OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 30/1/2015 – WONDERFUL RESTORATION – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WONDERFUL RESTORATION

Memorise

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Psalm 51:12

Read

Ezekiel 37:1-10

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

MESSAGE

When the earth was in shambles in the beginning, the wonder-working God restored it by His word (Genesis 1:1-3). It is interesting to note that the Almighty does not only create, He also restores. I command the restoration power of the Almighty to come upon you today in Jesus’ Name.

Our Bible text has a narrative that described the wonderful restoration that God will give you today. It describes the wonder of the restoration of very dry bones. Ezekiel here was taken to the valley of dry bones. Dry bones of course signify a state of hopelessness and lifelessness. Thank God it was the Spirit of the Lord that carried Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones; if it were an evil spirit, he himself would have become one of them. When Ezekiel got to the valley, there was a dialogue between him and the Almighty! It is not amazing to discover that whenever God wants to perform wonders, He dialogues? He also demonstrated this character in the story of the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:15-18). This character of God does not mean that He does not know what to do at any given time; He just likes fellowshipping with man. From His dialogue with Ezekiel, the wonder –working drama began.

The first lesson I will like to point out in the story is that whenever the Spirit of God is upon an individual, the fellow is empowered to do the impossible, like in the case of Ezekiel here. He was not even sure whether the dry bones could live or not. He pushed the answer back to God when God asked him if the dry bones could live. This is the second lesson we should learn. We must learn to acknowledge the sovereignty of God in all matters, no matter how pressing the need maybe or how ridiculous He may sound (1 Corinthians 1:25&27).

Whenever we acknowledge and put the sovereignty of God at the forefront, faith in the God of wonders will come. Ezekiel responded positively to the instructions God gave him concerning the dry bones. He prophesied as he was commanded, and the result was a mighty army. We can also learn from this story that without the Holy Spirit, there is nothing we can do, but with Him, all things are possible. Wherever the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, signs and wonders. Signs and wonders will be your portion this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, please speak to my situation and restore to me all that the enemies have destroyed in my life in Jesus’ Name

Bible in one year

Jeremiah 16:14-18:23
Acts 17:16-34

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 30/1/2015 – WONDERFUL RESTORATION – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 29/1/2015 – STOREHOUSE FOR WONDERS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

Storehouse for Wonders 

Memorise

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psalm 23:1

Read

1 Kings 17:12-16 

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 

MESSAGE

You will observe that ever since God rested from His work in Genesis 2:2, He has been working on and through His earlier creations in propagating His purpose. For example, God never created another set of man and woman after the first man and woman had been created. Rather, he charged those He had already created to be fruitful, to multiply and to replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28). 

When God is confronted with a need, He will use what is already available in His creation to meet that need. When God was confronted with the need to feed His prophet for a number of years during a famine, He needed a storehouse of wonders to meet this need. The widow of Zarephath’s house became this storehouse for wonders. The man of God, Elijah, discovered a barrel of flour and a cruse of oil that were almost empty in this house. However, it was not the prophet but the God of wonders who located that storehouse for wonders, and He sent His prophet there (1 Kings17:8-9). 

We must learn some lessons from this story of the storehouse for wonders. First, the house was available for the God of wonders to use. My prayer for you is that whenever the God of wonders wants to turn a house to a house for wonders, it will be yours in Jesus’ Name. The question is: will you be ready to surrender your house to the God of wonders to use for His glory? Secondly, the widow did not shy away from a difficult assignment. Although it was a difficult thing for her to give Elijah her last meal, she obeyed the command of God and did as the prophet said. Hence her house became the storehouse for wonders. Her barrel of flour and her cruse of oil became instruments of wonders. 

Thirdly, this woman did not only know the wonder-working God, she was a sincere and straightforward woman of faith. She stated her case as it was. She said, 

“This is our last meal; we can’t part with it.” 

If it were some of us, we would not even admit that we have anything at all. This woman seemed to be saying to herself, 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, even if I surrender my last meal to Him.” 

