OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 31/1/2014 - WHERE ARE YOU? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHERE ARE YOU?

MEMORISE

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

READ

Philippians 3:12-15

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

MESSAGE

If a child of God will fully actualise and fulfil in totality the purpose of God for him, the question – “Where am I?” must be asked and answered conscientiously from time to time. Right from the day of birth, a man begins a return journey to where he came from (Ecclesiastics 12:1-7). This is why you are not asked how young but rather how old you are? Even though some individuals would like to tie down time and prevent themselves from ageing, thinking of a means for achieving such only amounts to living in a fool’s paradise. No matter the level of cosmetology therapy you accord your body, your internal organs would tell you: “you are only joking”. The facial ridges and furrows would betray your “smartness”. The point therefore is: you need to face reality.

To answer the question, “where am I?” you need to consider the following questions in sequence:

• Where was I yesterday?
• Where am I now?
• Where can I be?
• Though where I am now may look good to me, is this where I ought to be?
• Where do I want to be, going forward?

In Philippians 3:10, Apostle Paul declared: “That I may know Him”, even though he was already an apostle. There is always room for moving higher. If however you are already satisfied with your present level or position, then there is nothing anyone can do to move you forward. Note however that the day you get satisfied, that day you begin to come down the ladder of ascent. It is my prayer that you will not be satisfied yet. Are you thirsty for more of Christ and all He has for you? If thirsty, how thirsty are you? Jesus in Matthew 5:6 said:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

You need to know also that there is a price to pay to achieve greatness (Philippians 3:7). Are you therefore ready to go through some physical hardships and discomforts in order to reach your goal? You should also be aware of the danger of resting before arriving at your destination (1 Kings 13:11-30). The misleading old prophet caught up with the young prophet while he rested along the way to his destination (1 Kings 13:14). This cost him his life and destiny. Finally, be aware of the great joy of finishing well (2 Timothy 4:7-8). You will finish well in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, keep me thirsting for more of you; anything that would constitute a barrier in my upward journey, let it be removed by fire in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Peter 5; 

2 Peter 1-3;

 Psalm 29

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 30/1/2014 - SECRETS OF OVERWHELMING BLESSINGS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SECRETS OF OVERWHELMING BLESSINGS

MEMORISE

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

Deuteronomy 28:1

READ

Proverbs 11:24-25

Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

MESSAGES

God wants you to have overwhelming blessings; blessings that you will have and you will say it is enough. Having such blessings - the type that God gives, depends on what you hear and on what you see. Also, to be overwhelmingly blessed depends on how you go about acting on what you hear and see. Hearing well, seeing well and doing what you hear and see well depends on God. It is He alone who can give the grace to hear, see and do well. This is why it is very important and urgent too for whosoever wants God’s type of blessing which does not include sorrow to be born of God (John 3:3). Indeed God wants you to be the head and not the tail. He wants you to be above the principalities of poverty and all forms of suffering that come with it. In 3 John 2 He said:

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

It took a long time before some people accepted the truth that God is interested in the prosperity of His children. Many still have not come across or accepted this truth even today.

There are several people today that God wants to bless, but they are not yet ready for the blessing because they have not heard the correct teaching concerning godly blessings as clearly written in Deuteronomy 28. This is just like many people today, who ordinarily would have loved to live holy lives, but because they hear all the time that it does not matter how they live their lives, that once they are born-again they are on their way to heaven, they live a lifestyle that has shipwrecked their faith. What this people are hearing is determining their destination after this life. Beloved, if you have been taught that tithing is an Old Testament practice and you ignore the commandment of God in Malachi 3:10, then you have sentenced yourself to perpetual penury. Know that the condition for God’s blessings is diligent obedience to biblical instructions as His eternal truth for all ages. This is why you must hear well and see well in order to do well for God to open His treasury of blessings upon you. This is why every child of God must make sure he or she fellowships in a Bible believing Christian assembly where they will be taught to practice godliness without compromise. My prayer for you is that the truth that will take you to your next level of prosperity will be unfolded to you in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please open my eyes and my ears to the secrets of overwhelming blessings in your word and help me to be diligent enough to do accordingly in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Peter 1-4; 

Psalm 28

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 29/1/2014 - THE PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF NEED BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF NEED

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

READ

Matthew 17:24-27

Matthew 17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 

Matthew 17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 

Matthew 17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 

Matthew 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

MESSAGES

The Lord is the great provider. He has provided for numerous people before and He will provide for the needy again and again. In John 6:5-13, we read of how the Lord provided food for a multitude. He can provide for your family as well. God’s provision takes different forms. In this case, that which was available - a small meal, was multiplied supernaturally as it was shared. After everybody had eaten, there were twelve baskets of extra food left over. There are times He provides by creative miracles - bringing into existence what was not available before. The case of money from the mouth of a fish as we read in today’s Bible reading is a very good example.

