Showing posts with label May. Show all posts
Showing posts with label May. Show all posts

Thursday, May 31, 2012

THU. 31/05/2012 - JESUS WORKED WITH TIME - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Thursday 31 May

JESUS WORKED WITH TIME

Memorise: I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the nig/it cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4

Read: John 9:1-7

Time has a way of conspiring against us. It gives us the illusion that everything is standing still and nothing is lost. It appears to tell us never to worry. Anyone who falls for this illusion would regret at the end of the day, having failed to accomplish what he or she was supposed to. In John 9:4, Jesus says:

I must work the works, of him that sent me, white ft is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.


If only you can follow the principles of Jesus, there is no way you will not succeed both on earth and in Heaven. A wise person will strive to do the most important things in life at youth because at old age, there wouldn't be much strength and vigour to do them. According to our Lord Jesus Christ, it is wise to do God's work while a youth. That is, there is need to find out God's purpose for your life and key into it very early in life so that you can positively affect God's Kingdom through it.

Our Lord Jesus Christ started His ministry at the age of 30 (Luke 3:23), and within about three and a half years, He had accomplished His purpose on earth. He had completed His Father's assignment. He had touched so many lives. He had raised so many disciples and had mentored the apostles to take over from Him. Within that period, He had taught these disciples all they needed to know at that level, leaving out some tougher doctrines for the Holy Spirit to teach after His departure. If you observe the Lord, you will discover that He was in a hurry to win souls. He was in a hurry to heal the sick. Ever ready, He was in a hurry to bless people and was only waiting for people to open their mouths and ask. There were several cases where because of His haste to finish His assignment, He forced Himself into people's situations and changed their lives even without any invitation. Peter benefited from this. Jesus understood time and worked with it. If you are the Jesus in your area, church or community, how are you doing the work of the Lord today?


PRAYER POINT:
Lord, as You worked with time to fulfill Your purpose on earth, grant me the Grace to achieve Your purpose for my life within the time I have left.



Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

WED. 30/05/2012 - ADAM WAITED - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Wednesday 30 May

ADAM WAITED

Memorise: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; Genesis 2:21

Read: Genesis 2:21-25

When dealing with God, you cannot but learn to be patient. Many have lost their miracles because they could not endure for an additional minute, hour, day, month or year and so on. If you have expectations -particularly great expectations, you will have no choice but to wait as long as is required. Patience is part of the price you pay in receiving from God. During the period of waiting, God will check out certain things in your life and help you learn and add what you lack, make you better prepared, and cause you to understand Him some more, so that when He releases the blessing, it will endure.

If you check from the beginning, you will see men having to wait on God to get their desires. If the issue is of paramount importance, they may be required to wait longer. Adam had to wait on God before he received Eve. Genesis 2:21 -2 5 says God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam. All the while God prepared Eve for Adam; the latter was asleep, resting in God's presence. He was in a state where he was not doing anything by his strength but wholly leaned on God's power, wisdom, ability and timing. He waited until Eve came. Unfortunately, many singles today are too much in a hurry. They want God to give them a spouse yet, they pray for five minutes and in the sixth minute, they expect their life partner to surface. It does not work like that! If you want a good wife or husband from God, you must give Him some time to prepare him or her. Although the spouses of some brethren are ready and available, they themselves are however not prepared. If God releases their heart desire to them in their unprepared state, there would be serious problems in homes started by such couples. To hasten the preparations of your Eve or Adarn, pray, wait on the Lord and study His Word. Obey God in every area and make Him happy with you. Also, start to get ready for marriage. Read books on family life, work on your attitude and character and learn to be more tolerant and accommodating.

Key Point:
The extent to which you are ready to wait will determine the size of the blessing God will be prepared to release to you. How long can you wait?


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

TUE. 29/05/2012 - HIDING YOUR PILLOW? - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Tuesday 29 May

HIDING YOUR PILLOW?

Memorise: For the drunkard and the Button shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Proverbs 23:21

Read: Proverbs 26:13-16

God reveals in Revelation 1:6 that if you are born again, you area king with God. As such, you should be decked with your royal robe. But do you know that laziness strips the believer of this robe replacing it with rags? A king that is clothed in rags will be treated like a slave or mad fellow. How are you clothed today? Many people cry to God to prosper them but when God looks at them intending to answer them, He realises .they have no capacity to contain His blessings. Do you know that to prosper, you require hard work? To sustain it, you may require a higher level of hard work. Hence, Proverbs 22:29 says:

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.


If you fail to work hard when you are young, you will be compelled to work nard when you are old.


