Memorise: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
Read: Matthew 8:23-27 , Psalm 37:3-5
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
AND PSALM 37:3-5
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Bible in one year: Genesis 32-33, Isaiah 49:24-50:11

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

1.Have you ever been on a journey and the opposition against your progress was so intense that you felt you would never get to your destination? If you answer is yes, then know that you are not alone. Life is like embarking on a journey to a destination. Every trip has its obstacles and hurdles. While on a journey, the disciples of Jesus once found themselves in this kind of tough situation. It was so bad that they felt their boat was going to sink. In fact, water was already entering their boat, and going by all they saw, it appeared nothing could be done. If you are facing a similar situation today, simply make this confession to yourself: my boat cannot sink, I shall reach my goal and nothing can stop my trip!
2.Why will my boat not sink? The reason is because Jesus Christ is in the boat of my life. Nobody and nothing can “swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies”, a song-writer declared. The greatest mistake you can make is to embark on a journey without Jesus in your boat.
3.It is important to note here that you should have Jesus Christ in the boat of your life, which you can do by receiving Him as your Lord and personal Saviour.
4.In addition to this, you should also have Him in the boat of your endeavours. Do you know that if Jesus is in the boat of your life but not in the boat of your personal endeavours, these projects or plans can sink?
5.Many believers today take it for granted that because they are saved, automatically they will scale through any rough waters, including projects in which they never involved the Lord. This not faith but presumption.
6.If you are a believer in Christ and you go ahead to start a business, a home or a career without God’s involvement, you are on your own. This is why the memory verse of today says you should trust God and not depend on your own limited understanding. Even when Jesus appears to be asleep in your boat, as long as He is in your boat, He still in control.
7.Is God silent over your situation? Does it appear that He is unaware of what you are going through? Do you feel abandoned by God or even doubt whether He really loves you? Be comforted! God still loves you. He cares so much for you. He empathises with you in that present situation you are faced with, and He will surely make a way for you. In spite of how you feel, God is still in control. In spite of how distant God appears to be, God is right in the middle of your situation to bring you out. It does not matter what is happening around you, the Lord is in control. Very soon, you will testify of His intervention.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace. Wherever He is there is peace and whenever He is our boat there is an assurance of a peaceful sail. A clear picture of this was what happened in Mark 4:37-41. “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” The personality of Jesus is powerful. His name carries power and so does His presence. Let’s not give Him just a room in our lives let’s give Him the whole of us that He may dominate and take charge of every situation. Thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye. He’s a great blessing to our generation. May he be strengthened day by day in Jesus name.

Key Point
Any faith you exercise that is full of hope and great expectations but puts Jesus at the back burner is presumption and not faith.
HYMN
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
all must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
all must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow,
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All, all is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
in our living, in our dying,
all must be well.

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20

Memorise: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Read: John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved
Bible in one year: Genesis 30-31, Isaiah 49:8-23

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

1. Our Heavenly Father expects us all to grow in our Christian faith (2nd Peter 3:18). If you refuse to grow, you may end up keeping God in an endless state of waiting for you to grow.
2. Unfortunately, while God waits for you to grow, you may end up losing certain crucial things to others who grow up faster.
3. For how long will you remain a babe? How long do you expect God to wait for you?
4. Keeping God waiting can definitely affect His original plan for the life of some of His children. The night is far spent, and the Lord’s return is around the corner; therefore we cannot afford to slow down the growth process.
5. Your level of maturity determines the level of relationship you have with God, and in turn, the level of your relationship determines the communication channels that are open to you from heaven (Numbers 12:6-8).
6. It also determines your understanding of and response to God’s word. As a result of this, you can expect different responses to the same word from God by different children of God.
7. Take for instance, if you tell three Christians at different maturity levels that God loves them, they will see it in different ways.
8. When a baby Christian hears “God loves you” he will rejoice because this reminds him of his triumphant state. He will remember Romans 8:37 which says, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”
9. When you tell an adult Christian “God loves you”, he will inquisitively ask why you are saying this to him, because this reminds him of responsibility: for whosoever the Father loves, he chastises (Hebrew 12:6).
10. On the other hand, when you tell a bone-cracking Christian “God loves you”, he will be a lot more apprehensive. He will say “Amen; may God have mercy.” He is saying this because it reminds him of sacrifice: for whosoever the Father loves, He sacrifices (Genesis 22:2, Ephesians 5:2).
11. God the Father was so pleased with Jesus that He sacrificed Him to redeem the world (John 3:16).
12. When God wanted to prove to the world that there was no God above Him, what did He do? He sent His outstanding sons, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, into fire. When He wanted to show His supremacy over lions, what did He do? He allowed His loved Daniel to go into the lion’s den.
13. How will you respond now when I say to you that God loves you?
14. Can God trust you enough to send you to tough assignments that will bring honour and praise to His Name?

