OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE. 14/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: RELEVANT TO EACH OTHER

Memorise: 

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Romans 12:5

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:18-25

12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

12:19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

12:23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

12:24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

Message

The church is an assembly of the called out; people who have been called out of darkness into the marvellous light of Jesus. We have become vessels unto honour unto God and also unto one another in righteousness. It is upon this that Apostle Paul admonished us in Philippians 4:8:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things". 

As people who have received the grace of God, we must be concerned about one another. We should live our lives helping others to become what God has destined them to become. We must give ourselves in service to other brethren. Our minds must be directed by purposes higher than the material world and selfish ambitions. We are what we are by the Grace of the Almighty God, and everyone cannot possess the same measure of grace and abilities, hence the need to encourage one another and not engage in envy and strife. 
No matter how highly placed you are, you must never look down on others, neither should you write anyone off because the weak person of today can become the strong person of tomorrow. The people in David's army were once called vagabonds, but they were the same people who eventually became mighty captains of his army. There must be unity amongst us, because we are members of the same body. The entire body needs every member in order to function as a whole. You cannot do everything all alone, you need others to succeed. There are great people that are your destiny ties. The moment you identify them, you need to also invest in them and leverage on their grace. Every member must be encouraged to use his God given abilities to profit the entire body. The church is like a chain and everyone is very important in the scheme of things. No one should claim superiority over others because this will not encourage Unity. Unhealthy competition should not be allowed in the Body of Christ. We are one and we need one another. There is no one who is an island. Let those who are strong help those who are feeble. Let those who are rich help those who are in need. Let those who are matured help those who are coming behind. Let those who are at the top encourage those who are climbing. 
Jesus specifically instructed Peter to strengthen his brethren. You must contribute to the success of others. Great leaders who gain respect are the ones who constantly add value to others. You need to be a source of hope to those around you. Your life must demonstrate the competence and chemistry that attracts others to the grace of God upon your life. This starts by respecting yourself and respecting those that God has given to you. People will naturally submit to your leadership when you take them from where they are to where God wants them to be. You must see the good in people. Encourage people to do their best and when you have to correct, let it be done in love. Do not take any failure or criticism personally. Treat everyone you meet as important because they are. 

Action Point

You are very important to God. If you fail to play your role in the Body of Christ, it could bring losses to God's Kingdom. Determine to play your role today. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 19:16-23:18
Psalms 34:1-10

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE ,13/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: SATURDAY 13 AUGUST 2016

THEME: SELF DISCIPLINE 

Memorise: 

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1st Corinthians 9:27

Read: 1st Corinthians 9:24-27, (KJV)

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Message 

Self-discipline is a personal commitment and decision to voluntarily yield every aspect of ones life to the Almighty God. This is ensuring nothing controls or influences your life outside the power of God. You must make no further provision for anything else to rule your life except the power of God. For this specific reason of desiring to be vessel unto honour, you deliberately narrow your choices to only what Jesus will have you do at any given time. When a man is self-disciplined, he will no longer entangle himself with the affairs of this life or with those things that add no significant value to his life as a Christian. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice is one of the ways to impose discipline on yourself.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”
Romans 12:1

The fact that some people are not determined enough to pay the price of self-discipline is a major reason why things will not work for them the way they expect. In life, nothing goes for nothing. Until there is a departure from certain things, there can never be a discovery of great things. No one will amount to something great until they are ready to make certain sacrifices, which must come through self-imposed discipline.
Having been a boxer myself, I can tell you that you can never become a champion in the world of boxing if you are not programmed to be self-disciplined. When an individual is not disciplined, he or she will not be able to go far in life. A believer will have to be disciplined when it comes to certain issues like eating, sleeping, talking etc. Some people cannot do without comfort for a while. There are some that are slowed down in life because there are numerous weights that they are entangled with. When you are not self- disciplined, it will lead to your being unfruitful and unproductive in the business of God. There are people who cannot pray as they should because they cannot allow anything to deny them of their sleep. Some people will always eat when they should be fasting just because they cannot deny themselves of food.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one recieveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain”.
1st Corinthians 9:27

Here, Paul was portraying the struggles that one must contend with in the Christian walk if one will have to make full proof of his ministry. Apostle Paul was willing to make all sacrifices and commitments required in evangelising to the world. He was obedient to the demands of the gospel because of the assurance that He who called him was faithful to reward him in due time. 
As believers, there is the need to show commitment in self-discipline to the task of our calling as ministers of the gospel. Those who prepare for competitions with the mind of receiving perishable rewards still give the competition all the sacrifice required, this is a big lesson for those of us preparing for eternal rewards. One must exercise no less commitment or sacrifice. As long as we faithfully run the Christian race, we can be assured of the gift of eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter the difficulties we encounter, we can be rest assured that the grace of God can be relied upon.