It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Lamentation 3:27


One of my teachers - a philosopher told us a story sometime in 1952 or 1953. He said everyone coming into the world comes with a pillow of suffering and until the pillow is worn out, you won't die. Some will engage their pillow very early in life, struggle and work hard so that before middle age, the pillow is worn out, leaving them to spend the rest part of their lives in pleasure. But others will hide theirs in the ceiling without working until they are old; and since they cannot die without getting the pillow worn, they will fetch it from the ceiling and start to work at old age. When you see an old man working as a gate keeper, selling fire wood or pushing a truck, it is likely because he hid his pi Now while a youth. Hebrews 11:6 says God rewards the diligent seeker. While some people who started working hard early in life are retiring at 40 or 45 years, others are just starting work at 60. Are you young? Engage your hands in something profitable and don't be idle. Only ensure that it is something legitimate and God-glorifying. Don't fold your hands! If there is no job, you can create one for yourself. Ask God for inspiration.


KEY POINT:
If you will not work until you get your dream job, you are very lazy and operating outside of faith. But if you excel in little jobs, they will pave way for the dream job to come.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Monday, May 28, 2012

MON. 28/05/2012 - TREAT GOD WITH CARE! - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28


Monday 28 May

TREAT GOD WITH CARE!

Memorise: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee, Romans 11:21

God is the Potter and we are the clay. Going by Jeremiah 18:1-4, you can either yield yourself completely to Him letting Him do whatever He wants with your life, or He may change your destiny completely. Because Eli's children refused to fully yield to God, He changed His mind concerning the glorious future ahead of them (1 Samuel 2:30). Initially, He wanted them as a priest-producing lineage, but later, God said the survivors of Eli's generation would be beggars. Their destinies were changed from being fathers of the nation to servants and beggars. It is a terrible thing to resist God! Are you resisting Him today? Is there any instruction He has given to you that you have not yet complied with? Repent and restitute your ways! Stop toying with naked wire that is carrying current at high voltage! You could be electrocuted because our God is the Consuming Fire (Hebrew 12:29). Although Hebrews 9:27 speaks of an appointment with death for everyone on the face of the earth, however, Proverbs 10:27 says that day is moveable. That means if you abide by God's commands, you can live longer but if you misbehave, God can reduce your years from 90 to 50.

You should know that your tomorrow is in the hands of two people - God and yourself. As the Alpha and Omega, He controls tomorrow (Revelation 1:8). If you relate with Him correctly, then according to the words of prophet Isaiah, it shall be well with you. Yet, the same Isaiah says woe to the wicked for it shall be ill with him (Isaiah 3:11). If only you can obey Him in every area, your tomorrow will be a settled matter; but if you decide to select what you want to do, your tomorrow is in trouble. How are you living today? Are you living for God or for man or even for yourself? Are you still accommodating sin in your thoughts? Are you living in secret sin? Is there any grudge against someone? Are you involved in some kind of deception or lies? Is your Kingdom service now purely for commercial gains? Watch it! Follow the right path so that the fire that was supposed to protect you does not turn against you.

KEY POINT:
Your works after you are born again are so powerful that they can rewrite God's plan for your life and affect your destiny. Mind what you do!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Sunday, May 27, 2012

SUN. 27/05/2012 - RELEVANT BY DILIGENCE - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Sunday 27 May

RELEVANT BY DILIGENCE

Memorise: We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-9

God loves hardworking people but hates the laziness. When He looks for people to give assignments, He often looks for hardworking people. If you see a lazy and nonchalant fellow occupying an ecclesiastical position, ask him how he got there because God has no business with lazy bones. Even when a person becomes mad, that state of insanity does not take away industry or hard work from the fellow. When you observe mad men, you will know those who were hardworking and those who were lazy, among them. The lazy ones will sit all day long or scavenge in one location for virtually the whole day, but the hardworking ones will go far distances - even travelling several kilometres on foot. Sometimes while travelling from one state to another, you will see some mad fellows moving from one state to the other all on their feet. Very hardworking mad fellows can easily receive the mercy of God. If you see them, pray for them and the Lord will deliver them.

Why did Jesus in Mark 5:1-20 come all the way to a graveyard in search of a mad fellow bypassing other people? It was because that mad man was a diligent follow and He knew that after his deliverance, he would use his energy and diligence to serve the Lord. Hence, Jesus delivered him and he became an evangelist, combing the whole country for Jesus. Similarly, if you are an extrovert, it is great. God wants you to use that extroverted nature to reach out to people, make friends, go from place to place speaking for Him and leading souls to Christ. If you were extroverted before you were saved but thereafter you became introverted and hardly speak with anyone, you are getting something wrong. One reason God saved you was because of your extroverted nature which He expects you to use for the increase of His Kingdom. Paul was an extrovert and worked for Satan but after his conversion, he worked much more for Jesus touring different countries for the Lord. Are you adequately engaging your temperaments?