This woman exposed her miracle meal to the wonder-working God to work with. This was the exact thing the young lad in Matthew 14:17-20 did, and he went home with twelve basketfuls as the interest on the five loaves and two fishes he lent to the wonder-working Lord. I pray that the Lord will feed you fat even in the time of famine in Jesus’ Name. 

Action Point

Determine to lend to God by way of sacrificially giving to His work this year, and you will see the glory of God. 

Bible in one year

Jeremiah 14:1-16:13 

Acts 17:1-15 

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 27/1/2015 – WONDERFUL SAVIOUR – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WONDERFUL SAVIOUR

Memorise

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 Isaiah 9:6

Read

Acts 2:22-24

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

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

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

MESSAGE

A major difference between Christianity and other religious is the availability of the Saviour for anyone who needs salvation. As a matter of fact, the essence of true religion is the salvation that it guarantees. Any religion that does not offer the assurance of salvation, particularly salvation for sin, is a base contraption. Concerning Jesus, the Bible in Matthew 1:21 says that:

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

Why is Jesus Christ the wonderful Saviour? His confessions and testimony about Himself make Him wonderful. No man ever spoke the words that Jesus did. In John 15:13, He said about His mission here on earth:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

No man ever did such a thing before Him, and after Him, nothing of such has happened.
In Acts 2:22-24, Peter plainly declared the mission, the passion and the perfect atonement that Jesus accomplished for humankind. Hebrews 9 also corroborates the perfect redemption that Jesus Christ brought to us. For this reason, the apostle declared in Acts 4:12 that:

“Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

In light of the foregoing, the author of the book of Hebrews asks this fundamental question:

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”
Hebrews

The Lord Jesus came with a specific assignment that distinguished Him from the caricature of religious leaders. Even the Pharisees admitted that He taught as someone with authority (Luke 4:18-22, Mark 1:22). Jesus Christ is not only the Saviour of the soul; He delivers the body from demonic torment too. Those who witnessed His life testified that He went about doing good (Acts 10:38). My prayer is that if you have not accepted His as the wonderful Saviour, you will do so today.

Prayer Point

Father, I accept your offer of salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord today. Receive me and forgive me as I (re) dedicate my life to you today

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 8:18-10:25; 

Acts 15:36-16:15

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 26/1/2015 – WONDERFUL SAVIOUR – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – MONDAY – 26/1/2015 – CURE FOR DEFEAT – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CURE FOR DEFEAT

Memorise

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1

Read

1 Kings 21:17-29

17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

MESSAGE

When a man continues to transgress the law of God, he becomes a profane person, and unless he quickly retraces his steps to the Word of God, he may suffer permanent defeat like Samson who died with his enemies. I pray for someone using this devotional, you will not die with your enemies in Jesus’ Name. If you have suffered defeat due to carelessness, the Lord is interested in getting you back on your feet. The road-map for your recovery can be found in the manufacturer’s manual – the Bible. Let’s take a look at the Bible therefore to see how you can recover from a defeat.

The first thing you need to do is to pay close attention to the voice of the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:1). If you are in a state of defeat, the Lord will send a word to you on how to get out of that state. This word could come through the Bible, through His messengers or by Him speaking directly to your spirit. But you need to be listening in order to hear and recognise His voice. One problem of modern day so-called Christians is their non-readiness to listen to the voice of the Lord. The reason for this is not far-fetched. It is because the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). Some people have erred to the extent that they teach people not to pay attention to the epistles any more. To them, the contents of the epistles are meant for the original audience to whom they were written and not for those in the 21st century. To come out of your state of defeat, you are not only to pay close attention to the Word, you must also be diligent enough to observe and follow its instructions.

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
Revelation 2:5

This is another thing you must do to pull yourself out of any defeat you may have suffered. David knew this secret and he employed it to his advantage. My prayer for you is that, in whatever area you have suffered defeat, the Lord will restore and grant you permanent victory in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point

Take a spiritual inventory of your life and determine in what areas you need revival. Call upon God to revive you in these areas.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 7:1-8:17

Acts 15:12-35

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – MONDAY – 26/1/2015 – CURE FOR DEFEAT – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – SUNDAY – 25/1/2015 – EX-CHAMPION? – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

EX-CHAMPION?