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The speed at which a child of God grows is determined by such child of God. Firstly there must be a desire from such child to grow. Then it is followed by delibrate actions in line with the desired growth in the things of God. Also there must be a constant request for the Holy spirit’s help that we may achieve the desired growth. When we are aided by the Holy Spirit it becomes easy for us to say yes to God’s will and respond in faith to Him. Abraham took Isaac and was ready to sacrifice Him to God, Jesus took the pain, He said here I am send me. Paul, John the baptist, Stephen and many others in the Bible heard the call, took the pain, responded and pleased God. The latter part of 1 Samuel 2:10…”He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” May God help us to Him as a true child in all His will in Jesus’ name.We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye. Our knowledge of the word of God is increased each day as we study the Open Heavens devotional. More grace for greater works in Jesus’ Name

Prayer Point
God can be patient, but not to the detriment of His timetable. Wherever you need to say “yes” to God, do it now.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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20

Memorise: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
Read: 2nd Corinthians 1:3-10 (King James Version)
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Bible in one year: Genesis 28:29, Isaiah 48:12-49:7.

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

1. In addition to knowing God as the Father and as the Son, you also need to know Him as God the Holy Spirit. There are many marvelous things to know about the Holy Spirit. For example, He is the Source of our power (Acts 1:8), a wonderful Teacher (John 14:26) and a Revealers of secrets and of the future (John 16:13). Although all these characteristics are wonderful, one characteristics I find so fascinating is that He is the Comforter (John 14:26). If you have experienced Him as the Comforter, you will be able to comfort others in their time of distress (2ndCorinthians 1:4).
2. If you have not experienced sorrow, you cannot be of much use in comforting the sorrowful. When we encounter tragedies and sorrowful situations, the best people can do is to say comforting words like “take heart”, “sorry”, etc. in such situations, the ministry of the Comforter is needed to heal the hurt felt deep inside. Are you presently going through a sad circumstance? Are you so sorrowful that all human attempts at comforting you have failed? The Holy Spirit will reach out and comfort you today in Jesus’ Name.
3. In times of sorrow, people do not expect some of us who occupy certain positions to express sorrow. This should not be so. I once visited a family who suffered a great loss, and I began to shed tears after seeing what they were going through. Some people began to say, “You are the General Overseer, you are not supposed to cry. We have come here to comfort those who are mourning; we should not be mourning.” I simply told them, “Leave me alone. In a similar situation, Jesus wept. If Jesus can weep, I am free to cry also.” One of my sons lost his mother, and it was extremely difficult to comfort him. His mother had suffered to train her three children and these children had plans to take good care of her. She however passed on while they were still trying to find their feet. This brother began to ask God why He called his mother home at a time when they had not been able to do anything for her.. The Lord simply replied, saying “Your mother has come to be with Me. Can you take better care of her on earth than I am doing here in Heaven?” On hearing these words, he dried his tears, apologised to the Lord and moved on.
4. Are you in a situation where you need the comfort of the Holy Spirit? He will reach out and touch you today. He will dry your tears, calm your fears and give you a greater hope.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

When our Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth, most of his works narrowed down to the work of a comforter. The sick that got healed, the blind that saw, the dead that was raised, the hopeless that got restored, the sinner that got saved and lots more were all comforted at the end of their encounter with Jesus. And because Jesus knew how important this ministry of the comforter is He said in John 14:16-17 that “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” This means that the Holy Spirit is our comforter and he is in us. Therefore all we need to do in time of sorrow, when weak, discouraged or disappointed is to stir up the comforter on the inside and draw strength from our inner man. Regardless of how much the pain is He heals and soothe every pain. May we never grieve the Holy Spirit in us in Jesus name. The Holy Spirit is our friend, comforter, strengthener and advocate. Let’s embrace his and heed to his leading. We thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye for blessing us and inspiring us in today’s devotional. God bless him in strength and greater ability in Jesus’ name.

