OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017: Be Refilled

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL – THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

TOPIC
Be Refilled

Memorise: And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; – Ephesians 5:18

Read: Ephesians 5:17-19 (KJV)

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Bible in One Year

 Acts 22-23, Jeremiah 39:11-40:6, Hymn: Sing hymn 15

MESSAGE

The moment you give your life to Christ, a long drawn out battle for your souls begins. While your spirit would want to begin to exercise control over your soul as it rightfully should, your body would resist it and ask you to go in the opposite direction. To be victorious in this protracted battle, you need to understand your new nature and the life of the Spirit, so that you can easily flow in it. From time to time, people ask me how I was able to grow in the Spirit, but they are never satisfied with the answer I give them. Let me share some of what helped me with you. The moment you become born again, your spirit man is brought back to life. The fish is born in water and so cannot survive outside its natural habitat – water. John 3:6 says,

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Therefore, now that your spirit man is born again, you are expected to gravitate towards the things of the spirit if you want to grow. Your new birth is a spirit experience, and only the things of the Spirit will help you grow.

One way to grow in the Spirit is to repeatedly experience being filled with the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended, the disciples gained their first experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4 says,

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Later on, when they gathered to table a pressing challenge before the Lord, they prayed earnestly, and they experienced the in-filling of the Holy Spirit again. Acts 4:31 says

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Furthermore, to successfully live the life of the spirit, it is not enough to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You must pursue a growing, personal relationship with Him and crave for more opportunities to be filled by Him. No wonder Ephesians 5:18 commands us to be filled with the Spirit. Like the disciples, if you want to be filled over and over again, be separate from the things of the flesh, have fellowship with God where you can worship Him in spirit and in truth, attend Church services together with like-minded believers, feast on His word and pray in tongues regularly.

Action Point 

Consistently try to increase the amount of time you spend praying in tongues. Pray in tongues and sing in tongues. This will help your spirit grow.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017: WHOSE WILL?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL – WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017

TOPIC

WHOSE WILL?

MEMORISE

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

MESSAGE

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

God is a God of purpose, and He is highly organized. He plans far ahead of His deeds. For instance, Ephesians 1:4 says that long before God laid the foundations of the earth, He had already chosen us to live a holy and blameless life before Him. God knows exactly what He wants and where He is going. God could not have created the world and everything in it without a definite plan or purpose for His creation (Isaiah 45:18). He has a will which is clearly revealed by His word. May God cause you to know His plan for your life and give you the grace to follow it in Jesus’ Name.

From the teaching of Jesus commonly known as “the Lord’s Prayer”, one thing is very clear: only the will of God is done in Heaven where He dwells. No one can violate His will or commandment over there and continue to stay there. He cannot live with rebels; hence, Lucifer and the angels who rebelled against God were thrown out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). Everyone and everything existing in Heaven conforms to God’s will and plan, and they all make Him happy. How about on earth? Since the fall of man, Satan and his demons have done a lot to cause men to take after rebellious path. For this reason, Jesus Christ came so that we can once again unite with those in Heaven in doing God’s will and pursuing His pleasure. Matthew 6:10 says,

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Why were you saved? God saved you so that you can join His family in Heaven in doing His will. David had this understanding, and so he said in Psalm 143:10:

“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

You are here on earth to do His will and not to please yourself (Romans 12:2). For this reason, Colossian 1:16 says we were created by Him and for Him. You were created for His purpose. At the end of time, only those who follow God’s will diligently on earth will be translated to continue doing so in Heaven. Whose will are you following? Are you daily doing God’s will or yours?

Prayer Point

Father, teach and grant me grace to do your will with all of my heart.

OPEN HEAVENS 2017 WRITTEN BY PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE 

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY MAY 30, 2017: THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL – TUESDAY MAY 30, 2017

TOPIC

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION

MEMORISE

 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matthew 7:13

Read: Matthew 7:13-14 (King James Version)

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Bible in one year: Acts 18-19, Jeremiah 38:14-23, Hymn: Sing hymn 11

MESSAGE

God wants to change your life, but beyond this, He wants to change your final destination. Over the ages, many people have had to move from one location to another within the same country. Others have had to relocate to other countries for one reason or the other. However, at the end of the day, irrespective of where we live, we shall all arrive at a final destination. That destination is eternal and cannot be changed after we die. Open Heavens 30 May 2017. There are two eternal destinations: Heaven and Hell. Whether you believe it or not, you are heading towards one of these. The Bible is very clear on the truth that every sinner is heading to Hell. Psalm 9:17 says,

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

If you are still living in sin, Jesus Christ has come to change your eternal destination from Hell to Heaven. For this change to happen, you have to accept the remedy for sin which He has made available in His Blood. If a person does not achieve this crucial change before death, all other achievements during his or her lifetime will fade into nothingness, and then fellow will be faced with an eternity in Hell.  Open Heavens 30 May 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – the ultimate destination.