Memorise

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
John 5:14

Read
Joshua 7:1-5

1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

MESSAGE

Although it is an unpleasant experience to be a defeated contender, becoming an ex-champion is a much more grievous experience. When you are not a champion, only a few people pay attention to you. But by the time you become a champion, you will be on the radar of many people, including your enemies. A champion has more enemies to contend with than an ordinary contender. I pray you will not be an ex-champion in Jesus’ Name.

The story in our scripture reading is a sad one. The people of God had just recorded victory over a great city called Jericho, and they forged ahead to occupy a small village called Ai. To their surprise and consternation, they were beaten silly! Their leader, Joshua, was downcast. But after making enquiries from God, he discovered the cause of their defeat. What great lessons we can draw from this story! There is always a reason for every set-back suffered by a child of God. Therefore, it is expedient that periodic, self examination becomes a lifestyle among children of God.

The Almighty had warned the children of Israel not to take anything from Jericho as booty, but Achan defied this instruction and stole part of the accursed materials. Joshua did not know about this. This singular act brought a lot of war causalities to the Israelites and turned the whole nation to ex-war champions. The nation remained defeated until the accused thing was removed form the congregation of the people of God, including the culprit and his household. Beloved of God, I want to encourage you to abstain from any form of ungodliness because it is deadly (Romans 6:23). After a man’s sins are forgiven, the next thing is for the fellow to stop living in sin and to perform restitution. In John 5:14, our Lord Jesus Christ told the man He graciously healed to go and sin no more so that a more terrible thing does not come on him. In conclusion:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates?

 2 Corinthians 13:5

May the Lord be with your soul.

Prayer Point

Holy Spirit, please help me to be vigilant in maintaining my victory in Christ and help me not to fall into any temptation.

Bible in One Year
Jeremiah 5:6
Acts 14.19-15:11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – SUNDAY – 25/1/2015 – EX-CHAMPION? – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – SATURDAY – 24/1/2015 – ENEMY OF DIVINE BLESSINGS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

ENEMY OF DIVINE BLESSINGS

Memorise

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringth low, and lifeth up.

 1 Samuel 2:7

Read

Hosea 5:3-9

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.

7 They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

MESSAGE

At the beginning of Ephraim’s history, Ephraim was God’s favourite and a symbol of blessing. In Genesis 48:20, Jacob pronounced these blessings of Ephraim:

“… In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”

David also spoke about the blessings of Ephraim in Psalm 108:8. Without any doubt, Ephraim was indeed a beneficiary of divine blessings. But at some point in history, Ephraim became an object of ridicule (Jeremiah 7:15). How did Ephraim come to this state? The answer is in Hosea 4:17:

“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

What is idolatry? Idolatry is the act of reverencing anything other than the Almighty God. It can take the form of esteeming your culture, race, idea, achievement, etc over and above the Almighty and His Word. Idolatry can also be an insatiable craving for the material things of this world (1st John 2:15-17). When you esteem your children, your cars or your educational qualifications so highly that you make them “no go areas” for the One who gave them to you in the first place, then you are guilt of idolatry. This was the undoing of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-33).

Idolatry is one of the archenemies of divine blessings. The Almighty God warned His people against idolatry in Exodus 20:3 saying:

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

When the children of Israel become comfortable in the Promised Land, they joined themselves with the natives to worship their gods. For this reason, they suffered series of servitude under neighbouring kingdoms. At some point, they were even carried away into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. A nation that had hitherto enjoyed divine blessings in the land flowing with milk and honey became slaves all over again because of their sin of idolatry. This was exactly what turned Ephraim’s divine blessings into a curse.

The word of the Lord is coming to you today to beware of idolatry. Put God first in all you think, say or do, and you will not be a victim of the sin of idolatry.

Prayer Point

Father, today, I put down every strange altar I have consciously or unconsciously erected to compete with you in my life, home, business or ministry, in Jesus Name.