I have always believed that in every man’s life, there is a river with a fish in it. I implore you to take soul winning seriously because there is somebody somewhere waiting to be witnessed to, in whose hands the Lord has deposited resources that will meet some kingdom needs. By the grace of God, the Lord has enabled me to catch some fishes for him, who in turn He is using to meet some of His needs. Those whom the apostles won to Christ brought everything to the apostles’ feet for distribution among the saints. God loves you so much that you don’t have to beg to possess anything. You will enjoy a deep sense of freedom when you realise that everything you need is in God’s hands and that he can direct it to you as He pleases. During our annual convention a few years ago, I completely ran out of money because we usually feed the participants whose number we normally could not determine in order to draw up a specific budget. It was on a Thursday of the convention week which was to last till Sunday and we had completely run out of money. My wife ran to me and said, “Darling, we need N5,000 now”. I told her to go and come back to me later. After she left, I said “Almighty God, you heard that; I need N5,000 now”. Some minutes after the prayer, a man came and said, “I was just driving past and saw the activities going on here. I didn’t know so much is going on here. Next, year, I would like to be a part of it.” As he turned to go, he dipped his hands into his pocket and gave me an envelope which I eagerly opened to find N1,000 in it. I was encouraged and told God that “We have N1,000 down, now it is N4,000 to go!” Shortly after that, two young people in the Church came with envelopes in their hands and handed them to me. I found N2,000 in each of them. This was how the Lord met that immediate need. I pray that before the end of today, the need that woke you up from your sleep shall be met by the Present Help in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, I thank you because you are the Present Help in the time of need. Please meet me at the point of my needs today in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

James 1-5;

Psalm 27

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 28/1/2014 - EVERYONE NEEDS A MIRACLE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

EVERYONE NEEDS A MIRACLE

MEMORISE

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

Psalm 55:16

READ

Mark 5:22-23

Mark 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

MESSAGE

Some years ago, I was invited to be the guest speaker at a garden party in an exclusive, highbrow residential area. Because I arrived at the venue quite early, I was made to sit for a while in the house of my host. The house was an exquisite parade of wealth and splendour. I had never seen such brazen display of wealth in my life. The house contained six living rooms. I was kept in one of them. From where I was, I could see five other living rooms in ascending order of affluence. It was as if prosperity was on parade. After surveying the entire environment, I decided to change the topic of my message. Initially, I had wanted to preach on the topic: “Your miracle is around”. I concluded: “These people do not need a miracle”. I decided to change my topic to: “What the Lord has done for me, I cannot tell it all” or “Bless the Lord, O my soul”. While I was still thinking of changing the message, the Holy Spirit nudged me: “Son, these people need a miracle more than you could ever imagine”. With every opportunity the Lord gives me to minister to men and women of substance, I have always leant that even they need miracles. All human beings need miracles irrespective of race, status or social standing. The Bible is a complete book. There is no aspect of human life that is not addressed in God’s word. There is something in the Bible for all.

The story in today’s reading centres on an eminent personality. Jairus was a man of uncommon achievement by all standards. He was a man of whom it could be said: “he has made it in life”. In spite of his great achievements, however, he had one problem which money could not solve. His only daughter was at the verge of death. In his seemingly hopeless situation, Jairus sought help from the Lord and the Lord met him at the point of his need. The Lord will meet you at the point of your need today in Jesus’ Name. Like the case of Jairus, the man whose house I described above had one problem money could not solve. After the programme, the man pleaded passionately with me to pray over the case of his son who was then a drug addict. The fact that the man was respected in the society did not grant him immunity from the storms of life. Before the intervention of God, this son was busy ruining the fortunes of the family; but I thank the Lord who touched him. The good news is that he has remained responsible and sensible since he received the touch of God. If you feel you don’t need a miracle for yourself, you may need it for your family and children. It is possible that you may not need a miracle for your children but someone else who is precious to you might need a miracle. I pray that that your long-awaited miracle shall come to you today in Jesus’ Name. Only believe, and you shall see the glory of God.

