IS GRACE ACCESSIBLE? - Sun. 23/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Sunday 23 September

IS GRACE ACCESSIBLE? 

Memorise: And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 2 Corinthians 9:14

Read: Ephesians 2:5-9

Besides mercy, God is unlimited in grace. Ephesians2:8 says:


For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

For anyone to be saved, two elements - grace and faith must be combined or else that effort of asking for forgiveness and mercy as a sinner will be fruitless. No matter how much faith a sinner has when he or she comes to God for salvation, if grace is not released on the part of God, there can be no forgiveness. This tells us that God must play His part as we play ours. In hell, sinners in their bill ions are crying out for mercy and forgiveness. Many of them have faith that they can be forgiven - in fact, the faith some of them are expressing can be termed great faith, even beyond the faith we express; yet, with all their faith and intensive, repeated, agonising prayer for forgiveness and pardon, because grace is absent, forgiveness is not released. Now that grace is available, utilise it fast for a time will come when men and women will not be able to access this grace that comes only through Jesus Christ (John 1:1 7).

God's grace is abundant (Romans 5:17). This grace is not only abundant but can be exceeding in the life of some people (2 Corinthians9:14). Grace is one way God makes up for our short comings. Grace covers our human frailties. Through grace, God uses our very limited strength and resources to do the impossible. This He does by adding His own strength and resources to ours. With grace, your lack, imitations, and defects are fully covered. When you have exceeding grace, it means God's provision far exceeds your need. Grace is in action at those times the Holy Spirit helps us to pray in accordance with God's will when we do not know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). When you have prayed, fasted and tried without measuring up to standard, then it is time to fall back on His grace. Grace can be accessed at varying measures. To some people grace may be unavailable, to some only a little, while some will have abundance and for some others, grace will outstrip their needs. What level of grace do you have access to? If you want to Access extreme levels of grace, do not frustrate God's grace upon you, do not waste it and do not become a silo of grace, but rather, be a channel of grace. Always use 8race for the purpose it is given to you. Be gracious to others. Be generous. Live a holy life.


KEY POINT God's grace is available for you at the time of your need, go boldly to Him using the finished work of Calvary as a cover.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

INDEBTED? - Sat. 22/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Saturday 22 September

INDEBTED?

Memorise: The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. Psalms 37:21

Read: Hebrews 12:1-2

One way of identifying the righteous is by their attitude towards repaying what they borrowed. As stated in the memory verse, it is a wicked person that borrows and refuses to pay. Many Christians are guilty of this. Did you borrow some books or materials from the library, your office, church or an individual but have no intention of returning them? Or have you converted the properties of others kept in your care into your own? Then you are not righteous but wicked. Some people are assisted with a loan to start a business but when it is time to repay, they will start to either give excuses or deliberately avoid their creditors. Some will even wickedly refuse to take their calls or even change their SIM cards. Yet some of these people are pastors, ministers and workers in God's vineyard. Are you not wicked? The unbelievers who have not known God are far better than such people. Do you know that debt is a weight? This is why we are commanded not to be indebted to anyone (Romans 13:8).

Debt is a weight. Anyone who intends to participate in a race and expects to win but is carrying a bag of rice, will just be kidding himself or herself. Do you know that if you are indebted to others, it will affect the way you run the Christian race?

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1

If you want your Christian race to be smooth, or to respond to the efforts you put in, make every effort to clear up all your debts. You cannot be a perpetual debtor and J you open your mouth and say, I am a Christian. You will be portraying the kingdom of God in very bad light. Did Jesus owe anyone? When He was to die, who came to accuse Him of owing anything? Also at the latter part of Samuel's ministry, when he re-presented Saul as king to the Israelites, he was able to beat his chest that he owes no man anything (1 Samuel 12:3). Do you know the debts you owe with intention of not paying back will not allow you to be raptured or to make it to Heaven? Debts can have far reaching consequences. As much as you can, try and live within your; means. Do not overstretch yourself financially as this can cause you logo into debt. Do not expose yourself to too many risks that your assets cannot cover. Do not al low; the prospects of gain from an investment blind your eyes to its associated risk. Live a life of contentment and it shall be well with you.


ACTION POINT: Map out a strategy on how you will gradually repay all your debts. If there is a debt you cannot afford to pay back, pray, then go and ask for forgiveness or reduction of the debt.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

LUKEWARMNESS - Fri. 21/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Friday 21 September

LUKEWARMNESS 

Memorise: He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Luke 11:23

Read: Matthew 12:29-31

One major problem of the church in Laodicea was their lukewarmness.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. Revelation3:15
On the thermometer of God, He expects you to read cold or hot but not in-between. Usually, people do not like lukewarm water. !f you are given lukewarm water to quench your thirst, your stomach might get filled up but your thirst will not be quenched, this is annoying. Whereas, if you took a few glasses of cold water, the thirst will be quenched even if your stomach is not filled. Luke warmness brings about a lot of waste. If you are lukewarm in your attitude to God and the things of His kingdom, you will be a great waste to God's kingdom. You may not be able to quench the thirst of the King of kings! Lukewarm water is not capable of brewing some herbal teas that require hot water. After soaking such tea in lukewarm water, very little will be received of what the tea has the potential of releasing. The tea will at best be termed coloured water. Any lover of tea will not be pleased with such tea. In the same way, when you are lukewarm, God may never be able to get you to tap into your hidden resources and develop them to His glory. At the end, the lukewarm worker will earn God's rebuke and anger.

