1-2
6. In other words, The Habitation of The Lord is not an "all comers" affair, even though whoever chooses to be there can be there if the fellow is ready to pay the price.
7. The price of living holy is what those who want to abide in the habitation of the Lord must pay.

C. Our text for today emphasises  the necessity of righteousness viz-a-viz Divine Protection:
1. "Ye that love The LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."
Psalm 97:10-11
2. Nobody is careless about his precious possession.
3. Anybody who chooses to live a consecrated life will enjoy Divine Protection.
4. Such are precious stones in The Sight of The Lord.
5. The Lord Watches over His Heritage, i.e. His saints.
5. This is why Psalms 125:3 says:
"For The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of The righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity."
6. He keeps them under His protection and ensures no evil befalls them.
7. My prayer is that you will live under The Watchful Eyes of The Almighty.

Action Point :
Search the scriptures and find out all you must do to be able to abide in The Habitation of The Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Corinthians 10-13 and Psalms 15-16

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 18th July 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 18TH JULY 2016

TOPIC: NOT A HINDERANCE!

MEMORISE:

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

READ: PHILIPPIANS 1:12-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESSAGE

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

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

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

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

Then Paul said:

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

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

"And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." Genesis 50:19-20

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

PRAYER POINT:

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

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

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 28th 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : TUESDAY 28TH JUNE 2016


THEME : IN Jesus’ NAME

Memorise:

If you ask any thing in my name I will do it. John 14:14

Read: Philippians 2:9-11

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name 

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Bible in one year: Acts 10:1-12:5, Song of Solomon 2:8-17

MESSAGE

The Name of Jesus is God’s password for answered prayers. There is something very unique about the Name of Jesus. It carries so much power and authority. It is not just a Name like other names; it is a seal of authority that commands results for the children of God. There are several reasons why the Name of Jesus is very distinct. The moment you put the Name to work, things are bound to yield to your request. At the mention of the Name of Jesus, there is a release of immeasurable miracles. A believer that has an understanding of this will enjoy the boundless riches that the power in the Name of Jesus can perform in the lives of those who commit the Name to action.

“If you ask anything in my name, I will do it”
John 14:14

This promise to the apostles was to reassure them that whatever they requested within the will of the Lord would always be granted. The Name of Jesus is the only medium of communication with the Father. At the mention of that Name, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess; Jesus is the door to every breakthrough in life. Every sinner comes to the Father through Him; He is the door into wealth, health and well-being. The Name of Jesus is the door to protection from all the evils and troubles of life.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”
Proverbs 18:10

The Name of Jesus is the door into every rest, because He said and is still saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Today, I decree into the life of a user of this devotional, there will be rest for you in every area you have experienced trouble in Jesus’ name. The power in the Name of Jesus can deliver you from any form of sickness, infirmity or problem. Cancer disappears at the mention of the Name of Jesus, the blind receive their sight through the Name. The power in the Name of Jesus can raise whatever is dead in your life, because death has no legal right to take away any child of God prematurely. I decree that in the Name of Jesus, you shall not die but live long to fulfil all that God has planned for you.

For this Name to work for you, you must surrender to the lordship of Jesus. We live in a time when all men should confess Jesus as Lord and submit to His will. The same Name that is capable of doing all that we can ever request is the same Name that will judge the world. A time is coming when it will be too late to submit to the Name. Let the fear of God and the love of God be your primary motivator for life. Whatever motivates the request you make to God will determines if your prayers will be answered or not. The angels of God also move towards the direction in which the Name is being mentioned in spirit and in truth, so as to receive orders on someone’s behalf.

Prayer Point:

Jesus, let the power in Your Name set me free.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Acts 10:1-12:5 and Song of Solomon 2:8-17

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 22nd June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE 2016

THEME: ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE

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

Read: Isaiah 66:1-5
1.THUS saith The LORD, The Heaven is My Throne, and The Earth is My Footstool: where is The House that ye build unto Me? and where is The Place of My Rest?
2. For all those things hath Mine Hand made, and all those things have been, saith The LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.
3. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before Mine Eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5. Hear The Word of The LORD, ye that tremble at His Word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Message:
A. Every Disciple of Jesus Christ must realize that their bodies have become A Living Sacrifice to God.
1. This should be the natural response of every spiritually minded individual in appreciation of The Grace of Salvation in Christ Jesus.
2. No doubt, God's Grace was poured out for our salvation; our response should be to obediently comply with the instructions of The One Who had given His Life for The Remission of our sins.
3. There is so much deposited in us to be Effective Weapons in God's Hand for this generation, but the problem is that we have to remove those little foxes in our lives.
4. Men and women who have not been purged cannot give acceptable sacrifices unto the Lord. From the Scriptures.
5. We understand that the reason the offerings of the Levites were not accepted by God was because there were issues they needed to settle with Him.
6. Until we are purified and sanctified, our sacrifices of offering and service in The Vineyard will not receive Heaven's Attention.
7. What are those things or who are those people in your life that have made your life unstable in Christ?

