Wednesday 30 April 2014

HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?- 01/05/2014

HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?- 01/05/2014

Yesterday's message was titled "CARE FOR THE BRETHREN”. Today's message is titled "HOW PREPARED ARE YOU?" as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Proverbs 4:7 : "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. " Today's reading was taken from Matthew 25:1-2 and the Bible reading in one year is  Revelation 12-15 and Psalm 94 (Adeboye, 2014).

Quoted below is today's message for your input

"Wisdom has been described as the right application of knowledge. This is reflected in a person’s active and constant preparation for success. A wise man prays when others play, fasts when others feast and plans when others loaf around doing nothing. There is no gainsaying the fact that spiritual and physical success depends on active and constant preparation. One who fails to plan has already planned to fail. How prepared are you?

A study of the scriptures will reveal many ingredients for active and constant preparation. These include determination, endurance, seriousness and faithfulness. Determination is an indispensable requirement for spiritual and physical success. This is resolution and firmness of purpose. It takes determination to be successful in life, business, marriage and ministry. How determined are you? Added to determination is endurance. To endure means to suffer, to undergo pain, hardship, difficulties, problems and all sorts of hard situations without giving up. There is always a price for good success. Endurance requires discipline – self-discipline. To enjoy spiritual and physical success, you have to discipline yourself. Discipline your appetite for food. Discipline your desire for sleep and comfort. Discipline yourself in prayer and fasting, and discipline your tongue. Another ingredient for good success is seriousness. This is the active part of determination. Seriousness means acting on success. It is possible for someone to desire to be successful, endure pain, hardship and difficulties without becoming really serious about success. To demonstrate seriousness about success, you identify those things that will make you successful and act on them. One who is serious about success does not play with opportunities. He or she would rather make the best use of them. An important aspect of seriousness is faithfulness. To achieve good and enduring success, you must be faithful. Faithfulness denotes being completely loyal to a cause. You must be faithful to God who is the author of good success. You must be faithful to yourself and the assignment entrusted to your hands, and you must be faithful to others. It takes strong will to be faithful, and the one who aspires to be faithful must be diligent. Diligence means whole hearted searching. In your quest for good success, seek the Lord with all your heart and serve Him in holiness and truth."

Today's action point is to think about opportunities you have missed in the recent past, what better level of preparation would have helped you to take those opportunities. Start preparing for your next opportunity now.

Welcome to your month of abundant grace and wishing youa happy new month. God bless you richly for contributing to this forum

CARE FOR THE BRETHREN-30/04/2014

CARE FOR THE BRETHREN-30/04/2014

Yesterday's message was titled "MYSTERY OF DIVINE CODE”. Today's message is titled "CARE FOR THE BRETHREN" as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Philippians 4:19 : "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus " Today's reading was taken from Romans 15:25-27 and the Bible reading in one year is Revelation 8 to Revelation 11 and Psalm 93 (Adeboye, 2014).

Quoted below is today's message for your input

"Apostle Paul in the Bible reading for today, teaches us one missing ingredient of true discipleship in today’s contemporary Church; which is the ministry of care. Despite the great anointing with which Apostle Paul was ministering to both Jews and Gentiles, it is amazing to read that the ministry of care was not absent from his vocation as a preacher of the gospel. It is also interesting to note that the lives of the early apostles of Jesus Christ were not only in alignment with the teachings of Jesus Christ but were also in alignment with their own teachings. Jesus Christ taught that his followers should be hospitable, kind hearted and generous. He said to us in Matthew 10:42 that:

“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

He exemplified this when He insisted on feeding the crowd that had been with Him for so long, contrary to the suggestions of His disciples that they be dismissed with empty stomachs. He made sure the crowd was fed before they were dispersed (Matthew 14:15-19).

In Matthew 25:35-40 the Lord further enunciated this principle saying: 
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

In light of these witnesses, children of God must therefore engage in the ministry of care along with any other ministries that they may have been called into. This makes our calling a complete and perfect one. The needy amongst us should be given consideration as our primary target of ministration on practical giving."

The action point is to Set up a care-giving department in your local assembly for the purpose of meeting the needs of those who lack one thing or the other.

The caring, sharing and giving which was most prominent among the disciples of old is gradually on a trajectory of extinction in our time. I pray that the Almighty God will restore the old time selfless love and unity in our churches, amen.

God bless you richly for your contribution

Monday 28 April 2014

MYSTERY OF DIVINE CODE - 29/04/2014

MYSTERY OF DIVINE CODE - 29/04/2014

Yesterday's message was titled "LIVING ABOVE THE STORMS”. Today's message is titled "MYSTERY OF DIVINE CODE" as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise 1 Corinthians 2:7 : "wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory " Today's reading was taken from 1 Corinthians 2:6-10  and the Bible reading in one year is Revelation 3:14 to Revelation7:17 and Psalm 92 (Adeboye, 2014).

Quoted below is the message for your input

"The Lord in His infinite wisdom has always hidden His I divine plans and purpose in codes. Obviously, it is impossible for the devil and his cohorts to understand or crack these heavenly codes. One of such codes is: ”the seed of the woman”. The Almighty God gave the very first hint about the ”seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15, where He said that the woman's seed shall bruise the head of Satan. Here, we have the very first direct individual reference to the Lord Jesus, which is also a direct messianic prophecy pointing to Calvary, where the Lord Jesus would defeat the devil and his hosts. This was a mystery through the ages as there is no passage of the Bible with a clue as to when this would happen. Later down the line, God gave generic information about the nature of the woman who would bear this ”seed” through Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14).

Because the days were prolonged and it seemed this vision will fail, the descendants of Adam and Eve overlooked the importance of the ”seed of the woman” and of the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy to the human race. More importantly, Satan being the god of this world and having access to real time updates about happenings around the world from his agents, seemed to have gone to bed with his two eyes closed on the matter. At the end of the day, while Satan thought he was working against the ”seed of the woman”, he ended up working for the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy in ignorance (1 Corinthians 2:8). I pray that the enemy will never break the divine code about you and that every attack of the enemy will take you a step closer to your destiny in Jesus‘ Name. Very long after God gave the hint on the ”seed of the woman”, a virgin conceived and Jesus the Son of God was ”born of a woman”. The few who consciously waited for the fulfillment of this long awaited prophecy may have encountered scoffers with probing questions like:

”Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:4”
Nevertheless, one day, they like Simeon in Luke 2:30 said:
”For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,”

I therefore prophesy in the Name that is above all other names that all your neighbours and family members will soon witness the fulfillment of your glorious destiny in Jesus Name."

