Monthly Archives: February 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH 2017- PERILOUS TIMES ARE HERE

Memorise: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1 Timothy 1:4.
Read: 2 Timothy 3:1-5
1.This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Bible in one year : Genesis 3-5, Isaiah 41:21-42:9

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. With all that we see happening in different parts of the world today, it is no longer news that we are already in perilous times
2. It is very urgent that we maximise the times that we have left in propagating the gospel of the Lord to those who are yet to know Him.
3. In this modern age , where people are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, believers must watch against satanic wiles and temptations.
4. Let us remain in the simple gospel of Jesus which is capable of seeing us through to the very end.
5. Those who go to church today only get excited when they are told what they want to hear.
6. In order not to be caught unawares, you must prepare yourself daily through self examination.
7. The emeny of your soul is out there, seeking how to devour you; don’t allow him to truncate your destiny.
8. Ensure that you make no provision for the flesh, and put out all the works of darkness around you , Be prepared for His second coming.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The coming of Jesus the second time is not a joke, believers must be aware of this profitable notice that have been preached, that is being preached and will continue to be preached until the entire world hears the gospel . According to the word of God, many believers fail to reach out to those that are unsaved and expects Jesus to come soon, forgetting that we are the one delaying His coming. If we read Matthew 24:14 ” And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” this meaning of that verse is that Christ awaits you to reach out to all nations then the end will come, that is why it is a mandate for us to go and spread the news across every nation. However, with all that we see happening around the world today, false prophets arising, wars here and there etc, these are enough signals to inform you that the perilous times are here. God bless our Father Pastor E.A Adeboye and equip him with greater wisdom to impact us more in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, fill me with the consciousness of the second coming of Christ at all times.
HYMN
Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.
Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY, 2017-GOD HAS SUBSTITUTES

Memorise: For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Acts 1:20
Read: 1 Samuel 15:16-16:1
16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORDhath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
Bible in one year: Genesis 3:5, Isaiah 41:21 -42:9

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. One truth that everyone born of God must have at the back of their minds is that God has substitutes. He can therefore never be held to ransom by anyone.
2. Whenever God decides to use a person, if that fellow does not yield to God at the time of His requisition, God will move on to use another person to fulfil His purpose.
3. More often than not, such substitutes are better than the original recipients of God’s mandate. Such was the case with King Saul. “And Samuel said unto him, the LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 1st Samuel 15:28
4. When a man feels too big to obey God’s instruction, he is not fit for God’s use.
5. In the family of the works of the flesh, pride, stubbornness and rebellion are kinsmen, with witchcraft as their first cousin (Galatians 5:19-21).
6. The Lord through Samuel reminded King Saul that there was nothing special about him before He made him king over Israel. King Saul himself did not see himself as qualified, yet God’s grace preferred him, despite the fact that he came from the least of the tribes of Israel (1st Samuel 9:21).
7. This is the reason why whosoever God decides to use should not allow himself or herself get carried away by the glamour of the office he or she is occupying.
8. The fellow should always keep in mind where he or she is coming from and what he or she used to be. God does not use the qualified; rather, He qualifies the fellow He wants to use.
9. When King Saul began to feel too big to obey the Lord’s commandment, he was replaced with a ready-made substitute, whom the Lord declared to be better than King Saul.
10. My prayer for you is that you will not be replaced in the scheme of things in God’s kingdom in Jesus’ Name.
11. Beloved, we should know that God has substitutes that can readily replace us if we fail to yield to His instructions.
12. Never see yourself as being indispensable before God.
13. Take heed to what the Lord Jesus Christ said concerning this in Matthew 3:9 “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

How striking today’s devotional message is! The maker of all things have access to whatever or whoever He needs. It is wisdom for anyone He calls to quickly respond and after response keep to every instruction and take note of every detail for a successful discharge of that duty. When God replaces someone, the living of such person ends right there. It doesn’t matter if the person is still alive, the relevance of such being dies immediately. I pray we will never find ourselves in such position in Jesus name. Pastor E.A Adeboye is a great blessing to us. We pray that God will daily water him too in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, please help me to overcome anything I am doing now that may eventually make you find a substitute for me in Your kingdom. Please, don’t replace with anyone or anything.
HYMN
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SATURDAY 18TH FEBRUARY, 2017-FAITH IN PRACTICE

Memorise: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26
Read: James 2:14-26 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Bible in one year: John 20:21, Isaiah 40:24-41:7.

