OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALMONDAY 1 AUGUST 2016BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL…
MONDAY 1 AUGUST 2016
BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE 
Memorise: 
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Deuteronomy 33:38
Read: Deuteronomy 33:27-29
27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Message 
There are different kinds of blessings, but there is a kind of blessing that comes from God alone. This is the blessing that has no boundary. It is from above where God sits to coordinate the affairs of His people. Today, the blessing of God will locate you wherever you are in Jesus’ name. If you just prosper the way God desires, you cannot afford the ignore the presence of God. Those who have succeeded exceedingly in life are those whose source of blessing is God. When the presence of God is with you, He causes whatever you lay your hands upon to prosper. With little effort, you enjoy great favour and you becomes a channel of blessings to others around you. 
If you study the biblical men faith; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will notice that God was not only interested in giving them blessings that will be sufficient for them alone, He was interested in blessings them to a point that they became channels of blessings to others. Do you know God can bless you so much that your driver becomes a millionaire just from driving you? He hold Abraham: 
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2
The blessing that came from Above into the life of Abraham made a great nation out of him. That blessing gave him such a great name that there was no nation where his name was not known. The name attracted so many blessings to his life that he become a great possessor of vast expanses of land and today, his seed are all over the world. God can make you a man or woman of great wealth and power. No matter how dry your ground may be at the moment; He can raise greatness out of it and make your little one become a thousand. The outpouring of God’s blessing upon your life can move you beyond the point of daily provision and mere survival, to the point in which you become the talk of nations because of how frightening your blessings have become. Peter was toiled all night and caught nothing became the talk of the town when he experienced a net-breaking blessing. I have always said that a day is coming and that season is here for a reader of this devotional, that when you take your money to the bank, the bank manager will order that the branch be shut down for three days to other customers just because they are attending to you. 
For you to achieve this level of blessing, you need to understand that it will not come easy, but you need not be discouraged because God is ever faithful and He knows the path to take you through to get there. God is the fountain of all honour and it is from Him that promotion comes. What you are going through at the moment may not show that you are a candidate for this kind of blessing but you need to know that the plan and purpose of God for your life cannot be denied. Your faith and obedience will be tried. You need to be separated and set aside for God alone. Those who forsake their sins and turn to God will get blessings that they never bargained for. You have to take your mind off the mundane things of this world and step up into the higher ground of what God is prepared to do with your life. 
Key Point: 
Until there is a departure from the little things, there will be no discovery of greater things. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Hebrews 5:10-8:13 and Psalms 24 
HYMN 1: O LORD MY GOD
1. O LORD my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made; 

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, 

Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed:
Chorus:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
2. When through the woods and forest glades I wander 

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze:
Chorus:
3. And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, 

Sent Him to die – I scarce can take it in:

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, 

He bled and died to take away my sin:
Chorus:
4. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation 

And take me home – what joy shall fill my heart!

Then shall I bow in humble adoration, 

And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art!
Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..DATE: SUNDAY 31ST JULY 2016THEME: DIVINE BACKING

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
 SUNDAY 31ST JULY 2016
DIVINE BACKING 
Memorise: 
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 

Joshua 1:5
Read: Joshua 1:1-7
1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. 
MESSAGE
Divine backing is the support you receive supernaturally from the Almighty God. Without Divine backing, hardly can any man succeed in life. This is because demonic activities in the world are out to frustrate mankind. The Bible says:

“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12
In the memory verse for today, God encouraged Joshua to take up the spiritual mandate of leading His people to the Promised Land. Joshua was assured of divine backing when the Lord said:

“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” 

Joshua 1:5
God repeatedly encouraged Joshua to be courageous. No wonder he did great exploits in the Name of the Lord. When David faced Goliath, it was divine backing that saw him through the fight against the experienced giant. In response to the giant’s curses, David said:

“This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” 

1 Samuel 17:46
David, prior to this time had been enjoying divine backing. It was this divine backing that enabled him to kill a lion and a bear that wanted to steal his father’s livestock. Beloved, you too will enjoy Divine backing of you surrender your life to Jesus Christ today. Even as a believer, for you to enjoy divine backing, particularly in the ministry, you need to be broken and live in obedience to the Word of God. Jesus said:

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16
Jesus chose you to win souls to His Kingdom and He promised to back you up by providing everything you request for. May the Lord give you supernatural support and the backing you need to succeed in Jesus’ name. 
Prayer Point:
Father, please support me in all I do in Jesus’ name. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Hebrews 1:1-5:9

Psalms 23
AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS. 
What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he’ll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there..

