OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 30/06/2014 - SEE YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE LIGHT BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SEE YOURSELF IN A POSITIVE LIGHT

MEMORISE

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Proverbs 23:7

READ

Judges 6:11-16

11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

MESSAGE

God honours faith. Faith is crucial to our walk with God. You need faith to be born-again. You need faith to live a life that pleases God. You need faith to prosper as a true child of God. You need faith to be healthy and live long in the land of the living. You need faith to fulfil your destiny.

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Mark 9:23

The problem with many people is not with their belief in God; it is with their failure to believe in themselves. Many people do not believe in their ability to do what the word of God says they can do. You must believe in yourself. One reason you must believe in yourself is because God believes in you. If God did not believe in you, He wouldn’t have created you in His own image or endowed you with His capability and qualities (Genesis 1:26-28). Begin to see yourself the way God sees you. You are a good product. God describes you as a good product in Genesis 1:31. God saw Moses and Gideon in better light than they saw themselves (Exodus 3:10-11, Judges 6:14-15). Many people are discouraged because of the way others see them. Are people seeing you as a never-do-well? Do not allow their opinion to determine your destiny. People saw Peter as a reed which is very unstable, but Jesus saw him as a stone which could be built upon (John 1:42). Stop seeing yourself the way others see you. Failure to believe in yourself can be disastrous. It can attract premature death. Many people have committed suicide because they no longer believed in themselves. The Israelites who did not believe in God and in themselves died in the wilderness (Numbers 14:27-31). When you believe in yourself, you are indirectly prolonging your life. Believe in yourself, no matter how discouraging your circumstances are. Another reason you must believe in yourself is because as a person, you will consistently act according to the way you see yourself. The Israelites were in their own sight as grasshoppers and therefore they could not move forward (Numbers 13:32-33). If you want to advance in life, you must see yourself in a positive light. The greatest service you can render yourself is to see yourself in a positive light. You should also endeavour to influence others positively. Help others to fulfil their destiny. Are you a source of encouragement or discouragement to others? Are you saying and doing things that will help others to believe in themselves? Believe in yourself and begin to identify people who should be mentored by you to fulfil their destiny. Be a positive light to your world.

ACTION POINT

Prophesy five positive things to yourself from the word of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 14:20-15:41;

Psalm 143

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 29/06/2014 - AVERTING DISQUALIFICATION BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

AVERTING DISQUALIFICATION

MEMORISE

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:27

READ

1 Corinthians 9:26-27

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE

A grave peril of Christian leadership is that of disqualification. Every Christian leader must be obedient, prayerful, watchful, temperate and self-disciplined so that after acting as a herald who bids others into the Kingdom of God, he himself should not miss Heaven. As a leader, it is possible to be disqualified by God. In 1 Samuel 15:20-24, we see Saul being disqualified by God:

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

1 Samuel 15:23

No person is indispensable. As a Christian leader, you should always be conscious of the fact that God has substitutes. I pray that you will not be rejected by God in Jesus’ Name. One factor that is responsible for disqualification is disobedience. Sacrifice is good, but obedience is better than sacrifice. In our service to God, we should always bear in mind that what He requires from us is total obedience. Haphazard obedience is worse than outright disobedience. If you want to serve God and not be disqualified, you must be ready to obey everything the Lord asks you to do. Obey all His commandments regardless of whether they are convenient or not. Another stumbling block that leads to disqualification is carelessness. Many Christians are careless. They compromise their stand, yet they do not want to be disqualified. A careless and irresponsible servant might end up becoming disqualified by the Lord. In order not to be disqualified, you should watch and pray (Matthew 24:42). A Christian leader should be watchful and careful of all little foxes that destroy the vine. These include anger, bitterness, jealousy, inordinate ambition, strife, gluttony, lust, dishonesty, malice, not studying and obeying the word of God, impatience, talkativeness, etc. To avoid being disqualified by the Lord, we should live holy and practice the principle of self-assessment. Assess yourself on a daily basis to confirm that you are still in the Lord. Assess the motive behind your service, the level of your zeal, the level of commitment and your relationship with fellow Christians who are also serving the Lord. Does your relationship enhance the commitment of others to the service of the Lord? If the answer to this question is no, change. Are you drawing people to Heaven or to Hell by your behaviour? How watchful and prayerful are you?

