OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY – 31/03/2015 – PROMPT OBEDIENCE – BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

PROMPT OBEDIENCE 

Memorise

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Matthew 8:21-22

Read

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)

22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 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.

MESSAGE

In the service of God, sacrifice is good. God expects all His children to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to Him. He also expects our sacrifice to be holy and acceptable (Romans 12:1). However, He makes it clear that He prefers obedience to sacrifice. Jeremiah 7:23 says,

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you."

Obedience is the act of doing what one is told to do. In the spiritual sense, obedience is total submission to the written and spoken word of God. It is an express but conditional commandment of God. In Exodus 19:5, God instructed the Israelites to obey His voice:

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:"

One distinguishing characteristic of those who are great in the things of God is prompt obedience. The Bible contains so many stories of men and women who became great for God as a result of their obedience to His word. A classical example of a person whose lifestyle was defined by prompt obedience was Abraham. Other heroes of obedience include Joseph, Joshua, Ruth, David, Elijah, Elisha and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Obedience entails learning (Hebrews 5:8). It involves God taking you to His own school of theology. Here you are stripped of all knowledge and pomposity in order to obey God in simple holiness and truth. Obedience requires sincerity, genuineness and love. True obedience comes from a heart of love. It is real and not mere eye service. Obedience requires boldness. It takes boldness for a child of God to obey Him in this world of perversion and outright corruption. It takes moral courage to live holy and move against the tide of sin. Don't be a moral coward. Be bold enough to say "no" to all acts of unrighteousness. Speak out against sin anywhere you find yourself.

A true Christian is one who is neither ashamed of the gospel nor a shame to the gospel. You can overcome the fear of man through reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. Obedience requires humility. It takes the grace of God to obey God all the way to the end. Are you facing persecution because of your obedience to Christ? Don't give up! Don't compromise your stand. Don't allow yourself to be distracted from the path of obedience. Obedience must not be done haphazardly. Disobedience is rebellion, which is likened to witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23).

Action Point 

Obey God, obey those who share the truth with you, obey your leader and obey your body when it needs rest.

Bible in One year

Nahum 1-3, 

Matthew 12:9-32

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 06/1/2015 - THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE WONDERS OF THE SPOKEN WORD

MEMORISE

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 Genesis 1:3

Read

Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

MESSAGE

Isaiah 55:10-11 establishes the wonder-working power of the spoken Word of God. The Word of God can transform darkness to light (Genesis 1:3). This is why in Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus cried for the recovery of his sight, all Jesus did was speak, and his sight was restored. Genesis 1:20-22 reveals the fact that the spoken Word of God can transform emptiness to fullness. At the beginning of creation, the world was empty and void, but when the spoken Word of God went forth, the world became full of all sorts of creatures. I prophesy to you that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, your emptiness shall be transformed to fullness.

Moreover, the spoken Word of God can bring orderliness to a confused situation. We see this in the story of the storm that rocked the boat of Jesus and His disciples (Mark 4:35-41). All Jesus did was to speak peace to the confusion on the sea, and there was calm. This same spoken Word of God can go into the bowels of the earth to bring the dead buried there back to life (John 11:39-44). I want to encourage you to identify genuine prophets of God and never trivialise the word that comes out of their mouth. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read about the word of the prophet of God to a poor widow whose sons were about to be sold into slavery. The moment the man of God spoke, the multiplying power of God went into the lone bottle of oil in her hand and the miracle began to happen. Today, as you read this devotional, standing on the authority of the Word of God, I decree that every emptiness in your life will be filled in Jesus’ Name.

Years ago, a man came to us for prayer. He was distressed because he had become financially bankrupt. After the prayer, he said he knew he should not come to a man of God empty-handed but that he had nothing to give. As if that was not enough, he begged for transport money back home. I took the little money I had then, gave it to him and said, “This money will never finish”. He said “Amen” and left. Today, I know at least two of the houses he built after that encounter. My earnest prayer for you too is that whatever money is in your possession as you are reading this devotional shall not finish in Jesus’ Name. Believe in the spoken Word from the mouth of God’s prophet, depart from iniquity and you will give testimonies of power in the Word.

