Wednesday 30 September 2015

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


Saturday 26 September 2015

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

Thursday 24 September 2015

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

Tuesday 22 September 2015

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

Monday 21 September 2015

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

Friday 18 September 2015

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

Thursday 17 September 2015

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

Wednesday 16 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY – 16/09/2015 – THE REAL FIX YOU NEED! – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


THE REAL FIX YOU NEED!

Memorise

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22

Read

Isaiah 45:20-25

20  Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. 

21  Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 

22  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 

23  I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 

24  Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 

25  In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. 

Message

In an attempt to fill the void created by the absence of God in some people's lives, they find themselves using mind-bending substances. This is very rampant in societies that have replaced God with government. In admission of their failure to achieve this folly in the lives of men, some of them now allow the free use of these substances. What they fail to realise is that without Jesus Christ, you can never be complete (Colossians 2:10). Nothing else can take His place. The effects of mind-bending drugs such as marijuana or cocaine can never fill His space in the heart. If you take any of these, it will only take you "high" into a world of hallucination: an unreal world that Satan creates for you while the effects of these drugs last, but afterwards, he drops you far below where he took you from, leaving you feeling deeply depressed, dissatisfied, empty and naked.

Any person who uses mind-bending substances will always want to experience the "high" feeling again and again in a vicious cycle. It is ironic that there is never a feeling of satisfaction derived from the use of these substances. Rather, one wrap becomes too small and the fellow moves on to two, three, four or even five in order to experience the effect that used to be derived from just a single wrap or shot. It gets to a stage where they now live for hard drugs. At this point, nothing else matters to them but another wrap or shot All along, each use of these substances leads the user into madness.

No hard drug satisfies, but Jesus Christ does. He is the "hard drug" that can fix your life once and for all. Take one shot of Jesus Christ and He will take you truly high and keep you there. One wrap of Jesus will give you a bit of the heavenly experience that will increase every passing day as you fellowship with Him. Have you received Jesus into your life? Are you a drug addict? Do you need a fix every now and then? All you need is Jesus! He satisfies. He will quench your thirst for inordinate things. 

Receive Him into your heart and it shall be well with you. Your life will receive the transformation you need. Are you addicted to drugs and other mind-bending substances? Have you made effort to stop their use but could not stop? In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, you are set free today! That habit holding you bound is broken now! I command every demon of addiction to release you now! You are liberated from their grip in Jesus' Name. Submit yourself to the environment of accountability in a church to strengthen your resolve never to go back.

Action Point

Reach out to drug addicts for Christ or lend a helping hand to ministries dedicated to their salvation and rehabilitation.


Bible in one year

Exodus 35-36; 
Romans 16

Tuesday 15 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 15/09/2015 – AFRAID OF YOUR MIRROR IMAGE? – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


AFRAID OF YOUR MIRROR IMAGE?

Memorise

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

James 1:23

Read
James 1:22-25

22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 

24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

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.

Message

The word of God is very central to our life as believers. In the very last admonition of Moses to the children of Israel, He said the word of God is their very life (Deuteronomy 32:46-47). For believers in Christ today, the word of God is also our life, because it is through it that we are born-again, as revealed in 1 Peter 1:23:

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

After we are born-again, the word of God performs several functions in our life. One aspect of these functions which is rather interesting is that it works as our mirror. 

A mirror shows the reflection of the one using it. A man may hold an opinion of himself for a long period, but when he has the opportunity to look in a mirror, he will see himself as he is. In this age of flattery and political correctness, you may be shocked by the time you compare what you see in a mirror before you, to people's assessment of your person. Why is this so? We live in a time when it has become very difficult for people to call a spade a spade. They prefer to tell you what you want to hear. They are prepared to flatter you and say those things that can keep them in your good books, particularly if they hope to curry your favour. If the friends you surround yourself with cannot point out your faults when you go wrong, change them. If you don't, they will lead you astray.

Unlike men who will flatter you, the word of God tells you who or what you are without fear or favour. When you stand before the perfect law of liberty, you will see yourself exactly how God sees you. The word of God will reveal the stains in your garment of salvation and show you the wrinkles on your robe of righteousness. One reason why people avoid hearing, reading or studying the Bible is because they are afraid of seeing their true picture. They want to continue to live under self-deception. Some other people look at the mirror of God's word, see their stains, dents and imperfections, and yet they refuse to do anything about it. This is the height of foolishness! If God's word cannot correct you, what else can? The Bible in James 1:21 says:

 "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Receive God's verdict about you in His word today, and stop trying to justify yourself.

Action Point
Every time you look into the Bible and you see something amiss in your robe of righteousness, immediately correct it.

