OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 15/10/2015 – CLAIMING UNCLAIMED HARVESTS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CLAIMING UNCLAIMED HARVESTS

Memorise

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

John 4:38

Read

John 4:35-38

35  He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 

36  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 

37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 

38  And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 

Message

Total restoration is possible for those who believe in God. Beyond total restoration, it is equally possible to be a recipient of uncommon restoration. An uncommon restoration occurs in a situation where your progenitors laboured without a harvest, but when you turned up, you received the reward for all their labours. That was the experience of the children of Israel. For 430 years, they laboured for Egypt without pay. The generation of their fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, and others laboured but were not paid; then came the generation that Moses had to lead out of Egypt. The very night they were to go, all the salaries of their fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers and so on were delivered to them (Exodus 12:33-36). Have generations before you laboured without pay? Congratulations! You are the one to enter into their harvests! All that your progenitors worked for, but never got, shall be delivered to you in Jesus' Name.

Similarly, in some families, a curse of no reward has been placed on them. Due to this curse, "labour without harvest" has become their household name for successive generations. Is that your situation? Has someone placed a curse of "work without reward" on your lineage? Today, that curse is broken! All the harvests of your ancestors that they could not get shall be delivered to you in Jesus' Name. Moreover, this is also applies to ministers of the gospel. Jesus in John 4:38 says:

 "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours."

Labouring and harvesting are two distinct things. Not everyone who labours receives a commensurate harvest. Within this context, we can safely say that there are three categories of people: those who labour but never enter into their harvests, those who labour and get some or all of their harvest, and those who access the harvest of others, irrespective of whether they laboured for it or not. This explains why some people, including pastors, labour so hard and long at some particular locations without any fruit. After they become discouraged and leave, some others come into the same location and without doing anything much, they begin to reap what they never sowed. You shall not lose your harvest anymore! You shall receive your full harvests and even enter into the unclaimed harvests of others in Jesus Name!

Prayer Point

Father, frustrate every plan to separate me from my harvest, and link me up with the unclaimed harvests of those who have gone ahead of me in my family and in my field of labour.

Bible in one year

Numbers 20:1-21:30; 

2 Corinthians 11:1-15

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 14/10/2015 – THE SUPER NEED – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE SUPER NEED

Memorise

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:42

Read

Luke 10:38-42

38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 

39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 

40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 

41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 

42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

Message

When a person chases several rats in different directions, the most likely outcome is that none of those rats will be caught. In life, we are often barraged with so many competing issues at the same time, most of which legitimately deserve our attention. There is therefore the need to become more focused, in order to be effective in our pursuits. In day to day activities of life, we are often torn between wants and needs. Wants can be defined as known valuable things which people desire and would like to own. Needs on the other hand may be known or unknown, liked or disliked, but they satisfy a requirement of life. A sick fellow needs to see a doctor for treatment, whether he likes the idea or not. This is a need. Needs are often very crucial and relate to the necessities of life such as food, transport, clothing and shelter. Sometimes, the way a person goes about satisfying a need can transform that desire to a want and not a need. Take for instance the fellow who requires a car to move from his house to his office every day. Almost any normal car can meet this need; but if the fellow decides to buy a Ferrari to meet this need, the desire for a Ferrari has turned that need into a want.

To become more prudent, you should focus on your needs and down play your wants. If you acquire all the wealth on planet earth, the day you die, you will realise the futility of being unable to take any of it with you. The reality of this fact made Apostle Paul to admonish us that we should imbibe the virtue of contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Even among needs, a scale of priorities should be applied. Needs are of varying degrees of importance. In Luke 10:38-42, while visiting two sisters, the Lord plainly told them this:

 "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:42

He was speaking of a super need. It is good to be nice to people, and it is good to be hospitable; but better than all these is the need to sit at the feet of Jesus, studying, reading, meditating, hearing and memorising His words. The brethren who apply the "No Bible, no breakfast" principle have understood the need to subordinate all other legitimate needs under the super need of all - the Word of God. Are you giving the Word its rightful place in your life? The Word should come first. How much time do you set aside for the Bible daily?