Every lukewarm person has elements of laziness. In the Kingdom of God, there is no middle place: it is either you are for Him or you are against Him. You cannot afford to be neutral. If you are not walking the narrow path to Heaven, you are on the broad way to hell. You will recognise the fellow who is lukewarm by his or her lack of zeal. Anybody that will achieve for God must be zealous. Jesus was consumed by zeal for kingdom assignments. Do you show zeal when it comes to paying tithes, giving offering, winning souls or obeying God in general? A zealous person is in a hurry to please God. Zeal brings speed. Zeal comes with positive expectations. Zeal has genuine interest in what is being done. Lukewarm Christians do not care about the time they come to church hence many of them are incurable latecomers. Lukewarm Christians cannot spend eternity with Christ.


KEY POINT If you can sit, eat, or chat with an unbeliever and not be bothered that he or she is going to hell, you are lukewarm.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

AND JORDAN PARTED - Thu. 20/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Thursday 20 September

AND JORDAN PARTED

Memorise: And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you: 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Read: 2 Kings 7:3-11

When Elisha cried in desperation and smote the waters, the scripture says the river parted for him like it did for his spiritual father (2 Kings 2:14). This tells us that whatever happens to the father can happen to the son as long as the latter satisfies the conditions. For instance, Jesus walked on water and Peter did the same when he acted in faith but his colleagues could not do so because they failed to dare. One of the most exciting passages in the Bible is John 14:12. Here Jesus says:


Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go unto my Father.

From the day 1 read this passage, I believed with every fibre of my being that before I die, I will do every work that He did. I also believe that whatsoever the Lord has done for me. He will repeat in the lives of my children. Are you ready to do what Jesus did and even greater works? Are you ready to pay the price?

Also, when the Jordan parted, Elisha went over it. An English proverb says, He that aims at nothing will always hit it. Anything done without purpose is a wasted effort. You must be certain about what you want from God and not just fight as one who punches the air. Let your punches be directed at specific targets so that when you hit them, you will be sure you have them. When God opens a door to you, walk right through it (Revelation 3:7-8). Some people stood in front of their open doors for so long until they were shut. If you don't enter in, you : don't get anything out of the open doors. Elisha did not begin to celebrate that Jordan parted for him, he simply went through it; he used the opportunity to change his location. What have you done with your open doors? The way you handle the opportunity God gives to you is very important to God. The four lepers got an opportunity and they maximised it. Not only did they become celebrities and national heroes, they never begged for the rest of their lives. I' you know how to use opportunities to glorify God, more will continue to trail your path. Do something about your open doors today!


ACTION POINT: Examine yourself and your surroundings to identify opportunities God has given to you which you have not taken advantage of. Do something about such today.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

SCHOOL OF OBEDIENCE - Wed. 19/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Wednesday 19 September

SCHOOL OF OBEDIENCE 

Memorise: If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, arid their years in pleasures. Job 36:11

Read: Exodus 4:2-4

In Exodus 3:10-14, after God asked Moses to go and deliver a message to Pharaoh, Moses objected giving excuses. He argued about his unworthiness for the assignment and said he did not have enough information about God's identity. It is good to have sufficient knowledge about God but waiting until you know everything about God or the assignment may just be a wait in futility. God's revelation comes to us in phases and stages. You may not know everything about an assignment before you start. Even Jesus left the disciples without disclosing some information to them because they were not mature enough to handle them. However, for Moses to go on this assignment, knowing God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was enough, as God's dealing with them at this point was hinged on these three patriarchs. Today, that knowledge is quite inadequate. If you know Jesus Christ as the Saviour, Healer, Sanctifier, Deliverer, Protector, Provider, and the only begotten Son, you have more than enough message to reach your world. As a young convert, do not wait until you know the whole Bible before you start to preach to others. Simply sharing your testimonies can open the door of salvation to your listeners.

Moreover, where divine mandate is concerned, no argument will be accepted by God for human disobedience. If God did not accept the excuses of Moses, neither will He accept yours. Immediately after dismissing those arguments, Moses began his training on implicit obedience. He was asked to drop his rod without prior knowledge of what the result will be. Moses did so without questioning and it became a snake. Moses enrolled in God's school of obedience and had to become like a child, meek and ever ready to learn. God told him to pick the snake by its tail even though as an adult one should have expected him to know that. You will notice that Moses later had to turn a rod into serpent. This tells us that God straining is in preparation for your assignment and therefore not in vain. At the end, all Moses had to do in ministry was simply to hear from God and obey no matter what anybody had to say. Have you enrolled 'n God's school of obedience? Have you learnt to be meek and to comply with God’s instructions always?