Action Point:
Pray for believers going through sorrow everywhere, asking that they receive the soothing of the Comforter.
HYMN
1 O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound.
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:
The Comforter has come! The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n,
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found:
The Comforter has come!
2 The long, long night is past; the morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]
3 Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And thro’ the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]
4 O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine –
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine?
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]

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20

Memorise: They that sow in tears shall reap in Joy. Psalm 126:5
Read: Psalm 126:5-6
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Bible in one year: Genesis 27, Isaiah 47:14-48:11

1. More often than not, we associate sowing with giving of money. For this reason, some people who do not have money believe they do not have anything to sow. This is far from the truth!
2. If you do not have money, you can sow your time or talents into the work of the kingdom. Be it through praying, using your natural talents or your acquired skills/training, there is no one who has nothing to sow. Even if all you can do is smile, you can apply this is making new comers to church feel welcome. If you are a dramatic person, use it for the propagation of the gospel.
3. Everyone has something to sow; all you need to do is to identify what you have. Romans 12:6-8 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, or exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
4. When you sow a seed in tears, you will reap its yield in joy.
5. Moreover, what you reap will be determined by what you have sown.
6. You can sow towards the salvation of a loved one, telling God that he or she must not go to hell. To this end, you can sow prayers, fasting and witnessing to the fellow. The day such a soul eventually becomes saved; you will definitely reap the joy of heaven (Luke 15:7).
7. I cannot forget the wife of one of my friends; I was his best man at their wedding. My friend’s wife would say to me, “Please give your life to Christ and be born again.” But I would tell her “I am already a Christian, and my Christian name is Enoch.” She would reply, “That is not what I am taking about”, and then she would begin to cry. I would look at her and wonder what was wrong with her, saying “I am not the worst fellow around; at least you can ask your husband. He knows I am a good person. “However, she kept on praying and crying, sowing in tears for my salvation. Today, she is now laughing.
8. When last did you sow towards the salvation of a loved one – family or friend?
9. Some of us attempt to preach to such a fellow once or twice, but after being rebuffed, we say “I have done my best; if you like, refuse to repent. Your blood can no longer be required from my hands.” Yes, you have made attempts, but you have not yet done your best.
10. You have to keep at it, and in Jesus’ Name, you will reap in joy.

What a great revelation today’s devotional is! Some of us believers knows what it is to sow in money, time, service and talent. Infact, some are engaged in seed sowing in various ways but not aware of the salvation seed. Others who are aware backs off too quick than required. It is not enough that we sow a seed. We are required to water and weed the field continously until we have a bountiful harvest. It is true that when we talk to someone about Christ we have sown a seed and the Holyspirit keeps at bringing that message back to the unsaved. But we as the sower have to keep watering on our knees. Also the size of the seed does not matter as much as the sincerity in the heart of the one sowing. Luke 21:1-4 “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,[a] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” As we sow in various ways the Lord will uphold us that we may water until we reap in Joy in Jesus name. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye on every side. He’s indeed a blessing to us.

Action Point
The salvation of some people requires great sacrifice. Ask God for the grace to pay the required price of the salvation of all your loved ones.
HYMN
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

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20

Memorise: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalm 66:18
Read: Isaiah 59:1-4
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
Bible in one year: Genesis 25-26, Isaiah 47:1-13

1. The fact that God answers prayers is without doubt. Anytime you call on Him, as long as it is in the Name of Jesus, you can be sure the answer will come. Jesus in John 14:14 said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
2. To God, answering prayers is a question of keeping His word. He said if you call upon Him when you are in trouble, He will deliver you, and He is bound by His word (Psalm 50:15, Hebrews 6:18).
3. There was once a contest between the prophet of God, Elijah, and 450 prophets of an idol called Baal (1st Kings 18:19-24). Each side was to call on their God or god; the goal was to see which side would receive a response by fire. The prophets of Baal called on their god from morning till afternoon, but there was no answer. The moment the man of God called on the Lord, fire fell from heaven.
4. God is still in the business of answering prayers, but are you still in the business of obeying Him?
5. Be assured that God is still in the business of stilling raging storms.
6. If you remove iniquity from your heart, you will call on Him and He will answer and deliver you.
7. As much as God desires to answer your prayers, if you still enjoy a life of sin, your prayers cannot be answered.
8. We must make conscious efforts to remove all impediments to our prayers.
9. Such impediments include what the Bible describes as “the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1).
10. The pleasures of the flesh run against God’s expectations (Galatians 5:17). Such pleasures will not allow us to receive answers to our prayers.
11. We must be weary of gossip because there is great danger in every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36).
12. Jesting should also be avoided (Ephesians 5:4). Jesting refers to unholy jokes. God is not against laughter and humour as some people wrongly believe. He is pleasantly humorous, but we must keep ourselves from unhealthy jokes that hinder holy living or make fun of the Holy Spirit.
13. The Lord is not just looking for those who are calling on Him for miracles and signs; He is searching for those who will lift up holy hands and a pure heart before Him (Psalm 24:3-5). He is looking for those who are ready and committed to walking in His footsteps.
14. God is holy, and He has called us to holy living. We are to do as He commands because we are light of the world.
15. God in Heaven is glorified when our light shines in the midst of the darkness of this world.
16. If you don’t want any impediment of your prayers from now on, you must amend your ways.
17. If you have been stealing, repent and steal no more. If you have been involved in questionable transactions and dealings, you have to repent and forsake such ways.
18. If your life is right with God, your prayers will not be hindered.