The prayer point for today is Father, put all those that scoff at your promise concerning my life to shame in Jesus' Name.

God bless you richly for your contribution

LIVING ABOVE THE STORMS-28/04/2014

LIVING ABOVE THE STORMS-28/04/2014

Yesterday's message was titled "SUFFICIENT GRACE”. Today's message is titled LIVING ABOVE THE STORMS as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Exodus 14:15: And the l.ORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward’." Today's reading was taken from Matthew 14:22-32  and the Bible reading in one year is Revelation 1:1 to Revelation 3:13 and Psalm 91 (Adeboye, 2014).



Quoted below is the message for your input

Meteorologists have observed that there are different kinds of storms. The nature of these storms varies by their location. Some places are stormier than others. Storms also vary in strength, the level of danger they pose and the extent of damage they cause. Relating this to life's situations, storms can take different forms in the life of a person. A storm could be economic, political, financial, social to name but a few. The storms of life put men undef intense pressure and have the capacity to toss them to and fro. Although storms mav be an undesirable natural phenomenon, their occurrence has some great advantages for human life and the environment. Similarly, the storms of life have hidden advantages too. Men have found ways to predict storms and have devised methods to control and reduce the level of damage they cause. By applying different precautionary measures, people are able to survive the Impact of storms. If such measures have proved successful, how much more will God's safeguards protect us from the storms of life?

One of the titles of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. He has the power to calm or stop any storm. In Matthew 14:22-32, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into the ship and cross over to the other side. Midway into the journey, a storm arose threatening to sink their boat. This kind of storm is opposed to progress. It could be a form of opposition on the journey to marriage, in the path of ministerial progress, on the course of a career line or in life generally. The intervention of Jesus brings calmness into any storm. A storm confronted the men upon whom the future. of the church depended. It was not only a threat to their lives but also a threat to their destiny and assignment. Storms can challenge progress no matter the commitment put into the journey so far. The disciples had left everything to follow Jesus, yet a storm beat against their direction of progress. It is very dangerous to be caught by a storm on the sea of life wit out Jesus in the boat. The advantage the disciples had was that they had a relationship with the Lord. So when the storm arose against them, the all- knowing Master was quick to intervene If the obedience of the disciples faced a storm on the sea, what is the hope of those on a journey of disobedience? divine presence is the secret of living above the storms of life. against all odds, you will surely get to your destination in life. Are you willing to allow Christ to bring the power of His presence into the storms of your life just like the disciples in John 6:21? Your willingness to receive and allow Him is very important.

Today's prayer point is Father let your presence put an end to every storm in my life.

 God bless you richly for your input


Sunday 27 April 2014

SUFFICIENT GRACE-27/04/2014

SUFFICIENT GRACE-27/04/2014

Yesterday's message was titled "MORE RICHES, MORE PRAYER”. Today's message is titled SUFFICIENT GRACE as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise 2Corinthians 12:9: "And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  " Today's reading was taken from 2 Corinthigns 12:7-10  and the Bible reading in one year is Malachi 1-4 and Psalm 90:7-17  (Adeboye, 2014).

Quoted below is the message for your input

There is nothing God wants us to do for Him or to become that is not possible through His grace. His grace is sufficient for us. Whatever we encounter or experience while sewing the Lord, His grace is sufficient to see us through. His grace insulates us from any pains, afflictions and difficulties that we may go through so that we are not destroyed by them. This same grace guards our hearts in times of pleasure, abundance, joy and prosperity so that we are not carried away. Paul desired that God would remove the thorn in his flesh. He specifically prayed on the matter three times but the Lord told him that He would not remove the thorn in his flesh. instead, He supplied sufficient grace for Paul to carry on as though the affliction did not exist. Paul's experience is similar to that of Jesus who also prayed three times to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, requesting that the cup of sin and suffering should pass over Him. Paul and Jesus prayed with a sense of submission to the will of God. God did not grant either of their requests, but He supplied sufficient grace for them to go through what was before them. Jesus went to the cross by God's grace and Paul finished his race with the thorn in his flesh by the same grace.

Submission to the will of God is the secret to receiving and enjoying more grace from God because His grace is only made available for us to do His will. God will not give you grace to do your own will; neither will He impart his ability unto you to disobey Him. Even when the path before us is hard and rough, His sufficient grace will assist you if you remain totally surrendered and obedient to Him. Another aid to receiving the grace of God is humility (James 4:6). A humble person goes to God and expresses his willingness to please Him while acknowledging his inability to do so. God is moved by the humility of the humble because He knows He alone is the source of everything we need to please Him on earth. When He sees the humble heart in us crying for His assistance, He gives grace to help us in the time of need. What you need to do everything the Lord wants you to do is His grace. We should therefore go to the throne of grace to obtain grace for the help we need. We should be humble to tell God we cannot do anything without His grace and be bold to ask for it. There is no alternative source where help may be obtained to please God. Jesus obtained grace to die on the cross; Paul received grace to be killed for the gospel; you too can receive grace to accomplish your assignment. 

The key point is Those who ran this race successfully relied on no other thing but God's grace.

God bless you for your input


Friday 25 April 2014

MORE RICHES, MORE PRAYER-26/04/2014

MORE RICHES, MORE PRAYER-26/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “GREATNESS  IS COSTLY”. Today’s message is titled “MORE RICHES, MORE PRAYER” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Psalm 62:10: "Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. "  Today's reading was taken from Genesis 13:14-18 and the Bible reading in one year is Zechariah 11-14 and Psalm 90:1-6 (Adeboye, 2014).

Quoted below is the message for your input

"Every new promise from God calls for a new level of prayers. Promises yet to be fulfilled also call for perseverance in prayer. Abraham's life reveals a secret and a law that guides the retention of wealth and the creation of more wealth. Rich people face many challenges in life. The greater your riches, the bigger your challenges will be and consequently, the greater your need to pray. As Abraham continued in prayers, he prospered greatly and the land became too small to accommodate him and Lot (Genesis 13:4-6). Abraham was now faced with the challenge of wealth management with his nephew whom he raised. Was Abraham going to allow this challenge lead to war between him and his nephew? He knew the God of peace would not justify that, so he wisely handled the situation and peacefully parted ways with Lot. Some people don't have problems with their neighbours until their businesses begin to grow. If you don't know how to wisely handle the expansion of wealth, it could lead to the loss of everything you have. God is the source of pure wisdom, and the means of getting it is prayer.