KEY POINT: In any Kingdom assignment, two things are paramount: hearing from God and obeying Him. Your success in life and ministry lies in your ability to do these two things.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

SUPREMACY OF GOD'S FINGER - Tue. 18/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Tuesday 18 September

SUPREMACY OF GOD'S FINGER

Memorise: For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. Psalms 18:39

Read: Exodus 8:18-19

The finger of God can write upon tablets of stone, upon a man and in his heart. Besides these, another significance of the finger of God is that it speaks of the enemy's limitations vis-a-vis God's supremacy. In Exodus 8:16-19, Moses went to deliver God's request to Pharaoh to release the children of God. As a sign of being sent by God, he turned his rod into a snake. In defiance, Pharaoh summoned his sorcerers, wise men and magicians who used their magical powers to do the same (Exodus 7:8-12). After he turned water into blood, they repeated the same (Exodus 7:14-22). When he brought frogs from the river upon the land, the magicians did something similar (Exodus 8:1 -7). For every plague that the magicians were able to repeat, the heart of Pharaoh was hardened the more. Then came the next plague: Moses was asked to strike the ground with his rod. He did so and the sand suddenly began to move - all turned into lice! The magicians tried but could not repeat this miracle and they concluded it was the finger of God.

Until your enemies see the finger of God, they might be deceived into thinking that what your God can do, theirs also can do. Today, in many places, fake prophets and their likes are trying to copy the miracles that God is doing, Satan never performs miracles only magic. There is a difference between the two: Miracles are supernatural occurrences that take place by the finger of God, while magic are supernatural occurrences that are empowered by spirits other than the Holy Spirit. Many claims of healing through the powers of darkness are false. Those occurrences are normally pre-arranged in many instances. If you want the original, ask for the finger of God. Also, the presence of the finger of God tells the enemy, you have reached your limits and you can go no further! It tells the enemy in very clear terms that God is at work and what He can do, no other spirit, force or power can do the same. This season, all those who are contending with you will see the finger of God and bow to your God. They will disappear after that encounter. Ask for God's finger in your life and circumstance.

PRAYER POINT: Father, by Your finger, Let every battle against my life be silenced permanently.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

NOT A CLOWN - Mon. 17/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Monday 17 September

NOT A CLOWN 

Memorise: For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

Read: Luke 1:26-37

Promises determine expectations. For instance, if a father makes a promise of a toy car to h is child while leaving for work, the hope and expectation of that child will be based on that promise. You can be sure the child will announce it to his friends at school that day. In addition, promises also define the scope of expectations. A particular child can expect one toy while another child might expect three based on the promises made to them by their respective fathers. In the same vein, we base our expectations of God upon the promises He has given to us. Unlike earthly parents who are limited in resources with which to fulfill their promises, our God is not.

One striking thing about God is that because of His infinite ability, He is able to make incredible promises, yet He is both willing and able to perform them. Human minds find it difficult to believe God, but if only they can appreciate the Personality of God, they will not doubt His ability to do those things that sound impossible. By comparison, it is like a man who owns the ocean, would it be difficult for him to give you a drop of water? I don't think so. So are all the things that seem impossible with us to our God; it's like giving you a drop of water from an ocean! Mary is an example of someone that experienced this. God promised that she was going to conceive without copulation and that the result of that uncommon pregnancy was going to save the world. How impossible these sounded! But Mary had enough faith to believe these promises. Naturally, she was just waiting for the day her marriage to Joseph would be consummated and she will have children. But now, her expectations moved from the natural to the supernatural realm of faith. She was not just expecting a baby by sight but expecting the Saviour of the world by faith, without any input from a man. If she ever shared her expectations with friends or relations, they would have asked her to see a psychiatrist. Yet God fulfilled His promises to Mary. Has God made you any mind-blowing promise that made you laugh in unbelief? You had better start believing Him today. As incredible as His promises may appear, God is not a clown. He means what He says and so He says only what He means. He will fulfill His Promises to you based on your faith. No faith, no fulfillment. Believe Him today!


ACTION POINT: Identify those seemingly impossible or humanly difficult promises the Lord has given you and profusely thank Him for them. They shall come to pass.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

FAVOURABLE MISTAKES - Sun. 16/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Sunday 16 September

FAVOURABLE MISTAKES

Memorise: And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. Jeremiah 42:12

When you go by the roadside, you may meet a beggar asking for alms. He did not work for you at any time and you probably already have plans for the money on you, yet mercy compels you to suspend your needs and give something to meet his need. Mercy makes an individual to get what he or she did not deserve just like the beggar. May mercy work in your favour from today in Jesus name.