PRAYER POINT

Father, grant me the grace to be watchful against disqualification, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 12:1-14:19;

Psalm 142

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 28/06/2014 - BE THOU PERFECT BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

BE THOU PERFECT

MEMORISE

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

READ

Genesis 17:1-8

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

MESSAGE

It takes a loving father to give instructions and guidelines to his children. God demands absolute obedience to His instructions from all His children. There is always something to gain from God for obeying Him. This is because every instruction He gives has a promise attached to it.

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.”

Genesis 17:1-2

One thing God desires from all His children is perfection. To be perfect means a state of being in complete conformity to God’s word. It denotes a state of being faultless, blameless or spotless and a state of being excellent (Daniel 6:3). Some people argue against perfection; they say all men are sinners and would therefore sin daily. This is not scriptural. God’s standard for everyone who is born-again is perfection. His standard of holiness and perfection remains the same. It was not higher under the Abrahamic covenant than it is under the new covenant. If God could help Abraham to be perfect, could He not also help believers in Christ today to be the same? Are you a believer in Christ? Then ask for the grace to be perfect. Holiness is the nature of God according to 1 Peter 1:15-16. Holiness is His heartbeat, and His desire is that we should be like Him in holiness. There are many lessons to learn from the Bible reading for today on How to be perfect. The first step to perfection is willingness and obedience. You must be willing and obedient to the word of God (Isaiah 1:19). That others are not living holy does not mean that a state of perfection is unattainable. Secondly, you must walk before God (Genesis 17:1). Be in the place where God can direct you. Be mindful to study His word and obey it (Joshua1:8). In addition, you must fellowship with Him and abide in His presence always (Psalm 91:1-2).

Genuine repentance is an indispensable condition for perfection. Whoever wants to be perfect must first and foremost repent from sin and be saved (John 3:17). He or she must also live a holy life by abstaining from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). As you go into the day, you should seek for perfection in your walk with God and decide to obey God’s word absolutely. What God requires of you on a daily basis is perfect obedience to His will. You should therefore stand perfect and complete in all His will.

ACTION POINT

Decide to obey the word of God today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 10:11-11:35;

Psalm 141

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 27/06/2014 - COMMANDED TO SHINE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

COMMANDED TO SHINE

MEMORISE

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

READ

Ephesians 5:8-14

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

MESSAGE

Light and darkness are antithetical. While light is welcome by everyone, darkness is shunned and rejected. Light is an illuminating agent. It affects everything and without it, there will be no life. Light is mostly used when referring to goodness and godliness. 1 John 1:5 reveals to us that God is light. This means whoever is born of God must reflect the attributes of light. A keen study of light reveals many attributes which believers should endeavour to reflect. One of such attributes is the wave. Simply put, a wave is a disturbance. Whoever is born of God is light, and because light has the nature of a wave, his or her life must be a disturbance to the works of darkness everywhere. Acts 4:15-17 is a classical example of a situation where believers reflected this attribute of light. Are you born of God? Then your life should challenge both the works and the workers of darkness. Another attribute of light is force. Light as a force causes movement or change. Everyone that is born of God is expected to shine by provoking positive change. You should be able to cause positive change and movement to the glory of God. You are expected to be a strong force of progress in your home, family, community, society, place of work, church and nation.