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. One common error in Christendom today is to think that it is scriptural to confess your way to success without backing up such confessions with works.
2. Faith in practice is actually the opposite of this. It is not just about confessing scriptures, but about acting it out when confronted with real life circumstances and situations. Faith in practice is what produces the miracle-working power of God.
3. In contrast of faith, unbelief upsets God and we must all run away from it. The children of Israel could not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).
4. In Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic man was brought before Jesus by four men who broke the roof of a house to get him there. This was faith in practice. They were practically saying to all the forces and situations surrounding this man’s life that they were ready to get injured while climbing and nothing would stop them. They were also ready to take up the financial burden of damaging and repairing the roof of a house that was not theirs. They did all this because they knew that the challenges facing them were nothing when compared with the blessedness of having their paralytic friend receive his miracle.
5. There are people who have many different versions of the Bible in their homes but do not practice the faith they read in it.
6. Some even possess a PhD in the study of the Bible but still have no faith. This is because they read and study it, but they don’t apply its content to their lives.
7. Some years back, we went to Haiti to hold a city-wide crusade, and we were blessed to have a live broadcast of it on radio. There was man just lying on a bed in his house who accidentally turned his radio to the station airing our programme. In the course of preaching, the Lord said to me that there was someone within the reach of my voice who was impotent and that He was healing him right away. I relayed this message as I was told. When this man heard it, he said to himself, “How did this Pastor know that I am impotent even though He cannot see me?” He immediately checked himself and realised he had been completely healed. He then left all he was doing, found his way to the crusade ground and surrendered his life to Jesus.
8. If only you can believe and act on what God says, you also will share your own testimony in Jesus’ Name.
9. Who are the Goliaths harassing you? Consider that Goliath came to the battle with a sword, spear and shield, while David came in the Name of the Lord of hosts (1st Samuel 17:45). Although David challenged Goliath with his mouth, he did not stop there. He picked up five smooth stones, not just one (1st Samuel 17:40). Even though one stone was enough to bring down Goliath, David did not take chances. That is faith in practice.
10. I decree that every Goliath that is standing between you and your miracles shall be brought down completely in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Faith is in practice when you go beyond just declaring but you reach out. In other words when we say we have faith we should also act in line of our faith. As severally said on this platform in line with the word of God, God honours great faith and rewards it by granting what such person is exhibiting faith on. As we declare words of faith we should back it up with work and act accordingly that we may receive great reward which will be evident for all to see in Jesus name. We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye. Our knowledge of the word of God is increased each day as we study the Open Heavens devotional. More grace for greater works in Jesus’ Name.

Key Point
Faith is acting on the word of God.
HYMN
1. My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
be wholly thine!
2. May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire!
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire!
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.
4. When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold, sullen stream
shall o’er me roll;
blest Savior, then in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul!

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH 2017-ACCEPTABLE SERVICE

Memorise: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27
Read: Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 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.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Bible in one year: John 18:19, Isaiah 40:6-23

