Monthly Archives: September 2017

Memorise: And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8
Read: Luke 19:1-10
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 24-25, Ezekiel 39:21-40:4

1. When you are genuinely saved, you will desire to find out what you can do for the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. There will be a strong desire in your heart to reciprocate the Saviour’s gesture of love. Is it so with you?
3. When I newly got born again, there were quite a few people around me who got saved at about the same time also. We all had certain characteristics in common, one of which was: anytime there was work to be done for God, we volunteered. We did it joyfully, spending our money, time and energy. Unfortunately, when you ask some people who claim to be born again to do some work in the house of God today, they will charge you double the job’s worth, while some unbelievers would just give you a normal bill. Such people need to seek genuine salvation!
4. Moreover, another sign to genuine conversion is the desire to right your wrongs.
5. True salvation yearns for restitution.
6. Nobody will experience genuine salvation without asking questions such as these: How much of my past iniquity can I correct? How much can I salvage of the damage I have done?
7. These questions will come from your heart even without being taught the doctrine of restitution. This happened to Zacchaeus in today’s Bible reading.  Immediately Jesus entered his house, Zacchaeus responded to His love with these words in Luke 19:8: “…. Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from my man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
8. Zacchaeus, even without being instructed, decided to give 50% of his wealth to the poor, and offered to return four times whatever he had taken from any man by false accusations. This pleased the Lord.
9. Indeed, restitution pleases God.
10. When you restore whatever you have stolen, and whenever you right your wrongs, it becomes a testimony to be genuineness of your repentance.
11. When you make restitution to people you offended or cheated, it softens the ground for you to eventually present the message of the gospel to them.
12. If you hold back what you stole, even after you claim to have been saved, you will retain the enmity of those you defrauded, and because of you, they may never respond to the message of salvation.
13. Is there any pending restitution you need to make?
14. Go ahead and right your wrongs. For controversial and very weighty cases, please seek counselling before going ahead. 

Knowing Christ brings a new heart and mindset to the saved. There is this urge to right every wrong deeds of the past. This salvation shows in the attitude and doings of the born again Christian. Those rugged living that brought stain and bad name is erased by the new living that will spring forth. We have been called to restitute where possible and seek counsel for bigger issues before going ahead. May we receive the courage to do so in Jesus name. The Open Heavens devotional is a big blessing to us. May God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye the author in Jesus name.

Key Point
The practice of restitution gives you a clear conscience before God and man.
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. 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
Read: Revelation 3:19-22
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 21-23, Ezekiel 39:9-20

1. God is a God of order, and Heaven is a place of order.
2. Heaven is also a place where everything revolves around the will of the Owner: God.
3. There is protocol in Heaven and a hierarchy or authority which must be respected. For this reason, when accessing God’s presence, the manner of approach really matters. How you enter into a room or house will determine whether you will be welcomed or chased out.
4. Do you know that even God subjects Himself to the law of order? In Revelations 3:20, Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and opened the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
5. Although God created us, He still has to knock and wait to be invited in before He enters into our hearts.
6. Even though He created the space in your heart for Himself, He still doesn’t force Himself into that space. You are the one to decide if and when He should come in or not.
7. In Genesis 18:1-8, Abraham saw some divine visitors near his tent. He ran to meet them, pleading for the opportunity to be hospitable to them. In this instance also, you can see that God waited to be invited in.
8. Similarly, in Genesis 19:1-3, when the two angels arrived in Sodom, Lot invited them in to spend the night.
9. Also, in 2nd Kings 4:8, Elisha was just passing by when the Shunammite woman invited him into her house for lunch, and even though he said he was not hungry, the woman practically compelled him to come in. From that day forward, whenever Elisha passed by, he stopped over at her house.
10. God waits to be invited in because of His humility, and due to the fact that He does not want to impose Himself on us.
11. Also, He created us as free moral agents and not as zombies or robots: He wants us to be free to express our own will.
12. In addition, He wants us to be able to bear the consequences of our actions and not hold Him responsible for what we do.
13. He also wants to be able to determine if we truly love Him and whether we desire to follow Him or not.
14. If you are not yet born again, you have been keeping the Saviour waiting all these years. Please answer the knock on the door of your heart, kindly invite Jesus in, and surrender your whole life to Him.
15. Doing this is in your own interest.