Prayer Point

Father, please remove anything that will hinder my greatness from my life in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year: 
Isaiah 14:28-19:15 and Psalm 33:12-22

AUTHOR: Pst E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 2: O Jesus, I HAVE PROMISED. 

O Jesus, I have promised, 
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 12/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 2016

THEME : THE CHRISTIAN RACE 

Memorise: 

And if a man also strive for masteries, Yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2nd Timothy 2:5

Read: Philippians 3:13-17, (KJV)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, 
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those 
things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing 
ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, 
let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

MESSAGE

Apostle Paul admonished us in his epistle to forget those things that are behind us as we journey through the pilgrimage of this earth. We should not allow the things of this world to distract us from the goal of eternal dwelling. A Christian cannot lay hold of that which he strives for if he is still distracted by the ephemerals of life. The greater a person grows in the knowledge of Christ, the greater his desire to be with Jesus will be. This is why my hope for Heaven is strong. 

As a Christian who wants to dwell with Jesus, you have to deliberately submit yourself to the narrow way of Christian living. We must give our attention to those things that will endure the passing of this material world. As a soldier of the cross, you must allow your life to be influenced by those whose minds are set on things above. We must live up to the spiritual nature of the gospel after which we are called. We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.

It is necessary to allow the Word of God to direct your life as you press on to greater spiritual heights. This is the only way you will be able to communicate the nature and character of God to the world. We have to submit ourselves to the gospel, and allow the Head of the Church (Jesus Christ) to give us direction in all our ways if we are to end as divine champions. Those who will be champions for Christ will be people of rugged determination who have set their minds on certain goals. They will pursue these goals relentlessly until they begin to see the kind of reward they desire in Christ. You will never find a believer who understands the nature of the Heavenly race retreating because he is being discouraged. They will never give any excuse for non-performance neither will they allow failure to be placed at their door step. They have only one life to live and they do everything to please Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of their lives.
There are many people who have lost their miracles and blessings because they stopped too soon. They were not determined enough, they gave in to certain impossibilities as they journeyed through life. This is a lie of the devil to cheat you of your blessings in Christ Jesus. Nothing is ever impossible before God according to Luke 1:37. In my little walk with Jesus, I have met a lot of people who said what they wanted to do at some point in their lives was impossible. The moment you agree that it is impossible, it becomes impossible. There are people who believe that it is impossible to live holy and this is why holiness is not a venture for them. Unfortunately, it is a strategy of the devil to deny them the blessings of living a holy life. There are young converts who have been discouraged by their leaders. They discovered that there is a great difference between what their leaders teach and what they practice, hence they give up their faith. This is why it is very dangerous to put your trust in any human being. Put your trust in God because He is the only one who will never fail you. Make Jesus your Senior Partner. Know that if God is for you, nobody can be against you. Know that if God is the one backing you up, there is no amount of conspiracy against your life that will ever come to pass. No matter the size of the enemy and the direction of the attack, you are divinely secured. 

Prayer Point:

Father, please let me finish my race without losing any battle in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year: Isaiah 11:1-14:27 and Psalms 33:1-11

AUTHOR : Pst 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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 11/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: THURSDAY 11 AUGUST 2016

THEME: THE CARNAL MAN

Memorise:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Message 

If you want to do great exploits for God you have to rise above your carnal mind because no serious exploit can be done in the flesh. One of the things responsible for the miraculous events in the early church is that everything was done in atmosphere of God's Spirit. This is why we need to thirst for more of His presence in our midst if we want an outpouring of His spiritual blessings. It takes the Spirit of God for one to have access to deeper revelations of God. 

"For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father." Ephesians 2:18

Anyone who wants to experience and encounter the glorious presence of God must be ready to let go of the flesh and allow the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Truth to take over. The carnal man is manipulated by his emotions and thinking. The carnal man is vulnerable to lust. The carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. The carnal man is always a victim of strife and questionable actions. The carnal man will always be found in questionable environments and circumstances, but the man who allows the Spirit of God to dwell in him will always be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.