Prayer Point

Father, in whatever situation I find myself, grant me grace to always give You priority.

Bible in one year

Numbers 18-19; 

2 Corinthians 10

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 07/10/2015 – PRAYER AND JOY – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

PRAYER AND JOY

Memorise

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:24

Read

John 16:23-24

23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 

24  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Message

It's amazing to know that prayer causes one's voice to be heard in Heaven. Of the over six billion people on earth, do you know that God can single out your voice for His personal attention? Indeed, when you pray, God hears your voice, and through this, He gives solutions to long-standing problems in your life. Every stubborn problem in your life will receive a divine touch today. As you call upon the Lord, he will hear your cry in Jesus' Name.

From Zacharias' experience, we learn that prayer causes you to hear good news (Luke 1:5-17). When the angel of God met Zacharias in the temple while the congregation prayed, he broke the good news he had been expecting to hear for such a long time. This implies that within every unpleasant situation, there is some good news tucked inside that only prayer can unearth. This also connotes that there is a link between prayer and joy. When you pray, you will hear some good news about your situation or circumstance which will bring you joy. No wonder Jesus, in our Bible reading today, says we should ask until our joy is full. Have you been receiving negative news lately? You need to engage your prayer gear, and good news will locate you. Very soon, you shall hear the good news that will transform your life. 

Moreover, prayer equally provides details about future events. No wonder the Bible in Jeremiah 33:3 says:

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

It was in the place of prayer that the birth of John was foretold. It was also in the midst of prayer that God's plan and purpose for John was disclosed. If you want God to reveal your tomorrow to you, pray. If you do not want to be kept in the dark concerning fundamental issues of your life, pray. Some believers go through very crucial periods of their life without effective prayers. No wonder they mishandle opportunities that come their way. As you pray today, ask God to give you insight into your future. This season, your prayers will work for you. Call on the Lord now while He may be found. It is well with you.

Key Point

God may be listening to multitudes of people, but He still hears your voice.

Bible in one year

Numbers 5:11-7:11; 

2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 06/10/2015 – WHEN HEAVEN COOPERATES WITH YOU – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHEN HEAVEN COOPERATES WITH YOU

Memorise

The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

Deuteronomy 28:12

Read

Deuteronomy 28:11-12

11  And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 

12  The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

Message

Without a doubt, God wants all his children blessed (Psalm 35:27). Let us examine some of the markers by which you can recognise a life that is blessed. First of these is that when you are blessed, you will receive help from Heaven. For example, one of the marks of a blessed life in Deuteronomy 28:12 is that you will receive rain in due season to bless the work of your hands. If you ask a farmer about the relevance of rain to his crops, he will tell you that the greatest thing he prays for is that rain would fall at the right time after he has planted his seeds. If it falls too early, the crops could be destroyed, and if it fails to fall when it should, it will affect the crop yield badly. I pray that heaven will give rain to water your land this season in Jesus' Name.

Also, when a man is blessed, even the sun and the moon will cooperate with him. While Joshua was in a crucial battle and the sun was about to set, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said, "Sun, stay where you are; and moon, don't move until my assignment is done." The elements of the firmament had no choice but to obey him because he was blessed of God (Joshua 10:12-14). Similarly, after God decided to add 15 more years to Hezekiah's life, He told him to ask for a sign. Hezekiah asked that the sun should go back, and it was so (2 Kings 20:1-11). When you are blessed, even the heavenly bodies will cooperate with you.

Many years ago, when we started a Bible Study meeting at the University of Ibadan (South-West Nigeria), only five of us flagged it off, in the house of one of our elders - Professor Aboaba. The attendance later grew, and more professors kept joining until the living room could no longer accommodate us, and so we moved to the backyard. While we were taking our seats to begin the Bible Study meeting on a certain day, it began to rain. The professors wanted to take to their heels, but I lifted my hand and said, "Rain, you cannot fall now." On that day, it rained everywhere else in the University except for Professor Aboaba's residence. If there is one thing you need in life, it is to be blessed by God. When God blesses you, every element of heaven will favour you.