ACTION POINT

Read aloud all the written prophecies in today’s devotional, receive them by faith and you will experience the power in the Word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Isaiah 15:1-19:15; Acts 4:23-37

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 26/12/2014 - CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CHRISTIAN COURTSHIP

Memorise

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Hebrews 13:4

Read

Ephesians 4:14-15

4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

MESSAGE

It is one thing to choose the right partner in marriage; it is another thing to choose the right approach to courtship. A wrong approach to courtship, particularly Christian courtship, can have a negative impact on the right choice. Therefore, believers that are in courtship must be Christian through and through if they would eat the good of the land of marriage (Isaiah 1:19). An important lesson for ladies to learn is that, a man is at his best in courtship. He would call you by different pet names. He would tease you and make you feel secure. These are the normal sweet words you should hear in courtship. However, when the wedding ceremony is over, his hidden shortcomings will be exposed because he can no longer hide them. The saying that “love is blind” is true but marriage is the tool to open the eyes of the blind lover. You will discover the real personality of a man or woman after the wedding ceremony.

For courtship to be Christian in nature, the admonition in today’s Bible reading must be our watchword. Courtship between two children of God must not be handled childishly. It should be handled with maturity as expected of a serious relationship. There are many false doctrines flying around and children of God must beware of them. For example, some people believe that once you are in courtship, you can begin to co-habit, doing all sorts of ungodly things together. They call it “trial marriage”. This has no place in Christianity. It is whore-mongering. More often than not, after these so-called brothers have had their fill of the so-called sisters, they dump the sisters for those they regard as “reserved and self-disciplined”. In the same vein, there are terrible wolves in sheep’s clothing among some so-called sisters too. They try to make unsuspecting naïve brothers get them pregnant and the result is what we call shot-gun marriage. This is a marriage not properly prepared for. Christian courtship must be characterised with sincere gestures. It involves sharing past and present experiences with your would-be wife or husband. It should look beyond the present to future aspirations. You should lay your future bare in the hands of Jesus Christ. Though there may be sincere disagreements during courtship, these are not strong enough reasons to break the courtship. However, if a courtship is full of troubles that you are almost getting suffocated with sinful or legalistic demands of your partner, you need to have a rethink of the relationship. This situation calls for fresh prayer. You may have made a mistake in the first place.

Prayer Point

Father, please guide our youths during Christian courtship; let such relationships culminate in holy wedlock and a glorious marriage.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 16:16-18:17

Song of Solomon 4:9-5:1

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 20/12/2014 - THE FULLNESS OF TIME - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE FULLNESS OF TIME

Memorise

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Read

Acts 2:1-4

2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

MESSAGE

When the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Jesus Christ. This event makes it clear that our God is a God of times and seasons (Daniel 2:20-21). If you look at the life of Elizabeth - the mother of John the Baptist, you may be wondering: Why the delay of the fruit of the womb in the life of such a devoted daughter of Zion? The answer is found in the later event of the birth of John the Baptist, who Jesus Christ acknowledged as the greatest of all the prophets (Matthew 11:11). He was born by the same woman that was considered barren for many decades. When the fullness of time came, Elizabeth conceived and gave birth to the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:11-16). The Almighty God moves very fast whenever He wants to do something. When it seems God is slow in taking action, you can be sure that it is because His time has not fully come. God is not a slow worker at all. This is established from the creation story where in six days, God accomplished the creation of the entire universe (Genesis 1). There is a time in a man’s life when delay is not a good option. In 1 Samuel 17:51, we read of the fast move of God in David’s life. It would have been another story if David had delayed in separating the head of Goliath from his body after the stone from his sling had dazed Goliath to the ground. The Bible says:

“Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.“

One characteristic of the fullness of God’s time is its sudden arrival. The Bible says:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

Acts 2:1-2

It took God just one day to kick away famine from Samaria according to 2 Kings 7:1-18. Suddenly, food became surplus in the land after God moved into the situation of a people who had started killing their children for food. For someone using this devotional, you will receive sudden breakthroughs this season in Jesus’ Name. Your day of celebration shall fully come this season in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, please let my miracle come suddenly in a way that the enemy will not be able to do anything about it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Acts 4-5

