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Friday 30 June 2017

HALLELUJAH FESTIVAL LIVE - NATHANIEL BASSEY


OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - WONDERFUL PROTECTION

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 30TH JUNE 2017

THEME: WONDERFUL PROTECTION

Memorise:

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Psalm 91:5

Read: Psalm 91:5-7

91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

MESSAGE

Besides being a God of wonders who does wonders, God can also turn you into a wonder. A young man gave a profound testimony during one of our monthly Holy Ghost Services some years ago. He testified that during a prior Holy Ghost Service, the Lord instructed me to inform the congregants that the clothes they wore to that programme had just been anointed and had therefore become special. Unknown to him, some hired killers had been sent to kill him. Coincidentally, on the day marked for his assassination, he was wearing the very clothes that had been anointed during the Holy Ghost Service. As he passed by the assassins on this fateful day, he heard them say, ''This is the fellow'', and immediately, they opened fire on him. Six bullets passed through the front of his clothes and came out at the back, but nothing touched him. He brought the clothes he wore and showed us the bullet holes in front and at the back. He said he could not explain how that could happen without affecting his body. Indeed, there is a God who can turn someone into a wonder! As people looked at him, they saw someone who by all standards should have been dead, but who was alive because God miraculously protected him from weapons of destruction. This season, God will turn you into a wonder! He will miraculously protect you from every weapon of death formed against you!

Moreover, God can perform wonders through you! He can turn you into an instrument that performs wonders. For instance, on one ordinary day, Peter and John were going along the way when they encountered a lame man who asked for alms, but God used them to heal him (Acts 3:1-11). This same man who had sat at a gate of the temple for years suddenly rose up, began to walk, leap and praise God. He became a wonder to everyone who knew him, and the duo that God used to perform the miracle also stood out as wonders. Acts 3:11 says,
''And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.''

Beloved, God wants you to be a wonder. He also wants to use you to perform wonders. Are you ready to cooperate with Him? Can you pay the price to become a conduit for signs and wonders to flow through? How concerned are you about God's Kingdom? How consecrated are you? Are you prepared to give it all it takes?

Prayer Point:

Father, as You used Peter and John to perform miracles, use me and my family to perform spectacular miracles today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 6-7
Lamentation 2:14-3:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Thursday 29 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - THINK IN THE SPIRIT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 29TH JUNE 2017
THEME: THINK IN THE SPIRIT
Memorise:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
Read: Proverbs 3:5-6
3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
MESSAGE
Life in the Spirit is possible, even though for most believers it is still a struggle (Galatians 5:25). To grow your spirit-man, you need to earnestly seek more opportunities to be refilled with the Holy Spirit after being baptized with Him (Ephesians 5:18-19). To live in the Spirit, you need to think in the Spirit. In our thought life, many of us leave out the Holy Spirit, and this is one of the reasons why we don't go far in our walk with God. Whenever God is left out of an equation, it never balances. This is why today's Bible reading says we should acknowledge Him in all and not some of our ways. It is only then He will direct our paths. Some of us usually announce to God the decisions we have already reached, instead of consulting with Him earlier, so that He can help us arrive at the best decision. What is wrong with God deciding for you? Who decided that you would be born? Were you a part of that decision? Who decided your sex, nation, looks, height, complexion and the parents you would have? If He could decide all these, would it be too much for Him to be involved in the decision-making process of your life? When He is involved in a decision, He will ensure it does not fail. However, if in playing ''mature'' boy or girl, you leave Him out and your decisions later backfire, you will have only yourself to blame.
When there is an issue on ground and you present the issue to God, asking for His guidance or instruction on how to handle it, He will be pleased that you are giving Him His rightful place in your life. To what extent do you involve God in your personal and family affairs? Do you see Him as an intruder or as a partner? How often do you involve God in your thoughts and plans? If you really want Him to be a part of your thought life, then shun all evil thoughts. Load your mind with His word. Think often on God's word and focus on Jesus. By doing these, it will become easy for you to think in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only Person who can help you see things from God's perspective. This is why 1 Corinthians 2:11 says,
''For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God.''
When you yield your mind to Him, you will see yourself thinking more like Jesus, and what is important to God will gradually become important to you. When this continues, His likes will become your likes, and you will hate what He hates. There will be an alignment between what He wants and what you want. Start involving God in your thought process from today.
Key Point:
The extent to which you involve God in your personal or family affairs shows the extent of your trust in Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 3-5
Lamentation 2:3-13
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Wednesday 28 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - WHAT KIND OF GROWTH?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 28TH JUNE 2017

THEME: WHAT KIND OF GROWTH?

Memorise:

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Ephesians 4:15

Read: Ephesians 4:10-16

4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists: and some, pastors and teachers;

4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

4:13 Tlll we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive:

4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

MESSAGE

If you are a sheep in the fold of the Great Shepherd, you will not lack rest or what to eat. Beyond these, you will not thirst, as He leads you beside the still, calm waters. This is another way of saying that your thirst will be quenched. The Lord in Matthew 5:6 spoke of this when He said:
''Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.''

Hunger and thirst are part of the mechanisms that have been programmed into the human body to produce growth. How you respond to these impulses will determine the quality or type of growth you experience. Prolonged starvation and refusal to eat both lead to death. Similarly, while taking only a particular kind of food, some people experience abnormal growth patterns, due to the absence of the required quantity of nutrients, vitamins, fatty acids, and so on, needed by their body. This is why children who are exclusively fed a diet full of carbohydrates tend to have oversized heads and stomachs, rickety legs and hands – a growth problem known as 'kwashiorkor'. For growth to be even and progressive, all the needs of the body must be provided.

The observed effect of food on physical growth in the natural world also applies to what happens in the spirit. Today, spiritual growth is so distorted in the Body of Christ as a result of the nature of food being fed and the attitude of believers towards spiritual food. There are different stages of growth in the Kingdom of God. 1 Peter 2:2 says baby Christians should be fed with milk, so as to grow normally. Today, you have those who claim to have been saved for 5, 10 or more years still insisting on being fed with milk. lf a 10 year old child still wants to be breastfed, what kind of growth would result from this? Also, there are so many false doctrines being propagated through the airwaves and in churches today. What kind of growth will such doctrines deliver to those who receive them? In addition, a number of those who are being fed the sound, undiluted truth of God's word do not have enough time to receive it. What kind of growth do you think will result from such spiritual eating pattern? When you do not grow as you are expected to, you become a problem to yourself and others around you. How are you growing today? What are you feeding on? How often do you feed on God's word?