B.  "For The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world". Titus 2:11-12
1. We are to offer our lives in sacrificial worship and service to Him.
2. As vessels in The Hand of God, we should no longer centre our thoughts and actions on those things that pertain to this world.
3. We should no longer engage in matters that will divert our attention from eternity.
4. Our God is Holy and He expects us to be holy.
5. For our sacrifices to be acceptable before Him, we have to be like Him in every sphere of our lives.
6. When you are holy, miracles will begin to happen in your life and The Power of God will begin to flow in you and through you to other lives.
7. This will enable us to continue the mission of destroying the works of the devil.

C. Many Christians are unable to access The Reward of A New Life because they are still tied to the culture of this world. 1. They are still entangled with the ideas, principles and concepts of this world, and this has denied them the opportunity to manifest as Children of God.
2. You have to make a deliberate choice to be useful and acceptable before your Maker.
3. Remove everything that has the ability to deprive you of your spiritual stature.

Prayer Point :
Father, make me A Vessel unto honour in Your Hands in Jesus' Name. Amen!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Esther 8-10 and Ecclesiastes 11

AUTHOR: Pastor E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 21st June 2016

Open Heavens 21 June 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Remember Me, O God

Memorise: Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. – Nehemiah 13:14

Read: Esther 6:1-10 (KJV)

1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

Bible in One Year: Esther 4-7, Ecclesiastes 10:8-20

MESSAGE:

There are battles to fight here on earth, don’t let anyone ever deceive you that there are no battles. There is nothing as good and pleasant as when you commit all these battles and obstacles into the hand of God. God is always ready to take action when we report all our enemies to Him. There are some people who enjoy carrying our evil acts against the children of God for no reason. Some people just cannot stand you being blessed by the God you serve.

Today’s passage reveals the conspiracy of Human against the anointed of the Lord. I decree that all conspiracies against your progress shall be scattered in Jesus’ name. God needs to always expose your enemies to you so that you can know how to handle them. The king could not sleep because God wanted him to remember someone who had saved his life from conspiracy. When God remembers you, your long years of mourning shall turn joy. When God remembers you, the stagnation of many years ceases in a day. One truth the children of God must continue to remember is that it takes divine remembrance to daily experience the deliverance of God. One person that enjoyed the remembrance of God was Hannah. For so many years, she lived in barrenness, but her day of remembrance came and the Lord put an end to her years of barrenness. If you want God to remember you in your own situation, there is a role for you to play. You have to call His attention to what you are going through. Mordecai called the attention of Esther to the source of their problem and Esther called the attention of the king and the rest is history. Every closed mouth equals a closed destiny. Don’t allow your mouth to be closed. When Hannah got to Shiloh, she made her petition to God and her request was granted. There is a reader of this devotional, as you call upon the Lord, He will give you permanent rest in Jesus’ name.

A life of holiness is a requirement for anyone who wants to call upon the Lord. If you are living in sin, there is no way God will hear you. You have to surrender your life totally to God, and just like Esther did, fast, pray and take practical steps under the divine guidance of God concerning every challenge you are going through. If a human king could ask for what could be done to the person in whom he had delight in, you can imagine what Jesus will do for you if you seek Him.

Prayer point: Father, please remember me for good.

Open Heavens Devotion 16th June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 16TH JUNE 2016

THEME: CEASELESS PRAYER

MEMORISE:

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

READ: LUKE 18:1-8

1 AND he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

MESSAGE

Every Christian should have a state of mind that can take part in the action of prayer at anytime; there should never be a hindered access to our Heavenly Father.

All through the scriptures, we see the results of those who prayed. Prayer is the foundation of every victorious living. Anyone who will be fruitful, both in life and in ministry, must be able to give priority to prayer. For any project to be successful, it must be backed by prayer. Jesus demonstrated to us that to get the right kind of results, prayer is the key because prayer is a tool that helps in strengthening one's relationship with God. The more time you spend in Gods presence, the more you will act and think like Him. Spending time in the place of prayer will help you align your desires, attitudes, actions and beliefs to suit God's will. It is in the place of prayer that you can establish a deep intimacy and faith in His ability to deliver. It is also in the place of prayer that you can gain access to deeper revelations. The major cause of failure in many people's life is the lack of prayer, it seems they intentionally sleep and allow the devil to deny them of God's promises.

You should never joke with your prayer life; especially since you know that the God you pray to is a prayer answering God. Prayer must not be seen as a religious exercise if you will experience the glory of God.