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 10/12/2014 - SERVICE TO THE ANOINTED - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SERVICE TO THE ANOINTED

Memorise

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

Matthew 10:41

Read

Matthew 10:40-42

10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Message

Elisha was devoted to serving the servant of God, Elijah. This devotion was one of the qualities that qualified him for uncommon greatness. The Bible stated that Elisha poured water on Elijah’s hand (2 Kings 3:11). With this and also as stated in our memory verse, it is clear that there are lots of blessings reserved for those who serve God’s prophets. You can serve a man of God without getting physical remuneration from him. However, when a man of God pronounces blessing on you saying “God bless you”, he is not just paying you a compliment. A casual “God bless you” from a friend differs from that which a man of God pronounces. A “God bless you” from a man of God is loaded with prophetic blessings. Hence you must be ready to do what will qualify you for a divine benediction. Recently, I was in the United States and one of my sons in the Lord shared a testimony. He testified thus:

“God surprised me during the General Overseer’s (G.O.) previous visit. Prior to the G.O.’s arrival, my pastor told me that he had chosen me to drive the G.O. around during his visit. I tried to explain to my pastor that it might not be easy for me to take up this assignment because I was preparing for a major examination, but my pastor insisted. I thought I could manage to combine driving the G.O. with preparing to write the crucial examination because my understanding was that the G.O. would spend just one day. To my surprise, the G.O. spent a whole week. When he was leaving he simply said, “God bless you”. To the glory of God, I passed my exams in flying colours and I got a new job and prospered tremendously.”

May God remember all your labour of love towards the ministers of God in Jesus’ Name.

Elisha was committed to the business of the kingdom. Therefore, when Elijah asked to know what he wanted, he had only one answer: a double portion of the power on Elijah (2 Kings 2:9). Elisha asked for what he would use for God’s work. The Bible in Matthew 6:33 says:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God is looking for those who are concerned about His kingdom’s business. As from today, may the Lord grant you the mind to work for Him and to work with His anointed ministers.

Action Point

Think of how you can extend the frontiers of God’s kingdom on earth and start its execution.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 8/12/2014 - YOUR BEST IS ON THE WAY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

YOUR BEST IS ON THE WAY

Memorise

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Read

1 Kings 19:19-21

19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

MESSAGE

Elisha was a rich man even by current standards. He was the son of a wealthy farmer. Using today’s agricultural terminology, we can say that Elisha’s father had twelve “tractors” working for him on his large farmland. A farmer who has twelve tractors must without doubt be classified as a millionaire. Although Elisha was rich, he did not know that God had something greater for him. In most instances, people often hold on to what is good and miss out on the better and the best. Those who have experienced a measure of success or financial prosperity, tend to settle for the minimum while the maximum is begging to be possessed. The tragedy of this situation is that, those who have achieved just a minimum level of prosperity conclude that there is no better level to attain. Some people climb few rungs on the ladder of progress and settle down, whereas the Almighty God has planned to take them to the highest level of wealth attainable. Elisha thought he was wealthy, but he did not know that a day was coming when kings would serve him and call him “Father”! He thought he was going to die a rich farmer, but God had a different plan for him. In like manner, God has a glorious plan for you. Presidents will serve you before you leave this world in Jesus’ Name. The Bible says:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9

Elisha was wise. He traded his level of achievement for a higher one by allowing God to have His way in his life. Elisha decided to surrender sugar for honey. On the day the mantle of Elijah fell upon him, his destiny changed. God brought him to the realm of ultimate greatness. Elisha knew that to receive ultimate greatness from God, he needed to surrender what he was holding on to. You must offer God what appears to be your best at the moment, so that He can give you what is better than your best. How will God give you the best He has in store for you? What will God do to make you rich beyond your wildest imagination? I really don’t know. However, what I know is that God can do anything just to bless you. Whatever He has promised, He definitely will fulfil to the letter.