In 1956, while living with my uncle, we had our fair share of poverty. He was poor but I was poorer. We mutually shared whatever we had. One day, we were very hungry and there was no food in sight. Then all of a sudden a young girl approached us and said her sister asked her to give us the food she was carrying pounded yam with vegetable soup and chicken. My uncle told her he did not know her sister and asked if she was sure we were the right people the food was meant for. She replied in the affirmative, so we received the gift and my uncle told her he will be expecting more gifts from her sister like this one she brought immediately the girl left, we pounced on the food. As soon as we were done eating the food, the girl resurfaced and said it was all a mistake that the food was not for us. Who will give a hungry lion a goat and expect to get it back? The mercy of God can corner what was meant for somebody else for the recipient of His mercy. This season, the mercy of God will bring you blessings and opportunities including the ones not initially meant for you. Some people can go to a place for a particular thing or go there by "mistake", not knowing that the mercy of God had propelled their legs to that place, right there an opportunity to change their lives will meet them. One of such beneficiaries of this kind of mercy was Saul. He went out in search of the missing asses of his father and there mercy met him and connected him with a chain of events that culminated in him becoming a king. By an unplanned move or deed, mercy will connect you to your destiny. Mercy turns mistakes into appointments.


PRAYER POINT: When mercy is involved, there are no mistakes. Father, let Your mercy compel mistakes to work in my favour

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

NO MORE COMPROMISE - Sat. 14/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Saturday 15 September

NO MORE COMPROMISE

Memorise: My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Proverbs 1:10

Read: Daniel 3:12-18

Besides loving righteousness and hating evil, the righteous are identified by their zero tolerance for compromise. During hard and trying times, while some Christians use the situation as excuses for compromising their faith, the righteous happily use such times as opportunities to stand up for Jesus. Job 17:9 says:

The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger:

The righteous will prefer to lose his or her job than compromise the faith. In Daniel 3, the three Hebrew children stood tall for Jesus. When their colleagues bowed to the golden image out of fear, they told the king, "O king, we respect you but we choose the fire to bowing down to a lifeless image". God watches with keen interest whenever His children are asked to compromise. Your ability to say "No" to compromise is what gives you a standing before God. Some believers have no standing before God because they will compromise their faith for just anything. Such people are yet to know what it is to be a Christian. A compromising Christian is like cloud without rain, or candle without a flame. The fellow has lost his worth. Standing for Jesus adds value to your faith and gives you respect before God, demons and men.

You can resolve not to compromise again in the same areas you once disappointed God. Resolve to have some respect before God from today. When that lady comes again, tell her "No more!" When that brother comes calling and wants you to sin for just the last time, tell him, "No more!" Those who compromise are afraid of the wrong thing. They fear what they should not be afraid of and what they should fear, i.e. God, they do not. Also, they are too lazy to exercise their faith. Your boss threatens that if you do not dance to his evil music you will be sacked and you are panicking? No way! Not anymore! Tell him you cannot sin against God because you are in love with God. God can remove any boss at any time. You can only be sacked from there if God allows it. Stand up for Jesus today! No more compromise.


KEY POINT: A woman who easily agrees to sleep with a man loses her value and would be treated like a whore. The woman who insists on sex only in marriage will be highly priced by God and men.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

DIVINE INTRODUCTION - Fri. 14/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Friday 14 September

DIVINE INTRODUCTION 

Memorise: For oil the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the g/cry of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

When the Lord wrote to the church in Laodicea, He introduced Himself to them as the Amen, the Faithful Witness and the Beginning of the Creation of God (Revelation 3:14). You will notice that He introduced Himself using different titles and abilities from church to church. Every church is peculiar and known to its Owner. Every church deserved the type of introduction they got The way the Lord will introduce Himself to you might be quite different from how He will introduce Himself to another brother, depending on your works, relationship with Him and your needs. If the Lord were to introduce Himself to you today, what titles will He use? Also, the way He introduces Himself speaks of His next line of action as well as His expected response from you to prevent that action if it is negative, or to provoke the action if it is positive. Have you truly responded to H is introductions?

The Lord called Himself Amen which means so let it be. In those days, Amen was used as a signature. Amen is God's signature on all His promises.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20

This means if only you have Jesus Christ as the signature to your requests, all the promises of God will be fulfil led in your life. No wonder Jesus says in John 16:23-24 that anything you ask the Father through His name will be granted. Any prayer you make without using the Name of Jesus, will not be taken to Heaven, let alone receive an answer. In addition, the Lord called Himself the Faithful Witness. Some people speculate on how Heaven will be like, but Jesus clearly tells us of what He knows, what He has seen and felt in Heaven. He is no stranger to the Heavenly realm because Colossians 1:15-17 says it was through Him the heaven and the earth was created. So anything He tells you about Heaven is just as it is, being the Faithful Witness. Lastly, He also called Himself the Beginning of the Creation of God. Creation started with Him (John 1:1-3). If you want to create things to affect your world, link up with the Beginning of the Creation of God and He will give you the inspiration, the push and the wisdom to do them. Being the beginning of all things, you can get fresh supply of body parts to replace any defective ones.