To effectively deal with the problem of carnality, wisdom demands you take it from the root. A tree that is cut down but not uprooted will grow again; it is only a matter of time. The only time you can be assured of permanent victory over the flesh is when you uproot the carnal man from its root. The moment you turn on the light, darkness automatically ceases. There is a need for you to turn on the Spirit man, who is nourished through a life of holiness and consecration to the Almighty God. As long as the Spirit is in charge, you cannot be defeated. You remain a champion and everything that is not of God will keep its distance from you, but the moment you give the carnal man a little attention, it begins to take over again. The best way to deal with the carnal man is to flee from every appearance of evil. One of my spiritual sons once told me that anytime it is Friday, he was always looking forward to the weekend being over because he wanted to be in the office on Monday. He was always looking forward to Monday mornings because of his secretary in the office whom he had grown fond of. I told him he was playing with a cobra in his bed and at anytime, the cobra could bite him. I asked him to kill the cobra once and for all by sacking the secretary that was unknown to him, feeding his flesh to destruction. Out of wisdom, he heeded my counsel and sacked his secretary, who in turn verbally insulted him and all those who had advised him. After she left, my son found peace in his spirit. Anything done with carnal mind will always bring problem and fear, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty and rest of mind. Are you toying with sin? Repent and come to Jesus for restoration. Are you in the company of those who will feed your flesh? Return to Jesus, His grace will overcome the works of the devil. Obey His Word, walk closely with Him and you will see yourself exercising victory over your weaknesses.

Prayer Point: 

Father, mortify every deed of the flesh in my life in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 8-10 and Psalms 32

AUTHOR: Pst 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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE 10/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST 2016

THEME: SUPERNATURAL LIFTING 

Memorise: 

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head. Psalms 3:3

Read: Daniel 3:15-20, (KJV) 

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was won’t to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

MESSAGE

There is nothing as good as having God as your ally. I pity those who make men their shield. It is foolishness to do so because man is limited and cannot even help himself when he becomes overwhelmed with the circumstances of life. There is nothing impossible with God and there is no situation that is beyond Him. This is why I want to abide in Him always, because I know He alone will never fail. 

“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory and the lifter up of mine head.”
Psalms 3:3

This was the voice of David when he confronted a situation that was beyond him. His son conspired with others, not only to take away his crown, but also to take his life. Who do you run to when people are not only interested in taking your position but also taking your life? Who do you cry to when that strange woman is not only interested in taking your husband but also taking your life? God is the only one who can lift one supernaturally. 
There are people who have grief in their hearts. There are those who have been praying and crying for help. There are those who have been sowing in tears. If you are included in these groups, I want you to be comforted because the Almighty God will lift you higher than your problems in Jesus’ name. Do not lose hope in the ability of God to deliver you from any plot against your life. Just call upon the Lord and you will see Him destroying your enemies with their own hands. It does not matter how many enemies are surrounding you at all sides, there is protection for you in God. God is the one who lifts up the heads of His children. He puts great honour upon them and removes everything that has to do with shame and reproach. He is a deliverer to those who run to Him and He ensures all things work out together for their good. Are you in any situation in which the number of people rising up against you are on the increase simply because God is on your side? I want to assure you that the Almighty God will give you peace and calm in the midst of the storm. God will deliver you out of every hand that is holding you down. The fact that God has been fighting on your behalf in the past should give you an assurance that you are a permanent candidate for supernatural lifting, as long as you are at peace with God. All you need to do is ensure that there is no unrighteousness or ungodliness in you. Do not follow the path of the wicked. Live holy and be obedient in faith. Give yourself to prayers always, so that you can put the devil where he belongs. Those who walk in the truth of the gospel will always enjoy glory and honour from God. Be strong in the promises of God and be fully persuaded that all God has promised you will surely come to fulfilment.

From our Bible reading, we see how the three Hebrews boys moved from being slaves to being condemned and then to being promoted all in one day. After God had shown up for them, the king immediately commanded that any people, nation, and language, that speaks against their God shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because no other God can deliver like Jehovah. There is no one that God cannot use for His glory. As long as He sees your heart, He will meet you at the level of your desire. Seek God. Those who follow God will always see good things following them (Matthew 6:33). 

Key Point:

Who you follow determines what follows you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 4-7 and Psalms 31:19-24

AUTHOR: Pst E. A. ADEBOYE 

Hymn 11: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God. 

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

5. Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE, 09/08/2016

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: BLESSED ASSURANCE 

Memorise:

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isaiah 3:10

Read : Psalms 23:1-5

23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Message 

God is calling us to a closer walk with Him. This is the only way to launch us into the realm of His divine blessings. The blessings and miracles of God are exclusively reserved for His children. It is only the elect of God that can be assured of His blessings. One question we must always remember to ask when we read of or hear God make a promise is: am I the one God is referring to? Do I qualify to be blessed? God's blessings are only reserved for those who live holy. 
"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." Hebrews 1:9