Action Point:

Change your spiritual diet and feeding pattern to reflect the desire for healthy spiritual growth.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 1-2
Lamentation 1:13-2:2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Tuesday 27 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - UNDER AUTHORITY?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 27TH JUNE 2017

THEME: UNDER AUTHORITY?

Memorise:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Romans 13:1

Read: Acts 8:12-17

8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)

8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

MESSAGE

It is one thing to serve the Lord, and another thing to submit to authority. Some people can render service to God but they cannot submit themselves to the authority of someone the Lord has placed over them. In today's Bible reading, after the apostles heard that a deacon was making waves in Samaria, they decided to go and see what was going on. Peter was asked to lead the delegation there. On arrival, Philip received them warmly, introduced them to the Samaritan converts as his leaders and submitted himself to their authority. There was no conflict whatsoever! If it were some people today, there would have been a rift. They would have confronted these leaders with rash words such as ''Pastor Peter, where do you think you have come to? When there was no revival here, you never came to Samaria. Now that God has used me to bring revival to Samaria, you have come to take over the work and the glory. I will never allow you to do this. You may be an apostle, but I am the one God used to save these souls and perform these signs and wonders, so please return to your Jerusalem."

Do you know that there are some pastors that God used in building up a church, who down the line defy all moves to transfer them elsewhere? They believe that since they did all the hard work of building from scratch, they should be left to enjoy the 'dividends' of their labour. This only shows a lack of understanding. In the first place, whatever work we do in the Kingdom of God is done for God and not for any man. Also, the means used for the work, whether physical, financial or material, come from God. Furthermore, no human being can adequately reward you for work you do for God. Similarly, God does not owe any one who serves Him: He always rewards them here on earth and later in eternity, as promised by the Lord in Matthew 19:29:
''And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.''

There should be no conflict at all on such matters. When a person is told by their authority to relocate, it should be clear to him or her that God is most likely through with using him or her in that current location. If you find it diffrcult to submit to your earthly superiors, it means that you are not ready for the ministry of signs and wonders. Are you under authority, or do you resist and struggle with your superiors? Repent and make amends today!

Key Point:

Refusing to submit to the powers above you makes you a rebel, and this attracts divine condemnation (Romans 13:2).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ruth 2-4
Lamentation 1:1-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Monday 26 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - BORN INTO CAPTIVITY?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 26TH JUNE 2017

THEME: BORN INTO CAPTIVITY?

Memorise:

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

Read: Exodus 1:8-12

1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

MESSAGE

While some people fall into captivity through traps set by the tempter, some others, like Joseph, are sold into slavery (Genesis 37:23-28). In some parts of Africa, when a child is born, both parents of that child or either one of them enter into a covenant involving that child and some deity or spirit-wife or husband. Such a child later grows up to find that he or she has been sold into slavery. There are many childless couples who go to some deities for help, because they can no longer wait on God to give them good children. This opens the door to satanic offsprings in their life. Later in life, such demonic children will become devourers of their resources and peace. May you never be so frustrated as to go to the devil for help! Satan's ''help'' is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Moreover, in today's Bible reading, we understand that some people enter into slavery right from birth. When a pharaoh that did not know Joseph arose in Egypt and enacted new laws that made the Israelites slaves, every child that was born to them from that moment was born into slavery. In whatever way you have found yourself in captivity, whether by choice, design or by birth, there is deliverance for you today. The Great Deliverer is able and willing to deliver you. 1 John 3:8 says Jesus Christ was manifested in order to destroy the works of the devil. Captivity is the work of the devil, and he seeks to control and ruin lives by it. The predator runs the lives of his captives. When he wants, he whips them, pushes them into difficulties and mocks them while they struggle. He dictates what they become and where they will end. The fellow in captivity has virtually lost control over his or her life. You cannot be a captive and at the same time be free to serve God the way you want. One of the reasons why Jesus Christ came into this world was to make us free to serve God. Contained in the prophecy of Zacharias about the Lord Jesus Christ is this statement about His mission, in Luke 1:74-75:
''That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.''

This is why you have to arise in anger today and rebel against any form of captivity you have found yourself in, and ask Jesus Christ to deliver you now. You shall be free today!

Prayer Point:

In any way I and members of my family have found ourselves in captivity, we rebel and break away from it today!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 21
Ruth 1
Jeremiah 52:24-34

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE


Sunday 25 June 2017

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL - WHY HEALING IS YOURS

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017

SUNDAY JUNE 25, 2017

WHY HEALING IS YOURS

Memorise : But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.- Isaiah 53:5

Read: Isaiah 53:3-5

53:3 He is despised and rejected of me with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.


MESSAGE :

In life, what you tolerate goes a long way to determine what you go through, and how you go through situations and circumstances. While God expects us to be tolerant of the weaknesses, character defects and inadequacies of our fellow human beings, He does not expect us to be tolerant of the devil and his tokens. For this reason, in 1 Peter 5:9, we are commanded to steadfastly resist the devil and his antics. In fact, we are even permitted to be violent in our approach towards effectively resisting the devil (Matthew 11:12).

Whatever you allow in your life, stays, multiplies and may even dominate your life! Never allow anything evil to come into your life or to continue to hibernate in your life.

One of the tokens of the liar that you must not allow is sickness. You should not tolerate sickness because it hinders you from effectively serving God. Sickness hinders and makes one an ineffective witness of Jesus Christ. If you go out to preach about Christ and His power and you are sick, some people will challenge your message, saying that the power you attribute to Jesus should first be seen in your life before they can believe.

In addition, sickness hinders how we praise God. Isaiah 38:18-19 says only the living can praise God and not those in the grave. It is not easy to praise God when your body is going through severe pain. Isaiah 53:5 says,

''But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.''

Jesus has already paid the price for our healing, and so when a believer remains sick, it means that the suffering of Christ over that person is being wasted. Are you sick? You cannot afford to remain sick. Receive your healing now in Jesus' Name! Mark 9:23 says if only you believe, your healing can be delivered to you. This means that your faith is being challenged whenever you are sick. Do you have enough faith to appropriate the sufferings of Christ over your situation in order to be healed? Beyond this, God gave me a revelation that sickness does not only challenge our faith, it also challenges our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, when sickness challenges our faith, then it is the Author and Finisher of our faith that is also being challenged (Hebrews 12:2). This season, your healing will suddenly manifest and you will see the tokens of sickness no more.

