Memorise: Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Numbers 14:28
 
Read: Numbers 14:20-29
20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—
22 because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,
23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I [a]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.
24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”
Death Sentence on the Rebels
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.
28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 16-17, Acts 12:6-25

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

1. Apostle James gave a profound description of the power embedded in the tongue. In James 3:5-6, he wrote: “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the ocurse of nature; and setteth on fire of hell.”
2. In Numbers 14:20-29, we see in practical terms the evil effect of misusing the tongue. Moses had sent out some men to spy out the Promised Land. Ten out of the twelve spies that were sent out returned with an evil report driven by unbelief. They said many things which showed their lack of confidence in the God of their fathers, despite the fact that He had severally demonstrated His mighty power to them in the course of their journey through the wilderness. They seemed not to know their own worth and hence they described themselves as grasshoppers and the inhabitants of the land as giants (Numbers 13:33). This testimony of the faithless spies angered the Lord and He gave this verdict contained in Numbers 14:28: “Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you.”
3. This outcome, caused by the evil report of the ten spies, establishes the truth of (Proverbs 18:2), which says: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” We all will be accountable to God for every word that we say. It is therefore crucial that we are conscious of the pronouncements and confessions that proceed from our mouths.
4. Beloved, you need to exercise more caution in times of distress and anger to avoid making negative pronouncements against yourself, your situation, your children and everything that concerns you.
5. When you find yourself in difficult situations, ensure that the words you speak profess your faith in God that He is able to do what He says He will do, in spite of the prevailing circumstances around you.
6. I pray that as you open your mouth today, the Lord will fill it with words that will bring glory to His Name. I pray that you will be able to see the hand of God in every situation around you through the eyes of faith from now on in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Words are powerful regardless of its form. This is why believers must cultivate the habit of speaking good words to others and even to themselves. It may take time for the effect of our words to become evident but it will surely come to pass. Our good word will produce evident results in our lives in Jesus name. We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye and we pray that God will give him strength on every side in Jesus name.

 
Action Point:
After you have worshipped God today, take out time to prophesy good things into your life
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14
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.
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 14-15, Acts 11:19-12:15

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

1. I have taught my children on serveral occasions to imbibe the characteristics of the eagle. One of these outstanding characteristics is that eagle fly alone.
2. It is not out of pride or the empty feeling of self-sufficiency that they do this; rather, it is because keeping company with other birds during flight is a form of weight and distraction for them.
3. A disciple of Christ must emulate this attribute of the eagle if he or she would safely arrive home in heaven at the end of his or her life.
4. The problem with many children of God is that they seem to have lost sight of the fact that the path they are following is so narrow that it cannot accommodate a crowd (Matthew 7:14). This is the reason why a disciple of Jesus Christ must possess this characteristic of flying alone. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, Paul clearly admonished that evil communication corrupts good manners: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”
5. It is disheartening to note that there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing in the Church today, which is why every purposeful believer needs to have the mindset of an eagle.
6. Another noteworthy characteristics of eagles is that they are selective  about what they eat and where they live. Moreover, they never fly against the wind.
7. As a purposeful believer you also must be selective about what you consume: what you listen to, what you look at and what you expose your mind to.
8. What you regularly feed your spirit, soul and body with will determine what you will draw on in the day of trouble.
9. You must be selective of the company you keep because your companions strongly influence what you are exposed to.
10. Like the eagle that never flies against the wind, the purposeful believer must also be mindful of the move of the Holy Spirit and ensure that he or she is never aligned against His work.
11. Beloved, I encourage you to choose to be an eagle for Christ from today and the Lord will renew your strength according to Isaiah 40:31. You cannot fly by your own strength, but the Holy Spirit will help you if only you give yourself completely to Jesus Christ today.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9 To show forth God’s light requires us to be focused and separated for His work. We have to stay away from everything that can make us unfit for His kingdom. May God help us in our Christian race in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and energize him for greater impact in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, Make me an eagle for Christ today and cause me to fly for You.
Hymn
I have decide to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
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.
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.
My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
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

Memorise: 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. James 4:2
 
Read: Exodus 15:22-26
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.
23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[a])
24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.
26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
 
