Devotionals

Memorise: “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” Ephesians 6:6
Read: Ephesians 6:5-8
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Bible in one year: Ecclesiastes 8-10, Malachi 2:16

1. “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men for if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ” Galatians 1:10
2. God’s expectation concerning your service towards His kingdom and your service in your workplace is that in both cases, you serve with the mindset of one serving God and not man.
3. He expects you to render excellent service and to serve without hypocrisy. 
4. One mark of hypocritical service is the desire to please men rather than God.
5. A hypocritical worker is more concerned about entering and remaining in the good books of his or her superiors but really does not care whether God is pleased or not. You will commonly find eye-service in such people.
6. Eye-service is service rendered only when the employer is watching.
7. Eye-service is unacceptable to God, especially in His vineyard, and for this reason, the Holy Spirit warns us against it in Ephesians 6:6, saying: “Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;”
8. In the sight of God, a fellow given to eye-service is a hypocrite. When such people do some work for God, it is not from their heart. They are not bothered about the work being done in line with God’s will. All they are concerned about is being seen to be ‘doing something’ by their superiors. They love to be praised by their Pastor or supervisor as being dutiful, diligent and supportive, but is that the record that God has of them?
9. If you love the praise of men more than commendation of God, you do not yet know what it is to serve the Lord.
10. The truth is, work or service rendered with eye-service will definitely miss heaven’s mark, and runs the risk of losing heaven’s rewards!
11. How faithful are you to God and His work? Also, how faithful are you to your employer and the objectives for your jobs? 
12. Eye-service is characterized by deception, lies and pretense. If you work in this way, your service is unto the leader whose favour you seek and not unto Christ.
13. You cannot serve Jesus Christ and still have the target to please men. Colossians 3:22 says your service should be backed by the fear of God.
14. If you truly love and fear God, you will serve Him and do whatever He asks you do, whether your superiors are there or not.
15. If you still see traces of eye-service in your life, repent and turn a new leaf today.

Anyone that seeks to please man thereby resulting in eye-service is placing himself or herself on the platform of enmity with God. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4 I enjoin us to make amends and God will help us in Jesus name. God be praised for Pastor E.A Adeboye and may his strength be renewed in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, deliver your Church from eye-service and inspire us to serve you truly.
HYMN
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in endless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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20

Memorise: “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:2
Read: 1st Corinthians 7:1-9
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
Bible in one year: Ecclesiastes 4-7, Malachi 1

1. Yesterday, the Lord spoke to us about His intention for Christian homes not just to add the population of the earth through procreation, but to produce children that meet heaven’s specification of a godly seed, who will represent God everywhere they go and obey Him to the letter. May your homes produce such godly seed in Jesus’ Name!
2. Another reason why God established the institution of marriage is to prevent fornication. 1st Corinthians 7:2 says, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”
3. This scripture speaks of the need for husband and wife to be intimate so as not to fall into the pit of sexual immorality.
4. It is common in some homes today for the wife to deny her husband intimacy just because he has not fulfilled certain requests she made, or for the husband to deny his wife intimacy because he is not happy with her. This is at variance with God’s expectation and an abuse of the purpose of sexual intimacy.
5. It is wrong to use sex as a tool for punishing your spouse.
6. People should learn to isolate issues and not mix them up.
7. Neither the Husband nor the Wife has the power to deny sexual intimacy except it is a temporal arrangement, for the purpose of prayer and fasting, and this must be by mutual consent.
8. Denial of sexual intimacy is viewed as fraud from God’s perspective (1st Corinthians 7:4-5).
9. Both the wife and the husband should strive towards fulfilling the godly sexual desires of their spouse. This is necessary because it is one way the couple will be protected from the hawks outside their home.
10. It is only a foolish woman who will give conditions for intimacy.
11. When you starve your spouse of intimacy, you expose him to external dangers and temptations.
12. Some women who are married to Pastors and ministers of God take it for granted that their husbands can never go out of their matrimonial homes, and as a result, they begin to deny them sexual intimacy at will. Going by recent realities, such women may get the shock of their lives!
13. There are those who use spirituality as basis for starving their spouses. I don’t suppose such people can be more spiritual than Apostle Paul, who wrote the admonition in 1st Corinthians 7:4-5. Some of these people are almost always fasting and praying. Please control your fast before you cause irreparable damage to your home.