There is no denying the fact that light is life. Light is life to both plants and animals. While animals rely on plants and (sometimes) other animals for existence, green plants turn carbon dioxide and water into food using energy obtained from the light radiating from the sun. This process is known in biology as photosynthesis. Every child of God should radiate light and life, because in Jesus is life which is the light of men. John 1:4 says:

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

As a Christian, you have life, and this life is eternal. Moreover, this life is capable of making all impossibilities become possible. Going through Luke 10:19, we can deduce that light is power. Are you born of God? Rejoice! In you resides the power that upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3). You have been empowered by God to do the unimaginable for Him. I pray that no sickness, darkness or evil shall rule over you. Light reveals. Implicitly, light reveals specific information about a matter. The good news is that you should no longer operate in ignorance, because light exposes hidden things (Ephesians 5:13). Finally, light travels in a straight line. This denotes integrity, faithfulness and trustworthiness. If we operate as light, we will not be perverse or crooked in our ways.

PRAYER POINT

Father, help me to always reflect all the attributes of light.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 7:84-10:10; Psalm 140

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 26/06/2014 - DIVINE COMPENSATION BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE COMPENSATION

MEMORIZE

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

1 Peter 5:10

READ

Genesis 41:37-45

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

MESSSAGE

Nothing discourages and leads one to a state of despondency more than suffering. There is no glory in suffering, neither is there any glory in poverty, in sickness, affliction or trouble. There is a user of this devotional who is in trouble. I pray the Almighty God will defend you, fight your battles for you and grant you total victory and deliverance from all that trouble in Jesus’ Name. The Lord is the Friend that hears and defends when trouble comes. Psalm 20:1-2 says,

“The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;”

Compensation denotes settlement. It could mean a reward for obedience to biblical injunction. A good example of this is tithing (Malachi 3:8-12). Many people argue against tithing; this is outright ignorance. When you obey the biblical injunction of tithing, God will rebuke the devourer for your sake and compensate you with divine prosperity. The same applies to giving (Luke 6:38). Evangelism, follow up and discipleship are other biblical injunctions worth adhering to (John 15:16). Obedience to these biblical injunctions results in prompt answers to prayers.

Divine compensation could also mean reward for your abilities and input. Are you serving your family, church, organisation or nation faithfully? Does it seem as if no reward is forthcoming? The Lord will reward you. Divine compensation could come in terms of physical or spiritual reward. An example is David who served his father faithfully. He was neither recognised nor rewarded by his father. However, God compensated him at the appropriate time. He became the king of Israel. There is an appointed time for divine compensation. Yours is probably closer than you think. Don’t give up. There was a lady who suffered a number of miscarriages. Nevertheless, she kept on trusting in God. She prayed and refused to be deterred, neither did she lose her faith in God. At last, God intervened and she was rewarded with triplets. Divine compensation is what God alone gives. It is the best reward because while other rewards are ephemeral, divine compensation is permanent. Divine compensation as a reward from God could come in form of divine power, divine ideas, divine prosperity and divine connections. Ruth was divinely connected to Boaz while Esther was divinely connected to King Ahasuerus. Divine compensation is to be remembered at last. As Joseph was remembered at the appointed time, you also will be remembered at last.

PRAYER POINT

Remember me for good oh Lord. Make me perfect; establish, strengthen and settle me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 7:1-83; Psalm 139:17-24

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 25/06/2014 - DIVINE SPECIFICATIONS FOR GOOD SUCCESS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE SPECIFICATIONS FOR GOOD SUCCESS

MEMORISE

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:38

READ

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

MESSAGE

Virtually everything on earth is guided by principles, rules and regulations. There are divine specifications (Biblical principles and rules) for whoever wishes to be successful in any area of life. It has been rightly pointed out by those who claim to be experts that one in every three marriages, businesses and ministries fail. However, there are important biblical principles which will help you to succeed where others have failed. To succeed where others have failed, learn to do these two things. First, observe why others failed. This principle is illustrated by this old African fable. An old lion requested a visit in his den from other animals because he was sick and at the point of death. Many animals except the tortoise heeded the invitation; they never returned again. After a long while, the tortoise visited the lion. However, instead of entering the lion’s den, he stayed outside. He observed that there were many footsteps entering the lion’s den, but none coming out. So from outside, the tortoise greeted the lion and quickly fled his den. The tortoise succeeded where other animals failed because it was patient enough to observe and discover why others failed. The second secret is to know where to start. Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 knew where to start.

