Monthly Archives: April 2021

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 17TH APRIL 2021-SUBSTITUTED!

MEMORISE:
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:5

READ: Esther 2:1-4
1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

MESSAGE:
From today’s Scripture reading, we concluded that substitution can be negative or positive. To Vashti it was negative, however to Esther, it was positive. The replacement that is coming your way shall be positive in Jesus’ name. Esther 2:17 says:
“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

Anyone who is able to install a king would also have the power to unseat him. Romans 13:1 says it is God who sets kings on the thrones. This is why anyone in a position of authority must be very careful not to offend the One who placed him or her there. Nebuchadnezzar is a classic example of someone who did not remember that the Almighty rules in the affairs of men. He did not realize his folly until he was turned into a beast.

You must endeavor to keep anything God has given you, to avoid being replaced. As believers, the story in Esther 2:1-17 should teach us some lessons. We must watch so that nobody would take our crown (Revelation 3:11). It is a pity that many so-called children of God are no longer holding fast their position of adoption, rather they are selling their birthright like Esau, for food.

Vashti momentarily forgot that she was a queen by virtue of the fact that her husband was the king. She flouted the king’s order and someone else took her crown. To avoid being replaced, we must be careful to obey, every instruction given to us by our Savior, King and Husband – Jesus Christ, as we see in John 15:16-17.

The Scripture referenced above further enjoins us to bear fruits. When we do so, we honor and compliment Jesus’ work of salvation. However, when we refuse to bear fruit, we make His death a waste. Refusal to bear fruits could lead to one’s substitution. May you never experience negative substitution in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, whatever will make me lose my position in Christ don’t let me do it in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 32-33.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 16TH APRIL 2021. DIVINE INTERVENTION.

MEMORISE:
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty. Exodus 3:21

READ: Exodus 3:7-8
7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

MESSAGE:
Divine intervention simply means the participation of God in any matter. When the Almighty God gets involved in your affairs, you will be wise and powerful. Nothing will be impossible to you and your challenges will become history. We see this from the Scripture reading of today; the moment God decided to get involved in the afflictions of the children of Israel, things began to change. The first thing God did was to raise a deliverer for them. In the name that is above every other name, God will send help to you this season.

Moses, who God decided to send to deliver the children of Israel, was however not willing because he felt unworthy. Not only did the Lord convince him, He also equipped him. It is one thing to locate a helper and another for him or her to be willing to render the help. However, you are covered if God Himself sends you help. He says in Exodus 3:12:
“…Certainly, I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.”

Several years ago, I was travelling to llorin in Nigeria, when I saw a young girl crying profusely. I told my driver to pull up beside her and I asked what happened. She said she had lost some money and unless she found it, her mother would kill her. I asked how much the money was and she said, “fifty kobo”. I handed the said amount to her and she went away rejoicing. Beloved, humans may help you and you rejoice, but when God gets involved in your situation, He will wipe tears away from your eyes completely. God will get involved in your situation today and things will turn around for good in Jesus’ name.

For God to get involved in your situation however, you must have a relationship with Him. The reason God was involved in the situation of the Israelites is that He already established a relationship with their patriarchs -Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Exodus 3:6). I therefore encourage you to give your life to Christ now if you haven’t and to continue in His will 1f you have. Only then would He continually be involved in your situation.

ACTION POINT:
Cry to God Almighty now. Ask Him to get involved in your situation today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 30-31.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 21: ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME.

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

2. Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 15TH APRIL 2021. DIVINE FAVOUR WHAT IT DOES.

MEMORISE:
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

READ: Esther 5:1-3
1Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

MESSAGE:
Queen Esther found favor in the sight of her husband the king, and thus was promised blessings up to one-half of the kingdom, as we see in the Bible reading of today. There are lots of lessons in this passage. One is that the king saw Esther. In 1 Samuel 16:11-13, favor located David while he was watching over the flock of his father. Favor also found the mad man of Gadara in the graveyard and he was healed (Mark 5:1-15). God’s blessings can locate you anywhere. A sister who had been looking for a husband went to a funeral. At the same ceremony, there was another brother who had been searching for a wife. The brother saw her looking very radiant and concluded that if she could be that beautiful in mourning clothes, she would be even more so when in high spirit. This marked the beginning of a courtship that led to marriage.

The king did not just see Esther, he focused on her. When your day of favor comes, God will not just glance at you, He will focus on you. The day favor beamed on the sick man at Bethesda, Jesus located him for healing. A man who was jobless despite his two doctoral degrees, received favor after he gave his life to Christ and got multiple job offers. I recall the story of a mother who used diabolical means to prevent her daughter from getting married because she didn’t want to be neglected. I prayed with the daughter and she got a suitor within one week. Whatever is blocking the view of those who should favor you shall be removed today in Jesus’ name.