Prayer Point

Father, let every element You have created combine forces to give me a smooth ride into the destiny You have created for me.

Bible in one year

Numbers 4:1-5:10;

 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – MONDAY – 5/10/2015 – SCEPTRE OF HIS POWER – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SCEPTRE OF HIS POWER

Memorise

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Hebrews 1:8

Read

Esther 5:1-3

1  Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. 

2  And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 

3  Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Message

The dawning of your day of favour causes God to beckon to you. God beckons to you to bring you close to His power. In whatever way the Lord is beckoning to you, may you not be insensitive or blind to it in Jesus' Name! The sceptre that the king stretched towards Esther in today's Bible reading is a symbol of power. When Esther went near the king, she touched the sceptre. When you touch the sceptre of the King of kings, not only will your history be rewritten, the history of your entire race will begin to change at the same time. According to Esther 4:11, anyone who went before King Ahasuerus uninvited would be executed instantly, regardless of who they were, except he lifted his sceptre towards them. By lifting the sceptre towards Esther, the king changed death to life for her.

During a Holy Ghost Service held in the first auditorium at the Redemption Camp, the Lord said that there was someone in attendance whom the enemies had planned to kill, but because the fellow had come to the programme that night, death had been cancelled. Everybody said "Amen" without knowing who God was specifically referring to. In the congregation that night was a particular woman to whom some people were heavily indebted. When these debtors felt they could not pay, they decided to kidnap and kill her so that they could be free from their debt without repaying. After the programme, they kidnapped her, bound and threw her into the boot of their car and began to drive towards a forest in Badagry (a border town between Lagos and the Republic of Benin), where they planned to kill her. On their way, they came across a police checkpoint. 

That was not supposed to be a problem, as they had already packaged cash bribes to be offered to all the policemen they came across along the way. But because God had already cancelled the plan of death for this woman, when they offered the money to the policeman, he turned it down and said he wanted to see what was in their boot. Then they increased the bribe offer, but the policeman declined and insisted on seeing what was in their boot. When they saw that their game was up, they fled. The police man opened the boot, saw the woman and released her. Just as He did for this woman, today, the Lord is stretching His sceptre of power towards you. Wherever the enemy had planned something against you, the Lord will make a way of escape for you. Praise the Lord!

Prayer Point

Father, stretch Your sceptre of power to me; let it touch me and thwart the plans of the enemy against the glorious destiny You have for 

Bible in one year

Numbers 3; 

1 Corinthians 16

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 2/10/2015 – STEALING FROM GOD – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

STEALING FROM GOD

Memorise

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Corinthians 6:20

Read

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 

19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Message

The Bible makes it clear that aside from stealing from men, it is also possible to steal from God. Malachi 3:8 says:

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."

Your tithe is one tenth of your income, increase or profit. It belongs to God and should be set aside for God immediately after the provision comes. Not paying your tithes can introduce a curse from God into the blessings He has given you. If a man curses you, someone with a higher spiritual authority can break the curse. For example, if your pastor curses you, the general overseer with a higher spiritual authority can break it; but if God curses you, to whom will you run? It is important you pay back to God 10% of everything He gives to you. It is also important you do it the way He expects it to be done. Your tithe must be brought into God's storehouse, and God must be given a free hand to spend it as He directs. Some people believe that as children of God, they can use their tithes to rescue someone who is in need or in critical condition in the hospital. No! You don't have that right! If you spend your tithe like that, in God's record, you will still be a debtor.

In addition, you can also steal from God by denying Him access to, or using inappropriately, whatever part of you He has claimed ownership of. In today's memory verse, we see that God has claimed ownership of our body and our spirit. He therefore expects that anything we do with our body will be such that will bring glory to His Name. Doing otherwise is stealing from God. For example, overeating, or taking any substance that can destroy your body, makes your body unavailable to its Owner; this amounts to stealing from Him. Any time you engage your body in any sinful act, you are guilty of inappropriate use of God's property and therefore a thief. Also, God demands access to your spirit in the place of prayer and meditating on His word. If you deny Him this, you are stealing from Him because He has claimed ownership of your spirit. If at the time you should be fellowshipping with God in your spirit, you are busy watching television or engaging in any other type of activity that does not connect your spirit to God, you are stealing your spirit away from God. In what ways have you stolen from God? Repent and restitute today.