ACTION POINT: Ask the Lord to introduce Himself to you by His titles in Revelation 3:14.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

ACCESSING ABUNDANT MERCY - Sun. 9/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Sunday 9 September

ACCESSING ABUNDANT MERCY

Memorise: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. Psalms 103:8

Read: Psalms 103:9-14

Apart from supplies, another thing that God has in abundance is mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 says God is rich in mercy. Psalms 103:11 says:

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Just imagine the space between the surface of the earth, through the sky, before entering the galaxies! God’s mercy covers all that space towards us. If His mercy is that large, then there is enough mercy to go round the billions of earth’s inhabitants. More astounding is the realisation that a very insignificant fraction of that mercy can heal the sick, raise the dead, and do the impossible. But if this is so, why is it that people still run out of God’s mercy? Why did King Saul exhaust his mercy line so soon? Why did the family of Eli run out of God’s mercy at Eli’s old age? The answer is in Psalms 103:11 quoted above; which is the absence of the fear of the Lord. Although God’s mercy is so great yet it must never be taken for granted. The mercy of God responds directly to the fear of God in our lives. While God’s mercy gets bigger and bigger towards those who fear Him, it becomes leaner towards those who do not fear Him. Whether God’s great mercy will be accessible to you or not will be determined by you. If only you can fear God completely, God’s mercy will not only be readily available, but will always be accessible to you.

Moved with compassion and gripped by mercy towards a leper in Mark 1:40-45, the One who asked us not to touch lepers touched a leper and healed him. Mercy gives you what you don’t deserve. Similarly, in Mark 10:46-52, mercy moved Him to hear the cry of a beggar and He healed him. This season, mercy will grip His loins and cause Him to do something about your situation. The Lord will have compassion on you today. Even though you do not deserve His blessing, His mercy will extend His touch to you. On the other hand, work on yourself and ensure you continually increase in the fear of the Lord as a way to ever access His unlimited mercy.

PRAYER POINT:

Father let the hold of the Spirit of the fear of the Lord grow stronger in my heart every day

 

Bible in one year: Psalms 31-33

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

TRANSITION BEFORE TRIBULATION - Fri. 24/8/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

TRANSITION BEFORE TRIBULATION 

Friday 24 August

Memorise: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9

Read: 2 Peter 2:4-9

There are three schools of thought on the subject of the timing of the Great Tribulation. The first school of thought say born again Christians will be on the earth and will go through Great Tribulation. The second say believers will stay on the earth for the first 3½ years of the tribulation period before being taken away; while the third school of thought says believers will not be here when the tribulation begins. I strongly share the views of the third school of thought based on scriptural evidences of God’s past dealing with His people.

First, according to Revelation 3:10, if you keep His word, you will be out of the way before the trouble i.e. Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) starts. Similarly, God does not destroy the righteous with the wicked except if the righteous had dumped righteousness for evil. That was the basis for Abraham’s intercession for the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah and God spared Lot and his family (Genesis 18:22-23). We learn from that account that one major reason God has not overthrown our cities today is because of the righteous living in them; after all, the world is far more corrupt now than in the days of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. Also, during the deluge, God spared Noah and his family before flooding the whole earth. Fear not! As you serve the Lord faithfully, He will take you away before He brings judgment upon where you are. However, the church in Philadelphia was advised to hold fast what they have lest another fellow takes their crown. Some years ago, in a communist enclave, 50 Christians were being tortured for their faith in Christ. Soldiers moved them to a lake of freezing water, stripped and put them there. At another spot was a huge bonfire so that if they denounced Jesus they could warm themselves and be set free. Unknown to them, God has opened the eyes of one of the soldiers who saw each of the believers who endured being tortured to death, receive a crown from an angel. As this continued, one of the Christians who could no longer bear the pain started stepping out. Disappointed, his angel was about to take his crown back to Heaven when this soldier suddenly stripped himself and ran to replace the believer so that he could take his crown. Hold fast to what you have or you will lose your crown and other rewards to others!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, help me to endure to the end so that no one will take my crown.

 

Bible in one year: Amos 1-3

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

DIVINE INTRODUCTION - Fri. 14/9/2012 - Open Heavens - RCCG Kingdom 28

Friday 14 September

DIVINE INTRODUCTION

Memorise: For oil the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the g/cry of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

When the Lord wrote to the church in Laodicea, He introduced Himself to them as the Amen, the Faithful Witness and the Beginning of the Creation of God (Revelation 3:14). You will notice that He introduced Himself using different titles and abilities from church to church. Every church is peculiar and known to its Owner. Every church deserved the type of introduction they got The way the Lord will introduce Himself to you might be quite different from how He will introduce Himself to another brother, depending on your works, relationship with Him and your needs. If the Lord were to introduce Himself to you today, what titles will He use? Also, the way He introduces Himself speaks of His next line of action as well as His expected response from you to prevent that action if it is negative, or to provoke the action if it is positive. Have you truly responded to H is introductions?