Going into the king’s chamber without an invitation was a very dangerous thing to do, as we see in Esther 4:11. Thus, we can say Esther embarked on a suicide mission when she went into the king’s presence uninvited. However, she found favor: what could have been her last visit to the king became the beginning of a new life not only for her but for the entire Jewish community in Shushan. Favor shall locate you this season in Jesus’ name. The only obstacle to divine favor is unrighteousness. Psalm 5:12 says:
“For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”

This is why I am appealing to you to surrender your life to Jesus our Savior. When you do, begin to live a life that is acceptable to God, and then you too would enjoy divine favor.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let Your favor locate me for breakthroughs today in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 28-29.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST.
1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men”:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

5. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in foll’wing years.

7. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

8. Like flow’ry fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.

9. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 14TH APRIL 2021. IN HIS PRESENCE.

MEMORISE:
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

READ: Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

MESSAGE:

Choosing to be in God’s presence is a thing of wisdom because it guarantees joy and everlasting satisfaction (Psalm 16:11). Therefore, if you are wise, you will always seek to be in His presence. No wonder the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 91:1:
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Only sin can drive a fellow from the presence of God. It was after the fall that Adam and Eve had to run from God’s presence (Genesis 3:8). Jonah also ran from God’s presence and ended up in the belly of the fish simply because of disobedience (Jonah 1:3,15,17). When a man runs from the presence of the Lord, he is heading for destruction.

Our Scripture reading for today contains many miracles that happened in the presence of the Lord. When you dwell in God’s presence, you will never be tired because His attributes rub off on you (Isaiah 40:28-29}. God is never tired, and He is ready to share His strength with those who come into His presence. Elijah and Elisha knew this secret and thus experienced miracles in His presence. In God’s presence, Elijah enjoyed a divinely prepared meal, and he became so strong and swift that not only did he overpower four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, but he also outran the chariot of King Ahab, according to 1 Kings 18. Being in God’s presence also brings divine boldness. Elijah displayed this in 1 Kings 18:15.

As children of God, you must constantly be in God’s presence. Even our Lord Jesus Christ did so. He never compromised the presence of the Father for other activities. Matthew 14:23 and Luke 6:12 detail how Jesus constantly withdrew to the mountain side to commune with His Father. The early Church also cherished God’s presence whenever they gathered, there were always earth-shaking incidents (Acts2:46). The early disciples were with Jesus for just three and a half years, yet the world knew they had been with Him (Acts 4:13).

The more you stay in God’s presence, the more you look and behave like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18).

ACTION POINT:

Draw an action plan that will enable you to constantly have effective fellowship with God throughout this year.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Corinthians 9-13.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED EVERY HOUR

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY 13TH APRIL 2021: PRAISE AS A WEAPON OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

MEMORISE:
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

READ: Acts 16:25-26

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

MESSAGE:
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord (Psalm 92:1). According to Psalm 100:4, praise ushers us to God’s presence, and as you may already know, in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Psalm 22:3 also says God inhabits the praises of His people. It is impossible to remain the same after being in presence of God. This is why the devil does not like people praising God.

The Bible speaks of many weapons of spiritual warfare, however the most effective of them all is praises. The Lord revealed to me years ago that when you praise Him, you are submitting to God and asking Him to fight the battle on our behalf. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-25, three great kings had formed an alliance against Jehoshaphat. By the leading of the Spirit of God however, he realized that he could only win the battle by praising God. Thus, he organized a mighty orchestra to praise the Lord. As the singers were praising, the Lord took over the battle and fought on behalf of King Jehoshaphat. His enemies destroyed one another and the only thing he had to do was collect the bounty. The Lord will fight on your behalf, you will possess the gates of your enemies and you will know peace in Jesus’ name.

Psalm 67:1-7 explains what could happen when people praise the Lord. It says the earth would yield her increase and God shall bless His people. It also says that when people see the magnitude of God’s blessings on those who praise Him, the whole earth would fear Him. May the Good Lord give you the kind of blessing that will cause people to fear your God, in the mighty name of Jesus.

If you really want to experience increase, you must praise the Lord vigorously. A couple had been barren for twenty-two years until God led their pastor to ask them to carry out non-stop praise for twenty-four hours every day. Within three months of playing praise songs round the clock, the wife took in and an end came to decades of waiting. Praise was King David’s principal weapon; no wonder he said his heart was fixed on praising the Lord all the time (Psalm 34: 1). If your praise would be effective however, you must be sure to live righteously; God would never accept the praise of sinners.