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 12 – 13, Acts 10:44-11:18

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

1. One deadly habit that is very common among the people of God today is murmuring.
2. Like the Israelites of old, many children of God today engage in it without even realizing it! It is indeed a silent destroyer. For this reason, the Holy Spirit warns us against it in 1 Corinthians 10:10 saying: “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” Do you know that there are times we think we are praying but we are actually murmuring?
3. In our Bible reading, the children of Israel were at Marah, where they found water that God had done for them, they did not consider that He already knew that they would pass through Marah and would have gone ahead of them to make provision for the water they would drink. All they could think of doing was to murmur about the bitter water.
4. The characters at play in the events that occurred at Marah are indicative of the two types of Christians we have in the Church today.
5. The first type behaves like the multitude who murmured, while the second type behaves like Moses who cried to the Lord for a solution.
6. It is interesting to note that the murmuring of the multitude did not exercise in futility because their murmurings did not change the bitterness of the water. The prayer of Moses, on the other hand, yielded positive results because his cry to God moved God into action. God showed him what to do to reverse the situation, and the people’s need for good water was met.
7. This mirrors what is happening with Christians today. We murmur about what we desire and the lack of it, instead of actually asking God and trusting that if He wills, our prayers will be answered.
8. Beloved, you need to ask yourself today which type of Christian you are between the two types we have considered.
9. I beseech you to examine your prayer life and relationship with God before answering this question. Are you the type of Christian mentioned in our memory verse, just lusting, desiring and fighting for things but yet getting nothing?
10. You need to ask God to reveal to you the truth on where you stand today. May the Almighty God hear your prayer in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7‭-‬8 Having some things happen in our lives is solely dependent on us. The scripture above said ask it shall be given to you and not grumble as you pray. It is very easy to get the details of some Christians because they narrate everything about them to God who knows all things. The rhema in today’s devotional is simply be specific when requesting from God in the place of prayer! We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

 
Prayer Point:
Father, please forgive me for all the murmuring I have done against You consciously or unconsciously; I promise not to do so again. Please turn my unpleasant situation around today in Jesus’ Name
Hymn 2
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Chorus:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
I need thee every hour
Most Holy one;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6
 
Read: Luke 21:1-4
1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” 
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 10-11, Acts 10:24-43

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

1. It may interest you to know that a great number of Christians and Bible scholars do not understand or refuse to understand the deeper meaning of today’s memory verse.
2. What does it means to sow sparingly? Sowing sparingly is the act of giving only a little back to God from the resources He has blessed you with.
3. How do you quantify “little”? Little means the smallest part of a thing. Sowing sparingly is therefore giving just the smallest part of what you are able to give to God.
4. An illustration of how we are expected to give can be seen in Luke 21:3-4: “And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
5. The above scripture can be described as the mathematics of giving from God’s perspective.
6. The quality of your giving is hidden in what remains in your pocket after you have given to God.
7. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that the rich give unto God out of the abundance of what we have (I align myself with the rich in verse 4 because I want to be numbered among the flourishing); whereas, the poor among us, in spite of their need, give all or almost all that they have. This clearly tells us that those of us who are rich should not compare what we give with what others give because we are not all operating on the same level of prosperity.
8. Do you know that in the parable of the unprofitable servant, if the servant who received five talents had only gained two additional talents, he would have received less commendation than the servant who received two and gained two more (Matthew 25:14-30)? To whom much is given, much is expected.
9. This is the reason why it is dangerous to indulge in self-comparison with others.
10. The story of the giving widow also shows that it is wrong for us to despise the poor for giving the little that they have. More often than not, they have given a higher percentage of what they have compared to the rich amongst us.
11. Unfortunately, in our churches today, we no longer see the type of outburst of appreciation that Jesus Christ expressed over the action of the poor widow. Sadly, instead of commending, we rather despise those who give out of their poor condition.
12. Beloved, the question is, after you have dropped your offering, how much do you have left for wants (not needs)?
13. I appeal to you sow bountifully into the work of God’s kingdom when next the opportunity comes your way, and you will reap bountifully in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The Holy spirit through our father in the Lord Pastor E.A Adeboye has revealed an area to be taken care of in our giving in today’s devotional. A lot of believers sow or give from their convinience zone. Many could do far more than they did but they keep what will be enough to sustain them before letting go of the little or plenty they sow. Only those that yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit as regards giving soars in their finance. I refuse to sow sparingly in Jesus name. We pray that God will uphold and prosper Pastor E.A Adeboye in all His ways in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father please give me a liberal heart so that I can always sow bountifully into the work of Your Kingdom and into the lives of brethren
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10
 
Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
1 Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 9, Acts 10:1-23