KEY POINT:
Night crawlers and those who travel from place to place attending clubs and parties are potential instruments in God's Kingdom. Lead them to Christ.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Saturday, May 26, 2012

SAT. 26/05/2012 - PROVOKING WHAT CHANGE? - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Saturday 26 May

PROVOKING WHAT CHANGE?

Memorise: Behold therefore the goodness and seventy of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shall be cut off. Romans 11:22

Read: Isaiah 38:1-8

God moves in mysterious ways to perform His wonders. In performing such wonders, God can overrule anybody's decision, action or plan at any time. He can also overrule His own decisions but nobody can overrule God's. Overruling Himself reveals His two sides. In Isaiah 38:1-8, the Most High sent His prophet to King Hezekiah asking him to put his house in order because his time was up. But Hezekiah told God he was not ready to die yet. What did God do? The Lord sent His prophet back to tell him that he would no longer die but rather have an additional 15 years. On this side, God could allow His mercy prevail over your life to a point that He will bend the rules just to favour you. This season, the Lord will bend the rules in your favour in Jesus name.

On the other side, God could overrule His earlier promise due to certain circumstances. We see this in the story of Eli (1 Samuel 2:30) when God changed His initial plan concerning them. The Most High is a wonderful friend to keep when on your side, but a very dangerous enemy when not on your side. If He was once on your side but later becomes your enemy, you are in serious trouble. He is not someone you can cheat and go free. Ecclesiastes 8:11 says:

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.


Some people think God is too busy to keep records of everybody's activities. Oh how deceived they are Nobody can fool God. Some people only engage in eye service activities - things done in God's house merely to be noticed whereas the fellow is not sincere. Why many continue their nefarious activities is because God's judgement appears a bit slow. But if you think those who are secretly stealing from the church are getting away with it, you are deceived. What they are stealing in secret will soon expose them publicly. If you are secretly sinning, you can make God to reverse His promise and plan for your life.


PRAYER POINT:
Father, have mercy on me in any way I have disobeyed You. Please, never change Your original plan for my life.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Friday, May 25, 2012

FRI. 25/05/2012 - QUALIFYING FOR WISDOM - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Friday 25 May

QUALIFYING FOR WISDOM

Memorise: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Hebrews 12:16

Read: Genesis 39:7-13

It is on record that an excellent spirit was found in Daniel (Daniel 6:3). This is the Spirit of wisdom. He does not come cheap but is given only to those who deserve Him. Matthew 7:6 says holy things are not meant for dogs and precious things are not for sinners. Who can possibly receive the Spirit of wisdom? He is (or those who are pure and undefiled like Joseph. It is common to hear that a man is chasing a lady but in Joseph's case, it was the madam of the house that was after him. Some men wish they had the opportunity to sleep with the wife of their boss. If it does not come, they can spend hours fantasising on a possible occurrence. Joseph had all the chances of sleeping with his master's wife but he did not. She made all the promises you can think of but he knew his promotion was from God and not the woman. She sexually harassed him daily yet he refused to give in. One day, she set him up so that it was just the two of them at home. Then she grabbed him saying, "Whether you like it or not, you must sleep with me today", yet he wiggled out and took to his heels. Reason? He did not want to offend the One who holds his destiny. He did not want to mortgage his destiny for a few minutes of sinful pleasure (Genesis 39:7-23).

Today, many youths set themselves no limits. Like Esau, they do not mind "enjoying" the offer of free sex at the detriment of their destinies. Fornication and all forms of lust have robbed many youths of their bright future. It has emptied their future of its goodness, leaving them with chaff. Who will receive the Spirit of wisdom? It is men like Daniel who purposed in his heart not to defile himself with foods offered to idols (Daniel 1:8). Unfortunately, some so-called Christians look forward to the sacrificial rams slaughtered by Muslims when they know the truth that Jesus Christ is our sacrificial Lamb and so any other sacrifice is unnecessary and idolatrous. Are you pure and undefiled? Ask God 'or the Spirit of wisdom today.

KEY POINT:
Many youths who expect a bright future have nothing awaiting them but emptiness. The future lost to fornication can only be recovered through Jesus Christ.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

THU. 24/05/2012 - FORGIVENESS NOT NEGOTIABLE - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Thursday 24 May

FORGIVENESS NOT NEGOTIABLE

Memorise: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12:15

Read: Matthew 6:12-15

It is difficult to avoid friction in any society. An African proverb says: The one who says, don't touch me, will not go to the market, and the one who says, Don't spill water on me, will not go to fetch water from the local river. As long as you interact with people, misunderstanding is bound to come. No reasonable person will be angry without a cause. It is friction that generates hurt, pain, bitterness and un-forgiveness. When the one you trust disappoints you, it hurts. When people speak evil or lie against you, you will feel pain. As long as you live in a community, somebody must step on your toes. The truth is, offences must come but the problem here is how do you handle them when they occur? For instance, if you are upset by somebody and you allow bitter thoughts, anger, or un-forgiveness, it will affect your heart. If you don't handle such negative feelings properly, they will affect your relationship with God to an extent that God wilI no more answer your prayers.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalms 66:18


But you may ask: Why will God not answer my prayers when I was the one offended? It's because God is keenly interested in your relationship with your fellow man hence He says in Hebrew 12:14:


Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.