Prayer Point:

Father, please send your best to me today and let my good give way for your best in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Ezra 4:1-6:12

Ecclesiastes 6

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 5/12/2014 - SECRETS OF ABUNDANCE II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

SECRETS OF ABUNDANCE II

Memorise

But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Luke 4:26

Read

Luke 4:25-26

4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

MESSAGE

Working hard and praying hard are prerequisite to enjoying God’s abundance. Apart from these, another secret of abundance is consistent sowing. You must keep sowing if you want to experience abundant life. The first seed you sow may open the door to blessings, but it takes persistent sowing to keep the door of blessings open. Let us take a closer look at the story of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:10-16). What opened the door of blessing to her was the first cake she made for Elijah, but what kept the food flowing was the fact that everyday, she kept on making cakes for Elijah. Your initial act of giving can take you to a level of abundant blessing. However, what will lead you to the level of ultimate abundance is persistent giving. The loss would have been unimaginable, if by the third day, this widow had stopped giving. This would have resulted in the drying up of her source of supply. Let us also learn a lesson from Solomon’s example. The first time he sacrificed unto God, he offered a thousand offerings. God prospered Him in no small measure through a mighty harvest that was unleashed on him. The next time he sacrificed unto God, he offered twenty two thousand oxen. 1 Kings 8:63 says:

“And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.”

Solomon kept on increasing in wealth because he kept on giving. At the end, he attained the level of ultimate financial breakthrough. He became so rich that nobody could attempt to count the amount of silver he had. For someone reading this devotional, you will become so rich that only higher denominations of money will matter to you. When your workers bring in the proceeds from your business, you will tell them to hand in the higher denominations and keep the lower denominations for themselves. Let’s ask ourselves this question: “What is the mystery behind the giving done by the widow of Zarephath?” It is an uncommon faith in God. It is this faith that made her to give her only means of sustenance. She gave her only food to Elijah because she needed to surrender the future into the hands of the God of Elijah. For these secrets of abundant blessing to work for you, you must first give your life to Jesus Christ. You must surrender your life to Him today if you have not done so already. Today can become your moment of supernatural breakthrough.

Prayer Point

Father, I hand over my life to you; take care of my future in the Name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Chronicles 33

Ecclesiastes 4

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 29/11/2014 - CAST YOUR BURDEN ON CHRIST - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

CAST YOUR BURDEN ON CHRIST

Memorise

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22

Read

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Message

What a marvellous thing to know that I don’t need to bear my burden by myself anymore. We have an express and authoritative assurance that God carries our loads of burden. This means that I need not get worried over anything anymore. In fact, His word in Psalm 55:22 is not a mere admonition, it is a command. In it He says:

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

God is always willing to help men, but men do not always avail themselves of God’s unfailing ability to help like no other can. Rather, they prefer to bear their burdens all by themselves; thus, many get crushed under their burden. For instance, man cannot by himself get free from the burden laid on him by the devil. This is why Jesus came to undo the burden of sin for man. The burden of sin is the greatest of all burdens. No one should think that mere religious observance can set him free from this burden, no it can’t!

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

Isaiah 10: 27

Beloved, what is that burden of sickness, unpaid rent, mortgages, debt or wayward child, let the Lord know that you are releasing the burden to Him now and see what He will do. The Lord sent the same word as the scripture above through Peter in 1 Peter 5:7. This time, He says that we should cast all our care upon Him. Note that He says “all”. All means everything without any left. The trouble is that many of His children do not think God really means what He said. God is not frivolous like men. Many children of God, rather than bring their burdens to God, they like rushing to fellow human beings who themselves need assistance. A woman, who for 12 years had been bleeding without any remedy, spent all her living seeking help from men. They were merely living off her; they could not lift this terrible burden off her life. In desperation, she brought this burden to Jesus as her last resort. Immediately, her fountain of blood dried instantly (Mark 5:25-29). Do as this woman did, come to Jesus with your burden today, but only let it be in faith.

