OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 29/09/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 5TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: STOLEN BREAD? 

Memorise:

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Proverbs 20:17

Read: Ephesians 4:28

4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Message

We live in a time when the nature of man is so selfish that all he does is think about himself continually. How much can I get? What will I gain? What do I have at stake? Of what interest will this be to me? This is why you see people transferring the resources meant for an entire nation into their private coffers. They are happy to collect the contract amount given for the construction of public roads only to complete such roads on paper alone. The better ones among them do a bad job and pocket the rest despite inflating the cost of completion. After all, they will not drive on such roads. When the judgment of God comes upon those who do this, their ends are always terrible. Some of them use such monies to train their children in the best schools available and such children end up killing them. Some of them use such money to build estates and such estates become desolate in the future.

Lazy people look for any excuse not to work. They want cheap money. They want to live in luxury without paying the price. This is why you see a lot of value being eroded in the social system today. People are no longer ready to task their minds. Some people sit with their computers the whole day, looking for people to defraud. How do you think you can have an enduring blessing through such means? There are some market women who use unequal weights in the scale to measure what they sell to unsuspecting customers. If you do this, it is to your own peril. Such people will never be blessed by God. Some are involved in fraudulent business practices, exploiting others for their own gain. They think they are making it at the moment, but the truth is that such gains bring much sorrow. Lazy people who do not work will end in poverty because they lack understanding. Those who are sleeping when they should be working will end up serving those who are industrious. 

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7

As long as you choose to remain lazy, you will never encounter a divine touch, because God Himself is hard working. One of the great virtues that fathers can leave for their children is a heritage of integrity. There is only one path to true increase and that is gathering wealth by honest means. It may take a longer time than you expected, but you can be sure that at the end, you will have peace of mind. There are things money cannot buy. Money cannot buy happiness and joy and this is why you need to understand that there is no need to play smart. The little you earn from what you do legitimately will attract the blessing of God, as opposed to those who earn millions by fraudulent means. The scripture says;

"Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich." Proverbs 28:6

Don't envy sinners who are prosperous. It is foolishness to do so because you can easily tell what their end will be. 

"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." Proverbs 13:11

Those who gather wealth unjustly are doing so in readiness for devourers. They will never be able to explain how they spend such money. 

Point:

Whatever you get non-legitimately cannot last. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
1 Peter 1-4 and Psalms 28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee. 

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee. 

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose. 

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne. 

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee

Todays hymn

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 27/09/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: TUESDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: THE GREAT PROVIDER 

Memorise: 

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Read: Mark 6:35-42

6:35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:

6:36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.

6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

6:38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

6:40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

6:41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 

MESSAGE

The Almighty God is well known as 'The Lord who provides.' God is the provider and supplier of the needs of all creation, but He gives special attention to His own people. Psalms 145:16 says:

"Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. He provides for all people."

Our God is gracious Father, He does not only provide the needs of His children, He also protects their interest. He crowns His children with glory, and as a Consuming Fire, burns anyone that messes around with their royalty and honour. Three of God's children, crowned by God with glory, found themselves in such a situation one day. A king, who virtually ruled the world of their day, thought too highly of himself and wanted to rubbish their glory. He dispatched some hefty men to tie them and hurl them into a burning fiery furnace. At the end, the men he sent were roasted by the fire he set up, while the Consuming Fire was with His children inside the furnace to protect them and His glory upon them. They eventually walked majestically out of the furnace into promotion and increased glory (Daniel 3:1-30). This season, any plan to touch God's glory on your life shall be destroyed. Every fire the enemy kindles against you and your family shall devour that enemy in Jesus' name. 

You need to know the worth of your Heavenly Father so that you can tap into His resources. The lifestyle of a child is determined by the status of the father and the resources controlled by the father. Philippians 4:19 says:

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

If your father has a bicycle and you need to get to school, he will let you ride on it. If he has no means of transportation, you will trek. If he has a rickety car, you will ride in it, with passers-by looking with pity at its occupants. But if your father has an exotic car, you will ride in it and be admired by onlookers. Psalms 24:1 says the earth and everything in it belongs to our Father. Haggai 2:8 says He owns all the gold and silver. Psalms 50:10 says He owns all the cattle upon a thousand hills. John 14:3 says in His Heavenly estate there are many mansions. No wonder Philippians 4:19 say my Daddy will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. Needs are met by available resources. Since He has all things, then all your needs shall be met. Call upon the Great Provider and start tapping into the unlimited resources of your Heavenly Father by faith today. 

Prayer Point:

Father, You are the Great Provider, please meet all my needs in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Ezekiel 17-18
Psalms 69:1-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN Jesus. 

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 26/09/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: MONDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: THE HERITAGE OF THE LORD 

Memorise:

And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it. Exodus 2:9

Read: Psalms 127:3-5

127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. 

MESSAGE

The Bible presents the nation of Israel and the Church of God as the chief objects of God's fatherly love. All of humanity have the privilege of becoming God's children through faith and are then encouraged by the Scripture to imitate their heavenly Father in their daily living. 
However, as I have always maintained, you can choose to be anything you want before the Almighty God. You can be just a creature, a dog, or a cow. You can go beyond being a mere creature to becoming a servant. Being a servant gives you more personal access to God. But you could go yet another step to becoming a son of God. Sons have tremendous opportunities that servants do not have. As a son of God, you can become a co-heir with Christ. That means all that God has jointly belongs to Jesus and you. Besides, John 8:35 says sons abide in the house forever. No wonder David in Psalms 23:6 says:
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever".