Bible in one year
Exodus 33-34; 
Romans 15:14-33

Friday 11 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – FRIDAY – 11/09/2015 – SCHEMING: NOT ALLOWED – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


SCHEMING: NOT ALLOWED

Memorise

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1 Corinthians 12:11

Read

Numbers 16:8-14

8  And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 

9  Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 

10  And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 

11  For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 

12  And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 

13  Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 

14  Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.


Message

In Numbers 16, we read of a highly explosive rebellion that rocked God's people in the wilderness. Some leaders were not satisfied with the level of assignment God had apportioned to them. Instead of going through Moses to God to ask if there could be an expansion of their job description, they began to eye the priesthood. They wondered how God could give them so little an assignment considering their zeal to serve Him. How could some other people be chosen as the priests when they were there? At some point, they succeeded in convincing 250 popular leaders, who were princes, to favour their cause. What started like a joke had become a great revolt. In the end, the Lord Himself stepped in and delivered judgement to all concerned.

From this story, we should learn to be content with whatever God gives to us. God gives talents to every person according to their abilities. The Holy Spirit is in charge of assigning job descriptions to the children of God. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says:

"But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

He is in charge of God's vineyard, and so He is the One to give you the portion you should work on. Also, He will give you the required ability and the spiritual stamina to perform the assignment. Someone may say, "I am still an ordinary altar minister, whereas by now I should have become a zonal pastor." The Holy Spirit knows why you are where you are. 

You can be sure that when you need to occupy a higher office than where you are now, He will take you there. However, to move up the ladder in God's Kingdom is not by acts of the flesh but by the will of the Spirit. You are not permitted to seek higher office by scheming out your leader in order to take his place. Some people do this and succeed in replacing their leader, but they are completely outside of God's plan and out of their divine assignment. They are no longer in God's employment; they now serve their own bellies at best or the devil at worst. Any work done by such ecclesiastical rogues will never attract any reward from Heaven, because the foundation of that service is not the Holy Spirit. If they ever make it to Heaven, they will be told "You worked for yourself and not for God, so go and reward yourself."

Key Point

Many leaders are operating in God's permissive will, outside of His perfect will. That God has not stopped you from following your inordinate ambitions does not mean He approves or supports your actions.

Bible in one year

Exodus 25-26; 
Romans 11:25-12:8

Thursday 10 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY – 10/09/2015 – GOD: AN ENCOURAGER – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


GOD: AN ENCOURAGER

Memorise

I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Psalm 85:8

Read

Psalm 85:7-9

7  Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. 

8  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. 

9  Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

Message

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

Psalm 27:14

After you have suffered a major loss, or when everything around you appears gloomy and bleak, turn your focus on the Lord. When those you look up to fail you, look up to God. He is the only One who will never fail you. Have your friends in the Christian race turned their backs on God? Are you becoming discouraged and wondering whether to continue with Christ or to join your backslidden friends? Focus on Christ and He will sustain you. Has your pastor done something so painful to you, to the extent that you are thinking of either leaving the church or going back into the world? Look up to Jesus! Remember, the Christian race accommodates everyone who has repented, but it is still a very personal race. If your friend or pastor chooses to go to Hell, must you go with them? No! Never be discouraged from doing the work that God has assigned to you, irrespective of contrary pressures from human and demonic forces.

Several years ago, just after I became a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, there was a misunderstanding among the ministers of the church. Some people I highly respected disappointed me, so much so that I became depressed and discouraged. As I returned from the headquarters of the church at Ebute Metta, to the University of Lagos where I was lecturing, a traffic warden stopped my car at St. Agnes junction. While I was waiting, I said to myself, "If this is what they call the gospel, and it is not taking me forward, then I will go back to where I am coming from." Almost immediately, the Lord spoke to me saying "Son, why are you so sad?" My reply was "Lord, You know all things. You saw all that happened." Then He said "True, this fellow disappointed you, but have I ever disappointed you?" With that word, courage, hope and joy flooded my heart, and I moved from the valley to the mountain top. I went my way, singing "I have a God who never fails". God is your greatest antidote to discouragement. Look up to Him and He will send you the right words that will terminate sorrow and discouragement in you. Are you disheartened? Feed on God's word, remember His promises and recall how He has answered your prayers in the past. After doing all these, place your hope and trust in Him.

Action Point

When God encourages you, no discouragement can hold you back. Ask for His encouragement today.