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALSATURDAY 30TH JULY 2016CHILD OF DESTINY

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
SATURDAY 30TH JULY 2016
CHILD OF DESTINY
Memorise: 
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. Jeremiah 1:19
Read: Jeremiah 1:4-8
1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 
Message
According to Psalms 115:3, destiny has its origin in the sovereignty of God. It is also the plan that God had for you before creating you. It is what says about your future. In other words, God had a purpose for your life, long before you were born. Joseph was a typical child of destiny. 

His brothers fought aggressively against his destiny. One good thing about destiny is that, your destiny, being the counsel of God for you, shall stand forever (Genesis 37:18-28). Joseph started his life experiences with the first and second dreams which set him at variance with his brothers and parents. The fulfilment of his destiny took him through Portiphar’s house, the prison and eventually the palace of the Egyptians. 

In the text for today, the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah announcing his destiny to him. Jeremiah had been separated right from his mother’s womb to be a prophet. At times, we behave foolishly by arguing with God on why He called us; a call that is the reason for which we were born. More often than not, God’s plan for mankind does not appeal to the rational man, though it is the best for us. 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
It us very important for us to embrace the truth in the above scripture. When we do, we shall not be guilty of spiritual insubordination. Jeremiah ignorantly argued:

“Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” Jeremiah 1:6
God called Moses to go and perform a task in Egypt but he was giving excuses of not being an eloquent speaker. Beloved, I want you to get something settled in your mind today; God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called so that He can take full glory for the success of the called.

The Lord said to Jeremiah;

“Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Jeremiah 1:7
The Lord further encouraged him not to be afraid of the faces of those He was sending him to. This is a lesson for those of us who are too scared to deliver God’s message in our places of work, school, community, etc. The Spirit of God will always give us something of eternal value t tell His people. God has destined you to be unique; it is left for you to allow Him to fulfill His purpose for your life. May the Lord fulfil your destiny gloriously in Jesus’ name. 
Prayer Point :
Father, please help me to fulfil my destiny in Jesus’ name. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Titus 1-3

Philemon 1

Psalms 22:22-31
HYMN 8: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES
God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught, 

Homes where the Master’s will is sought, 

Homes crowned with beauty

Thy love hath wrought;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!
God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the father is true and strong, 

Homes that are free from blight of wrong, 

Homes that are joyous with love and song;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 
God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the mother, in caring quest, 

Strives to show others Thy way is best, 

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes! 
God give us Christian homes! 

Homes where the children are led to know 

Christ in His beauty who loves them so, 

Homes where the altar fire burn and glow;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes!

​OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALWEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2016ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH

​OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2016
ASSURANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH 

Memorise: 
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 

Job 22:28
Read: 1st Samuel 30:6-8, (KJV)
30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
30:8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
MESSAGE
Breakthroughs are of the Lord. The earlier the children of God understand this fact, the better for them. People look around for breakthroughs as if their power will bring it to pass. It is pardonable for unbelievers but it is not acceptable to professed children of God who know what the scripture says about breakthroughs.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Zechariah 4:7
This is one of the reasons why we know that our tomorrow shall be alright. I discovered this a long time ago and the words “my tomorrow shall be alright” became our anthem in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Not because I know how to go about things, but because I discovered that the breakthrough of a man has already been established before his creation. For example, it was not man that forced light to come, neither was it man that created the animal kingdom over which he was made king. Why should I worry about how God will bring about my breakthrough? My breakthrough is settled in Christ.
Divine guidance is the secret of breaking through obstacles and challenges of life. In our Bible reading for today, we read about the secret of the victory David had at the raid of Ziglag. After David had wept for his loss, he gathered himself together and asked God if pursuing the troops that invaded him would be a profitable one. To receive unfailing breakthrough, asking God for divine guidance is inevitable.