Ceaseless prayer is also not about vain repetition and ambiguity; you must make yourself clear to God and not assume He knows your problem. Of course He does, but He expects you to open up and let Him know what exactly you want Him to do for you. Without prayer, you cannot receive the attention of heaven because prayer is a spiritual network that links you to heaven before help can be released to you. When you are given to prayer, no weapon of the enemy against your life will prosper because the Lion of the tribe of Judah is at work in you, to defend you and disgrace all your enemies. Daniel was a man of prayers and his prayer life was the source of his strength in God. Through this, he was able to do great exploits in a strange land.

Those who do not pray are always helpless. They go from place to place looking for prayer agents. No wonder they are always falling victims in the hands of fake prophets. Come boldly to the throne of mercy and seek divine intervention over any given situation in your life and you will experience the awesome power of God in your life.

KEY POINT:

Certain things will never be received until they are asked for.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 4:1-6:14 and Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 15th June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : WEDNESDAY 15TH JUNE 2016

THEME: GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT

Memorise :

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

Read : 1 Timothy 6:6-11

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

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

Message

The moment a person makes up his mind to focus his passion and life on seeking after the things of God, he becomes very content with life. There are lots of people who are not enjoying their lives because they are being consumed with the mundane things of this world. As a child of God, your focus and attention should centre on the Word of God which will help you live life with a sense of fulfillment. t is not the abundance of what you have that determines the joy that you get in life. I have been privileged to get close to many wealthy and influential people, and I have concluded that the best kind of life is a life of simplicity. There are people, who focus on gaining worldly possessions, but those who know the essence of life will focus on things of the spirit and they will not allow the lust of this world to consume their hearts.
"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need". Philippians 4:12

Paul had learnt how to be content in poverty and in wealth. This  should also be the life of every child of God, because it is only in Christ that one understands the purpose of all things. Paul leant how to be poor without complaining about his circumstances. He knew how to go about his life in situations of want knowing that God was in charge of his life. It is no news that the greatest problem of man is greed; it is also the major cause of underdevelopment in many nations, as those that have been entrusted with the resources are continually greedily trying to acquire more money. As believers, we must know how to posses money without money possessing us. We should not Follow the  examples of those who have allowed money to become ad idol in their lives. Anytime we are in need, we should call on God; it is only Jesus Christ who gives strength to overcome the despair and discouragement of such moments, and anytime we are in wealth, we need Christ to help us exercise full control over the wealth. There is nothing we go through that we don't have the power to endure because our strength is of the Lord. We must not become obsessed with the gains of this world at the expense of our souls, especially since it is not possession that brings happiness. Christ is the source of happiness; therefore, it is the foundation we have in Him that determines the extent of our contentment in life. We must not allow the process of getting rich deny us the ultimate satisfaction and joy in Christ Jesus. We should not become spiritually bankrupt because we are on a quest to get rich. We should not stray away from the Faith because we want money. God is more than able to supply all our needs as we put our trust in Him and follow His instructions for our lives.

Prayer Point :

Father, please help me to find rest in You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Nehemiah 1-3 and Ecclesiastes 7:19-29

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 14th June 2016

Open Heavens 14th June 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Mighty to Save

Memorise: 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. – Daniel 3:17

Read: Daniel 3:20-25 (KJV)

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.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 8:24-10:44, Ecclesiastes 7:9-18

MESSAGE:

It is a precious thing to know the God you serve. The Almighty God is mighty to save. They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits. The three Hebrew boys were able to stand before the King and the religious leaders of their time to declare the sovereignty of the Almighty God because they knew Him well. From the story in today’s Bible reading, it is evident that there are tremendous benefits in knowing the God you serve. The knowledge of the boys delivered them from the destruction of the King. The presence of God provided a divine seal of approval that these were not jokers, but genuine children of God. The knowledge of God produces strength and courage, knowing well that there is nothing that confronts you in life that is beyond God. These boys did not serve God only because He could save them; they served Him majorly because of who they knew Him to be. There are many people who are only serving God as long as things are happening in their best interests.

God does not like enemies rejoicing over His children. Every time there is a situation that might result in the enemy rejoicing over the children of God, He will step in to show to the world that He is mighty to save. This is why I pity those who mess with the anointed of the Lord. There are two people to fear in this world: God, and the man that fears God. The moment you are a genuine child of God, all your enemies automatically become God’s enemies. Nobody can fight God and win, the moment God takes over the battles of your life, you can confidently go to sleep with your two eyes closed.

Are you like Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego? Have you made up your mind that no amount of threat made towards you in your place of work will make you compromise your faith? I want to congratulate you, because if you don’t bow, you are not going to burn. Don’t ever risk your glorious destiny in God by worshipping anything that represents Nebuchadnezzar. Your God is greater and has full control over all kings and powers. He has the power to unseat anyone making life difficult for you. I decree that everyone who wants you to bow to them at the detriment of your faith in God will be removed from their positions without prior notice in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point: Father, from today, deliver me from those that are stronger than me in Jesus name.

