OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALDATE: TUESDAY 20TH JUNE 2017
THEME: 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: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 13: 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]
rayer Points on Today's Open Heavens: ( Tuesday, June 20, 2017) - EVANGELISM: BE MORE PROACTIVE
1.Thank you Father, for the power available in your word for the salvation of souls.
2.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.
3.Father, destroy by your power, whatever, is hindering and limiting me, from rising for the salvation of others, in Jesus' name.
4.Father, give me the grace to declare Jesus Christ, at every opportunity that opens to me, in Jesus' name.
5.Father, empower me to also, create opportunities, that will enable me to preach Christ to people, in Jesus' name.
6.Father, soak me in your anointing and let many come to the saving knowledge of Christ, through my witnessing, in Jesus' name.
7.Father, anytime, l preach the gospel, let there be signs and wonders, in Jesus' name.
8.Father, take me to the level of anointing, that, l will not need to lay hands on people, before miracles begin to happen, in Jesus' name.
9.Father, take me to a higher level of anointing, where my shadows and handkerchiefs, will bring healing to the sick, in Jesus' name.
10.Father, let me never be ashamed to declare my faith in Jesus, anytime, anywhere, through the preaching of the gospel.
11.Father, help me to prayerfully and diligently set achievable targets, for souls to be won; and to develop and implement daily, weekly and yearly plans for evangelism, in Jesus' name.
12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus's name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).
#GodBlessOurNation
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR PASSAGES
Judges: 10. 1. And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2. And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 3. And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. 4. And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5. And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 6. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. 7. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. 8. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9. Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11. And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12. The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13. Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15. And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 17. Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18. And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. -
Judges: 11. 1. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 2. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. 3. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 4. And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5. And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6. And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? 8. And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 9. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 10. And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 11. Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 12. And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 13. And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. 14. And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 15. And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 16. But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 17. Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 18. Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. 19. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 20. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21. And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 22. And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23. So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 24. Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. 25. And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, 26. While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? 27. Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 28. Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him. 29. Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. 30. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31. Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 32. So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. 34. And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. 35. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. 36. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. 37. And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38. And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39. And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 40. That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
.Jeremiah: 50. 44. Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me? 45. Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them. 46. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.
Jeremiah: 51. 1. Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; 2. And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. 3. Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. 4. Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets. 5. For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. 6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed. 9. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. 10. The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. 11. Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. -
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