PRAYER POINT :
Father, since You have already paid the price for my healing, I receive all-round healing today in Jesus' Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 20;
Jeremiah 52:12-23

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

Saturday 24 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY 24TH JUNE 2017

THEME: CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Memorise:

The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. Job 15:20

Read: Genesis 3:8-19

3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

3:9 And the LORD God called umo Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was Unclad; and I hid myself.

3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast Unclad? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the fleld; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

3:16 Umo the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the fleld;

3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return umo the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

MESSAGE

Sin can bring unimaginable consequences upon the sinner. Some years ago, I visited the maximum security prison at Kirikiri, Lagos, where I met a man who had been condemned to death. For 27 years, he had waited for the day the executioner would come for his head. While we discussed, I trembled at the repercussion of sin. He said to me, ''Even if I am released now, where do I start from, having wasted 27 years of my life?'' Do you expect such a man to be joyful during all that period of waiting? No way! He must have been sad for 27 years! Psalm 16:4 says,
''Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.''

According to this scripture, sin and sorrow go hand in hand. If you are living in sin, you cannot be separated from sorrow. If you enjoy sinning, you will be compelled to enjoy sorrow as well. If you are always sorrowful, examine your ways: it is possible your life of sorrow is the product of a sinful life.

Similarly, sin is linked with pain, struggle and tears. Job 15:20 says,
"The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.''

This scripture simply means that if you sin and continue in it, get ready to suffer for a long time, possibly throughout life. These repercussions of sin did not just start today; they have been there from the beginning. In today's Bible reading, after Adam and Eve sinned, the serpent was cursed above all other creatures and lost its legs. For the woman, the process of conception and childbirth became an issue of life and death, while the ground was cursed for man's sake. Since then, it has been a struggle for man to enter into his harvest. Before you take out your harvest from the fields, you have to sweat, suffer, weed out what you did not sow, and so on. Are you going through a lot of struggle, pain and tears over your efforts to move to the next level? First crosscheck your life to find out if these are caused by sin. If there is sin, confess it to God, ask for forgiveness and beat a fast retreat. Follow after the path of righteousness, because righteousness will ensure sorrow stays far from your life.

Prayer Point:

Father, in any way I have brought sorrow into my life because of sin, have mercy on me and deliver me today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 19
Jeremiah 51:59-52:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Friday 23 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - BECOMING A WONDER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 23RD JUNE 2017

THEME: BECOMING A WONDER

Memorise:

Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
Psalm 77:14

Read: Psalm 77:11-15

77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

77:14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

77:15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

MESSAGE

God is a wonder and He does great wonders. I pray that He will perform wonders in your own life, so that you can testify that you have experienced His wonder-working power, in Jesus' Name. Beyond this however, do you know that God can turn you into a wonder? For instance, look at the mad man of Gadara, He was so mad that all hope was lost concerning his recovery; but when Jesus touched his life, he was seen not only in his right senses, but also decently dressed and even evangelising the goodness of the Lord. Many people who saw him were amazed and had their doubts as to whether he was the same person who once terrorised the community (Mark 5:20). He became a wonder! Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, also became a wonder and a tourist attraction after he was raised from the dead. John 12:9 says this about him:
''Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead."

Several years ago, during a particular Holy Ghost Service we held at the National Stadium, Surulere (Lagos), there was a man with a huge growth attached to his neck sitting beside a particular woman. The growth was so huge that it overshadowed his face. While the programme was on, the woman sitting beside him kept peeping at the protruding growth. During the sermon, the word of God came that there was someone in attendance with a huge growth around the neck and that it had gone. On hearing this, the woman sitting next to this man immediately turned to look at him and it was as if the growth suddenly grew wings, flew away and disappeared, This woman was so amazed at this wonder that after the programme was over, she had already trekked from the stadium to Palmgrove, a distance of about 5km, before she remembered that she had left her car parked in the parking lot inside the stadium. When God turns you into a wonder, even sceptics will find it difficult to doubt your testimony because it will be so profound. Also, your life will become a perpetual signpost for God's Name to be glorified. Are you in dire need of a miracle? Beyond that need, ask God to make you a living wonder for the glory of His Name. This season, as the Lord turns you into a wonder, the same mouths that have mocked you and challenged your God will become the instruments for spreading your testimony and for reverencing your God! Worship the Almighty God who alone can make you a wonder.

Prayer Point:

Father, today, make me a positive wonder to my generation, so that they can come to know You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 17-18
Jeremiah 51:45-58

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Thursday 22 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - WHO IS BEHIND THIS ROADBLOCK?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

DATE: THURSDAY 22ND JUNE 2017

THEME: WHO IS BEHIND THIS ROADBLOCK?

Memorise:

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. Psalm 26:2

Read: Numbers 22:22-31

22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and wem into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

22:29 And Balaam said umo the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: l would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would l kill thee.

22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

MESSAGE

''Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him."
Psalm 68:1

The above scripture is one of those very popular passages in the psalms. When a baby Christian hears it, he will say ''Amen!''. Some adult Christians have even turned it into a song. A mature believer in Christ, I mean a real bone-cracker, will however react differently. When he or she hears this passage being quoted, the first thing he or she will do is to carry out a brief self-examination and introspectively ask: ''I hope l am not one of those enemies?'' In other words, he is not in a hurry to say amen. ln 2 Samuel 12:1-7, after Prophet Nathan told King David the story of an oppressive act committed in his kingdom, the king rose up in fury and decreed, ''That fellow must die.'' Then the prophet replied, ''You are the man, O king''. Be very careful how you judge others because Matthew 7:2 says,
''For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall bejudged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.''

If only some people were merciful while judging others, they too would have been shown mercy when they were going through their own judgment.

