Monthly Archives: December 2019

Open Heaven Daily Devotional Saturday 21 December 2019 -LIVING HOLY II

Memorise: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord Psalm 122:1

Read: Hebrews 10:25-31(KJV)

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Message:-

Yesterday, we considered the place of God’s word in living a holy life, but that is not only tool we need to sustain a life of holiness.

Apart from God’s word, another tool that God has provided for us to live holy is accountability to each other in the place of fellowship. If you are not part of a fellowship of brethren, it will be easy for you a fall into temptation. In fact, when the devil is after a Christian, one of the first things he does is to isolate the person from fellowshipping with the brethren. He will either cause a quarrel between the fellow and someone else in the fellowship or make the fellow offended by some of the activities of the fellowship. In my village, we used to cook with firewood, and we needed a lot of wood to make the fire big enough to cook a meal. Every log in the fire helps the other to get and remain hot. If while cooking, one log of wood was removed from the fire and placed in a separate place, you would soon discover that his log of wood would get cold and stop burning, while the others that stayed together would keep burning. This illustrates the evil strategy of the devil; please don’t fall for it by separating yourself from the fellowship of the brethren. If there is any quarrel between you and any member of your fellowship, go to your leaders and let them settle it, rather than you leaving the fellowship.

Another important thing you need to note is that if you are in a fellowship where everyone else is feeding from you and you are not being fed by anyone, you need to change your strategy from just feeding your fellowship members to teaching them how to get fed directly from God, so that they can also feed you from what God is teaching them. Even though the flame on a candle does not reduce with the number of candles it lights, a time may come when a strong wind blows out its fire and it will need another candle to light it up. If all the other candles in your fellowship have only little light, they will also not be able to withstand the wind, and hence they will be out of the fire too. However, if there is at least one person who has been feeding from you who now knows how to feed directly from God, you can get some fire from that fellow. This is why the Bible says in Proverbs 27:17:

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friends.”

No matter how strong plastic is, it can never sharpen iron; so raise every “plastic” person around you to become iron. Believe me honestly, a “Sunday-Sunday” Christian will find it difficult to live holy. Attending mid-week services are important to keep your fire burning. Small fellowship meetings also help you strengthen your spirit man against temptations. Meeting with a prayer partner or organising small Bible study group meetings regularly will also make you sharper spiritually.

Key Point:
Abiding in an environment of accountability prevents character erosion.

Bible in one year: Proverbs 13-15, Zachariah 9

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2019-LIVING HOLY 1.

MEMORISE:
Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deuteronomy 13:4

READ: Job 23:10-12

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

MESSAGE
From my encounters with people all around the world, I make bold to say that so many people want to live their lives as true Christians. However even though they really want to live holy Christ-like lives, they somehow find themselves falling into sin again and again. Some have even concluded that it is not possible to live a holy life, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus said in Matthew 5:48:

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

Only a bully would ask a person to do something he or she knows cannot be done just to oppress that person. In some Nigerian Secondary Schools, a bully would give a junior student N10 and ask the fellow to buy food worth N100. Our God is not like that; if he says you should be perfect it means he has given you the ability to be perfect the only problem is that most people fail to realize that they have all that it takes to live a life of holiness.

God gave us the Bible to help us live a holy life. Everyone who studies the Bible regularly will tell you that the more you study God’s word the less attractive sin becomes to them. This is the point of sanctification where a person begins to love righteousness and hated iniquity. In order for the His disciples to remain holy after His departure, Jesus prayed to God thus:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

If you don’t study your Bible daily it will be impossible for you to live holy.

You should not stop at studying God’s word daily; you must also memorize it. This is why we have a memory verse per day in this devotional. When you memorize scriptures everyday it will be difficult for you to commit sin. David said in Psalm 119:11:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

What you meditate on and for how long you meditate on it has an effect on your lifestyle. This is why God advised Joshua to meditate on His word day and night. If you continuously do this you will begin to live like Christ and succeed as He did

KEY POINT:
Fall in love with God’s word and it will be easy to live a holy life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 9-12
Zechariah 8:9- 23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 19TH DECEMBER 2019-BY THEIR FRUITS.