Prayer Point

Father, in whatever ways I have stolen from You, I ask that You forgive me. I repent of these and ask for grace to glorify You with my body and spirit at all times.

Bible in one year

Leviticus 25:8-26:13;

1 Corinthians 14:26-15:11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 30/09/2015 – WAY OUT OF EMBARRASSMENT – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WAY OUT OF EMBARRASSMENT

Memorise

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Isaiah 42:16

Read

John 2:1-11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Message

Jesus Christ declared to His disciples that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As the Way, He is the exit from that very evil location you may find yourself. He is the Way out of sickness and also the Way out of death. If you are facing any situation pertaining to death, He is the Way out. In Acts 9:36-42, Dorcas died and the widows mourned her because of her good works which had been a blessing to them. She was the visible hand of God that the widows could relate with. So when Peter arrived, they began to make a case for her to live. Do you know that when some believers die, almost everyone who knew them would prefer that they were left dead, because they made no meaningful impact? If you were called home to be with the Lord today, how many people would want you to be restored to life? Can your works speak for you like those of Dorcas? When Peter heard of her works, he commanded Dorcas to come back to life in the Name of Jesus. She lived to continue her ministry to the widows. You too can command the dead to rise in the Name of Jesus and life shall be restored back to them, if only you have faith in Jesus and you are a part of Him.

Moreover, Jesus is the Way out of embarrassment. In today's Bible reading, while a wedding celebration was going on in Cana of Galilee, the wine finished. How embarrassing! It was possible the guests they had were far more than what they had prepared for. Some of their guests who had not been served were seated and expecting to be served. If they were to arrange for more wine, it would have cost them a lot in time, money and logistics. While they bothered about what to do and confusion was beginning to set in, Mary got wind of what was going on and informed Jesus about it. Pre-empting Him, she instructed the servants at that feast to wait on the Lord. At the nick of time, the Lord turned the water available into the wine they lacked. Everyone who took of that wine confessed that they had never taken a better wine in all their lives. The Lord not only saved the day, but also turned an embarrassing situation into a most special moment for all and sundry. Imagine the joy of the couple and that of their families! Are you facing any form of embarrassment? Take it to the Lord in prayer and have faith in His ability to intervene, and He will make a way for you.

Action Point

Intercede for every believer facing an embarrassing situation around you, that they will receive God's way out now.

Bible in one year

Leviticus 21:1-23:8; 

1 Corinthians 13:1-14:5

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – SATURDAY – 26/09/2015 – CHILDREN ARE YOUR TOMORROW – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CHILDREN ARE YOUR TOMORROW

Memorise

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Read

Genesis 18:17-19

7  And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 

8  And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 

9  And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 

Message

The greatness of a person can be influenced by a father-figure - whether biological or spiritual. No wonder the Bible in Proverbs 17:6 says:

 "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."

A child is expected to be a better version of his or her parents. Your child is supposed to be a new, improved you. Your child is your future, hence, losing your child amounts to losing your future, while gaining your child is gaining your future. You can lose your child not necessarily to death but to sin. An unsaved or backslidden child erodes the future of his parents. This is why you must invest in your children. They are your tomorrow. I cannot understand why a parent will be competing with his or her child. How can a father say that he does not want any of his children to surpass him? If your children cannot surpass you, then you have failed. That is why Jesus in John 14:12 says:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

You must do everything legitimately possible to prepare your children to have a better tomorrow.