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. In these end times, the Lord is looking for those who are ready to consecrate themselves to His use.
2. If you are ready to partner with God in His service, you can be sure that your reward will not only be great on earth but also in heaven.
3. However, for you to be a vessel unto honour in the service of the Lord, you must be ready to admit your insignificance before Him (Isaiah 40:17). You must also be ready to follow the Lord all the way, cheerfully and heartily.
4. You should see it as a great honour for God to count you worthy of being called into the service of His kingdom.
5. Furthermore, God is holy, and so, for you to be a vessel in His service, you must also be holy in thought, character and conduct.
6. Those who want to continue in sin and also live a hypocritical lifestyle cannot be blessed in God’s service. You must surrender your life to Christ genuinely. This is a prerequisite in offering acceptable service to the Lord. Any defiled or polluted person cannot behold the glory of God’s holiness.
7. In the scriptures, those who offered acceptable service, such as Enoch, Daniel, Elijah and Job, made up their minds that they would not allow anything to pollute their lives.
8. Note however that you cannot all by yourself keep yourself from the vanities of this world; neither can you live a holy life through your morality.
9. You can only live a holy and acceptable life by yielding to the grace of God. God’s grace enables us to offer acceptable service before Him. Expounding on this grace, Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”
10. Although there are several winds of false doctrine blowing across the world today, the Lord expects us to continue in the pure and undiluted word of God (2nd Peter 3:16-18). This is the anchor that keeps us from being tossed about (Hebrews 6:18-19).
11. This undefiled word of God will help us keep that which is committed into our hands as we offer our service to God in these last days. We must be watchful so that our works will not be adjudged as imperfect before the throne of God. In the Body of Christ today, many people serve God amiss. They are working, but not asking themselves if their labour follows the due order of heaven (1st Chronicles 15:13).
12. If you fail to assess the methods you are using to achieve the mandate of the Commission, you will be shocked at the judgement seat of Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:10, 1st Corinthians 3:13-15).
13. What are the motives behind what you do in Church? What attitude do you display when your pastor is not there to watch over you? How are you utilizing the resources entrusted to your care?

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

It is the grace of God that helps our imperfection to become perfect. Atimes we act thinking we are on the right track doing the right thing but at that point in time we are acting amiss. Let’s take the story of uzzah as an example here. He thought his act was right but in the eyes of God it was irrelevant. 2 Samuel 6:1-7 “David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalaha in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,b the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it,c and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,d harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God” Let us take into account the reason or motive behind our service to God and ask God for grace to serve Him in an acceptable way. We thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye for blessing us and inspiring us in today’s devotional. God bless him in strength and greater ability in Jesus’ name.

Action Point
Access your service in God’s Kingdom. Does it follow God’s pattern?
HYMN
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee. ‎

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH 2017-THE GOD OF INCREASE

Memorise: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter and should greatly increase. Job 8:7
Read: Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Bible in one year: John 16-17, Isaiah 38:20-40:5

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. In the beginning, although the Almighty God had the vision of man filling the whole earth, He decided to actualise it through the law of increase.
2. It is amazing that the whole world came forth from one man and woman. Our God is a God of increase.
3. If you want anything that will increase in life, you have to source for it from the Almighty God, and use His approach and not that of the world to actualise it.
4. Whatever is from the Lord will always stand the test of time.
5. If God gives you an idea, He expects it to bring increase to your life. If God gives you a blessing, He also expects it to increase. When Adam knew his wife, a seed was planted in her which became a tree (Genesis 4:1).
6. This is the more reason why you need to draw close to God so that He can sow a seed in your life that will become a reference point to generations yet unborn.
7. If you sow to your flesh, you will reap destruction, but if you sow to the Holy Spirit, your increase will be till eternity (Galatians 6:8).
8. The fact that God wants you to increase does not mean you can do things that contravene His commandments to get his increase. The fact that God wants increase does not mean He allows polygamy.
9. God has never been in a hurry to populate the earth, therefore His design is one man, one wife.
10. Sex with anyone other than your spouse means you are throwing your most precious seed into the wrong soil.
11. An adulterer is a person in bondage! Such a person lacks understanding of the fact that he or she is sowing seeds that only lead to poverty, destruction and eventual shame.
12. There are some men whose children are out of school due to non-payment of fees, and yet they are sowing their seed into the lives of concubines. Such men are already on the path of destruction unless they come to the saving grace of Jesus. If you are involved in this, you better ask God for mercy before it is too late.
13. God is the one who gives increase after a seed has been sown; therefore we must always remember to give thanks to Him for all the successes He brings our way (1st Corinthians 3:6). If you are excelling in your chosen field, give God the glory. If things are working out for you in your career, give Him the glory.
14. While some people grow rapidly in the things of God, some do not. One variable that determines this is the level of hunger in their hearts. There must always be a hunger in your heart to be better than what you are now.
15. There is a better you in the mind of God, and so, refuse to remain small. Continue to develop yourself by acquiring relevant skills. Increase your knowledge base so that your earning capacity can also increase.
16. If things have not been working out in your life, do a self-appraisal. In other words, check yourself. Soak yourself in God’s word and occupy your mind with passages of Scripture that can address your area of stagnation. You will increase in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