Lack of wisdom in handling riches is the beginning of poverty. Ask those who used to be rich how they relapsed into poverty. They will tell you that if they had been wise, their situation would not have changed negatively. As your riches increase, you need a commensurate increase in wisdom from God to manage and use it as He wants (Proverbs 24:6). God teaches the wisdom of generous giving, tithing, offerings, doing good, sharing with others and investing in kingdom projects so as to lay up our treasures in Heaven. Wealthy people who are godly know how to function as kingdom treasurers. Being an effective kingdom treasurer is the key to ever increasing prosperity. When you manage the expansion of wealth wisely, the challenges you face in life will always be easily overcome. In order to cope with the challenges that follow increased riches, the more God blesses you, the more you have to pray. Abraham Increased in riches, got more promises from God and yet he managed to keep his prayer altar intact (Genesis 13:18). What a wise man he was! He did not allow the riches to take over his heart. Prayer is very necessary to keep the heart focused on God. Riches demand the attention of the heart, but the prayerful rich man or woman cannot set his or her heart on them. Prayer will continually set your heart on God as your riches increase. You have the responsibility to pray and keep praying."

Today's prayer point is Father, let not riches take my focus away from you. As you give me breakthroughs in life, grant me grace to  keep my prayer alter intact.

Thank you and God bless you for your contribution. Have a blessed weekend.

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

GREATNESS IS COSTLY-25/04/2014

GREATNESS  IS COSTLY-25/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “NOTHING TO HIDE”. Today’s message is titled “GREATNESS  IS COSTLY” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Acts 10:38: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."  Today's reading was taken from Judges 13:2-5 and the Bible reading in one year is Zechariah 6:9 to Zechariah10:12 and Psalm 89:38-52 (Adeboye, 2014).

God is in the business of making champions out of men and He is already making some people champions. However, there are some people who may not want to become champions. You may wonder why. It is because the cost of becoming a champion is very high! In those days when I used to be a boxer, when you are preparing for a tournament,   there were certain things you had to do. For example, you would wake up by 5 a.m. and do some road walks. You beat the air while you jog. You cannot eat certain foods when you are preparing for a championship. To be a champion is not an easy thing. To remain a champion is even harder. When you become a champion, there are several people who will be seeking to dethrone you.

It is beautiful to be a champion but it is better to be made a champion by God. It means having God as your coach and that means every little thing you do, God as your coach will magnify it into something big. In the scripture, we find champions who did little things, but God decided to magnify whatever they did. In Exodus 14:21, Moses lifted his hand over the Red Sea and went to sleep. By the time he woke up the following morning, the sea had become an expressway. ln 1 Samuel 17:45-50, David slung a stone and the next thing we discover is that Goliath was dead. To become a great person therefore, all you need to do is to allow your Senior Partner and Coach breathe into your little effort and all that represents Goliath in your life will begin to fall. As a champion being moulded by God, if God asks you to go out and preach, you must go out and preach. If He asks you to follow-up converts, you must obey. If he asks you to fast, you must fast. If He says He does not want you to fast, you must obey. You should do exactly what He wants. “were is no room for you to be directed by any other person apart from Him. In Matthew 6:24, He said if you are going to be great, there is no room for divided loyalty.

”No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

As a divine champion, after you prosper, your prosperity must not replace God. The only way to ensure this is that as you make it, you must be willing to let it go. If you want to be great, you must realise that the blessing is not for you to begin to build material things around yourself. No matter the opposition to your greatness, you will always win and sing joyfully.

Today's key point is that A great person sees every mountain as a potential testimony.

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

NOTHING TO HIDE 24/04/2014

NOTHING TO HIDE 24/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled HOME TRAINING. Today’s message is titled “NOTHING TO HIDE” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Psalm 62:11: "God hath spoken once; twice have heard this; that power belongeth unto God. " Today's reading was taken from 1 Kings 18:30-35 and the Bible reading in one year is Zechariah 1:1 to Zechariah 6:8 and Psalms 89:15-37  (Adeboye, 2014). 


Quoted below is today's message for your input.

The showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah told the people to come near and see what he was about to do. From this example we see that the ways of God are transparent. Christianity is not a secret cult. We do not hold our services with doors locked. Everyone is free to come and see what we are doing. If you belong to a society where they say they are serving God and they shut the doors to outsiders, it IS a secret society, even if they cover the whole venue with Bibles. If you belong to a group where they say your wife cannot come in, even if they read all the chapters in Psalm, it is a secret society. In the church of the Living God, the doors and windows are wide open because there is nothing to hide. Also, after Elijah prepared the altar, he asked them to pour water on it three times until the place was running with water. This he did so that nobody would say he had fire under the altar. It was also a way of saying he trusted his God. He was saying there were no tricks or gimmicks. If you are in a church where they hide people who give testimonies, get out of there because it does not belong to God. In the true church of God, everything is honest, true and open so that people can come and see.

Anyone who wants to please God must have nothing to hide. Elijah repaired the altar that had been broken down. Certain preparations must precede divine blessings. Repentance must come before divine intervention. You cannot be living in sin and expect grace to abound; God forbid! If you want God to bless you, you must be willing to repent. Joshua was marching towards the Promised Land and miracles were happening. The walls of Jericho fell. He then sent some soldiers against the small town of Ai and they were defeated. Joshua sought the face of the Lord to know what was wrong and he was told to repair the altar that had been broken. Repair the altar of the Lord in your heart today. Decide right now that you are going to put everything that is wrong in your life in the right position. Salvation is free. You do not need to perish again. All you need to.do rs identify with the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and you Will become a new creature in Him. Just obey His will. If you do these, you Will have everlasting life. You will have abundant life in this world and have everlasting life in the world to come..However, If you refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, the great anger of God will abide against you. No doubt, our God is a God of love, but He is also a consuming fire. As it was in the beginning, so it is now. The only difference is that there is room for repentance. There is an offer of salvation. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sins. By reason of your repentance, you will not be destroyed in hell- fire in Jesus‘ Name.

Today's prayer point is Father’, help me to be transparent in all I do.

How transparent am I in all my dealings with God and with men? 

God bless you richly for your contribution


Tuesday 22 April 2014

HOME TRAINING-23/4/2014

HOME TRAINING-23/4/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled TIME TO WAR. Today’s message is titled “HOME TRAINING” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Proverbs 22:15: "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him . " Today's reading was taken from Joshua 24:14-15 and the Bible reading in one year is Zephaniah 3-3, Haggai 1-2 and Psalm 89:1-14  (Adeboye, 2014). 