Some parents do not mind playing "Father Christmas" with other people's children, but they remain stingy and tight fisted with their own children. A man who was trained by his parents or relatives to secondary school level who now refuses to train his own children to at least that same level is a curse to his family. Some parents do not mind spending money to buy expensive clothes for weddings, funerals and other frivolous things, but when it comes to paying the school fees of their children, they will say they have no money. What are your priorities in life? Did your children beg you to bring them to this world? Why would you neglect them after bringing them to earth? Do you know that there are very many unbelievers who never had the opportunity of going to school, particularly women, who resolved in their heart to see that their children would be educated, and God made a way for them? Today, they have made graduates out of petty trading. How can it be said of you - a believer, created in the image of God and blessed with children of destiny, that you denied your children quality education? Far be it from you! Ensure you prepare your children for a better future. You cannot afford to disappoint God in this area!

Key Point

The greatest legacy you can give your children is first Jesus, followed by a good education up to university level. Others are 

Bible in one year

Leviticus 14:33-15:33; 

1 Corinthians 9:24-10:22

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 24/09/2015 – INSTRUCTION RESCUES – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

INSTRUCTION RESCUES

Memorise

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 107:20

Read

Proverbs 19:20-21

20  Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. 

21  There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 

Message

If you experience a loss at any point in life, know that it's a time to stay calm and not a time to lose heart. If you can wait to receive specific instructions from the Lord, it will expedite the recovery of your loss. The reason why many losses of God's children have not been recovered is because they have not found time to seek the face of God on the matter. As you seek God's face concerning those good things you have lost, the Lord will give you a word that will lead to their recovery.

Many years ago, while we were building the first big auditorium at the Redemption Camp, we needed a lot of wood. We paid the government board in charge of sawmills in Edo state, Nigeria, to have this wood supplied to us. A few weeks to our convention, this government board decided to shut down all sawmills in the state. While pacing up and down asking God what to do, the Lord asked me what I knew about the Kingdom of God. To me, this question was irrelevant and I wanted to say so, but I cautioned myself and began to say what I knew about the Kingdom of God. I said "You must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of God". He concurred. Then I said "The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost". He agreed. This continued until I exhausted all I could remember on the subject matter. Eventually, I said "Since the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent taketh it by force." Then He replied, "That is where we are going. 

Do you want your wood? Give me a violent offering." That was on a Saturday; on Sunday, I shared this with my children and we gave a violent offering. On Monday, the governor of Edo state dissolved this government Board and reconstituted another one, which immediately reopened all sawmills. On Tuesday, someone who had no money to give brought his trailer for us to use as long as we wanted. On Wednesday, someone came to give us bags of nails. Several other people also brought materials for the building. Within two weeks, the auditorium was ready; all because I received an instruction from the Lord. The instruction that will lead to a full recovery of your losses shall be given to you this season. When you seek God's face and He tells you what to do, don't argue with Him; go ahead and obey the Lord and you will recover your losses. It is your recovery period this season!

Key Point

For every loss, there is a recovery strategy which can be found with the Great Restorer - Jesus Christ.

Bible in one year

Leviticus 12:1-13:44; 

1 Corinthians 8:1-9:7

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 2209/2015 – WHEN PIGS ARE WISER – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHEN PIGS ARE WISER

Memorise

And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Mark 5:5

Read

Mark 5:1-13

1  And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 

2  And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 

3  Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 

4  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 

5  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 

6  But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 

7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 

8  For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 

9  And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 

10  And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 

11  Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 

12  And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 

13  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

Message

It is great to experience deliverance from demons, but it is better to never be repossessed by them after being delivered. A better option than these is not to have being possessed by demons at all. If you have never been possessed by demons all your life, you do not know what God has done for you. These two things are common to all those who have been possessed before: they suffered great losses and went through hell. Take for instance the Gadarene demoniac in our Bible reading: what he would never do to himself in his right senses, he did while demons were inside him. He cut his body with sharp stones, bled and felt the pain, and yet he compulsively repeated this often. In other words, the demons in him told him to hurt his own body as if it was the body of an enemy, and he obeyed even though he felt the pain. The demons tried to use him to destroy himself. Do you know that even today, demonic spirits still compel their victims to destroy themselves? We should not be surprised of this, as Jesus in John 10:10a already revealed their mission to us:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:"