Jesus further says that if you refuse to forgive your fellow man, your Father in Heaven will also retain your sins against you from that moment. As seen in the memory verse, if you allow bitterness inside you, it will not only trouble you, it will also defile you. In addition, in Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus says if there is a problem in your relationship with your brother, whatever you offer to God will be rejected except you first reconcile with the fellow. You forgive your offenders not because you like to but because you have to; not for their sake but for your sake; not necessarily for their good but for your own good; not because you desire it but because God commands it and obeying God in that aspect will be counted to you as an act of righteousness.


ACTION POINT:
Take some time out and list all the people who have offended you. Go to meet them one by one and say to them: Brother, what you did to me really hurt me. I didn't want to forgive you, but because I love myself so much, I have no choice but to forgive and release you.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

WED. 23/05/2012 - PUTTING GOD ON THE RUN? - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Wednesday 23 May

PUTTING GOD ON THE RUN?

Memorise: Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4

Read: Psalms 37:3-7

When the lame man at the Beautiful gate saw Peter and John, he expected to get some money but he got what money could not buy - healing. This tells us that sometimes, God may not exactly give us our requests based on our limited expectations. Being the good God that He is, even when we are looking for fish, He wants to make us fishers of men. When we are looking for healing of a particular ailment, God wants to turn us into His healing agents in addition to giving us good health. When the erstwhile tame man was healed, he did not go back to beg for bread. He could now walk with his legs and seek for a decent job. He could now fend for himself. Do you know that many times we focus on our wants while God focuses on our needs? While you focus on today, the Lord is focusing on your tomorrow. While we are looking for a beautiful lady that we can present to people as wife today, the Lord is looking for an incomparable heart that will jointly make Heaven with us. May the Lord cause you to see your needs and not wants.

Expectation releases the power to patiently wait on the Lord until He grants our desire. If you have no expectation, you can barely wait for anything. David knew how to wait on the Lord and this was one reason he remained in God's good books but his predecessor could barely wait. When he felt God was not keeping to time, he went ahead to do what he wanted and used that delay to justify his action. No wonder he was quickly rejected by God. For some believers everything must be now. Like Saul, they cannot wait even for few minutes. If God would bring their blessing to church at 12.05 but the church closes at 12 noon, they would prefer to forfeit their blessing and leave at 12 noon. When the programme is going on, they are always so impatient, checking the time every now and then. When they reach their set closing time, they rise up and leave church even while the sermon is still on. It is good to keep to time but do not be so time conscious that you plan God out of your service. God is at liberty to fix when to bless His own but if you are hasty, you will miss out.

KEY POINT:
Impatient people want the world to revolve around them at their pace but at the end they have nothing to show for their haste.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

TUE. 22/05/2012 - GOD IS SEARCHING - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Tuesday 22 May

GOD IS SEARCHING

Memorise: Wherefore, Moved, seeing that ye took for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 2 Peter 3:14

Read: 1 Kings 19:19-21

Lazy people love to sleep. Proverbs 19:15 says slothfulness casts the slothful into deep sleep. As good as sleep is, it is bad to sleep when you should be working. If you find yourself given to much sleep, watch it, slothfulness might be creeping into your life. The slothful can sleep at any given time. God hates laziness with a passion. If you are lazy, you will not be in God's good books. You will not enjoy God's favour if you are lazy. In spite of the volume of work available in the Kingdom, God has no assignment for the lazy unless they first deliver themselves from laziness. God shops around for the hardworking. In today's reading, God saw Elisha very busy in his farm and told Elijah to call him and God was not disappointed.

Are you a hardworking teacher? God has a place for you. Are you a goal-getting industrialist? God is looking for you. Are you a very conscientious trader, labourer or cleaner? God has a place for you. God is looking for the hardworking. If you are a hardworking fellow, you are a bit like God because God is very hardworking. He achieved so much in six days before He took a rest on the seventh (Genesis 1 & 2). If you are an achiever, a creative person or someone who can stay up at night to work, God has a place for you. If you have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Saviour, do so today because no matter how hardworking you are, if there is sin in your life, it will disqualify you from being used of God. How hardworking are you? Laziness is the bane of the Christian faith today. But as we step into the thresholds of the last days, God is searching for those who will turn the world upside down, who will conquer cities for Christ, and those who will be prepared to pay any price just to please God. How do you handle the assignment given to you in God's house? Do you face it with the spirit of perfection or with nonchalance?