It is God’s design that we should increase and dominate but increasing in and through the wrong way is not His desire. In lifting one up God wants to see the willingness of such person. He is ever ready to help us at anytime we surrender to Him. This was the life of Jacob. He set himself aside to pray before proceeding to meet his brother Esau. He wrestled with the angel until he had his name changed to Isreal. He recognised his way was wrong and desired a change which he got. I will enjoin us to do a self-appraisal, Soak yourself in God’s word and occupy your mind with passages of Scripture that can address our area of stagnation as said in today’s devotional by our father in the Lord and I believe God will settle us and help us live a life of continuous increase in Christ Jesus. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye on every side. He’s indeed a blessing to us.

Prayer Point
Father, let my increase begin today.
HYMN
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH 2017-LIVING WITHIN THE DIVINE WILL

Memorise: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
Read: Matthew 26:37-42 (KJV)
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Bible in one year: John 14-15, Isaiah 38:4-19

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. Until you get to the point of conviction where you accept the fact that you can never have anything better than what God has for you, life will remain a struggle.
2. There are many people struggling to find their place in life, but as a child of God you were not created to live by chance.
3. You were designed by God to walk in His blueprint for your life, and so anything less than what God intends for you should be rejected.
4. Living within the divine will means having an understanding of God’s plan for you in every area of your life.
5. The will of God is always higher and greater than the will of man. His thoughts are directed towards our peace and fulfilment in this world (Jeremiah 29:11). This is why it is necessary to discern and hear what God is saying about the present phase of your life.
6. There are people who are in the wrong job. No matter how much they work, they can never be successful because they are struggling with what God has not wired them for. Some people are in the wrong location, while some others are in relationships that drive away the presence of God from them.
7. Do you know that there are people you meet in life who negatively impact your destiny? There are even some people you meet, and after they are gone out of your life, you find yourself drained, because all they did was use you.
8. God’s will is to increase you and not to use you. However, you have to wait upon the Lord and never outrun Him because He is the one leading you.
9. Examples abound in Scripture of those who struggled with the will of God for their lives before they understood what God would have them do. Moses thought he was doing the right thing when he killed and Egyptian, since he was born for the purpose of delivering the children of Israel from the hands of their Egyptian oppressors (Exodus 2:11-12). However, he walked outside the will of God by taking action at the wrong time and also by using the wrong approach.
10. Jacob was also aware of God’s plan for him to be greater than his elder brother, but he devised a crooked method of obtaining the covenant blessing from his father. Consequently, he had no rest until he learnt to surrender to God.
11. Have faith in God that you will become what He wants you to become; not by folding your hands and doing nothing, by being diligent in your walk of faith.
12. What is not enough today will be more than enough tomorrow through God’s help. Remember the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning (Job 42:12).
13. Learn to wait. He who waits never loses, but he who is hasty never gains. Seek God’s face, and ask Him for the needed grace to run the race.
14. God places a high premium on his children who are ready to align their words, actions, thoughts and decisions with the standards of Heaven.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Anyone who decides to walk in the will of God functions from the position of rest. Under His shadow and in following His instruction there is so much peace. The divine will of God is the perfect will of God and it is far better than the goodwill or permissive will. Moses recognised that walking in God’s will and having His presence brings victory in Exodus 33:15 “And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. What more can one need to trust Him in every phase of life and follow Him sole and faithfully? In Jeremiah 29:11 He told us affirmatively that “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Waiting on the Lord is an act of faith that God Himself cherishes and then honours it in turn. God will help us to lean solely on Him and He will fulfil His words in our lives in Jesus name. We thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye for blessing us and inspiring us in today’s devotional. God bless him in strength and greater ability in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me grace to patiently wait and work towards actualising Your will for my life.
HYMN
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend‎