God is super awesome and respects even the free will of humanity created by Him. His reputation and faithfulness is amazing. Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”. Believers should understand that God will never impose His blessing or wish upon anyone but rather expects you to show your intention to be blessed. Thank God for several examples given in today’s devotional. In  Matthew 7:7, we are also required to ask first before it is given to us. Have you been wondering if God is interested in your case, I like to affirm to you that He is more than interested to help but have you opened the door? Do you even hear His cool voice? Food for thought and adjustment. God be praised forever more for Pastor E.A Adeboye.
Action Point
Invite Jesus into every area of your life from which you have shut Him out.
HYMN
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 
in a believer’s ear! 
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, 
and drives away our fear. 
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole 
and calms the troubled breast; 
’tis manna to the hungry soul, 
and to the weary, rest. 
3 O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, 
my Prophet, Priest, and King, 
my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, 
accept the praise I bring. 
4 How weak the effort of my heart, 
how cold my warmest thought; 
but when I see you as you are, 
I’ll praise you as I ought. 
5 Till then I would your love proclaim 
with every fleeting breath; 
and may the music of your name 
refresh my soul in death. 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  – Colossians 1:12
Read: Colossians 1:12-13, Ephesians 2:1-2
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Ephesians 2:1-2:
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 19-20, Ezekiel 38:17-39:8,

1. In every village, town, city, state or nation, there are usually two kingdoms at play: the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. Colossians 1:13 says, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
2. This scripture shows that every child of God has been moved from one of these kingdoms to the other. If you are truly saved, you are no longer in darkness but in the kingdom of light.
3. As light, you should not be afraid of operators in the kingdom of darkness, such as witches, wizards and those in the occult, because you have the greater One inside of you (1 John 4.4).
4. If you are afraid of them, this indicates to you that all is not well with you; there could be some cracks in your wall, and sin might be responsible.
5. Whatever compromises your holiness compromises your divine security.
6. When these operators of darkness see that your light is shining brightly, they will withdraw and dangle carrots of temptation at you, and if you fall for it, they will strike at you.
7. Moreover, the reason why God translated us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his dear Son is because He is interested in having His will established both in Heaven and here on earth. Although nothing short of God’s will is done in Heaven, on earth, there is still a struggle to establish God’s will, because man handed over control of the earth to the kingdom of darkness in the Garden of Eden (Luke 4:5-6).
8. As a child of God, you are therefore an agent of re-establishing God’s will in any corner of the earth where you find yourself. If you want to establish and fulfil God’s will, you will make no room for lies, sin and pretence.
9. Among God’s children on earth today, you will be shocked to know how many of them really seek to do His will in all areas of their lives.
10. Many of us want God to change His plans and ways to suit ours, but that is an expectation in futility.
11. God does not change. He is ever the same (Malachi 3:6). As conservative as He may appear to be, His technology in Heavens is billions of years ahead of ours on earth. In fact, He is the One who gives our researchers, thinkers and inventors the latest discoveries they get.  Such scientific discoveries are new and news to us, but not to those in Heaven. To them, the best we have on offer is stale news. In Heaven, there are no gimmicks or tricks.
12. Everything revolves around God, and He is in control of time.
13. When God therefore gives you an assignment, He has expectations regarding when, where and how it should be done. If you miss out on any of the details, you will be on your own.
14. To what extent are you doing His will?

“If you want to establish and fulfil God’s will, you will make no room for lies, sin and pretence.” This statement is to be meditated on for correction because it is deep. We have been saved by grace so as to step into the mandate our Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself. We have been commissioned to reconcile men to God and all we require to do it successfully has been made available unto us. Romans 8:19‭, ‬30 says “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” His will is the most important and the paramount. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great devotional and renew his strength in Jesus name.

Action Point
Ask God for grace to know Him, and for courage to do His will in every situation.
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.
 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. Proverbs 11:26
Read: Judges 9:16-24
16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
Judges 9:45-57
45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 17-18, Ezekiel 38:1-16