KEY POINT:
The greatest threats to effective evangelisation of the world today are fear and laziness. If you cannot conqueror these two enemies, you are going nowhere.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Monday, May 21, 2012

MON. 21/05/2012 - SERVE GOD ALONE - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Monday 21 May

SERVE GOD ALONE

Memorise: No man con 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. Matthew 6:24

Read: Matthew 6:22-24

God demands full commitment from all His children. If you say you are born again, then never stand in God's way. Some years ago,! was invited by the Anglican Church to preach on any topic I was led to speak on. I decided to speak on salvation, sanctification and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. One of the members carne and asked: "If the wind wants to blow and somebody is blocking it, what will happen?" I replied, "Whoever is blocking the way will be uprooted^'. Our God is sitting in Heaven- and saying to you, ''this is the deal". Agree with Him and receive the benefit or reject the offer and be prepared for destruction. Psalms 33:8-11 says the whole world should fear Him because whatever He says stands.

In the Kingdom, there is no room for partial commitment. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says it is impossible to serve two masters. Are you outwardly asking God for something but secretly trying other fetish powers? Repent and come out of such because God cannot be mocked. If God were to grant that request, you would go and give thanks to the devil. God does not share His glory with anyone. What got Ananias and Sapphira into trouble was because they wanted to serve God half -heartedly (Acts 5:1-11). Even the Israelites were told in the wilderness to either go and possess the land or die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:20-32). The strength of the Roman Empire could be traced to their level of commitment. If while at the battle front any soldier displayed any sign of weakness, such a soldier was instantly killed by fellow soldiers. As a result, they conquered every nation they went to. What is your level of commitment to the King of kings? Are you one leg in, one leg out? Is your commitment dependent on how committed others are? To what extent have you obeyed the Lord's commands? Is your spouse, child, parent, work or school making you decrease your commitment to God? Ask the Lord to help you. Beef up your commitment today. Put back the firewood you took off the altar of sacrifice and consecrate yourself afresh to the Lord and to H is work.

KEY POINT:
The one who is partially committed to God remains on a spot as long as the commitment is partial.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Sunday, May 20, 2012

SUN. 20/05/2012 - STANDING BEFORE KINGS - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Sunday 20 May

STANDING BEFORE KINGS

Memorise: IAnd the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. Daniel 1:19

Read: Daniel 1:3-4

Many children of God who entered their promised land did not enter because they were super humans, but because they received divine inspirations and promptings which they simply obeyed. Some others who failed to enter failed because they refused His promptings. May you not neglect the inspiration that will lead you into your breakthrough in Jesus name.

However you need to know that grace chooses who to bless and it is not by chance. In Luke 5:1-7 the Lord got to the lake of Gennesaret and met two boats belonging to two different people. And He chose Peter's boat. Why? It is because He does not choose lazy people. In God's Kingdom, there is no room for lazy bones. He will never show mercy to the lazy fellow because his laziness is repulsive to Him.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall sand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29


Diligence and hard work are non-negotiable for the one who will be relevant in God's Kingdom. This even extends to the secular world. Today, it is not uncommon to find organizations employing fresh graduates who have a second class upper. Those who have first class will have organizations fight over them where merit counts. Every king needs able assistants. The quality of those that stand before a king tells alot about the level of the king. A king is known by the quality of advisers operating around him. To stand before the king, you must be diligent. In Daniel 1:3-4, a selection was made of those to stand before the king of Babylon. At the end, verses 19-20 of Daniel 1 says that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had no rival. They were ten times better so they stood before the king. To stand before the King of kings, being diligent is not enough; you have to be super diligent. There are some believers with just one talent and God wants to give them more, yet the one they have is not well utilised. With the baptism of the Holy Spirit, how many believers are operating the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit? How many are manifesting the nine dimensions of the fruit of the Spirit? It is all about diligence. Will your present level of works make you stand before kings or even before the King of kings?


ACTION POINT:
Pray that everything it will take for you to stand before kings and especially before the King of kings, God will do it in your life. If you have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit after salvation, see your pastor for help.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Saturday, May 19, 2012

SAT. 19/05/2012 - HIGHEST PROMOTION POSSIBLE - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Saturday 19 May

HIGHEST PROMOTION POSSIBLE

Memorise: For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. Psalms 75:6

Read: 1 Samul 16:1-3

God neutralises curses and promotes. Nobody will want to lift another person above himself. When somebody is talking about promoting somebody else, it is to a level such that the promoted fellow is still under him. For instance, in Genesis 39:1-5, when Potiphar promoted Joseph and put him in charge .of all he had, he still remained a slave. Also; if a human being promotes you, the same fellow may demote you as it happened in Joseph's case. But when God decided to promote Joseph, He took him above his master to a level where he became master, while Potiphar became his servant. God's promotion caused them to switch roles. This season, the Lord will promote you. He will lift you so high that those above you will be placed under you. Similarly, in 1 Samuel 16:1-13, God said He had chosen David from the house of Jesse as king, even when nobody considered him. This is why I am glad God is not a democrat but a sovereign king. If it were by election, no vote would have been recorded in David's favour. Even his father would not have voted for him, much less his envious brothers. Are people ganging up against your promotion in that office? Fear not! The Most High will bypass them and lift you above them.

