MEET YOUR CREATOR- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

MEET YOUR CREATOR Saturday, January 30, 2010

MEMORIZE: “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist ” (Col 1:17) READ: Colossians 1:14-18 The Lord Jesus Christ is linked with divinity, man, animals and even plants by His names and titles. Generally, He is linked with the whole of creation as the Creator. Ephesians 3:9 says, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ”. John 1:3 confirmed this when it said: “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made”. After the Godhead had decided to make the world, God the Son was the One who swung into action to implement this. Everything in Heaven and on earth was created by Jesus Christ with the consent of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Nothing exists outside of what He created. This means that every human being has a link with Jesus Christ as Creator. It is very sad when people rebel against Jesus. How pained He is when He is rejected by those He created with His bare hands! By virtue of creation, every one owes Jesus Christ their origin. We all came from Him and some day, we will all return to Him. The implication of this is that He is interested in the affairs of all His creatures particularly you and would want to help out. Do you relate with Him as your Creator? One thing you can be assured of is that the Creator has a purpose for creating you. The reason many go through life without a purpose or without fulfilling their destinies is because they decided to part ways with their Creator. There is no way the original, fantastic blueprint for your life can be found except you return to your Creator. Your destiny is in Christ. That you have become rich, popular or presently occupy a position of authority does not mean that you are taking the right path to your destiny. Many have gone into activities and have made names for themselves without discovering God’s purpose for their lives. Do you know how shocked such people would be on the other side of eternity to discover what they were meant to be, which they never achieved? Jesus your Creator is calling you to Himself today. He is ready to fix your disorganized life if only you will let Him. ACTION POINT: There is no human ancestory without Jesus Christ. If you think you were not created by Him, go and find your source.

GOD WHO CREATED ME: A BOOK FOR THE QUIET TIME.

Stop that Axe- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

STOP THAT AXE!
Friday, January 29, 2010

MEMORIZE: “And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matthew 3:10)

READ: Daniel 4:13-14

“I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven” (Daniel 4:13). The big, beautiful and fruitful tree in king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was under observation. You are under observation. You are constantly being watched by unseen forces. Some leaders believe the higher they climb, the more difficult it becomes for anyone to monitor them closely.

That is not true! The reality is that the higher you climb, the easier it becomes for all to see your errors. Heavenly watchers are everywhere watching you, hence you ought to be more careful in all you do. Some errors would be ignored and known to just a few if committed some years ago when you were a ‘nobody’; but now that you are ascending the ministerial ladder, it would be seen by many and would not easily be glossed over.

Apart from watching, the heavenly watcher was asked to cut down the tree, cut off the branches, shake off the leaves and scatter the fruits. In other words, every sign of life and fruitfulness was to be destroyed. Until then, the tree never thought that it could be cut down. There is nothing impossible to God. What He cannot do through men, he will engage angels. What He cannot do through angels, He will do Himself. Two categories of trees are meant to be cut down. They are the proud and the fruitless Christian.

According to Proverbs 16:18, it is only a matter of time every proud person will be cut down. Unfortunately, because the repercussion of a proud act is not immediately effected, some people think they have escaped it. King Nebuchadnezzar was cut down one year after his act of pride (Dan. 4:28-33). Have you sown some seeds of pride and believe the results have gone away because you have received Jesus into your heart?

Take steps in humility to destroy the imminent evil harvest now! Also, Matthew 3:10 says any believer who is incapable of growing the good fruit of the Spirit deposited in him will be cut down. Every manifestation of the Adamic nature draws you closer to the heavenly axe man. If you live like an angel in church but like the devil in your school or work place, you are a candidate for divine axing. Repent today and avoid anything that can bring down God’s axe. What you need is not the axe but the rain of God’s blessings!

ACTION POINT:

Father, in any way an axe is laid to my roots, forgive me and turn it away. Help me never to attract the axe in what I do or say.

MARKS OF COMMITMENT- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

MARKS OF COMMITMENT
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

MEMORIZE: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke. 14:33) 

READ: Genesis 39: 17-23

According to John 10:30, Jesus was one with the Father and John1: 1-3 says He took part in creating everything with the Father. So equality with His Father was not in doubt as Phillipians 2: 5-6 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God”. Before He took the form of a man, He relinquished His equality and completely subordinated Himself and His will to the Father. Personal commitments to God can cause you great suffering and death like it did to Jesus.

In Daniel 1:8, the commitment of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to the living God cast them their right to the King’s table. They became vegetarians in the midst of abundance. Similarly, in Daniel 3, because of their commitment, they were hurled into Nebuchadnezzar’s burning fiery furnace. They could have been roasted yet they did not mind. If you say you are committed  to God, and you have not gotten into trouble as a result, something is definitely wrong somewhere. Commitment to God will take something from you. Sometimes, it could even take everything from you. Are you committed to God? Where are the marks of that commitment?

According to today’s reading, Joseph’s commitment to God cost him a lot. He lost his position as the most trusted servant-manager, lost favour before his master, and attracted false allegations from his master’s wife which landed him in prison for a crime he never committed. A preacher once said whenever Paul the apostle arrived in a town or city, he first paid a visit to their prison because he knew sooner or later, he might end up there. Are there marks of commitment to Christ in your life? Have you lost your job or contract because you refused to be defiled? Have you become bereaved or suffered so much for your commitment? The good news is that every mark of your commitment attracts great Heavenly rewards. If you are not prepared to go to prison, be isolated or suffer loss for your commitment to God, you are not ready to serve Him.

