OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL... FRIDAY 26th JUNE 2015 THEME : NO FOOD FOR THE LAZY MAN

     

Memorise:

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2nd Thessalonians 3:10

Read : 2nd Thessalonians 3:10-12
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

Message
Laziness is not a Christian virtue in any way. Our Lord Jesus Christ made this clear by His lifestyle of head work while here on earth. A lifestyle of laziness is outrightly rejected in Scriptures typified by today’s Bible reading. It is amazing that some people are still expecting God to rain manna on earth! It does not work that way anymore. After the children of Israel had settled in the land flowing with milk and honey and they had eaten the old corn of the land, the manna ceased (Joshua 5:11-12). What the Lord expected of them going forward was to cultivate the land and expect His abundant harvest. Some people don’t know that working is a divine attribute. They think the idea of work came as a result of sin. This is far from the truth because God worked, and Jesus Christ even said this in John 5:17
“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”

It was reported to Paul that same so-called brethren were not working in the early Church. Paul quickly responded to the situation with the example of himself, because he was hard-working. Read his testimony in Acts 20:33-34:
“I have coverted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”

Some Christians claim that they do not work for a living because they cannot get a job. From personal experience, the truth of the matter is: it is the job of their dreams that they are looking for, and because it is not forthcoming, they stay at home or loaf around, living on other people’s sweat. Such people should look for an alternative job, not only to keep busy but also to earn a modest living. Proverbs 12:11 declares that:
“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.”

Apostle Paul did not depend on any person but God for survival. Despite his extraordinary anointing, he was a still a tent maker (Act 18:3). I pray for someone reading this devotional who is currently unemployed: the Lord will provide you with a good job that will enable you to support the work of God and bless the brethren, in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:
If you are looking for a while collar job and it is not forthcoming, prayerfully try your hands on something else, and God will bless your effort in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens 25 June 2015: Thursday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Remain True to God

Topic: Remain True to God [Thursday June 25, 2015]

Memorise: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: - Psalm 103:2

Read: Deuteronomy 8:10-14 (KJV)

10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Bible in one Year: 2 Kings 21-22, Luke 12:1-21

MESSAGE:

Solomon was a man who enjoyed the goodness of the Lord in an unprecedented way. The crown of God’s goodness to him was that God appeared to him twice (1 Kings 9:2-3). He indeed recognised and testified to the goodness of God in His life. In 1 Kings 5:4 he testified that:

“But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.”

Everything that Solomon desired, the Lord granted him. But the Bible in 1 Kings 11:4 says this about his latter end:

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

The negative turn taken by the life of Solomon when he was old can be attributed to the comfort he enjoyed. This example of Solomon should serve as a lesson to every one of us. To be blessed by God is not as important as retaining your relationship with Him. Solomon started well but he could not end well.

The real character of a man is not revealed at the time he is experiencing need but at the time he has entered into abundance. King Solomon was prospered so greatly by God that the Queen of Sheba of his prosperity and fame. She personally came to Jerusalem to witness those things she had heard. It is unfortunate that Solomon did not remain true to God who had prospered him. Is the Lord doing great things through you? Don’t ever be proud. He owns the content; you are just an ordinary container. As a pastor, are there many members in your congregation? Don’t get distracted by this, God is the one drawing them to Himself. Many who started well have turned away from the faith; don’t be one of them. When people are in search of one thing or the other, they will be actively involved in the service of God, but as soon as their problems are solved and their needs are met, they will disappear from God’s service. Are you in a state where everything looks alright, but in your heart you know that you have missed it somewhere? There is no need to pretend; all you need to do is come back home to your senses. God is waiting for you. Never allow the pressures of this life to lead you to destruction. Deal with all those things that are capable of keeping the blessings of God out of your life. Come out of every weakness. Don’t allow that questionable relationship to deny you the joy of your salvation.

Prayer Point: Father, grant me grace not to fail in the place of honour.

Open Heavens 24 June 2015: Wednesday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Love in Practice

Topic: Love in Practice [Wednesday June 24, 2015]

Memorise:  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:18

Read: 1 John 3:16-18 (KJV)

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Bible in one Year: 2 Kings 19-20, Luke 11:33-54

MESSAGE:

The character of love is seen in practice and not through empty words. This is the reason why John the beloved advised that we should make the expression of love practical. One practical way of expressing love is through giving. The Bible in John 3:16 says that God loved the world, and this love compelled Him to give His only begotten Son, so that men could be saved. It was through the medium of giving that God ascertained the love Abraham had for Him (Genesis 22:10-18).

Many people deceive themselves that they love God, but God knows they are far from what they claim to be. When God lays a demand on them, even of those things that legitimately belong to Him, they give reasons why they cannot respond positively, expecting Him to understand the situation they are passing through. For example, some people deny God of tithes and offerings, and they expect Him to understand.

Our giving should also be directed towards our fellow human beings, since this is more direct. It is an expression of love to someone we can see. As a matter of fact, Jesus appreciates our gesture towards our fellow human being, particularly those of the household of faith. He said inMatthew 25:34-36 that:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

John the beloved in 1 John 3:17 also asked this question:

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

A popular adage goes: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” I would rather say “A brother in need is a brother indeed.” Some brethren find it difficult to pick up a stranded brother that is known to them on the road. Beloved, let us go back to the basic of love as was taught in the early days of the Church. This will make our Lord happy, and He shall bless us in return.

Action Point: Look around you for those in need, and show them the compassion of Jesus.