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH 2017-PRACTICAL SALVATION

Memorise: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2nd Corinthians 5:17
Read: Luke 3:3-14 (KJV)
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
Bible in one year: John 12-13, Isaiah 37:28-38:3

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. In today’s Bible reading, we gain insight into what it means practically to be saved.
2. To be saved means to repent from your dead works and to be alive unto Christ in righteousness.
3. Practical salvation is making your ways right with God without any reservation.
4. When you are genuinely saved, everyone around you will see it. It cannot be hidden because you will no longer be comfortable in the midst of your sinful former friends.
5. Practical salvation is impacting the lives around you by demonstrating the love of Christ through giving.
6. I always tell people that whatever you give away may leave your hands but it will never leave your life.
7. There is no other way to show the world the true nature of Christ without identifying with the challenges of people. Jesus was compassionate towards all those He met who were in need.
8. How can you claim to be a Christian when you live in affluence but do not bother about what happens to the man beside you? “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24
9. Practical salvation involves putting off our old Adamic nature and manifesting the divine nature of Christ.
10. We receive this divine nature, referred to as the new man, through repentance from our old ways and having faith in Christ’s work of salvation. The character of this new man says “Let him that stole steal no more” (Ephesians 4:28).
11. It also uproots every root of bitterness, anger, wrath, envy, hatred and the likes out of your life. When you put on the new man, you will be ready to put right all that have gone wrong in your life, through the grace of the Almighty God.
12. If something belonging to your organisation or the government has been taken by you without being given, practical salvation demands that you return it.
13. If you have been working with a forged certificate and you now say you are born again, you have to let go of this pretence and amend your ways.
14. Several years ago, before I met the Lord, I was a school teacher and I needed to take care of one of my visitors. This need made me take a bed from the school dormitory. However, after my visitor left, I still held on to the bed. Seven years after this happened, I gave my life to Christ and I noticed that this bed was still in my house. I lost my peace immediately because there was a new spirit in me. To practically demonstrate my salvation, I had to pay double for the bed because the Jesus living in me would not allow me return a used bed after seven years of holding unto it.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Salvation comes with a lot of attributes that many believers fails to fully understand. There has to be demonstrations of certain characters that will prompt even the unbelievers to desire our new phase of life in Christ. The fruit of the Spirit must manifest in every believer “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”Galatians‬ ‭5:22‬. If we consider the nine of the fruit of the Spirit, we will realize that the old sinful life couldn’t exhibit these fruit. Before,our level of tolerance was very low, but now because of the mind of Christ in us, we cannot just get angry anyhow. Moreover, someone who loves God must love others. The summary of practical salvation is that people must see the evidence of the mind of Christ in us and quickly identify that truly we have been genuinely saved not a pretence. Know well that God sees the heart of man and knows every secret things that we think are not visible to men. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
When you are saved, your neighbours will know.
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH 2017-THE GOD OF ALL IMPOSSIBILITIES

Memorise: For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37
Read: Genesis 18:1-15
1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
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.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Bible in one year: John 11, Isaiah 37:14-27