Open Heanvens Devotion 11th June 2016

Open Heavens 11th June 2016: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Soldiers of the Cross I

Memorise: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:3

Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 (KJV)

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Bible in One Year: Ezra 1-3, Ecclesiastes 5:10-20

MESSAGE:

One of my sons once said ‘For every new level there is a new devil’. This is very correct in the life of every believer. I always tell my children that if they are not relevant in the scheme of things, they cannot be a target of the devil. But, the moment you make up your mind to obey God, to love God and to serve Him, you become a target for the enemies, both within and without. As a soldier of the Cross, you do not fight your battles with physical weapons because it is the nature of a battle that will determine your arsenal of weapons. As a good soldier of the Cross, you must be able to endure hardness in the race to heaven. You have to fight lawfully and follow those rules which characterise a righteous person.

There are many factors attacking the Christian faith today. We cannot just continue to be passive; there is the need to defend the Christian faith against modern and post-modern ideologies, so that we can all lay hold of eternal life. Any Christian who is timid and Any Christian who is timid and fearful cannot carry out the struggles of spiritual warfare.

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

Those who were before us were able to stand strong and give a reason for the hope they had in Christ Jesus, we cannot but do same. Timothy as an evangelist, did not waste any opportunity, he constantly stood before men and confesses his faith in Christ. Jesus Christ our master stood before Pontius Pilate and defended his Son-ship and Kingship. One of the ways to be a good soldier of the Cross is to appreciate the works of the Cross and live our lives to reflect the sacrifices made by Jesus. This we can achieve when we begin to live a life of purity and godly behaviour. We must follow the truth that has been received in Christ. The truth that set you free and gave you liberty must be passed on to others, so that they can experience what you experienced. This is why our pastors need to go back to the ancient landmarks of sound apostolic teaching. There is a need for urgency on the part of the clergy to feed their flocks with the undiluted Word of life.

Hardship will come, Satan will launch all forms of attack against the preaching of the gospel of Jesus, yet, we must not allow all these to divert our focus from our primary assignment as soldier of the cross. Also, don’t allow the affairs of this world to make you a victim in the battles of life. As a messenger of Jesus, you must do all that is within your power to please the Owner of your life and be committed to the work of the Kingdom. It is my prayer that your enemies will miss whenever they target you in Jesus’ name.

Action Point: Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Open Heavens Devotion 10th June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 10 JUNE 2016

THEME: ACTIVATING WONDERS 2

MEMORISE:

Jesus saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? John 11:40

READ: ACTS 4:24-31

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

MESSAGE

We live in a world where challenges and problems confront people on daily basis. In many years of ministering, I have sadly seen many lives wasted and destinies destroyed by the devil and his agents. While some are looking up to God for healing, others are looking for deliverance from satanic afflictions, and some are struggling from self and sin. The Name of Jesus is a universal cure for all problems. If you believe in Jesus, no matter how hopeless your situation and condition may be, there will be a supernatural intervention in your life.

Every believers carries a measure of Gods glory. However, as we walk with God, we realize that the glory of God is in different phases, and God expects us to move from one level of glory to another consistently. In Christ, there is only a starting point but there is no end to the activation of His glory and wonders in our lives. All we need to do is believe Him and follow as He leads. Prayer precedes penetration into certain realms of God's glory. Performing wonders is easy when the glory of God saturates our lives.

In one of our crusades several years ago in Lagos Nigeria, there was a young man born with only one testicle. As his parents were moving him from one place to another in search of a solution, they met a native doctor who ended up destroying the only testicle he had. Yet, he went ahead to get married when he became of age. He came to the crusade ground and the presence of God was so intense that he had a touch from God and discovered that he has been given two new testicles. By the time he came for his testimony, he was in the company of his pregnant wife. God is able to give a touch to anyone who desires a miracle. If you want your life to be full of wonders, it is important that you realize that being on the Lord's side is the only way. With God, you cannot lose and without God, you cannot win.

All through the ages, the Name of Jesus has done great and marvelous things. If you are an unbeliever, then you will not be able to activate His wonders in your life. Happy are those who believe in Him, because nobody can alter or cancel His plans for their lives. It is the desire of God that you record His wonders on a daily basis in your life. If you truly believe in the Name of Jesus, you can move from one level of glory to a greater level of glory constantly. The Name of Jesus is full of wonders.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please activate Your wonders in my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 35-36 and Ecclesiastes 5:1-9

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 9th June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 9TH JUNE 2016

THEME: ACTIVATING WONDERS 1

MEMORISE:

Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. John 4:48

READ: JOHN 2:1-10

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.

MESSAGE

There is no better life than a life that is full of wonders. This is the kind of life that Jesus Christ truly reflected. At a Point in your Christian race, the life of Christ begins to replace your natural life and the abilities of God are made manifest in your endeavours. As a believer, people should look at you and prefer to serve the God you serve as a result of the undeniable proof that they can visibly see.

