Monthly Archives: December 2017

Memorise: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
Read: Genesis 50:15-21
15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 13-16, Zachariah 10

1. Not every seemingly negative situation is as bad as it looks or sound. In fact, for those called according to God’s purpose, who love God and are in His will, every event works to deliver something good to them (Romans 8:28). This is why we are told that we walk by faith and not by sight (2nd Corinthians 5:7).
2. If you view every incident with your limited understanding, you will be deceived.
3. God can bring out something good from the evil works of your enemies, and in the end, they will end up being fooled, deceived or misguided.
4. If you walk with the Holy Spirit allow Him shed His light on events happening around you, you will see what He is working out for you, and you will react differently to seemingly unpleasant things. Instead of sorrowing or being aggrieved, you would be rejoicing and celebrating. Why? It is because you have begun to see as the Holy Spirit sees. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
5. Beloved, if you are saved and standing in God’s will, please know that whatever God allows to come your way is your good.
6. In the various situations of life you are confronted with, God is working out something for you.
7. He is always in control.
8. The devil may brag, shake the whole place and get everyone afraid, but God is the one at the helm affairs.
9. He is the One holding the rudder of the ship. He is fully in control and He never stops working. As the devil is scheming, God tampers with his plans. By the time his plans materialize, instead of working against you as originally designed, the devil will see them working for your good and in your favour.
10. Even in very bad situations, God can still work out something good.
11. Can you imagine anything good ever coming out of Samson’s fall? After he fell and was arrested, he was shaved, blinded and made an object of the mockery by the philistines (Judges 16:17-30). However, when he repented, God tinkered with his situation, and at the end of it all, the enemies he killed in his pitiable state where more than all those he killed while he had his eyes and freedom.
12. Beloved, just submit to God in whatever situation you find yourself and you will be shocked at what great feat God can still achieve through you in that situation.

Most challenges believers face is only for a while and it has been programmed to end in praise if handled with faith. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for blessing us with the word of God daily through the open Heavens devotional. More grace for greater works is released unto him in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, I thank You for always causing all things to work together for my good.
HYMN
Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor;
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us;
All must be well.
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.
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,
Or in living, or in dying,
All must be well.

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20

Memorise: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Read: Philippians 1:20-21
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 9-12, Zachariah 9

1. Do you desire and seek rest for your soul!? There is a rest in Jesus Christ that can never fine elsewhere.
2. To access this rest, you must be ready to receive His yoke by denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him daily (Matthew 11:29).
3. To find rest for your soul, you must reach a point where you are no longer ashamed of Jesus Christ. You must conquer shame or be dead to it with regard to your faith in Christ Jesus. To this end, Paul said this to us, from his experience: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I Shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall magnified in my body, whether it be my life, or by death.” Philippians 1:20
4. Are you still ashamed to publicly declare your faith in Christ? Do you allow people to intimidate you concerning your faith in Christ Jesus? Get out of that pit of shame today and let everyone who cares to know be informed that you are a true child of God! Let your lifestyle support your confession and copy Jesus in all that you do!
                                                  
5. A confirmation that you have conquered shame with respect to your faith in Christ is that you will be bold to face anyone, anywhere and say to them that you are for Jesus Christ. If you are not bold, it is because you are infested with fear.
6. If you have fear inside you and you are not baby Christian, please check your life for sin. Why? Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
7. Sin always brings in some degree of fear to a person’s life. There is a relationship between sin and fear. In the same vein, there is a relationship between righteousness and boldness (confidence).
8. When you live your life transparently in righteousness, you will be bold and courageous. You will also be able to muster increasing levels of faith.
9. If you do not have faith in your prayers been answered, it could indicate the presence of sin in your life.
10. Sin kills expectations and hope.
11. When you live to please God, your expectations will be strong and your hope will be strong.
12. Check your life today. If you are lacking in boldness, faith, hope and expectation, there just might be some sins you haven’t confessed lurking around the corner.