In Mark 10:46-52, the outcry of Bartimaeus was quite significant. He cried: "...Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (verse 47). He was saying, "I know you are the King of Icings but your father is David. God took David, a shepherd boy, made him king and kept on promoting him until he became the father of the King of kings". When God decides to promote you, even after you have left planet earth, the promotion will continue. What have you done or are you doing to provoke divine promotion'' If you want God to promote you, you must be humble, extremely humble because the extent of your humility will be the height of your accent. You must also love God with all your heart, praise and worship Him, serve Him with everything you have. Pray and place your trust in Him. Also do whatever He says you should and He will lift you up.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, lift me to the level no human hand can lift me.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Friday, May 18, 2012

FRI. 18/05/2012 - EXCELLENT WISDOM - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Friday 18 May

EXCELLENT WISDOM

Memorise: Wisdom is the principal thins; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy setting set tinders tending. Proverbs 4:7

Read: Daniel 6:1-31

Wisdom is a priceless virtue that anyone who wants to succeed must have. In life, there are major and minor acquisitions. Wisdom falls into the class of majors. That is, even if you could not acquire anything at all, you must not miss out on wisdom. If you could sell all your earthly possessions in exchange for wisdom, it is worth it. Wisdom is more than money. When you have it, even if you were the poorest, you will end up attracting great riches. Besides being an attribute, wisdom is a spirit Isaiah 11:2 speaks of the spirit of wisdom. Those who have this spirit always excel. They stand out. An example here is Joseph. In Genesis 41:13-44, after interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and giving advice on what should be done, Pharaoh was swept off his feet.

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is? Genesis 41:38


Pharaoh was saying there was nobody as wise as Joseph in all of Egypt. It was the Spirit of wisdom that promoted Joseph from the prison to the throne.

Daniel was another fellow who had this Spirit. Men like Joseph and Daniel are still being sought in kings' palaces today. Unfortunately, many people desire, struggle, fight, bribe and lobby to be at the corridors of power because they lack this Spirit, whereas those with the Spirit of wisdom, no matter where they are hiding, would be distinguished and kings will locate and bring them to their palaces. In fact, Daniel's possession of this Spirit was so strong that the king made him number one president over princes in the kingdom (Daniel 6:1-3). If there is one quality you need it is wisdom. If there is one spirit you need this year, it is the Spirit of wisdom. Instead of struggling for money and riches and lose God, why not struggle to get the Spirit of wisdom in the same way so that you can receive all other blessings that come with Him?


KEY POINT:
Wisdom charts a path for the wise just as foolishness charts several paths for the foolish. Anyone who gets to Heaven is wise but those who go to hell are foolish.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

THU. 17/05/2012 - CURSES - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Thursday 17 May

CURSES

Memorise: He Chat believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18 I come from a family where our great-grandfather was a mighty warrior. He had several male and female slaves. At a particular time when his wife was pregnant, he impregnated one of his female slaves also. While his wife was well catered for, the slave girl was neglected so she cursed the family saying that because of the way she was treated, anytime a woman in that family delivers a baby girl, and tasted oil or salt within 7 days or 9 days if in the case of a boy, the child would die. They soon realised that the curse had become active in the family. So they ensured women who delivered kept away from salt and oil until I became born again and everything changed. You are a change agent and you are in your family to turn it around for good. May you not fail God in fulfilling His purpose in your family.

Some curses are as a result of efforts by parents to protect their children. They may take such children to oracles for protection and the children will grow up oblivious of the fact that such covenants will work against them (Joshua 9). A woman had four daughters who found it difficult to find husbands so she brought them for prayers. The Holy Spirit led us to ask some questions through which we discovered that each girl had been dedicated to Ifa oracle which claimed them as its bride. We prayed and those covenants were destroyed and with in a year, they all got married. Isaiah 28:18 says:

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.


Have you been covenanted to some deity in your village, when you were young? You can be free today. Simply give your life to Jesus Christ and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour. Deliberately renounce any such covenants made between you and the deity, break the agreements and ask God to set you free. Every curse operating in your life, coming from past generations shall cease today in the name of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINT
Ask that every curse you have placed on yourself be broken today.



Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

WED. 16/05/2012 - THE POWER OF EXPECTATION - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Wednesday 16 May

THE POWER OF EXPECTATION

Memorise: The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. Proverbs 10:24

Read: Acts 3:2-8

Whenever hopelessness is brought to the God of hope, it has no choice but to change form. Do you know that your dry bones shall live again? That ground that has refused to produce will surely produce. Has your womb been without a baby for so long? It is because it is selective of the child it wants to carry. After Sarah's 25 years of barrenness, the same womb that refused to conceive seed, conceived a covenant child - Isaac. Are you physically barren? Shortly, you shall carry your baby. Have you been barren for so long? Your Isaac is on the way. Has your business been unable to attract contracts or to give you profit? The Lord will make you fruitful. That dry business will begin to give you good yields from today. Expectation can produce miracles. Expectation can remove barrenness as in the case of Abraham and Sarah. If your expectation or hope has dwindled, grow it by feeding regularly on God's Word, testimonies of others, and recalling God's past interventions in your life. This is very crucial because if you are not expectant, the fruit may never come.

Expectation can destroy stagnancy as can be seen in the lame man at the Beautiful gate. Being lame in feet, his life followed an unpleasant routine. Every morning he was dropped at that spot where he begged from adults and children, friends and foes. In the evening he was carried home. Nothing changed. He was. at one bus stop of life. In fact, the bus stop had turned into his final destination. He was getting used to his negative-state. But when he encountered Peter-and John, they asked him to look at them. As he did, he became expectant to receive something. He most probably expected alms but he got more than he bargained for through expectation. Are you on the same spot? Has a bus stop in life turned to your final destination? Look on the Lord Jesus Christ today and expect His touch. As you do, He will turn around your situation and rewrite your history for good.

KEY POINT:
Expectation is a fire starter. It propels action from God. Never go into His presence without it.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

TUE. 15/05/2012 - ANGER NOT ALLOWED - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Tuesday 15 May

ANGER NOT ALLOWED

Memorise: He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hate, proverbs 14:17

Read: Proverbs 14:17-18

Apart from pride, another work of the flesh you must exert your Christ-given victory over is anger. Pride and anger are related. It is those who feel superior to others that are easily irritated or take offence by what others have done to them. A messenger is not likely to be angry or mad at his boss if the latter insults him. But if the messenger insults his boss, he can be fired. Anger is a vice that has robbed many and will yet rob many more of their blessings. According to Ecclesiastes 7:9, it is only a fool that will allow anger to remain in his bosom because if you will be angry at all, it must not go with you to bed (Ephesians 4:26). However, God expects you to avoid anger because in His classification, an angry fellow belongs to the class of atheists who deny God's existence (Psalms 14:1). He is also classed with those who pledged but do not redeem their pledges (Ecclesiastes 5:4). God calls all such persons fools. Proverbs 22:24 says you should not make friends with angry people. Moses was a great leader in Israel. Imagine the one God used in breaking a bondage of 430 years from a nation yet because of anger, he could not enter the land of promise he had sacrificed so much for. If anger is a weakness in you, cry to the Lord to deliver you today or else, it can cause you the greatest defeat at the most crucial time of life.

It is difficult to keep your cool or remain under control when angry. At such times, you may speak unadvisedly both to God and man. Remember Job's wife who asked her husband to curse God and die because she was angry with his state. Anger can make you do things you never planned to do, particularly things you will later regret when you come back to your senses. No matter how successful you are, if you are not able to internally appropriate your victory over the work of the flesh manifesting in anger, it can trigger your failure in life and ministry. The angry believer will remain in the corridors of sin, Are you easily provoked? Do you take offence so easily? If you do, ask God to help you today. Undo any wrong decision(s) taken in your angry state and keep a cool head. It plays.

PRAYER POINT:



Open Heavens Daily Devotional
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Monday, May 14, 2012

MON. 14/05/2012 - FULL DEVOTION DEMANDED - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28


Monday 14 May

FULL DEVOTION DEMANDED

Memorise: With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Psalms 119:10

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6

Our God never does things in half measures. When He saves, He does it completely. That is why Hebrews 7:24-25 says He saves to the uttermost. What of when He heals? He heals completely, which is why when He healed Naaman the leper, He gave him a brand new skin (2 Kings 5:1 -14). When He delivers, it is also total hence John 8:36 says once He sets you free, you are truly free. When He casts out demons from someone, none is left. Thorough deliverance is done once and for all. God has no room for half measures. Revelation 3:15-16 says He will not accept anything in half measures. If He wants something cold, it must be freezing cold and when He wants something hot, it must be at boiling poi nt.