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

Are you into a business venture, full time ministry or marriage that is in crisis? To succeed where others failed, discover why they failed. There are reasons why many ventures fail. These include poor business plans, lack of vision and commitment, poor market assessment, wrong financial considerations, weak monitoring and prayerlessness. After discovering why others failed, know where to start. To succeed in marriage, career, academics, business life and ministry, you should have a vision. Run your life, business and ministry professionally. Plan ahead, be organised and be committed to excellence. You should also be diligent and hardworking. Be persistent and let God be your Number One priority. Jabez was more honourable than his brethren because he called on the El-Shaddai and was specific in his request. He requested for divine prosperity and protection and received both from God. You can do the same today.

KEY POINT

To succeed where others failed, let God be your Number One.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 5-6;

Psalm 139:1-16

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 24/06/2014 - FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS

MEMORISE

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:14

READ

Acts 2:46-47

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

MESSAGE

One of the reasons for the creation of man is fellowship. He was created to have fellowship with God and with others (Genesis 1:26). This truth reflects in the way man associates in groups, societies, fraternities and clubs. The quest for fellowship is a serious need which has taken some into indecent relationships with fellow men, beasts, demons and inanimate objects. There are men who cohabit with demons. Some practice homosexuality, bestiality and other sexual perversions. There are those who worship idols and are in covenants with them. Some join secret societies while some others are into occultism. As Christians, the Bible enjoins us not to fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness in Ephesians 5:11:

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

It is our responsibility as Christians to rebuke the works of darkness. Our fellowship should be with God and fellow believers. We should first and foremost fellowship with the Trinity (1 John 1:3). Since fellowship denotes sharing, we should be born-again to be in communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is also scriptural for believers to fellowship with fellow believers. To this end, we should not shun the gathering of believers such as Sunday School, Sunday worship, House Fellowship meetings and Bible Study meetings. We should also be actively involved in our parish departmental meetings and other productive gatherings of believers. Wherever believers gather to fellowship, the glory of the Lord should be seen. Believers should therefore fellowship to pray. While fellowshipping in prayer, we should fellowship in one accord just as the New Testament Christians did (Acts 2:1). We should learn to worship God together in the same spirit of holiness and truth (John 4:24). We should fellowship to thank God, pray for ourselves, intercede for the body of Christ and the government of the country where we live. Brethren should live together in love. This is the key that binds fellowship. It is inappropriate for believers to bicker, fight, gossip or keep malice. We should allow our fellowship to be guided by the Holy Spirit. There are brethren in fellowship who have challenges. Some are sick, some are lonely, some are poor, unemployed or not gainfully employed. Some have marital challenges, emotional and psychological problems while some are battling with spiritual challenges. None of such people should be neglected. We should fellowship together in love and demonstrate that we care

ACTION POINT

Identify with a house fellowship centre and help the brethren to demonstrate the love of Christ.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 3:5-4:49;

Psalm 138

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 23/06/2014 - SECRETS OF PRAISE & PRAYER BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SECRETS OF PRAISE & PRAYER

MEMORISE

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 18:3

READ

2 Chronicles 20:8-24

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

MESSAGE

Our God is a warrior and the Man of War. He is also a Deliverer, as our Bible reading today reveals. Our God never does things haphazardly. Whenever He fights, He wins. He delivers permanently and saves to the uttermost. He does not limit His actions to healing and deliverance alone; He also grants His own wholeness and carries them on the wings of grace. Our God has secrets. The greatest secret of God is praise. God dwells in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Many battles are fought and won whenever we praise God. Intense praise will always result in freedom and progress. God made it clear in Isaiah 42:8 that He will not share His glory with anyone. When we give intense praises to God, His glory is manifested. King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 5:13 brought down the glory of God through intense praises. In 2 Chronicles 20:20-22, King Jehoshaphat obtained victory over his enemies through praise and worship. Are you facing a situation that can be described as dicey? If only you can praise God in the beauty of His holiness, He will fight your battles for you and grant you victory. Praises should come from a pure and holy heart. If you claim to praise or worship God while your heart is busy doing other things which do not bring glory to God, then your praise or worship is mere lip-service. True and acceptable worship must be connected to a heart that is committed to God.