Beloved, before you cry to God to arise and let His enemies be scattered, first find out if you are not that enemy. Have you even tried to find out whether God is the one fighting you? ln today's Bible reading, God had told Prophet Balaam not to go and curse His people. Nevertheless, when Balak invited him to curse the children of Israel and promised him a lot of money, he disobeyed God. God therefore sent an angel to block his way. The donkey he rode on saw the angel and stopped, but because his own eyes were blinded by covetousness, he could not see the angel. What will you do if you find yourself in this scenario? You perceive something is blocking your way but you do not know what exactly it is, and you say, 'You demon standing between me and my destiny, move!'' You get a response saying, ''I am not a demon but an angel'' You then insist and say, "No problem, whatever you are, move out of my way!'' He then asks, ''ln whose name?'' You say ''In the Name of Jesus Christ'', and the response is, ''Oh, He is the One who asked me to block your way!'' What would you do? Today, many people are busy fighting non-existent forces of darkness that they believe are blocking their way. Go back to God and find out who is really blocking your way in order to pray correctly.

Key Point:

Many children of God are doing God's work their own way and refusing to do it God's way. God is therefore grinding them to a halt!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 15-16
Jeremiah 51:27-44

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Wednesday 21 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - WHY HUNGER?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 21ST JUNE 2017
THEME: WHY HUNGER?
Memorise:
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: Psalm 63:5
Read: Proverbs 19:23-24
19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

MESSAGE
One of our benefits as the sheep of the Great Shepherd is the assurance of provision. If you are a sheep of Jesus, you will definitely be fed and hunger will be alien to you. Psalm 37:3 says,
''Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”
If God has promised that we shall be fed, why then are some of us hungry and even starving today? Several factors are responsible for this, first of which is that some people have erroneously mistaken poverty for righteousness and wealth for sinfulness. Some people have chosen to be poor so as to make Heaven. This is a fallacy! Do you know that so many poor people on earth, after suffering here, end up in Hell, whereas many believing Christians who were rich on earth continue to swim in eternal riches in Heaven? The choice is yours. Do not choose what will destroy but what will deliver you. Abraham was rich on earth, died and continued to live in God's abundance in Heaven. What is your choice? If you are still holding onto such negative beliefs or stereotypes, then you need to have a change of mindset.
Also, some believers are hungry today because they have violated God's financial principles. For instance, if you are not faithfully paying your tithe, you are inviting devourers to drive you into hunger. If you fail to pay your first fruits, you will be giving the enemy legal grounds to contest your job, open doors or breakthrough, and this could lead to hunger. Similarly, when you eat up the seeds you are meant to sow after every provision that comes to you, you will lose the harvest that could keep you from starving tomorrow. Some believers are in hunger as a result of reckless spending. They want to spend everything they have in one day. lf you eat up a month's provision in one week, you may have to spend the remaining weeks in hunger. In addition, some believers do not really trust in God but in the quality of their certificate, wisdom, knowledge and skill. This attitude has resulted in God stepping aside from their affairs in order to make them realise how little they can achieve by their limited strength. Hence, such people have ended up in disappointment and lack. Beyond this, others are in hunger because of laziness, as they have refused to take up opportunities to gather wealth. Lack and poverty may also be as a result of satanic manipulation and control. Are you hungry? Is it caused by your actions or inactions? Arise and put things in order today and turn away from hunger and lack!
Key Point:
The child of a billionaire cannot be starving for what to eat. You are the child of the richest person in the universe. You should not lack any good thing.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 12-14
Jeremiah 51:12-26
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE                                               

Tuesday 20 June 2017

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL - EVANGELISM: BE MORE PROACTIVE

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2017
Tuesday June 20, 2017
EVANGELISM: BE MORE PROACTIVE
Memorise :Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:- Proverbs 24:3
Read: Acts 5:12-16
5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women)
5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

MESSAGE :
Soul winning can trigger the miraculous, as seen in the lives of the apostles. If you really want signs and wonders to attend to your life and ministry, you must be prepared to declare Jesus Christ at every opportunity you have, and if you lack such opportunities, you must be prepared to create them. In our Bible reading for today, it is recorded that through the hands of the apostles, several miracles were performed. This was a generic statement affecting all the apostles because they were all preaching the word of God (Acts 5:12). After this generic statement was made, Peter was singled out. Concerning him, it was said that he did not need to lay hands before miracles took place; rather, even his shadow was conducting deliverance and healing services while he was busy moving from place to place.
Why was this so? How did Peter excel in signs and wonders? lt was because he took advantage of every opportunity he had to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He could face any crowd and declare his faith in Jesus Christ to them (See Acts 2 & Acts 3). God saw this attitude and was quite impressed, and He said, ''Since you are unstoppable in declaring My word, signs and wonders will never cease in your life."
Can you take the act of witnessing to such limits as you have never been before? In various life endeavours, several Christians plan, set goals and targets, and come up with strategies to accomplish them, but when it comes to soul-winning they don't do any of these. As a marketer, you devise plans on how to reach out to a larger segment of the market and on how to get a larger market share for your products. That is how it should be for soul-winning too. What is your plan or strategy for winning more souls to Christ this year? For many individuals, couples or families, there is no plan for evangelism. No specific number of converts is being targeted daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Due to this lack of planning, some people cannot boast of five converts in 12 months. What a shame! Several opportunities that God gave us to win souls have been lost to lack of planning. If you set a monthly target of winning 20 souls, you will take every opportunity that comes your way more seriously and exploit them in order to achieve your target.
Success in evangelism can never be attained without a plan. Repent today and become more proactive in evangelism. Come up with a plan for the year and prayerfully pursue it. It shall be achieved in Jesus' Name.
ACTION POINT :
Draw up a one-year evangelism plan stating the number of souls to be won daily, weekly and monthly, and prayerfully execute it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :
Judges 10-11;
Jeremiah 50:44-51:11
AUTHOR: PST E. A. ADEBOYE

Monday 19 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - LUST PULLS ITS VICTIM

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 19TH JUNE 2017

THEME: LUST PULLS ITS VICTIM

Memorise:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. James 1:14

Read: James 1:12-16

1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

MESSAGE

Many people have been taken captive in different ways. Some have become captives of war, while some others have fallen prey to traps set by the enemy. May God deliver us from satanic booby traps! However, you really need to exercise caution if you do not want to fall prey to the devil. Watch those things you take pleasure in because sooner rather than later, they can become the very things the tempter will use in enticing you! Today‘s memory verse tells us that temptations start with us: they emanate from what we secretly or openly long for. Some people nurse some unvoiced thoughts and ideas and do not really care whether those thoughts agree with the standard of Philippians 4:8. This standard states:
''....whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things''

For nonchalant Christians, the devil soon sets them up to reveal exactly what is in their heart, and thereafter they are confronted with temptations. An example here is Esau, who loved good food. He loved eating so much that the devil decided to use food to secure the loss of his destiny, and he fell for it. If you secretly admire the opposite sex, the devil will find out about it someday, and before long, you will be battling with sexual lust or some other form of immorality.