The Lord called Himself Amen which means so let it be. In those days, Amen was used as a signature. Amen is God's signature on all His promises.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20


This means if only you have Jesus Christ as the signature to your requests, all the promises of God will be fulfil led in your life. No wonder Jesus says in John 16:23-24 that anything you ask the Father through His name will be granted. Any prayer you make without using the Name of Jesus, will not be taken to Heaven, let alone receive an answer. In addition, the Lord called Himself the Faithful Witness. Some people speculate on how Heaven will be like, but Jesus clearly tells us of what He knows, what He has seen and felt in Heaven. He is no stranger to the Heavenly realm because Colossians 1:15-17 says it was through Him the heaven and the earth was created. So anything He tells you about Heaven is just as it is, being the Faithful Witness. Lastly, He also called Himself the Beginning of the Creation of God. Creation started with Him (John 1:1-3). If you want to create things to affect your world, link up with the Beginning of the Creation of God and He will give you the inspiration, the push and the wisdom to do them. Being the beginning of all things, you can get fresh supply of body parts to replace any defective ones.


ACTION POINT:
Ask the Lord to introduce Himself to you by His titles in Revelation 3:14.

---

Open Heavens Daily Devotional
Written by: Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

FRI, 30/09/2011 - - COUNSEL: HOW MISLEADING? - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Friday, September 30, 2011

COUNSEL: HOW MISLEADING?

Memorise: "For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?" (Jer 23:18).

  

Read: Jeremiah 23:30-32 

  

In Thyatira, commercial activities were taken over by the occult. To be relevant in business, the inhabitants were made to join in the idolatrous unions which publicly worshipped in their temple feasts. In the church at Thyatira, there was a very influential woman who called herself a prophetess. She was rich and wielded so much influence over the church. She told the brethren in the church to join the unions and participate in the sins of the land and they obeyed because she was one of their leaders. This was an abuse of power! We should find out what Heaven calls us. It is very important. In the church, this woman called herself prophetess so and so. Everybody called her a prophetess and related with her as one but Jesus called her Jezebel. Are you known and addressed as bishop, archbishop, prophet, pastor, world evangelist, senior pastor, Reverend, etc? Before you recline in that toga, find out what the Lord calls you.

Your works also determine the name Heaven will assign to you. You may have an angelic name but if your works are devilish, you will end up with a satanic name. If you do not want to be misled, seriously consider the name Heaven gives to you and to those around you. If God calls you a thief, even if the whole world says you are not, you are a thief. Today, many Christians are falling victims of some so-called men and women of God because they are still judging them by their past lives of holiness, righteousness and truth. If only they can go to God to access the true state of these leaders, they would never fall prey. Leaders must be very careful how they advise their members. It is wrong to take advantage of your flock and mislead them. Never play God in the lives of your members. Remember that you will give account of every one that you mislead (Hebrews 13:17). Besides, those people who are going from one prophet to another will end up in the devil's pot of soup. Beware! If your counsel is driving counselees to hell, you will share the same eternal destination with them.

Prayer Point:

If your counsel will offend God, keep it to yourself. Father, henceforth, every leader with the desire to steal and not to serve, reverse their blessing. 

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

THU, 29/09/2011 - - HE OWNS HEAVEN - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Thursday, September 29, 2011

HE OWNS HEAVEN

Memorise: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3).

  

Read: John 14:1-3 

  

Besides telling others of the principles of sowing and reaping, as well as the fact that Jesus is the One in control of times and seasons, you must also tell them that Jesus is the All Sufficient One. Genesis 17:1 calls Him Jehovah El Shaddai - the God who is more than enough. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein". Everything you will ever need is in His hands. Haggai 2:8 says He owns silver and gold. If He has all you need, then teach your family and church members to pray because He can give them whatever they ask for that is in accordance with His will. According to a Bible scholar, John 14:14 which says that anything you ask in the name of Jesus, He will do it, actually means more than that. According to them, in the original form, that scripture means that if you ask Him what He does not have, He will create it for you. In other words, if only you can think of something He forgot to create while creating the world, He will create it for you.

Somebody heard this and asked the Bible scholar, "In that case why can't you ask God for a cow with four heads?" But the Bible scholar replied: "Rather than ask for a four-headed cow, I would ask for four cows. So if you like cow heads, then you can have them while I keep the body parts". God can do all things. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,". Have you prayed for so long without result? Shortly, you shall have testimonies in Jesus name. In addition, tell others that Heaven belongs to Him. Isaiah 66:1 says, "Thus saith the LORD, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?" He created Heaven and earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). In John 14:2, Jesus says there are many heavenly mansions awaiting His faithful in Heaven. One way of being a blessing to others is by telling them that Jesus is coming back again (John 14:3). The greatest gift you can give to somebody is to lead the soul to Christ and prepare him or her for Heaven. Are you getting others prepared to enter this blessed land of bliss?

Prayer Point:

Father, help me, that earthly things and challenges may not rob me of my heavenly mansion and rewards. 

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

WED, 28/09/2011 - - BARTIMAEUS AND MERCY - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

BARTIMAEUS AND MERCY

Memorise: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." (Ps 25:10).