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

1. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
2. Our Lord Jesus Christ never hid from us the truth concerning the Way we have been called to.
3. In the above verse and in several other passages of Scripture, He did not mince words, informing us of the trials, tribulations and persecutions we will face while walking with Him on the straight and narrow way (Mark 10:30, Matthew 24:9).
4. Because we are aware of this truth, we should therefore courageously stand firm in the face of trials of our faith and tribulations. Our memory verse says that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. What do you do when you discover that your strength is small in proportion to the tribulations you are facing? You cry to God to increase your strength just as our Lord cried to the Father for help in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was confronted with the great agony of carrying the weight of the sins of the whole world. The Father heard His cry, and He sent an angel to strengthen Him (Luke 22:41-44). What the Father did for Jesus, He will also do for you.
5. Let us consider some salient points from Paul’s words of encouragement in today’s Bible reading to the brethren in Thessalonica who were facing tribulations. First and foremost, he made them know that the Body of Christ understood what they were passing through and appreciated their endurance in the face of tribulations.
6. Secondly, he tried to lift their spirits by reminding them that their endurance of tribulation would earn them a place in the kingdom of God, and so they should not be weary.
7. Thirdly, he taught them that God would not allow those who were persecuting them to go unpunished. The essence of this was to discourage these brethren from seeking to avenge themselves of their persecutors, since vengeance is the Lord’s and He would definitely repay evil men.
8. Furthermore, he reassured them of the prayers of the saints for them. The heat of these prayers would keep them going irrespective of the cold winds of tribulation blowing against them.
9. We must learn from these points not to condemn brethren who are passing through tribulations or trials of faith. There is a tendency for us to always attribute the suffering of the saints to the sins they have committed and to condemn them to everlasting “self-examination”. Instead of attributing their tribulation to sin, the Church took glory in the patience of the Thessalonians in the midst of tribulation (2 Thessalonians 1:4).
10. Beloved, be encouraged that the difficult phase of life you are passing through will come to an end soon. So, don’t give up! Your Master shares in your tribulation. Be of good cheer because He has overcome the world for your sake.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Critical question was asked in today’s devotional “ What do you do when you discover that your strength is small in proportion to the tribulations you are facing?” We should always return to the source of your strength and cry to Him for refilling. Because greater is He that lives in us. Moreover He will never leave you, all you need is to maintain a right standing with Him“ But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

 
Prayer Point:
Father, please strengthen me further as I journey through the wilderness of the world.
Hymn
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
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.
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.
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.
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

ANOTHER GEHAZI?
Memorise: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
 
Read: 2 Kings 5:20-27
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 7-8, Acts 9:23-43

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

1. Being endowed with spiritual gifts comes with great responsibility and the need for accountability. Grave consequences are also attached to their misuse. For this reason, every child of God needs to be very careful not to take undue advantage of the gifts of the Holy Spirit deposited in them by God.
2. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew that man was susceptible to abusing the power of God, and so He warned His disciples against merchandising the free gift of God (Matthew 10:8). He sternly told them that what they had received freely must also be freely given out.
3. It is a fearful thing to turn the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us into objects of merchandise traded for money, favours or gifts. This is what Simon tried to do when he offered money to Peter to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost operating in Peter’s life. Acts 8:18-19 says: “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.” Knowing the implication of this act, Apostle Peter rebuked him sharply and advised him to desist from such diabolical ways. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of some people concerning the ministry of the gospel today.
4. Today’s Bible reading speaks about a potentially mighty prophet of God who denied himself the opportunity of receiving multiple portions of Elisha’s anointing, all because he loved material possessions. 2 Kings 5:20 says, “But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”
5. The astonishing part of the above scripture is that Gehazi was not the vessel through whom Naaman was healed! In spite of the fact, he was still hell-bent on getting some form of reward for the miracle Naaman had received. In the same vein, no minister of God can perform any miracle.
6. Jesus is the only miracle-worker, and all Christians are vessels through whom these miracles are performed. Therefore, taking advantage of His works through His Spirit in us is fraudulent and diabolic. We must be very careful so that we do not become victims of the grave consequences of such acts of covetousness like Gehazi.
7. The good Lord will bless you in His own way and in His own time as you surrender yourself for His use in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

“Taking advantage of His works through His Spirit in us is fraudulent and diabolic.” What a revelation and deep truth that requires instant action of repentance! Some believer’s have turned themselves to mini God over a gift or talent they received freely from God forgetting that someday we will give account of all we received from Him. God will help us in Jesus name. And may He continually keep and preserve Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, I don’t want to be another Gehazi; please help me to know when to receive and when to reject gift as I minister before You in Jesus’ Name
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: And at the end of ten days their countenance appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat. Daniel 1:15
 
Read: Daniel 1:5-20
5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel,
10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[a] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”
14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.
16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.
20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 5 – 6, Acts 9:1-22