Moreover, a prayer of decree can guarantee assurance of breakthrough according to today’s Memory verse 

“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ assured us of breakthroughs against all obstacles that the enemies may try to bring our way:

“….Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”

Matthew 21:21
Beloved, the Almighty God is the Source of all human breakthroughs. Therefore, bring yourself to the favour of your Maker today and you will experience the breakthrough of your dreams. 
Prayer Point:
Father, please remove all obstacles on my way to breakthrough and cause me to excel in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  

1st Thessalonians 5 

2ndThessalonians 3 

Psalms 20
HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS. 
What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he’ll take and shield thee

thou wilt find a solace there.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY 26TH JULY 2016 CLEANLINESS IS PRACTICAL GODLINESS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TUESDAY 26TH JULY 2016

CLEANLINESS IS PRACTICAL GODLINESS

Memorise:

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isaiah 52:11

Read: Numbers 8:5-7

8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

8:6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

Message

One truth a child of God must embrace is that cleanliness is godliness in practical terms. God pays attention to personal hygiene as much as he pays attention to the spiritual purity of His people. In the book of Leviticus 14:43-45, we read:
“And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered; Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.”

In our Bible reading for today, we read how God instructed Moses to take the Levites from among the congregation and cleanse them. There are many lessons we must learn from this passage. Why were the Levites singled out for cleansing? It is because they were special to God; they were Yahweh’s representatives among God’s people.
“But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.” Numbers 1:50

The Levites, being vessels of honor, were required to be cleansed to function as priests unto God. As such, children of God must be clean in and out because it is required of us to be physically and spiritually clean.
“And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.” Numbers 8:7

It is unfortunate to see that some children of God are not taking seriously the basic hygiene that can enhance their divine health. Some actually believe in divine healing, but do not live in clean environments, nor eat good food. Good food does not cost much. As a matter of fact, it is dangerous delicacies that are costly. So, in order to enjoy divine health, we must live clean lives. May the Almighty God grant us the ability to live clean lives in Jesus’ name.

Action Point:

Take care of your personal hygiene and observe basic health instructions in your home.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Thessalonians 1-4 and Psalms 19:7-14

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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

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

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY 24th JULY 2016 THE OVERCOMERS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY 24th JULY 2016

THE OVERCOMERS

Memorise:

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1st John 5:4

Read: 1st John 5:1-6, (KJV)

5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

MESSAGE

Many people do not know how to overcome. This is the reason why they run from pillar to post, looking for protection against the attack of the agents of destruction. The Bible says:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Hebrews 2:14-15

It is needless to run helter-skelter in search of protection. As a matter of fact, there is no other source of protection than Jesus Christ. Our memory verse for today affirms that whoever is born-again overcomes the world through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The questions now are: what does it mean to be born-again and how can you be born-again? To be born again, according to John 3:3-5, is to be transformed supernaturally by the Spirit of God when we admit to our sins, confess them, forsake them and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When we experience this transformation, we become children of God. In other words, we become His favourites and He will begin to watch over us. Then, the promise of Jesus concerning protection will be fulfilled in our lives. He said:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Mark 16:17-18

However, to be born of God demands some things from us. The Bible says in our text for today that the only way to know we are born of God is when we keep His commandments. Jesus said:

“…. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”
John 14:23

To be born of God is to keep His commandments. This is contrary to some counterfeit Christians of the present age. You cannot continue committing sin and claim that you are born again. Another obligation of someone that claims to be a child of God is that he or she must keep himself or herself pure (1st John 3:3). The Bible says
“Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
Hebrews 7:25

Beloved, there is abundant safety in Christ, come to Him with a strong determination to go with Him all the way; you will not be disappointed.