Men are drawn by their own lustful thoughts. Lust pulls the one lusting into further sin. Do everything possible to avoid lust because before you know it, it will bring you into the pit of sin. If you lust after money, before long, you will find yourself in a situation where you will be tempted to sell out on your salvation or betray someone who is close to you in exchange for money, like Judas lscariot and Joseph's brothers did. What do you secretly lust after? If you ignore it, you will later regret it by the time the tempter is through with you. This is the time to prayerfully check and cut off any seemingly harmless pull from lust. Where there is a pull, it continues until there is a build-up. When the build-up has become formidable, it will become too difflcult to resist its compelling force to sin. Therefore, do everything possible to love only those things that are good, and feed your mind on the word of God. Also, avoid the tendency for a build up by resisting the subtle lure of lust. Prayerfully keep your thoughts in check and closely monitor what you allow into your heart.

Action Point:

To prevent sexual sins, covetousness, murders and the likes, stop it at the thought stage. Don't allow it move from thought to lust.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 9
Jeremiah 50:31-43

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
[Refrain]

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
[Refrain]

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till

Sunday 18 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - IT`S WHAT YOU TOLERATE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 18TH JUNE 2017

THEME: IT`S WHAT YOU TOLERATE

Memorise:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:9

Read: Matthew 8:14-15

8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

MESSAGE

When Jesus came to Peter's house in today's Bible reading, He met his mother-in-Iaw down with a fever. He touched her and she was healed instantly, and she then began to attend to their needs. This clearly tells us that Jesus does not tolerate sickness in our bodies. However, the question is, do you tolerate sickness? Some people are tolerant of things they should not accept. Tolerating sickness is telling that sickness that it is welcome in your body. Some people tolerate certain sicknesses that are traced to certain natural conditions. For instance, when a woman is pregnant, people expect her to go through morning sickness. While this is mild for some people, it can be very tough for some others. Nevertheless, if you know your rights as a spiritual Hebrew woman and stand in faith against any form of ill health, you will receive strength to go through pregnancy in good health and not in sickness. To do so, you must be strong in faith and tell sickness that it is not welcome because you have no room or space for it. 1 Timothy 2:15 says,
''Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."

In other words, if you are truly a godly woman, you should not be taken down by the dangers of childbirth that affect ungodly women. Stand in faith and live holy, and your conception and delivery will be most pleasant!

In the same vein, some sicknesses are attributed to old age. An elderly man who was still quite active suddenly got up one day and realised he had difficulty walking. He tried some self-medication to no avail, and so he was taken to the hospital. The doctor examined him and told him his sickness was as a result of old age. He was advised to just manage it with certain medicines. There are some people whose eyesight fail them due to old age, even as early as 60 years old. For a child of God, you can stand in faith, resist such sicknesses and enjoy good health all through your life. At 120 years old, when it was time to go to be with the Lord, Moses still retained the strength of his youth (Deuteronomy 34:7). Caleb also retained his strength at 85 years old (Joshua 14:10-11). If you stand in faith, what affects others will not be able to affect you. If you refuse to resist these sicknesses, you will become a victim just like everyone else. The choice is yours.

Key Point:

If Jesus has carried your pains and sorrows according to Isaiah 53:4, why are you still accepting to carry them?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 7-8
Jeremiah 50:17-30

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

1. Through the love of God, our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All will be well;
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us,
All will be well.

2. Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation,
All will be well.
Happy when in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit's guiding,
All will be well.

3. We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All will be well;
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying
In our living, in our dying,
All will be well.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - SIN: SO DESTRUCTIVE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SATURDAY 17TH JUNE 2017

THEME: SIN: SO DESTRUCTIVE

MEMORISE:
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12

READ : John 5:2-14

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 5-6 , Jeremiah 50:4-16

MESSAGE

As harmless as sin may appear sometimes, we should not be deceived, knowing how destructive it can be. Every act of sin comes with a sentence of death (Romans 6:23). If you do not want to die through separation from God, sin is something you must flee from. 2 Timothy 2:19 says,
''Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

If you are living in sin, God cannot call you His. If you want Him to identify with you, then you must deliberately separate yourself from sin. If you are truly born again, you cannot continue in sin (Romans 6:1-2). Sin is not as trivial as people suggest; it is deadly! May God completely deliver you from the reins of sin!

Moreover, sin is a carrier of death (1 Corinthians 15:56). If you live in sin, death sets in. The death that sin brings can affect every facet of your life. Take for instance the impotent man who had been sick for 38 years, who was kept by the sheep market pool. During his second encounter with Jesus, after he had been healed, the Lord told him something fundamemal in John 5:14:
''Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

From this statement, we know that the sin(s) this man committed brought on the paralysing sickness he suffered for 38 years. He contracted this illness as a result of sin and had to relocate from his house, family and friends to live in a colony of the sick. He tried 38 times to receive his healing, without success. Sin, through this sickness, devoured his life. Assuming he was meant to live for 70 years, what would be left after losing 38 years to sickness? Sin separated him from what God had originally planned for his life and made him completely useless to himself and everyone else. He was stagnant and in bondage for 38 years! As a result of his sin, he was forsaken by his friends and loved ones. Sin is so terrible!

Do you know that many believers are in a mess today, but instead of first looking inwards to discover if they caused it by their sins, they begin to look out for external culprits: an enemy, witch or wizard that may not even exist. Are you in a terrible state? Examine yourself and find out if your sin is the cause; thereafter turn to God, repent and surrender your life to Jesus.

ACTION POINT:
Examine every long-running issue in your life to determine if sin is the cause and take appropriate action on it.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11:
l HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.

2. Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I'II carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

4. The world behind me,
The cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me,
The cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Friday 16 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - EXPERIENCING WONDERS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 16TH JUNE 2017

THEME: EXPERIENCING WONDERS

Memorise:

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Exodus 15:11

Read: Daniel 6:21-28

6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

6:23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

6:25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

6:27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

MESSAGE

Our God is not only a wonder, He also works wonders! After the Lord performed wonders by parting the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel sang a new song to the Lord in Exodus 15:11 saying:
"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

Also, after God miraculously delivered Daniel from the lions' den, King Darius passed a decree that in every domain of his kingdom, this awesome God must be feared and revered. In Daniel 6:27, he said,
"He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.''

