OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 31/10/2014 - DIVINE PROMOTION FOR THE WISE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE PROMOTION FOR THE WISE

Memorise

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:35

Read

Psalm 75:5-7

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

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

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

Message

Divine promotion is a reward for those who live holy. God is the Judge, and only He can promote you. The devil is not the one who will promote you. There are two types of promotion according to Proverbs 3:35. These are: glory and shame. There is glorious promotion for the wise and shameful promotion for fools. Who are the wise? The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Those who are wise fear God, and because of this, they live a holy life. They depart from sin. God says that such people will have a glorious promotion. A classical example of a wise man, who as a result of his fear of God abstained from sin, is Joseph in Egypt. He refused to have carnal knowledge of his master’s wife, though it was offered to him ‘free of charge’. In Genesis 39:9, He queried this offer saying: 

“......how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

The end of the story is that Joseph became the Prime Minister of Egypt. Who are fools? Fools are those who can see danger ahead and still walk into it. Fools are those who know that the wages of sin is death and yet continue to sin. Fools are those who know that the only way to get to the kingdom of God is by becoming born-again and yet they refuse salvation. Fools are those who have decided to continue living in sin, after knowing that without holiness, no man shall see God.

You must live a holy life if you want glorious promotion. God is no respecter of persons. He will never bend His standards. Promotion puts you on top. Being on top comes with very many advantages, according to Deuteronomy 28:1:

“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 the nations of the earth.”

God will give you divine promotion if you live holy. However, if you do not live holy, you will go down. Those who are on top enjoy it up there. Those who are below remain in suffering. I prefer being on top. When you are on top, you will get special protection. The one who is on top is special and of more value than the one who is below. Can you see how wise it is to live holy? I pray that today, the Lord will give you the grace you need to live holy for divine promotion, in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to make up your mind that you will no longer live a life of sin anymore, and the Lord will help your decision.

Prayer Point

Father, put your fear in me so that I may shun evil for holy living, and grant me divine promotion this season in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 19:19-21:16

Proverbs 19:19-20:3

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 30/10/2014 - THE REDEMPTIVE NAMES OF GOD - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE REDEMPTIVE NAMES OF GOD

Memorise

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Read

Exodus 6:2–8

2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 

3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 

4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 

5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 

6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 

8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. 

Message

Our God is the only one that has the ability to save to the uttermost. He has many redemptive names which include: Jehovah El-Shaddai, Jehovah Rophekah, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom and Jehovah Rohi. The name Jehovah El-Shaddai, reveals God as the Almighty; the all in all (Acts 17:28). God is more than enough to nourish you, strengthen you and to supply all of your needs (Philippians 4:19). The name Jehovah Ropheka means the Lord our Healer. Christ is still in the business of healing His people today. Just as He healed in the Bible days, He can as well heal today, because there is nothing like the age of miracles, but rather we have the God of miracles. Are you in need of healing? Call on Jehovah Ropheka and you will be healed. Another redemptive name of God is Jehovah Nissi. This simply means the Lord our Banner, or the Lord our Victor. Our God is the One who can give us all-round success and victory over all circumstances. To really overcome the world, the devil, sin and self, you must be born-again. It is when you are genuinely born-again that God will be in position to fight your battles for you. God is also the Jehovah Jireh. This redemptive name means the Lord will give or provide. God can still provide for all your needs today as He did in time past. All that He requires from you is faith.

The Lord is also our Sanctifier – Jehovah Mekaddishkem. In these days of spiritual decadence and social degeneration, the need for believers to be sanctified cannot be over-emphasised. God is also Jehovah Shalom. He is the Lord our Peace. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and it is only those who have surrendered their all to God that can experience peace indeed. Are you born-again? Are you living in peace or tumult? Examine your life today. The last but not the least redemptive name is Jehovah Rohi. This name means the Lord my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). To yield your life to God as your Shepherd, you will need to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. He will then become your Shepherd and you will be His sheep. God knows his sheep, and His sheep know Him (John 10:14). If you regard Jesus as your Shepherd, you will stop doing things without His express permission. It is then that you can enjoy the benefits due to a sheep (Psalm 23:1-6). The Good Shepherd will ensure that there is no want in your life. He will protect you and guarantee your safety. He will bless you abundantly and you will obtain favour of God and men. Are you born-again? If your answer is “no”, then you must become born-again, because God will not be your shepherd, heal you, give you peace of mind, provide for all of your needs, give you victory over all your enemies, nor guarantee your safety until you are born-again.