Sin, gossip, unholy jokes, unholiness, making fun of the Holy spirit, impure heart, lack of readiness and commitment to following God among other factors can impede and hinder prayers. Some of these mentioned above are ignored and many Christians carelessly find themselves doing it. Some even argue ignorantly about it being a sin. Thank God for the availability of His word and for the light and understanding the entrance of His word brings. He often calls us to order through the Holy Spirit and we are forgiven of our iniquities when we confess to Him and yield to the leading of His spirit. Thank God for Pastor E.A Adeboye. He’s a great blessing to our generation. May he be strengthened day by day in Jesus name.

Action Point
Confess every pleasure of the flesh you have yield to, asking for grace to live above them.
HYMN
Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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20

Memorise: In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Titus 2:7
Read: 2nd Corinthians 2:14-17 (King James Version)
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Bible in one year: Genesis 24, Isaiah 46

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

1. Insincerity is one of the greatest reasons behind the downfall of many believers today. Some people claim to love God, but the kind of fruit they manifest makes people question the genuineness of their salvation.
2. Loving God is not just by words, it must reflect in all that we do and in our approach to life. The moment we are saved, we should no longer walk as those who are heading for eternal damnation. The word of God must be obeyed in its entirety.
3. There are believers today who cherry-pick the aspects of the Bible they want to obey. This should not be so! After we are saved, it is expected of us to immediately renounce all the hidden things of dishonesty (2nd Corinthians 4:2).
4. We cannot afford to be careless in our Christian walk, because we have an adversary (1st Peter 5:8). To be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, we must be sincere with ourselves. One of the things that gave David victory over Goliath was his sincerity. Although King Saul offered David his armour, David was sincere enough to admit that he had never tired that approach (1st Samuel 17:38-39). His sincerity made him stick to his familiar strategy of using smooth stones and a catapult, rather than wasting his time on an untested line of attack that would not produce results.
5. Today, there are many ministers of the gospel who have abandoned the true gospel for a social message. They believe that people are not interested in hearing the truth. This is false! Some believe that if they preach the true gospel to people, they will find it very hard and most will turn away, hence, they water down their messages. Such ministers need to learn from Jesus (John 6:60-67). If Samson had been sincere with himself, he would not have died the kind of death he died (Judges 16:21-30).
6. The devil had tested Samson several times and had found out that he had no wisdom. Samson knew he had a weakness for women, but he refused to admit it. He felt things would always remain as they were (Judges 16:20). If he was sincere, he would have built a wall of defence between himself and his weaknesses. He kept a relationship he knew God did not approve of. He kept visiting places he should not visit, just like some Christians today who visit bars; even though they know ungodly things happen there.
7. Are you finding it difficult to stop stealing, yet you still join others in counting offering money? Are you finding it difficult to keep your eyes off your female secretary, despite speaking in tongues, and yet you have not eased her out? Are you competing with the grace of God in other people’s lives, despite the fact that God has told you your own area of strength? If any of these describes you, then you are not being sincere with yourself!