"Saying, what shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it". Acts 4:16

During the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, the people marvelled at His manner of doctrine every time they had an opportunity to listen to Him at the synagogue. This is an example we should follow as Children of God in our daily lives. People should be able testify that the moment you gave your life to Christ, you become a supernatural being and the life of Christ was implanted in you.

There is the need to understand the potency of the power behind signs and wonders. The Name of Jesus is the only weapon that triggers wonders in the life of people. At the sight of His presence during the marriage at Cana in Galilee, they knew they could not be embarrassed. The Name Jesus puts an end to all forms of harassment, lack and disgrace. When His Name is at work in your life, you can never be a victim of situations and circumstances. His Name is seal of authority upon all our blessings. The Name of Jesus is all you need to activate your miracles. The lame man at the beautiful gate was healed through that Name and he never returned to his past. When you apply the Name to your life, everything about you becomes new.

The Name of Jesus will cause doors that are shut against others to be opened to you. As you key into the power in that Name, the Lord will do to you the great things He has been doing in my life in Jesus' name. This is why you cannot afford to be distanced from Him. One day, the Redeemed Christian Church of God Choir was rehearsing for a major program, I decided to go and inspect their level of preparedness. On sighting me, one of them screamed that her day had finally come. As the other members were queuing up, this lady dashed into my car and sat where I sat. She had been barren for a long time, but nine months after that day, she delivered her baby. The Name of Jesus sets free from sin and all forms of bondage.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please make me a candidate for Your signs and wonders this month in Jesus' name

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 33-34 and Ecclesiastes 4:9-16

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Former Super Eagle Coach: Stephen Keshi Dies at 54

 Nigerian football icon Stephen Okechukwu Keshi died suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City, Edo state, TheCable understands.
The former international football player and coach had lost his wife of 33 years, Kate, last year after a prolonged battle with cancer.

TheCable confirmed his death from a member of his family as well as one of his close associates.

“He was not ill at all, never showed any signs of  illness, but we suspect he never got over the death of his wife,” a friend said.

He is survived by four children and his mother.

Keshi, the only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations, achieved a rare feat in 2013 by becoming only the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a coach.

The only other person to have achieved the feat is Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary.

Keshi, a product of St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos, started his playing career at a very young age at ACB Football Club, and later played for New Nigeria Bank, Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg, and a host of other clubs.

He represented Nigeria from 1982, at age 20, till 1994, most of the time captaining the Super Eagles and scoring vital goals from his position as a central defender.

He also coached Togo and Nigeria at the World Cup, as well as Mali.

Keshi, nicknamed the “Big Boss” for his leadership skills, is the fifth member of the all-conquering 1994 team to die, following Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.

May his soul rest in peace.

SOURCE: MetronewsNG

Open Heavens Devotion 8th June 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 8TH JUNE 2016

THEME: POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS

MEMORISE:

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. Proverbs 10:28

READ: ACTS 3:1-8

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

MESSAGE

Being positive is vital to our walk as Christians. To be positive is an expression of our confidence in the Almighty God and His Word. Hence, a positive expectation is an act motivated by the Word of God, it is proof that all will be well, an evidence that you are bigger than all your problems and circumstances, an assurance that today's situation does not determine tommorow's glory, and that as long as you are connected to Jesus, all your stories will turn out to be great testimonies. You cannot achieve your goals in life if you are not optimistic. When you are positive about the outcome of every situation, what the devil meant for evil will always turn out good for you. Every outstanding event in a man's life will always be as a result of his expectation in God. No wonder Jesus said in Mark 9:33

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth".

Expectations help us to operate at a level where there is no impossibility in our dictionary. The crippled man in today's Bible reading had been in that situation for a long time. Everyone who passed by the beautiful gate knew there was a man there who always begging for arms, but when his moment of change came, nothing could stop him from obtaining his miracle. I decree into the life of a user of this devotional believing God for the fruit of the womb, an end has come to barrenness in Jesus' name.

The crippled man was expecting money as usual, but he was given something that was much more than money. Even if you do not have enough faith, the power of God is not dependent upon your faith only.
God is committed to showing His glory in your life. Have you been trusting God for something and you feel that God is getting too late? Don’t worry, in His time, everything becomes beautiful. They that trust in the Lord can never be put to shame. For this reason, you have to ensure that when God is distributing His blessings, you are not exempted. There are people who cannot have a divine appointment with God because they are still living in sin. Have you lost your relationship with God? You have to come back to Him. He is a faithful Father who will not reward you according to your sins once you repent of them. The righteous look forward to the future, but there is no future for anyone who is still in sin. The wicked are always fearful because they know that they will reap the rewards of their sins. When one is obedient to the will of God, he becomes confident in what God is capable of doing with his life. Obedience brings the assurance of a glorious future, while disobedience to God brings an assurance of the wrath and anger of God. You will not be visited with the wrath of God in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT:

