OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALDATE: TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2016THEME: GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2016
THEME: GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT 
Memorise: 
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
Read: Matthew 12:24-31
12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 
MESSAGE 
There are many Christians living in frustration and defeat because they have set themselves against the flow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the outpouring of revival and every endeavour in this new dispensation. The Holy Spirit is the secret behind every supernatural occurrence. Do you desire to know the plan of God for your tomorrow? Get the Holy Spirit. Do you want to live a successful Christian life? Get the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will live a life of continuous defeat. As helpful as the Holy Spirit is, one should be careful in relating with Him. Ananias and Saphirra lied to Peter about how much they sold their land. They felt they were deceiving Peter, unfortunately, it was too late for them to realise that they had grieved the Holy Spirit. 

There are numerous ways by which we grieve the Holy Spirit. The moment a person begins to rebel against the instructions in God’s Word, such a fellow is asking for trouble from the Holy Spirit. At several points in the life of the children of Israel, they murmured against God. They were never satisfied with His provision. Psalms 78:40 says:

“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!”
They grieved God for forty years in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened and they refused to acknowledge the ways of God. As a result of this attitude, they were not allowed to enter into the rest of the Lord. May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name. 

Another way people can grieve the Holy Spirit is when they despise the truth of God’s Word. The apostle, In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, said that the church must not quench the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved when disciples begin to disobey God. Believers today should do everything possible to pattern their lives after the briefs and practices that were maintained by the disciples of the early church. There should be no room for bitterness or evil feelings towards one another. There are some people who make deliberate attempts to decieve their leaders. Some try to act very cleverly. Some Christians still see themselves as being smart because their sins have not yet been found out. All these people are only waiting for the judgment of God unless they repent. Do not do anything that will make you an enemy to the Holy Spirit. Do not make yourself a stumbling block to the progress of others around you. Don’t have the ‘pull it down’ mind-set. Don’t scatter the good works others have done simply because you are in a position of influence. All those who do these will see the anger of God. 

The Holy Spirit must not be grieved. He is always working hard against sinners. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on you with the breathe of God so that your life can be filled anew. When your life is filled anew, you will find it easy to love what He loves. 
Prayer Point
Father, help me not to grieve your Holy Spirit. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Revelation 1:1-3:13 

Psalms 91
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 DEVOTIONALDATE : MONDAY 31st OCTOBER 2016THEME : BE COURAGEOUS

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE : MONDAY 31st OCTOBER 2016
THEME : BE COURAGEOUS 
Memorise: 
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6
Read: 2nd Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:

 

 

8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
MESSAGE
Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people.

Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:
“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”

1st Samuel 15:24
Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:

 

“When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”
There are facts that should instil courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, kind Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”

2nd Chronicles 32:8
Prayer Point:
Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Malachi 1-4 and Psalms 90:7-17
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 DEVOTIONALDATE: SUNDAY 30th OCTOBER 2016THEME: GODLY SORROW

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY 30th OCTOBER 2016
THEME: GODLY SORROW
Memorise: 
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4.
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV)
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

 

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
MESSAGE
There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag its victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn’t know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priest failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.
On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.
Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast for both humans and animals. Jonah 3:10 says:

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”
Key Point
Don’t sweep your blunders under the carpets of self-righteousness; repent and exercise godly sorrow. You will be comforted by divine forgiveness.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Zechariah 11-14 and Psalms 90:1-6
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 DEVOTIONALDATE: SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2016THEME: NOT REPROBATE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2016
THEME: NOT REPROBATE
Memorise: 
But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 2 Corinthians 13:6
Read: 2 Corinthians 13:5-8
13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 
MESSAGE 
To be a reprobate is very dangerous for the society and for the Christian faith in particular. 

The reason is not far-fetched; a reprobate does immoral and unethical things without any sense of guilt or remorse because his or her conscience has been seared with a hot iron of defiance. In our memory verse for today, Apostle Paul affirmed his confidence in the Corinthian Church premised on the fact that they would do according to the godly instructions he gave them. 
The problem of some of the 21st century believers is the philosophy of relativism which makes them think that an acceptable statement or action in the time of war will also be acceptable in the time of of peace. For instance, if you kill while on a battle field, you are valiant and patriotic, however, if you kill in the time of peace, even as a solider, you will be charged with murder. An extreme case of relativism is when killing in the time of peace is considered the same with killing in the time of war. This is a human error that should not be allowed in the body of Christ because it turns believers into reprobates. 
In our text today, Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth, and by extension, the church of today to make sure they are still in the faith. He goes further to challenge us to prove that we are carriers of Jesus’ image. This is the reason why John, the beloved wrote in 1 John 3:9:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 
Some people have sold themselves to reprobate minds, and so no number of sermons they hear can change them. They keep saying, “My conscience does not condemn me.” The truth is that a dead conscience cannot condemn, because it is not active. 
Prayer Point
Lord Jesus, please cleanse my conscience with Your Blood so that it may be more active and sensitive for you. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Zechariah 6:9-10:12

Psalms 89:38-52
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 DEVOTIONALDATE: FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2016THEME: GOD GETS ANGRY TOO

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2016
THEME: GOD GETS ANGRY TOO
Memorise: 
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5
Read: Psalms 30:1-5
30:1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 
MESSAGE
A truth catches one’s attention in today’s Bible reading; God can be angry! If this wasn’t the case, the Bible wouldn’t have said; “For his anger endureth but a moment”. Jeremiah 25:6 further corroborates this fact by saying that the God of love can be provoked to anger:

“And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.”
It is only a false teacher or prophet that will teach that God is so lovingly holy, therefore, He can’t be provoked to anger. This type of teaching makes children of God take the love of their heavenly Father for granted. 