Quoted below is today's message for your input.

"After Moses sent twelve people to go and spy on the Promised Land, ten of them returned to say it was impossible to take the land. The first person to speak against this line of thought was Caleb (Numbers 13:30). God gave this testimony about Caleb in Numbers 14:24: ”But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it.” Many parents are content that they are serving the Lord but are not doing enough to make sure that members of their household serve the Lord too. In Genesis 22:7-9, we read about Abraham and Isaac. Abraham taught Isaac how to submit to him and to God. When Isaac asked Abraham where the item of sacrifice was, Abraham said God would provide one. Isaac did not ask any other question after this because his father had taught him how to submit to his God. After Abraham had prepared the altar, he told Isaac to lie on it and he obeyed. At this time, Abraham was over a hundred years old while Isaac was a strong youth. If Isaac had decided to run, Abraham would not have been able to stop him or catch up with him. Isaac submitted totally.

Do not use love as an excuse for not disciplining your children. If you do not discipline them, there will be trouble down the line. If you don't believe me, ask Eli. In 1 Samuel 2:27-30, the purpose and plan of God for the house of Eli was changed on the ground that he refused to discipline his children. Some parents in the name of love, allow their children to do whatever they want, whereas they have only succeeded in destroying them. Proverbs 29:17 counsels us on this:
”Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

The way to train your children is not by giving them gifts only. When you promise to punish them, make sure you do so or else they will not take you serious. Children should submit to their parents. It is one thing to be corrected and it is another thing to take the correction. There are three kinds of children: those without home training, those who were trained but rejected the training and those who were trained and accepted the training. What kind are you? When you study the life of those who submit to their parents, you will see that they are usually greater than their parents. The point where their parents stop Is Where they begin from. The same is true spiritually. In Joshua 1 :1-5,.we see how Joshua submitted to Moses, and when Moses died, God promoted him and continued with him. If you follow this principle, it will also work for you."


Today's prayer point is Lord, give me a listening ear and a heart that accepts correction in Jesus’ Name.

May the lord bless us with teachable spirit in Jesus name.

Thank you and God bless you richly for your contribution

Monday 21 April 2014

TIME TO WAR-22/4/2014

TIME TO WAR-22/4/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled DISCERNMENT - HOW VITAL!. Today’s message is titled “TIME TO WAR” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Psalms 119:89: For ever; O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven. " Today's reading was taken from Daniel 3:16-17 and the Bible reading in one year is Nahum 1 -3, Habakkuk 1-3 and Psalm 88  (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is today's message for your input.

There are times when you have to make war. Sometime ago, I was walking round our Camp ground praying and I saw two snakes. Would you say I should leave the snakes to go on their own? If I leave them to go, they would grow to become bigger and who knows, they could come back and attack me or any of my children. When I see a snake, that snake must die! Cancer is a snake; if it is in your body, I curse it in Jesus‘ Name. Barrenness is a snake opening its mouth and eating the seeds of husbands. It shall die in Jesus‘ Name. There are times we need to speak for miracles to happen. If you keep quiet when you are expected to speak, your problem will remain quiet with you. After all, silence implies consent. If you have a sickness and it is okay by you, the sickness will stay. If you have demons in the form of a house help and you are willing to keep them, all well and good. Wait until they have poisoned your husband or until they have destroyed your marriage; if that is okay with you, then it is fine. However, such is not fine with me. No evil shall remain in my home or in the church of God in Jesus‘ Name. If you would satisfy some conditions, then you shall decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you. The condition is that you should remain holy. Whenever it is time to decree, just make sure you link Jesus Christ with your decree. Once He backs up your decree, it shall be established.

In Genesis 22:7-8, Isaac said to Abraham that he could see the wood and the fire but not the animal to be used as a sacrifice. Abraham said the Lord shall provide for Himself a lamb for the sacrifice. He linked the Almighty God with the decree and by the time he got to the mountain top, there was a lamb already waiting. In 1 Samuel 17:45, David said to Goliath that he had come to him in the Name of the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, who would hand Goliath over to him for him to cut his head. He did not say he would kill Goliath himself, but that God would hand Goliath over to him. So when it is time to decree over your enemies, do not just say, ”l am going to step over you" but say, God will make you a stepping stone for me”. Whenever it is time to issue decrees, do not talk as if you are the Almighty.

Hide within Him and then use Him to make your decree. Spoken words can be extremely powerful. If a nation wants to go to war with another nation, nation, they declare war by speaking. When the war is over, they declare peace by speaking. If you say you are born-again and there is no accompanying change in your life, you better go to Jesus and declare war declare war against everything that is incongruent with the nature of God in your life.

The prayer point for today is Father, do something new in my life today.

God bless you richly for your contribution

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

“DISCERNMENT - HOW VITAL!” - 21/04/2014

“DISCERNMENT - HOW VITAL!” - 21/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “CHRIST BEHIND YOU ”. Today’s message is titled “DISCERNMENT - HOW VITAL!” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise 1Corinthians 2:14: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. " Today's reading was taken from Acts 16:16-18 and the Bible reading in one year is Micah 5-7  and Psalm 87  (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is today's message for your input.

"One of the methods Satan and his agents use in deceiving people is the act of camouflage. The Holy Spirit has put us on notice concerning this in 2 Corinthians 1 1 :14-15: ”And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” From the time of the early church, the agents of darkness have sought to come into the church without being noticed, so that from within, they could carry out the mission of their master, which is to steal, to kill and to destroy. If they could attempt this in the earliest days of the church (as was the case of Simon the sorcerer - Acts 8:9-24), what should one expect in the end-times, when without doubt the devil knows that he has but a short time before his destruction (Revelation 12:12)?

By the nefarious activities of these nice looking, seemingly harmless, active and warmth-exuding evil geniuses, not a small number of promising ministries and ministers have been cut short. Some bright stars of the kingdom have been dimmed by the enemy's deep penetration into the centre of operation and into the life of the undiscerning leadership of the church. The world will say ”unsuspecting leadership” because they exist in the realm of the senses where suspicion is used in fishing out ”suspects”. In the kingdom of God however, we should not think that mere suspicions would enable us to identify fake brethren who are working as agents of darkness. This is tantamount to operating by the arm of flesh (1 Samuel 2:9). We are bound to make mistakes if we rely on our sensory observations rather than on the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in discernment. In our Bible reading of today, a young lady had been following Paul and his team for several days, announcing them to be servants of the Most High God. No human intelligence would have identified her as a devil (which she truly was); in fact, she would have been considered a potential minister (a prophetess) whom Paul (a missionary) could entrust the leadership of the church to at his departure. Thank God that was not to be. I guess Paul by himself did not know who she really was until the day the gift of discernment of the Holy Spirit manifested."