The shocking truth about this is that God will never force a person to change his or her final destination. He won’t force you to change from the hell-bound way to the heaven-bound narrow path. He allows you to make your decision and to live with the eternal consequences hereafter. I was taking to an important personality recently about being born again. He kept arguing with me, and so I told him this: “Sir, it is not something we should quarrel about. It is not compulsory for you to go to Heaven. If you prefer to go to Hell, it is your choice.” Then he said, “Why are you begging me to be born again or to give my life to Jesus?” I laughed and replied, “Me, begging you? I am not begging you but only sounding a note of warning. If you choose to wind up in Hell, it is your choice.” Some people think that as long as they do not believe in the existence of Hell, they cannot go there. Hell is real! Many people are entering into Hell every day, and yet it is not full (Proverbs 27:20). If the only feat you can achieve on earth is to avoid Hell, it is worth the trouble. Many people were mocking those who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them during their life time until they ended up in Hell. Hell is worse than any type of suffering or punishment you know on earth. Do everything possible to avoid it by genuinely giving your life to Christ today.

Action Point

To make Heaven your final destination, do the following: repent and confess your sins to God; ask Him to cleanse your sins with the Blood of Jesus; invite Jesus into your life and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour and ask God for grace to live for Him till you die.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional: Bread or Crumbs?

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Bread or Crumbs?

Today: Monday May 29, 2017

Memorise; Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me. Proverbs 30:8

Read: Proverbs 30:7-9 (King James Version)

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Any Fruit of Repentance?

Bible in one year: Acts 16-17, Jeremiah 38:1-13

MESSAGE:

What you get from God depends on how contented or dissatisfied you are. While some people ask nothing from the Almighty God who has all things and who can do all things, some others ask for crumbs. Your desire and request go a long way in determining what you get in life. In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons met the Lord, all she asked for was crumbs:

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

– Matthew 15:27

Even today, after Jesus had said that the children of the Kingdom are meant to eat at God’s table, many of these children still prefer the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table (Luke 12:32, Matthew 15:26). Where is your focus: the table or the crumbs?

Similarly, there is a correlation between your desire and your trust in God. If you really have faith in God, you will be able to ask big. The Bible says those who know their God shall do exploits (Daniel 11:32). In other words, when you know little or nothing about God, when asked to make a request, you will be afraid of asking for too much, and so you will be confined to asking for so little.

However, when you know how inexhaustible the resources of God are, it will stir up courage in your heart to ask for big, great and impossible things.Therefore, if you are asking for a used car, a tiny rented apartment or a job that can barely take you away from starvation, it is very possible that you do not know or trust God enough. 

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Stand Up For Something

In today’s Bible reading, Agur made a very humble request. He asked for neither poverty nor wealth. He feared poverty, lest he might be tempted to steal; and he also feared wealth, lest he deny God. Just enough was that he asked for. Using the children of Israel as a model of God’s plan for your life, you will observe that God took them from the wilderness, where they had Manna that was just enough for each day, to a land flowing with milk and honey, where they had more than enough (Exodus 16:15-19, Deuteronomy 6:10-11, Joshua 5:12). Just enough might mean not having reserves to take care of emergencies. That means, in an emergency, you may be forced to go cap in hand borrowing. Are you asking but asking for too little? How can your joy be full if all you have is little? Are you asking for little in consideration of others who are also asking God for the same things? You can never exhaust God’s resources. Ask big and stop limiting yourself!

Action Point

Ask God for something really big that only He can do for you.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Any Fruit of Repentance?

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Any Fruit of Repentance?

Today: Sunday May 28, 2017

Memorise: Bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance. Matthew 3:8

Read: Matthew 3:1-10 (King James Version)

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Bible in one year: Acts 14-15, Jeremiah 37, Hymn: Sing Hymn 6

MESSAGE:

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:”

Joel 2:12

Fasting can be used to demonstrate genuine repentance before God. Exemplifying the above scripture, Prophet Daniel embarked on a fast to show repentance for his sins and the sins of the children of Israel in Daniel 9:3-20. All through the Old Testament, when individuals or a group of people fell into sin and judgement was imminent, they returned to God in fasting and mourning, expressing sorrow for sins committed. How truly sorrowful are you when you sin against God? 