ACTION POINT: Count all your losses, sacrifices and sorrows as a result of your faith in Christ and thank God for grace to suffer these afflictions.

The Word of God - Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

THE LINK Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Understanding The Bible

MEMORIZE: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7)

READ: John 6:59-63

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). Jesus Christ is the Word of God. He is the Word that became flesh (John 1:14). He is the only God that dwelt among human beings, was seen, touched, and spoken to (1 John 1:1-4). God the Word is the same as God the Son. The Bible calls Him the Son of God. The Muslims say God has no wife: how then can He have a son? A man is known by His word.

A man is identified by his words. Jesus Christ came from the inner-most being of God the Father. And as the Word, He is the Son, power, wisdom and everything that God the Father is. He is the expression of God. Without God speaking, nobody would have known who He was. The Bible says Jesus Christ is the first spoken Word of God. God the Father spoke out God the Son, and God the Son spoke out God the Holy Spirit. John 6:63 says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I

speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”.

Jesus is God. He says that the Word He speaks is the Spirit. The words that Jesus speaks is Jesus. So Jesus and the Spirit are one. The Word and the Spirit are the same. Since Jesus and His Word are the same, each time you frolic with the Word of God (the Bible), you make contact with Jesus Christ. Also, the much of God’s Word you know is the extent of Jesus Christ you know. The closer you are to your Bible, the nearer you are to the Living Word. The much of God’s Word you hide in your heart, the much of God you have in you.

If you profess to be a believer in Christ but do not spend quality time with the Bible, you are impoverished in terms of Christ. Hence, Colossians 3:16 says you should allow the words of Christ to fill you up. Are you rich or impoverished in the Word of Jesus Christ? How much of His Word do you know? How much of His Word do you obey? Have you made His Word the standard for daily living? Is His Word the final authority in your life? Your relationship with Jesus tells how you relate with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit; Hence the Word of God is the link.

ACTION POINT:

The Word of God (the Bible) is your link with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Refreshing Anointing- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

REFRESHING ANOINTING TODAY: Monday, January 25, 2010

MEMORIZE: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” (Acts 3:19) 

READ: Luke 10:17-21

In Acts 5:1-11, Peter used his supernatural power to uproot a couple in the Early Church. Sanitizing the church is not by mere talking but by the supernatural move of God. Some years ago, during the Convention, it was time for me to pray for the pastors who came from the various denominations. As I was about to pray, I heard in my spirit a discussion of two witches - one on my right and the other on my left, saying it was time for them to operate. Immediately, I announced that if they come out they would be delivered but if not, they would die within a week.

They confessed and one of them said he was not personally responsible but what was in him. The presence of the supernatural would make men to see God the way He is. Quite a number of unbelievers believe that the testimonies they hear by testifiers are stage-managed - nothing but lies. But when they see the raw demonstration of God’s power, they will not be cajoled before they surrender.

A man once attended the Holy Ghost Service. His son had been trying to persuade him over an issue but he refused to listen. As soon as he came in, as instructed by the Lord, I said there is a man coming for the first time who came late because he was feeding his snake. And that the Lord said before he gets home, his snake will die but if he loves himself he should surrender to Jesus or else he will die with his snake. Immediately he heard it, he ran out and was delivered. If you are in contact with the supernatural, soul winning would be piece of cake.

After the seventy returned from evangelism, they had great joy and testimonies because of the supernatural acts that followed them. But even after that, the Lord re-empowered them. According to Acts 1:8, God wants you to wait to contact His supernatural power before you go out. This is one way you can be assured of a successful outing. Also, if after you are baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit and you utilize the anointing in liberating others; particularly in winning souls for Christ, a refreshing anointing awaits you as you retreat into His presence like the seventy did. Yes, the supernatural refreshes!

ACTION POINT:

After being spent for God, if you are not refreshed in His presence, you will suffer a burn out.

Feeding and Choices - Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

FEEDING AND CHOICES
TODAY: Sunday, January 24, 2010

MEMORIZE: “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good” (Isa. 7:15) 

READ: Isaiah 7:14-16

Information guides decision making. The quality of decisions you make is determined by the information you have. With in-depth and current information on a subject matter, you will be guided to make better decisions than when you never had access to such information. Another salient factor that would help you in making better decisions is spiritual nourishment. To develop the physical brain power, good food is necessary. 

Malnourishment in children increases tendency for mistakes and poor mental development due to deficiency in certain nutrients the brain requires to function at its optimal level. In the same way, a malnourished believer will face challenges in effectively developing his mind and discerning abilities. Hence, if you want to be spiritually sensitive, you must combine prayer, the undiluted Word of God, spirit-led worship and regular fellowship with the brethren. It is easier to make the right decisions and choices in an atmosphere of good spiritual nourishment. Your environment goes a long way to affect what you become. Your environment undoubtedly makes certain inputs into you which eventually determines your final output. This is why a child raised among local farmers would likely choose local farming as a career. What are you surrounded with?