All over the world today, demons of addiction gradually lure people into taking degenerative substances such as cocaine, heroin, Indian hemp, cigarettes, tobacco powder (snuff), etc. After a while, such people discover that they are unable to break away from these substances. The aim of these demonic spirits of addiction is to destroy their bodies. In the same manner, these spirits get people into drinking alcohol, and before long, they become alcoholics. The operations of the demons of lust follow the same pattern. They get their victims into immorality, sodomy, lesbianism, and other sexual sins, so as to make them destroy themselves. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says:

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

The objective of these demons is to make their victims destroy their bodies to the extent that the Holy Spirit will not come near it, not to talk of entering in. Unfortunately, do you know that some people are happy to harbour demons because of certain benefits they derive from them; for example, practitioners of witchcraft? The pigs that were at the receiving end of the demons cast out of the Gadarene demoniac were more sensible than such people. They preferred to drown rather than to allow demons inhabit them. Are you as wise as these pigs? If you have any spirit other than the Holy Spirit inside you, you need help through deliverance.

Action Point

Ask God to deliver anyone under the manipulative influence of demons in your local church.

Bible in one year

Leviticus 8-9; 

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:16

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – MONDAY – 21/09/2015 – ENDURING HARDSHIP – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ENDURING HARDSHIP

Memorise

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Matthew 5:11

Read

Matthew 5:10-12

10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

Message

The devil knows the glorious tomorrow that awaits every believer in Christ when they cross the finish line of the Christian race. This is why he fights tooth and nail to derail us from reaching our goal. He was a part of the heavenly bliss that will be our reward, but he lost his place due to evil thoughts (Isaiah 14:12-15). He does not want us to taste what he lost; hence he works through wiles to bring us down (Ephesians 6:11). One of the wiles that Satan uses in making believers in Christ abandon the Christian race is hardship. Some people have pulled out of heaven's marathon before getting to the finish line, due to their inability to endure hardship. Our Lord Jesus Christ describes such people in Mark 4:17:

 "And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."

The expectations you had when you entered the Christian faith matter a lot. The Christian faith is not a bed of roses. The way of the cross that leads to Heaven is not a path laden with gold and easy to take. If anyone tells you that once you believe in Jesus, all your problems will disappear and everything will always go well, you are being deceived. The day you signed up as a believer in Christ, the die was cast and the battle line was drawn between you and the kingdom of darkness. From that day, you became a sworn enemy of the forces of darkness. They will surely attack you and try to make you feel miserable.

You are expected to endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). The inability to endure difficult and trying times makes one a bad soldier of the cross. Even when God blesses you, He still leaves room for you to be persecuted, tried and ridiculed. Your faith in Christ may be tested through lack, hunger, unanswered prayers, false accusations, ill health, and so on. Jesus in our Bible reading taught that if you can take persecution, being reviled by men and false accusation in good faith, you are blessed and on the path to Heaven. On the other hand, if you easily get offended by these, if nothing is done to correct your attitude, you may become derailed from the faith. Are you offended in Christ? Towards the end of his stay on earth, John the Baptist began to doubt if the same Person he had declared to be the Son of God was the true Messiah (Matthew 11:2-6). In His reply to John's questions, the Lord told him not to be offended in Him. It is a good thing to suffer persecution for your faith in Christ. Never get to the point of being offended in Him.

Prayer Point

Father, let patience have its perfect work in my life, so that I will be wanting in nothing.

Bible in one year

Leviticus 6:8-7:38; 

1 Corinthians 5:1-6:11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 18/09/2015 – POPULARITY CAN EBB – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

POPULARITY CAN EBB

Memorise

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

Proverbs 21:30

Read

Numbers 16:1-3

1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 

2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 

3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 

Message

Every race has its rules. Crossing the finish line without following the rules will bring you no reward. Service to God in His vineyard also follows this principle. Some leaders who have gone ahead of us in the service of God messed up and ended up where they did not bargain for. This is why to avoid ending up like they did, we must learn from their experience. Korah, Dathan and Abiram were powerful leaders under Pastor Moses in the wilderness, but they erred and met with terrible judgment. That shall not be your portion in Jesus' Name! From the narrative about them in Numbers 16, we learn that we should focus on the assignment God has given to everyone of us. 1 Corinthians 7:20 makes it clear that everyone should mind their calling:

"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called."