MEMORISE:

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20

READ: Matthew 7:15-20

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

MESSAGE

It is common knowledge that a tree is known by its fruit. Incidentally, man also possesses the capacity to bear fruit. Are you bearing fruit? What kind of fruit are you bearing? For a sinner, he or she is expected to bear fruits meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8), while believers must bear the fruit of souls won into the kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20), as well as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

The fruits emanating from a person’s life can be used in identifying that person’s nature. Our Lord Himself recommended this as a way of differentiating his true messengers from imposters. In these last days, there are imposters among believers and ministers of the gospel. The only way we can identify them is by examining their fruits. For example, when you see so-called believer drinking beer, patronizing brothels or living a lifestyle of sin, you do not need to be Prophet Elijah to tell that such a person is not a genuine disciple of Christ, why? The Holy Spirit already clearly revealed the kind of lifestyle fruit that those who are in Christ will produce. He said in 1 John 3:9-10:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

In Acts 8:18-23, we read about fake disciple in the early Church, Simon by name, who was identified as an imposter through his fruit. He had been a sorcerer for a good number of years, but he joined the Church, pretending to be converted. The leadership of the Church was able to discover his deception by his quest to procure spiritual power with money. In other words, he was only in church to make money, contrary to the purpose of the Head of the Church. When his sin found him out. Peter sternly reprimanded him, saying in Acts8:20-21:

“Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”

There are some people who crave position, title and ordination in church today so that they can make merchandise of the gospel, while some are even in church to cause confusion. What is the motive driving your service in the house of God today? The Lord expects your zeal for him to be grounded in love for Him to be grounded in love for Him and commitment to the expansion of His kingdom. Is it so with you?

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please help me to bear fruit that is acceptable to You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 5-8
Zechariah 7:1- 8:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

1. While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2019-BY WHOSE STANDARD?

MEMORISE:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

READ: 1 John 2:15-29

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

MESSAGE

In this perverse world, there are many standards by which people live. Different cultures on earth all define standards they expect people to live by and try to impose this on anyone that lives under their influence. However, when Jesus came to earth preaching the kingdom of God, He dismissed these worldly standards, replacing them with the standards of God’s kingdom. For example, the world believes that a leader should be lord over his or her followers, but Jesus said it should not be so amongst us Christians. Heaven’s standard of leadership establishes that a leader should serve his or her followers (Luke 22:25-27). Also, the world tells us that it is foolish to receive an insult from someone and keep quite; the expectation is that you should reply with even more insults. Contrary to this, Jesus said when someone slaps you on one cheek, you should offer the other cheek also (Luke 6:29). The standard you live by indicate the kingdom you belong to. Speaking to God concerning His disciples, Jesus said in John 17:16:

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

If you live by the world’s standard, then you are of the world. What standards do you apply in your business dealings? By what standards do you relate with your wife or husband? What standards influence your behavior in your workplace? If you don’t live by Christ’s standards, don’t deceive yourself claiming that you are not of this world.

Many times, people live by the standards of the world because they are afraid of being rejected by the world. You must quickly understand that as a disciple of Jesus Christ that you cannot expect the world to love you. Jesus explained this to His disciples in John 15:19, saying:

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

If you are after the love of the world, then you have missed it completely. The one whose love you should be after is Jesus. His approval should be all that you seek. The world can hail you today for giving them bread and fish, then turn around to scream “Crucify Him!” tomorrow. The world is no one’s friend. The only true friend you can have is Jesus Christ. Guard your relationship with Him jealously, and live by His standards rather than those of the world.

KEY POINT:

The standards you live by show the kingdom you belong to.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 1-4
Zechariah 5:5-6:15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
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.

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.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r 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.

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.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2019 : PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS.

MEMORISE:
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3

READ: Proverbs 6:6-11

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

MESSAGE

Knowledge is considered to be powerful, because it is a major factor that controls the decision-making process and therefore ultimately determines the course of a person’s life. How much you know determines your ability to make the right decisions about a subject matter. Based on this, Proverbs 1:29-31 says that those who despise or detest knowledge do so to their own peril. To this end, Hosea 4:6 says:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The wisdom you need in taking those crucial decisions is available to you in the written and spoken word of God. If you know more about God and His word, it will help you to make error-proof choices and decisions. God can choose to speak to you on the way to go through the Bible or through prophetic utterance of genuine men and women of God. How much time do you set aside for studying the Bible? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible studies at night while others are sleeping. This is not so; you are actually gaining time by doing this. When you give priority to God’s word, you will realize that you spend far less time and effort in reaching your goal compared to those who don’t. that is why God told Joshua not to allow the knowledge of His word elude him, so that he would achieve good success (Joshua 1:8).

Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge can lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological and spiritual knowledge, and it is superior to any other kind of knowledge. However, the knowledge of God’s word is not enough; doing what it says is much more important. James 1:25 says:

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Today’s Bible reading establishes another principle of success that says there is wisdom in hard work and saving for the raining day. Those who are lazy cannot amount to anything. Also, those who are hardworking but eat both their food and seed, especially their tithes and offering, cannot walk in the realm of God’s covenant blessings. Apart from sowing seeds, you to invest in the rainy day. Ants should not be wiser than men, but God in His wisdom directs us to them today to obtain knowledge on the principles of success. May the Lord help us to be wise in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please endow me with wisdom from Your Spirit-illuminated word, so that I may gain wisdom for a successful life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 144-150
Zechariah 4:1- 5:4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2019: KEEP FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

MEMORISE:
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: Hebrews 6:11

READ: Revelation 21:1-9

1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

MESSAGE
It is a thing of joy that the truth about our Christian race and the rewards awaiting us at the finish line are not hidden from us. Speaking in today’s memory verse, the Holy Ghost admonishes us to diligently endure till the end of our Christian race, hearing at the back of our minds the assurance of an eternal life of abundance. Our Lord Jesus Christ also shed light on the honors reserved for us, saying in Revelation 2:25-26:

“But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

It is not an overstatement to say that the Christian race is a difficult task to undertake. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide this from us; rather, He said in John 15:20:

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

The early Church endured the persecution of both the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman government. At that time, being a follower of Jesus Christ was enough of crime to earn a person the death penalty. In spite of this, like the Hebrew boys of old (Daniel 3:14-18), they did not deny their faith in the Master. Unfortunately, what we have in some Christians these days is a shadow of the deep commitment demonstrated by our forerunners. Unfortunately, what we have in some Christians these days is a shadow of the deep commitment demonstrated by our forerunners. Today, the treat of being penalized for preaching the gospel to a work colleague sends fear down the spine of Christians in organizations, and they retreat into the shell pf passive Christianity, to the delight of the antichrist spirit who orchestrates such attacks in contrast, when the Jewish leaders warned the apostles of old against preaching the gospel of Christ, they responded in Acts 4:19b-20, saying:

“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

After they were released from detention and interrogation the apostles returned to their company and kept firing on all cylinders. Raising their voices to God in prayer, they received even greater boldness (Acts 4:31). Are you facing hardship and persecution because of your faith? I encourage you to remain steadfast, because our Master will soon return to take all our pain away. Be encouraged by God’s word in Revelation 21:4, saying to you:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

May you not miss heaven in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please strengthen me as I journey through this life to the heavenly Jerusalem.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 139-143
Zechariah 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2019–HELP ME, OH LORD.

MEMORISE:
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Psalm 30:10

READ: Psalm 30:10-12

10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

MESSAGE
At one point or the other in life, everyone requires a form of help from another person. Whether this help is received or not depends on the direction it is sought from. David was a man who needed great help to actualize his dream in life. It is therefore not surprising that he often sort for help, as seen in today’s memory verse. In Psalm 3:2-3, he also confesses God as his helper, saying:

“Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

No wonder he achieved great things in life. Do you want God to be your helper like He was to David? If you do, you must make certain that you belong to His kingdom and have the assurance of His salvation, which is obtainable only in Jesus Christ. Jesus is ready to help you, and He will help you as you cry unto Him today. He understands everything you are passing through because He has felt what you feel. One of the reasons why He became a man was to experience what we go through as mortals, so that He can help us in every area of life as our High Priest. Speaking of this, Hebrews 4:15-16 says:
“ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Beloved, intimacy with God is one factor that yields accelerated help from Him. What does it take to be intimate with God? To guide us on this, the Holy Spirit says in Psalm 24:3-5:

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Divine help requires a perfect walk with God, such as God demanded from Abraham in Genesis 17:1 and reinforced by Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:48. In order to develop intimate fellowship with God, after becoming born again, we must walk before Him in perfection by paying close attention to His word (Psalm 119:105). Above all, it is the mercy of God that grants us access to His divine help (Psalm 109:26, Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, if I were you, I would call on His mercy whenever I need help in my life. Are you doing this or running from pillar to post?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please send Your help to me speedily today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 120-131
Zechariah 1:1-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2019-LIVE THE WORD.