Action Point

Spend quality time in prayer for the mercy of God today. He is ever merciful.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 18:1-19:18

Proverbs 19:5-18

1 Kings 18:1-19:18

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 29/10/2014 - THE EAGLE AMBASSADORS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE EAGLE AMBASSADORS

Memorise

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Read

Isaiah 40:28–31

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Message

God has favourites. Certain animals are viewed as God’s favourites because of the way they were used in describing His character in the Bible. For example, the lion: our Lord is described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5. Another is the eagle: God in Exodus 19:4, used the eagle to describe His character of protecting His own. There is much to learn from the eagle. Because the eagle is the king of birds, it has many characteristics that distinguish it from other ordinary birds. A study of some of these characteristics will enable us know how we ought to comport ourselves, manifest what we have been created to be, do what we have been called to do, and have what Jesus Christ died to give to us. We need to learn about the eagle because all children of God are expected to be ambassadors with royal traits like that of the eagle. Our royalty is described in 1 Peter 2:9, which says:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

A thorough study of the eagle reveals that eagles flock together and fly alone. As the saying goes, “birds of same feather flock together”. We as heaven-bound Christians must associate with our kind (Psalm 1:1-3). We must keep company with genuine believers (Hebrews 10:25). We must also tarry in the presence of God in worship, praise and through all manner of prayers (Luke 6:12). The eagle flies alone. Be separate, as commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. You cannot afford to do things the way unbelievers or careless Christians do them. The eagle has a long range vision. An eagle is capable of seeing from afar, both its prey and its enemies (like the serpent, trying to sneak into its nest to steal eggs or kill its young ones). This strong vision of the eagle keeps the enemy away. We as eagle ambassadors must be vigilant and not allow the enemy to sneak into our lives. We must get rid of the little foxes that spoil our vine – the little foxes of unbelief, sorrow, depression and all such things. We must practice peace, joy and righteousness. We must not allow the enemy to infiltrate our homes, finances, relationship, health and spiritual well-being (1 Peter 5:8). We must steadfastly resist the devil at all times (James 4:7). Additionally, an eagle tests before trusting. A female eagle chooses her mate with care. Christian leaders have a lot to learn here. We must be prayerful and exercise great care in choosing our partners and subordinates.

Key Point

Eagles are peculiar birds. A heaven-bound Christian is God’s favourite and should be unique.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 15:33-17:24

Proverbs 18:15-19:4

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 28/10/2014 - DEBORAH, THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DEBORAH, THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN

Memorise

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Proverbs 31:10

Read

Judges 4:4–9

4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Message

Deborah was a patriotic woman. She was a prophetess, who used the anointing of God on her life to judge and instruct Israel in the way of righteousness. Are you a virtuous woman? In what way is your life affecting your community? The name Deborah means ‘bee’. She lived up to her name by her industry, sagacity and great usefulness to the society, her sweetness to her friends and her sharpness against her enemies. How far does your name influence you? What influence does the name of Christ have upon you? Have you been able to influence others to Christ? Deborah was said to be the wife of Lapidoth. ‘Lapidoth’ means ‘lamp’. As one associated with light, Deborah was a blessing to her community. Are you a blessing or a curse to your family, friends, acquaintances, neighbours, community, state or nation? Deborah was intimately acquainted with God. She was a judge and a prophetess. How close are you to the Almighty? From the life of Deborah, we learn that God depends on man to carry out His rescue operations and programmes. However, no man should see himself as indispensable. God can use anyone. Any man or woman who purges himself or herself can be used as a vessel unto honour by the Master. 2 Timothy 2:21 says:

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Don’t be too big for God. He has alternatives. As a prophetess and a judge, Deborah’s head was perpetually greased by the oil of the anointing. To excel in God’s service, you need the anointing. It is the anointing that destroys the yoke. Deborah was picked from among the rebellious multitude in Israel. God still has His own vessels. He uses whoever yields himself or herself to Him. Deborah did not allow her gender and other issues of time and life to block her focus or stifle her consecration. She was entirely devoted to the service of God in Israel. There is no person without challenges. However, God expects diligence and total consecration in whatever is committed to your hands. Deborah was a good leader. She gave her followers the assurance of victory and did not fail. She raised their hope, and she delivered. Are you a morale-booster or a discourager? She helped the faith of her subordinates to grow strong. She was also submissive to her husband. How submissive are you?