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

1. A while ago, I was led to make a statement which some people did not take seriously, because it did not meet with faith in their hearts. The statement was that the use of excessive make-up is a sign of inferiority complex. I went further to say that people only try to “make up” for what is not good enough.
2. I strongly believe that the Almighty God is the most perfect designer, and in His infinite wisdom He has designed you the way He feels is best for His glory. After all, in Revelation 4:11, the Holy Spirit reveals that He created us for His pleasure: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
3. If God created you for His pleasure, it means that what any other person says about how your mouth is shaped, your colour, your height, the hair on your head or even your accent is irrelevant!
4. The reason for the inferiority complex a lot of people suffer from can be traced to the fact that the glory of God is absent from their lives.
5. Not only was Adam satisfied with the way God made him before the fall, he also appreciate the looks of his wife and admired her with a passion (Genesis 2:23-25). However, after the fall, he was not only fed up with himself, he also saw fault in the wife God “gave” him (Genesis 3:10-12).
6. Today’s Bible reading narrates the determination of some young Hebrew men who decided to live a consecrated life, in spite of the fact that they were captives in a strange land. This should serve as a lesson to Christians who live outside their homeland and decide to throw decency out of the window because of the prevailing situation in the land of their sojourn.
7. Beloved, I implore you to seek something that is needful today, which is the glory of God upon your life through living a consecrated life. Once the glory of God is upon you, you will be the delight of your generation.
8. Sin robs man of God’s glory, and when God’s glory is out of a man’s life, his or her life becomes miserable and susceptible to demonic attacks.
9. It was the glory of God upon Daniel that shut the mouths of lions that would have devoured him. It was the glory of God on the young Hebrew men’s lives that made them look fairer and fatter than their peers.
10. May the glory of the Lord come upon you today as you consecrate your life to the Almighty in Jesus’ Name.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The glory of God in our lives surpasses every other thing because it supplies all required of man to shine and have a beautiful life. This is why the glory of God is important in the life of every believer. In our daily living, we should let people assess us and see the glory of the Lord without struggle. Do not misrepresent God. If anyone or thing is telling you false identity of yourself, please discard it today and confess just like David said “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14‬. We bless God for Pastor E.A Adeboye and pray that God will give him strength and greater ability to do greater works in Jesus name. 

Prayer Point:
Father, please grant me grace to live a consecrated life, and cover me with Your glory.
Hymn
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Matthew 20:27
 
Read: 2 Samuel 23:1-5
1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 3-4, Acts 8:26-40

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

1. The nature and purpose of leadership has been misunderstood by mankind from time immemorial, and this is the reason why most people crave for leadership positions so much.
2. Leadership, when viewed from the right perspective, can be very enslaving, because the fame and popularity that come along with it may take away your sleep and freedom. However, when God puts you in a leadership position, He will also give you the grace to conduct yourself appropriately to meet His expectations.
3. God’s expectation of what leadership should be is explained by the Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse.
4. It is amazing that even the disciples did not understand God’s principles on leadership. This is evident in the fact that it was their agitation over who among them would occupy the highest position that led Jesus to explain what leadership really means.
5. From God’s perspective, leadership means to serve.
6. It is no longer news that leadership in the Church today is out of tune with our Lord’s expectation of leaders being servants.
7. Some leaders use their leadership position to oppress those under them. Proverbs 29:2 says: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
8. It is dangerous for a leader to oppress his or her subordinates because as they groan and cry unto God under such leaders, heaven will respond and the consequences that follow might be devastating. This has led to the destruction of several people who held leadership positions.
9. Frankly speaking, from God’s perspective, leadership is synonymous to servitude. It is servitude because a leader is expected to be under God’s absolute control, living a life of total submission that is enslaved to doing God’s will (Hebrews 10:7).
10. A leader must lay aside personal freedom take on the yoke of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:29).
11. As a leader, taking on the Lord’s yoke means you have relinquished control over the manner of your speech, the places you go to and the things you do.
12. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself had to do all these as our leader John 5:19, John 8:28, John 12:49). In John 5:30, He said: “ I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
13. If you find yourself in a leadership position, you have to be careful of what you do with the priviledge of leading God’s heritage, so that you will not be damned in the end (1 Peter 5:1-4).