PRAYER POINT

Father, give me a miracle today that will turn my life around for the better in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 11-13; 

Psalm 26

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 27/1/2014 - WHO SHALL GO FOR US? BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHO SHALL GO FOR US?

MEMORISE

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Isaiah 6:8

READ

Mark 16:15-16

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

MESSAGE

God needs men and women who have found the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to go out in search of lost souls. He laid down an example for us in Genesis 3:9 where He went looking for Adam in the Garden of Eden after the fall. God is looking for people to win street boys and girls, pimps, hardened criminals, robbers, social miscreants, drug dealers, prostitutes, etc. God is looking for those who are highly anointed to bring these unreached groups into His kingdom. We must target people who are the brains behind insecurity in our societies if we really desire security of lives and property. God, like in the days of Isaiah the prophet, is looking for highly anointed people to send to nations that are resistant to the gospel. We need people who can minister in societies that are dominated by atheists, hard-core Muslims, secularists, humanists as well as those who are sold out to the occult. God needs missionaries who are powerfully anointed to go for Him and rescue perishing souls around the world. The Church needs believers who have what it takes to go out there and heal the sick, cast out demons and deliver the oppressed in the Name of Jesus Christ. God is asking passionately, “Who shall I send, who shall go for us?” Are you highly anointed? If your answer is yes, then say to Him: “Here am I, send me”. The anointing which God is bringing your way through this devotional is not meant for frivolities, it is meant to meet the needs of the assignment God has for you.

When my birthday approaches, people ask me time and again: “What do you desire as a gift for your birthday?” I have always replied: “Souls”. The greatest gift anyone can ever give me is the salvation of multitude of souls. The salvation of souls not only brings joy to me but also to my Daddy. Go all the way to win souls if you want to please God. The Bible in Ezekiel 3:18 says,

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

The implication of this scripture is that some believers may be in danger of hell, not because they directly commit the so-called popular sins, but because of the sin of omission. Failure to go all out to evangelise is a sin of omission. The Lord consistently is asking: “Who will go for us?” Let your answer be: “Here am I, send me”. You shall be mightily rewarded for it.

ACTION POINT

Draw out a personal soul-winning programme for yourself and better still, for your family and work out its execution without further delay.

BIBLE IN ONE  YEAR

Hebrews 9-10;

Psalm 25

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 26/1/2014 - THE NECESSITY OF THE MIRACULOUS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE NECESSITY OF THE MIRACULOUS

MEMORISE

Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

Psalm 77:14

READ

John 2:9-11

John 2:9 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,

John 2:10  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.

John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

MESSAGE

Miracles are desperately needed in the world today as multitudes have found themselves in situations that require divine intervention. Have you ever wondered what would have happened if there were no miracles in the world? Of course, many lives would have been destroyed. Thank God, we serve a miracle-working God. In Psalm 136:4 the Bible calls Him the God that does wonders. Wherever God finds human needs, He manifests His power to perform miracles, signs and wonders if invited. There is no need on the face of the earth that God cannot meet. It was the miraculous deed of Jesus that saved the bridegroom in the story of John 2 from life-time shame when the wine finished half-way into his reception party. People have asked: Why do we need miracles? The answer is very simple. To live without miracles is to live at the average or below average level. It is very dangerous to be at the average level. It is unfortunate that most Christians have decided to live and die averagely. You don’t need miracles, if all you want to be is an average achiever. However, if you make up your mind to be outstanding, you need the miracles of God to achieve your desires in this hostile world.

You need to grasp the meaning of average for you to better understand the necessity for the miraculous. When you survey the entire spectrum of wealth, you will discover that there are various categories. At one extreme, you will find the Poor who can never make ends meet. Next to the poor is the Comfortable. He is the one who makes ends meet but has no savings. After this comes the Rich. In this category you have people whose needs are met with added luxury of some savings. Next to the rich are the Wealthy. How can we identify the wealthy? Such people do not only have some savings, but they are so rich that they can afford to put their surplus in fixed deposits. At the extreme end of the spectrum of wealth are the Flourishing. This group of people are so rich that they can lend to nations. Based on this spectrum, average is defined by the rich. God is willing to take many of us to the realm of the flourishing if we believe in miracles (Psalm 92:12-14). God’s plan for your life is to make you fat and flourishing. However, when you look at the situation of man since the fall in the Garden of Eden, you will clearly see the necessity of the miraculous in returning man to God’s original plan. This plan is expressed in the fact that God had prepared all that man would need before man’s creation (Genesis 1:28). I pray that the miracle that will lift you from the level of the average to the level of the flourishing will come your way this season in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT

