Open Heavens

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: FRIDAY AUGUST 30TH 2024


THEME: WORK


MEMORISE: I the LORD search the heart, l try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:10


READ: Proverbs 22:28-29

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.


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


MESSAGE

The Bible makes it plain that God values work. Whether you're a full-time parent, bus driver, artist, or engineer, God is concerned about your work, as long as what you do for a living is legitimate. Work is a major component of God's overall plan for man. In the

Garden of Eden, after God made man, He told him to tend the garden (Genesis 2:15). This means that any man that does not work is malfunctioning because man was made to work.


The value of work is inherent. Work gives pleasure, which is why some retired people are still working even after their retirement. There is no pleasure in just sitting around from morning until night-time, doing nothing. Many wealthy people fall into depression when they feel like they have made a lot of money and don't need to work anymore. There is no pleasure in accomplishing nothing. For example, when you work on a garden, you will get a lot of pleasure when you see the fruits in that garden begin to blossom.


The memory verse for today says that God will give every man according to the fruit of his doings, so if a fellow does nothing, he or she will get nothing. This is why 2 Thessalonians 3:1 0 says:


For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.


The reason God gave you talents is so that you can put them to work. If a believer does not use his or her talents, he or she will answer to God on the last day (Matthew 25:14-30). God cannot condone laziness at all. John 5:17 says:


But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.


If God is working, He will not allow you to be lazy. My God is not a God of lazy people. If a believer is lazy and is asking God for blessings, He will ignore such a believer. Working hard is a godly value, and laziness is ungodly. You cannot claim to be a Christian and yet be lazy. Even if you are unemployed, pray to God and find something that you can do to contribute positively to the society, no matter how small it may be. From doing this, God will open greater doors for you. You cannot afford to lie around doing nothing; it is against God's plan for you


KEY POINT

No lazy fellow can receive anything good from God.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 23-24


AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE


HYMN 26: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS 


1. There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.


o Refrain:

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.


2. There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.


3. There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honor Thy Word.


4. There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!


5. There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God have His way.

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 


Thursday, 29th August 2024 


LOVE THOSE WHO HATE YOU


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.Father, thank You for loving me; even while I was yet a sinner, You died for me to save me from the power of sin and death 


2.Father, thank You for Your continuous love for me in all areas of my life.


3.Father, in any area that I have sinned against You and rejected Your love for me please have mercy and forgive me. 


4.Father, help me to love those that hate me, help me to be kind to them, in Jesus' name. 


5.Father, please, help me to do the right things for people always, may I not use my position to victimise others, in Jesus' name 


6.Father, help me never to allow any form of corruption in my heart or repay evil with evil, in Jesus' name 


7.Father, help me not to seek to avenge myself rather, help me to overcome evil with good deeds, in Jesus' name


8.Father, give me a heart that loves unconditionally, a heart that cares and provide for those that hate me, in Jesus' name


9.Father, vengeance is Yours, teach me to forgive and not to allow evil to overcome me in an attempt to repay those that despitefully use me, in Jesus' name


10.Father, as much as it lies in me, help me to live peaceably with all men, in Jesus' name 


11.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.


12.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.


13 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.


14.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)


15 ..In Jesus' name I pray.

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


16.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 Spirit 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 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: THURSDAY AUGUST 29TH 2024


THEME: LOVE THOSE WHO HATE YOU


MEMORISE: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;    Matthew 5:44


READ: Matthew 5:38-48 

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:


39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.


40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.


41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.


42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.


43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.


44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;


45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.


46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?


47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?


48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.


MESSAGE

For many Christians, when they are having a dispute with someone, they tend to forget that they are still born again. As they don't seem to like a fellow or the fellow doesn't like them, they treat him or her badly. Jesus Christ said in Luke 6:35 that you must not only love your enemies, but you should also be kind to them. When you know the right things to do for people, whether you are on good terms with them or not, do it. The Bible says that it is sinful for you to know something good that you are supposed to do and not do it. James 4:17 says:


Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.