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Sincerity is one of the virtues God desires to see His children exhibit. Sincerity is one of Paul’s instructions for Christian household in Colossians 3:22. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.” Gehazi was insincere with his master Elisha and did not reverence God when he ran after Naaman. 2 Kings 5:20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” He went ahead to lie when his master seeked to know where he has been and his insincerity earned him and his generation leprosy. Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous–it had become as white as snow. (2 Kings 5:27) Likewise, Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 died as a result of their insincerity. Christians’ insincerity is in different phases and height and it take deliberate effort with the help of God through the Holy spirit to conquer this devil’s wile. I enjoin us to follow strictly what Paul admonished us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:21: “But test everything; hold fast what is good.” the Lord will help us in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point
Father, grant me the grace to sincerely deal with every weakness
in my life.
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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Memorise: But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Matthew 22:18
Read: Luke 11:37-44 (King James Version)
37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
Bible in one year: Genesis 21:23, Isaiah 45:14-25.

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

1. One of the characteristics which the Holy Spirit warns us will be rife in the last days is hypocrisy (1st Timothy 4:2). No wonder the Lord Jesus Christ made it very clear that many who expect to be granted access through the pearly gates will be turned back on the last day (Luke 13:24-27).
2. Do you know that many bishops, pastors, general overseers, apostles, etc who are professing Christ today will not make it on the day of judgement? May that not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. To prevent this from happening to you, you need to periodically examine yourself to see if you are still in the faith, as received from the Lord.
3. Ask yourself if your name is still written in the Book of Life. Does the Spirit of God still bear witness with your spirit that you are a bona fide child of God? Is your conscience free from guilt and dead works? Can the devil and his agents testify that truly, you are no longer in their camp? Don’t pretend to be a child of God when you know you are on your way to perdition.
3. The greatest challenges Jesus had with the Pharisees was the issue of their mindset. They appeared to have good intentions, but it was all a lie.
4. Hypocritical? Jesus knew the state of their hearts. The human heart is like a computer. Whatever you feed it with will determine what comes out of it. The heart of a man is what shapes his destiny. The reason why some people come to church and are still not blessed is the state of their heart. Their hypocritical hearts are hardened, and so they cannot receive anything from God.
5. If the Pharisees had allowed the message of Jesus Christ to penetrate their hearts, their perception would have been different. If you allow God to work on your heart, your breakthrough will be immeasurable.
6. Our heart is a reflection of who we are. Every time Jesus performed a miracle, instead of being happy that someone in need had received help from God, the Scribes and Pharisees would rather question by what authority He did it (John 9:13-27, Luke 20:1-2). That is what a hypocritical heart looks like.
7. I wish we all knew that God is watching not just our actions but also our motives.He hears and watches everything we do behind closed doors. There is nothing hidden from Him that will not be exposed on the last day.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

The prayer point for today’s devotion is very powerful and deep. Self-deception preceeds Self destruction. When some settles for deceiving self then such person has got to a delicate state. Our Lord Jesus Christ during His work on earth never ceased to address hypocrisy especially among the Pharisees. If we carefully take a look at some Christians in our world of today are hypocrites! And this very act surrounds itself with several dangerous fruits that can only lead to deterioration, destruction and even death. Man can never deceive God even if he/she deceives fellow human being. Galatians 6:7 tells us “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Let us examine ourselves deeply and uproot every hypocrisy or seed of deception that can lead to self destruction. Let’s guard our heart with all diligence against every satanic influence that can bring us to a place of disobedience of God’s instructions and disadvantage in God. We are delivered from all forms of deception in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye for this great insight into the word of God. His strength is renewed in Jesus’ name.

Prayer point
Father, deliver me from all forms of self-deception.
HYMN
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. Refrain

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Memorise: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: Psalm 92:1
Read: 1st Samuel 25:4-17
4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.
15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:
16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
Bible in one year: Genesis 19-20, Isaiah 44:21-45:13