The end of a righteous man will always be Peace.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 Chronicles 31-32, and Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 7Th JUNE 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 7TH JUNE 2016

THEME: GOD OF MIRACLES 3

MEMORISE:

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28

READ: ACTS 2:22-24

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

MESSAGE

The church is a spiritual evidence of the miracles of God. It is the church that acts as the medium through which the miracles of God manifest to the world. Every individual in the church of Jesus Christ had distinct functions. Many Christians today do not seem to be aware of the tremendous power they are endowed with once the become born again. Meanwhile, those who acknowledge, appreciate and use accordingly, the power given to them, experience miracles. Miracles from God cause then Church to grow. When there are genuine miracles, there is always an explosion of attendance, spiritual growth and commitment to the work of God.

During one of our Holy Ghost services in Nigeria, the power of God was present and several miracles were happening around the altar. As a result, many people were standing up to catch a glimpse of what was responsible for the widespread excitement. There was a man in the congregation who was very short and could not see what was happening because others were taller and were blocking his view. Then with a strong desire, he whispered Oh Lord, I wish I was taller, and the Almighty God, who knows the voice of everyone, made him two inches taller. Ordinarily, this is not possible, but where God is involved, impossibilities become possible. This year, whatever looks impossible before you will receive the attention of Heaven in Jesus name. We however, need to put away anything that can hinder the manifestation of the power of God in our Churches. The Holyspirit must be given unhindered access to do His work of healing and of setting the captives free. Are you a Pastor, a prophet, a teacher, an evangelist, or an apostle? You have been chosen by God to carry out the task of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a purpose for your being gifted in the body of Christ. The Manifestations of your call should
Not be the wearing of flamboyant dresses or globe-trotting. You are to move around with the anointing of healing the sick, setting the captives free, making the barren fruitful, and replacing sorrow with Joy through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the Redeemed Christian Church of God annual convention of a particular year, the Lord asked me to pray over a piece of cloth and hold it, so that all that were barren could come out and touch it. I was amazed at the crowd that responded. They came out in their hundreds, and at a point, when I got tired of holding the cloth, I discontinued the session. Suddenly, a woman came out profusely, saying it was when it got to her turn to touch the piece of cloth that I asked them to stop. Reluctantly, I asked the ushers to give the cloth to her. The following year, the same woman came to testify with her baby.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, Please make me a carrier of Your Glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 29:3-30:27 and Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

Open Heavens Devotion 6th June 2016

Open Heavens 6 June 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: God of Miracles II

Memorise: And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. – John 6:2

Read: John 9:1-9 (KJV)

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 26:1-29:2, Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

MESSAGE:

We live in a physical environment that is governed by physical laws. However, miracles are said to happen when physical laws are set aside for the manifestations of the supernatural laws of God. There are certain situations that have been set aside as platforms for the supernatural manifestation of the power and glory of God in the lives of His children.

“Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” - John 9:3

A woman once came to me saying that her daughter in America was about to be delivered of a baby, but there were complications; the baby could not be delivered normally, and if she was to undergo a caesarean section, she would die. I prayed on two hankies for her and she took them to America. One of the hankies got lost in the hospital; of course it was the devil at work. She then tied the second one round the hand of her daughter. That day, the doctor decided that he would operate on her the following morning, but before the arrival of the doctor, the baby was delivered normally, to the glory of God. God is indeed a God of miracles. If you bring a dead child to Him, you will return with a living one. If you bring your sorrows to Him, you will leave rejoicing. When you bring sickness to Him, you will leave with healing. If your marriage is being threatened by divorce and you present it to Him, you will rejoice again.

When Jesus Christ was here on earth and Jairus’ daughter died, He was there to bring the girl back to life. When the son of the widow of Nain died, Jesus stood by and commanded the boy to arise. When Lazarus died, Jesus raised him up. When Jesus Himself died, He resurrected. The power of His resurrection will awaken everything dead in your life in Jesus’ name.

Jesus Christ knew that Lazarus was sick, when his sisters informed Him of their brother’s sickness, Jesus Christ responded by saying that his sickness was not unto death, but for the glory of God. This is why you must never query God. He knows the end from the beginning and He has your best interest at heart. Jesus came for the sinners and not the righteous. It does not really matter what the extent of your sin is, Jesus is able to forgive you and cleanse you from all of them. And the moment He does this, you became a candidate of His miracles. The God of miracles will set before you an open door to sound health, wealth and prosperity in Jesus’ name. There is no miracle you need that is too hard for God.

Key Point: If you don’t follow after God, your miracle cannot be permanent.