Key Point

God is no respecter of persons. What He needs from you is holy living. Live a life of holiness and you will be used of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 14:1-15:32

Proverbs 18:1-14

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 25/10/2014 - LIVING BY FAITH - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

LIVING BY FAITH

Memorise

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 10:38

Read

Mark 11:22–23

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.

Message

Faith is part of the nature of God. God lives by faith, and every child of God is expected to live as God lives. Are you a child of God? You are expected to live by faith. You are expected to live to please God and Him alone. Hebrews 11:6 says:

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Faith can be defined as trust, strong belief and unquestioning confidence. Faith means belief in God. It is the belief that God can do what He says He can do. Faith is belief in God’s word. You need to have faith in God! Generally, there are two kinds of faith. These are: physical or natural (human) faith, and spiritual or supernatural faith. All human beings have some measure of faith. You need faith for salvation, sanctification, justification, wholeness or health of the spirit, soul and body. You need faith to live the Christian life, to walk the Christian walk, to remove the obstacles blocking your way to heaven, to live holy, to live above the world and to enter into the rest of God. However, it should be noted that faith standing alone is not sufficient. Certain things need to be added to it (2 Peter 1:5-10). It is risky for a ministry to be built on faith alone because it could die as a result. This is because, as the faith on which such a ministry is founded begins to die, the ministry itself will also begin to die.

Do you want to live by faith? First, have the faith of the Son of God (Galatians 2:20). Then add virtue or good behaviour to your faith. Ensure that you live holy and righteously. To virtue, add knowledge. Don’t allow ignorance to destroy you. To knowledge, add temperance and to temperance, add patience. To patience, add godliness. To godliness, add brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, add love. Secondly, let everything added to your faith abound in you. Be diligent in making them flourish in you. It is dangerous to live by faith alone. If you fail to add virtue and other qualities to your faith, you might end up becoming barren, unfruitful, blind and short sighted. For you to live by faith therefore, you should first and foremost be born-again, and diligently develop your faith to reach the measure of that of the Son of God. Pray constantly in the Holy Ghost and live in perpetual obedience to the will of God. Hate sin and shun bad company, ungodly habits, pride and false doctrine.

Action Point

No life is more fulfilling than living by faith. Begin to live by the faith of the Son of God today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 12-13

Proverbs 17:15-28

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 24/10/2014 - WEAKNESSES INTO BLESSINGS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WEAKNESSES INTO BLESSINGS

Memorise

And said unto him, hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Matthew 21:16

Read

Exodus 4:10–12

10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 

11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 

Message

Our God is a God of miracles. He moves in mysterious ways and He still calls people to His side today. Many people have the call of God on their life but do not know. Some people believe they are too weak to be used of God, while some others, who are already in a position of service, are facing frustration or even failure. God is not the author of confusion. He calls His own into blessings and glory. There are times in the service of God when we have to move, and there are other times when we have to wait patiently for His move. Proverbs 3:5 says:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Are you weak and confused? Trust in the Lord. God has not forgotten the weak. When God calls a person to His service, He doesn’t chose Him on the basis of how clever, talented or educated he is (1 Corinthians 1:26). God had to strip Paul of all his pride vis-à-vis his qualifications, status and achievements before sending him to the ignorant and outcast people called Gentiles (Philippians 3:8). Paradoxically, God used the ignorant and unlearned Peter in proclaiming the Good News to the elite Jews of the Roman Empire (Acts 2:5&14). The good news about weaknesses is that, the Holy Spirit is available to qualify for God’s service, the weak who puts his or her trust in the Lord.