Glory to God for such powerful and educative devotional. Many couples have failed in this regard for several times, but thank God for exposing the works of the devil in our marriages in this devotional. Some of us even hide under Spirituality and deny our partners sex for several months simply because of misunderstanding, as we can see, it’s ungodly as stated in the devotional “Both the wife and the husband should strive towards fulfilling the godly sexual desires of their spouse. This is necessary because it is one way the couple will be protected from the hawks outside their home”. Let’s be wise in our marriages and not self invite the devil to manipulate it by depriving each other rights. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Prayer Point
Father, uproot every spirit of immorality causing married people in my local assembly to be unfaithful to their spouses.
HYMN
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty
Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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20

Memorise: “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. Malachi 2:15
Read: Malachi 2:14-15
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Bible in one year: Ecclesiastes 1-3, Zachariah 14:10-21

1. Marriage between a man and a woman is approved by God.
2. Besides companionship and receiving a life-time helper, another reason why God established marriage is for the continuity of the human race. Genesis 1:28 says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
3. After Creation, God blessed man to be fruitful, to multiply and to refill the earth.
4. Similarly in Genesis 9:1, after the great flood that wiped out all of mankind except Noah and his family, God pronounced this same blessing on them.
5. Beloved, God loves fruitfulness, and that is one reason why He instituted marriage.
6. He wants the human race to multiply and spread all over the earth. His desire is for the earth to be subdued and dominated by man whom He has created in His own image. However, this does not justify raising a family without planning for it.
7. If you are married, you and your spouse should prayerfully decide how many children you would add to populate the earth.
8. Never bring children you are not able or prepared to take care of into this world.
9. While God wants all of mankind to multiply, He particularly wants those who are His own to bring forth godly seeds. In other words, while regular inhabitants of the earth are reproducing and adding to the world’s general population, believers are expected to raise godly seeds that would later reach out to the rest of the world.
10. In today’s Bible reading, the Lord plainly stated that He allowed His children to marry so as to produce special children: a godly breed.
11. God wants children who meet ‘heaven’s specifications’ from the homes of His people. Can He say that He has found them in your own home?
12. Not every Christian family can raise these special breed of children, even though they have the potential to.
13. It takes a deliberate collaborative effort between the Holy Spirit and parents to raise children who meet God’s specification of godly seed.
14. These are heaven-bound children who will walk closely with Holy Spirit in their lifetime. Their foundations are laid in God’s word and doctrine. They are grounded in the knowledge of God and are carriers of His light. May God help us raise godly seed for His glory in Jesus’ Name.

God is orderly and this is evident in all His ways. The creation of the world as recorded in Genesis took certain process and days. The specification given by God for offering, Ark of covenant and communion just to mention a few shows clearly He has guidelines we must follow in doing His will. If truly God is our Father, we must depict we are His true children by obeying Him and His word. May God make us a blessing to our generation in Jesus name. Pastor E.A Adeboye is a big blessing to us. May His strength be renewed in Jesus name.

Key Point
Christian couples should not just trust God for babies but for godly seeds.
HYMN
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty
Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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20

Memorise: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” Proverbs 31:11
Read: Proverbs 18:22-24
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 28-31, Zachariah 13:7-14:9

1. On the 23rd of this month, the Lord took us to the beginning of His creation to learn that companionship is one major reason why He established the institution marriage (Genesis 2:18).
2. God does not want adults to be alone. After marriage, some people refuse to stay in the company of their spouse, giving excuses such as not being “compatible” with their spouse. If you knew you were not compatible with your spouse, why did you venture into marriage with him or her in the first place?
3. Sometimes, the untold underlying reason behind this incompatibility is the gap educational qualifications, social status or financial power of the couple. In such cases, God expects that the one in the advantage position in the relationship would assist the other to climb up until the gap is bridged.
4. Your wife is your number-one companion. Some men are always in the company of other women. This is a violation of God’s law on companionship.
5. Moreover, another reason why God established marriage is to raise a permanent helper for the man and vice versa.
6. The term ‘help meet’ used in Genesis 2:18 refers to adequate and appropriate help. In other words, if you obtain your wife or husband from God, you can be assured that God has given you an appropriate destiny helper.
7. Do you know that the fortunes of some people improve tremendously after marriage?
8. Adam could say he had a helpmate because Eve was the bone of his bone, and Flesh of his flesh (Genesis 2:21-23).
9. If you marry the right woman God has for you, favour will suddenly reside in your home (Proverbs18:22). She will prevent waste of resources in your home and load you with good throughout you lifetime (Proverbs 31:11, Proverbs 31:12). This also applies to a woman who marries the right husband. For this reason, it is very important to go to God for your spouse, like Adam received Eve from God.
10. If you get a spouse from God as His child, it enhances your prospects of making Heaven (1st kings 21:25). However, if you get your spouse from friends, relations, computerized match-making services, date clubs, or by your own self will, you may be getting a destroyer instead of a helper.
11. When you have the right man as a husband, he will be crown over you and help you become what God has in store for you. Help is reciprocal.
12. The reason why some people were plunged into ‘hell’ from the day their marriage started is because they refused to go to the Creator for Him to help them take that crucial decision that has the potential of determining lives and destinies.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.Proverbs 3:6 God’s precept is the best to follow in every area of our lives. Let Him lead your way as a believer and experience a life of unending beauty. We are daily refreshed as we study the Open Heavens devotional. May God continually increase Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Action Point
To make the right decision on who to marry, go to the Creator of all men for help, and He will surely lead you to the right person for you. He knows all people and the contents of their hearts.
HYMN
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty
Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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20