Prayer Point:

Father, please make me an overcomer today and forever.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 1-4 and Psalms 18:43-50

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL SATURDAY 23RD JULY 2016 IT IS FINISHED

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SATURDAY 23RD JULY 2016

IT IS FINISHED

Memorise:

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

Read: John 19:28-30

19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

MESSAGE

When our Lord Jesus Christ cried, “It Is Finished”, He really did mean that it is finished. However, some children of God do not know the importance of that statement. Some believe that the wages of sin have been fully paid and so we are on our way to Heaven. Correct. Some people believe that all the misfortunes that came upon human race as a result of the fall have been paid for. This is equally true.
The problem we must however fix in our devotional reading for today is irregularity in the doctrine of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We must get it right and perfect.

Some believe that when Jesus Christ said “it is finished” He meant that He had paid the debt of sin in full and do not believe that they are missing a gem in the work of redemption. This category of disciples focus on the spiritual aspect of redemption, without paying close attention to the physical. It is needful here to say that the atonement of Jesus Christ is all encompassing- spiritual, physical, material, emotional, psychological and what have you.
For example, when Adam sinned, it was not only the spiritual aspect of his life that was affected; his career as a gardener was affected because he had to labour more for less. Even his wife had to undergo the rigours of labour at childbirth. In same vein, when the cure for sin came, it came in full. So, if you have been redeemed by His death at Calvary, I say congratulations because your ailing business, marriage, health condition etc are now redeemed!
The Bible says:
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

The irregularity on the other hand, has to do with the belief in some quarters that because Christ has paid our debt in full, we can indulge in sin. This is not correct. Jesus Christ paid it in full to cater for actual and habitual sins. This is why the Bible says:
“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. In this the children of God are manifest,” 1 John 3:9-10a

On her encounter with Jesus Christ, the woman whose sin of adultery was forgiven her was told to “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11). So also was the impotent man that was healed by Jesus (John 5:4). Beloved, Jesus paid it in full for your deliverance from spiritual and physical calamities; sin, sickness, poverty and all, but He did not pay for you to continue in sin.

Prayer Point:

Father, I thank you for sending your Son, Jesus to pay the debt He did not owe on my behalf. Please let this atoning work deliver me from all woes of sin in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ephesians 4:17-6:24 and Psalms 18:29-42

HYMN 6: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FRIDAY 22ND JULY 2016 NOT A VIRTUE!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

FRIDAY 22ND JULY 2016

NOT A VIRTUE!

Memorise:

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Proverbs 26:11

Read: Proverbs 15:20-21

15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

15:21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

Message

Foolishness is not a virtue; rather it is a vice that costs its victim eternity in hell fire. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). In other words, lack of the fear of God is the beginning of foolishness. So, when someone decides to live without the fear of God, he does whatever he pleases without consideration for the Word of God, he feels he is free to do whatever he likes with his life, he behaves as if he owns his life, but in actual sense, his life is borrowed and the owner may ask for it anytime. Our Lord Jesus told a parable of a prosperous farmer who did not reckon with God in all his dealings. Considering the wealth he had possessed he said:
“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:19-20

Some people who claim to be children of God behave foolishly sometimes. Our memory verse for today says: “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.” Some brethren who had been modest and holy are now regretting their past pure Christian life! Those vanities they forsook in the past are now back in full force. This scripture is now fulfilled in their lives. Jesus said when a demon is cast out of a man, he goes away but after sometime he comes back to check whether that life is still empty. If he finds the life empty he goes back to take seven more powerful demons to take possession of the life (Luke 11:24-26).
It is foolishness to go back to your old lifestyle after you have been cleansed from your former sins and impurities. The Bible says:
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20

In the past, you could identify a child of God from afar off (with few exceptions of those who were pretenders). Many things that are now being celebrated were abominations in those days. It is unfortunate that a wholesale return to those vanities is now in vogue. Some Christian scholars were brought to me in my office by their leaders many years ago and I saw assorted wild paintings- red, green, silver, brown, pink etc on their faces and lips. I could not help but tell them that that was the first time I would see Bible scholars in such a wild exhibition of vanities.
Their leader then promised that he would do something about it and that when Lazarus came out from the dead he was gradually striped of the grave clothes he had on. Theologians know how to explain things away. Beloved, going back from your first love is not a virtue; it is rather a vice. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.