Don't victimize someone with your position because the person is not your friend. Whether you are the one who is right or not does not matter, the moment you decide to victimize them, you become the one who is wrong.


In the Bible reading for today, Jesus Christ said clearly that you are not to repay evil with evil, rather, you are to repay evil with good. The reason for this is that He does not want your heart to abhor any form of corruption or evil at all. Apostle Paul said that when you decide to avenge yourself or repay evil for evil, you are letting evil overcome you. Romans 12:20-21 says:


Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.


The Scripture above says that you should love, care for, and even provide for those that hate you. You shouldn't relate with people based on whether they love you or not or on how they treat you; you should relate with them based on how God wants you to. Don't let evil overcome you in a bid to repay someone or show them how powerful you are. If evil overcomes you, it means that you are now on the side of the devil as opposed to the side of God. I will conclude this teaching with the words of Apostle Paul in Romans 12:18:


If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.


KEY POINT

Whether you are on good terms with someone or not, be good to them.


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 21-22


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.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 


Wednesday, 28th August 2024 


PERSONAL DEVOTION


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.Father, I worship You for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.


2.Father, I praise You because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands.


3.Father, in any area that I have sinned against You and have drawn far away from Your presence, please have mercy and forgive me


4.Father, as the hart pants after water brooks, so let my soul pants after You, O God, in Jesus' name. 


5.Father, draw me closer to You, help me to spend time alone with You in Bible study and prayers, in Jesus' name 


6.Father, I want to know You more and the power of Resurrection and to also partake of the fellowship of Your sufferings; help me to build a personal connection with You, in Jesus' name 


7.Father, help me to build and maintain a personal altar to further build my personal connection with You, in Jesus' name


8.Father, help me not to be too busy to seek and build a personal devotion with You, in Jesus' name


9.Father, please, help me not to get tired of getting enough of You, talking with You and studying Your word, in Jesus' name


10.Father, help me to regularly build a personal relationship with You, in Jesus' name 


11.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.


12.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.


13 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.


14.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)


15 ..In Jesus' name I pray.

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


16.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 Spirit 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 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28TH 2024


THEME: PERSONAL DEVOTION


MEMORISE: As the hart panteth water after the brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.   Psalm 42:1


READ: Psalms 63:1-8

1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;


2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.


3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.


4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.


5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:


6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.


7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.


8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.


MESSAGE

You cannot get close to someone by relating with him or her only in a group. If you really want to get close to someone, you will need to spend some time alone with that fellow. It is necessary to have your family devotion, where all members of your family come together to study the Bible and pray, and it is absolutely necessary to attend Bible Study and prayer meetings with other brethren. However, you cannot get close to God if you don't sit alone with your Bible to study it and spend time alone with Him in prayers; this is your personal devotion time.


God relates with individuals, not groups. Even in a group, when God wants to talk, He addresses Himself to individuals. For example, He was talking to all members of the church in a city when He said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelations 3:20). Though God was talking to the entire church, He used singular pronouns. This is why many-a-times, when I am ministering, and God wants to

give someone a miracle, He will say through me, "There is someone here...". Two or three people may get their miracle from that proclamation, but He addressed each of them separately. God wants to have an individual relationship with you. The relationship your pastor, parent, Bible Study leader has with Him does not apply to you; He wants to connect with you personally, and until He has built a personal connection with you, you cannot really know Him.


To build this personal connection with God, you must have a personal altar. This is a place and/or time when you meet with Him daily. You must set aside a time every day to study your Bible and pray. You will discover as you start having personal time with Him that there will always be an ongoing conversation between yourself and Him every time, either on something He is teaching you or something that you are trying to understand as you study your Bible. Your altar is not a place you come to only when you need something from Him, it is a place you come to regularly to build a personal relationship with Him.


REFLECTION

How is your personal relationship with God?


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 18-20


AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE


HYMN 11: I'VE FOUND A FRIEND IN JESUS


1. I’ve found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see

All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;

He tells me every care on Him to roll.