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. The awesomeness of God is made manifest in situations that are tagged impossible. Our God likes to get involved in such cases so that they serve as reference points to those who have doubts in their hearts about Him.
2. What is that impossible situation you are confronted with? God can use it to demonstrate to the world that there is no situation, no matter how bad, that He cannot reverse.
3. In today’s Bible reading, the three men who came on a visit to Abraham and Sarah were on a mission to remind them that God is a God of plan and purpose.
4. Have you been waiting a long time for that precious promise of God to come to pass? I have good news for you: your season of divine visitation has come in Jesus’ Name.
5. Abraham and Sarah had given up and were no longer optimistic about the promise of a child to them. Sarah could not help laughing when she heard that time and life would be restored to her, because she knew her age and the deadness of her womb. Her scepticism made the Lord ask “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
6. Are you looking at the doctor’s professional report concerning your case? I want to let you know that the report of the Lord will override every negative report concerning you in Jesus’ Name.
7. Lazarus was dead and was already buried for four days (John 11:39). Nobody wanted to get close to his tomb because he was already stinking; yet the Lord went to that hopeless situation and reversed the irreversible. The Lord decided to take His time before going to Mary and Martha, in order to convince the whole world that even though people may have given up on you, He is always there to demonstrate to them that they are not your creator.
8. There is nothing that the redemption paid for by Christ cannot take care of.
9. Are you struggling with poverty, or are you getting in and out of hospital beds? Have you been labelled a permanent failure or been told nothing good can come out of your life? Know that there is a God in heaven who works wonders among men.
10. If He sees that your natural season is over, He then reminds the world that “He changes times and seasons” (Daniel 2:21a). If He realises there are powerful forces contending with your life, He lets them know that “He removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Daniel 2:21b).
11. If the world says you are no longer relevant in the scheme of things, He tells them that “He giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding” (Daniel 2:21c).
12. With these assurances, you should thank God and praise Him all your life, knowing that your desires will come to pass.
13. There shall be expedited reversal of every negative circumstance in your life today in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Glory to God once more for today’s devotional. What a great assurance from God almighty to us! It’s very good to know that God delights in situations that the world has tagged impossible and whenever He steps into such situation it’s becomes a settled matter. The God we serve is a God of possibilities, all power belongs to Him in heavens, the earth and underneath the earth. And believers should also know that He has not called us to seek His face in vain. Man’s declaration and decree is meaningless when God has spoken. ‭God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
There is no impossibility with God.
HYMN
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All, all is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.‎

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH 2017-THE SECRETS OF THE LORD

Memorise: The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Psalm 25:14
Read: Genesis 18:17-19 (KJV)
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Bible in one year: John 9-10, Isaiah 36:21-37:13

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. What a great honour it is for God to positively testify of you while you are still alive! This is worth more than gold!
2. Job and Abraham were two men who received this honour because they feared God (Job 1:8, Genesis 18:19).
3. Those who walk in the fear of God have nothing to fear in life, because the fear of God grants them access to His secrets.
4. To fear God is not only to obey Him, but to ensure that everything in our sphere of influence obeys God.
5. There are some fathers who pleased to serve God but are not bothered about their children’s lack of interest in God.
6. Abraham did not only fear God, he also ensured that his entire household walked in God’s ways. No wonder God blessed him mightily. Abraham and his household were not only blessed, they became a channel of blessings to others.
7. Today, we still make reference to the Abrahamic blessings. You are truly blessed when you receive blessings that no curse can negate.
8. When you walk in the fear of the Lord, not only will your efforts be crowned with great blessings, lost opportunities will also become recovered, and your life becomes the headquarters of blessings through which millions of lives are positively impacted.
9. Those who make up their mind to fear God, no matter the circumstances, can never be forsaken, even when it seems all hope is lost; God will always show up for them to reassure them of His faithfulness.
10. The fear of the Lord gives God’s children access to divine direction and divine security.
11. God is the only One to be feared, for He alone is eternal (Matthew 10:28).
12. There are those I see who fear their bosses but don’t fear God. If you say you don’t fear your boss, why do you still allow him make inappropriate advances towards you? Is it not because you fear losing your job? Can’t you see that it is foolishness not to remember that both your boss and your job are in the hands of God?
13. Some people fear what will happen to them, and hence, they continue to live their life with a man who is legally married to another woman. Can’t you see that you are just postponing the evil day? You better make amends so that the peace of God can return to your life.
14. Anyone threatening you has limited powers, but God, who is to be feared, has unlimited power.
15. When you keep a distance from all that God hates, His secrets will be made available to you. If you fear God, it will reflect in where you take counsel from, those you partner with, and even how you appear in public.
16. If you fear Him, you will always do those things that make Him happy. Joseph feared the Lord and he made up his mind not to “do a great wickedness, and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9). Although that decision landed him in prison, the prison was the secret of his access to the throne.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10. Whoever walks in the fear of God needs to fear nothing in life, because the fear of God grants them access to His secrets. The fear of God establishes a relationship between the one that fears Him and Himself. This relationship brings a covenant and regardless of the circumstance there is always a way through to victory. We must delibrately and consciously work on fearing God and instill this in our children, family members and all connected to us. We thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye for blessing us and inspiring us in today’s devotional. God bless him in strength and greater ability in Jesus’ name.