Another secret of God is asking. God revealed this secret to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 where He said:

“If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

This was what Jehoshaphat keyed into in 2 Chronicles 20:9, and he got deliverance. Do you belong to Christ? Are you called by His Name? Humble yourself and pray. You should seek God and praise Him like never before. Tell God how things are with you; don’t pretend like some people do. Humble yourself like never before (James 4:6). Begin to give cheerfully. If you have started, give more cheerfully like never before (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Trust man less and trust God more (Jeremiah 17:5-8). Walk more closely with God like never before (James 4:8). When you do all these, God promises to answer all your prayers. He also promises to forgive all your sins, heal your body and your land.

ACTION POINT

Spend quality time in praise and worship today and tell God how things really are with you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Numbers 1:1-3:4;

Psalm 137

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SUNDAY - 22/06/2014 - SUNDRY TRUTHS ABOUT LIGHT BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SUNDRY TRUTHS ABOUT LIGHT

MEMORISE

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:4

READ

Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MESSAGE

In Isaiah 60:1, we are enjoined to rise and shine. To shine means to reflect light. It could also mean to fulfil your purpose. John the Baptist knew the purpose of his existence. He faced this purpose squarely and refused to be distracted. John 5:35 says this concerning him:

“He was a burning and a shinning light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.”

Light burns. Light cannot be separated from heat. Science confirms that light is produced by hot objects. A good example of this is the sun. The sun burns itself to give light. As children of God, we are commanded to shine, and in order to shine, we must burn. The source of our light is God (John 1:4). That Source shines in darkness and darkness cannot overcome it. In other words, it resists darkness. There are lots of lessons to learn from this truth. First, we must shine and resist darkness. It is wrong for a child of God to stay idle and allow the works of darkness to thrive. As a child of God, you should be hot for the Lord. Evil and works of darkness should not feel comfortable wherever you are. However, no one can do this by his or her strength alone. You definitely need God for success and sustenance. He is the only reliable source. It is therefore important that you remain connected to your Source so that you don’t burn out (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The word of God teaches that light cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14-15). No one lights a candle and puts it under a bushel. No! The beauty of light is seen when it is exposed, not hidden. If you are working in an organisation and your co-workers cannot identify the light of Christ in you, then something is seriously amiss. Why? Because light cannot be hidden. In the same vein, we must know that we cannot hide our true character from people. It is both dangerous and unprofitable to be pretentious. We should therefore let people know our true colour. How? Be the best you can be for God. When you make up your mind to reflect the light of God in the midst of unrighteousness, the presence of God will always be seen in your life. A perfect illustration of this truth can be found in Joseph. He got to Egypt as a slave in Potiphar’s house, and God was with him there. He was tempted to hide the light and compromise his stand but he refused to yield to temptation. His action landed him in a dungeon, yet God was with him there. Finally he became the Prime Minister and God continued to be with him. Is your situation similar to that of Joseph? Please reflect the light. Are you facing a serious temptation to compromise your stand? Please reflect the light. God will always be with His children, and if God be with you, who can be against you?

KEY POINT

If you remain connected to the source of light (God), you will not burn out.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Leviticus 26:14-27:34;

Psalm 136

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 21/06/2014 - HOME AWAY FROM HOME BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

MEMORISE

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:10

READ

2 Kings 4:8-17

8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.