He could say so because he had a Father-son relationship with the Lord. For such sons, even after leaving the planet earth, Jesus promised to prepare His Father's house for them to stay throughout eternity (John 14:1-3). Sons have eternal right to God's house. Are you a son of God? 

If you abide in God's house, you would automatically flourish. Psalms 92:13 says;
"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God".

Beyond being rich or wealthy, you can flourish. Age will not erode your opportunities or harvests. In fact, the older you are, the more flourishing you become. This is not for those who merely visit God's house. It is not for servants but for sons. Some people endure going into God's house or presence. If they were asked to come for a big contract at 9 am, they will be there by 7 am. But if invited to meet with the King of Kings for 8 am, they will stroll into the church by 10 am. This attitude hinders people from attaining the height they were created to achieve. If you find it difficult to stay in God's presence, you can be sure you cannot have access into His Heavenly home. Those who will enter heaven must desire to enter that city not made with hands (Hebrews 11:10, 16). It far excels the best of planet earth to the extent that it is simply incomparable. Do you qualify for Heaven? To what extent do you long for Heaven? How much do you crave to be in God's presence? How much do you enjoy worshipping the Lord? 

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to make it to Heaven and to abide in you forever in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Ezekiel 16 
Psalms 68:22-35

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 12: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. 

Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand. 

2. When darkness veils His lovely  uface,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil. 

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. 

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. 

Chorus.

Hymn 12

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE ,24/09/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...  

DATE: SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: ARE YOU A FRAUDSTER? 

Memorise:

Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. Proverbs 12:22

Read: Revelation 21:8

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. 

MESSAGE

A fraudster is a dishonest person. Someone with a disposition to tell lies, cheat or steal. Dishonesty is contrary to the will and nature of God, and so should not be found among the people of God. The Bible teaches that any prosperity obtained from deceit, fraud and lies will be short lived. Initially, it will appear as an increase but later it will leave you plundered. Some believers exploit fellow believers. This is a great evil because any wrong you do to your brother or sister in Christ is done to the Lord. Today, many people find it difficult to tell the truth. For instance, when asked to go and buy something for the church, they will not rest until they make profit for themselves. Some of those who 'maintain' church equipments will present certain equipment as write offs, receive money for another one only to refurbish that which was condemned. They then go on to use it either for themselves or put it out for sale. Who owns the equipment? Who owns the church? Who do you think you are decieving; the pastor, administrator or Christ? Bread of deceit loads your system with gravel! Each time you deceive the church authority to make money for yourself, you give yourself wounds that may never heal. Jeremiah 17:11 puts it this way:

"As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool."

A particular brother received a contract for electrical works in the building of a church. While bidding for it, he presented certain standard of cables and materials but after he was awarded the contract, he bought sub-standard materials in order to make more profit. Nobody knew. About two years after, the building was on fire as a result of poor materials used. Meanwhile, the contractor had died before his secret deal came to light. A number of people believed that his deception killed him. Don't kill yourself; don't die before your time! God cannot bless you if you decieve Him or His servants. Some people deliberately supply inferior goods to the church so that when they get spoilt, they will be recalled to re-supply such items. This is fraud! Remember Ananias and Sapphira lied about the offering they gave but never survived it! Neither will any who follows their evil path. Are you fraudulent, dishonest or crafty? Be warned, the end result could be disappointing. Proverbs 23:5 describes this as an exercise in futility. 

"Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven".

Prayer Point:

Father, please destroy every seed of dishonesty and fraud in my life in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Ezekiel 13-15
Psalms 68:7-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee. 

Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee. 

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose. 

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne. 

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee. 

HYMN 4

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 24/09/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE 

Memorise: 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6

Read: Proverbs 1:20-29

1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 

MESSAGE

Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles accumulated in the course of time from study or investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. In reference to the knowledge of the Word of God, Hosea 4:6 says:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

As I have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making and therefore ultimately determines the course of life. It is the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions about that subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success. 
Do you know that if you know more about God and His Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23 says, 
"Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you".

The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you. How much time have you given to studying at His feet? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God's Word. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please give me enlightenment and understanding by Your Word in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 10-12
Psalms 67:1-68:6

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 9: MY FAITH HAS FOUND A PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.

Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.

Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

Chorus.Hymn 9x

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE 20/19/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: TUESDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2016

THEME: THE OLDEST WORKMAN OF GOD 

Memorise: 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Read: Proverbs 8:22-35

8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 

MESSAGE 

The very first indication of God's work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as follows:

"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."

And John 1:1-3 says, 
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declare His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars, and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep. He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah. 

Prayer Point

Father, thank you for a beautiful world, and a magnificent universe. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Lamentations 3-5
Psalms 64

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 5: OH SPREAD THE TIDING ROUND 

Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
The Comforter has come! 

2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:

3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings:
The Comforter has come! 

Chorus:

4. O boundless love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come! 

Chorus.