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The last paragraph in today’s devotional should be given so much attention so that we can make correction or take heed as the case may be. The common saying “Leadership by good example” means the leader must first do whatever it is he expects the followers to do. This was evident in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as He is our model, we should emulate and do His will all round. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye in wisdom and grace in Jesus name.
Prayer Point: Father, thank You for the privilege of being a leader over Your people; please help me to lead Your people according to your expectations
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless 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,
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,
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,
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,
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,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18
Read: Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Bible in one year: 2 Kings 1 – 2, Acts 8:4-25

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

1. Today, we are reflecting on the final two components of the armour of God mentioned in our Bible text. These are prayer and supplication, characterized by perseverance.
2. Regardless of the sophisticated weapons available to a soldier, if he or she cannot persevere, these weapons will have little or no effect. Therefore, it is very important to emphasise the attribute of perseverance in the place of prayer and supplication.
3. Imagine what would have become of Daniel’s requests and fasting if He had not persevered in prayers and supplication for 21 days (Daniel 10:2-13).
4. PRAYER
Prayer is the key with which we unlock the heavenly armoury in order to access divine weapons for our spiritual battles. Our Lord Jesus Christ said something about prayer that many Christians seem to ignore, particularly in spiritual warfare. At the garden of Gethsemane, He gave us this counsel: “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
5. Even the Almighty God who became man admits here that the flesh is weak. Therefore, to overcome temptation, we need to watch and pray.
6. Adam’s victory would have been glorious if he did not fall into the temptation of the devil. Little wonder when the second Adam came, He took the issue of prayer very seriously and also revealed the importance of prayer to us.
7. SUPPLICATION
To supplicate is to ask with every sense of humility and not in arrogance like the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14. Arrogance and a sense of entitlement will not allow some children of God to persevere in the place of prayer. They time God in prayer and command Him to “do it now” or they will quit serving Him!
8. Humility means surrendering to the will of God regardless of your desire and expectations. It is coming to God with trust that He will do what is best for you.
9. Beloved, the sure armour is Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the righteousness of God in us, the Good News of peace and the Word of God personified.
10. Our faith in Him earns us salvation. In His Name we receive answers to our prayers. Accept Him and put Him on today, and your victory is guaranteed.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Praying without ceasing does not only prevent us from devil’s wiles and temptations, it also opens us up for miracles. Our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 18:1 reiterated this “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” If anyone also choose to be humble and ask in reverence, such can be sure to receive. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”James 5:16 May God continually increase and uphold Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can have an effective prayer life for total victory over my adversaries.
Hymn
I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Chorus:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
I need thee every hour
Most Holy one;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.

Please follow and like us:

20

Memorise: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17
 
Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-7
1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Bible in one year: 1 Kings 22 Acts 7:44-8:3

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

1. Yesterday we examined truth and righteousness as components of the sure armour of God. Today, our memory verse introduces two more components of this armour: Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit.
2. SALVATION
Our complete victory against the enemy begins and ends with the salvation of our souls.
3. Our warfare with the kingdom of darkness started in the Garden of Eden, where the devil stole the mandate to rule over this world from Adam.
4. Eve chose to believe the devil’s lie and Adam disobeyed God by yielding to the devil. Adam sold himself and by extension his descendants to the enemy when he sinned against his Maker. This is the reason why Jesus always addressed the problem of sin first before addressing any other problem confronting those who came to Him. Before Jesus healed the man sick of the palsy in Luke 5:17-26, He said to him:
“Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” Luke 5:20b
Jesus is still addressing the issue of sin first today. This is the reason why I know that as you surrender your life to Jesus today, the helmet of salvation will be your heritage, and you will have victory over your tormentors in Jesus’ Name.
5. SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.
The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. It is an offensive weapon with which we attack the enemy, and it is powerful through God to the pulling down of the devil’s strongholds.
6. Hear what the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 4:12 about the power that is inherent in God’s word:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
7. Today, people short-change themselves by not taking heed to the word of God.
8. I assume that people who trivialize the word of God don’t know that it is the powerful attacking piece of our sure armour with which we obtain victory.
9. Note that it is the word of God that you respect that will work for you when you apply it in spiritual warfare. I encourage you therefore to let the word of God dwell in you richly. Meditate on it and make it a part of you.

SHORT REFLECT ON BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Whoever receives Christ becomes save and that is salvation. 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 As seen in today’s devotional, salvation is a tool against the devil. Also the sword of the Spirit is a tool and this sword is the word of God. It is therefore important for us to study the word of God and make it a part of us so that it can become a tool for victory in our period of trial. Jesus overcame the devil’s test by using the written word of God. “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10 May we be doers of God’s word in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point:
Father, grant me grace to continually treasure and uphold the salvation of my soul, and help me to live by Your word daily in Jesus’ Name.
Hymn
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Though, like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

Please follow and like us:

20