Open Heavens Devotion 17th May 2016

Open Heavens 17 May 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: The Peace of God

Memorise: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

Read: Philippians 4:4-8 (KJV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 23:28-25:30, Proverbs 25:15-28

MESSAGE:

We can know all the facts about God’s provisions, but if emotions do not support our knowledge, we will not be able to act upon what we know to be true. The peace of God applies a balm of inner serenity to our emotions. If you have the peace of God, you will feel at peace in mind and heart – the total inner person. All of us know what it is like to lack inner peace. Some crisis comes into our lives – some worry, some danger - and a turbulent storm rages within. Many people seek peace through tranquilizers, depressants, and other drugs. Others turn to illicit drugs or alcohol. Some try pseudo-religious movements such as transcendental meditation to find a solution for their lack of peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says:

“6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

How does the believer walk in the shoes of peace? Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that it is through prayer. Time alone with God in thankful, prayerful petition is the most effective inner tranquilizer. There is no solution to inner disquiet as effective as prayer. It always works. The peace of God transcends all understanding. That means the peace of God is above and beyond what we understand. It is more than we really need to see us through.

The next time you sense a great inner shaking or even just a slight inner disquiet, try prayer. Shut yourself away for thirty minutes or an hour alone with God. Use doctrinal praying. Pray back to God the truth of being “in Christ,” inseparably united with Christ in all of His person and work. Pray through your understanding of the Holy Spirit. Pray on each part of the believer’s armor. Thank the Lord for all of His grace and goodness. Tell Him about your anxieties and concerns. God will intervene to change things. It may be so gradual, you will scarcely know how or when it happens, but when you finish, you will discover the peace of God within your emotions. A quiet inner serenity and calm reigns even though the storm may still rage around you. I know that to be true both by experience and by the Word of God. In fact, if you are practicing this kind of praying regularly, you will discover the peace of God already there before the crisis comes.

The Scriptures are utterly practical and workable. The Bible works when we use its promises in every circumstance of life. Have you ever considered that your lack of inner peace may be God’s way of calling you to prayer? We have many marvelous electronic gadgets available to us today. A lack of inner peace could be God’s beeper signals to you. God may be calling you for an audience with Himself. He wants fellowship with you, and in the process He will restore to you that peace that transcends all understanding.

Prayer Point: Father, let your peace like a river flow over my life today in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotion 5th May 2016

Open Heavens 5 May 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: What must I do to Receive from God

Memorise: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  – John 15:7

Read: Mark 11:22-26 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

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

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 21:17-22:53, Proverbs 20:4-17

MESSAGE:

Children of God looking up to Him for blessings should learn that God has provided the means of receiving abundant blessings from Him. God has also established a few laws, principles, rules and regulations to govern the process. For anyone to receive anything from God, the fellow must at least have a relationship with Him and must have faith in His love, mercy and power to do whatever he is hoping to get from Him.

We must be connected to God and abide in Him before we can receive from Him. Wisdom for financial breakthrough teaches that: although God gives seed to the sower, He also expects the sower to sow and not eat the seed.

“Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;” - 2 Corinthians 9:10

You must realize that there is no child of God without a seed. Now you may say, “I have no money and therefore I have nothing to sow.” You are wrong. If you have no money, you may have something more valuable than money. Look in your hands, heart, intellect, abilities, talents, time, what you have in your house, your academic training, your mouth to preach and win souls, etc. There is no one without a seed. When God provides you with a financial blessing, say your wage, salary or profit from a business, that provision has a seed in it. If you spend everything, you will harm yourself. The book of John 12:24 says:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

That financial provision; salary, wage, or profit increase is some kind of harvest. God expects that the harvest you take today will give you a larger harvest tomorrow. When you receive your harvest, pay your tithe, sow your seeds and spend the rest. The seed you sow, in the process of time will be multiplied and will fetch you bread. If you don’t sow your seeds, they remain alone but when you sow them, they will be given an opportunity to say, “thank you for parting with us”. They will give you a harvest that will yet give you more seeds to sow.

You can decide to keep your corn with you, eat it and starve afterwards or sow it and expect a harvest. Many believers today are poor because greed, gluttony, impatience, ignorance and lack of faith made them eat their seeds along with their bread.

Now you know better, simply obey and begin to experience increase on all sides. As you begin to follow divine principles today, you will witness an extraordinary supply of His favour and blessings in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point: Father, please give me the wisdom to observe divine principles in Jesus’ name

Open Heavens Devotion 4th May 2016

Open Heavens 4 May 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Suffering Hatred

Memorise: Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. – John 8:42

Read: John 15:17-21 (KJV)

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 19:19-21:16, Proverbs 19:19-20:3

MESSAGE:

As the time of the departure of Jesus began to draw near, He started talking to His disciples about the things that will befall them from the moment when he would depart, so that they would not be caught unawares. These series of talks are generally referred to as the ‘farewell discourse’. The Bible reading for today is one of the farewell discourses, it points to the fact that the disciples would suffer hatred. John 15:20 says:

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

Jesus said, if the world persecuted Him, then the disciples should expect a similar treatment in the hands of the people. Jesus told them that He was telling them ahead of time so that when these things began to happen, they would not be caught unawares. Jesus wanted His disciples to be fully ready for any eventuality. What is the nature of the hatred that Jesus suffered in the hands of the people of the world? He was defamed, misrepresented, rejected unfairly, forsaken by friends and relatives, harassed, beaten, assaulted, abused, crucified and murdered. Jesus went further in John 15:21 to say:

“But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.”