Having said this, we must also acknowledge the fact that His anger does not last forever. There is a condition though. When you don’t take God and His mercies for granted, and you genuinely turn away from your wickedness, He will deal with you as if you have never sinned before. Proverbs 28:13 says:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
When God is angry with an individual, that fellow cannot know joy. Psalms 32:10 says:

“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.” 
Going by this scripture, every man born of a woman is doomed for sorrow until Jesus Christ redeems him from the curse of sin. Our trust in the work of redemption without taking the One who made it possible for granted, will bring us unspeakable Joy. When our relationship is cordial with God, we can boldly say like the Psalmist; “weeping may endure for a night…” (due to the variable nature of life) “…but joy cometh in the morning.”

When I first became General Overseer, anytime I returned from my missionary journeys, my wife would be eager to tell me about all the matters that needed my attention. After listening to them all, I would ask for my food and after the meal I would go to bed. My wife kept on wondering about my attitude. I had to explain to her the fact that joy will come in the morning because I was leaving everything to God while I sleep. Faithful is He who has promised us joy in the morning; it shall surely come
Prayer Point:
Father, let my morning of joy come now. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Zechariah 1:1-6:8

Psalms 86:15-37
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 DEVOTIONALDATE: THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2016THEME: COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2016
THEME: COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Memorise: 
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
Read: Luke 14:25-27
14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 
MESSAGE
Children of God are to decide wisely what they want to do with their relationship with Him. Jesus, in Luke 14:27 said;

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
A Cross is a symbol of responsibility, to say the least. It is a pointer to the fact that the path of discipleship is rugged and demanding. It demands a high level of determination to follow without looking back when faced with sufferings and temptations. This is why Jesus said in Luke 9:62; “…No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The cost of discipleship is also found in the blessed call of Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28-29:

“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.”
It is costly to follow Jesus Christ for many reasons. Firstly, He has a yoke and whoever wants to follow Him must bear that yoke with Him. An example of this yoke is found in John 4:34 where Jesus said; “…My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Whoever fails to share this burden with Jesus cannot be His disciple. 

Secondly, the one who wants to be a disciple of Christ must learn of Him, he must pattern His life after Christ’s life and one major way to pattern one’s life after Jesus Christ is to be meek and lowly in heart. Philippians 2:5-8 says:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” 
Beloved, you have to know that discipleship has its price, but it is highly rewarding. Jesus Christ said, “…and yes shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:29).
Prayer Point:
Father, help me to pay the cost of discipleship, so that I can gain the immeasurable blessing of a genuine disciple. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Zephaniah 1-3 

Haggi 1-2

Psalms 89:1-14
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.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALDATE: WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2016THEME: WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2016
THEME: WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR? 
Memorise: 
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastical 12:13
Read: Luke 12:15-20
12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
12:19 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.
12:20 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? 
MESSAGE
To know what you live for, you need to consult the Holy Scriptures and this is what we shall briefly do in today’s reading. The Bible says:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11
The unfortunate thing about life is that, people live as if they own their lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the story of a certain rich man who in one year had so much money that he started boasting, God said to him:

“…Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:20-21
Beloved,we are expected to live for God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son. We are not supposed to live for ourselves anymore, because we have been bought with a price. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ admonished us as perculiar people to show forth the praises of Him (Jesus) who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9). Moreover, Paul, another apostle corroborated this when he wrote:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
The apostle further wrote that, after we have given our lives to Christ, we should live a new life as becoming the saints. We should put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 
This is the only way we can live for God and not for ourselves. May the Lord grant us the grace to live acceptably before Him in Jesus’ name. 
Prayer Point:
Father, help me to live for You alone in Jesus’ name. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Nahum 1-3

Habakkuk 1-3

Psalms 88
HYMN 10: WHEN THE TRUMPET OF THE LORD SHALL SOUND
1. When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;

When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Chorus:

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder,

When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
2. On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,

And the glory of His resurrection share;

When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Chorus:
3. Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,

Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;

Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,

And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONALDATE: TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2016THEME: SPIRITUAL ADULTERY FORBIDDEN!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2016
THEME: SPIRITUAL ADULTERY FORBIDDEN! 
Memorise: 
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. Isaiah 54:5
Read: Hosea 2:2-5
2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
2:3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
2:4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
2:5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 
MESSAGE 
The relationship between God and His human creatures could be likened to the relationship between a husband and his wife. God, who instituted marriage, patterned the relationship in marriage after His relationship with His people. This is why spiritual adultery is severely punished from time to time in the history of man and his interaction with his Maker. 