Bible in One Year

Jeremiah 3:6-4:31
Acts 13:48-14:18

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – SATURDAY – 24/1/2015 – ENEMY OF DIVINE BLESSINGS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 23/1/2015 – IRREVERSIBLE DIVINE BLESSING – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

IRREVERSIBLE DIVINE BLESSING

Memorise

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

 Proverbs 10:22

Read

Genesis 22:15-18

15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

MESSAGE

The blessings that can be regarded as irreversible are those which come from God. God Almighty decided to give irreversible blessings to Abraham. In Genesis 22:16-17, God declared thus:

“…By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

The conditional nature of divine blessings makes some of them irreversible. When you fulLfil some spiritual conditions for divine blessings, God will show Himself mighty, faithful and dependable in your life. Nobody is able to reverse a divine blessing, except God Himself. He will only reverse it if the recipient defaults in the terms of His covenant. For example, God reversed the promise He made to Eli when he and his sons failed to live by the terms of the covenant that made them God’s priests (1 Samuel 2:30). If God decides to bless you and you mess up, He can change a blessing to a curse.

The faithfulness of God in keeping His promise to Abraham is demonstrated in Genesis 26, while the irreversible nature of this promise is demonstrated in Genesis 35. In these two instances, the Almighty God reiterated to Isaac and Jacob that the promise He made to Abraham was an everlasting covenant.

Before a person can enjoy irreversible blessings, there are certain conditions he or she must fulfil in Jesus Christ. These include remarkable love towards God, sacrificial giving and commitment to holiness and worship. All these attributes are found in Jesus Christ, and they can rub off on anyone who accepts him as Lord and Personal Saviour. The Bible in Colossians 1:19-20 says:

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fuLlness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

To enjoy irreversible blessings therefore, you must establish a lasting relationship with the Almighty Father, from whom all blessings flow, through Jesus Christ.

Action Point

Identify some irreversible blessings you have access to through Christ in the Bible, and ask God to bring about their manifestation in your life.

Bible in one Year

Jeremiah 1:1-3:5,

Acts 13:26-47

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 23/1/2015 – IRREVERSIBLE DIVINE BLESSING – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 22/1/2015 – A PEACEMAKER? – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

A PEACEMAKER?

Memorise

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 

Matthew 5:9

Read

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

MESSAGE

When Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, this brought enmity between the Creator and His human creator. The first man and woman decided to love when God hated (Genesis 3:6). It is unfortunate that this spiritual depravity has continued till date. Men tend to love the world more than their Creator as a result of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1st John 2:14-14).

“Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:23-24

The enmity and separation symbolised by the scripture above lingered for a very long time until God decided to reconcile mankind to Himself. God’s expectation is that men will get reconciled to Him by accepting the hand of love He has stretched out to humanity. Like the father of the prodigal son, God is expectantly waiting for mankind to come home to eternal bliss. God wants to make children out of his human creation.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Matthew 5:9

Who are the peacemakers? The peacemakers are those who realise their state of enmity with God and endeavour to forsake their sinful ways of life in order to please Him. Apostle Paul wrote that:

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ , and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself , not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Have you been reconciled with your Lord and Maker? Do not forget that the peacemakers are blessed; they will enjoy the benefits associated with being a child of God.

Action Point

Are you struggling with God on any issue in your head or heart? Be reconciled to God today by submitting to his will.

Bible in one year

Isaiah 65-66,
Acts 13:1-25

Isaiah 65-66;

1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.
8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.
9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.
11 But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 66

1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 

2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Acts 13:1-25

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.
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 22/1/2015 – A PEACEMAKER? – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 21/1/2015 – GOOD SUCCESS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOOD SUCCESS

Memorise

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Proverbs 1:32

Read

Joshua 1:8

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

MESSAGE

The Bible classifies success into good success and negative or bad success. Of course, to the carnal mind, the idea of bad success is an irony. The Lord defined the type of success that emanates from Him in Proverbs 10:22

“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”

In other words, if a so-called blessing is not from the Lord, certainly there will be some sorrow attached to it. This kind of success cannot be said to be good. Little wonder God Almighty prescribed what will bring good success to Joshua, as there are other type of success.

