Isaiah 49:8 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; May the Lord by His mercy hear you in Prayer, open unto you His door unto salvation, preserve you, shield you against the evil darts and arrow of the wicked, provide for you in Jesus mighty name.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY MARCH 21ST, 2024.
THEME: COMFORT IN SERVICE
MEMORISE:
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
Psalm 26:8
READ: Jeremiah 29:12-13
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
MESSAGE
Nowadays, many churches are set up to make the congregants very comfortable; this is fine. However, we must not get carried away such that we prioritize comfort over why we really come to services -to have an encounter with God. Whether there is comfort or discomfort, when you know that God is in a meeting, forget your social status and rush there! Don't go for Christian programmes to look for comfort; there are no big men in the house of God (James 2:1-9). If you go to church to flaunt your social status, there is something deeply missing in your Christian life.
The first time I went to a Christian programme outside Nigeria was in Kenya around 1975. Our group could not afford a hotel or even travel tickets. We had to pray for God to provide the tickets, and He did. Fortunately, there was a boarding school with dormitories that were made available for free to anybody coming for the programme. I was a university lecturer, and there were so many of us in those dormitories, but I didn't care; we weren't there to show off, we went to seek the Lord. Thank God I went through that because I can never forget the experience; that was the first time I saw God's throne room. I will gladly sleep on the floor to see God's throne room.
One thing I know about God is that you must search for Him if you want to truly know Him. This is why Isaiah 55:6 says that you should seek Him while He may be found. You have to seek God diligently if you really want to get to know Him. When you are seeking His face concerning something, how comfortable you feel should not be a hindrance.
I remember one time when I had been praying concerning a matter for about two years. I was invited to preach at a meeting, and that was where God answered me. If I had missed that meeting, I might never have heard from God concerning the matter. God shows up when two or three are gathered in His name, so, if you have been seeking Him concerning a matter and He hasn't shown up, go to a fellowship where people are gathered in His name and remind Him of His promise in Matthew 18:20. After the fellowship, whatever discomfort you may have experienced in seeking Him would be gone, but your encounter with Him will remain forever. Sometimes you may have to choose between getting your miracle and comfort-I hope you choose wisely.
KEY POINT
Don't miss your miracle because you are looking for comfort.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 1-3
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 11: I'VE FOUND A FRIEND IN JESUS
1. I’ve found a friend in Jesus,
He’s come to stay with me;
I hear His voice so precious,
His smiling face I see.
Refrain:
O Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thy love is all our song;
Our Friend so dear and precious
Through all our journey long.
2. Mid earthly throngs that gather,
I walk with Him alone;
I see and know no other,
And by none else I’m known.
3. In storms of persecution,
My Friend is ever near,
And sheltered in His bosom,
I rest without a fear.
4. In daily toils He’s with me,
From early morn till night,
And while in sweet communion,
He makes the burden light.
5. In twilight’s holy stillness,
How blest the hour we spend,
In sweet converse with Jesus,
My everlasting Friend.
6. I sink to sleep in Jesus,
Adoring heaven’s grace,
Oft taste His loving visions,
And wake in His embrace.
Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens:
Wednesday, 20 March, 2024
The Fellowship of His Suffering
Special Note.
These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his, 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 the grace to be a partaker of Your suffering,
2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and
forgive me; let Your mercy prevail over judgement of sin in my life, in Jesus name.
3.Lord, I want to know the fellowship of Your suffering. Please let me partake in Your suffering, in Jesus name.
4.Father, give me the grace to suffer with You and, also, be glorified with You, in Jesus name.
5.Father, Let no man trouble me, because I bear in my body the marks of Jesus Christ.
6.Father, please, give me the grace to be willing to partake in Your suffering, in Jesus name.
7.Father, please, uphold me by Your right hand of righteousness and, release upon my life the grace never to deny You, in Jesus name.
8.Father, please, see me through my Christian journey, don't let me fall or compromise my faith, in You, in the face of trial and persecution, in Jesus name.
9.Father, please, let me continue to walk with You, through thick and thin, to the point of blessings and glorification, in Jesus name.
10.Father, bless your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye; grant him divine health and long life; and, bless his ministry, home, and family (biological and spiritual), forever, 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 dates! 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, books ministry.
Note:
You may not add, subtract or rearrange these prayer points. The Holy Spdirit is the author, though He used someone, who, out of humility has refused to take glory for it, by not putting his name. It is plagiarism to use, or pass as your own, someone's else writing or work. The original author of these prayer points is the Holy Spirit. So, share, but don't share His glory with Him in the process.
Remain blessed, as you obey, in Jesus name.
Isaiah 43:19 (KJV) Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. May this promise of the Most High God manifest in you and your concerns that dryness would be replaced by divine freshness, favour, fruitfulness and growth in all ramifications in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 20TH, 2024.
THEME: THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING
MEMORISE:
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Matthew 20:22
READ: Matthew 20:21-23
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? 21 She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
MESSAGE
Over the past two days, I have been discussing some lessons from Philippians 3:10, and l today, I will be going even deeper. Apostle Paul said clearly that he wanted to know the fellowship of Jesus' sufferings; in other words, he wanted to partake in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Ordinary Christians don't pray this kind of prayer; the prayer of the ordinary Christian usually sound as follows, "God heal me, set me free, give me a car, prosper me, promote me, make me fruitful" You won't hear an ordinary Christian praying, "God, let me suffer for you. I pray for you that you will leave the company of the ordinary today and enter into the company of the extraordinary, in Jesus' name.
Paul was a great example of an extraordinary Christian. He was eager to know God and to suffer for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:16-17 says:The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint- heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
It is when we suffer with Jesus that we can be glorified with Him. Paul said, "Let no man trouble me, I bear in my body the marks of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:17). In other words, he was saying, "I have scars to show that I suffered with Him."God glorifies those who are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. It's just like a responsible man whose wife suffered with him during tough times. When things get better, there will be nothing money can afford that he will not buy for her. One of the reasons I value my wife greatly today is that when I resigned from lecturing and moved into the middle of nowhere, telling everyone that it is a city that God promised me, she moved in with me. It was tough, but she backed me all the way and partook in my suffering. Now that things are better, she is partaking in the glory.
Are you seeking for opportunities to experience the fellowship of Jesus' suffering? Have you suffered with Him in any way? Congratulations if you said, 'Yes' genuinely to these questions because when it is time to be glorified, you will be glorified with Jesus. If you, however, are among those denying Him, remember that He said that He will also deny such persons before His Father in Heaven (Matthew 10:33).
PRAYER POINT
Lord, I want to know the fellowship of Your suffering. Please let me partake in Your suffering.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ruth 1-4
AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,With the cross of Jesus going on before.Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;Forward into battle see His banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,With the cross of Jesus going on before.
2. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.We are not divided, all one body we,One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,But the church of Jesus constant will remain.Gates of hell can never ’gainst that church prevail;We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.
5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,This through countless ages men and angels sing.