Mark 8:34‭-‬38 says: “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” When you surrender all to God, you loose nothing but gain all. May He not be ashamed of us in Jesus name. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually uphold and strengthen Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me boldness to declare my faith in every situation I find myself in this world.
HYMN
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!
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!
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.
When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done,
Be near to me.
Blest Savior, then, in love
Fear and distrust remove.
O bear me safe above,
Redeemed and free!

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20

Memorise: “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.” Psalms 35:27
Read: Genesis 32:3-6
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 5-8, Zachariah 8:9-23

1. If you measure life by the experiences of some people, you will live far from your God–given purpose and barely scratch the surface.
2. Some people are alive but only just surviving from day to day.
3. In Luke 13:11-17, the woman who was bound for 18 years did not die, but she was merely surviving and not living. Also, the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 1:23-26 was continually going to church, and yet he was inhabited by an unclean spirit. It was even in the synagogue that the Lord met him. Although he was living, he was the captive of a demonic spirit. What of Naaman who appeared to be a distinguished and successful man, and yet he had a problem that no man could solve (2nd kings 5:1)?
4. Just like the individuals in all these examples, many people today are barely surviving, and are not living life as purposed by God for them.
5. God not only wants you to live life, He also wants you to enjoy the abundant life that he gives (John 10:10) 
6. Are you not tired of “managing” struggling to survive, and living from hand to mouth? If you are truly tired, the Lord will make a way for you. 
                 
7. God is interested in the overflow of his blessings upon your life. He does not just want you to be healed; He also wants His healing virtue to flow through you to others. He wants you to be free from captivity, and beyond this, He also wants you to set the captives free.
8. God does not want you just to be rich but also to lend to nations. He wants you to be so prosperous that when nations cannot balance their budgets, they will come and pay you a visit.
9. God wants you to bring great joy to your family, community, city and nation. However, no matter how much He wants the overflow for you, He will respect what you want for yourself.
10. He cannot force an overflow of his blessings on you when you want so little of it.
11. There are different levels of greatness, and your choice of the type of life you want for yourself has a role to play in determining how great you become.
12. Let us see the example of Esau. Yes, he sold his birthright, but as a seed of Abraham, he was so blessed from the remnant of blessing pronounced on him that he had 400 bodyguards. How many bodyguards do ministers, senators, state governors or even presidents have today? So you would agree that Esau was not doing badly. However, compared to Jacob his brother, who became a great nation, the difference is definitely clear.
13. Do you want to merely survive, or do you want to be truly blessed with the overflowing portion of God’s blessings? The choice is Yours!

The prayer point below is powerful and I enjoin us to pray it with all our might and expect an answer. God’s word will produce results in our lives in Jesus name. Blessed be God for blessing our generation with Pastor E.A Adeboye. His strength is renewed in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, I am tired of just managing to survive. I choose the overflow of Your blessings. Please release it to me and my family now.
HYMN
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
[Chorus]
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. There shall be showers of blessing–
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
[Chorus]
3. There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
[Chorus]
4. 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!
[Chorus]

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20

Memorise: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” Proverbs 1:5
Read: Proverbs 1:1-6        
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 1-4, Zachariah 7:1-8:8

1. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” Proverbs 1:5
2. According to the above scripture, knowledge is good, although not all knowledge is necessary for the children of God.
3. It also states that only a wise fellow will benefit from what he hears.
4. If you are taught something but you fail to act on it, you are at a greater disadvantage compared to those who were not exposed to such information at all. Why? Jesus says that on the last day, it is the Word of God that will judge us. In other words, any sound teaching from God’s word that you heard but failed to act upon will stand against you on the last day. This means that just as the word of God can liberate a person, that same word can also condemn him or her. May you not be condemned by what you have heard in Jesus’ Name! This is why you need to live your life by every word of God or teaching from the Bible you have received.
5. From Proverbs 1:5, we also learn that if knowledge is given its rightful position in your life, what you are taught will provoke you to desire more knowledge. In other words, if you are wise, you will always remain a student throughout your life, because one revelation of God’s word will prompt you to search for another in an unending chain.
6. In this regard, believers are expected to be like professionals who need to constantly update their knowledge.
7. Are you always seeking to know more? Do you find time to read good, inspiring books? It is popularly said that leaders are readers.
8. If you fail to read and learn from the experiences and wealth of knowledge of others, you will only be left with the stale information that you have inside you. Therefore, seek knowledge from today for you to lead in your group; you ought to know what others do not know.
9. According to Ecclesiastes 9:18 winning a war is not only dependent on the nature of the weapons available to you, but more on what you know and your ability to apply what you know to the situation at hand.
10. If there is one area every believer in Christ should work on, it is to know God more.
11. How well are your doing in this area?