To turn weakness to strength, you should be meek and humble. This does not imply that you should give in to a sense of inferiority complex, self-pity, self-hatred or self-consciousness (2 Corinthians 12:10). Weaknesses and inadequacies can become blessings if they press us to depend on Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Another step to turning your weaknesses to strength is to exchange your strength for His strength. To do this, you must acknowledge your weaknesses, limitations and great need for God. You must also present yourself as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1). Learn to wait on God (Isaiah 40:31). Patiently wait for His time. Ensure that you do not take any major decisions or major actions until He shows you that it is time to act (Luke 24:49). Don’t get ahead of God, neither should you lag behind Him. Wait patiently on Him in prayer and fasting (Psalm 69:6). Spend quality time each day to read the Bible and to pray. Finally, you should develop a strong devotional habit and expect opposition and trials. You should know that when you try to go deeper and higher with God, the world, your human nature and demonic principalities will oppose you.

Key Point

When you wait patiently on the Lord, He purges the dross of sin and flesh away from you and His power begins to work in you and through you, with supernatural results.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 7:1-8:21

Proverbs 16:6-19

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 23/10/2014 - ANSWERING A MISSIONARY CALL - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ANSWERING A MISSIONARY CALL

Memorise

And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Mark 16:20

Read

Acts 13:1–5

1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

Message

Missions can be defined as God specifically sending a person to reach the unreached for him. The unreached are those people who have not heard the gospel sufficiently enough to be taken over for Christ. The sender is God, and the personality sent is the missionary. The unreached can be within the environment of the missionary or in faraway lands. A Call is imperative for missionary work. The missionary call is just like any other call to Christian service. Many people have shipwrecked their lives because they were not sure of God’s call upon their life. If you are sure of God’s call upon your life, you will not be tossed to and fro by all shades of doctrine. Being called to be a missionary is by God’s grace; it does not follow a stereotyped style. Factors underlying God’s call include acknowledging and receiving a claim of ownership by Christ. You must acknowledge divine ownership upon your life and develop an understanding of God’s will and have the willingness to do it. You should also develop sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s voice by having an open mind, an attentive ear and a pure heart. In addition, you should be active in God’s service. A missionary call does not necessarily come through a special revelation. The call can come through a casual remark by a friend or neighbour about the heathen. It can be through a letter received from a missionary or through reading extracts from an article, book or periodical. It can be through a hymn, an anointed message, counselling from an anointed leader or through divinely orchestrated circumstances. Are you prepared to answer the missionary call?

A missionary should be physically fit to withstand adverse situations such as mosquitoes, bad climates, diseases, poor public sanitation and poor medical services. Also, a prospective missionary should at least be at the level of his or her audience. In other words, a missionary must be adequately educated to reach the highest of all the educated folks in the mission field and should be able to meet and discuss with other missionaries at their level. To excel as a missionary, you need a charming personality that is emotionally stable. You should also be able to adapt to the culture and food of other people. There is equally the need for you to be patient and persevering. A missionary should be versatile. He or she should also be submissive to God, the mission board and to his or her superior officers. Finally, whoever wishes to be a missionary should have a thorough experience of salvation, sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Action Point

For success on the field, every missionary should ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and ask for these gifts now.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 4-6

Proverbs 15:25-16:5

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 22/10/2014 - READY FOR THE GREAT HARVEST? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

READY FOR THE GREAT HARVEST?

Memorise

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

Matthew 28:19

Read

Acts 13:38–39

38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Message

Our God has so many wonderful attributes. Some of these attributes, such as omnipotence, omnipresence and being omniscient are unique to Him alone. There are other attributes which God as a wonderful Father, shares with His children. These include holiness, mercy and love. God is love. John 3:16 says:

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

One of the ways God demonstrated His love to mankind was by making adequate provision for salvation (1 John 1:8-9). As a child of God, you can demonstrate the love of God to the world through evangelism and missions. The term ‘evangelism’ denotes sharing good news from a loving God to a lost world. The Great Commission is binding on all Christians (Matthew 28:18-20). The need to fulfil this mandate is ever so urgent, especially with the imminent return of our Lord. Every child of God is called to be a “reaper”. Are you ready for the great harvest? As a child of God, you are expected to rightly divide the word of truth. There is no geographical limitation or racial restrictions to fulfilling the Great Commission (Mark 13:10, Acts 1:8).