Key Point
Everything you give up for God is a give-away for the ultimate.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH 2017-SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

Memorise: And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 34:26
Read: Joel 2:21-27 (KJV)
21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Bible in one year: John 7-8, Isaiah 36:4-20

AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

1. When God created the world, He put some natural principles in place which can guarantee a measure of blessing.
2. However, no blessing can stand the test of time apart from those made accessible by the Almighty God. The psalmist understood this truth, and hence he declared that only the Ultimate Shepherd can take you to green pastures (Psalm 23:2).
3. Only the blessings of the Almighty God can give you the kind of peace that knows no trouble.
4. When God pours His showers of blessings upon your life, the door of blessings will forever remain opened to you.
5. The shower of blessings from the Lord is the starting point of a life of tremendous progress.
6. You will suddenly realise that what others are finding difficult to achieve becomes very easy for you. You will also discover that what others are complaining about becomes what you rejoice over.
7. The wind of the Holy Spirit is the source of God’s blessings. On the day of Pentecost, when the wind of the Holy Spirit blew, the church suddenly grew by 3000 members (Acts 2:1-41).
8. When the Lord decides to pour His blessings in your direction: the debtor of yesterday becomes a lender to nations today, the negative medical report of yesterday becomes the testimony of today, and the sack letter of yesterday becomes the promotion letter of today.
9. A while ago, one of my sons was sacked from his place of work without any reason. As he worshipped with us at our monthly Holy Ghost Service, there was a word of knowledge sent from God saying that someone was going through some trouble but that those responsible for this trouble would die. The following week, word came to him that his father had passed on. On the actual day of his father’s burial, he received a letter from the organisation that sacked him, asking him to return, and that he had been promoted.
10. When the showers of blessings come upon your life, whatever the enemies have concluded concerning you becomes invalid by the powers of the spoken word from God. I speak to the life of someone reading this devotional that your time of weeping has come to an end in Jesus’ Name.
11. Those who truly love God are always carriers of His blessings.
12. Do everything possible to stay in God. Stick with Him all of your days. Let Him continue to direct you to where your life can remain flesh. Let His word fill your heart in every situation. Never let go of God, and you will practically see Him taking you out the shallow waters into the showers of blessings.
13. Are you experiencing dryness in your spiritual life, finances, marriage, career, business or ministry? God’s showers of blessing will begin to flow in your direction in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

As stated by our father in the Lord, no blessing can stand the test of time except that which is divine. It’s the blessing that comes from the Lord that brings everlasting joy to one’s soul. However, people have been seeking for blessings from vain sources forgetting that it’s only “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10:22.‬ ‭God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me a blessing that will settle my finances for life.
HYMN
There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

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