Like Jabez, pray that God would bless you, enlarge your coast and cause you to flourish.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 5:10-8:13; 

Psalm 24

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 25/1/2014 - GOD RULES IN HUMAN GOVERNMENTS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD RULES IN HUMAN GOVERNMENTS

MEMORISE

To the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Daniel 4:17b

READ

2 Chronicles 20:5-6

2 Chronicles 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

2 Chronicles 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

MESSAGE

God rules in the affairs of men. There is no government of this world outside the control of the sovereign Lord. Political scientists may try to predict future events that will occur in a government, but the most accurate information about a government lies in the hands of God. In an ideal democracy, people assume elective positions based on the votes of the masses. The constitutions of such countries spell out how long a government should stay in power before a change can take place by the same electoral process. The sovereign Lord does not require such procedures to change any government. The fact remains that He is in charge in the affairs of all nations. Wise people would therefore pray and commit their government into God’s hands. Those who think they can carry on without Him have realised too late that there is someone above and over all the governments of the world. A good example of God’s intervention in human government is the case of Egypt. They were at one time the strongest of all governments on earth and so controlled to a large extent, the affairs of the known world. The sovereign Lord intervened in the dream of Pharaoh King of Egypt. He had a dream that troubled his spirit. The meaning and application of this dream was beyond what the magicians could look into by their usual consultation with the powers of darkness. Sometimes, God conceals a secret for a divine purpose to be fulfilled. God revealed the secret to Joseph who interpreted the dream. This feat earned him the position of the prime minister. Ordinarily, the slave boy could not have become so powerful by human manipulation.

Prayer for those in government is very good and clearly recommended. God expects His children to pray in this direction: that He may control the affairs of their government and that He may get the attention of those in power. This is why Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 advised that we should pray for public office holders, that God may use them to maintain peace in our environment.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

We must cultivate the habit of praying for our governments if we want God to rule in our affairs for justice, peace, progress and prosperity.

ACTION POINT

Decide from today to spend time praying for the various government

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Hebrews 1:1-5:9; 

Psalm 23

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 24/1/2014 - GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD IS STILL IN CHARGE

MEMORISE

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Colossians 1:17

READ

Jeremiah 31:35

Jeremiah 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name

MESSAGE

God is at the core of the creation of Heaven and Earth. Without Him, there could never have been anything. The opening verses of Genesis 1 reveal the activities of God in making creation suitable for man’s habitation. Unlike many ancient and modern writers who assume what they do not know about creation, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit began his account of creation in Genesis with conviction and plain claims. By revelation, he knew God was behind creation and he stated it plainly as that. This kind of accurate knowledge that takes a writer back to several years before his time could only come by revelation. Some theologians say that the earth had been in that disorderly state for several millions and billions of years and scientists also claim that archaeological discoveries reveal prehistoric matters that had existed before man was created to exercise dominion over creation. Whatever it was, the point is that with God, there can be a new beginning no matter how far back the record of disorderliness and darkness in anybody’s life may go. The most important period in your life begins when God gives you a new beginning. The wastage of the past; the crisis of the past and the darkness of the past will give way for a new beginning when God commands a new sunrise in your life. I decree on behalf of my Daddy in heaven, that every disorderliness and darkness in your life will give way in Jesus’ Name.

Before God commanded the light to be, the Bible says the earth was void and without form, and darkness reigned over creation. This state was totally against what God had in mind for creating the heavens and the earth, but this problem was not beyond redemption. We must let this fact sink into our minds: that God is still in charge of His universe. The Lord can redesign your life which the enemy may have battered. Your achievements may be nothing to compare with what God had in mind about you from the beginning and darkness may be reigning supreme in your life instead of light. God will give you a new beginning because He has control over the entire creation. He is completely in charge. Several years ago, one of my children went to America to study. There was a change in government and the new government refused to continue with his scholarship. Things got so bad for him and his family that there was no food in the house, but God Almighty who will always be in charge sent some Americans who were going on house-to-house evangelism to them. On realising that this couple and their set of twins were starving, they did not only provide food but also a job for his wife. Today, the family has at least two houses that I know about in America. This season shall mark the beginning of new things in your life in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, speak your creative words into my life and turn it around for good in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Titus 1-3

Philemon 1

Psalm 22:22-31

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THUSDAY - 23/1/2014 - NEW LIFE IN JESUS II BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