The prophecy is not limited to the twelve apostles or those that were physically present with Him at that time. Jesus explained that this would be the fate of all that come after Him and live as true disciples. That the Church and people of God are presently operating under various kinds of attacks and persecution in many regions of the world is not news any longer. Christians are presently suffering untold hardships, insecurity, harassment, brutality, assaults, and murder. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that a time is coming that a person that kills a Christian would suppose that he is doing God a favour.

However, the Bible says we should count it all joy when we are faced with diverse temptations and persecutions, knowing that enough such challenges, we become exercised, our spiritual muscles get toughened and built-up.

Prayer Point: Father, please give me the grace to remain adherent to You no matter what the devil throws my way.

Open Heavens Devotion May 2nd 2016

Open Heavens 2 May 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Spiritual Bodyguards

Memorise: He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalms 91:1

Read: Psalms 91:1-12 (KJV)

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

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 15:33-17:24, Proverbs 18:15-19:4

MESSAGE:

Bodyguards are specially trained security persons who usually protect very important people wherever they go. They are commonly sighted around government officials and members of their families. Business moguls, multi-millionaires, mega stars, and TV personalities enjoy going around with them. As a matter of fact, many will not be seen in public without their bodyguards because they don’t feel safe without them. However, bodyguards are limited in power, and the cost of having them is beyond the reach of the average person. The good news for Christians is that as we have bodyguards in this world, we also have spiritual bodyguards. They are automatically appointed to every child of God at the moment they become born again. They are invisible, they operate at a speed much faster than the speed of light, they have limitless power, and their services have been fully paid for through the blood of Jesus. That is why Psalms 91:1 says:

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

I once taught some of my children that when a child is born, what happens to the child depends on the available support system. The stronger the support system, the more fortified that child is for success in life. Within our Father’s support system are angels. Psalms 91:10-13 says it is the duty of our Father’s angels to ensure no harm befalls us. The angels are instructed by God to go with us wherever we go. If the children of kings are going out, they don’t go alone. If they are going to school, they are chauffeur-driven, whereas, children of ordinary people trek even through the woods unaided. From this day, you shall go on angelic rides in Jesus’ name.

There is a testimony a brother shared concerning his trip by air. He said while airborne, the first two engines of the plane suddenly stopped. The pilot panicked, saying that if the third engine follows suit, the plane would crash. Then the third engine also stopped. The whole place was in pandemonium but this brother who was seated by the window turned to look through the window on his left and saw a huge angel smiling at him and whispering to him that he was carrying the plane. To the surprise of everybody else, the plane landed safely an hour later at the nearest airport. The brother saw three angels there. Nobody could explain how they managed to land except this brother. In the Bible, when Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, an angel went ahead of him and stopped their mouths. Similarly, when Peter was locked up in prison, an angel came to him, woke him up and led him out.

Prayer Point: Father, please don’t let me ever do anything that will drive my spiritual bodyguards away from me in Jesus’ name.

Open Heavens Devotion April 28th 2016

Open Heavens 28 April 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Overcoming Trials I

Memorise: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. – James 1:12

Read: Proverbs 1:11-15 (KJV)

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 8:22-9:28, Proverbs 16:20-33

MESSAGE:

The irony of the spiritual realm is that the tempter is the prosecutor. The Bible says:

“9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” -Revelation 12:9-10

The Above scripture points to one bitter truth; trials and temptations are characteristics of life whether we believe it or not. It is. However, better to believe it because it is then we can preparedly overcome it. The Bible also confirms it by attaching a blessing to overcomers of temptation:

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” - James 1:12

It takes genuine love of God to be able to overcome temptation. Joseph was able to overcome temptation of sleeping with his masters wife because of the love he had for God. This love was what produced his victory. He said:

“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” -Genesis 39:9

As said earlier, there will always be temptations as long as we on this earth. Temptation is not a sin but falling into it is a sin. The bad thoughts that the devil flashes at you are not sins until you begin to hatch and execute them. It is our resistance to temptation that makes us overcomers. The Bible says:

“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” - Hebrews 12:4

My prayer for Someone using this devotional is that you remain an overcomer over sin from now on in Jesus name.

Prayer Point: Father, Sanctify me wholly from every besetting sin by the Blood of Jesus she on the cross.