You have to be vast in knowledge of God’s word to be at the top, ahead and in control both spiritually and physically. We need to unlearn and relearn some of the things we know in time of ignorance. We took some of this knowledge as presented to us without further study on it and it has remained that way since then. If we search deep enough we will have the privileged of being exposed to deeper truth of the word of God through the help of the Holy Spirit. The truth is that there is something new to learn each time we study. We should earnestly desire more knowledge and seek it. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye in wisdom and knowledge in Jesus name.

Key Point
It is either you are current and relevant, or you become stale and abandoned. It’s your choice to make!
HYMN
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
 O Prophet, Priest and King,
 My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
 Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
 And cold my warmest thought;
 But when I see Thee as Thou art,
 I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

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20

Memorise: “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27
Read: Isaiah 52:11-12
11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.
Bible in one year: Revelation 20-22, Zachariah 5:5-6:15

1. It is the great desire of the wonder-working God to work wonders through His children. However, for you to be a partaker of the manifestation of this desire, you must be prepared to pay the price.
2. Nothing good comes cheap. Anything that is cheap is obviously of low quality and value.
3. If you are interested in working wonders as a worker in God’s vineyard, you must be prepared to be a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).
4. You must be ready to say, “Lord, for the rest of my life, feel free to do whatever you want with me.” In addition, to working wonders, you must have clean hands. Isaiah 52:11 says, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.”
5. Your hands must be free from defilement at home, at work, when nobody is watching, and everywhere else.
6. Many years ago, while I was still lecturing in the university, I wrote a personal letter, and as I reached out to take one of the official envelopes assigned to me, the Lord said, “You wrote a personal letter, but that envelope is for official use.” I replied, “Lord, how much is an envelope?”, and He said to me, “If it is so cheap, go and buy your own.”
7. If you want to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, or if you want to lay hands on demon-possessed individuals and have the demons obey your voice, then it cannot be with hands that have been stealing, defrauding or writing false reports.
8. Moreover, you need to be in constant touch with God. 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says that you should pray without ceasing. One way to do this is by regularly praying in tongues like Paul (1st Corinthians 14:18).
9. You can also keep in touch with God by constantly thanking Him. I tell you, Jesus would like that. I heard the testimony of a man who on his 50th birthday said all he wanted to do was say ‘Thank You’ to Jesus at least 50 times. I said that was a beautiful idea which had never crossed my mind.
10. How old are you now? When you want to pray, say thank You to Jesus the number of times corresponding with your age, and you will be amazed at what could happen through this. Do you want to be a worker of signs and wonders? Are you ready to pay the price?

1 Corinthians 6:9‭-‬10 says “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Anything that will deprive us of entering God’s kingdom should be avoided like plague. We should consciously and unconsciously stay away from everything that will not let us enter God’s Kingdom. May God help us to do so in Jesus Name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and equip him for greater works in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, by Your power, keep me from being defiled, every day of my life.
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.
Chorus:
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.
(Chorus)
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.
(Chorus)  
To that 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.
(Chorus)

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20

Memorise: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:17
Read: John 15:4-7
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Bible in one year: Revelation 17-19, Zachariah 4:1-5:4