The blessing of the Lord makes you live long to enjoy the fruit of your labour (Psalm 91:6). The Lord who blesses is the same one who protects. If you are afraid of calamity after a breakthrough, maybe the source of that so-called breakthrough is not God. No man can temper with good success that emanates from God. Some people are afraid of success because of what people will say about them. You can go ahead and continue to run from success if the success is not coming from God, because it cannot be good success. However, when your breakthrough or success is directly from God, no witch, wizard or herbalist can tamper with it.

In Genesis 26:12-14, we read about a classical example of good success record by Isaac. This man was so blessed that even the king of the Philistines envied him. The secret of this good success is found in the Genesis 26:2-6. Isaac obeyed the voice of God, stayed where God asked him to stay and he became prosperous with good success. Good success is not far from those who determine to obey God all the way. In today’s Bible text, God revealed the secret of good success to Joshua which every child of God must pay attention to. God told Joshua that for Him to have good success, the book of the law should not just be in his mouth, he was to meditate therein constantly in order to observe to do according to its contents. This truth is reinforced in James 1:25:

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

If you want to obtain good success therefore, be a doer of the work in God’s Word.

Prayer Point

Father, please grant me good success in all of my endeavours this year in Jesus’ Name.

Bible in one year
Isaiah 61:64
Acts 12:6-25

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 21/1/2015 – GOOD SUCCESS – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

10 POINTS TO CONSIDER IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE BY FUNKE ADE

10 POINTS TO CONSIDER IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE

There is one thing to serve God or to be eager to serve God, the question is: “Is your service acceptable to God?” I plead with you to take your time to read my write-up below. I’m convinced it will make you examine your life. Feel free to share it with your friends, your groups, in your gatherings, etc.

Are you serving God because it is the cool thing to do? Are you serving God because you grew up around people serving God? Have you ever asked yourself if your service is accepted by God?

I have always been zealous and diligent in serving God, however, there have been times that I have served God by being a people-pleaser and there are times that I have served God with grumbling and complaining. There was also a time that I served God without a direction from God. God has opened my eyes to what it means to serve Him acceptably. It would be selfish if I fail to share it with you my readers and followers

Is Your Service Acceptable to God?

1) The Word of God says in Hebrews 12:28 that,

“since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and SERVE God ACCEPTABLY with reverence and awe (in a way that is pleasing to God).”

Are you serving God in a holy way?

Are you sure your service is acceptable unto God?

Have you asked God if the service that you are rendering is acceptable? Did you know that the whole purpose of our existence is to SERVE and worship God ACCEPTABLY.

Are you aware that, God wanted the people of Israel to be released by Pharaoh so that they can serve Him?
Exodus 8:1 says that:

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, let my people go, that they may SERVE me.”

God also said in Exodus 4:22-23 that “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn; And I say unto thee, let my son go, that he may SERVE me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.”

Can you see how service is very important to God?

Another story is when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon needed wise men to serve in his palace. He requested for the men to be trained for three years, to be without blemish, skilful in all wisdom, and after their three years’ training, they will then be able to serve in the palace (Daniel 1:3-5). It shows that the King wanted quality service from the wise men. Now, if an earthly King wanted quality service and wanted them to be trained, what do you think God will require of you?

2) There were several instances in which God rejected the SERVICE of his PEOPLE. This means our SERVICE can be rejected by God.

The Bible says about the two eldest sons of Aaron who were consecrated by Moses as priests of the most high God.

The Bible says in Leviticus 10:1-3 that Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron took their censers, and put fire in them, and added incense, and they offered strange and unauthorised fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not/contrary to the Lord’s command. And there went a fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Oh dear!!!! That means as a leader, a priest, you must ensure that you are commanded by God to offer a service to the Lord and the service must be what God wants for you.

What went wrong with the service of Nadab and Abihu, the priests? They offered strange fire which the Lord commanded them not to. They offered service that they were not led by God to offer, which suggests that we must be LED by God in the service that we offer to God at all times. The Word of God must guide us.