The God that King Darius spoke of is still the same today. He is full of wonders. No wonder He is called Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6). Are you in need of a miracle, sign or wonder? Call upon this great God and He will surely deliver you. He can still do great wonders in your life today.

You need to come to terms with the reality that God can perform wonders in your own life. In other words, you too can be a beneficiary of His wonders. It is a known fact that a person can be rich and yet be stingy. Where I come from, when talking to a rich and arrogant man, it is common for people to say, 'Yes, I know you are rich, but you are not the one feeding me.'' In other words, "your wealth is of no benefit to me, so go and perish with your money." God can be a God of wonders who also does wonders, but if He has not done wonders in your own life, His ability may seem like fairy tales to you. In Genesis 18:9-14, He met a 90 year-old woman and said: ''I know you are 90, and I know your monthly cycle stopped several years ago, but you are going to have a son.'' The woman replied, ''I don't believe you!'' God said, ''It doesn't matter whether you believe or not; I am the Wonder-Working God, and I will go ahead to do what I just promised'' A year later, she had her baby. God's wonder-working ability became real to her. Beloved, you are the next candidate to benefit from this Wonderful God! This season, the God of wonders shall show up in your situation and turn things around! You shall experience the reality of His wonderful power. Call on Him today, and He will answer you.

Prayer Point:

Father, as You did for Daniel, perform an outstanding miracle in my life that will compel nations of the world to amend their laws in honour of You.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Judges 3-4,  Jeremiah 49:28-50:3

AUTHOR: PST E. A. ADEBOYE

Thursday 15 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - ONE SOUND, TWO MESSAGES

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 15TH JUNE 2017

THEME: ONE SOUND, TWO MESSAGES

Memorise:

And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; Psalm 105:44

Read: 2 Kings 7:1-11

7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of flne flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

7:3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here umil we die?

7:4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now
therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

7:5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Wrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp
of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

7:6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come
upon us.

7:7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and
fled for their life.

7:8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they wem into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

7:9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.

7:10 So they came and called umo the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.

7:11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.

MESSAGE

A sound from Heaven is all you need to turn a very hopeless situation into a glorious one. We have an example of this in today's Bible reading. One lesson here is that whenever things deteriorate to their worst level, know that a turning point is around the corner. Don't cry, just worship God and thank Him in the midst of the difficulty, asking Him to show you what to do to turn things around. Also, from this story, we see that God can release one sound from Heaven and while His children hear something positive, their enemies would hear something else. Things were so bad in Samaria because there was no more food, to the extent that some women began to eat their own children to survive. Have things gone so bad for you that to afford a meal you would have to sell some of your property? There is a user of this Devotional, because things have gone so bad, you have virtually sold all your properties in order to survive. The Lord is turning your situation around now. Within the next 90 days, all the things you have sold shall be replaced with better ones. When this comes to pass in your life, endeavour to testify of it before the congregation of God's people.

It was in the midst of hopelessness that a sound came from heaven through Elisha, declaring that within 24 hours, abundance would replace lack. Literarily speaking, it meant that within 24 hours, there would be so much food that it would be almost free. Responding to that prophecy which they didn't even hear, some four lepers decided to take their chances by going to the camp of the besieging army to see if they would pity them and give them some food. As they went, the noise from their feet was taken up to Heaven, amplified and released into the camp of the enemy. So what happened? While God's people heard that abundance would swallow up their acute lack within 24 hours, the enemies heard the sound of a very mighty army coming to surround them and wipe them out completely. They fled immediately and left behind everything they had, which became available to God's people almost free. This season, all your enemies holding back your blessings shall hear a sound from Heaven and leave you and everything that is yours alone! I speak abundance into your life now in Jesus' Name! If there is any siege that has surrounded your life for so long, hindering your progress, I command it to be lifted now in Jesus' Name. Receive freedom to expand your coast from today in Jesus' Mighty Name. lt is well with you!

Prayer Point:

Father, as You speak peace to me, speak trouble and war to my enemies.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Judges 1-2
Jeremiah 49:14-27

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Wednesday 14 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - ENTERING HIS REST

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL... 

DATE: WEDNESDAY 14TH JUNE 2017

THEME: ENTERING HIS REST

Memorise:

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Hebrew 4:11

Read: Hebrews 4:7-11

4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not aftenNard have spoken of another day.

4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

MESSAGE

Psalm 23:1-6 is a very powerful psalm which speaks of the relationship between the sheep and the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God's sheep enjoy many benefits, one of which is the entitlement to rest. lf you are a bona fide sheep of Jesus Christ, His rest is made available to you. When the Psalmist says "He makes me to lie down", he simply speaks about entering into God's rest. The rest that the Good Shepherd offers His sheep can be at several levels. Some people are labouring so hard in search of the salvation of their soul. They want to be free from sin, and yet the more they labour to be free, the more entangled they find themselves. If only they can come to Jesus today, they will find the salvation they have been seeking. Jesus Christ is the final destination for everyone who genuinely desires salvation.

Another kind of rest that the Good Shepherd offers is bodily rest. Ordinarily, after a hard days work, by the time you hit the bed, you should fall fast asleep. However, do you know that there are people who find it so difficult to sleep? They stare at the ceiling all night until the following morning. This continues for days, weeks or even months. Psalm 127:2 says if you are beloved of God, you will surely have rest through sleep. Do you suffer from insomnia? Has it been so difficult for you to get a good night's sleep? That sleeplessness is terminated today! From now on, you shall access God's rest in Jesus' Name!

In addition, the Good Shepherd offers rest to those who labour continuously without rest. Matthew 11:28 says,
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

One way the devil has led some people into their untimely death is by heaping so many problems, burdens, debts and heavy responsibilities on them which they cannot carry, thereby frustrating their efforts to enter into financial freedom. The more they labour, the further they drift from success. lf you are in that situation, do not give up or think of ending your life. Just come to Jesus with all your heart and He will give you rest. Finally, todays Bible reading talks about the eternal rest that we have access to as sheep of the Great Shepherd. Nobody can enter Heaven except through Jesus Christ. If you are saved and you continue to follow Jesus, obeying Him every step of the way, you will surely enter into His rest. Are you qualified to enter His rest?