Read: Mark 10:46-52 

God is rich in mercy. Psalm 89:14 says mercy and truth go before God. All of God's paths and activities are interlaced with mercy, especially to believers (Ps 25:10). One Bible character in whom we can see God's mercy in operation virtually every step of the way, is erstwhile blind Bartimaeus. The first thing we learn from this story is that mercy can compel God to abandon all other routes and locations in order to bless an individual. In this regard, mercy gives God direction and helps Him to choose the route to take from time to time. According to the story, the Lord Jesus Christ entered Jericho and soon left. Nothing miraculous was done there. Now, one thing you must know about God is that He is a God of purpose. He never does anything without a reason and purpose. So, why would He go to Jericho for nothing? He was there because mercy had located a blind beggar on the highway from Jericho. In the name of Jesus, mercy will direct the steps of Jesus to take your route for a divine visitation this season.

Another lesson here is that God knows your location. Mercy moves God to locate the favoured. Mercy prompted the Lord and He travelled to Jericho. He began to search for the candidate of mercy but could not find him in the city. So the Lord left there and continued to search for the candidate of His mercy until he was found. God's mercy will compel Heaven to search for you. You may not be in the city. You may not be in the town or village you were supposed to be. You may even not be in the country. Wherever you are, the mercy of God will direct His feet to you. Are you in the dungeon or pit akin to the one Joseph found himself in? The mercy of God that traced him there and brought him out, shall trace you and bring you out of that pit. Are you covered by darkness? The mercy of God will cause God to locate and bring you out. Wherever the enemies have buried your star, the mercy of God will move God there and exhume it.

Action Point:

There is no hiding from God's mercy. Contractors who collected money but fail to execute the contract will pay for it in many ways! If you are one, immediately go and restitute before it's too late!

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

TUE, 27/09/2011 - - WHEN GOD LOOKS - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

WHEN GOD LOOKS

Memorise: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:" (Psalm 139:23).

  

Read: Psalm 139:23-24 

  

“And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them" (Exo 2:25). Just as we look and see things, so also does God. God sees everything, everywhere, every time. God's eyes are unlike man's eyes. Our view is limited by scope, depth and clarity. Our eyes cannot see beyond physical objects such as bags, containers, walls, metal substances, etc. Due to technological advancement however, it is possible to see in the dark through night vision goggles, and to see through bags and containers using x-ray machines, metal detectors, etc. God's view is unlimited. A brother who was privileged to visit Heaven said that when Jesus looks at you, He looks right through you and is seeing the whole world at the same time. One look from God captures all activities done by everybody in every family, community, state, country and continent. Darkness and the four walls of an apartment cannot obstruct anything from Him. It is unfortunate that men have reduced God's view to man's, hence, they device various ways of covering up their evils. What can you do to truly hide something from God's glare?

"Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known" (Matt 10:26). Every cover up has an expiry date. There is nothing that can be hidden from God's prying, all-seeing eyes. Is it works or actions? Revelation 22:12 says Jesus will reward everyone according to their works. Everything you do is seen and recorded. Both good and evil deeds are known to God and recorded for appropriate heavenly response at the right time. God does not need a human witness to testify in Heaven's court whether a particular offence was committed or not. He has put angels on that beat. Is it thoughts? Luke 2:35 talks of thoughts being revealed. No wonder David asked God to search him to discover the contents of his heart and thoughts as seen in today's passage. When God looks at you, everything in your heart is exposed to Him. Knowing therefore that you cannot hide from Him, keep away from any action or thought that can get you into trouble. Ensure your thoughts are always pure and God-glorifying (Phil 4:8). Ask God to search your heart and thoughts so as to make you conform to His expectations. Are you covering a wrong deed or thought? Repent and expose it today so as to avoid a greater shame and judgement tomorrow.

Action Point:

The one who covers up an evil, thinking he is smart, will later realize it was better if he had opened up. What are you covering up? Pray: 'Father, sanctify my thoughts and my imaginations. Cleanse me inside out'. 

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

MON, 26/09/2011 - - ASK - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Monday, September 26, 2011

ASK

Memorise: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matt 5:6).

  

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 

  

God has so much to give but do you have what it takes to receive from Him? When God was about to turn around the situation of acute poverty and lack that surrounded the widow of the late prophet in 2 Kings 4:1-7, she was asked to borrow empty vessels. Until they were all filled, the oil did not stop. The volume of anointing that you can get is a function of how much you are willing to receive. Similarly, in 2 Kings 2:9-12, Elijah told Elisha to ask what he wanted. That was an open cheque. Although he asked for a double portion of Elijah's anointing, that was still a limited request. He could have asked for triple portion, or times five or times ten. Although Elijah said asking a double portion was a hard thing, Elisha still got what he asked for. If you look through the Scriptures, you will discover that while Elijah performed seven remarkable miracles, Elisha on the other hand performed 14 outstanding miracles because that was the extent of his request. If he had asked for times ten, it would have been a hard request but he would have been given. What kind of requests do you make to God? Some people are afraid to ask God for what they think is impossible to have for fear of being ignored. The elders say: 'If you are going to eat a toad, it is better to eat the one with lots of eggs; after all, a toad is a toad'.