Open Heavens 23 June 2015: Tuesday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Let Your Light So Shine

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Topic: Let Your Light So Shine [Tuesday June 23, 2015]

Memorise: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. - Daniel 12:3

Read: Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 17:24-18:37; Luke 11:14-32

MESSAGE:

Any child of God who desires not to be overwhelmed by the darkness of this world needs to compulsorily shine as the light. The Bible says in John 1:5:

'And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.'

Why is it that the darkness does not overcome the light? Simply put, it's because the light shines. When the light refuses to shine, it gives room for darkness to reign. This is the reason why it is dangerous for children of God to abandon politics in the hands of the children of disobedience. These children of disobedience will continue to vote for politicians who are their spiritual kinsmen. Christians have no moral justification to complain of bad governance, if they refuse to shine as light in the political scenes of their country. The reason darkness did not overcome Jesus Christ was that, as the light of the world, he shone throughout his earthly ministry. In John 9:5 He declared that:

‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.'

He also defined us as the light of the world in Mathew 5:14.

From today's memory verse, we understand that to shine in this world of darkness requires wisdom. It therefore follows that it is foolish to light your spiritual candle of salvation and hide it under the table. Of course, it's only a matter of time before the light goes out. One of my children once shared the wisdom that God gave him to always overcome being overrun by evil of this age. Anytime he finds himself in a new environment, the first thing he does is to announce that he is a child of God. He does this by witnessing to the high and low of that place. So, from the first day of his arrival, people already know he is not someone to discuss fraud and other sins with.

How do we shine as stars in the darkness of this world? Daniel gave us the answer to this question also in Daniel 12:3:

'And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.'

I urge you to begin to shine through soul- winning and teaching the doctrine of righteousness, and God will back you up. The evils associated with darkness will not overcome you in Jesus'Name.

Key Point: When you preach, teach and exhort people into godliness, you will be left with no option to live as such.

Open Heavens 22 June 2015: Monday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Young Must Grow

Topic: The Young Must Grow [Monday June 22, 2015]

Memorise: But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18

Read: 2 Peter 3:15-18 (KJV)

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Bible in one Year: 2 Kings 15:27-17:23, Luke 10:38-11:13

MESSAGE:

There is a privately owned transport outfit in Nigeria which has “The Young Shall Grow” as its company name. This name suggests optimism concerning the potentials of the young. However, in the kingdom of God, the expectation that the young will grow is beyond optimism; it is a matter of compulsion as seen in our memory verse. I pray that you will grow spiritually in Jesus’ Name.

How can a young Christian grow spiritually? Apostle Peter gives a definitive answer in 1 Peter 2:2

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

This is one of the areas where we have issues in the 21st century Church. Some influential churchmen and women have rejected the accuracy and sufficiency of the scripture for Christians living. They have settled for the philosophy of relativism. Incidentally, this development is not new; it was manifested in the early Church also. This formed the basis of why Peter wrote the words of today’s Bible reading. Amazingly, Peter in this epistle made mention of the epistles of Paul, which he described as too hard for the unlearned and unstable. These ones were not ready to grow; so they twisted the epistles of Paul and suit their lusts; just like they did with dismay that a senior pastor of a church said to his congregation that some of those things Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus and to the Corinthians are not necessarily meant for European or African Christians! How on earth would the congregation of such a pastor grow spiritually?

Apostle Peter therefore warns us in 2 Peter 3:17 to beware of the error of the wicked, so that we are not led astray like Eve in Genesis 3:4-5. The serpent seemed to be saying to her: “Don’t mind God; you cannot die at all; God is only being unnecessarily high handed because He does not want you to be as enlightened as He is”. Apostle Peter followed up this warning with the command that all Christians must grow and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). If a Christian would not grow in grace to do according to the word of God, such a Christian will be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and is doomed for perdition. Therefore, young Christians must grow by being grounded in the true word of God.

Prayer Point: Father, grant me revelation in the knowledge of You, and feed me with the bread of Heaven that I may grow to spiritual maturity in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens 21 June 2015: Sunday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Great Gain

Topic: The Great Gain [Sunday June 21, 2015]

Memorise: But godliness with contentment is great gain. - 1 Timothy 6:6

Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (KJV)

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Bible in one Year: 2 Kings 14:1-15:26; Luke 10:17-37

MESSAGE:

The Church of Jesus Christ in the 21st century has been robbed of godliness due to lack of contentment. The desperation many so-called children of God exhibit in their search of money has deprived them of living a godly life. “The end justifies the means” has become the driving principle of many. Why would the Church allow herself be robbed of a virtue the Bible describes as great gain? The answer can be found in the parable of Jesus on the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:27-30: “An enemy hath done this.” The enemy of the cross is responsible for this development, and the Church must do something about it as a body and as individuals.

Every child of God must personally endeavour not to be caught in the web of worldliness and insatiable appetite for material things like Esau, Gehazi and Judas Iscariot. We must learn to live modestly in this world. The Bible in Hebrews 12:16-17 admonishes us:

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Collectively, let us avoid what happened at Kibrothhattaavah among the congregation of the children of Israel, when their appetite for the delicacies of Egypt caused them to murmur against the Lord and His servants, Moses and Aaron (Numbers 11:4-6). We should always have his truth at the back of our minds:

“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” - 1 Timothy 6:7

The story in Numbers 11:4-34 is a rather unfortunate illustration of lack of contentment. Although the Lord had been feeding the children of Israel with the food of angels free of charge (Psalm 78:24-25), they were not content with it; they wanted barbecue chicken instead. At the end, this brought leanness to their soul (Psalm 106:14-15). Beloved, if there is anything you must seek and find today, it should be godliness with contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Prayer Point: Father, cause Your fear to rule my heart in contentment in Jesus’ Name.