Our Lord Jesus Christ was also affected by His environment as a growing child. Isaiah 7:15 says, “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good”. From this scripture, a link is established between food and choice. What you feed on affects your choice. If you feed on the things of the flesh, you would be carnal in your choices and decisions. But if you feed on the things of the Spirit, you will find yourself making good, spiritually uplifting decisions. What do you feed on regularly? If you spend more time with sinner friends just to chat and gossip with them, or in front of the television box watching everything in the name of exciting programmes, your mind will be filled with worldly wisdom. Do not be surprised if you accidentally adopt the wisdom of the world in solving your problems!

ACTION POINT: Don’t just take anything in the name of feeding. Eat deliberately. Eat according to knowledge.

WHAT TO AVOID- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

WHAT TO AVOID
TODAY: Saturday, January 23, 2010

MEMORIZE: “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Ps. 34:14) 

READ: Psalm 34: 12-14

One way you can prove your love for God is by abstaining from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). Our Father is completely good and in Him is no evil. God cannot stand the sight of sin because Habakkuk 1: 13 says His eyes are too pure to behold evil. When our Lord Jesus Christ hung on the Cross of Calvary bearing the sins of the world, because of this divine quality, the Father turned His face from His Son and Jesus cried out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). If you love God, you cannot stand the sight of sin. If you love God, your spirit man would be grieved each time evil is practiced around you. You cannot stand the sight of fornicators, liars or gamblers. You will not feel at ease in the company of the ungodly. If you feel comfortable in the company of evil doers, something has gone wrong with your love for God. If you are no longer grieved by the sins of sinners, then your love for God is questionable.

What are the appearances of evil that you should flee from? It could be seemingly harmless suggestions of a friend or loved one. Whenever you are advised to do something capable of breaking your relationship with God, for instance, when told to try fetish priests for the solution of nagging problems,  that is an appearance of evil. Take your leave (Psalm 1: 1-3). It could be during moments of leisure when you see or stumble on nude pictures on the television. If you do not flee, but think you are strong enough to handle it, within minutes, you could fall and would be the one searching for more of such scenes. In the same vein, when confronted with a compelling situation that is preset to cause you to sin like Joseph and Portiphar’s wife, flee (Gen. 39:7-12). If  you were a drunk before you became a believer in Christ, avoid watching beer commercials on television and going to beer parlours. Avoid being in the company of an ex-boyfriend  or ex-girlfriend alone. Avoid every negative thought of vengeance, strife, fraud, or immorality. Never give place to any sinful suggestion. If you do not want God to take His leave, keep away from polluted places. Any friend who continues to influence you to practice sin must be avoided. Any work place that does not give you space for righteous living and service of God must be shunned.

ACTION POINT: If you know what to avoid, and keep your distance from such things, you will struggle less with sin and your flesh. Ask for grace to avoid all you must avoid.

FIRE EXPOSES- Open heaven devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

FIRE EXPOSES


Thursday, January 21, 2010



MEMORIZE: “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3)




READ: Acts 5:1-11



“A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97:3). Our God is a Consuming Fire. According to Psalm 97:1-3, whenever God is embarking on a journey, the despatch riders on His entourage are fire. When God arises, His enemies will be scattered (Psalm 68:1-2). If some pastors would have their way, they would not allow any witch or wizard to come into their local church. Don’t stop them from coming because some of them may want to be free. But those who refuse to quit their evil deeds or link with the spirit of witchcraft will be consumed by the fire in you. This is why you must be on fire for God. If a witch can look at you eye ball to eye ball and ignore you, it means there is no fire in you.



The church is a spiritual clinic were the worst cases are treated. Spiritual cases which conventional hospitals cannot cure, are treated in the presence of God without money. It is therefore the ‘super’ general hospital with lots of impossible ailments being referred to it by the best of teaching hospitals. Is your church such a spiritual clinic? If the fire of God is lacking, many sick people brought there would return home with their problems. In Acts 5:1-11, a couple who tried to deceive their pastor was buried that same day because fire was present in the Early Church. While preaching one day, there was some kind of commotion in the congregation.



This was unusual. A woman was on her heels and some ushers went after her. At the end of the service, they brought her to me and she confessed that while the sermon was on, her dress caught fire. We prayed a simple prayer and on reaching home, she passed out a dead snake. From that day, she was rid of her satanic powers and became free. In a church vigil sometime ago, a member of the choir encountered the fire of the Holy Ghost and she confessed that she was a member of a satanic group whose leader was their choir mistress. This lady, along with other members of the choir were initiated and assigned to seduce the ministers. Until that fiery exposure, the congregation had basked in satanic anointing without knowing it. May the Lord set you on fire and expose the secrets that have been covered. Ensure however that you are not covering up anything or else the fire will expose you.




ACTION POINT: Ask the fire of the Holy Spirit to expose every hidden thing in the church today.

Taking it back?- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

TAKING IT BACK?


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A Word from God - Four Principles for BelieversMEMORIZE: “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42)




READ: Mark 14-35-36



One priceless treasure men find difficult to give up is their free will. But if you will be relevant in God’s plan at all, giving up your free will must be the starting point. In today’s reading, our Lord Jesus Christ sets an example for us. When He saw the enormity of the price He was going to pay to redeem us from sin, the Lord asked His Father to spare Him all that trouble by allowing the cup to pass by Him. Yet, on second thoughts, He wondered: How could He have come all the way from Heaven to earth for this purpose and return without saving the human race He so loved? So He relinquished His free will for God’s will to be established.



