Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2020.

THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP IV. 

MEMORISE:

 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:1-11

1Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

MESSAGE:

I have observed that when some people say they want a coach/or mentor, what they are actually seeking is a sponsor. Your coach and/or mentor is not under any obligation to finance you. If anything, you should be the one gifting him/her, taking his/her children out for a fun day, making yourself available to help in any way you can and so on.

You need their wealth of experience. Your relationship with your coach and mentor should not be parasitic but symbiotic- as he/she gives to you, you should also give back to him/her. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:11:

“ If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?”

It is your responsibility to make your coach and mentor proud. Many times, I have had to answer for the behavior of my children-in-the-Lord, whether I was aware or not. It would be unfair to your coach and mentor if you misbehave, because it could bring about a bad public image for him/her.

Finally, even if you become richer, you must remain completely submissive to them. Jesus said the disciple cannot be greater than the master (Matthew 10:24). If that is the fellow that God has paired you with for discipleship, no matter what they do, you must remain submissive in line with the word of God, until their death.

Davide became more famous that Saul, but he never lost his respect for him, not even when Saul was trying to kill him. Samuel was the one whom God sent to tell Eli about how he would fall, but Samuel never felt that because he had been chosen to replace him, the old prophet was now to be ignored (1 Samuel 3:9-21).

Never dishonor your discipler. God would not have anyone disrespect His chosen vessels (Psalm 105:14-15) no matter how little and inconsequential you may consider the action. Learn from the mistake of Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-15).

Yes, Jesus wants us to perform greater works than He did, but that cannot make us greater than He. Never forget: a disciple may achieve greater feats than his master, but cannot be greater than he (Matthew 10:24). 

REFLECTION:

Do you have a parasitic or symbiotic relationship with your coach and/or mentor?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Matthew 27

Mark 15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 17: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED.

1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”

Thus my dear Redeemer meet?

Not one day of service give Him,

Lay no trophy at His feet?

Refrain:

“Must I go, and empty-handed?”

Must I meet my Savior so?

Not one soul with which to greet Him,

Must I empty-handed go?

2. Not at death I shrink or falter,

For my Savior saves me now;

But to meet Him empty-handed,

Thought of that now clouds my brow.

3. Oh, the years in sinning wasted,

Could I but recall them now,

I would give them to my Savior,

To His will I’d gladly bow.

4. Oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest,

Up and work while yet ’tis day;

Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,

Strive for souls while still you may.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

 Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Tuesday, November 10, 2020) 

 

Christian Discipleship 3 

Special Note:

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his numerous disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015,, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional, authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

Prayer Points:

1.Thank You, Father, for not leaving me without guidance and counseling, for  without counsel purposes are disappointed.

2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

3.Father, release upon me the grace to obey and be submissive to those who watch and bear rule over my soul and spiritual life, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, help me encourage all those who have spiritual oversight over my life, that they may do it in joy and not in grief, that it may be profitable for me, when they shall stand to give account, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, let me never be unequally yoked with an unbeliever or fraternise with members of the kingdom of darkness, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, choose for me a spiritual coach and mentor, and empower me to obey all his counsels that are in tune with Your word, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, let every spirit of disobedience, headiness and rebellion, to Your word, and to divine counsels, in my life be consumed by Your fire, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, let every element of pride in my life be consumed by Your fire, and let my obedience be total and complete, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, uphold me and those that You have placed under my authority and guidance, till the end; let Your word have free course and be glorified in our lives, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, bless your son, Pastor E.A.Adeboye, and uphold him by Your right hand of righteousness, till the end, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.

13.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

14.In Jesus' name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

15.Thank you Father for answered prayers.

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's book Ministry, in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2020.

THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP III. 

MEMORISE:

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Hebrews 13:17

READ: Hebrews 13:17-17

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

MESSAGE:

As a Christian, you must be careful when making the choice of who to disciple you. Success in a discipline is enough reason for anyone to qualify as your coach or mentor. The first thing you should consider is the spirituality of the fellow- how is his/her relationship with God? 2 Corinthians 6:14 says:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

You must also be sure that the vision of the person’s life aligns with yours.

A close look at all the people God paired together for a discipleship relationship in the Bible will reveal that both had similar assignments- Samuel and Eli, Elisha and Elijah, Joshua and Moses, David and Solomon, Timothy and Paul among others. Allow God to lead you before approaching an yone to coach and mentor you.

After choosing a coach and mentor, always remember that no matter how great he/she is, the fellow is not God. Whatever he/she must be first sifted through the word of God before you adopt it. My Father-in-the-Lord always told us to ignore whatever he said that did not have a biblical backing.

You must be submissive to your coach and mentor, regardless of how much smaller he/she appears to be. My Father-in-the-Lord was not educated, whereas I had a PhD in Mathematics. When he said “jump” I jumped the highest I could, without analyzing his instruction with my PhD brain. As long as whatever he said was in line with the word of God, I did it without asking questions. You may even be more modern than your coach and mentor, still your obedience and admission must always be total in alignment with the word of God. 

Lastly, ensure you pray for your disciples as well (Hebrews 13:18). He that watereth should be watered also (Proverbs 11:23).

KEY POINT:

Let God choose your coach and mentor for you. Allow the word of God provide guidance in the relationship.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:   John 14-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 18: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE.

1. My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my guilt away,

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart,

My zeal inspire!

As Thou hast died for me,

Oh, may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Savior, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2020.

THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP II. 

MEMORISE:

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, Mark 3:14

READ: Matthew 15:15-20

15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

MESSAGE:

Availability is a key element is discipleship. A coach must always be there to answer questions and give advice. As a coach, you should always answer or return your coachee’s calls. Find time to be with them, even if it means taking them along with you on trips or to events. Just make sure you are always there for them.

There are certain things to consider before agreeing to coach and mentor someone. First, only coach and mentor people whose company you can enjoy. As we saw in our memory verse today, the first reason Jesus chose disciples was for them to keep Him company, and of course, also to work with Him.

It also shows that Jesus had seen great potential in the disciples and knew that as they worked with Him, they would become better. Don’t coach and mentor someone in you have not seen any potential. This is because it is that potential that will drive you to make sacrifices for the fellow. Don’t just coach and mentor someone because he/she is a relative; choose who you coach and mentor carefully.

You should also know that your followers are not slaves. Others may exploit their followers but as a Christian, you must follow Jesus’ example. He washed the feet of His disciples and even told them clearly in John 15:15:

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Aside from that being the right thing to do, it will also model humility to them. However, Christian disciples must not take their disciplers’ humility for granted. Give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7).

Christ’s discipleship model should be the standard for all Christians.

REFLECTION:

Adopt Jesus Christ’s model of discipleship in grooming those the Lord has put in your care.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:   Luke 22

John 13

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 20: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE.

1. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain:

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.

3. There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;

All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

5. Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

 Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Sunday, November 8, 2020) - 

Christian Discipleship 1 

Special Note:

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his numerous disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015,, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional, authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

Prayer Points:

1.Thank You, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for creating me in Your image and likeness.

2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

3.Father, please, uproot from my life, by the power of Your word, anything that does not reflect Your image, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, let Your fire consume every spirit of disobedience, rebellion and self-will, in my life and destiny, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please, give me a teachable, obedient and submissive spirit and heart, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please, attach me with  mentors and disciplers  who will always be willing to tell me the truth, at all times, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, whenever I hear the truth, which is Your word, please, give me the grace to accept it, willingly, and  not to harden my heart against it, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, as a mentor and discipler, please, let my life and lifestyle reflect what I teach and preach, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please, give me the grace as a mentee, to accept correction and chastening in good faith, at all times, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, bless your son, Pastor E.A.Adeboye, and reward him abundantly for all his labours of love, in Your vineyard, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.

13.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

14.In Jesus' name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

15.Thank you Father for answered prayers.

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's book Ministry, in Jesus' name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 2020.

THEME: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP I. 

MEMORISE:

But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Mark 4:34

READ: Matthew 13:10-30

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

MESSAGE:

Discipleship covers both coaching and mentorship. It describes the relationship that exists between a mentor and a mentee, and also that of a coach and the one being coached. Mentoring and coaching present rare privileges and should be handled carefully as the future of many are influenced thereby.

1 Corinthians 11:1 says Christ must be the model for all Christian coaches and mentors.

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

What you say or do will have on and can even shape the character of those within your sphere of influence. My strong adherence to holiness today is as a result of the teachings and lifestyle of my Father-in-the-Lord Pa Josiah Akindayomi.

If you would disciple anyone, you must first ensure your values are godly, clear and well set. As a father, you are both a mentor and coach to your wife and children. What you do would impact on their character greatly. This also includes your subordinates in the office.

Jesus is the ultimate teacher; one thing you would notice about Him is that He never hid the truth from His disciples.

“………and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”

You must be honest in the assessment of your followers; tell them where they have gone wrong and praise them when they get things right. You owe them the truth always.

Jesus never hid anything from His disciples; they knew when He was fasting and when He was praying. He constantly pushed them to become like Him and even greater (John 14:12). In Matthew 17:16-17, He said “O ye of little faith, how long will I be with thee?” He was saying in essence: Get up and start doing these things yourself. if you have a follower that has remained on the same level since he/she met you, you are failing as a coach and mentor. May you never fail God in the mighty name of Jesus.

REFLECTION:

What kind of example are you to those in your sphere of influence? Are you deliberate about their growth?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:   Matthew 26

Mark 14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Open Heavens Prayer Points

 Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Saturday, November 7, 2020) - 

Don’t Miss Heaven 

Special Note:

These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his numerous disciples, of Christ, who was inspired and mandated by the Holy Spirit, effective, January 1st, 2015,, to start writing these prayer points, based on the Open Heavens Daily Devotional, authored by Pastor E. A. Adeboye.

Some of the prayer points are deep spiritually and may not be understood by carnal minds.

If you want to be blessed from these prayer points, you must first, surrender Your life, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, by saying this prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I come to You with a deeply repentant heart, please, forgive me all my sins. I surrender my life to you, today, and, I accept You, as my personal Lord and Saviour. Please, come into my life and save my soul from eternal destruction in hell fire. In Jesus' name, I pray.”

Prayer Points:

1.Thank You, Father, for creating me in Your image and likeness and for the salvation of my soul.

2.Thank You, Jesus, for going to prepare a place for me, in Your Father's house, in heaven.

3.Thank You, Jesus, for Your promise to come back for me and take me to my glorious home and mansion in heaven.

4.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please, uphold me by Your right hand of righteousness till the end, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, uproot from my life and destiny, anything that could prevent me from making heaven, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, frustrate and scatter every plan and plot of satan to make me fall and end this journey in hell fire, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, take me away, by Your grace,  from every road leading to hell fire, that I may currently be treading, and place me on the path of eternal life, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please, count me worthy to make heaven at last, and to see You in glory, in Jesus' name.

10.Father, bless your son, Pastor E.A.Adeboye, fight all his battles and lift up his head above those of his adversaries, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus' name.

12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.

13.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)

14.In Jesus' name I pray.

(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

15.Thank you Father for answered prayers.

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

#GodBlessOurNation

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye's book Ministry, in Jesus' name.