MEMORISE:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

READ: James 1:22-25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

MESSAGE

God expects His chosen generation to live by His word. Speaking on the source and purpose of the word, the Holy Spirit says in 2 Timothy 3:16:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

Sometimes, one is left to wonder if the modern Church still accepts the Bible as a relevant, suitable and adequate source of doctrine, correction and receiving instruction in righteousness. Do churches still see any reason to reprove their members today? Do we still consider the word of God as a means of correcting our ways? These are questions we need to ponder today. What is doctrine? Basically, Christian doctrine is simply the teachings of Christian faith, and they are very important to living life as a Christian. What place did doctrine have in the early church? We are told in Acts 2:42:

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Not only did the believers live by doctrines taught by the apostles, it was also reported that they propagated these doctrine. The high priest said to the apostles in Acts 5:28:

“…..behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
While commending the Christians in Rome. Paul wrote in Romans 6:17:

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”

From this verse, we understand that there was a definite “form of doctrine” delivered to the saints. How was this received? Paul testifies that they “obeyed from the heart”; in other words, by faith and not by reason.

Another function of God’s word is to serve as an instrument of reproof. Sadly, some modern day Christians do not like to be admonished. The state of a person’s heart is best tested by the effect reproof has on it. A good man with a humble mind will be submissive and thankful whenever his or her faults are pointed out. Beloved, we must be submissive to the correction being meted to us in God’s word by our parents, guardians and spiritual mentors. There are three principles we ought to apply to corrections from God’s word in order to reap its benefits. First and foremost, self-correction is very vital for our spiritual wellbeing, as seen in the case of the publican in Luke 18:13-14. Secondly, when corrected by others, we must avoid trying to justify ourselves instead of reflecting on the message being conveyed (Proverbs 28:13, Proverbs 29:1). Lastly, when correcting others, the most effective method that will recue and heal must be applied (James 5:19-20). Are you walking in these principles?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please make me an obedient doer of Your word, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 119
Haggai 2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER 2019–REAL GLORY.

MEMORISE:
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

READ: Deuteronomy 28:1-13

1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

MESSAGE

To understand what real glory looks like, let us consider these two passages of scriptures:

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Luke 4:5-8

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

In Luke 4:5-8, we see the devil offering Jesus all the power and glory of the earth, if only He worshipped him. Jesus promptly rejected this offer. Down the line, Philippians 2:9-11 records God giving Him power over everything in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth. After rejecting the glory offered by the devil, Jesus eventually received greater glory from God.

In like manner, the devil brings this same type of temptation to us every day. For example, he could suggest to you “why don’t you just doctor financial records in your place of work, so that you can have enough money to buy the latest car?” If you yield to his suggestion, you are actually bowing to him in order to get fading glory, but if you refuse and decide to remain holy, God will in turn give you wealth on earth and also in heaven. A Yoruba proverb says, “A child who has not seen a bigger farm will say his father’s farm is the biggest in the world.” The devil’s “goodies” only look good because you have not seen what God has in store. It may be tough to remain steadfast in Christ, there is a greater glory awaiting you if you overcome till the end (Romans 8:18). Jesus had His eyes set on glory, and so He endures the cross and dispised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). It is foolish to bow to sin. Although that sin may look very attractive and even seem like the smartest thing to do, don’t be deceived; there is a greater glory awaiting you if you say “no” to sin.

KEY POINT:
All that glitters is not gold.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 111-118
Haggai 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: TRUST AND OBEY.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 11TH DECEMBER 2019–THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP.

MEMORISE:
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

READ: Luke 9:23-26

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.

MESSAGE

Many children of God in this generation don’t know that discipleship comes at a cost. They don’t even know that our Master, Jesus Christ, has a yoke that they must share with Him. He Himself said to us in Matthew 11:29:

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

Our willingness to share His yoke with Him is what qualifies us as His disciples. Today, the landscape of the Christian faith is dominated by what I term “the social gospel”. This gospel teaches that the end justifies the means. Things that Jesus Christ abhorred are what some so-called believers are courting today. Knowing that this would happen, the Holy Spirit revealed the mind of God on this to us in 2 Corinthians 6:15-16, saying:

“15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

This is the price of discipleship. There are many “disciples” today who are far from being the Lord’s true disciples. Many of such people cannot deny their ungodly friends, not to talk of denying themselves. They hold tenaciously to the world, contrary to the Holy Spirit’s instructions in 1 John 2:15-17. Beloved, are you a true disciple of Jesus or just pretending to be one? Ponder p this and let us stop deceiving ourselves. Remember the words of 2 Timothy 2:12, which says:

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

Further speaking on discipleship, the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:24:

“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.”

The Lord’s principle on discipleship is firmly built on followership, service, humility, obedience and loyalty. If you want to follow Jesus acceptably, you must align your views with His ideals.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me the grace to be a disciple that is true to the demands of the Master’s expectation, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 107-110
Zephaniah 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS.
1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Please follow and like us:
20
Posted by admina