In 1 Samuel 15:1 -23, King Saul lost his crown because of partial obedience. God prefers total disobedience to partial obedience. This is one reason many of us are yet to enjoy God's blessings. When God called Abraham in Genesis 12 and 13, he partially obeyed and got into trouble because of Lot- his kindred. One person who enjoyed a very intimate relationship with God was Moses. Numbers 12:8 says God converses with Moses mouth to mouth. But when Moses struck twice the rock God asked him to speak to, he was denied entry into the Promised Land. From Heaven God tells you, "This is the deal, there is no negotiation". While discussing with the Godhead, He said, "Let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26). He did not say, Let us discuss whether to make man or not. He had already decided to make man. God is not one weak General Overseer begging his pastors to comply with an instruction. He will only come to you and say: Accept my deal and profit from it but if you want to disobey, when I am through with you, nobody will recognise you (Isaiah 1:19-20). It is up to you, to choose how you will relate with God. If you will serve Him, do it with all your heart. If you will obey Him at all, make obeying Him your hobby. If you will worship Him, do it from your heart

PRAYER POINT:
Ask God for grace to seek and serve Him with your whole heart and never to stray from His commandments.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
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Sunday, May 13, 2012

SUN. 13/05/2012 - DIVINE REPACKAGING - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Sunday 13 May

DIVINE REPACKAGING

Memorise: And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:27

Read: Romans 8:26-27

In Mark 5:1-20, the Lord Jesus Christ was at a graveyard. But what was He doing there? He was paying a visit to a mad man who had made the graveyard his residence. In whatever hole you are hiding the Lord will visit you. By the time the man saw Jesus at a distance he ran to him, fell on his face and worshiped Him contrary to what the demons in him wanted. Who told this man to take such an action? It was the Spirit that inspired him and told him, "That is the Fellow who can deliver you. Shut your ears to all the other voices you are hearing now, run with all your strength to Him and when you get there, worship Him". He obeyed the prompting of the Spirit and he was delivered that day. This tells us that God can even prompt a mad fellow to take the steps that will eventually secure his deliverance. Are you battling with insanity? Have you been hearing strange voices? In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command every strange voice to disappear now. I rebuke you spirit of insanity and I command you to take your leave now in Jesus name.

Similarly,' in Matthew 15:21-28, when the Canaanitish woman came to meet the Lord to ask for the deliverance of her daughter, He did not say anything but secretly, He was inspiring her to keep calling for help until she asked for bread crumbs and He gave her the miracle. Sometimes, when we are making our request, we do not know how to package it well. Left to ourselves, many of our prayers that were answered would not have been answered if not that the Holy Spirit assisted us in repackaging the request. This is why Romans 8:26 says:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


From James 4:3 we understand that we don't receive when we ask amiss. But Praise God that through the help and inspiration of the Spirit, we can reach our goal. May you be inspired afresh today!


ACTION POINT:
One way you allow the Spirit to repackage your request is by praying in tongues. Endeavour to pray for one to two hours in tongues daily.


Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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Saturday, May 12, 2012

SAT. 12/05/2012 - NEUTRALISING CURSES - OPEN HEAVENS - KINGDOM 28

Saturday 12 May

NEUTRALISING CURSES

Memorise: And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. Isatah28:18

Read: 2 Kings 2:19-22

Besides overruling death, the God we serve - the Most High God - overrules curses. In 2 Kings 2:19-25, Jericho was a beautiful city, yet there was barrenness, death, bad water, etc. as a result of a curse placed over it by Joshua (Joshua 6:26). But through the servant of the Most High, the curse was lifted. A lesson here is that not only can individuals or families be cursed, but communities and cities can equally be cursed. Living in a cursed community is not an interesting experience. Virtually everyone there will suffer from affliction brought about by the curse. But you, as a change agent, can break the curse over your community and set everyone there free like Elisha did. Another lesson is that any curse placed by a man of God can be broken by another man of God who has a higher anointing. Joshua destroyed Jericho and placed a curse over it that should prevent it from being rebuilt. But the one with a double portion of the anointing on Elijah broke the curse.

Have you made a covenant with the forces of darkness contrary to God's will before you became a Christian? God says it shall not stand. The Most High can overrule hell, that is, He can command hell not to take you (Isaiah 28:18), This season, the Lord will command hell not to take you. You shall end up in Heaven, not in hell in Jesus name. One person God spoke to hell that it could not have was Raul. He was so evil that he called himself Chief of Sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Ordinarily, a chief of sinners should occupy the hottest parts of hell yet, he became the Chief Apostle. In addition, because He is the Most High, He can also promote far higher than any man. The height you can promote a person to, is a function of how high you are yourself. If 1 lift a six footer above my head with my two hands, you can be sure that within minutes, my hands will become weak and compel me to put the fellow down. Governors can appoint commissioners but it will take the president to appoint ministers. However, with God, there is no limit to the extent He can lift you. When He lifts you up, Heaven, not the sky, will be your limit because that is where His throne is.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, concerning me, my nuclear and extended families, overrule hell for our sakes in Jesus name.



Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
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