In 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says we should covet the best gifts. In doing this sometime ago, I told God I wanted a double portion of the anointing on Elisha plus the double portion of the anointing on Peter, Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ (while He was on earth). I asked Him to add up all these and double the result and release it on me. Then the Lord told me, "You are asking for trouble. People will not allow you to rest". I said that would be a good problem than being ignored or seen as irrelevant. To what extent do you hunger and thirst for God? To what extent do you thirst for righteousness? You cannot be filled beyond the vacuum created by your thirst. How thirsty are you?

Action Point:

It is those who ask that receive. You may never get beyond your request. Ask. Ask big! 

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

SUN, 25/09/2011 - - PRAYER BRINGS PEACE - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

PRAYER BRINGS PEACE

Memorise: "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Ps 5:3).

  

Read: 1 Timothy 2:1-4 

  

It is great to intercede for leaders. In today's reading, we are enjoined to pray for all who are in positions of authority, as this can bring peace, godliness and honesty. This means, if we are surrounded by so much turmoil, wickedness and corruption, it is an evidence of not praying enough. Intercede for your husband. The prayers you invest into your husband will eventually work in your favour. In the same way, children should pray for their parents. Do you know that there are parents who bring shame to the family name? Gehazi was one father no child would want to have. While other parents were blessing their children, leaving beautiful legacies behind, Gehazi not only brought leprosy to himself but also his children and generations after him. Every child that was born into that family cursed the day of their birth. Is your father, mother or guardian misbehaving? Intercede for them! You can turn their impact from shame to honour.

However, apart from praying for your leaders, leaders must take time to regularly pray for themselves. If you depend solely on the prayer of your prayer champions, you are a lazy leader. God's call upon your life does not come with a guarantee of success. In my early days of ministry, I once attended a minister's conference in Ghana. After the day's programme of events, fellow ministers who shared the same hotel with me were busy chatting and jesting, but I had some disquiet within me. I was not satisfied with myself, my level, etc., so I quietly took my Bible and went to the rest room and began to study it and pray until I had a knowing in my spirit that my longings had been satisfied. If you are distracted where you are, you can separate yourself for personal communion with God in a rest room, football or volley ball pitch or even in a prayer walk through streets that are not too busy or too noisy. Your ministry is made or marred in the place of prayer. Ministry without prayer is like a house with no blocks. The prayer efforts that go into the life of a leader are not wasted. Even though some prayers are needed for future use by Heaven, they are still required today.

Action Point:

Don't limit yourself in prayer. If one prayer method is not working, try another. Do a prayer-walk of one hour daily, walking around less busy streets and praying without closing your eyes. 

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.

SAT, 24/09/2011 - - NEARER YOUR GOAL? - - OPEN HEAVENS - - KINGDOM 28

Saturday, September 24, 2011

NEARER YOUR GOAL?

Memorise: "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal 3:3).

  

Read: Galatians 3:1-4 

  

Several years ago, Myles Munroe spoke on five questions you must ask yourself: Who am I? Where am I from? Why am I here? What can I become? Where am I going? These are very crucial issues which, if properly answered, will help you to optimize your earthly existence. Have you been able to find the answers to these questions?

In addition to the above questions, it is important to also ask yourself: How far am I from my goal? If you left point A for point B, it is important to take stock so as to know how close or far your destination is. This calls for self-examination, personal appraisal or evaluation of actions, tactics, strategy and plans. Why do you think Paul asked the Corinthian church to examine themselves, to know whether they were still in the faith (2 Cor 13:5)? It is because it is possible to start off as a Christian but along the way lose one's faith in Christ. For this same reason, Paul queried the church in Galatia as to why they would end up in the flesh, having begun in the Spirit (Gal 3:3). Today, many believers who started the Christian race as honest, God-fearing, Jesus-seeking, Spirit-filled, heaven-bound saints, are now flesh-controlled, position-seeking, money-serving, people-victimizing political beings. Unfortunately, they have continued their journey without asking how far or how close they are to their original goal.

If truth be told, position is robbing many of holiness. It is shocking to hear that some senior pastors fix the stipends and salaries of junior pastors and workers in banks for a period and receive interest up front into their personal pockets, without thinking of the hardship they cause such families. Such leaders are farther from their destination. There are some things you do that take you several miles away from your destination. It is safe to assume that if you were saved some 10, 15, or 20 years ago, and you were living to please God for that period, you are closer to heaven than when you started. But if you begin to do certain things wrong, it will set you backwards, even beyond the years you started out. Have you asked how close you are to your goal?

Key Point:

There is no guarantee that debtors will make it to Heaven, including senior pastors, top Christian leaders who deliberately sit on the salaries and stipends of their subordinates. They may pay their debts eternally in hell.

---

Open Heavens Online
Powered by:
Kingdom 28
RCCG Lagos Province 28.