Action Point

Father I am grateful for commanding me to cast my burden upon you. Now earnestly tell him the specific burdens of your life you want Him to take away.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Chronicles 18:1-20:23

Ecclesiastes 2:1-8

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 27/11/2014 - WORLD CHANGERS - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WORLD CHANGERS

Memorise

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Acts 17:6

Read

Acts 8:5-12

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Message

Jesus left a group of 11 apostles behind when He ascended to heaven. He left them with a purpose and a mission to the world. He left them in the world, not to get absorbed or influenced by it, but to change it. Did they succeed? They very well did. Not long after Jesus had gone, in far away Thessalonica, the people exclaimed that the Christian brethren had “turned the world upside down”. This was an acknowledgement of the fact that they had brought change to the world (Acts 17:6).

For us in this generation, we should realise that the generation that the world cannot change is the generation that will change the world. If the believers of old were flowing with the Satan influenced current of their time, they would not have made any impact and they would not have passed down the torch of the gospel effectively through successive subsequent generations.

To change the world, you need to understand the current situation of the world, its functions and the active players involved. You cannot change a system you know nothing about. Some of us don’t know the current trends in the world around us. If you truly see yourself as being on a mission for God on earth, you cannot afford not to care about what is going on around you. Even our Lord Jesus Christ was aware that a tower fell on some people in Siloam and was able to appropriately reply those who asked Him questions regarding the incident (Luke 13:4). Next, you need to map out your strategy. Through careful planning, strategise for the desired change you want to introduce, considering the resources at your disposal in Christ and who is behind your vision (Luke 14:28). Having done all these, “stick to your guns” in Christ. Don’t be lured away from your objective, don’t succumb to intimidations or blackmail and don’t be distracted (Philippians 3:13-14).

Action Point

How much are you contributing towards changing the world by witnessing Jesus Christ? Be involved!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Chronicles 10-13

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 18/11/2014 - THERE FOR A PURPOSE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THERE FOR A PURPOSE

Memorise

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Read

2 Kings 5:1-4

5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

MESSAGE

Known unto God are all His works from the foundation of the world (Acts 15:18). One of the arguments some philosophers put up for the existence of God is that, the Cause of all things must be a rational and intelligent being because to everything the Cause caused to be, is a purpose given. This so-called Cause is God and there is nothing He created that has no purpose. Whatever God permits to come to you or to come your way has a purpose. There is a purpose behind you being an African, European, Asian or American. Far beyond the superficial things you may be looking for in that your exalted position in that organisation, God may have something in mind for you to accomplish. Maybe you got sponsored and supported to occupy a political office or maybe you are in government, have you found out why He opened that door to you, or are you busy seeking mundane things for yourself like the ungodly and unpatriotic ones?

In some cases, God’s purpose might bring you into an unpleasant or undesirable situation, just like the young girl in today’s Bible reading. She was taken captive from her native land in Samaria to the far and strange land of Syria. However, see what great effect the quiet little counsel she gave her mistress had in the life of the great but leprous commander of the Syrian army, and by extension the entire nation of Syria. Beyond the healing of her master, she projected the God of her fathers among the heathen, so that He might be feared and honoured. It is a pity that some Christians today do things that bring shame and reproach to the name of God. Such people misrepresent God through their compromising acts among sinners. Hear what the little girl said in 2 Kings 5:3:

“And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.”

It was just this one-minute piece of information God was waiting for to orchestrate a chain of events that would culminate in His name being glorified among the heathen. From this story, we also learn why it is good to be nice and kind to those who are around us, even servants, housemaids, gardeners, drivers etc. Some bosses despise and treat their subordinates inhumanely. Some housemaids, drivers and workers are treated as though they are not human beings (Colossians 4:1). If Naaman and his wife had been maltreating this maid, she probably would not have given them the counsel that led to the removal of their shame and reproach.