“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim… And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.” Judges 2:11, 13-14
God is jealous, like a man could be jealous over the relationship of his wife with another man, when his human creatures follow other gods besides Him (Exodus 20:5). The spiritual adultery which the children of Israel committed is vividly illustrated in the relationship between Hosea and Gomer his professional harlot-turned wife. The patience of Hosea with Gomer who was always going back to her whoredom like a dog that goes back to its vomit also illustrates God’s patience with His people who court with the people of the world. The bond becomes stronger when someone at the altar of repentance, betroths himself or herself to Jesus Christ, the original Bridegroom. The Bible says:

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15
Our Lord Jesus Christ also said that our love cannot be possibly shared between God and ephemeral things of this world. He said:

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13
Serving God and mammon is spiritual adultery, punishable by rejection and shame. The Bible says:

“Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.” Hosea 2:2-3
Beloved, beware of spiritual adultery. Stick to Jesus Christ, the Lover of your soul and He will do you good. 
Prayer Point
Father, please forgive me of any spiritual adultery I might have committed against You and our spiritual matrimony. For Christ’s sake, please do not reject me. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 

Micah 5-7

Psalms 87
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 DEVOTIONALSATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 2016 I KNOW YOUR WORKS VII

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 2016

 

I KNOW YOUR WORKS VII
Memorise: 
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36
Read: Revelation 3:14-19, (KJV)
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 

 
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
MESSAGE
The Lord in many pages of the Bible warns against the lust of this material world. We are enjoined to set our affections on heavenly things, so that we may not be draw into the perdition of covetousness. 
Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse asks:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Mark 8:36
Also in today’s Bible reading, our Lord accused the Church in Laodicea of lukewarmness. They were neither hot nor cold. What could have been responsible for this spiritual state of the Church in Laodicea? They were carried away by their physical and material prosperity. Service became funfair and the clergy became time-serving.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

Revelation 3:17
We must learn from the experience of the Loadicean Church, the material prosperity could be very dangerous if not properly managed by children of God. A man finds it easy to keep vigils in his mosquito or bug infested room, since mosquito or bug bites will not allow him to sleep anyway. However, the moment his situation changes for the better. He now owns a decent apartment with maximum comfort; it becomes difficult to pray at night. Also, when a man does not have enough food to eat, fasting may be easy, because he can only afford to eat once daily anyway. Those born with silver spoons or living in the developed world may find such situations unbelievable, but this was my experience in my trying days, when my regular meal was just one finger of plantain a day. In those days, I dared not eat two fingers of plantain, or else I will have to fast the following day. It takes the grace of God and strong determination to fast when your storehouse is full of assorted foods. King Solomon made a prayer request that we should consider:
 

 

“Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

Proverbs 30:7-9
God called on Adam after he had sold himself to Satan and fallen for the three main temptations in history; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. In response, he said he was hiding because he had realised that he was naked. He was right. Riches without God is nakedness in the spirit. Beloved, don’t be deceived, only Jesus Christ can satisfy; nothing and no one else can. 
Prayer Point:
Father, please set me on fire for You so that I may remain hot until Your Second Coming.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :Amos 5:18-9:15 and Psalms 84
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 DEVOTIONALFRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 2016I KNOW YOUR WORKS VI

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 2016
I KNOW YOUR WORKS VI
Memorise: 
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1st Corinthians 15:58
Read: Revelation 3:7-11, (KJV)

 

 

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
MESSAGE
Another exciting thing about the Almighty God is that He is the most generous employer of labour. He pays the best wages in history. This is reason Apostle Paul admonishes us in today’s memory verse to always abound in the work of the Lord because He will definitely pay us wages beyond our imagination. The disciples asked Jesus Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God? He answered them: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29). You may not appreciate the ability to believe that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you, until you discover the outcome of those who died as a result of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-19). God celebrates those who exercise faith in Him; this is why without faith we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6). In the message of Jesus Christ to the Church in Philadelphia, it is written:
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou has a little strength, and hast kept my work, and hast not denied my name.”

Revelation 3:8
One serious point to note is that there are many practical unbelievers in Christ, playing empty religion. They do not believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and He knows their works! How do we explain this? The Bible says that He shall be called Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins. This category of Church goers do not believe that through His Name we can receive deliverance from sins. They deny the possibility of living above the power of sin, and so their slogan is “let us sin the more that we may enjoy the grace the more”. Against this background Apostle Paul wrote:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Romans 6:1-2
Beloved, in the light of these, do you believe in the saving name of Jesus? Are you ready to keep His Word? He has promised that the agents of Satan shall not do you any harm. Rather, they would bow before you and acknowledge the fact that you are a beloved of the Lord. He promised:
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

Revelations 3:10
Action Point:
Find out the areas where you have been exercising unbelief and repent today. 
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :Amos 1:1-5:17 and Psalms 83
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.