Key Point:

To enter into rest in any area of life, faith in Jesus Christ, the Giver of rest, is required.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 23-24
Jeremiah 48:45-49:13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Tuesday 13 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - SOUL-WINNING AND SIGNS!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: TUESDAY 13TH JUNE 2017

THEME: SOUL-WINNING AND SIGNS!

Memorise:
"For though I preach The Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not The Gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16

Read: Acts 8:5-8
8:5.  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
8:6.  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
8:7.  For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8:8.  And there was Great Joy in that city.

MESSAGE
A. During a time of famine, The Lord instructed Elijah to go to Kerith Brook, stay there and a raven would continuously bring him food there. He said, 'Yes sir' and obeyed.
1.  1 Kings 17:2-6 "And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
2.  He did not hesitate or question God. He did not even ask God to show him where ravens ever brought food to anyone in the Bible. He obeyed instantly.
3. Instant obedience is strong evidence of faith.
4. Anyone who would work signs and wonders in these last days must be a man or woman of faith.
5. Do you have enough trust in God to the extent of obeying Him without hesitation?

B. Moreover, in addition to faith, the fellow who wants to operate in the miraculous must be an incurable witness for Christ. He or she must be a soul-winner.
1. In today's Bible reading, Philip did not wait for Peter to come and conduct a crusade in Samaria.
2. He went there himself because he believed in God's command to go out and preach The Gospel.
3. People who are diligent in soul-winning usually have their prayers answered speedily.
4. People often ask me what l do to get God to answer my prayers speedily aside from living holy.
5. I tell them soul-winning and instant obedience.
6. Even if you are going to kill me, I will still share The Gospel of Jesus Christ with you.
7. I do not look at faces to determine who I witness to or not.
8. lf l am attending an occasion and you make the mistake of giving me the microphone, you will hear about Jesus.

C. Some years ago, I received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Ibadan.
1. lt was a serious gathering with eminent personalities of the political elite, traditional title holders and academicians all gracefully adorned in their beautiful gowns.
2. At some point, they gave me the microphone and told me l had just five minutes to say something.
3. l thanked them for honouring me and quickly added that I could not have received this honour but for Jesus.
4. I further said that there is an honour waiting for some people in Heaven and that if they do not give their lives to Jesus, although they can be honoured here on earth, they will lose The Honour of Heaven. I then gave an altar call.
5. Beloved, witnessing for Jesus is our assignmem wherever we go.
6. Talk about Jesus everywhere you go and He will repay you with signs and wonders.
7. When last did you win a soul to Christ? How many souls have you won to the Lord since the beginning of this year?
8. You were saved and chosen for this reason.
9. Are you fulfilling God's purpose of winning the souls of the lost?

Key Point:
As God works with evangelists, He will always confirm their words with signs and wonders in order to convince unbelievers. That's a key to the miraculous.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 22; Jeremiah 48:28-44

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.
Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.
[Refrain]

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.
[Refrain]

Monday 12 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - DON'T BE A PREY!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: MONDAY 12TH JUNE 2017
THEME: DON'T BE A PREY!
Memorise:
Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Proverbs 7:23
Read: Proverbs 7:7-23
7:7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
7:8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
7:11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
7:12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and l have found thee.
7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
7:20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
7:21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
7:23 Tlll a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
MESSAGE
A negative experience many people have had to contend with is captivity. Captivity can mean bondage, slavery, imprisonment, detention or a lack of freedom. Captivity also comes in various forms. It can occur as a consequence of being captured in a battle, like it happened to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 1:1-7). In this particular case, King Nebuchadnezzar invaded the nation of Israel and carried away some of the people into captivity. From that moment, these captives became slaves in a foreign land. Similarly, some people enter into captivity by falling into a trap set by the enemy. For instance, in Judges 16:14-15, the lords of the Philistines used a beautiful woman as bait for Samson. Today, there are several 'hunters' of destiny and life all around, setting all kinds of traps to get their prey. May you never be one of their victims!
One common trap people fall into today is the trap of adultery and fornication. The devil has several agents and means to use as bait, and believe it or not, he catches a lot of prey. He may use beautiful ladies like he did to Samson. Today's Bible reading describes how a prostitute sets a trap and catches her victim. She could use her seductive attire which reveals her curves and exposes sensitive parts of her body. She could also use her sweet flattering words, seductive make-up, perfumes or gait just to get her prey. When he finally yields, she leads him like an ox to the slaughter slab. Proverbs 7:23 says
''Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”
Anyone being lured or enticed into lust should realise that it can never really be for his or her own good. Today, several female students have become easy prey for sugar daddies and evil Hot lecturers because they erroneously think that they are getting something of value in return. How much can a man pay you to allow him to destroy your destiny or kill you? What score will a lecturer award you in exchange for your life? The victims of lust, immorality and adultery are really trading their precious lives for pittance. Are you in the captivity of adultery, thinking it benefits you because you are getting rapid promotion in your place of work? Don't be deceived! You are truly paying with your life! Repent, come to Jesus and cut off all hunters from your life! Break that relationship if your partner is pressurising you for sex as a basis for friendship. It is not worth it! Ask God to deliver you from every trap of the devil.
Prayer Point:
Father, deliver all our children, teens and youths from sexual immorality.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 20-21
Jeremiah 48:9-27
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

JOIN US THIS SUNDAY FOR OUR SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE - DIVINE HELP


Join Us This Sunday For Our Special Sunday Service 

18-06-2017
8:30am 


Saturday 10 June 2017

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - ACCEPTED TIME

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 11TH JUNE 2017

THEME: ACCEPTED TIME

Memorise:

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
2 Corinthians 6:2

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

1:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

MESSAGE

God is never late for any appointment. He is always on time. Looking at the experiences of different people in the Bible, this has been shown to be true over and over again. For the man who had been sick for 38 years, when his appointed time finally came and the once-in-a-year miracle platform God had put in place could not meet his need, Jesus personally picked him out from the crowd and healed him by His own will (John 5:1-6). Also, when the appointed time came for the woman who had been bent over for 18 years, the Lord healed her without her asking for it (Luke 13:10-13). Habakkuk 2:3 says,
"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

One thing you should learn from this is that God has a timetable, and His timetable may be completely different from yours. He has a set time for every event in the lives of His children. It is like setting an alarm clock to a particular time; when the alarm rings, God will address the issues at stake.