Obeying God absolutely can be a very difficult task. Have you planned to do something for God’s Kingdom but at some point, when you counted the cost, you changed your mind? Jesus was at that bus stop too but if He could overcome, you too can. To submit to God’s will, Jesus gave up many things including His equality with the Father. At that valley of decision, Jesus could have said, ‘You remember we are equals and we formulated the redemption plan together? Now, I have changed my mind: so take this cup from me’. Thank God He never yielded to the pressure of His flesh to cancel the redemption plan! There would have been no hope for the human race!



Sometimes, obeying God could be very costly. Are you faced with a restitution that could cost you all you have - your reputation, ministry, position, and you would prefer to go to the grave in disobedience than obey God? Jesus is there to help you. Confide in Him: hand over all your cares, fears and tears to Him and He will see you through. When your free will clashes with God’s will, one should give way for the other. Would you give way for God’s will to be done? To what extent have you yielded your time, intellect, money, talents and other endowments to please the Lord? Have you submitted completely to the leading and periodic promptings of the Holy Spirit regarding evangelism, visitation, giving, tithing, helping the needy ones, etc.? If you will overcome and finally be with the Lord throughout eternity, then you must be as yielded as He was. Are you? Return all you have taken from the altar of consecration today!



ACTION POINT:


When the One who gave you your free will requests for it, you have not lost anything.

WAIT ON THE WORD- Open heaven devotional with Pastor E.A Adeboye

Wait on the LordWAIT ON THE WORD


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

MEMORIZE: “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4)




READ: John 2:1-11



“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In Genesis 1:1, God is introduced to us right at the beginning. There are certain things that must be given priority at the start of anything. The Word of God is one of such. Begin your day with the Word and for the whole day, you will receive divine support, protection and direction. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17). Cultivate the habit of reading from the Written Word (Bible) during your personal quiet time or morning devotion before you leave your home.



Let God speak some words of life into you before you go out. Never leave without hearing from Him! Similarly, whenever you are beginning anything, start with the Word. Many laudable projects and businesses have gone under after a period because they did not begin with the Word. If you start a church, ministry or project whose foundation is not based on the Word, when you run into stormy waters, you might lack the strength to carry through. If you can take the pains to seek God’s face on your proposed marriage, career, business, ministry, and receive a specific word on it, God will give His commitment to it. This is what many people find difficult to do.



They are too much in a hurry to wait to hear from God. As far as they are concerned, God is too slow for their liking. But beginning with the Word is the easiest, fastest and surest way to start anything. If it will take you weeks, months or years to receive the Word that would be the foundation for that project, it is worth it. It is better you waited that long and see things go well than jump into the activity and continue to go round in circles. This year, do not begin anything significant without Him. When Jesus Christ was on earth, He waited on the Father. Nobody - not even Mary, His earthly mother could push Him into anything without hearing from the Father. If you follow this principle, you will have lots of success at the end of the year. It pays to wait for the Word!



ACTION POINT:


Any pressure that makes you ignore God’s counsel in any matter must be avoided.

KNOWING THE TRUE VINE- Open Heaven devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Monday 18 January


TOPIC: KNOWING THE TRUE VINE

MEMORIZE: “I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman” (John 15: 1)

READ: John 15: 1-2

All members of the Godhead are in love with name and titles. It is my prayer that the Lord will reveal Himself to you by His names, broaden His personal covenant with you and deliver their inherent blessings to you in Jesus’ name.

Like the Father, Jesus Christ has a lot of names and titles. But while the Father and the Holy Spirit have about 30 names each, Jesus has at least 100 names and titles. Upon careful study, this is to make Him more relevant to His creation as much as possible. The names and titles of the Lord Jesus Christ are diverse and linked with every facet of life in both terrestrial and celestial planes. For instance, by His name The Mighty God, He is linked with divinity (Isa. 9:6). As the Son of Man, He is linked with human beings (Matt. 8:20). He is also linked with animals with titles such as Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5) and Lamb of God (John1: 29)

Besides His link with to God, man and animals, the Lord Jesus Christ is equally linked with plants and vegetation, hence He is the True Vine (John 15:1); the Branch (Isa. 4:2); Root of David (Rev. 22:16), Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valleys (Songs of Solomon 2:1). If you have experienced Him by any of His plant-linked titles for instance, no plant or fruit can do you harm. Most of our foods come through plants, trees and vegetation. When the True Vine is on your side, you can never be hurt by whatever they eat or drink. He will ensure that the appropriate vitamins and nutrients contained in plants, fruits and foods are delivered to you. Similarly, with the True Vine on your side, no evil gathering on any tree against you will succeed. Have you known Him by these titles? When He is not on your side, He can ask the food you take not to deliver what it should (Haggai 1:6-10). Ask to know Jesus as the True Vine today.

ACTION POINT: If You know Jesus as the True Vine, all you require from plants and Trees will be delivered to you.

DO YOU DISGRACE GOD?- Open heavems devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Sunday 17 January


TOPIC: CAUSING SHAME?

MEMORIZE: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written” (Rom. 2:24)

READ: Romans 2: 21-24

Some years ago, one of our pastors who was seeking employment with a bank, requested a letter of recommendation from me. He was to go for the final phase of the interview when the bank chairman called that it was no longer necessary for him to attend the interview because of my recommendation. Apparently, this employer was conversant with my signature and when he saw it on that letter of recommendation, he was satisfied and gave the man the job. Two years later, the man was sacked. Thereafter, the bank chairman invited me for lunch and raised the issue saying he hoped the sack would not affect our relationship because the man was not what I thought him to be. I was sad and embarrassed!