Refrain:

He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.


2. He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;

In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;

I’ve all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn

From my heart and now He keeps me by His pow’r.

Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,

Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.


3. He’ll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,

While I live by faith and do His blessed will;

A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,

From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.

Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,

Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.

Monday, August 26, 2024

Open Heavens Prayer Points

PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL


Tuesday, 27th August 2024


WORKING FOR GOD 


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.Father, thank You for making me Your child through the salvation of my soul and faith in You 


2.Father, thank You for the privilege Your grace has brought me to be counted worthy to work for You 


3.Father, in any area that I have not been faithful in working for You, please have mercy and forgive me


4.Father, please, make me Your child and not a visitor in Your house, in Jesus' name. 


5.Father, as Your child, help me to put things right in Your house and not having to wait for others, in Jesus' name 


6.Father, make me a husbandman in Your house, one who cultivates the land to produce fruits for everyone; make me also the first partaker of those fruits, in Jesus' name 


7.Father, teach me to make things run smoothly in Your house; make me also the first partaker of the blessings and miracles thereof, in Jesus' name


8.Father, help me to render my labour to You out of love, and not with compulsion or grumbling, so I won't lose my rewards, in Jesus' name


9.Father, please, may I not be a hireling in Your house but a child, in Jesus' name


10.Father, I want to work for You Lord, show me what, where and how to work for You, in Jesus' name 


11.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.


12.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.


13 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.


14.Your Personal petitions.

( Philippians 4:6)


15 .In Jesus' name I pray.

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


16.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 Spirit 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 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.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

 OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL


DATE: TUESDAY AUGUST 27TH 2024


THEME: WORKING FOR GOD


MEMORISE: Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works Of God?   John 6:28


READ: Hebrews 6:9-14

9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.


10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.


11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:


12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.


13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,


14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.


MESSAGE

When I got born again in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, those that served in the church were not called workers, they were called Children of God. There was a reason behind that. When a child gets to his father's house and sees that things are not placed where they should be, he or she naturally starts

putting things right. However, when a visitor comes into that same house, he or she will simply find a place to sit and remain there. If you see God as your father, whenever you get to His house, you will do whatever you can to make things work smoothly. You wouldn't go to your father's house and not care about the outlook and advancement of the place.


There are many benefits of being a worker in God's house. One of them is stated in 2 Timothy 2:6:


The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.


Because you are a husbandman, one who is cultivating the land to produce fruits for everyone, you will be the first partaker of those fruits. In other words, when you work to make services run smoothly, you will be the first partaker of the blessings and miracles that happen in those services. No one works for God without getting a reward. Hebrews 6:10 says it clearly:


For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.


God will never forget whatever labor you do out of love for Him. God decreed in Leviticus 19:13 that no laborer must be denied his or her wages. Do you think He will not reward you for working directly with Him? Your wages when you work for Him include protection, provision, a sound mind, deliverance, speedy answers to prayers, and a whole lot more. While it is fine for a church to employ or pay professionals for some services, 1 always tell church members who are adamant about charging a fee for

rendering any service without being employed by the church that they shouldn't expect anything from God again, as they cannot get paid twice for the same service. As a worker in a church, once you insist on getting paid money for any service you render in the church, you have made yourself a hireling in His house and not a child.


REFLECTION

Are you really a child of God or just a visitor in His house?


BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 16-17


AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE


HYMN 4: TO THE WORK, TO THE WORK

1. To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,

Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;

With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,

Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.


Refrain:

Toiling on, toiling on,

Toiling on, toiling on:

Let us hope, let us watch,

And labor till the Master comes.


2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;

To the fountain of life let the weary be led;

In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,

While we herald the tidings, "Salvation is free!" 


3 To the work! to the work! there is labor for all;

For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;

And the name of Jehovah exalted shall be,

In the loud-swelling chorus, "Salvation is free!" 


4 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,

And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward;

When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,

And we shout with the ransomed, "Salvation is free!"