To be actively involved in evangelism, it is required that you wisely utilise the different opportunities that present themselves to you in the course of your daily business, without appearing to be over-bearing. With the power of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God, even a newly born-again Christian can win souls on a continuous basis. Soul winning is one of the reasons God retained you on earth, and you should be particular about it. As a Christian, you can do effective evangelism in the vehicle you board, at social gatherings, birthday celebrations and send-off parties. You can also engage in hospital visitations to pray for the sick, give them provisions, befriend them – especially if they feel lonely and poor, preach salvation through Jesus Christ to them and bring Bibles and good Christian literature for them to read. You can also be involved in prison visitation. You can visit prisoners, write letters to them, send them good reading materials and give them gifts with the permission of the authorities. Other ways in which you can be involved in evangelism include, placing illustrated gospel tracts on your table after eating in a restaurant, around school campuses, on bus-stop benches and in departmental stores as you buy or sell. Additionally, you can be involved in house-to-house evangelism. Are you ready?

Action Point

Make evangelism a habit, because it is uppermost on God’s heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 2:13-3:28

Proverbs 15:11-24

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 21/10/2014 - WHO ARE YOU? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHO ARE YOU?

Memorise

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 2:9

Read

Isaiah 6:1–8

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 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.

Message

Nothing destroys faster than ignorance. History confirms that ignorance has claimed many lives and destroyed more properties than any other factor. Half-hearted obedience is an act of ignorance. In today’s Bible reading, we learn of King Uzziah. Uzziah, king of Judah, was the son of Amaziah. His father did the right thing in the sight of God, but not with a perfect heart (2 Chronicles 25:1-2). Uzziah followed the footsteps of his father, and he died a leper (2 Chronicles 26:1-5, 21). Half-hearted obedience is worse than outright disobedience. Pride, self-exaltation, disobedience and presumption always leads to sacrilege and results in death. It is good to start well, but it is far more glorious to end well. Ecclesiastes 7:8 says:

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

Isaiah started his ministry as a preacher in King Uzziah’s court. However, it wasn’t until after King Uzziah’s death that he received a vision of the Lord’s glory. If you want to be victorious as a Christian, you should rely on God alone and know that the only throne which cannot be destroyed is the throne of the King of kings. As long as King Uzziah was alive, Isaiah saw nothing; but when King Uzziah died, he saw the glory of God and saw himself as dirty, wretched and despicable. He was broken. When you see the glory of the Lord, you will see yourself in your true state. Who are you? How does the Bible describe you? Are you patient in spirit or proud? Are you a Christian or an unbeliever? Christians are kings and priests (Revelation 1:6). We are a chosen generation, chosen before the foundation of the world. We are a holy nation; a nation of lights. We are the light of the world. Are you showing forth the light of Christ to people living in your neighbourhood? We are also called to show forth the praises of God. We show forth His praises through strength. We are not a nation of weaklings, but a nation of the strong. Where do we derive our strength as Christians? Our strength is drawn from seven main sources. The first of these is joy (Nehemiah 8:10). The second is the strength of the Lord (Ephesians 6:10). The third is the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 1:8). The fourth is the Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10). The fifth is the blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11). The sixth is the word of God (Hebrews 4:12), while the seventh is the mercy of God (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Key Point

If you do not know who you are as a Christian, circumstances of life will take you for a ride.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Kings 1:1-2:12

Proverbs 14:32-15:10

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 20/10/2014 - A CHRISTIAN YOUTH AT HOME - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

A CHRISTIAN YOUTH AT HOME

Memorise

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Ecclesiastes12:1

Read

Ephesians 6:1–3

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Message

A Christian family is a place for the formation of talents, aspirations and desires. It is a breeding ground of creativity and a place of safety and security. A Christian family is expected to be a place of bliss. It will only be so when the relationship between the parents and the children (especially the grown-up children) is cordial. This is possible when children have chosen the path of obedience. Are you a Christian child, teenager or adult, still living with your parents or on your own? You have certain responsibilities to perform, which might not be required of unbelieving youths. For example, it is a scriptural command that you obey your parents. It is a dangerous thing for children to disobey their parents, except when their instructions contravene scriptural commandments. It is also mandatory that you love your parents. It is disastrous to neglect either of them or play one parent against the other. Family devotional time should be lively, and it is the duty of a grown-up child to actively participate in this. Be busy for God and engage in productive activities and hobbies that will make your parents happy. It is your responsibility to help your parents and siblings. Be observant to identify the needs of your parents; if it lies within your ability to meet the need, you must be willing to help them out. Contrary to what many may think, one of the most basic needs of parents is self-esteem.