Another lesson worth learning is that until God's appointed time for a particular matter to be addressed dawns, God may appear silent on the issue, even when He has all the facts and figures of the situation at His disposal. lf He knows what an individual is going through, and He chooses to watch carefully and quietly, He may just be doing so in order to see how the fellow will respond to the situation. Would he stand in faith and resist the devil, or give up his faith and cling to doubt, fear and unbelief? Would he draw nearer to God or go further away from Him? Would he down tools and stop serving God, or would he continue serving God in the midst of no divine response to his problems? When God keeps quiet at such times, He may want to test your faith to see how elastic it is. lt may be very frustrating when God is silent on an issue, but never get to the point of thinking or believing that He does not know what you are going through. He knows it better than you do. He sees what you see and what you don't see within the circumstance. Just trust in Him and hold on to Him in faith. Love Him more, worship Him more, serve Him more and keep trusting Him more. In the end, you will be victorious.

Prayer Point:

Father, give me grace to endure till my appointed time, and when it dawns, let me see the manifestation of my good expectations.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 18-19
Jeremiah 47:1-48:8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

1. Through the love of God, our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All will be well;
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched out to shield us,
All will be well.

2. Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation,
All will be well.
Happy when in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Holy through the Spirit's guiding,
All will be well.

3. We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All will be well;
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying
In our living, in our dying,
All will be well.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - SIN BRINGS DEATH

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL... 

DATE: SATURDAY 10TH JUNE 2017

THEME: SIN BRINGS DEATH

Memorise:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Read: Matthew 1:18-21

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

MESSAGE

Todays memory verse clearly states that the reason why Jesus Christ came to this world was to save His people from sin. Many people fail to realise the horrors of sin, hence they toy with it. If only they knew how terrible sin is, they would maintain a great distance from it. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. This "death" is not limited to physical death but also extends to every area of life. Do you know that sin can lead to physical death?
Going by the laws of many countries today, if a man is convicted of killing a fellow human being, he might have to pay with his own life. In this case, the sin of murder has led to physical death. Beyond physical death, sin can also bring about material death, marital death, spiritual death, and more. Do you know that for failing to comply with the divine commandment on tithes and offering, some people who once enjoyed a boom in their businesses have had to face dryness of the worst kind - almost to the point of begging for food? This is how sin can bring about material and financial death. It can also attract emotional death. A man or woman cheating on his or her spouse wi|| bring about emotional death in that relationship. ln any way you have attracted death to yourself, may the mercy of God intercept judgment and turn its sword away from you in Jesus' Name!

As far as God is concerned, there is only one penalty for sin, and that is death (Ezekiel 18:20). lt is important to note here that this death is separation from God. If you were brought before the judgment throne of God, accused of just one act of sin, you would not be made to face a sentence of three months, one year or even five years imprisonment; God'sjudgement for every size of sin is the same - death. Today, we categorise sin according to our understanding. We call some sins "high crimes" while some others are seen as harmless. However, whether a sin is so light or so "innocent" that everyone approves of it does not matter to God. All sins fall short of His standard and are all punishable by death. We are created to live our lives fully connected to God, but when sin comes in, it separates us from our only Source and Sustainer. If the Blood of Jesus is not applied to wash away a person's sins, the drift away from God continues until physical death occurs and the fellow is forever banished to Hell. In what way is your sinful lifestyle bringing death upon you today? Rise up and run to the cross of Jesus Christ, asking for forgiveness of sins and cleansing by His Blood. Invite Him to come into your heart, and thereafter keep a great distance from sin.

Prayer Point:

Father, in Your mercy, reverse every form of death I have brought upon myself.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 15-17
Jeremiah 46:13-28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 11: l HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
Though none go with me,
I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I'II carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I'Il carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me,
The cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me,
The cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - GOD: A WONDER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 9TH JUNE 2017

THEME: GOD: A WONDER

Memorise:

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15

Read: Isaiah 57:15-16

57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

57:16 For | will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

MESSAGE

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Exodus 15:11

One amazing thing you need to know about our God is that He is a wonder! For example, In 1 John 4:8, the Bible says that God is love, and yet in Hebrews 12:29, the same Bible says this God is a consuming fire! When you hear that God is love, you will think of embracing Him, but just then, you also hear that He is a consuming fire and you freeze, asking yourself if you want to embrace fire! Another wonder of God has to do with His size or form. The Scriptures say God is so big that the heaven and the heavens of heaven cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8:27). It also says that Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool, meaning that as He sits in Heaven His legs touch the earth (Isaiah 66:1). Just imagine how great and long those legs are! What of His arms? The Bible says His arms are everlasting and so long that they can reach any distance (Deuteronomy 33:27). When you try to picture how super-massive this God is, then you will begin to wonder how such a God can become small enough to reside inside of you. 1 John 4:4 says,
"Ye are of God little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

God is truly awesome and a wonder we cannot comprehend. As massive as God is, He can still relate with us at our tiny, very little level. As high as He is, He can still reach down to those who are lowly placed or have a heart of humility. In fact, from the height of heights, God is able to see those who are of a humble spirit, and He relates with them while ignoring the proud. Are you like God? Is the position you occupy not distancing you from those who are not as fortunate or as privileged as you are? If you are truly of God, your privileged status will not hinder you from reaching out to those who are impoverished. Recently, the wife of one of the richest men on earth visited an African country and identified with the poorest people there by trekking a good distance to fetch water like the poor women there. She carried a bucket of water on her head and trekked all the way back. She also joined in washing the dishes in a very poor neighbourhood. That is a minute example of what Jesus did by leaving His heavenly throne and becoming a man (Philippians 2:5-8). Can you leave your throne to reach out to the lowly?

Key Point:

lf you have truly encountered Jesus Christ, there is nobody that you cannot relate with.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 12-14
Jeremiah 45:1-46:12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 3: HOW GREAT THOU ART

1. O lord my God!
When I’m in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands hath made;
I see the stars,
I heard the rolling thunder
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed

Chorus
Then sing my soul,
My Saviour God to thee;
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul!
My Saviour God to thee;
How great Thou art,
How great Thou art!

2. When through the woods
And forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the tress;
When I look down,
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook,
And feel the gentle breeze.

Chorus

3. And when I think
That God, His Son not sparing
Sent him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross,
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.

Chorus

4. When Christ shall come,
With shout of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration,
And then proclaim
“My God, how great Thou art!”