3) We are to serve God in the spirit. The Bible says that, those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth? Are you worshipping and serving God in Truth? Or Are you serving God out of pretence?

To serve God in the spirit means to practice love, kindness, endurance, goodness, meekness, faithfulness, joy, peace and self-control in your work.

To serve God in the spirit means you deny yourself of what your natural body wants to do and allow God to lead you. Let God lead you in the way He wants you to serve Him.

Recently, God led me to start attending a particular church, He told me the PURPOSE and the SERVICE that I am to render at the church. The way God told me about the church was incredibly amazing. Initially, I was reluctant to listen to His instruction, however, I reminded myself of the purpose of my existence, which is to PLEASE God and to SERVE God ACCEPTABLY. It would have been my loss if I failed to listen to God even if humans praised me. I therefore believe that it was wise of me to follow God’s leading and serve where He wants me to serve. Do I regret following His leading? A definite No!

4) For your service to be acceptable, you must be FAITHFUL. God said in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

What does it mean to be faithful?

It means to be loyal, to be true, to be trustable, to be dependable, and to be accurate. Are you loyal in the way you are serving God? Even when you spend one to one time with God, are you loyal? Would God be proud to say that you are a loyal and faithful child?

5) You are to serve God with SINCERITY and in TRUTH. You have to make that CHOICE to SERVE God in SINCERITY and in TRUTH.

The book of Joshua 24:14a states that:

“Now therefore, FEAR the Lord, SERVE HIM in sincerity and in truth.”

v15 states that, Joshua said that, as for me and my house, we will SERVE the Lord. Are the members of your household SERVING the Lord acceptably? Do you ensure your children serve the Lord acceptably? Children are never too young to be taught how to serve God acceptably. In fact they can be given tasks in church or in the community (when you are helping others or evangelising as a family, and you can encourage them to share the Good news with their friends). Remember, Samuel started serving the Lord as a child.

6) You are to serve God with ZEAL. Be honest with yourselves, ask yourself, do I serve God with enthusiasm? Does my action show that I serve God with zeal?

I used to be late to church, I gave different excuses for my lateness, God made me realise that, I was not seeing His work as important, thus my service won’t be accepted as I was taking His work with levity. God asked me to ponder on a question: “Lafunky, if you were going to catch a plane, would you be late to the airport? Would you constantly miss your flights?”

Psalm 69:7 states that, David was consumed by zeal. Do you know what it means to be consumed? It means, he was thorough with God’s service. He gave it ALL. He DEVOTED all.

Psalm 69:7 says that :

“For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonour has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sins. For ZEAL for your HOUSE has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach me have fallen on me.”

7) For your service to be accepted, your life must be WORTHY and Blameless unto God. You must strive towards pleasing the Lord at all times. You must be quick to turn away from your sinful habits and lifestyle. You must be quick to seek help with your sinful habits.

DON’T BE SERVING the Lord while SINKING in Sin. Your service would not be accepted even if you are praised by people. DON’T serve God and grumble about others, don’t serve God and lust after women/men in your mind, don’t serve God and beat your wife/husband, don’t serve God and live in fornication, don’t serve God because of what someone would say. CHOOSE to SERVE GOD in HOLINESS and in FAITH. Let the way you live your life be PLEASING to God.

How would you know what is PLEASING, Good and ACCEPTABLE to God? It is when you take time every day to study God’s Word. When you consciously discipline yourself to practice what the Word of God says and when you tell the HOLY SPIRIT to help you.

Ephesians 1:4 says that,

God chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. To be blameless is to live without fault in God’s eyes.

8) For your service to be acceptable, you must serve the Lord with GLADNESS and JOY. Regardless of the circumstances that come our way, God wants us to rejoice before Him, trust in Him and worship Him.

Psalm 100:2 says that: “Serve the Lord with gladness”

King David showed us how the service of the Lord should be done with joy. The book of 2 Samuel 6:13-15 states that:

“And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David DANCED before the Lord with ALL his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with SHOUTING, and with the SOUND of the trumpet.”

How amazing is that?! I can visualise how David and His people were.