1. From today’s Bible reading, the effects of a curse are glaring and obvious.
2. Jotham was a son of Gideon who escaped the murderous rampage of his brother Abimelech. After Abimelech had killed seventy of his brothers, Jotham stood and placed a cursed on him and the men of Shechem who conspired with Abimelech to carry out this evil act. Three years after this curse was pronounced, God sent an evil spirit to bring about the fulfilment of the curse. In the process of this curse being fulfilled, so many terrible things happened. Land and property were destroyed, a large part of the population was annihilated and ultimately, the cursed Abimelech died. May you never come under a curse! And if you are already under any curse, it is broken today in Jesus’ Name!
3. Let me tell you a story I heard when I was very young. An old man met a bubbling young man on his way to the farm one day. Being advanced in age, the old man was bent, used a walking stick and limped slightly. Seeing this old man, the young man began to laugh at him; so the old man asked him what he did to deserve such ridicule. “Why shouldn’t I laugh? What can you do?” the young man asked, and the old man replied, “I know I am too feeble to run after you or fight you, but the basket is never satisfied with water”, and then he went on his way. Suddenly, a strong thirst gripped the young man. He dashed to the first hut and asked for water. After drinking so much, he continued his journey. Not long after, he became thirsty again. He stopped at the second hut and drank so much water. Thereafter, he returned to the first hut to ask for some more water, and the people there discerned that something was definitely wrong with him. “What is wrong with you?”, they asked. He told them, “One old man said to me, “The basket is never satisfied with water”. “Really, can you describe this old man?” He did, and they accompanied him to search for the old man, until they found him and begged for his forgiveness. This old man gave in, and then pronounced, “Alright, from now on you cease to be the basket, and you will begin to have satisfaction.” That was how the young man was delivered from the strange thirst.
4. Do everything possible to avoid being cursed by God.
5. If a curse from a fellow man can be disastrous, how would a curse from God be?
6. If your biological father curses you, you can run to your spiritual father or pastor, who has spiritual authority over you, and he can cancel it. If your pastor curses you, you can run to the general overseer set over him, and he can cancel it; though he will also demand that you restitute your ways. However, if God curses you, to whom will you run? 

What a great question ended today’s devotional! “If God curses you, to whom will you run?” And the answer is no one. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31 Living in peace with all men should be a priority for every believer. It is not just a good thing to do, it also pleases God. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14 If we are able to achieve this, it will limit the possibility of hurting others which can therefore attract curse. Also doing God’s will and obeying His word can help keep a believer off the curse route. The Lord will visit us and cleanse us of every existing curse in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and equip him with greater wisdom and knowledge to continually be a vessel for the salvation of sinners in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, help me to never partake in anything that will attract curses to my life.
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.
 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14
Read: Haggai 1:12-15
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.
13 Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.
14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 14-16, Ezekiel 37:15-28

1. Some people attend big Christian events for the sake of tradition, while some others attend because certain people are coming there.
2. A crowd will often gather whenever there is an assembly where Jesus is present. If you attend such gatherings because of the crowd – just to belong or to show that you are current – you may not receive your desired blessings.
3. In Mark 5:24-34, a crowd gathered around Jesus Christ on His way to Jairus’ house. For many of them, it was enough that they were in the crowd following Jesus, but right there in their midst, there was a woman who was not there because others were there; she was there because she so needed and desired to touch Jesus. She was determined in her heart that if only she could touch the hem of His clothes, she would receive her healing. She touched it and she was healed. That is what a motivated mindset can do. The Bible says she “came in the press behind”. She did not mind if people trampled on her, and she did not mind the pushing and shoving of the crowd; her singular focus was that she just had to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, no matter what it would take. To understand how motivated she was, you try getting to the front of a crowd from behind.
4. Moreover, another person who had a motivated mindset was Zerubbabel. Today’s Bible reading shows that when you have a focused mindset like Zerubbabel did, it will stir you up to take action.
5. A motivated mindset fills your heart with conviction that you are overdue for a breakthrough, thereby ushering you into your desired blessing.
6. For instance, when the man who was paralysed from the neck downwards was brought to Jesus, it was not for flimsy reasons (Mark 2:1-12). His friends felt he was overdue for a breakthrough, and so on their arrival, when the door was blocked off and there was no feasible way in through the window, they created a way through the roof.
7. When you believe you are already overdue for a breakthrough, you will be compelled to take violent steps towards attaining your expectation. You will not care about the crowd, traditions or the need to socialize. You will not care about who is first, second or next to be attended to on a queue. All that fills your mind is that you are the next beneficiary of God’s mercy.
8. Where do you stand now? Are you overdue for promotion, success, breakthrough, deliverance or prosperity? If you are, let your conviction on this drive you into your miracle.
9. Such a belief has a way of motivating you to take actions that will trigger your blessing. It shall be well with you this season!

For every service a believer attends there must be an expectation. We must position ourselves rightly and open our hearts to receive our desired change. Leaving each service better and blessed should be what we look out and thirst for often. Until we do this we may not receive from him. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7‭-‬8 May God bless and continually strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Key Point
While the expectations of the righteous are granted, those without expectations shall have nothing.
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.
 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Psalm 66:2
Read: 1st Samuel 2:27-30
27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 11:13, Ezekiel 36:33-37:14

1. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” Malachi 3:8
2. In the above passage of Scripture, God complained about His children, who had suddenly turned into robbers.
3. How can a worker in the Church of God or a minister of God be a thief? How can you claim to be a born-again Christian and keep on stealing?
4. Those who rob God are no ordinary thieves. Boy, such people are really brave! Their victim is not a fellow human being but God Himself.
5. You can be certain that such people are the worst kind of thieves in the universe!
6. Can you imagine that idolaters fear their idols so much that they do everything possible not to break their rules? If anything is dedicated to an idol, who would dare steal it? Yet, these people throw all caution to the wind and steal what is dedicated to the Most High, and they expect Him to do nothing about it, because He is a God of mercy. This is bravery gone awry!
7. Are you one of such “holy thieves”? Are you defaulting in your tithes and offerings?
8. In the same vain, there are some foolish and ignorant people, particularly in the universities, who insult God and Jesus Christ occasionally. I know this because I used to be one of them before I got saved.
9. The opposite of honour is disrespect. If you are not honouring God, it means you are insulting Him.
10. Everyone who robs God of first fruits dishonours God, and if you dishonour God, you can compel Him to change His promises and plan for your life (Proverb 3:9). This was what happened to the house of Eli. Hear what the Lord told Eli in 1st Samuel 2:30: “… I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”
11. May the Lord not change His great plan for your life.
12. Do you honour Him? if you refuse to honour God, He will refuse to honour you. If you ignore Him, you will be of no consequences to Him. At the end of the day, you will undo yourself by your refusal to comply with divine instructions.
13. Refusal to honour God can turn the desirable into something detestable. It can push the good things of life that were at a person’s fingertips miles away from him or her.
14. Dishonouring God can separate you temporarily or even permanently from your blessings. Have you been paying your first fruits yearly? How often do you honour God?

We have a divine instruction in today’s devotional to stop dishonouring God. As many believers that would keep at studying the word of God and doing it will remain God’s treasured possession. Our God is faithful to keep His covenant with anyone who obeys and honours Him. Atimes, we pretend not to know the right thing to do when it comes to God’s instruction. We give excuses just to cover up and escape fulfilling a particular requirement expected of us. I implore us to brood over some key revelation in today’s devotional and make amends prayerfully. “Refusal to honour God can turn the desirable into something detestable. It can push the good things of life that were at a person’s fingertips miles away from him or her. Dishonouring God can separate you temporarily or even permanently from your blessings.” may we not become detestable and separated from God in Jesus name. We pray that God will continue to be with Pastor E.A Adeboye and equip him with greater wisdom to impact us more in Jesus name.

Key Point
The instruction to honour the Lord is not a suggestion but a command.
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

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 1st Samuel 2:21
Read: 1st Samuel 1:9-18
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 9-10, Ezekiel 36:16-32

1. If you have a heart desire which you have asked for, but you are yet to receive it after a long time, it might just be that you are either not yet desperate or you are not desperate enough.
2. The truth is, desperate people break all barriers, respect no decorum and refuse to take ‘no’ or ‘wait’ for an answer.
3. In the end, desperate people often even get more than they bargained for, while the non-desperate sometimes barely receive the minimum desire they crave.
4. Hannah’s experience serves as an example of what desperation can produce in the life of a person. She was barren and she prayed for the fruit of the womb for several years but nothing happened. Instead, her mate mocked her even more; she then became desperate. In her desperation, she made a vow which provoked her miracle. Although she only asked for one child, her desperation gave her an additional five. She experienced an overflow! If you can take your desperation to the limits. You can get beyond your request today.
5. Moreover, desperation can cause you to ask for the impossible. When you are desperate, you are not bothered about processes or possible means. You could ask for what most people will consider difficult, and you will get it.
6. Elisha is a case in point. Elisha was desperate for the power of God, and so when he tendered his request, his master told him he had asked for a hard thing. What did he ask for? He requested a double portion of the Spirit upon his master. Elijah said that was a difficult request, but Elisha got it because he was desperate (2nd Kings 2:9-15).
7. How desperate are you? Do you believe God can do all things? Do you really believe that your request will not be difficult for God? Are you sick and trusting God for healing? My God has enough power to heal a whole nation in just one night.
8. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, none of them was feeble. Speaking about this, the Holy Spirit in Psalm 105:37 said: “He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.”
9. Can you imagine that? These people had been beaten, tortured and bruised; yet, in one single night, all of them were healed! If He can heal a nation in one night, can’t He heal your whole family at a go? Yes He can!
10. However, how desperate is your desire for Him to do this? Are you ready to hold on to Him today and say, “Father, if you do not heal me, I won’t let You go?” The Lord will visit you today, and your story will change for the best.

Staying firm and strong on the word of truth and its power and potency results into great testimony. Today’s devotional showed us various situation that shows God can do anything. All we need is a strong faith that can move mountains. God is faithful and will always honour His word to the glory of His name. Nothing is too big for Him to make happen for you. Dream big enough such that God will be involved in it. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Key Point
Desperate people are too hot to handle; even the devil gets out of their way.
HYMN
The great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus.
Refrain:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.
Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
Go on your way in peace to heav’n,
And wear a crown with Jesus.
All glory to the dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Savior’s name,
I love the name of Jesus.
His name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The charming name of Jesus.
 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Galatians 1:16
Read: Acts 9:1-6
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 7-8, Ezekiel 36:1-15

1. Salvation is great, but you must ensure you are genuinely saved.
2. After having a definite encounter with the Lord that leads to salvation, there are some signs that will confirm to you that your salvation is genuine. One of these signs is that your emphasis would no longer be on what Jesus can do for you, but what you can do for the Lord.
3. The realisation of how close you were to Hell before God’s mercy reached out to save you will birth a heart of gratitude in you the moment you are genuinely saved. You will then feel the urge to serve God wholeheartedly in order to reciprocate His love.
4. Genuine salvation births heartfelt service.
5. If you say you are born again and nothing ever prompts you on the need to work for Jesus, that salvation is questionable.
6. In Acts 9:6, as soon as Saul had an encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus, he asked the Lord, “What do you want me to do?”
7. Today, after people say they are saved, they only bombard heaven with their petitions and prayer requests. God will definitely meet your needs, but have you ever said, “Lord, thank You for the salvation of my soul. How can I show my gratitude for Your love? What can I do for the One who loved me and died for me?
8. “If you ask the Lord these questions, He would most probably tell you the same thing He said in Mark 5:19b to the erstwhile mad man of Gadara: “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”
9. Genuine salvation makes you more responsible and responsive to God.
10. After I was saved, I wanted to know what I could do for Jesus, because God had opened my eyes to see how close I was to Hell, and He made me realise I was now on my way to Heaven. This is why I find it distasteful to hear that some people who have been saved for three years have never witnessed Jesus Christ to anyone. After I was saved, I could not keep it to myself. I was ready to tell all who cared to listen that I was saved. I was also ready to serve. On one of such occasions, one of my ex-students drove by me and saw me carrying a big basket of sawdust on my head, and he screamed in surprise that his lecturer could be doing that in a church at Ebute Metta, Lagos. The location of our church at this time was like a slum. However, that did not change anything about my desire to serve my Saviour and Redeemer.
11. Does the realisation of the great things God has done for you motivate you to go the extra mile for Him in witnessing and giving? How committed are you to the expansion of God’s Kingdom on earth?
12. I urge you to become a responsible member of God’s Kingdom today. 

The passion to reach out to the unsaved like we used to be doesn’t exist in most believers. The zeal to replicate what happened to us in terms of salvation is not there in many. A preacher once said success is not in the number of cars you have or the amount you have in your account but in the ability to replicate yourself in others positively. We have the mandate to go into the world and bring many to Christ. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:14‭-‬15. They need us to tell them before they know. May the zeal and passion for the master’s work consume us in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Action Point
As a mark of genuine appreciation for your salvation, lead some souls to Jesus today!
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. 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise; Let all things be done decently and in order. 1st Corinthians 14:40
Read: 2nd Thessalonians 3:6-12
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 5-6, Ezekiel 34:25-35:15