1. The Lord Jesus Christ gave out several great invitations while He was on earth, and these invitations are still open to us today. If only you can accept them, your life will never be the same again. He says to us “Come and eat”, “Come and drink”, and “Come and Follow me” (John 21:12, John 7:37, Mark 8:34).
2. To follow Him, you must deny yourself of certain desires and lusts; take up your cross daily by being ready to live the sacrificial life that He demands, and put your feet where He trod, while carefully studying the paths that He walked (1 Peter 2:21). May God grant you the grace to truly follow Him!
3. Today, on different social media networks, quite a lot of people have a great follower-ship.
4. There is no better person to follow than Jesus Christ!
5. Following some of the characters on social media networks cannot add anything good to your life, but following Jesus will add both earthly benefits and eternal rewards to you (Mark 10:29-30).
6. The best thing that can ever happen to you is to follow Jesus!
7. A good follower of Jesus is a disciple of Christ.
8. In addition, the Lord invites His children to abide in Him. In John 15:5, Jesus says if you abide in Him, you will bear much fruit.
9. Abiding in Him is one secret of fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God.
10. If you want to be able to win a lot of souls to Christ, you must take time to ensure that He permanently resides in you and you in Him.
11. It is only then that His life will fully and freely flow through you. If you are still toying with sin, you cannot be fruitful from God’s perspective. 
12. Also, abiding in Him gives you the assurance that all your prayers will be answered (John 15:7).
13. When your requests are granted, what more can you wish for? This is where God wants all His children to be and not just some of them.
14. Are all your prayers been answered?
15. If only some have been answered, then you really need to look at your present relationship with Christ and do some more work on your love towards Him, your faith in Him, your devotion to Him, your obedience to Him, your service to Him, and your study of His word.
16. You need to look at how consistent you are in His presence and go deeper in Him.
17. Don’t stop until all your prayers are answered! Don’t stop until you are most fruitful!

Abiding in God requires daily and continuous effort. It requires a lot of self denial. We must consciously do things that we increase our love for God and be sold out to Him completely. In Him lies all we need. There is no shadow of turning with Him. No darkness or disappointment can come the way of anyone who abides in Him. Hallelujah! God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye on every side in Jesus name.

Action Point
On social media networks today, so many people who are being followed are leading their followers to Hell. Watch who you follow!
HYMN
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in endless praise.
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.
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
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.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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20

Memorise: “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” Ecclesiastes 5:5    
Read: Ecclesiastes 5:1-6
1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
Bible in one year: Revelation 14-16, Zachariah 3

1. The institution of marriage is largely misunderstood and consequently abused by a lot of people in today’s word.
2. Marriage was designed by God for the good of the partners involved. He designed it as an institution where they can complement each other, enjoy life on earth, and reproduce their kind to replenish the earth.
3. In contrast to what is sadly the norm in the world today, marriage is a covenant relationship that is of a permanent nature. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself stated this in Matthew 19:6 when he said: “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God Hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”
4. Contrary to God’s expectations, the marital vow that is supposed to be very sacred is fast becoming a recitation that is violated at will.
5. How many married people ever reflect on the vows they exchange at the altar to see if the current state of their lives has not deviated from it?
6. Marriage is a very serious covenant relationship.
7. God expects the partners involved in it to keep the pledge they made to each other in the presence of many witnesses.
8. Are you married? How faithful have you been in keeping your marital vows?
9. As children of God, we should not be surprise by the current sorry state of the institution of marriage in the world today.
10. The Holy Spirit told us ahead of time that unfaithfulness to vows will form part of the unrighteousness of men in such times as this, When in Romans 1:31 He describe the characteristics of people in the last days as follow: “Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, Implacable, unmerciful:”
11. In 2nd Timothy 3:3-4, He also indicates to us that a sign by which we will know we are in the last days is when we see men increasingly becoming traitors and trucebreakers (i.e. implacable).
12. Are you breaking any of the promises you made in your marriage vows? Are you the type that cannot be appeased? Do you find it difficult to forgive your spouse whenever there is a form of misunderstanding in your relationship? If you have any of those traits, it shows that you are not walking in the love of God. Are you unmerciful to your spouse? How can you receive mercy from God when you cannot even show it to your own spouse?
13. At the altar, you promise to take care of your spouse; are you doing so today?
14. You promise to use all your worldly goods to make life easier for your spouse, but is that what you are doing today? You promise to leave everyone else and belong to your spouse forever; is that so? Are you secretly dating someone else?
15. If you have fallen out of line, repent and keep your vows from today!