9) Serve the Lord in humility. Your service will not be acceptable if you are proud. It is a privilege to serve God. Do not ever think that without you, the service of God will not continue. Do not think you have attained everything and so cannot submit yourself to anyone or you don’t need to read your Bible.

Do not also think that you are MIGHTY and you cannot be corrected or you cannot associate with someone below you in the Christian faith. Do not think you won’t be tempted or you won’t ever fall into sin. You have to be watchful at all times so that the spirit of pride will not dwell in you.

God said that, we should be clothed with humility, for God resist the Proud, and give grace to the humble ( 1 Peter 5:5) . In fact, Jesus Christ said that, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.”- Matt 11:29. Cross check your life with Jesus Christ to see if you are humble.

10) Serve God because you love Him, and because you are looking forward to pleasing Him. Your service won’t be accepted if your aim is to just please others and you missed the focus that it is for God.

Colossians 3:22-24 says that

“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God” 

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

(Ephesians 6:5-8 NKJV).

This is the time for you to evaluate your service to the Lord. Is it acceptable?

Have a lovely week.

Be sociable and share this post with your friends.

Funke Ade

Myss Lafunky resides in the UK, She loves to blog and hang out with friends in her spare time.

BCW Guest Writer: Myss Lafunky is a pen name, a Christian blogger from England. She enjoys ‘feeding her mind’ in line with Philippians 4:8. She dedicates her spare time to blogging, knowing more about Jesus, praying for myself and for others, and helping the Less Privileged.

Her blog is mainly for helping Christians regarding relationships, intimacy and building a closer relationship with God, irrespective of your environment and things that you are exposed to in the secular world.

Feel free to contact me via email. Email address: trulymakingadifference@gmail.com

Myss Lafunky blogs at www.lafunky.blogspot.com

10 POINTS TO CONSIDER IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE BY FUNKE ADE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 20/1/2015 – THE WORD AND THE BLOOD – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

The Word & the Blood

Memorise

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.

Revelation 12:11

Read

Hebrew 12:22-25

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

MESSAGE

There are two irresistible weapons available to the children of God in spiritual warfare. These are then Word [of God] and the Blood [of Jesus Christ]. The Word is so powerful that the entire universe was made by abnormality in your life under control, just as He did in Genesis 1. Death is the greatest problem that confronts mankind. The Bible in 1st Corinthians 15:56a reveals that the power of death lies in sin:

“The sting of death is sin;”

But praise God, the Blood of Jesus took care of sin once and for all. Revelation 1:5b says that:

“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sin in his own blood,”

Once the matter of sin is dealt with by the sinless Blood of Jesus Christ, the evil sting of death is rendered powerless.

As such, when a child of God is armed with the Word and with the Blood, victory if fully decided. The question then is: why are some children of God still living defeated lives? The problem is, for these two weapons of spiritual warfare to be effective for any child of God, certain conditions must be fulfilled. One of such conditions is that they must be ready to honour God’s Word, no matter the cost. At times, when some children of God are caught in heinous sins that should not even be heard of among moralists, they chorus, “it is the devil’s work.” Its as if John 10:10 has been erased from the Bibles. Because such Christians do not honour God’s Word by keeping it, the Word can’t work for them. When a so-called child of God continues to kiss women other than his wife and blatantly disregard God’s Word in 1st Thessalonians 5:22 that says,

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

The Word will not be effective for him in fighting against the likes of Delilah. Or is it the Blood of Jesus Christ, who some nail to the cross times without number as they rise and fall, that would avail for them? Notice that the Bible in the concluding part of Revelation 12:11 says that:

“….and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

For the Blood of Jesus to work for you, you are expected to resist sin to the point of, if necessary, shedding your own blood (Hebrews 12:4). I pray that the Word and the Blood will work for you at all times in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point

Determine to put the Word of God into proper application in your daily life, and plead the Blood of Jesus Christ against all negative situations of life for a pleasant turn around

Bible in one year

Isaiah 58:60,
Acts 11:19-12:5

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 20/1/2015 – THE WORD AND THE BLOOD – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE