Monday, October 31, 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 01/11/2016


OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2016

THEME: GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT 

Memorise: 

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

Read: Matthew 12:24-31

12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 

MESSAGE 

There are many Christians living in frustration and defeat because they have set themselves against the flow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the outpouring of revival and every endeavour in this new dispensation. The Holy Spirit is the secret behind every supernatural occurrence. Do you desire to know the plan of God for your tomorrow? Get the Holy Spirit. Do you want to live a successful Christian life? Get the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will live a life of continuous defeat. As helpful as the Holy Spirit is, one should be careful in relating with Him. Ananias and Saphirra lied to Peter about how much they sold their land. They felt they were deceiving Peter, unfortunately, it was too late for them to realise that they had grieved the Holy Spirit. 
There are numerous ways by which we grieve the Holy Spirit. The moment a person begins to rebel against the instructions in God's Word, such a fellow is asking for trouble from the Holy Spirit. At several points in the life of the children of Israel, they murmured against God. They were never satisfied with His provision. Psalms 78:40 says:
"How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!"

They grieved God for forty years in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened and they refused to acknowledge the ways of God. As a result of this attitude, they were not allowed to enter into the rest of the Lord. May this not be your portion in Jesus' name. 
Another way people can grieve the Holy Spirit is when they despise the truth of God's Word. The apostle, In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, said that the church must not quench the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved when disciples begin to disobey God. Believers today should do everything possible to pattern their lives after the briefs and practices that were maintained by the disciples of the early church. There should be no room for bitterness or evil feelings towards one another. There are some people who make deliberate attempts to decieve their leaders. Some try to act very cleverly. Some Christians still see themselves as being smart because their sins have not yet been found out. All these people are only waiting for the judgment of God unless they repent. Do not do anything that will make you an enemy to the Holy Spirit. Do not make yourself a stumbling block to the progress of others around you. Don't have the 'pull it down' mind-set. Don't scatter the good works others have done simply because you are in a position of influence. All those who do these will see the anger of God. 
The Holy Spirit must not be grieved. He is always working hard against sinners. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on you with the breathe of God so that your life can be filled anew. When your life is filled anew, you will find it easy to love what He loves. 

Prayer Point

Father, help me not to grieve your Holy Spirit. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Revelation 1:1-3:13 
Psalms 91

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!


click HERE for watching and learning how to sing todays hymn

Sunday, October 30, 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 31/10/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..

DATE : MONDAY 31st OCTOBER 2016

THEME : BE COURAGEOUS 

Memorise: 

Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6

Read: 2nd Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)

7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:


8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


MESSAGE

Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people.
Proverbs 29:25 says:

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:

“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”
1st Samuel 15:24

Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:

“When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”

There are facts that should instil courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, kind Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.

“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
2nd Chronicles 32:8

Prayer Point:

Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Malachi 1-4 and Psalms 90:7-17

AUTHOR : Pst 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.


Bible in one year passages
Malachi: 1. 1. The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. 5. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. 6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. 9. And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. 10. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 12. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. 

Malachi: 2. 1. And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. 10. Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. 12. The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 13. And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 17. Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? 

Malachi: 3. 1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifer of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. 6. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. 13. Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 16. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. 

Malachi: 4. 1. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 4. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. 

Psalm: 90. 7. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 13. Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 14. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. 16. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. 17. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.



Saturday, October 29, 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR EA.ADEBOYE 30/10/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: SUNDAY 30th OCTOBER 2016

THEME: GODLY SORROW

Memorise: 

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4.

Read: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV)

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

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


MESSAGE

There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag its victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn’t know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priest failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.

On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:

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

When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.

Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast for both humans and animals. Jonah 3:10 says:
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”

Key Point

Don’t sweep your blunders under the carpets of self-righteousness; repent and exercise godly sorrow. You will be comforted by divine forgiveness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 11-14 and Psalms 90:1-6

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. 


Bible in one year Passages 

Zechariah: 11.

1. Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 
2. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
 3. There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
 4. Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 
5. Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. 
6. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. 
7. And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. 
8. Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 
9. Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
 10. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it assunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 
11. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. 
12. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 
14. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 
15. And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 16. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. 
17. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. 

Zechariah: 12.

 1. The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 
2. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 
3. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 
4. In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 
5. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
 6. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 
7. The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 
8. In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
 11. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 
12. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 
13. The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 
14. All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. 

Zechariah: 13. 

1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. 
2. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. 
3. And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. 4. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: 
5. But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. 
6. And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. 
8. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 
9. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. 


Zechariah: 14.

1. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
 2. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 
3. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
 6. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 
7. But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
 8. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
 9. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
 10. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
 11. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 
12. And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 
13. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
14. And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 
15. And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. 
16. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 
17. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
 18. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
 19. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
 20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowl's before the altar. 
21. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. 


Psalm: 90.
 1. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 
2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 
3. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 
4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 
5. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
 6. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.


Friday, October 28, 2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADRBOYE 29/10/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.


DATE: SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2016

THEME: NOT REPROBATE

Memorise: 

But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 2 Corinthians 13:6

Read: 2 Corinthians 13:5-8

13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 

MESSAGE 

To be a reprobate is very dangerous for the society and for the Christian faith in particular. 
The reason is not far-fetched; a reprobate does immoral and unethical things without any sense of guilt or remorse because his or her conscience has been seared with a hot iron of defiance. In our memory verse for today, Apostle Paul affirmed his confidence in the Corinthian Church premised on the fact that they would do according to the godly instructions he gave them. 

The problem of some of the 21st century believers is the philosophy of relativism which makes them think that an acceptable statement or action in the time of war will also be acceptable in the time of of peace. For instance, if you kill while on a battle field, you are valiant and patriotic, however, if you kill in the time of peace, even as a solider, you will be charged with murder. An extreme case of relativism is when killing in the time of peace is considered the same with killing in the time of war. This is a human error that should not be allowed in the body of Christ because it turns believers into reprobates. 

In our text today, Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth, and by extension, the church of today to make sure they are still in the faith. He goes further to challenge us to prove that we are carriers of Jesus' image. This is the reason why John, the beloved wrote in 1 John 3:9:
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 

Some people have sold themselves to reprobate minds, and so no number of sermons they hear can change them. They keep saying, "My conscience does not condemn me." The truth is that a dead conscience cannot condemn, because it is not active. 

Prayer Point

Lord Jesus, please cleanse my conscience with Your Blood so that it may be more active and sensitive for you. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Zechariah 6:9-10:12
Psalms 89:38-52

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.



Bible in one year.....passages

Zechariah: 6. 9. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 10. Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; 11. Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; 12. And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 13. Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 14. And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD. 15. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God. 

Zechariah: 7. 1. And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu; 2. When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, 3. And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? 4. Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, 5. Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? 6. And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? 7. Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain? 8. And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, 9. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 10. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. 11. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. 12. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. 13. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts: 14. But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate. 

Zechariah: 8. 1. Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 2. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. 3. Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. 4. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. 5. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. 6. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. 7. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8. And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. 9. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. 11. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. 12. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. 14. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: 15. So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. 16. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. 18. And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 19. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. 20. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. 

Zechariah: 9. 1. The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD. 2. And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. 3. And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. 4. Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. 5. Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 6. And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. 8. And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth. 11. As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. 12. Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE, 19/11/2018

Memorize: And as Mosses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:   John 3:14   Bibl...