The action point for today is to Pray that God will make his ministers recognise the need for the gift of discernment to be in   operation in our churches and that God will graciously pour this gift on His church.

I apologise for the inability to post yesterday's message due to unexpected shortage of internet plan which I couldn't sort out immediately because of the long weekend

Thank you and God bless you for your contribution. Wishing you a happy Easter and I pray that Jesus Christ, the Reason for the season will shower you with His gifts as you desire it today, amen.

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

Sunday 20 April 2014

CHRIST BEHIND YOU-20/04/2014

CHRIST BEHIND YOU-20/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled CHRIST BEFORE YOU. Today’s message is titled “CHRIST BEHIND YOU” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise James 2:17: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. " Today's reading was taken from Mark 16:15-20 and the Bible reading in one year is Micah 1 to Micah 4  and Psalm 86   (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is today's message for your input.

The confidence a man executes depends on the power backing him up. As a child of God, all that Christ won back from the devil was for you and not for Himself. Our imagination cannot fathom the scope of His power.‘ The good news is that he has granted you this authority to exercise this power. Ephesians 1:19-22 perfectly reveals this truth:
”And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power; and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church ,” 

The power described the above scripture is what backs up your authority in this life. This is what ”Christ behind you” means. It means the power that holds the universe is backing you up. It is not to you that situations and people will submit, but to the power behind you. The power of Jesus, grants you the authority to do the following: “An these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:17

The awesome events enumerated above, are to happen through the believer by the backing of Jesus. Some years ago, t ere was this man who was loaded with demons. He was brought for prayers to be delivered. While praying for him, he would get up. When I commanded him to sit down, he then responded, ”In whose name”, I said ’’In Jesus‘ Name”. He said ”that is different”, and sat down quietly. That was a manifestation of ”Christ behind me”. How many articles of this promise are reality in your life and ministry?.For Christ to. be behind you, you have to walk before Him and be perfect; therefore if you will enjoy the backing of  Jesus you are to stay In front of Him and be careful to walk on in perfection as He takes interest in watching you. His grace is sufficient for you.

Today's action point is to evaluate the level of fulfillment of Mark 16:17-18 in your life and pray to God concerning what part of it is not yet manifesting.


Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.


Friday 18 April 2014

CHRIST BEFORE YOU-19/04/2014

CHRIST BEFORE YOU-19/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “CHRIST WITH YOU ”. Today’s message is titled “CHRIST BEFORE YOU” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Deuteronomy 1:30: The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes. " Today's reading was taken from Romans 8:13-16 and the Bible reading in one year is Obadiah 1, Jonah 1-4 and Psalm 85  (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is today's message for your input.

When the Israelites left Egypt for the Promised Land, God chose their route and led them through the wilderness. He did this by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. In spite of their number, the terrible conditions of the wilderness and the opposition of their enemies including giants, they got to their destination by God's guidance. Praise God! The term ”Christ before you” talks about Christ guiding and leading you. The Bible makes it clear that:
’’For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:1 4

Beloved, the world is a wilderness and we are on our way to heaven. There are alternate routes in the form of choices and decisions for moving on in life. As a child of God who has a destination, you cannot afford to move on just by any route. You cannot make choices being led by the flesh, by your sight, by your feelings or even just by your mere senses (Proverbs 3:5-7). Remember, not all that glitters is gold. Your adversary, the devil is prowling, seeking a careless and straying child of God to devour (1 Peter 5:8). In Jesus‘ Name, you will not fall prey to him. Many young Christian men and you will not fall prey to him. Many young Christian men and women have run into wrong marital relationships because they allowed themselves to be led by other things apart from God, their Father.

Psalm 114:1-7 reveals that nothing can stand before the presence of our God, be it sea, mountain or hills. With Christ going before you, obstacles will clear out of your way because of the awesome power of His presence. Enemies pitching battles against you also get crushed in the presence of Jehovah, the Man of War (Deuteronomy 1 :30). Now, how do you get Him to lead you? Psalm 25:9 says:
”The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”
The meek is the one who has the power and ability to fight but refuses to. He is not just gentle, he has all it takes to hit back and to crush, but he refuses to. He is like a tamed horse. The meek is submissive. Do you want to enjoy divine leading so that God can go before you? Then, be prepared to be meek.

Today's prayer point is Father, please in any area I have jumped ahead of you to make choices outside of your leading, be merciful and forgive me. Whasoever pain such action has brought to my life, remove and make me whole in Jesus Name.

Thank you and God bless you richly for your contribution

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

CHRIST WITH YOU-18/04/2014

CHRIST WITH YOU-18/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled CHRIST FOR YOU . Today’s message is titled “CHRIST WITH YOU as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Joshua 1:5"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. " Today's reading was taken from Exodus 3:11-12 and the Bible reading in one year is Amos 5 :8  to Amos 9:15 and Psalm 84 (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is the message for today. God bless you richly for your contribution


No man is an island. At one point or the other, you would have done something in partnership with somebody. More often than not, the result of such synergy is geometrically higher than if you do it all alone. Now imagine if your partner is Jesus. This is what ”Christ with you” is all about. It means a partnership between you and Jesus. It indicates you and Jesus doing things together. There are many things for which you need God to be with you, both with respect to things of this world and things of eternal value. If God is with you, there is nothing you cannot achieve.


In the case of Moses, he had every reason to be apprehensive of the idea of having to go back to Egypt to set the people of Israel free from bondage. Obviously, Egypt was a powerful nation in those days. However, he did not have to deliver Israel all by himself, for God had said to him: ’’Certainly I will be with thee” (Exodus 3:12). In that project of yours, in that good but difficult step you want to take, in that God-glorifying but capital-intensive projet that you would like to embark upon, God will be with you. Is there a call of God on your life for an assignment which you consider difficult, fearsome, dangerous or too big for little you? Don't be afraid! All you need is God's assurance that He will be with you, and it shall be done. Just like He was with those before you, God with you in that assignment shall also be to your honour and greatness. Joshua the servant of Moses, who took over the mantle of leadership from Moses, was too little in his own eyes to step into his master's shoes. Yet all that God gave him was the assurance that He would be with him (Joshua 1 :5).

The Lord Jesus Christ while here on earth was doing wonders, healing the sick, delivering the oppressed, all because God (His Father) was with Him (Acts 10:3 8). Let God be with you in your work, family and business. There is however no way God can be with you if your ways do not align with His ways. How can God be with you in your business when you do not follow his ordinance of paying tithes? Christ is ready and more than willing to be your partner but His question to you is this: 
”Can two walk together except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3

Today's prayer point is Father, help me to recognise anything in my attitude, habits and relationships that would not allow me to enjoy your abiding presence. Let the fire of Your Word purify me of them.

As we remember the death and ressurrection of our LORD JESUS CHRIST this weekend, I pray that we will carry the presence of the Almighty  God more than ever, and as we do, the fire of God will purify all those habits that are not Christ-like in us, Amen.

Happy Easter, God bless you all for your contribution

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

Wednesday 16 April 2014

CHRIST FOR YOU-17/04/2014

CHRIST FOR YOU-17/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled WHERE ARE YOU? ”. Today’s message is titled CHRIST FOR YOU ” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Romans 8:31: "What shall we then say to these thin ? If God be for us, tog: can be against us? " Today's reading was taken from James 4:5-8 and the Bible reading in one year is Amos 1 :1  to Amos 5:17 and Psalm 83 (Adeboye, 2014). 

Quoted below is the message for today. God bless you richly for your contribution 

"Apart from Christ being in you, another dimension of Christ in relation to you is ”Christ being for you”. The phrase ”for you” in this context signifies approval of
or support for you. The implication of ‘Christ or you‘ is encapsulated in Romans 8:31: 
”What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us .?” 
I pray that God will give you the revelation of this in your spirit. With Christ for you, you become an unstoppable juggernaut. Every opposition against your forward movement is bulldozed away. It is a great thing when God is for you because anyone trying to curse you would merely be wasting his time. We see this manifested in the life of the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land. Because God was for them, all attempts to curse them failed. In opposition to their onward journey to the Promised Land, Balak the king of Moab hired Balaam - a prophet, to curse them. God dealt with the prophet by warning him against his mission through the donkey that spoke like a man. Besides this, three consecutive times, at the point of pronouncing curses, God intervened and in fact made Balaam to pronounce blessings upon God's people.

”How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!” Numbers 23:8&23

How then do you obtain His support? It is by drawing near to Him. James 4:8 says if you draw near to God, He would also draw near to you. This means that you don't serve Him only with the mouth, but also with your heart. Drawing close to

God means spending quality time in personal fellowship with Him. Fellowshiping with Him means you talk to Him as He talks back to you. Study how a man and woman in courtship get close each other and apply this to your  relationship with God. They talk to each other, they share moments of ups and downs together,they parade each other around, they express their feelings of love and dissatisfaction in songs, poems and letters. They study each other's  character and they shed relationships not approved of by their partner and several other things. If you apply this principle to your relationship with God, you will be shocked at how real He will become and for sure, He will stand up in your defence just like a man will stand up for his woman if confronted by danger in courtship." Adeboye 2014

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

WHERE ARE YOU?- 16/04/2014

WHERE ARE YOU?- 16/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled HEART: LIFE’ 5 CONTROL TOWER ”. Today’s message is titled “WHERE ARE YOU? ” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Genesis 3:9: "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? " Today's reading was taken from Genesis 3:7-10 and the Bible reading in one year is Joel 1-3 and Psalm 82. (Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion 

"Where are you? I am convinced that this question God asked Adam long ago is still relevant today. It is not expedient to wait for God to ask you this question, Rather, as part of a self examination process, you should introspectively ask yourself this question. A sincere approach in answering this question would do you a lot of good both in this world and in eternity.  From the day of his birth, a man begins a return journey to where  he is from (Ecclesiastes 12 :1 -7). This is why, with regard to official matters, you are not asked ”how young are you?”, but rather you are asked how old you are. No matter how young you are, you are growing old day by day. Hence, God Himself is asking you: where are you now? You should therefore ask yourself regularly, ‘how far have I gone in fulfilling the purpose of my creation and salvation?‘

To answer this serious question, you need to first of all answer some other questions like: ”where was I yesterday?” It could be last week, last year or when you first got born-again. Next, you need to answer the question: ”where am I now?” Consider Samson, who went from being a terror to the enemy to grinding corn in the prison of the enemy. Ask yourself, ‘am I going on to greater heights, winning more souls than before for Christ?‘ Materially, have you moved from thirty fold, to sixty fold or to hundred fold increase? Or is your case that of moving in the reverse direction?

Are you increasing spiritually or decreasing? Are you increasing financially or decreasing? It is God's will and it is His plan for you to grow spiritually, financially and all-round. ”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.” Psalm 35:27

If you are not growing, could it be that you have been eating your seed? Or maybe you are sowing sparingly (2 Corinthians 9:6)? Perhaps, because you have been defaulting in your tithe, you are now working under a divine curse (Malachi 3:8-1 0)? As the Lord said to His people who experienced decrease in time past, He says to you now: consider your ways (Haggai 1 :5-7)."

Today's action point is to Carry out a self- evaluation and cry to God about your findings.

Where are you? God bless you for your contribution



Monday 14 April 2014

HEART: LIFE’ 5 CONTROL TOWER- 15/04/2014

HEART: LIFE’ 5 CONTROL TOWER- 15/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled CONFRONT THIS ENEMY-FEAR . Today’s message is titled “HEART: LIFE’ 5 CONTROL TOWER  as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Proverbs:4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. " Today's reading was taken from Proverbs 4:20-23 and the Bible reading in one year is Hosea 11 - 14 and Psalm 81. (Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion 

"Physically, the heart's role in keeping a man alive cannot be undermined. This organ is very crucial to human existence. In the non-empirical world, the heart of a man is that part of his soul that directs his physical actions. Jesus made this clear in Mark 7:18-23. It is this ”heart” we are considering in this study. It is popularly said that ”the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart”. This means that the core issues of life are matters of the heart. This is the crux of what our Bible reading today is saying in verse 23. ”Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

What moulds a life comes from the heart. Ordinarily, the Bible says the heart is evil - deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). After a man experiences the salvation of Jesus, the heart is impacted and made available for working upon by the word of God. It's supposed to be a dwelling place for the word of God so that it can be transformed to bring forth virtues, victories and success. For this to be experienced in reality, the child of God needs as a matter of duty to work constantly on the heart through studying, meditating and memorising the word of God.