Is there any deep sorrow for sin anymore? Today, when you see a believer asking God for pardon over a wrong he or she has committed, you will be amazed. A few seconds after he or she has apologised, he or she is seen carrying on as if nothing ever went wrong. There is no manifestation of godly sorrow. People do not see offending God as anything anymore. They hide behind grace to cover up their evil lifestyle. However, can God be fooled?

The “repentance” of some people today is highly questionable. True repentance must be backed up by godly sorrow. 2nd Corinthians 7:10 says

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

Genuine repentance must exhibit the fruits of humility, confession, brokenness, a desire for restitution where necessary and a commitment to never return to the evil act. Take King Ahab as a case in point. He was a wicked king with a satanic wife, Jezebel. The wickedness perpetrated during his reign for exceeded that of other regimes (1st King 21:25). Yet, when God spoke to him about an impending judgment, he immediately readjusted, tore his royal robe, wore sackcloth, humbled himself and fasted (1st Kings 21:27). 

When God saw the fruit of repentance in him, He deferred His judgement till the next generation. When you say to God “Father, I’m sorry, please for me”, is there any fruit of repentance to back it up? Some leaders get involved in terrible sins, and after whispering, “Father, I am sorry”, they continue as if nothing ever happened. Is that genuine repentance? People hardly weep or mourn over their shortcomings anymore. They hardly set themselves apart in fasting and prayer to reach out to God for mercy. No wonder they continue in their sins. If you are sorry, you will bring forth fruits consistent with repentance through your actions. Do you have such fruits?  

Key Point

Repentance goes beyond just saying, “I am sorry”. Your comportment and inner resolve go a long way to validate or discredit claim.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Soul-Winning: A Mark of Life

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Soul-Winning: A Mark of Life 

Today: Saturday 27, May 2017

Memorise: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. – John 15:2

Read: John 15:1-6 (KJV)

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Bible in One Year: Acts 12-13, Jeremiah 36:20-32, Hymn: Sing hymn 13

MESSAGE:

Just as it is needful to pray and fast, it is also needful to win souls to God’s Kingdom regularly. Don’t just win one, two or five souls and stop, continue to win souls at all times. John 15:16 says,

 “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Do you know that regular evangelism can keep you in shape spiritually? If you belong to Christ, you are like a living tree that produces fruit (Psalm 1:3). Any tree that produces good fruit will definitely be appreciated by its owner. Bearing spiritual fruit is one obvious sign that you are still spiritually alive. If you are winning souls often, it shows you are growing spiritually. It takes obedience to the Holy Spirit and partnership with Him to win a soul and to give life to the spiritually dead. If you are not bearing fruit, it could be because you are dead or separated from God. A dead fellow cannot be used as an agent of life. Moreover, in the course of soul-winning, there are some ideas, teachings and abilities that the Holy Spirit will endow you with which you may not easily access through any other means.

The truth is that those who go out for evangelism never go out alone. Why? Since they are out to obey the Lord’s command. Which is so important to the Godhead, the Trinity works with them (Mark 16:20). The Lord sees to it that the word of the evangelist does not fall to the ground (Hebrews 2:3-4). The evangelist is a true fellow-worker with God. On the other hand, the fellow who does not win souls is not bringing joy to God’s heart and is also not showing signs of spiritual life. If you continue your Christian life without leading others to Christ, you may be cut off from your Source (John 15:2, Luke 13:7). It therefore follows that if you want to grow spiritually, you must make soul-winning a regular activity. You must win souls and continue to win more souls. If you are actively winning souls, you will experience God’s special love and attention. God will also answer your prayers more easily, and increase your capacity to be fruitful by taking away hindrances to fruitfulness from your life. Using your attitude to soul-winning as a benchmark, are you dead or alive?

Action Point: To catch up on the number of souls you should have won in the past, launch an aggressive personal evangelism outreach drive to bring in at least 100 souls to God kingdom.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Stand Up For Something

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Stand Up For Something

Today: Friday May 26, 2017

Memorise: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

Read: Revelations 3:15-16 (King James Version)

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Be Full of Faith

Bible in one year: Acts 10-11, Jeremiah 36:4-19

MESSAGE:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert could or hot.”