1. Through the Lord’s Prayer, we understand that everything that happens in Heaven is nothing short of God’s will. Matthew 6:10 says, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
2. This implies that Heaven is not a place where you go and sin, disobey or do anything that God does not approve of.
3. Heaven is not for haters of God but for those who truly love Him. For this reason, anyone who cannot fit into God’s will on earth would not be allowed to pass through the gates of Heaven. (Revelation 22:15).
4. To enter into God’s place of abode, God expects you to start living the life of Heaven right here on earth. It is possible to achieve this when you give your life to Jesus Christ and allow Him to live His life through you (Galatians 2:20).
5. Therefore, if there is one thing you must do in order to make Heaven, it is to fit into God’s plan for your life and pursue nothing short of His will, just as Jesus Christ did (John 4:34).
6. If you cannot walk in His will throughout your lifetime on earth, there is no way for you to get into Heaven.
7. In the same vein, it is very important to do things in order.
8. God is a God of order.
9. To do things in order means to follow the format, principles and protocols laid down by a higher authority. There is order and protocol in Heaven.
10. To do well in your race to Heaven, you need to understand and follow this divine order and protocol (1st Chronicles 15:12-13). Although the Bible says there is only one God, it further reveals that this God is in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
11. In John 10:30, Jesus declared that He and His Father are one, and yet while referring to the persons of the Trinity, in Matthew 28:19, He followed a certain order; He said: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
12. When we therefore baptize believers in Christ, it must be done following the order declared by the Lord Himself. We do not say because Jesus Christ has a Name that is above every other name, that the order should be changed to read: God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and God the Father.
13. When you violate the law of order, you violate the will of God. Nothing is done just for fun in Heaven; everything there is done to reflect God’s will, law or order.
14. There is a divine arrangement in place in Heaven: God is on His throne, the four living beings come next, and then the 24 elders (Revelation 4:2-6). That is divine order.
15. In serving God, you must do everything decently and in order. How compliant are you in this?

God is the God of order and everyone who wants to journey with Him must follow suit. Living by the principles of God is a must for every believer that wants to make Heaven. If your destination is Heaven, its better to start practicing orderliness here on earth. Brethren, let us be cautious of every of His command and know that exhibiting the will of the Father while here on earth is not optional, as the bible says thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Matt 6 10. I pray for such Grace that will enable me to abide by God’s principles in Jesus name. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that God will equip him for greater works in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me grace to live by Your principles in this world and to follow Your guidelines in all that I do.
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. 
 

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 1st Peter 3:16
Read: 2nd Samuel 12:7-14
7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
Bible in one year: 2nd Chronicles 1-4, Ezekiel 34:11-24

1. A true representative of a good family will do everything possible to protect name of the family. For this reason, Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”
2. If you are a worthy child of God, you will do all you can to honour God’s Name, and you will never bring it into disrepute.
3. Honouring God’s Name goes beyond lip service; God expects you to prove that you honour Him through your actions.
4. In 1st Samuel 17:1-51, David was angry that an uncircumcised Philistine could boldly insult the God of Israel, and yet nobody could do anything about it. He therefore took up the challenge of defending God’s Name. What have you done to defend or honour God’s Name?
5. In what way has your nation, state, community or even your workplace recognised the Lordship and greatness of God above all other gods because of your presence there? The patriarchs of old were not ashamed to stand for this same God, even at the cost of their lives (Hebrews 11:36-37). But how is it with you today? Are you even ashamed to publicly associate yourself with Jesus Christ, so that your peers and superiors will not look down on you?
6. If you truly hallow God’s Name, then under no circumstance would you defile that Name.
7. When someone looks at you and say, “How could you do this? And you call yourself a child of God!” Those words will go through you like a hot iron if your conscience is alive. If those words were spoken to you because you truly did err from the faith, you would feel pain in your heart, become miserable and feel ashamed of yourself. If indeed your conscience is alive, in such a moment, you would see yourself as a wretched sinner and immediately run to the cross of Calvary for mercy and forgiveness.
8. If your conscience is however dead, you may not feel a thing and just move on as if nothing ever happened.
9. Is your conscience still alive? Does it warn you before you do any evil? Does it prick you when you sin?
10. In 2nd Samuel 11, David and Bathsheba fell into the sin of adultery. By the time Nathan confronted David over this evil act, he felt horrible. He was broken and in pain. God told him that his actions had brought shame and disgrace to His Name (2nd Samuel 12:14). David genuinely repented, and God forgave him.
11. At what stage do you realise you have sinned, and what is your response to this realisation?

Sin has become a norm to many believers. They intentionally ignore the voice of the holyspirit calling their attention to a wrong act and attitude. They gradually allow their conscience die off because of lust, love of the world and temporary benefits. How sad! however, the good news is that there is always room in Christ for forgiveness for every sinner who will go to Him for salvation. If anyone falls in the category of those whose conscience is dead either knowingly or unknowingly, going back to our Saviour is the best thing to do. It is a great privilege to study the Open Heavens devotional daily. May God strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, from now on, may I never bring shame to Your Name by my deeds.
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

Please follow and like us:

20