Basically, the heart of a man can be in any of these four states:
1) The roadside heart
2) The stony heart
3) The thorny heart
4) The good heart

Our Lord Jesus Christ explained these states in a parable he defined as the key to all other parables (Mark 4:1 3-20). The state an individual's heart assumes is the choice of the fellow. The heart is the place to receive knowledge, besides the head. Until knowledge is obtained in thce heart, a person will not benefit from it. What kind of knowledge do you receive into your heart?

A working relationship between the heart and the mouth charts the course of a man's life — whether good or bad. The mouth is the outlet of the heart; thus, the issues that mould a life are coming out of the heart through the mouth. The state of the heart is the true identity of a man. It is the place God looks at to relate to a man (1 Samuel 16:7)."

Today's action point is to examine your thought pattern in the mirror of Philippians 4:8 and pray accordingly.

God bless you richly for your contribution

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

Sunday 13 April 2014

CONFRONT THIS ENEMY-FEAR -14/04/2014

CONFRONT THIS ENEMY-FEAR -14/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “PEACE ALL ROUND II ”. Today’s message is titled “CONFRONT THIS ENEMY-FEAR ” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Romans 8:15: "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. " Today's reading was taken from Isaiah 41 :10-14 and the Bible reading in one year is Hosea 6 - 10 and Psalm 80:8-19. (Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion 

"The scripture is replete with statements of ”fear not” from God to His people. Fear is one tool the enemy finds most useful in his hands in making the children of God suffer failure, pain and destruction of destiny. Often times, What people are afraid of is not real but their minds paint an imaginary picture of the object or situation: out of proportion and the enemy helps to blow it up. Thus people fear what they should not be afraid of .

On the other hand, there are some situations that are truly terrifying from a human perspective. Regarding such situations, the Lord our God still tells us not to be afraid. He expects us to know that with Him behind us and for us, no person, situation or thing can have us at its mercy. This is why in Isaiah 41:10 He says:  
”Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Fear is an enemy; it paralyses the potential meant to be deployed for activities that lead to greatness. The Bible says fear has torment (1 John 4:18). Fear makes its victim disobedient to God. It deceives its victim into magnifying a challenging situation above God. Such was the case of King Saul who confessed that he had sinned because he feared the people and obeyed their voice against the instruction of God (1 Samuel 15:24). Being fearful is a sin that can lead to an eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21 :8).

”But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Of all the listed sins above, being fearful is number one on the list. You have no business being fearful. Jesus our Lord is greater than any human being no matter his status. He Is greater than any witch or wizard; Satan their master is no match for Him. In fact, Colossians 2:10 says Jesus is the head of all principalities and powers. Isaiah 8:12-13 says we should not fear any gang-up against us, rather, God alone should be feared. Once we fear God, we would have no one else to fear.

Today's action point is to check your heart to ensure no bitterness is taking root there. If there is any trace of  it, let go of it and pray for he healing of your soul."

God bless you richly for your contriibution. Have a fruitful week in Jesus Name, Amen.

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.


Saturday 12 April 2014

PEACE ALL ROUND II- 13/04/2014

PEACE ALL ROUND II- 13/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “PEACE ALL ROUND I ”. Today’s message is titled “PEACE ALL ROUND II” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Hebrews 12:15: " Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springging up trouble you, thereby many be defiled. " Today's reading was taken from Hebrews 12:14-15 and the Bible reading in one year is Hosea 1-5  and Psalm 80:1-7. (Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion 

Although there are different dimensions of peace, the highest level of peace a man can attain is peace with God through Jesus Christ. Know this however: the fact that you are a child of God and love God does not necessarily imply you will not have problems. A fearful situation automatically erodes peace of mind unless if as a child of God you put your trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3).

The character flaws of a Christian can be detrimental to the flourishing of the peace given by our Lord Jesus Christ. One character flaw top on this list is bitterness. Bitterness can grow and even take root in a heart. The root of bitterness stops the children of God from enjoying the peace of God. While the root of bitterness in the heart of an individual will affect other people around, a big chunk of the adverse effect of this evil root is on the individual harbouring it. The root of bitterness in a heart creates room for hatred, envy and anger; it is undoubtedly a harbinger of unforgiveness. It also makes for unhappiness. The phrase ”root of bitterness” itself gives one an idea of what this stuff
offers — all-round bitterness. It results in bitter experiences, smothering joy and peace. How does it originate? It comes when one feels unfairly treated by another person or an organisation. It comes from a feeling of being injured whether physically, emotionally or otherwise. For instance, a sister in courtship that is jilted, a spouse that is cheated upon by his/her partner, an employee that is short-changed, a case of great disappointment such that high hopes were dashed, death of a loved one, case of rape and others. All these are negative experiences that no one would desire, and I pray you will never experience anything of these sorts in Jesus‘ Name. In case you are grappling with the root of bitterness resulting from whatever previous experiences you've had, please note that it is not in your best interest to keep it. Bitterness eats up its host; it affects the physical wellbeing of an individual, as well as causing a strained relationship with God.

There was a man whose wife died sometime ago, leaving behind an only daughter with a striking resemblance to the mother. The daughter was the only existing consolation to this man. This lady's husband turned out to be something else, maltreating the lady to the point of threatening her life. The root of bitterness that sprang up in the lady's father resulted in him becoming swollen, defying all medical care. He only became alright after forgiving his son-in-law. 

Today's action point is to Check your heart to ensure no bitterness is taking root there. If there is any trace of it, let go of it and pray for the healing of your soul.

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.

I's so ironic that we are the ones responsible for most of the problems we are faced with in life. Bitterness kills more than cancer. I pray that the Almighty God will heal and cleanse every soul that is still harbouring bitterness among us Amen.

Thanks and God bless you richly for your contribution. Wishing you total fulfillment in Church today





Friday 11 April 2014

PEACE ALL ROUND I - 12/04/2014

PEACE ALL ROUND I - 12/04/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY ”. Today’s message is titled “PEACE ALL ROUND I” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. " Today's reading was taken from Isaiah 43:2-4 and the Bible reading in one year is Daniel 11  to Daniel 12 and Psalm 79. (Adeboye, 2014).

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion

"Peace is good and needful, whether to an individual or to a society. The presence of peace is to be cherished above having riches without peace. May you not have  the kind of wealth that would take away your peace in Jesus‘ Name. There is a dimension of peace I refer to as environmental peace: this has to do with physical security challenges such as is being grappled with in Nigeria — terrorism in the north, kidnapping and armed robbery all over the place. The truth is, environmental peace has a way of affecting the peace of mind of individuals. Glory to God, Jesus our Lord goes by the title ”Prince of Peace”. What this connotes is that He is the controller, the giver and the One who sustains and nourishes peace in man. He controls all dimensions of peace possible — be it environmental, in the mind or any other. Lack of peace brings fear, confusion, and leads into bondage. No vision, development or progress is made where there is no peace.