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3: 9).Each time you live below the Lord’s testimonial about you, you embarrass and put Him to shame. It is a very painful experience when somebody looks at you and says “And you call yourself a child of God”. Even when they refuse to quit sinning, unbelievers expect you to adhere to the mould of a believer you have carved out for yourself.

Some of us have forfeited our legitimate rights to fight for ourselves just because we do not want the name of Christ blasphemed on our account. In 1981, after the burial of the founder of our church, there was a gang-up against me by the senior pastors who suspected that I was likely to succeed him even when no official announcement had been made to that effect. On my way to the pastor’s meeting from the University of Ilorin where I was lecturing, I was busy arming myself with scriptures with which to fight them. But somewhere between Oyo and Ogbomosho, the Lord intruded and asked me to tell Him the name of my Heavenly Father. As I began to mention them one after the other, He kept saying ‘Yes’, ‘Yes’, until I mentioned the Prince of Peace. At that point, He asked, “As the son of the Prince of Peace, are you supposed to fight?” That was how my plan to fight my opposers to go. And the Lord gave me victory. What battle are you engaged in today? The Lord will make you victorious. In any way you are causing shame to the Lord by your conduct, repent today.

ACTION POINT: Those who bring shame to God will be disgraced if they make it to Heaven while those who bring Him honour will be celebrated. Where do you fall?

Using your God-given potential- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

 TODAY: Saturday 16 January


TOPIC: POWER TO BECOME

MEMORIZE: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9: 6)

READ: John 1: 11-13

God has created everyone with potential. Unfortunately, some do not realize their potential while those who do, fail to fully exploit it. Only a negligible few exhaust their God-given potential on earth. May you not leave this world without fully realizing your potential in Jesus’ name. Recognizing your potential starts from knowing the Lord Jesus and discovering your purpose in life. God did not just create you for fun or to add up to the number but to fulfil a definite purpose. According to John 1: 12, part of God’s plan for you is to attain full sonship. There is a great difference between being born again and being a son of God. As a child, Jesus had to wait to be processed into the level of full sonship before He could go to the Cross (Isa. 9: 6). It took encountering the power of the Holy Spirit to prepare Him to fulfil destiny (Acts 10:38). Without an encounter with the power of the Spirit, you would remain trapped and would live far below your potential. To fulfil your destiny, you must partner with the Holy Spirit.

Another character who realized his potential was Peter. If you compare Peter before the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost with the Peter after Pentecost, you will notice some sharp differences. Before Pentecost, Peter was full of fear. He found it difficult to stand on his convictions. Even a maid could make him deny the Lord but after Pentecost, Peter realized his leadership potential but lacked the fire, zeal, direction and divine backing of the Holy Spirit to fulfil it. As a result of this, he dumped his main purpose of existence – fishing souls, for his old business – fishing, after Christ’s death (John 21: 1-3). But after Pentecost, he was able to perform according to Heaven’s expectations. Are you feeling weak, fearful and discouraged from taking the necessary steps to fulfilling your purpose on earth? Like Peter, you need to encounter the power of the Holy Spirit and what you lack will suddenly be provided. You shall fulfil your destiny in Jesus’ name. ask God for the power to become what you were meant to be.

ACTION POINT: The Holy Spirit is directly linked with man’s destiny. There is no fulfilled destiny without successful cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

Something to everyone: Open heavens devotional by pastor E.A Adeboye

12 Ways To Be A Blessing To Your ChurchDAY: Friday 15 January


TOPIC: SOMETHING TO EVERYONE

MEMORIZE: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour” (2 Tim. 2: 20)

READ: Daniel 4: 10-12

Today’s passage relays King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Let us learn from it. It talks of a beautiful, big and fruitful tree which provided food for some, shade or cover for some and accommodation for others. This tree had something to offer every category of animals that came in contact with it. It was a very useful tree. Like this tree, you can be beautiful, fruitful and have something to offer for every class of the human race. You are capable of impacting men in several ways for God’s glory. If you are born again but you are not as useful to mankind as this tree, you are yet to exploit your God-given potentials. This tree affected the world: you too can affect the world for good!

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour” (2 Tim. 2: 20). God wants to use you as a vessel unto honour but whether He will do so or not depends on the type of vessel you have made yourself – whether of the highest or lowest quality. Golden cups are not used to fetch faeces, just as wooden plates are not used to serve food to important guests. What God will use you for and the extent of such usage will be determined by the quality of vessel you have made of yourself. If God canot use you to execute honourable plans, He will allow Satan to use you for dirty jobs. Only that while those who are used for honourable assignments are rewarded, those engaged in dirty jobs will be judged.

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more” (1 Cor. 9:19). You are the one to determine your sphere of influence. You are the one to choose the mould of vessel you will fit into. Apostle Paul resolved to be like that tree and affect virtually everyone he comes in contact with. Some believers cannot preach to their subordinates while some cannot preach to their superiors, This limits your value. Some believers are a blessing spiritually but are incapable of blessing others financially, intellectually or materially. That limits your value. What is that thing restricting your ability to impact others? Immediately take steps to release yourself. If it means doing a post-graduate course, entering into a new profession, changing your spending pattern, working on your relationship with neighbours etc, do it. Like that tree, you can offer something to everyone.