Bible in one year

Exodus 22:16-24:18; 
Romans 11:1-24

Tuesday 8 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 08/09/2015 – DEMONS HINDER DESTINIES – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


DEMONS HINDER DESTINIES

Memorise

But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Matthew 15:13

Read

Luke 8:1-3

1  And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 

2  And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 

3  And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Message

As a believer in Christ, one of the traits that should differentiate you from an ordinary fellow is the ability to cast out demons (Mark 16:17). However, if demons are tormenting you and you fail to do something about them, don't expect God to do anything either. He has already done what He should do by giving you authority over them. He expects you to exercise this authority before He takes the next step of enforcement. The ball is now in your court; if you fail to pass it to Him, He will leave you with the ball. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read of a widow whose husband was a prophet. The man died and left her with two boys and a lot of debt. Initially, when the creditor came calling, she was not bothered. She would have thought within herself that after all, she was not the only one owing money. She might have said to herself like some people in Nigeria would say: "Even Nigeria as a nation is indebted, and so is America for that matter; so what is the big deal if I owe people money?" Although the Almighty God was there on His throne with all His power, might, zeal and resources, He could not do anything to help her for as long as she tolerated poverty, lack and debt. But one day, tired of repeated fruitless visits, her creditor came and threatened to sell her sons into slavery if she was unable to pay the debt. Pushed to the wall, she cried out for help, and help came. She was delivered from the threat that would have hindered her boys from fulfilling their destinies. When will you be tired of managing or condoning your unpleasant situation?

Let us note a few things about deliverance. It is a great thing to be delivered. Mary Magdalene was delivered of seven powerful demons, and she eventually became a divine treasurer. Her destiny was to be a divine treasurer ministering to the needs of Jesus, but for as long as the demons were in her, she could not fulfil this. This simply tells us that one way the devil tries to hinder a person from fulfilling his or her destiny is by sending one or more demons to possess him or her. When such demons come into that individual, they will give the fellow some other assignment to distract their victim from the original purpose of God. When an evil spirit took over the position of the Holy Spirit in the heart of King Saul, he became tormented. Demons torment their victims tremendously. If you have been delivered from the hands of demons, you will appreciate your freedom. Are you still allowing demons to hinder your destiny? It's time to confront them today! Jesus wants to set you free. You just need to cooperate with Him.

Prayer Point

Father, send Your fire to chase out the presence and manipulating effect of demons in my life, family and ministry.

Bible in one year

Exodus 18:1-20:21; 
Romans 9:19-10:4

Monday 7 September 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – MONDAY – 07/09/2015 – THE LONG WAIT – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE


THE LONG WAIT

Memorise

And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2 Peter 3:4

Read

Matthew 25:1-13

1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 

4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 

7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 

11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 

12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 

13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Message

Imagine that while running a marathon, with all your focus on the finish line, you suddenly run out of energy; would it be easy for you to complete the race? Definitely not! Most likely, you would have to pull out of the race. We see this scenario repeatedly playing out itself in the Christian race. Many people who started the Christian race, who were expected to run the race to the end, have suddenly run out of steam and are falling by the wayside. When the 10 virgins in our Bible reading started their race, they all hoped to finish it. One lesson this parable teaches us is that the race may be longer than expected. If anything, you must plan to run for as long as it takes until you reach the finish line. Only five of the virgins realised the need to sustain their resolve, and so they were careful to carry some extra oil. 

Beyond what every other person is doing, what additional preparations are you making and what extra precautions are you taking with respect to the race set before you? If you truly want to reach the end of this Heaven-bound journey, you will need more steam in your reserves. You will need more of the anointing, because it's not by power nor by might that victory is secured. The anointing that works miracles, signs and wonders is different from the anointing that gives grace to hold the baton till the very end. Your zeal to continue needs to be renewed daily. May you never lack the will or the power to run the race!

We are in a marathon: the course of which can sometimes be longer than expected. It can also be more stressful and more demanding than we ever thought. When I got saved, most of us who were saved at that time believed that Jesus would most likely come back within 10 years of our salvation. I was a lecturer then, and on several occasions, some students would come to me asking "Since the Lord is coming very soon, why are we studying?" I told them that since Jesus asked us to occupy until He comes, they needed to continue their studies and do other legitimate things, especially since we were not told the exact time or day of His coming. A colleague of mine who was supposed to pursue a PhD programme even cancelled it. He believed that Jesus would come really soon, and so acquiring a PhD would be useless. Over 30 years down the line, we are still waiting for the Lord. Don't be tired of waiting for the Lord's return. Occupy yourself with the things He gave you to do, and keep being focused. You shall surely reach the end of the race, and you will finish strong in Jesus' Name.

Action Point

In expectation of the Lord Jesus, live each day as if it were your last, but do not neglect to do all that is expected of you.

Bible in one year

Exodus 15:22-17:16;
Romans 9:1-18

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