NEW LIFE IN JESUS II

MEMORISE

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

READ

Romans 6:12-13

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

MESSAGE

As a born-again Christian, you need to understand and live by the nature of the new creature that you are. This is the key to your victory in this world. One character of your new nature is revealed in Galatians 5:25:

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts”

Once you belong to Jesus Christ by being born-again, your sinful nature has been crucified. Your nature no longer conforms to that which is controlled by the flesh because you are dead to the flesh. This is further clarified in Romans 8:9-10:

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

However it does not end there. Armed with this understanding of who you are, you have to conscientiously by faith enforce this victory over the flesh in your mind. 1 Peter 4:1 says:

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”

This day-to-day battle of enforcement and resistance will be very “painful”. The flesh is not going to like your stance; but you must let it know that you are dead to it and it cannot rule you. As a matter of compulsion, make no provision for the flesh.

Apart from the flesh being crucified, another character of your new nature is that through Christ, the world is crucified to you and you are crucified to the world (Galatians 6:14). This implies that you are dead to the world. What does this mean? Before we were born-again, we had friends or relations whose company we used to enjoy, people whose opinions mattered a lot to us and influenced us to do lots of things we did not really want to do. Many a times some people are found smoking not because they enjoy smoking, but because they were worried about their friends’ uncomplimentary remarks about their abstinence from such habits. Therefore when their peers smoke, they join them to smoke even though they know that smoking will send them to their untimely death. However, once you are born-again, armed with the mindset that you are dead to the world, such opinions will no longer matter. It does not matter what they say, you are determined to follow Jesus. You will not perish with the world in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, thank you for giving me a new life in Christ; please help me to live by this new life till I see you in glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Timothy 1-4; 

Psalm 22:1-21

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 22/1/2014 - NEW LIFE IN JESUS I BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

NEW LIFE IN JESUS I

MEMORISE

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17

READ

Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

MESSAGE

No doubt, there are lot of things that Apostle Paul wrote which are hard to fathom. How can somebody be crucified and yet be alive? A crucified fellow is bound to die; but in Galatians 2:20, Paul says

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live”.

What he is saying here is that ‘the man that I used to be is dead: the fornicator is dead; the liar is dead; that man who used to be angry is dead; that man who used to defraud is dead; the man with the unforgiving spirit is dead; thank God, that man on the way to hell is dead; now I am going to heaven; I am a brand new creature’.

What message is Apostle Paul trying to convey when he says: “I am crucified”? What really does he mean when he says: “Christ is living in me”? When we become born-again, the Bible says we become brand new creatures in Jesus Christ. Quite a lot of things change when we become born-again; all of them are inward things which later reflect on the outside. Assuming you attend a church service and you become born-again during the service, if you came in as a black fellow, you would still leave as a black fellow. After salvation, the colour of your skin does not change and you don’t grow taller or shorter. However, inwardly, certain things have changed. Your spirit now is in communion with God. Your spirit man that was dead before is now alive; but you are still living in the same body. The devil will try as much as possible to use that body to drag you back to his ways, but you must not give in. I pray that you will not backslide in Jesus’ Name. It is now your duty to keep on renewing your mind to keep the cravings of your body under the control of your spirit. You need to keep reminding your mind and body that your flesh has been crucified. Apostle Paul writing in Galatians 5:24 said:

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

There are certain things that the body loves to do and it is eager to do them all the time. Many will claim that they are already crucified with Christ, but their stomach is still their lord. For instance, if a fasting period of seven days is declared, many people will be very sad. Why will they be sad? It is because almost immediately, their stomachs will start rumbling in agitation: “What are you trying to do? Do you want to starve me and deny me food?” That is the flesh grumbling and crying out. What you must do at that moment is to silence the flesh, declaring by faith that it has been crucified, thus bringing it under and subjecting it to the dictates of the Spirit.