Memorise: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.” Matthew 28:5
Read: Matthew 2:1-11
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 24-27, Zachariah 12:10-13:6

1. What you focus on will seriously affect your ability to achieve your destiny, realize your goals and glorify God.
2. Many children of God were focused on Jesus Christ before they became exposed to luxurious cars, mansions and exotic lifestyles, but after the Lord prospered them, they  began to ask the Lord questions as to why they should live their lives in accordance with His principles, which got them to where they are in the first place.
3. While prosperity is good, it is only beneficial for as long as it is balanced with a lifestyle of godliness.
4. Prosperity that does not have Christ as its centre is vain and only a passing shadow. A beautiful mansion without Jesus is Hell, while a hut with Jesus in it is Heaven on earth.
5. In today’s Bible reading, we are told that some wise men came to seek Jesus. According to Bible scholars, these men must have travelled for at least two years before they got to their destination. They did not arrive immediately Jesus was born, as it popularly depicted. From Herod’s enquiries on what time the first saw guiding star, he could calculate that Jesus could be up to two years old when the wise men arrived. This was why in an attempt to kill the child, he decreed that children who were two years old and younger be killed (Matthew 2:16). When the wise men eventually arrived at the place where Jesus was, they worshipped Him and gave Him gifts.
6. Worship is incomplete without an offering. Proverbs 13:20 says, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed”
7. If you want to be wise like these men, you will back your worship with good offering.
8. Come before His presence with joy and singing; bring Him gifts and worship Him, and you will be glad you did. Why? Everyone who ever saw Jesus and worshipped Him benefited from it.
9. The wise men did not travel for two years in vain. After they saw the young Jesus and offered Him gifts, their deed was immortalised. For over 2000 years, their story is still being told around the world wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached.
10. Who or what would you really love to see? I want to see Jesus.
11. After working with God for several years, Moses still asked God to show him His glory (Exodus 33:17-23). I often wondered why, before I got the revelation.
12. Job equally had the rare privilege of seeing God (Job 42:1-6). If you search for Him and truly desire Him this Christmas season, you will surely find Him.
13. Are you focused on the reason for the season or lost in the vanity that the world seeks?

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:17‭-‬21 The scripture above describes what is in stock for those who seek Him. He came for us to become the reason for this season. His love for us is of the greatest height. Let us love Him and all that is His I return. May God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye and empower him with greater wisdom and strength in Jesus name.
Key Point
The wise men diligently sought for Jesus and they found Him. If you also seek Him diligently, you will surely be rewarded.
HYMN
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

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20

Memorise: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Read: John 14:20-23        
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 21-23, Zachariah 11:15-12:9