ACTION POINT:
Set time apart to give God heartfelt Praise today and cultivate the habit of continuous worship of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Corinthians 5-8.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL MONDAY 12TH APRIL 2021. WHY WORRY WHEN YOU CAN PRAY.

MEMORISE:
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Acts 9:40

READ: John 11:41-44
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

MESSAGE:
In Philippians 4:6, the Bible enjoined believers to cease worry, but to rather present their request to God through supplications and thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is in the next verse:
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We cannot do without prayers. lf Jesus as powerful as He is, could do nothing without prayer during his earthly ministry, then every Christian must have an effective prayer life. When Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, He did the same thing Philippians 4:6 commands us to do: with thanksgiving, He prayed and made His request known to God. Apostle Peter also engaged the power of prayer when confronted with the loss of power of a member of the Church in Lydda. That prayer of faith brought Tabitha back to life, to the glory of God. (Acts 9:36-40).

I travelled to my hometown not long after I was the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. On getting there, the villagers prevailed upon me to look into how the deplorable road leading to the community could be fixed. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor of my means to undertake. So, I looked up to God in prayer, like the Psalmist said in Psalm 121:1-2. A few weeks later, the Lord answered my prayer. He moved the government of the time to award a contract that got the road fixed.

The reason many children of God do not have answers to their wishes is that they have not asked. James 4:2 says:
“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Beloved, God is concerned about your needs. Don’t be envious of others who are getting answers. Only prayer can solve your problems. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, many Christians are zealous in the work of God but fail to make their requests known to Him. The elder brother accused his father of being partial whereas alI he needed to do was ask, because alI the father had was his (Luke 15:31). Don’t short-change yourself. Ask in faith today!

ACTION POINT:
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthewl:7).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Corinthians 1-4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 18: Pass me Not,0 Gentle Savior.

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

o Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 10TH APRIL 2021. THE WORD, PROPHECY AND POWER.

MEMORISE:
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Kings 7:1-9

READ: Ezekiel 37:1-10
1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

MESSAGE:
Many Scriptures establish the wonder-working power of prophetic word of God. The word of God can transform darkness to light (Genesis 1:1-3). We see this as Jesus restored the sight of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 by simply “speaking”. The spoken word of God can also turn every emptiness to fulness. In Genesis 1:20-22, all God had to do was speak, and the earth that was formerly void became full of creatures. In the name of Jesus every emptiness in your life shall be filled with the blessings of the Lord.

In addition to that, the spoken word of God can bring orderliness. Mark 4:35-41 records that there had been a storm rocking a boat that Jesus and His disciples were in. All Jesus did was to speak peace to the confusion and immediately, there was calm.

The spoken word of God can also raise the dead (John 11:39-44). The centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 knew this and that was why He asked Jesus to just send out His word. I want to encourage you today never to trivialize the words of genuine prophets of God. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, a prophet of God ‘spoke the word’ to a poor widow whose children were about to be sold into slavery. The moment he did, the power of God visited her and she experienced a great miracle. I decree that you will receive an earth-shaking miracle today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Years ago, a man who had become bankrupt came to the church for prayers. When we were done, he said he would have loved to give me a gift, however he could not even afford to pay his transport fare back home. Thus, I gave him a little money and prophesied saying “This money will never finish.” He said “Amen” and left. Today, at least I know of two houses he built after that encounter.

I decree: Whatever resource that is in your possession today shall not finish in Jesus’ name. Only believe in the spoken word from God’s prophet, depart from iniquity and you too will share testimonies of the power in the word, in the mighty name of Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Read aloud all the written prophecies in today’s devotional, receive them in faith and you will experience the power in the word.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 10-13.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 23: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING.
1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

o Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

5. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.. FRIDAY 9TH APRIL 2021. THE NEW MAN.

MEMORISE:

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

READ: John 3:1-5

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

MESSAGE:

God is the ultimate planner; He is the greatest architect and the creator of all. He already planned for everything and everyone even before he put the universe together. No wonder He told Jeremiah that He knew him even before he formed him (Jeremiah 1:4-5).

God had a beautiful plan for His creation unfortunately, when man sinned, the plan became distorted. Being the Almighty, God decided in His infinite mercy, to restore man to Himself, just like the potter did in the interesting story in Jeremiah 18:1-4. I prophesy to you: God’s original purpose for your life shall be restored today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

There is nobody God cannot restore, as long as the person is willing and obedient. In 1Timothy 1:15, Apostle Paul referred to himself as a ‘Chief sinner’, yet God counted him worthy to experience the wonder of becoming a new creature as stated in today’s memory verse.