Revelation 3:15

 

If there is one state that God never wants His children to be in, it is the state of lukewarmness. As seen in the above Scripture passage, the Lord speaks His mind on this issue in very strong terms. He says if you want to be hot, be hot, and if you want to be cold, be cold; if you are neither cold nor hot, He will spit you out of His mouth. God has zero tolerance for lukewarmness. As foretold by the Holy Spirit long ago, many Christians in these last days are falling into the state of lukewarmness. Lukewarm people are tasteless in God’s mouth, and hence He cannot stand them. 

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Trying To Corner God?

You cannot mix your worship to God with the worship of an idol. How can you put the Ancient of Days on the same platform as an idol that is the contraption of men’s hearts? God is greatly insulted by this. If you want to be a Christian, be a completely devoted one. Serve Him with your life and ensure you glorify Him in all that you do. If you however do not want to be a Christian, do not pretend to be one.

One soul I wish could have won for Christ is Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late Nigerian Afro-beat music icon. I loved him for one thing: he was not a pretender. His lifestyle clearly showed that he was not on the side of Christ. This man married 27 wives in one day! He was a law unto himself. Some people say they are serving God, and at home they have one wife, but outside, they have several mistresses. Stop pretending! If you want to serve God, serve Him, but if you don’t want to serve God, stay away from Him. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well.

 

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: For The Glory

A lukewarm fellow will say he like something, whereas he hates that same thing in his heart. He or she lives a false life. Some people appear to be very active and zealous for God when they are in their country of origin, but when they travel abroad, you will not believe they are the same person you thought you knew. Such people are unable to stand for the truth, and so will find excuses to justify their lack of zeal for the things of God. 

Lukewarm people are dream-killers and act as bad influencers. If you are hot and you stay around them, they can discourage you by their attitude. Are you lukewarm? It’s time to come out of that state today! Take a stand for the truth and for living right!

Key Point

Those who find it difficult to stand up for Jesus still love the world.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: For The Glory

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: For The Glory

Today: Thursday May 25, 2017

Memorise: And I, behold, I will harden the heats of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. Exodus 14:17

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Lessons on Vow

Read: Exodus 14:15-17 (King James Version)

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Bible in one year: Acts 8-9, Jeremiah 35:12-36:3

MESSAGE:

Do you know that every time God moves to deliver a helpless and hopeless individual, He gets some form of glory from it? After led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were on their way towards the Red Sea, the Egyptians, forgetting all that they had suffered on account of the Israelites, resolved to go after them and bring them back. This was a serious problem for the Israelites, who had lived as slaves all their lives and were just experiencing freedom for the very first time. However, God did not leave them alone. 

In fact, He prepared Moses and Joshua to physically lead them while He provided spiritual direction and protection. On your way to your place of destiny, the Lord will not leave you alone. As He led the Israelites, so will He lead you in Jesus’ Name. Be assured in your heart that God will not allow your present predicament to drown you, because He knows that His intervention will definitely bring glory to His Name.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: Season of Laughter

“And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.”

Exodus 14:17

What God’s children were faced with the serious threat of returning to slavery, although they cried to God for help, one major reason why God intervened was because of the glory or honour He was going to get from it. Open Heavens daily devotional 2017. If you are confronted with a situation you can easily come out of, or a situation someone can help you out with, either you or the fellow who helped you might want to take or partake of the glory when the problem is solved. 

In contrast to this, when you are pushed to a corner, with no specialist, parent, relative, friend or pastor to help, when God intervenes in such situations and the issue is resolved, He alone will take the glory. God does not like to share His glory with anyone or anything (Isaiah 42:8). Unfortunately, many people who give testimonies still share in or even completely rob God of His glory. The summary of their testimonies is that they prayed so much, fasted so long, gave a lot or were very smart and got their miracle because of this. Such people are glory thieves. There are many people who have done much more than they did and yet their situations have not changed. God can step into your situation because of the glory He will get from it, so never tamper with His glory.

Action Point

Man has a problem and wants a solution. God gives the solution and wants the glory. Never allow anything to tamper with God’s expectation!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Trying To Corner God?

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Trying To Corner God?