A Christian youth should be a model to others in love, kindness, productivity, holiness, godliness and obedience. Whenever you have to make serious and delicate decisions, don’t do it alone. Always seek for the advice of others, especially elderly and more experienced people. Seek for guidance so as not to falter. Be an example to others in prayer. Pray constantly for your family, love your home, have the interest of your family at heart and seek its welfare. Your good relationship should not be limited to members of your nuclear family alone. Seek to relate well with members of other families as well. Your relationship should be cordial. Demonstrate love to them and find occasion to help them. However, it is improper to divulge the secret of your family to outsiders. Do not criticise or condemn your family in front of members of other families. Furthermore, your relationship with God should be unquestionable. Love God and demonstrate that you love Him in speech and actions. To play your role successfully as a Christian youth, you must be committed to the Person of Jesus and to a pattern of living that befits His representative. You must also be committed to people and to God’s plan of showing Christ to the world.

Action Point:

Be Christ-conscious as a Christian youth because without Him, you are nothing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Samuel 23-24

Proverbs 14:18-31

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 19/10/2014 - HERE COMES THE DREAMER - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HERE COMES THE DREAMER

Memorise

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

Job 33:15–16

Read

Genesis 37:9–19

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

Message

Dreams are important. Psychoanalysts believe that dreams are an indication of the dreamer’s inner longings, desires and cravings, released from the deep sub-conscious during the state of sleep. Dreams can therefore be the manifestation of the inner yearnings of the dreamer’s heart let loose during sleep; they can also be spiritually induced. Dreams play a significant role in the life of human beings. Paul received direction on where to preach next through a dream in Acts 16:9:

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”

Dreams are sometimes mysterious; such dreams convey revelations. To understand them, interpretation is required. Have you been having strange experiences in your dreams? My sincere prayer is that the Good Lord will grant you victory in your dreams and turn your God-sent dreams into reality in Jesus’ Name. Dreams can be classified by their features. One such classification includes: dreams as a message from God or the devil; dreams as the carrier of a message concealed in mysteries; and dreams as a result of activity or thoughts. Sources of dreams are God, the devil and the flesh. God relates with man through dreams for specific reasons. These reasons can be any of these: to instruct him to carry out an action (Matthew 2:13), to warn him of an impending danger (Matthew 2:22), to teach him (Job 33:15-16), to encourage him (Genesis 31:10-13), to rebuke him (Genesis 31:24), to correct him (Genesis 20:3-7) and to bless or make a covenant with him (Genesis 28:12-15). The devil relates with man to cause fear and unbelief, to inflict man with sicknesses or death, to make diabolical covenants with him and to mislead him. Most dreams men have are from the flesh. A dream from the flesh simply means the revelation of the dreamer’s carnal longings and desires being let loose at the moment of sleep. Are you facing afflictions in your dreams? Please check your life. How pure are your thoughts? How will you rate your prayer life? All these go a long way in determining the type of dreams you have. Moreover, many people dream and can be described as mere dreamers, whereas those who succeed in life are men and women with a dream. However, while the dreamer talks much but does little, the person with a dream talks little but does much. Which are you: a mere dreamer or a person with a dream?