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

1. God plays a prominent role in every successful endeavour (Lamentations 3:37). No human effort would suffice if God is not involved (Psalm 127:1). This is why you need to be grateful to God for every achievement you experience.
2. Some people disdain God each time they are asked to give offerings to Him. They wonder why they have to give 10% of their profit or income to God. They see this as irrational. Yes, irrational minds cannot see the faithfulness of God.
3. We should be grateful to God, and our gratitude should be expressed through our actions to Him and to our fellow men. Every time we bless others with our possessions out of a sincere heart, we are saying to God that we are grateful He made us a channel of blessing.
4. You can move God to do more for you through the heart of gratitude. Those who show gratitude to God achieve significant things in life. Solomon showed his gratitude to God through his offerings (1st Kings 3:3-15). He remembered and reflected on all the intrigues and battles that led to his emergence as king, and he was moved to give thanks. Also, King David was so grateful to God that he expressed it in his dance, to the point where he was disdained (2nd Samuel 6:16). He forgot he was a king, because he was demonstrating his gratitude to the King of kings.
5. For those with a heart of gratitude to God, when things are working, they praise God, and when things are not going in the direction they envisaged, they still praise God, knowing well that the faithfulness of God will never allow them to suffer loss.
6. Are you surrounded by enemies you can’t number? Don’t be troubled. Trust in Lord, and you will see His salvation. Are you going through situations that you can’t see yourself overcoming? Put your trust in God, and you will have total victory. Just take the step of faith and begin to bless the Name of the Lord. Even if a sack letter from your job was handed over to you yesterday, just begin to bless the Lord because something awesome is about to happen to you, and the world will hear your testimony.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Every child of God must possess a heart of gratitude. It is an act we must imbibe in us and even everyone around us. It must be so visible and true that others around us can literally see and be prompted to emulate. Let’s explore our feelings about someone expressing gratitude to us for something we did or they received from us. We are somehow displeased about continuous act of ingratitude of a benefactor even as human. And the one that is grateful always have priority over the ungrateful. In the same vein our God is moved by our gratitude to do more for us. A grateful heart paves way for a graceful life. Let’s take on the praise declaration of David in Psalm 34:1 that says: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Our gratitude goes to God for the gift of a father and teacher in person of Pastor E.A Adeboye and for great insight into God’s word that birthed Open Heavens devotional. May His name be praised forever.

Action Point
With a heart of gratitude to God, count your blessings and name them one by one.
HYMN
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

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Memorise: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12.
Read: 1 John 3:1-3
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Bible in one year: Genesis 16-18, Isaiah 44:9-20

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

1. You cannot discover your true identity if you are not in Christ. You need to recognise your true self through the light of the Scripture. If you know your true identity, it will help you not to compromise the call of God on your life.
2. The secret of blessings lies in your being able to walk in the divine purpose for your life. As a believer, you are the light in the midst of darkness, called to shine forth. You are the bridge to the destinies of men. If you don’t discover your destiny, the destinies of many others will be buried.
2. I once asked the Almighty God why He allowed me to “waste” twenty-seven years studying mathematics, when He knew that I would eventually become a pastor. The Lord told me that it was simply for the purpose of being able to preach mathematically. It then dawned on me that indeed all things work together for good for the children of God (Romans 8:28).
3. You are not a child of God just to attend church; you need to find out what God has empowered for you, and do exploits in that area. The reason why you are a child of God is not just to feel cool but to be driven by God’s purpose and mission. When you recognise that you belong to God, it will be practically impossible for anyone to get you derailed (Acts 27:23-24).
4. The power you have received as a child of God is not for nothing. It is expected that you will use this power in raising the dead, in opening the eyes of those still walking and living in ignorance, and in setting captives free from the bondage of Satan.
5. As children of God, let us wake up from our slumber and do the needful urgently. Every child of God is meant to be a fighter – a fearless fighter. You must not be weak in doing exploits for the Lord. You must not give in to fear despite the obstacles before you. All you need is the confidence that as a child of God, you have the backing of your Father.
6. A lot of people pass through life without being noticed because they have failed to understand the plan and programme of God for their lives. I pray for you that, in the Name of Jesus, you will find your place in God. By His grace, you will begin to experience prosperity, excellence and extraordinary breakthroughs, and before the end of your life, you will make a lasting change in the world.

SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS

Some people came to the world and left without any impact. Some names are still mentioned today by generations after the because of their works while on earth. Some disciples of Jesus, deacons, kings, prophets and individual’s are known than the other because of the account of their works written in the Bible. They made greater impact than the others whose names we hardly remember. Likewise in our environment, home country and the world as a whole, some great sons of God have come to this world and gone yet the impact of their great works lives on. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”1 John 3:1 We should live for Him whom has called us His. We should emulate Jesus in all we do as sons of God. We should be sold out for Him like apostle Paul and be a blessing to those around us. We should indeed make manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. The Lord will help us to live up to His standard for us in Jesus name. And we shall fulfil His purpose for our lives in Jesus name. We are grateful to God for blessing us with Pastor E.A Adeboye. Our knowledge of the word of God is increased each day as we study the Open Heavens devotional. More grace for greater works in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point
Father, as you did for the disciples of old, grant me boldness to speak your word
HYMN
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.
Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
Oh, let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

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