To be assured of the blessing of the Lord, you need to be righteous. Every sin in your life reduces your chance of being a full beneficiary of the goodness of God. This is why you need to find out (and be sincere in your search) if there is any sin hidden in your life. Ask yourself: what are those things that can limit the flow of God's blessings to my life? God has given us all things, but they will not flow into the lives of those who are not living according to His pattern. You can determine how far you want to be blessed in God. It is a function of the relationship that exists between you and God. This is why you need to ensure that nothing hinders your relationship with Him, so that there can be an uninterrupted flow of blessings to your life. 
The moment we begin to follow God, there will always be an assurance of His divine protection so that you don't become plagued with the suffering and turmoil of life. All that is necessary for one's survival is already guaranteed in God. For reasons best known to God, there are certain things that He will not reveal to you. He enjoys giving pleasant surprises to His children. He always gives those who serve Him more than they bargained for. When I was answering the call to ministry, I never knew God was going to bless me as much as He has done so far. All I was after was just to love Him and serve Him with the whole of my heart, because I was glad He had rescued me from the wicked hands of the Devil. But God decided to bless me beyond measure. My greatest dream was to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor of a University. But today, that dream is a child's play in comparison with what God is doing in my life. All you need to do is to live a life of holiness and everything will work out in your favour. By the time Joseph finally arrived in the palace, he must have felt far better than he had ever imagined. But remember that Joseph had to contend with those things that were capable of hindering his glorious destiny. There is no challenge or sin that God cannot give you victory over as you trust in Him. Just turn to the Lord and ask Him to help your weakness. The moment you do this, you will see better and bigger victories emerging on your behalf. God will never forsake those who trust in Him. The assurance of every believer in Christ Jesus is that God will never turn His back on His people. There will be a guarantee of protection when you are under any attack. He will protect you to the point that you will pity your attackers. He will openly manifest to all that you belong to Him. Only those who come under His government enjoy His benefits. 

Key Point:

There is a ready-made banquet prepared for those who belong to God. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
Isaiah 1-3 and Psalms 31:9-18

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 11: STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

Standing on the promises of Christ MY King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God. 

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s string cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus:

5. Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God. 

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR E.A.ADEBOYE

DATE: MONDAY 8TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: HEAVENLY ATTENTION 

Memorise: 

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:5

Read: Acts 10:1-6

10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 

Message 

There is no one that cannot command the attention of Heaven. Those who believe that people in great positions or people in affluence are far from God will be surprised to know that there are many wealthy people doing great things for the Lord, and there people in great positions who are using their influence to add positive value to their environment. The example of Zacchaeus reveals that it is possible to remain faithful to God regardless of the amount of wealth at a person's disposal. Righteous, rich people are great instruments in the hands of God because they use their wealth and God given positions to expand His Kingdom. Also, the example of Cornelius reveals to us that God is a God of plan and purpose. He was influential in his days; nevertheless, he was a devoted man who was obedient to the will of God. He was very generous to those around him. He had a very good reputation but he was not saved. 
Hence, God had a plan for him in order that he might be saved. God wanted to prove a point to the Jewish through his life that there is no one that is beyond redemption. This week, your prayers will command the attention of Heaven in Jesus' name. The moment he got a revelation of what he needed to do, he complied fully without delay and he got the attention of Heaven. 
I have noticed that those who are not as blessed sometimes exhibit pride while those who are blessed sometimes humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. This is why you will see Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors of multinationals picking rubbish and dirt in a church service. Some of them stay to control traffic for hours after major programmes are through. No wonder they are so special to the Almighty God, and so whenever they call upon Him, the heavens open to them. The demonstrate their love for God by serving humanity. They transfer the burdens of others to themselves and when God decides to give attention to such individuals, they never remain the same again. Such Heavenly attention brings a tremendously positive turnaround in the life of the beneficiary. When the Heavens pay attention to you, you can be sure that all you long awaited promises will become fulfilled. 
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

When God visits you, you will begin to know the meaning of true riches, despite the fact that people had always known you to be weathy; your new level of wealth will dwarf the former. He will bring you to a greater level of wealth where you begin to flourish in all things. He makes the great greater and He turns all curses to blessings. There is a day of visitation and every child of God is destined for such a time when the Heavens will be at attention in order to bless someone. Today is your day in Jesus' name. This is your day of remembrance and all that you have been trusting God for shall be delivered in Jesus' name. All you need to do is allow Jesus to come into your life. Allow the plan and purpose that God has for you to come to pass and that can only be possible when you surrender to Jesus and make Him your personal Lord and Saviour. 

Prayer Point : 

Father, please pay attention to me today in Jesus' name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 
1 John 5
Jude 1
Psalms 31:1-8

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 3: DEEPER, DEEPER

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

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

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

Chorus:

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

Chorus:

Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu'ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

Chorus:

Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow'r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

Chorus.