Action Point:

Objectively identify what exactly you are living for.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

1 Chronicles 13:1-16:7

Proverbs 28:2-13

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 12/11/2014 - MY BODY, HIS PROPERTY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

MY BODY, HIS PROPERTY

Memorise

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1

Read

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

MESSAGE

The passion of God behind the admonition in today’s memory verse is evident. The goodness of God and His commitment to our wellbeing is far beyond our imagination. Can you comprehend this: that having paid the ultimate price for our redemption, He is still passionately pleading with those of us that are His, for our own sake, to keep our bodies? Though it is in our own best interest, yet He pleads with us. To start with, a person that says he or she is enjoying himself with cigarette smoking or taking of hard drugs does not know what he is saying. Such a person is destroying himself in bits. Likewise, the fellow given to alcohol is destroying and cutting short his age systematically. What about the fornicator and adulterer? The major vehicle for HIV infection is no other than sexual immoralities such as pre-marital sex, homosexuality, lesbianism and the likes. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice means denying your body the fashion or pleasures that are at variance with the ways of the kingdom you belong to. This includes denying yourself such aberrations like exposing your body through clothes that are in vogue.

If the body of the believer in Christ is the temple of God, and God is holy, how does a child of God think he or she will be full of the Holy Spirit while unabatedly indulging in evil habits? Somebody must be deceiving himself or herself somehow. The Bible warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). What other possible ways could the Holy Spirit be grieved, if not by rendering His habitation non-conducive for Him to dwell in? Is it not that those defiling His temple (our bodies) are asking Him (the Holy Spirit) to pack up and go elsewhere?

The care of our body includes feeding it with the right things – good food and not junk food that causes obesity, and taking the right quantity of food at a time (gluttony is condemned by the Bible). Likewise, drinks must be non-alcoholic and non-nicotinic. Spiritually, feed on the word of God. Besides, treat the body with natural means for its refreshing like sleeping moderately and not inducing yourself with drugs to sleep. Also, use your body rightly. It is good to work hard, but then, learn also to give it its due rest. Don’t use the body for immorality in any form. Learn not to pamper your body either, it may crave those things that would make it to incur God’s wrath, it is your duty to deny it those things. You can do all these because the power of God through Christ is now in you. God is not demanding what you cannot do.

Key Point

God desires purity of the heart as well as purity of the body.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Kings 21:19-23:27

Proverbs 25:1-14

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 11/11/2014 - BEWARE OF PRIDE II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

BEWARE OF PRIDE II

Memorise

And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

Ephesians 6:9

Read

Romans 12:3-10

12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

MESSAGE

Do you know that there are many people who have lost precious opportunities that God meant for their breakthrough or turn-around, all because they think highly of themselves beyond what they really are? Quite a good number of God’s people are suffering unnecessarily just because they despised lofty opportunities in the form of persons, situations, gifts and relationships packaged in simple, unattractive and lowly boxes.

Some of our sisters would not want to get married to anyone that is not at least at the same level as they are, due to their high educational qualifications, fast promotion to the position of executive in blue chip companies or because of their famous and wealthy backgrounds. As a result of this, they are not prepared for the will of God. God does not see the way we see; He has a purpose for us His people. It doesn’t matter if you are already an MD of a multinational corporation at age 25, God may say a first degree holder management trainee is your husband. Would you be humble enough to accept? Many have allowed their earthly privileged position or possession to make them miss out of God’s will for their lives; thus, a fulfilled and blissful marriage experience has eluded them. Young lady listen! If you were brought up with a silver spoon in your mouth or you are a high flyer and you are unmarried, be wise, you are now a child of God, your heavenly Father knows all about you, He determines who becomes this or that. Trust in Him with all your heart, He has your best interest at heart. That man God is saying is your husband, though he does not seem to measure up to your standard as you may claim, God is taking him somewhere. He is not at the bus stop of his life yet. All you need to do is to confirm if he is God’s will for you. If this is ascertained, you would be wise to accede to his proposal to you. But go into the relationship following the laid down guidelines of your church. If you do, you will not get your fingers burnt.

Some of us also allow our position and wealth to interfere with the way we relate with people that are not as privileged as we are at this particular time. I write at this particular time because such people may be going somewhere with God like Joseph in Egypt. One thing we should bear in mind as children of God is that, God has a purpose for those He brings around us, including the driver, the house help, the gardener and others; they deserve to be treated with dignity.