ACTION POINT

Decide as from today, which day(s) of the week you will be fasting. This is one way of bringing your body under subjection to the Spirit.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Timothy 1-6; 

Psalm 21

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 21/1/2014 - A LESSON FROM GOLIATH BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

A LESSON FROM GOLIATH

MEMORISE

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Proverbs 6:10-11

READ

1 Samuel 17:41-43

1 Samuel 17:41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

1 Samuel 17:42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

1 Samuel 17:43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

MESSAGE

At the first sight of David, Goliath despised him. He was amazed that the children of Israel could find no man to fight him but a young boy. As if that was not enough, Goliath did not see any conventional weapon of war on David. So he asked, “Am I a dog?” The first lesson we have to learn from this story as Christians is that we must never underestimate our enemies. A small snake can be full of potent poison. In Joshua 7:2-6, the Bible tells us that after the fall of Jericho, Joshua relaxed, thinking that since they were victorious over Jericho, a small town like Ai would pose no problems. He underestimated the enemy and lost thirty-six men. Any overconfident person will fall; so, be careful that you don’t fall. It was overconfidence that destroyed Samson according to Judges 16:6-21. Delilah asked him outright about the secret of his strength and how he could be bound and tormented. The intent was clear enough for him to take caution, but Samson underestimated the power of a woman and he fell. You better not underestimate your enemy. The Bible says that we should beware of little foxes in Song of Solomon 2:15. These are things that we think are not very important or too bad. For example, a little exposure of your nakedness can make you a victim of rape as a woman. Also, a brief glance at pornographic pictures on the internet can weaken your power of resistance against illicit sex and you could become a victim of sexual perversion. A little indulgence in idleness and pleasure seeking could make you poor perpetually according to today’s memory verse.

Goliath came to the battle with swords, bow and arrow while David came in the Name of the Lord of Hosts. One said he would do it on his own while the other said the Lord would do it for him. Another lesson we must learn from Goliath is pride which I describe as a dangerous relative of overconfidence. Overconfidence leads to pride. When you are too confident of yourself, you will feel you do not need God. God says in Proverbs 6:16-17:

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,”

Goliath never thought David could come near him, not to talk of defeating him. Many of us boast that nothing can stop us from getting to Heaven. We relax and become overconfident, forgetting the warning of 1 Corinthians 10:12. If you do not remember that your standing in the faith is not by your ability, then you are in danger. I pray that God will not resist you.

PRAYER POINT

Father, help me not to fall prey to the spirit of pride, overconfidence and careless living.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Thessalonians 5 

2 Thessalonians 3

Psalm 20

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 20/1/2014 - ATTRIBUTES OF GOAL GETTERS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ATTRIBUTES OF GOAL GETTERS

MEMORISE

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Proverbs 22:29

READ

1 Samuel 17:20-33

1 Samuel 17:20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

1 Samuel 17:21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

1 Samuel 17:22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

1 Samuel 17:23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

1 Samuel 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

1 Samuel 17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

1 Samuel 17:26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

1 Samuel 17:27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

1 Samuel 17:28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

1 Samuel 17:30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

1 Samuel 17:31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

1 Samuel 17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

MESSAGE

The children of Israel were intimidated for forty days by Goliath. David came to the scene and made enquiries about what would be done to whosoever defeated the giant. The reply he got fascinated him and straightaway, he set for himself the goal of defeating the giant. To David, nothing could stop him from being the king’s son-in-law. When Eliab, David’s brother heard about his intention, he rebuked him. Eliab was angry with David because he was jealous. He was jealous because David had been anointed as king instead of him earlier on. Goal getters would not be deterred by any act of jealousy. What did David do to reach his goal? He ignored Eliab. Anyone who wants to reach his or her goal must not be distracted by envious criticism. If your goal is to work for God, do not listen to what anybody may be saying. Focus your attention on the Almighty God and do not be mindful of the scornful (Psalm 1:1). You have to press on if you want to reach your goal. There will be those who may want to slow you down but you have to push them out of the way and keep doing what you know God wants you to do. This is one way to reach your goal.

There are many lessons in the Bible reading of today for those who aspire to achieve the set goals of their life. It is not how long but how well. Within a short period of getting to the battlefield, David was already standing before the king! The Bible in Proverbs 22:29 says,

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

If David had not been a diligent person, when his brother rebuked him, he would never have gotten to King Saul; he would have been discouraged. It took diligence for David to run towards the battle when the giant rose to crush him to death. The Bible in 1 Samuel 17:48 says:

“And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.”

The rest was history for Goliath when the smooth stone from the sling of David sank into his forehead. As if that was not enough, when Goliath fell, the Bible says that David still ran and stood upon the Philistine, took the sword of the giant all by himself and cut off his head. David was diligent enough to feel the pulse of the Philistine to know that he was still breathing. He then diligently completed the assignment. I pray that as you focus on God with diligence and with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will reach your goal in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please remove all obstacles hindering me from reaching my goal, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Thessalonians 1-4;

Psalm 19:7-14