12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

MESSAGE

In the Bible passage for today’s meditation, a great woman of Shunem offered a home away from home to Elisha through generous reception and warm entertainment. Her hospitability opened the door to her long awaited miracle. Hospitality is a friendly and generous reception that should be considered as a duty by every Christian. 1 Peter 4:9 says:

“Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”

It should be noted that some people are reticent about generous reception and some others are even adamant in not showing hospitality to the people of God. Several reasons are given to justify their actions or inactions. These include tiredness and not having enough to entertain. It is however imperative and of great benefit to be hospitable. This is because God commands it (Deuteronomy 10:19). Hospitality is an opportunity to use small resources to attract great benefits. This is an opportunity every believer must grab whenever it comes or even proactively seek after. It can take the form of food or lodging (i.e. accommodation with facilities) as in 2 Kings 4:10. When we encounter the people of God who can benefit from our support, we should not hesitate to show them hospitality. Christians as individuals or as couples should be hospitable. Moreover, couples should agree to make ministers of God comfortable. Lots of benefits can be derived from this. From the story of the Shunammite woman, it is obvious that making men of God comfortable can solve age-long problems, but there must be an agreement between the husband and wife on this. Sometimes people argue that hospitality can be expensive. This could be true. However, the cost of hospitality cannot be compared to its benefits. The cost of providing bread and accommodation for Elisha was less than the benefit of receiving a male child at old age by the Shunammite woman. There are instances where people entertained angels unknowingly (Hebrews 13:2). Hospitality is key to receiving miracles, as reflected in the life of Abraham and his wife Sarah (Genesis 18:2-14). There is a user of this devotional whose miracles will be perfected through hospitality. An additional benefit is that you can win sinners to Christ through hospitality (Luke 7:36-39). The issue of hospitality should not be limited to individual Christians. As a church, you should show hospitality to your guests and visitors. God wants us to be generous; He is always doing something in return for our gracious hospitality. May the Lord help us to make your home and church a home away from home for guests and visitors in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT

Ask God for the grace to be hospitable.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Leviticus 24:17-26:13;

Psalm 135

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 20/06/2014 - MAINTAINING RELEVANCE! BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

MAINTAINING RELEVANCE!

MEMORISE

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentation 3:23

READ

Matthew 5:13-16

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MESSAGE

The world is so dynamic that things keep evolving faster than many people can keep pace with. What was generally the norm a few years ago has become completely obsolete today. New things are being created almost every day. There are increasingly new approaches to life, business and ministry, to the extent that those who cannot keep pace have either become frustrated or have lost relevance. One major challenge we face today is how to remain relevant in our communities.

One way to maintain relevance wherever you find yourself is to stay within your God-ordained purpose. Your purpose is what determines your place of relevance. Jesus maintained His relevance while here on earth by sticking to the purpose of God for Him. Acts 10:38 says this about Him:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

Every product that no longer meets its purpose becomes irrelevant. Do you want to remain relevant? Stay within your God ordained purpose. Find that one thing that God wants you to do and give your whole life to it. Another secret of relevance is self-development. To maintain relevance, develop yourself. Self-development is essential to self-preservation. If you are working in an organisation and all you have is the Ordinary Level Certificate, you are bound to lose relevance. To maintain relevance in that organisation, you must study further to obtain additional qualifications relevant to your job description. You must also learn to live for posterity and not prosperity to remain relevant. If you pursue prosperity to the detriment of posterity, you will soon lose relevance. God expects you to be a blessing and to leave a legacy behind. To maintain relevance, you must be knowledgeable. Knowledge is the key to living (Hosea 4:6). You will never be known for what you don't know. For your light to shine, you must deal with ignorance at every level. You must also learn to be creative and put your priorities in perspective. People easily fall for new things. We must allow God to do new things through us on a consistent basis. Use your God-given creative ability. In addition, set your priorities right and follow them. Your first priority should be your personal relationship with God. Next should be your family. You should also know why you are in that career and pursue it with zeal. Finally, live a pure life. You are salt and light. Salt loses its saltiness when it becomes impure and light that is obstructed cannot shine for men to see. Purity is therefore an incontrovertible demand for those who desire to remain relevant.

PRAYER POINT

Father, grant me the grace to remain relevant in my community.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Leviticus 22:17-24:16;

Psalm 133-134