The highest level of peace a man needs to attain is peace with God. This is why no one can boast of security except by coming to Jesus. When you come to Jesus - the author of peace, He dwells in you with His peace. He will keep kidnappers, armed robbers and assassins away from you, thus making you to dwell in peace environmentally. Your mind will be at peace also. You must however continue to love and trust Him with all your heart and resources. Psalm 91 :1 says:
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 125:2 also says:
"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.”

These are the words of the Lord that cannot lie. One limiting problem is that some children of God are ignorant of His promises. We need to stand on His word, claim it, pray it and confess it. It is His plan that we should be delivered from our enemies so that we may serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives (Luke 1:74-75). Whatever negates that plan must not be accommodated."

Today's action point is to pray for peace in Nigeria and all troubled spots in the world. Pray that the gospel of Jesus will thrive in all   nations of die world.

PEACE ALL ROUND... What a timely message after the 100 days of prayer and fasting in RCCG. The 100 days of RCCG prayer and fasting season is over at last.  Glory be to God for seeing us this far. I  can assure you that the Lord is already working ahead of us to do new things. Welcome to a new season of testimonies.... God bless you all for yor contribution

Reference:
Adeboye, E. A. (2014) Open Heavens: A Guide to Close Fellowship with God, Volume 14, 2014. Nigeria: Open Heavens Media Limited.



Thursday 10 April 2014

AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY - 11/4/2014

AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY - 11/4/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “IT SHALL BE WELL ”. Today’s message is titled “AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY ” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise 1Corinthians 3:16: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?." and read Acts 27:31-36. The Bible in one year for today has been taken from Daniel 9 - 10 and Psalm 78:55-72.(Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion

"Every child of God is meant to be carrying divine treasure on the inside. This is true because you cannot be born-again except the Holy Spirit comes into you. The Holy Spirit is a divine treasure given to us as a deposit guaranteeing us of things to come (Ephesians 1:13-14). Besides this, the Bible reveals that though we are earthen, we are carrying inside of us great treasure. This treasure gives heavenly abilities - abilities above the natural. We have these abilities because of the presence of God in us. We are therefore the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). With this status, every child of God has got something to offer as an answer to every sense of loss among men. Rather than being the answer to problems, many children of God have become problems themselves within different circles and their communities. In the church itself, some children of God have no other business besides peddling both founded and unfounded rumours. For some, their business is to criticize; for some others, it is to analyse why the vision and except such individuals repent and turn a new leaf, the  are toying with Hell; besides, they cannot enjoy the favour of God here on earth.

You as a child of God should not despise or belittle the great things you are capable of doing to turn the lives of individuals, families, towns, cities and countries around by the presence of Jesus in you. It is not about your physical build, human intellect or wisdom; it's about Jesus in you. I want you to know that though you may look small in your own eyes, there are lives only you can affect (as God has pre-ordained) and they are waiting for you. In Acts 27:2 7- 44, Paul was but a prisoner on board a ship transporting him and other prisoners to Rome. The leaders of the voyage were the trained captain and sailors who were to pilot the ship safely to its destination — Rome. However, when trouble came by reason of a storm that would not abate, with death on the horizon, it was Paul, a prisoner with no proficiency in the art of sailing that became the situational leader. He was able to perform this role because of Jesus in Him. He only needed to commune with his Father. Thus, he brought hope and solution to the trepidation of the moment. You can be the leader for the moment by being the solution to that naughty issue or to that life-threatening experience of that couple. You can bring tears of joy rather than the tears of sorrow being experienced by that brother, sister or neighbour. These you will achieve if only you realise that you are not a liability but an asset needing to be unbundled."

Today's action point is to Prayerfully compose a list of individuals and or families for your intercession and those to reach for Christ

Thank you and God bless you richly for your contribution to this discussion


Wednesday 9 April 2014

IT SHALL BE WELL - 10/4/2014

IT SHALL BE WELL - 10/4/2014

Yesterday’s message was titled “DIVINE CALL ”. Today’s message is titled “IT SHALL BE WELL” as provided by Pastor E. A. Adeboye in Open Heavens Devotional (Adeboye, 2014). In today’s message, we have been asked to memorise Isaiah 3:10: "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." and read Isaiah 3:10-11. The Bible in one year for today has been taken from Daniel 7 - 8 and Psalm 78:40-55.(Adeboye, 2014). 

 Quoted below is  today's message for our usual discussion

"The importance attributed to a statement depends on who is making it. "’Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” Isaiah 3:10  The person that made the above statement is none other than the Alpha and Omega Himself. He made this statement because He knows tomorrow. Of course, He knows that the tomorrow of the righteous is beautiful in Him. There is no way anyone can be righteous without being in Christ. Basically, Jesus is our righteousness. He makes us righteous so that we can continue to live in righteousness by His power. Hence, ”the righteous” that this statement applies to, is not the one who says that because Christ has been made our righteousness, it does not matter how we continue to live. No, it is a mockery of the whole sacrifice of Jesus, if He saved us from sin only for us to continue to live in sin, because He is our righteousness. People who live by this understanding are self deluded and have allowed Satan to deceive them. For the child of God living uprightly, it doesn't matter how things may be around you now, your Father says ’’It shall be well with you”.

Not only is He faithful to His promises, He also has the power to bring to pass whatever He says. This statement can mean different things to different people. To the sick, it means he will be healed; to the poor, it means his wealth is on the way, for it is He who gives power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) that says ”all will be well”. To the captive, ”all will be well” means freedom is here. His Name is the Lord of hosts (Psalm 24:10). He will destroy all the forces behind your captivity. To the barren it means you shall conceive, for He is the One able to bring children out of stones (Matthew 3 :9). To the one who is a failure, it means success is coming: for He is the great promoter (Psalm 75:6- 7). How can we be so sure that all will be well, you probably would ask? It is because anytime He wants to do anything, He sends His word. For you a true child of God, who lives right and desires to please God always, I believe strongly that God wants to do something special in your life; divine intervention is around the corner. If your way has not been right with Him however, ‘go to Him now in prayer and completely turn over your life to Him."

Today's action point is to Thank God for His deep concern, provision for our well being and for the assurance of a glorious tomorrow.

Thank you and God bless you richly  for your contribution to the discussion