Action Point :

Check your life and see if there is any foolish act of sin, unrighteousness or backsliding. Repent.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ephesians 1:1-4:16 and Psalms 18:20-28

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

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

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

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

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

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

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

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 21 JULY 2016 VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY 21 JULY 2016

VITAL INGREDIENTS OF PRAYER

Memorise:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Read : Mark 11:22-26

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Message

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not only give us an outline for prayer in what is popularly called “The Lord’s Prayer” (Luke 11:2-4), He also gave us some vital ingredients of prayer. The first in our consideration is faith. The Almighty God demands that we have faith in Him. A man that prays without faith cannot get anything substantial from the spiritual exercise of prayer. When we pray, we should be assured that God is capable of doing whatever our desires are. Doubt is a grievous offence before the Almighty God. The children of Isreal that doubted the capability of God were consumed by the fiery anger of the God who had been erstwhile benevolent to them, however, as many as believed in His Almightiness received great recompense for their faith.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James 1:6-7

Another vital ingredient of the prayer that God will answer is forgiveness. This is a two-edged sword. Blessed is he that is forgiven, sin is a hinderance to prayer. Unless we are forgiven, our prayers cannot be answered. This is why our Lord Jesus put an aspect of confession of sin in the prayer outline (Luke 11:4). No matter how old we may be in the Lord, if we discover any sin ranging from lying, outburst of unwarranted anger etc in our lives while we are getting set to pray, we must confess that sin first. The Bible says:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ said:
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:25

Many of us come to the throne of mercy without the milk of mercy in our hearts. We come for mercy while we are not merciful; we come for forgiveness and we are not forgiving. What an irony? In Mathew 18:32-35, our Lord told the parable of the wicked servant who jailed his fellow worker that owed him a little after he himself had received pardon for a greater debt. His unforgiving spirit made him to forfeit the pardon for the debt he earlier received. Beloved, let us cultivate the habit of forgiving one another, at least for the fact that our Father in Heaven forgives every of our sins.

Prayer Point :

Father, please increase my faith and put in me the spirit that freely forgives.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Galatians 4-6 and Psalms 18:1-19

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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY 2016 CALLED UNTO GREATNESS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY 2016

CALLED UNTO GREATNESS

Memorise:
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. Luke 5:10

Read : Luke 5:1-10

5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Message

There is something special about the call of God from generation to generation and from dispensation to dispensation. For example, in Genesis, when God made a call among the Trinity about the creation of man, something great came out of that call and that is the uniqueness of man as a special creation. It should be remembered that there was no call at all when other creatures were created. After the fall, there were many generations up to the time of Abram and when God called Abram and changed his name to Abraham, his life never remained the same.

In our Bible reading for today, we read about the call of Peter into the office of apostleship. When at the lake of Gennesaret, Peter had no idea of the awesomeness of the call when Jesus said to him: “Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (Luke 5:10). Peter, an ordinary fisherman, became great as a result of this ‘simple’ call.
Many Cathedrals have been built and named after Peter, the frustrated fisherman before his encounter with Jesus.
One can see that a single encounter with Jesus can make a great difference in one’s life. Jesus is calling someone today as you read this devotional and He is saying:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29

To have a profitable encounter with Jesus, certain things must be done. You must answer His call. He is calling you to follow Him, but you must not just follow Him, you must learn of Him, and all the ideals He brought from His Father must be imbibed by you. Jesus said:
“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
John 7:16-17

Learning of Jesus entails living according to how He lived here on earth. His life of obedience to the will of His Father must be emulated. The Bible enjoins us to have the same mind like Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), and we shall experience great elevation like Jesus did. God is calling us to be like Him; He wants to make us great. May we not refuse His call today; firstly for salvation and secondly for service.

Action Point:

What area do you think God is calling you into? Answer Him now and be blessed.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Galatians 1-3 and Psalms 17

HYMN 14: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See His banners go!

Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before.

At the sign of triumph
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.

Chorus:

Like a mighty army
Moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.

Chorus:

Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
Gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
And that cannot fail.

Chorus:

Onward then, ye people,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Chorus.