ACTION POINT: The more relevant you are to God and men, the easier it is for your Heavenly Advocate to win all cases brought against you by the Satanic kingdom.

BENEFITS OF GOAL SETTING- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Goal Setting: How to Create an Action Plan and Achieve Your Goals (Worksmart)TODAY: Thursday 14 January


TOPIC: BENEFITS OF GOAL-SETTING

MEMORIZE: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15)

READ: Ephesians 5: 14-17

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4: 15)

Goal-setting is advantageous to the goal-setter. You must not take on any assignment be it spiritual or secular without setting clearly defined goals. There are several benefits you can derive from setting goals: It gives the goal-setter a sense of purpose and direction. A goalless life is a purposeless life. Also, it gives you something to live for in the face of opposition and difficulties. Goals also act as the benchmarks against which performance or non-performance is measured. When you evaluate your activities over a period viz-a-viz the set goals, it will become easy to determine your level of performance. Measurement of performance is difficult and subjective if not done in relation to set goals. In addition, goals help to minimize waste and make you a better time manager. You will observe that the one without goals appear to have too much of time, while the goal-setter has too little time to achieve his goals. So, while the former is wasting time, the latter is effectively utilizing his time. Moreover, goal-setting helps you manage all your resources effectively – whether financial, intellectual or material resources.

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). As a result of being able to manage time more efficiently, a goal-setter is termed a wise person. The one who operates without goals is only being foolish. A goal-setter is able to live a more careful and disciplined life while the non-goal-setter lives a carefree and indiscipline life. The word ‘circumspectly’ involves thinking very carefully about something before doing it, in a bid to avoid certain risks. The goal-setter is able to avoid the foolish risks that non-goal-setters could be trapped in. If you consider the Greek translation of the word ‘circumspectly’ –akribos, it means something perfect. This means that the goal-setter is more likely to attain perfection than his or her non-goal-setting counterpart. Living a planned, disciplined and time-bound life helps you live a life of holiness. Do you plan regularly?

ACTION POINT: Are you following the goals you set for year 2010?

When 'NO' is okay? Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

How your faith works when God says no!TODAY: Wednesday 13 January


TOPIC: WHEN ‘NO’ IS OKAY

MEMORIZE: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7)

READ: James 4: 1-3

Although God’s Word never fails, yet it is possible to pray based on scriptures and not get a desired answer. In the 70s, I used to go for retreats with some Bible study leaders at a youth camp that obviously was the most promising, conducive and serene Christian camp ground in Nigeria then. With over 40 acres of land, the camp was endowed with a smooth flowing stream and a beautiful scenery that adequately provided comfort to users. When we heard that it was out for sale for 100,000 Pounds, how my team converged on that land to pray! We quoted relevant scriptures, did prayer walks on bare feet and claimed the land for our use. We were so poor that we could not afford 1000 Pounds.

In spite of all the prayer effort that went into it, we lost the land to another church that acquired and paid for it without stress. Boy, were we disappointed, discouraged and cast down! Unknown to us, God had other plans- even better than we desired. According to James 4:3, we were asking amiss. About five years later, the Lord expressly led us to our current campground; we bought it amidst tears of joy and gratitude. It was then it dawned on me that when He said ‘NO’ to our earlier request, it was because He had something better in store for us.

It is not every time God’s ‘No’ means ‘Nothing for you’. It could mean ‘This is not god enough. Wait until I find something better’. Have you been trusting God for a particular blessing for so long? You have prayed, confessed the Word, stood on His promises and released your faith yet it appears God is not hearing; Be not discouraged! God is interested in that request but it could be that what you are crying your eyes out for is not as good as what He has in mind for you. This is one reason you should be totally yielded to His will. Are you bent on marrying that brother or sister and God appears silent on your request? He may have someone better for you! Ask God to help you never to pressurize Him to the point of giving you something below His best. Anytime your desire is below God’s provision, ask to receive a ‘No’ for an answer. That is when ‘No’ is okay.

ACTION POINT: Thank God for reserving the best for you. Ask for grace always to wait on Him until you get His best.

The Living Word - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Tuesday 12 January


TOPIC: THE LIVING WORDYou Are The Living Word

MEMORIZE: “And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Rev.19:13)

READ: Revelation 19: 11-16

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:6). According to 2 Peter 1:19-21, the Holy Spirit spoke through holy men of God certain words of life which were later documented as the Bible. This shows that the Spoken Word birthed the Written Word. To many Christians, that is the end of the matter. This should not be because the Holy Spirit is still speaking today. Whenever the Spirit speaks, never allow the words to go undocumented. This means you could document personal or family experiences in the faith and consult it regularly. Following this line of thought, Apostle Paul told his spiritual son Timothy, “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to prophecies which went before on Thee, that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare”(1 Tim. 1:18). Every word of prophecy that is spoken into your life must be documented. Words of knowledge, words of wisdom, specific directions of the Spirit about particular situation or prophetic utterances through clean vessels must be documented. Since they are part of ‘every word proceeding from the mouth of the Lord’, you can hold on to them, stand on them, use them to fight and ask that they be established. Everything God has spoken to you should be documented as your personal ‘Bible’ or else you could forget, lose or truncate its purpose in your life. Never accept any prophecy from fake prophets!