Today: Wednesday May 24, 2017

Memorise: But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 17:21

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Asking For Nothing

Read: Genesis 17:15-21 (King James Version)

15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

Bible in one year: Acts 7, Jeremiah 34:17-35:11

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Heavenly Attention 

MESSAGE:
After Abraham and Sarah used their own alternative means to attempt to solve their problem of childlessness, and Hagar delivered Ishmael to Abraham, they thought that God’s plan for their lives would change to accommodate Ishmael. They were wrong! In fact, in Genesis 17:18, Abraham made a passionate plea for God to recognise Ishmael as his covenant heir, but God insisted on His original plan. In Genesis 17:19, God said this to Abraham:

“…Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.”

A crucial lesson here is that we cannot force, deceive, manipulate or corner God into doing what He did not plan to do. Isaac is a product of the Spirit while Ishmael is a product of the flesh (Galatians 4:23-29). Never expect God to dump the Spirit for the flesh.Do you know that some Christians go against God’s word and will by marrying an unbeliever and then later pretend to be sorry by feigning tears, whereas inside of them they are rejoicing that they have married their chosen heartthrob and have thus outsmarted God? Such Christians would try to justify themselves by asking you whether God would expect them to divorce their unsaved spouse when God Himself says He hates divorce. Oh how smart they think they are! Unfortunately for them though, they will later realise how foolish they really are, when faced with the consequences of their choice.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: How often do you fast? 

If you go against God’s word and choose an unbeliever as your marriage or business partner, it is your choice. You will have to live with the repercussions of that choice. You may have 100 “Ishmaels”, but God’s covenant can only be established with an “Isaac” (Genesis 17:21). Isaac is a product of God’s blessings, while Ishmael is a product of man’s lust, impatience and self-government. Do not expect God to legitimize your Ishmael! Some people acquire wealth through illegitimate means and later expect God to sanctify it for them. They are only deceiving themselves. Anything you add to yourself that God has not added to you will ultimately be a curse that will haunt you. Open Heavens. This is why it is better to wait on God to receive the blessing that comes from Him and not fall for cheap alternatives. Have you devised alternative to God’s original plan for your life? Repent and dump them today! Go back to God and ask Him to continue from where He stopped in your life.

Action Point
Have you ever tried to outsmart God? Go on your knees and confess how foolish you have been, and ask for His mercy today.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: Be Full of Faith

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Open Heavens Daily Devotional written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Topic: Be Full of Faith

Today: Tuesday May 23, 2017

Memorise: Be ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Jude 1:20

Read: Acts 6:3-10 (King James Version)

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: God Will Help You

Bible in one year: Acts 5:6, Jeremiah 34:1-16

MESSAGE:

According to Mark 16:17-18, the ability to demonstrate faith in God is very necessary in the ministry of signs and wonders. Hebrews 11:6 also says that without faith you cannot please God. So how do we recognise someone with faith? A look at the life of someone the Bible declared was full of faith should be able to provide us some answers. Acts 6:8 says,

“And Stephen, full of faith and powers, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Stephen was only a deacon in the early Church. He was chosen as an usher to join others in serving food, and yet because he was full of faith, he performed great signs and wonders, even more than some apostles. From the example of Stephen, it therefore means that you can be a worker in the Church and God could still use you to perform mighty signs and miracles even more than a pastor. This simply tells us that walking in the miraculous is not about titles but about faith. You can be full of position or titles but empty of faith and therefore of little or no use to God in the ministry of signs and wonders. Some senior pastors cannot mention just one miracle the Lord has performed through them in the last two or more years, and yet God is doing wonders through their subordinates. It is doubtful that such pastors are full of faith. Are you full of faith or doubt?  There is no way God will be at work among His people and His supernatural touch will not be visible for all to see.

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: When God gives laughter 

Instead of building up their faith until it is full, some people choose to use everything at their disposal to secure a position or an ordination in the Body of Christ. Believing that the higher their position, the greater the anointing at their disposal. Unfortunately, they fail to realise that those who pursue position or ordination may get the title but not the power that backs it up.  What is important is to build up your faith. After you are saved, do not keep your faith stagnant; grow it. Feed your faith by meditating regularly on God’s word, praying in the Holy Spirit, reading sound Christian literature and texts, and by listening to good Christian music and testimonies. You also need to fellowship regularly in a Bible-believing Church, so that you are constantly exposed to the truth. When you are full of faith, fear will have no place to hibernate inside you.  This makes you a sure candidate for God to work with. May God work with you! Do all you can to build up you faith.

Key Point

Your spiritual growth is your personal responsibility, and not that of your pastor.