Action Point

Review the way you relate to those who are less privileged around you and prayerfully correct any issues you observed.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Kings 19:8-21:18

Proverbs 24:21-34

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 7/11/2014 - GOD’S OWNERSHIP OF ALL II - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

GOD’S OWNERSHIP OF ALL II

Memorise

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Romans 2:4

Read

Isaiah 40:13-18

40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.

40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

MESSAGE

If only men would think deeply, then they will be better able to put things in their proper perspective. It is baffling the way we mere mortals behave at times due to lack of depth of thought; this includes even the children of God. Sometimes, we behave as though we were the one who created ourselves or as if the abilities we possess and exhibit are self-given. We sometimes boast of things to the extent that but for the mercy of God, if He were to prove us wrong, a devastating and regrettable experience would ensue. Some people boasts of the prowess of some parts of their body and even lay claim to ownership of the same. God created you with the features of your body and they are meant to be used correctly to His glory. Psalm 12:3-4 says,

“The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?”

What if God had made you dumb or deaf? God is the owner of everyone and everything. It is foolish of anyone to think and act as if he owns himself and therefore can dictate to himself what he will do and what the outcome of such actions will be.

God Himself tried to consider the value of man relative to His own worth in Isaiah 40:15-17. He started by saying even the nations are like a drop of water in a bucket, and then he said they were like small dust on a balance scale. All these yardsticks seemed too much for man’s value, hence in verse 17, He said all nations before Him are as nothing, and in fact they are counted to Him less than nothing. Does this not make you to shiver? What then is your pride? It is a great honour and privilege for God to be so mindful of man to the extent of Him sacrificing His utmost for man’s salvation. If you are wise, you will just continue to cherish and treasure this privilege as a child of God and keep enjoying His goodness by giving Him the prime place in your decisions, choices, thoughts, actions and attitude. You will always be grateful to Him for everything, even in what may seem like a little and insignificant providence you enjoy. Many of God’s children take things for granted too much. In every aspect of our lives, we must acknowledge and give thanks to Him always. Every moment of our continued existence is only by His mercy. Every accomplishment is by His grace.

Action Point

Praise God for His awesomeness in your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Kings 10:18-12:21

Proverbs 22:29-23:13

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 5/11/2014 - WORSHIPPING BLINDLY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WORSHIPPING BLINDLY

Memorise

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

John 4:22

Read

Exodus 32:2-4

32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Message

The void created in man, following the departure of God’s glory from him as a result of the great fall in the Garden of Eden (Romans 3:23), yearns to be filled up. Unfortunately, the archenemy of man - Satan, has blinded the eyes of many to the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the only means by which this void can be filled (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Jesus is the only way back to God. John 14:6 says,

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

When people appear religious without a real encounter with the gospel of Jesus, or refuse to open the door of their hearts to Jesus, though they are full of activities in the house of God, they are merely worshipping blindly. In the words of today’s memory verse, they are worshipping what they know not of. Some are high up there in leadership positions, but they are like Aaron, they are acquainted with all the spiritual terminologies of the Christian life, but do not know God. Aaron was next to Moses in leadership over Israel, but the man Aaron could not be said to really know who God is. If he did, when the people were clamouring for a god because of the long absence of Moses, he would have known that God cannot be found in objects.

It is only in Jesus that God can be truly seen and known; any other way is an exercise in blindness or groping in darkness. Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3). It thus follows that to truly and genuinely become a child of God, and a true worshipper of God; you must have Jesus alone to the exclusion of any other spiritual object of worship. For those who refuse to surrender their hearts to Jesus, but who say they are of God because they are following the moral teachings of Jesus Christ, it is useless for you to cherish His moral teachings without first accepting His death for you and acknowledging your state of death in sin. You must repent from sin and call upon God for your salvation. You must also accept His Lordship over your life. Refusal to do this and mere adherence to His moral teachings leads you nowhere because your state of sin still remains and no sinner will make heaven. Let it be known to you that everyone that would not accept Jesus is being proud against God. Such an individual is saying that his own efforts can save him. By deeds of the law no man is justified, only by the grace of Jesus (Romans 3:20).

Key Point

Jesus, and Him alone is the way, the truth and the life, there is no any other.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

2 Kings 6:24-8:24

Proverbs 21:30-22:12

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