Apart from the Spoken Word and the Written Word, today’s reading introduces us to the Living Word. He is the Personality of the Word and He is alive. John 1:1-3 says He had existed together with God from the creation of the world. He leads the Heavenly army as the Commander-in- Chief and is also called the King of kings and Lord of lords. John 1:14 says He wore human flesh and was revealed to men as the Son of God. His name is Jesus Christ. When you have contact with Him, your life cannot be the same again. He will win all the battles of your life as He has never lost any battle. He does not come into a situation for fun but to effect the will of God the Father. If you want the Person of the Word of God to visit you, then you must receive and obey both the Spoken Word and the Written Word (the Bible). Jesus Christ is of the same essence with the Spoken and the Written Word. What’s your relationship with the Word of God?

ACTION POINT: Father, manifest every good word you have spoken concerning me, my family and our church this season.

The Supernatural. Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

TODAY: Monday 11 January


TOPIC: YOU WILL NOT SINK

MEMORIZE: “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46: 2)

READ: 2 Kings 6: 1-7

When the supernatural combines with the natural, something far more superior results. For instance, when the limited ability of man is combined with the unlimited ability of God, the result can be very outstanding. When an axe head fell into the river in 2 Kings 6: 1-7, and the man of God took a piece of wood and threw it into the river, the wood sank like lead while the iron axe head began to float. This simply tells us that no loss is permanent. A loss remains a loss until the supernatural power of God comes into the situation. Anytime Jesus Christ- the Vine is introduced into a situation of loss, whatever was missing will be found. Also, just as the axe head swam to the fore, if you allow Jesus to be dipped into your life, all your hidden potentials and possibilities that the enemy probably thought they had securely caged would come to limelight. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, every hidden or imprisoned talent, ability or potential in your life shall come to the surface from now on.

Another lesson from today’s passage is that allowing Jesus Christ to be dipped into your life leads to self discovery. If you truly want to discover yourself- to know who you are, your worth and divine value, your potentials for God’s Kingdom and God’s purpose for your life, allow the Word of Jesus Christ to dwell richly in you. Are you yet to know why you are on earth? The Lord will open your eyes to discover yourself in Jesus’ name. We also learn that any stormy waters you go into with the Lord cannot drown you. Are you currently going through the floods? You shall not drown. As long as Jesus is with you, you will stay afloat like the axe head. In Isaiah43: 1-4, God says ‘Fear not’. Are people sinking in the midst of that major challenge? You will not sink! You will stay afloat. Why? The Vine had to sink so as to keep you afloat. In that situation, Jesus is your resting place. He is your foundation so you cannot go under. You will overcome and testify of His goodness. For a user of this Devotional who is going through an overwhelming situation, the Lord says you will not sink because He is upholding you with His victorious right hand. You are coming out victorious!

ACTION POINT: When in your place Jesus sank, you cannot sink. You shall float irrespective of your negative circumstances.

God gives Songs- daily devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

DAY: Sunday 10 January


TOPIC: GOD GIVES SONGS

MEMORIZE: “Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Ps. 42:8)

READ: Psalm 40: 1-3

“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives” (Mark 14: 26).

To round up the Last Supper, the Lord took a hymn together with His disciples. He was about to make His most difficult trip to the Cross. Looking at the example of our Lord, it is good to sing psalms and hymns regularly. Also, it is wonderful to take a hymn during Holy Communion. However, from our Lord’s experience, hymns should be taken before embarking on very tough divine assignments. Some people do not think they should sing when sad or depressed but the Lord defers. He sang a hymn as was His custom while going to the Cross. If He did this, we too can take a hymn while going through storms, persecution or difficulties. When you are about to undertake a difficult assignment, you need every strength you can get. Hymns are veritable sources of spiritual strength for the committed believer. Taking hymns in hard times can give you the required stamina to go through it. Every divinely inspired hymn has an anointing over it which is released whenever the hymn is taken under a conducive spiritual environment.

“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms” (James 5:13). One way of utilizing your pleasant moments is by singing hymns and psalms. Someone defines psalms as what you sing to reflect God’s mercies on your life while hymns are the songs that offer praise to God. On the other hand, spiritual songs are those either written by spiritual people or written about a scriptural subject. The Holy Spirit is interested in giving songs to men. He does this when they are asleep. Sometimes, you wake up from sleep with a song on your lips and spirit. That could point to a victory the Lord has given you during the battle of the night. At other times, you could be so lost in praise or worship and suddenly receive an inspiration for a song. Sometimes, you could be so engrossed with the study of God’s Word that you are inspired to come up with a word-based song. How sensitive have you been to the songs from the Lord? This season, the Lord will put a song in your mouth like the Psalmist!

ACTION POINT: You can trigger heavenly songs by what you do. How prepared are you for this? Pray for the success of all Holy Ghost services this year.

Your body belongs to God- daily devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Love Not the WorldDAY: Saturday 9 January


TOPIC: INSTRUMENT OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS?

MEMORIZE: “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Rom. 6:13)

READ: Romans 6: 11-13

If you love God, it will show in your hatred for sin. You cannot love God and at the same time be facilitating sin or be the vehicle through which sin is being perpetrated. Your house or office cannot be used as a brothel for your sinner friends. Your computer with internet access cannot be the avenue through which fraudsters are sending fraudulent mails to would-be-victims, or for browsing pornography while you pretend not to notice it. If you love God, you will hate evil.