Action Point

Those who make it in life do something about their dreams. They attempt the impossible, thereby discovering what God can do. Do something about your dream today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Samuel 21-22

Proverbs 14:4-17

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 18/10/2014 - THE NEW ANOINTING - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE NEW ANOINTING

Memorise

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Isaiah 10:27

Read

Acts 5:12–16

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Message

Our Lord Jesus Christ did nothing without the anointing (Luke 4:18). He performed no miracles, healed no sick, delivered no oppressed of the devil and did no good until the Holy Spirit fell on Him (John 1:28-34; John 2:11). What is the anointing? Literally, anointing can be defined as applying oil or ointment on a person – especially as part of a religious ceremony. However, the anointing represents the power of God transmitted through men in the form of spiritual electricity. Electricity is electricity, but there are differences in voltage. In like manner, the anointing that will cure cancer is different from the one for headaches. You need the anointing from God because it is glorious, powerful, active and dynamic. Satan and his evil agents also anoint. Witches, wizards, magicians and tricksters are anointed of the devil for diabolical purposes. However, the anointing of God is the best.

You need the anointing from God because it brings authority and power (Acts 10:38). The anointing teaches (1 John 2:27). It is the anointing that qualifies you for God’s service; enduing puny man with a touch of divinity (Hebrews 2:4). God’s anointing always results in unquestionable success. When the anointing comes upon a person, curses are broken. Are you under the influence of a curse? The anointing destroys yokes. Signs of a curse include: a sickness or a disease whose cause is unknown or which defies all treatments; barrenness of a type where all medical examinations show that you are normal; repeatedly experiencing failure on the brink of success; mysterious and continuous tragedies in a particular family. If you observe any of these signs in your life or family, the Lord shall set you free in Jesus’ Name. There are two types of anointing from God. These are the old anointing and the new anointing. The old anointing was the type that Elijah had – the type that called down fire for the destruction of God’s enemy. The new anointing was the type Elisha had – the type whose bones raised the dead. You need the new anointing for deliverance. This type of anointing can be transferred through conduction. For you to receive it, you must be a conductor and not an insulator. It can also be transferred from one suitable vessel to another. The anointing can also flow from the spoken or written word of God to the sick (Psalm 107:20). How prepared are you for the New anointing?

Action Point

To receive the new anointing, you must be born-again, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Samuel 19:16-20:26

Proverbs 13:15-14:3

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 17/10/2014 - ANGELS LOVE MUSIC TOO - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ANGELS LOVE MUSIC TOO

Memorise

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Psalm 22:3

Read

Acts 16:25–34

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Message

The charge “Occupy till I come” was an express command given by the Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples (Luke 19:13). Yesterday, we learnt that to occupy means to take charge of already conquered territories. As a child of God, it is your responsibility to exercise authority over your enemy - the devil. Though he was made perfect in beauty and wisdom, his beauty and wisdom have been tarnished and corrupted by sin (Ezekiel 28:17). The devil is now full of destructive wisdom, but his wisdom cannot stand even the foolishness of God; how much more the wisdom of God at work in believers (1 Corinthians 1:24). The devil, your accuser, is cunning (Revelation12:10), but you can live a triumphant life over him by the Blood of the Lamb, prayer, the word of your testimony (your confessions and proclamations) and by singing praises to the Lord. Revelation 12:11 says:

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Many Christians lose out in the battle of life because they do not know who they are and the nature of the fight they are involved in. You are not fighting against flesh and blood. You are at war with an enemy who has thousands of years of experience with human beings, right from the Garden of Eden, where he attacked Eve. Satan knows his strategy well. He is a dangerous enemy who doesn’t get distracted. It is therefore imperative that you fight against this enemy with the word of God in prayer. Prayers are very powerful. A prayerful Christian is a powerful Christian. The greatest demoraliser Satan uses is fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear; therefore, we are not to be afraid of the devil (2 Timothy 1:7)! The exact opposite of fear is faith. It is a known fact that Satan loves music. He loves dangerous, perverse and distorted music. The day God made Lucifer who later became the devil, He built musical instruments into his body (Ezekiel 28:13). He was the choir master of heaven. Now, Satan takes more souls to hell through music than through any other means. Angels love music too. The more you sing praises to God, the more you irritate Satan because you remind him of his glorious past and his lost opportunity. Satan is irritated because he knows that whenever you praise God you are making God happy. God loves music too. The devil also knows that whenever you are praising God, the Almighty will draw nigh to you (Psalm 22:3). Christ was able to overcome the devil through compassion, love and humility. These are indispensable weapons you need.

Action Point:

Irritate the devil today by singing beautiful songs of worship to the Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Samuel 18:1-19:15

Proverbs 13:1-14