1. One of the greatest invitations we have from the Lord Jesus is the call to love Him. In Matthew 10:37 he says, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” 
2. This invitation is not just to love Jesus, but to love him supremely. It is a call to love Him above everyone who is precious to us: parents, children, family and friends.
3. If you truly love someone, you would be ready to defend your love for that person at any cost.
4. Sometimes, when you love two different people and the two parties are in disagreement over an issue, you will find yourself supporting the person you love more against the one you love less. When the Lord’s instruction are in conflict with the beliefs of love ones, most people would choose to please their loved ones rather than obey the Lord’s instructions. Do you love Jesus above everyone and everything else? Do you love him above your career, work, academic pursuits, etc?
5. There are great benefits for those who follow Jesus supremely.
6. First, Jesus says they will be regarded as being worthy to Him. They will be qualified to carry His banner everywhere they go, they are assured of the backing of the Most High God. Also, according to John 14:21, if you love Jesus supremely, God the Father will make you the target of His love and you will bask in it. In addition, the Lord will manifest Himself to you. Check out all those who experience a manifestation of the Lord, like Saul of Tarsus; their lives never remained the same (1st Corinthians 15: 5-8). Furthermore, John 14:23 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
7. From this scripture, another benefit of you loving Jesus supremely is that both Jesus Christ and God the Father will make your heart their permanent residence. If you experience the reality of this truth, you will enter into the realm of Heaven on earth, where no devil or demons dares to come near you (Deuteronomy 11:21).
8. Are you satisfied with your relationship with the Godhead? Why stay where you are when you can take your love for Christ to the limits and have the Godhead fully living with you?

Dictionary meaning of supreme is highest in rank which simply means the Loving God supremely in every situation is honoring because God first loved us that he gave His only begotten son. Apostle Paul explained better the benefits of supreme love “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans‬ ‭8:35, 37-39‬ If we can can attain this level of Love for God, surely the benefits are enormous and we shall always conquer. God bless and equip Pastor E.A Adeboye for greater works in Jesus name

Key Point
Love is so powerful! You can love God to the extent that He will personally come and introduce Himself to you.
HYMN
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

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20

Memorise: “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18
Read: Genesis 2:15-18
15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Bible in one year: Proverbs 17-20, Zachariah 11:1-14

1. Quite a number of people today enter into marriage for all the wrong reasons, which is why we need  to ask ourselves this question: Why marriage? The first reason is companionship.
2. To fully understand God’s purpose, let’s take a look at the beginning.
3. After God created the firmament, the seas, all the plants and animals, He afterwards made man in the Garden of the Eden. However, as He watched life unfold, He realized that of all the creatures, it was only Adam who had no one of his kind. The trees could produce through their seeds; the animals also had male and female species and thereby multiply. Adam only was the lone ranger in this earthly paradise. Yes, he was in charge. Agreed he was the god of the whole earth as that time. Indeed, all animals, birds and fish submitted to him, and true he had great relationship with them all, but God still saw that there was an issue of loneliness with Adam that no pet or animal could solve. In Genesis 2:18, the Bible says, “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” 
4. God categorically said it is not good for a man to be alone.
5. It is great to go through bachelorhood and spinsterhood during your youthful days. It is an experience you may never get back after going past that stage in life. Nevertheless, at some point, God wants you to be married. He wants you to have worthy companion.
6. Today, in many homes, companionship is still lacking even after marriage. This is quite unfortunate!
7. Couples marry and stay far apart from each other, this is recipe for disaster and negates basis for marriage in the first place.
8. A marriage relationship cannot be what it was meant to be as long as the vital ingredient of companionship is missing. For this reason, if a couple who have been married for 30 years become separated  for some 10 to 15 years, by the time they come together again, they would be like total strangers to each other.
9. Are you married? Is your spouse your companion? Some people are ashamed to attend social outing with their wives; why then did you marry her? Do you spend time in each other’s company? Do you enjoy the company of your spouse or do you prefer to keep company with other people? Your legally wedded spouse should be your ideal companion! Is it so with you?

There is always a purpose for all that God made. We must therefore strive at all time to fulfil this purpose in all we do. May God help us in Jesus name. God bless Pastor E.A Adeboye in Jesus name.

Key Point
Pets are fast replacing human spouses as companions! We are really in perilous times.
HYMN
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty
Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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

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

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

Prayer Point
Father, I thank You for always causing all things to work together for my good.
HYMN
Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favor;
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us;
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us;
All must be well.
Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation;
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit’s guiding,
All must be well.
We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Or in living, or in dying,
All must be well.

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

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

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

Prayer Point
Father, grant me boldness to declare my faith in every situation I find myself in this world.
HYMN
My faith looks up to thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine;
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine!
May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
While life’s dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside.
When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done,
Be near to me.
Blest Savior, then, in love
Fear and distrust remove.
O bear me safe above,
Redeemed and free!

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

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

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

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

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