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Rom. 6:13). If you love God, it will show in what you yield yourself to. Your hands cannot touch sin – not even items that contain anything evil or anything destructive such as cigarettes, beer, hemp, heroine, pornography, idolatrous images, occultic books and regalia, etc. If you once ordered and used some charms for love, success, good luck or protection before you came to Christ, you must destroy them. Those love portions from India and books on astral travel must go. You cannot combine Satan with Christ. It can never work!

In the same vein, words, books, and dresses that are sexually suggestive must be avoided. Worldly music or records must not be entertained in your home. In several Christian homes today, people freely allow ungodly music. Although they say they have stopped going to discos, ball rooms and such like, the reality is that through the electronic media, these have been brought into the home without anticipating any danger. This is most dangerous! If Satan can gradually introduce you to worldliness through worldly music, he will end up polluting your mind. As a believer, your heart should not be open to anything that does not edify your spirit. Some parents are raising their children for the world, not for Christ. They see nothing wrong in their children dancing to worldly songs. They even make excuses for them saying, ‘She is only a child’. But that child is being groomed to love what the world loves! This is the reason for children abandoning the ideals of the Christian faith later in life. Watch it! Teach them early; Teach them right. No part of your body must dance for Satan!

ACTION POINT: Which part of your body has been an instrument in the hands of Satan? Ask God to help you bring it under control.

WHAT DOES YOUR NAME MEAN? -Daily devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

DAY: Friday 8 January


TOPIC: PROMOTING DEITIES?

MEMORIZE: “but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Pet. 2: 9)

READ: Daniel 4: 6-9

King Nebuchadnezzar was at peace and prospering in his palace when trouble struck. For believers, particularly ministers of God, there must be no moment of relaxation – no unguarded hour or else the fellow could be brought down by enemy’s fire. Hence, 1 Thessalonians 5: 15-17 says whenever you are rejoicing or celebrating, prayer must be going on side by side. As you are dedicating that car, house or business, pray. As you rake several souls into God’s kingdom, pray. Whatever feat you perform for God this year, let it be backed up with prayer and vigilance.

Similarly, the king named Daniel Belteshazzar – the name of his idol. By this, he was trying to establish Daniel’s importance to him. As a believer, you must be careful the name you bear, give to your children or call a project or firm you have influence over. When your name is linked with a local deity, you become an advocate of that deity. You will be advertising that idol. In the same vein, the spirit of that deity will have legal grounds to determine the course of your life and activities. For some believers who are not prayerful enough, such names can hinder them from achieving their destiny. Is your name associated with a local deity? Prayerfully rebel against it and have a name change today! You cannot bear a name that promotes a local deity and at the same time safeguard Jesus’ interests.

As a believer, your name should be linked with that of God your Father. Several Bible names such as ‘Elijah’ are names bearing the name of God – Jah (Jehovah).whenever such a name is mentioned, the name of the Lord is being promoted. Can people easily link you with Jesus Christ by the name you are called? King Nebuchadnezzar also said he saw the spirit of the holy gods in Daniel. How? By his lifestyle, conduct and good works. This ungodly king could testify that the Spirit in Daniel was holy and different from the gods he served. No matter how much demons fake holiness or miracles, the difference between them and the spirit of God will always be apparent. According to Acts 4:13, the type of boldness you exude will determine the deity you represent. To what extent does your life and conduct link you with the Lord Jesus Christ?

ACTION POINT: Ask for grace to be a good ambassador of Jesus Christ in all you do and say.

The FIRE Connection- daily devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

DAY: Thursday 7 January


TOPIC: THE FIRE CONNECTION

MEMORIZE: “And of the Angels he saith, who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire” (Heb. 1:7)

READ: 2 Corinthians 4:5-7

When God assembled the children of Israel to deliver the Ten Commandments to them, they were terrified because they saw the fire, lightning, thundering and smoke that surrounded the mountain He had descended upon. They begged Moses to go up to the mountain to talk with God and not for God to talk with them for they were afraid of death (Exodus 20: 18-19). Hebrews 12:29 further says the link between God and fire is not a coincidence, because God’s visage is fiery; hence, He is called the Consuming Fire. In Acts 2:1-13, when God was about o release His ministers to carry out the work of evangelization, He deposited fire on each of them. For God to use you for any divine assignment, you must first have His fire.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7). For God to use earthen vessels, He must first add His fire. When fire comes in contact with any of God’s chosen ones, the yoke on the fellow will be roasted. God cannot call you His minister if you cannot go and liberate captives. God has reasons for releasing fire on His minister before sending him out. First, anointing attracts attacks from the enemy’s camp, and even from unserious minded Christians. In Judges 15: 11-14, the anointing on Samson caused his townsmen to tie him and deliver him to his external enemies. But when the fire of the Holy Spirit came on him, the ropes were roasted. Revival generates persecution. God also makes his ministers fire because fire purifies. According to Malachi 3:1-3, God wants to purify His ministers before assigning them task so that the enemy will not be able to access them. When ministers spend a whole night casting out one demon, it is because there is no fire power. Acts 19:11-12 says ordinary handkerchiefs that touched the body of Paul had enough fire to heal the sick and cast out demons. How many demons have you casted out since you believed? Do you have the fire of God in you? If there is one thing you must possess this year, it is the fire of the Holy Spirit. The moment it comes on you, you can no more be hid. Then God is ready to send you out as His representative. Are you ready?

ACTION POINT: Father, release your fire upon me today and make me a flaming fire.