Seeing the topic of today’s devotional, one would think it is going to focus on financial or material vow to God but amazingly, the Holy Spirit took us to an entirely different direction. Many of us frequently ignore our marital vows in different manners yet we don’t see it as wrong thing. This is a call to repentance in that area and we should make our ways right with God as regards that. May the Lord help us in Jesus name. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that may his strength be renewed in Jesus name.

Action Point
Every vow made shall be accounted for someday. Never break your vows!  
HYMN
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty
Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Verse 2:
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Verse 3:
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Verse 4:
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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Memorise: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” 2nd Corinthians 4:17
Read: John 16:4-7
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Bible in one year: Revelation 11-13, Zachariah 1:18-2:13

1. Everybody has a choice to make on the issue of focus in life.
2. Your focus has a way of directing your activities and dictating how well or badly your resources are utilized. It is therefore great wisdom to make Jesus Christ your focus. May the Lord grant you grace to do so in Jesus’s Name.
3. When you walk with God for a while, you will come to realize that He specializes in bringing something good out of something seemingly bad. This is why it is well said that opportunities are wrapped up in unpleasant packages.
4. This truth was demonstrated in the life of Elisha (2nd Kings 2:1-15). To Elisha, losing his mentor and master was seemingly a bad thing, but this had to happen for him to get promoted to the office of the national prophet and become a mentor to others.
5. Similarly, it was seemly a bad thing when Jesus had to be beaten and His body was torn in shred. However, this was the price He had to fully pay for us to access healing for all kinds of diseases (1 Peter 2:24).
6. This tells us that not every bad event is truly bad, particularly as it relates to children of the Most High God (Romans 8:28). “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” John 16:7
7. After spending just three and half years with His disciples, the time came for the Lord to leave them. This was an unthinkable scenario for them, and it was most undesirable! The disciple were not ready to let the Master go, not even when they knew that He needed to go to the cross in obedience to God. In fact, Peter was prepared to involve himself in physical combat in his attempt to prevent Jesus from leaving them. However, Jesus needed to depart for the Holy Spirit to come.
8. Some people may have to leave the scene so that you can move from obscurity into limelight.
9. Have you been left out in the cold? Something will happen that will cause a sudden divine remembrance of you this season in Jesus’ Name!
10. King Uzziah had to die for Prophet Isaiah to see more clearly (Isaiah 6:1).
11. The Lord will do something about your matter today!
12. Whether good or bad, things will happen that will favour you in Jesus’ Name. Both good and bad will work in your favour this period! As bad as afflictions appear to be, 2nd Corinthians 4:17 says they are actually working great rewards for us.
13. May every seemingly bad event work for your good in Jesus’ Name!

Our God knows the end from the beginning and His thoughts for us is to make all difficulties we are facing now end in praise. 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. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11‭-‬13 We pray that God will always empower Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, in seemingly bad situations I have been through or that I am going through now, please open my eyes to see the good inherent in them.
HYMN
Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor;
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us;
All must be well.
Verse 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.
Verse 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,
Or in living, or in dying,
All must be well.

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Memorise: “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:13
Read: Acts 21:7-14
7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.
8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Bible in one year: Revelation 7-10, Zachariah 1:1-17

1. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest upon your souls” Matthew 11:29
2. In the above scripture, Jesus mentions two profound things that will give rest to our souls, one of which is that we should take on His easy yoke.
3. What is His yoke? It is that cross of self-denial we are required to carry as we follow Him. This refers to works such as these, which are integral to the Christian life: making sacrifices, giving, service, investment of time to pray and study God’s word, and soul-winning.
4. One person who carried the yoke of Jesus was Paul. He understood what it means to be ‘made by Him and for Him’ (Colossians 1:16). When he met Christ on his way to Damascus and he surrendered of Him, from then onwards, he never turned back. He joyfully sacrificed all his earthly achievements and recognition so as to pursue on goal in life: to know Jesus (Philippians 3:8)! He worked like no one else did. He travelled extensively across the globe just to serve his Saviour, risking his life over and again in the process.
5. When it was revealed that he would be bound and afflicted if he went to Jerusalem, with the brethren passionately pleading that he should not go, he responded with these words in Acts 21:13: “…what mean ye to weep and break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” Have you taken on the yoke of Christ to the extent that you can go anywhere, do anything and give up anything for Him?
6. In addition, Jesus said we must be ready to learn of Him.
7. Jesus Christ can be likened to a well of knowledge that we cannot exhaust in our lifetime.
8. Beloved, there is so much to know about Him.
9. Have you ever wondered how the Holy Spirit gives you insight into a particular scripture, and by the following day, week or month, when you take up the same verse, you still receive a deeper revelation from it?
10. Do you know that the Holy Spirit can give you deep insight in a verse of scripture from which you can produce 10 or more solid books from?
11. Although Paul knew so much about Jesus, when he compared what he knew with what he was yet to know, he realized that he still knew very little. For this reason, he made it his life’s goal to know Him.
12. Do you think you know so much about Jesus and boast over this?
13. Repent now and commit to learning more of Him everyday till you meet Him in glory.

To take His yoke upon us requires us being completely sold out to Him. We have to leave all and face Him squarely. May God give us the grace in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and equip him with greater wisdom for greater works in Jesus name.

Key Point
Those who went before us have left a great legacy for us; what legacy are we leaving behind for our children regarding the Christian faith?
HYMN
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in endless praise.
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.
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
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.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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Memorise: “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Romans 2:16
Read: Luke 12:1-3
1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Bible in one year: Revelation 3-6, Haggai 2:10-23

1. Those who attempt to hide their sins or cover up their errors fail to realize that nothing can be hidden from God, the heavenly saints and even from God’s angels.
2. A child of God who indulges in hypocritical lifestyle is yet to be broken in spirit.
3. Do you realize that God can expose the secret deeds of anybody He chooses to (Daniel 2:47)? If He has not revealed yours, it is not because you are smart, but because He is still giving you some time of grace to make amends.
4. In the early Church, the secret conspiracy of a couple was revealed by the Holy Spirit, and this led to their death (Acts 5:1-11).
5. No matter how deep that secret deed is buried, it can still exposed at anytime.
6. In addition, a day is coming when everyone’s secret will be made public before a staggering crowd of every person that has ever inhabited the earth all through the ages. This will happen at the Great White Throne Judgment, where everyone who ever lived on earth will be divinely summoned, and stand before the Almighty God to face their final judgment and thereafter receive their eternal sentence (Revelation 20:11-15).
7. On that great and terrible day, the past will be harmonized with the present to determine the eternal future of everyone. Before the greatest screen, every life will be reviewed before everyone, and then comes sentence.
8. The only people who will not be judged at that universal judgment are those who were saved and washed in the Blood of Jesus, and who must have sustained their faith in Christ until they died or were raptured. On that day, these saints will be part of the judges who will sit over the rest of the people from all nations, colour, tribe and tongues (1st Corinthians 6:2).
9. On that day, would anyone still have a secret?
10. No wonder Jesus said that there is nothing done in secret that shall not be exposed, and nothing said in private that shall not be broadcast from the mountain top.
11. How prepared are you to face the judgment of God? How long will you continue to live in secret sin?
12. Repent today and live in holiness and prepare for the Lord’s return.

It is my prayer that we shall receive crowns as our reward and not damnation in Jesus name. Let us work right before God so as to be a partaker of the latter and not the former. We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye. May God renew his strength in Jesus name.

Key Point
Calling yourself a Christian (light) but living in secret sin (darkness) is a hypocritical life. Are you not tired of this?
HYMN
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Chorus:
O deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Chorus:
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Chorus:
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Chorus:
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Chorus.

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