Adding to what God has given you might actually be a distraction to your original calling. If you want God to increase the scope of your assignment, or if you desire to be promoted in the things of the Kingdom, the right approach is to draw closer to the Holy Spirit, tell Him about your godly desires, satisfy God's laid down conditions for experiencing an uplift and wait to hear from the Lord. Using the methods of the flesh to gain ascendancy can only uplift the flesh. It takes the Spirit to lift you up in spiritual things. It is important to note that not everyone occupying a top ecclesiastical leadership position got there by the Spirit. Allow God to judge and reward them accordingly, but do not repeat their mistakes.

Moreover, another lesson from the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram is that using your growing popularity to work against the will of God can totally erode it. The 250 princes involved in this sad story were very popular in the wilderness, having been selected out of the general populace into the position of leadership. They were honoured and famous for as long as they played their roles within the scope of their divine assignment. But the moment they decided to partner with rebellious folks, honour gave way to shame, and their popularity turned to disfavour. Are you a leader in the church or in any enterprise? Praise God! Are you becoming very popular by virtue of your position and the opportunities you have access to as a leader? Praise God! However, be very careful! Never use your popularity against God's people or God's Word. If you do, it will surely backfire and you will not be proud of what you will get in return.

Action Point

The essence and power of any influence, resource, ability or endowment you use against God will be eroded, and such acts will backfire on you.

BIble in one year

Exodus 39-40; 

1 Corinthians 2

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 17/09/2015 – RECEIVE DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

RECEIVE DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS

Memorise

Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

Job 22:22

Read

Job 22:21-24

21  Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 

22  Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 

23  If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 

24  Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Message

Due to the advent of sin and the activities of our adversary, we are faced with different challenges of life from day to day. The loss of assets and of persons dear to us is one of those challenges which our adversary, the devil, throws at us to destabilise us and ultimately make us lose our faith. But thank God that provision has been made in the package of salvation for the recovery of those things which we may have lost. Do you desire to recover what you have lost? Stop crying about it and encourage yourself in the Lord.

A time of loss is a time to seek the face of God in prayer. After David and his men suffered a major loss, he wept, but he didn't stop there. He encouraged himself in the Lord and sought God's face in prayer (1 Samuel 29:3-8). Although God is a very present help in the time of trouble, it is only those who seek Him that will find Him (Proverbs 8:17). Based on his life experiences, the Psalmist confirms this in Psalm 34:10:

"The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing."

Have you lost any good thing? Seek God's face from today. Separate yourself to spend time with God alone. For the duration of that period, let God be your only focus. Pour out your heart to Him and meditate on His word. Praise and worship Him in spirit and in truth. Be quiet in His presence to hear what He has to say to you. Have you been seeking God's face after suffering a loss?

It is important to receive instructions from God after suffering a loss. He alone can fully tell how a loss occurred, where what was lost can be found and how best to recover it. Unfortunately, people seldom follow God's instructions. Many people adhere to traffic rules, especially in developed countries, because they do not want sanctions. Similarly, most people follow the instructions in the user's manual of their gadgets; but when it comes to God's instructions, people take what appeals to them and discard the rest. 

Beloved, receive all of God's instructions because they will lead you to the path of success, victory and joy. Instructions from God can come to you through a variety of ways. God can instruct you by directly speaking to you. He can also do so through His servants, especially through the word of knowledge in programmes such as our monthly Holy Ghost Service. God can send you instructions while you fellowship with other brethren in church. It could be during praise and worship, the choir ministration, prayer time or through the sermon. This is why it is important not to neglect fellowshipping with the brethren. How attentive are you to receive instructions from God while in His presence?

Prayer Point

Father, my heart is open to receive Your instructions that will turn my life around for good. 

Bible in one year

Exodus 37-38; 

1 Corinthians 1