Like Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again if he would see the kingdom of God, you also must be born again if you would become a new man.
John 3:6 says
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Thus, the second Adam – Jesus must form in you if you would experience the new birth that produces the new man. You must surrender your life to Him totally so He can recreate and restore His beautiful plans for you that have been distorted by sin and the evil one. Acts3:19 says:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

As you forsake the life of sin today, you will experience a great and positive turnaround in every sphere of your life, in the mighty name of Jesus.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please restore all Your plans for my life that the enemies or sin have distorted, in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 5-9.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: I’M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY.

1. I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

o Refrain:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2. My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

3. I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

4. I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 8TH APRIL 2021. YOU NEED THE ANOINTING.

MEMORISE:

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 1 Kings 19:16

READ: 1 Samuel 16:11-13

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

MESSAGE:

In 1 Samuel 2:7, we see how God can transform an ordinary person through His anointing. There is power in the anointing and it comes from the Spirit of God. Anointing can turn an ordinary person to an extraordinary one, just like David in the Bible reading of today. However, before the anointing can come on you, you must possess certain qualities God must have seen that you can make good use of power before He entrust you with it. Jesus was sure the early disciples would make good use of the Holy Spirit and that was why He fulfilled His promises. We see this in Acts 1:8:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Beloved, you cannot do any spiritual work without the anointing! Some people think ordination is done merely to confer titles on people whereas the primary reason is for an impartation of the anointing that destroys yokes – first, in the life of one being ordained and secondly, to equip him or her for spiritual assignments. This is why all categories of workers in The Redeemed Christian Church of God are always prepared for ordination according to their level of assignment, whether they minister from the pulpit or not.

One of my sons explained it this way: When an engineer works in a secular organization, he does not need anointing. However, once he or she is engaged to serve in the Church, there is a need for the anointing. This is because the devil knows he now works to pull down his kingdom through the medium of the Church. Thus, every worker of the Church needs to be born again, sanctified, Spirit-filled and anointed, if not, such a fellow would end up like Judas Iscariot.

Just as we see in our memory verse today, both the king and the prophet needed the anointing to function in their respective callings. The anointing will empower you to become an unstoppable and indestructible vessel of honor in the household of faith. Press for the anointing.

ACTION POINT:

Purge yourself of all sinful habits so you can be prepared unto every good works as a vessel of honor (2 Timothy 2:19-21).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Corinthians 1-4.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 24: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE.

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.

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 7TH APRIL 2021. PRAYER FOR A FULL MEASURE OF CHRIST.

MEMORISE:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesians 4:13

READ: Ephesians 4:4-8
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

MESSAGE:
1. Father, thank You for giving us Jesus Christ as a perfect example of humility. Please Lord, destroy every element of pride in my life.

2. Father, please remove my confidence in my skill and abilities. Help me to depend on You alone. Lord, don’t let these skills put me in trouble, help me to see You alone as the source of my achievements.

3. Father, please give me the grace to forget old glories and forge ahead. Don’t let me be like Lot’s wife, always looking back to the glory of the past; help me to look forward always.

4. Father, remove the desire to be popular from me. Don’t let me ever live to please people, let my desire only be to do Your will. Don’t let me end up like King saul.

5. Father, please help me to keep my body under. Kill the lust of the eyes in me, let material things mean nothing to me and help me to live above lust in whatever form, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, every lure of fornication or adultery in my flesh, please get rid of it today. Give me the grace to flee when the temptation comes in Jesus’ Name.

7. Father, every root of bitterness in me, please remove it in Jesus’ Name. If there is anyone that I have not forgiven, please give me the grace to forgive him or her today.

8. Father, help me not to love anyone more than I love You. Please Lord, let my bond with you be unbreakable by anyone, including my family members.

9. Father, give me the grace to submit to everyone You have placed in authority over me in Jesus’ name. Take away the spirit of rebellion from my life and replace it with the spirit of obedience.

10. Father, whatever that is in me that would be a form of resistance to Your dwelling and operating within me, please take it out in Jesus’ Name. If I refuse to let go, take it out by force.

11. Lord, I open my heart up to You, please dwell in me without measure and use me for Your purpose here on earth.

12. Your personal request.

THANKSGIVING:
Thank God that He saved, your soul. Thank Him that He is willing to dwell in you and to use you For His glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 26-27.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR.

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.
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Remember: ‘There Is No Problem Without Solution; Jesus Is The Solution To All Problems.
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