Animal or human diet? - Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 35-37

ANIMAL OR HUMAN DIET?

Friday, February 12, 2010

MEMORIZE: “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them” (Isaiah 65:21)

Read: Genesis 3:17-18

One book that catalogs end time events in great details is the Book of Revelation. As wonderful as this book is, not many believers spend much of their time studying it because a good portion of it appears in coded, symbolic form and because of the very dramatic pictures that it paints which to the average reader appears larger than life. However, this book is rich in lessons and unveils several truths of the Kingdom to the diligent reader. The Book of Revelation can thus be summarized as ‘All will be well’ and ‘It is darkest before dawn’.

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Isaiah 51:3). The Messianic Age otherwise known as the Millienial Reign of Christ, when He will reign on earth with His saints for 1000 years is one blessed period the Book of Revelation talks about. This comes immediately after the Great Tribulation.

During this time, all barren land will become very fertile. Trees during this era will be able to deliver without any restraint and give their best. After the fall of man in Genesis 3:17-18, the earth was cursed. What is generally known as potatoes today is nothing but thorns. From the outset, we were not supposed to be eating vegetables because that was for animals. But when man rebelled against God, He allowed man to be eating vegetables like animals. But when Jesus returns to rule the earth, the curse shall be broken. Then we will be made to leave vegetable for animals as we return to our original food - fruits (Isaiah 65:21-22).

At that time, the fruits you see today will be quite different in size, richness and healthiness from that produced under a cursed earth: This tells us that curses limit the potentials of the cursed. If you are cursed, you cannot be what you are meant to be. If your earth - business, source of livelihood or family is cursed, it cannot give you its ultimate yield. Is sin in your life? It will reduce you to the level of animals. Today, people are being fed with the food of animals just because sin is reigning in their lives. Break off from this age long slavery by accepting Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. Are you regularly eating in your dreams? Check it. Sin may be lurking somewhere in you.

ACTION POINT:
Your spiritual diet is determined by the measure of the life of God you possess.

A living sacrifice- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 32-34

A LIVING SACRIFICE?
Thursday, February 11, 2010

MEMORIZE: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service”

(Roms. 12:1)

READ: Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12 :1).

At the beginning of his ministry, Paul took a ride in a basket as he escaped for his life in Damascus (2 Cor. 11:32-33). But imagine, the God who delivered him from the garrison at Damascus, allowed him to end up in a jail at Philippi (Acts 16). That God answered a particular prayer yesterday, does not mean that He would repeat another answer in exactly the same manner. In Acts 16:25, Paul conducted a worship service in prison right in the midst of chains and bonds.

He never complained. Paul learnt to praise God in whatever circumstances he found himself. Not many people can praise God when thrown into prison for the Gospel sake. He was prepared to undertake the worst of sufferings for the Kingdom of God (Phil. 1:20-21). He was not ashamed. Are you ashamed to suffer minor ridicule, persecutions, denials, beatings for His Name today?

Paul could say we should become a living sacrifice to God because he was one. In African traditional religion, when a bird or animal is brought as sacrifice to an idol, the giver forfeits his right to that animal; it becomes the property of the idol for the rest of its life. Whether it lives or dies or is given to someone to rear is at the discretion of the idol. That living sacrifice may be fed so well in one moment and the next minute be killed. This explains the term living sacrifice.

You should be so yielded to God to the extent of delivering to Him the greatest pleasure in whatever you do. If dying for the Gospel will give Him the height of pleasure, you will be prepared to die like Stephen. The preparedness of Daniel to go into the lion’s den demonstrates that he was a living sacrifice. But in the end, instead of death, his faith compelled a decree for the whole world to fear Daniel’s God. If my death can produce a united nations decree compelling all nations of the world to worship no other god other than my God - the true and living God, I would gladly be on my way to Heaven. Are you a living sacrifice? To what extent do you seek His glory?

ACTION POINT:

Your devotion to God is measured by the level of sacrifice you are prepared to make for Him. What risks can you take for God?

Breakthrough is painful- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 28-31

BREAKING THROUGH IS PAINFUL

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Breakthroughs From Heaven

MEMORIZE: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
for he giveth of his bread to the poor” (Prov. 22:9)


READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16

There are various levels of breakthrough. There is a type of breakthrough that ushers in a period of limited pleasure, provision or joy and thereafter diminishes. A brother received a breakthrough which came by a word of knowledge. As the word came to pass, he got connected with an uncommon medical facility which came from a distant land. For a period of time, he blossomed and raked in money.

But at some point, the business attracted high level of competition that eventually knocked him out of business. That breakthrough was quite limited. But on the other hand, there is the breakthrough of breakthroughs which is capable of swallowing other breakthroughs. This can be called the ultimate breakthrough - the type which completely banishes poverty from the life and situation of the recipient. That shall be your experience this season in Jesus’ Name.

Through the monthly Divine Encounter Program of this church, the Lord has caused several brethren to enter this realm of breakthrough financially to the extent of becoming multi - millionaires. This is why you must not fail to attend the Divine Encounter if you are trusting God to touch your finances. However, as we study the widow of Zarephath, we see God turning her from nothingness to someone of importance. She moved from a point where all she had to her name was a meal to a point when she never lacked again. I see God repeating His miraculous intervention in your life and situation. But the change did not just come.

Usually, changes do not just come until provoked. There are seven tried and tasted principles that you can learn from in this story through which you can move to the next level in your finances. First, the most appropriate time to sow is when it is most difficult or practically impossible. When you sow at such a time, you are most probably in for a spiritual jack pot. It is difficult to sow out of very little. It is difficult to give out your last. It is tough to collect our salary or total profit from a business and turn everything into a kingdom project on God’s instruction. As difficult as these may be, they are the means by which you can change your financial history. But are you daring and God-trusting enough? Take a step today!

ACTION POINT:


Father, thank You for all Your blessings. Give me my super breakthrough that will terminate lack and poverty in my life.

DO YOU KNOW GOD?- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

You Must Be Born Again - A Sermon by Dr Jack Van Impe - LP RecordBIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 25-27


DO YOU KNOW GOD?

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

MEMORIZE: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” ( John 17:3)

READ: Daniel 1:8-15

“O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me” (John 17:25). As a result of being with God from the beginning of beginnings, Jesus Christ knows everything God knows. Also, this association made Him to know the Father. If you want to know God, you cannot do so from a distance. A sinner cannot know God. A compromising believer cannot know or understand God. Yet, if there is one thing you must have this year, it is the knowledge of God that can transform your life forever.

According to Daniel, the strength and ability to do exploits are derived from the knowledge of God (Dan. 11:32B). He was speaking from experience. He had a knowledge of God that made him to excel even with the least provision (Dan. 1:8-21). Do you know that if you really know God, your little provision is enough to make a difference in your generation? It is not the size of the provision, capital or position: It is all about what you know of God. Have you known God to the point of effecting change in your unpleasant circumstances?

Daniel’s knowledge of God brought him from slavery in a foreign land to the corridors of power and remained there (Daniel 1:19-21;3:30). Have you left the shores of your nation for greener pastures and presently you are like a slave living from hand to mouth? If you truly know God, that knowledge can turn your situation around and place you on top like Daniel. Similarly, Daniel’s knowledge of God gave him solution to impossible problems (Dan. 2:1-49). If you know God to an extent, you could provide solutions to the problems of those around you.

You can become so sought after because of this. Have you known God to the extent of affecting your destiny, family, community, or nation for good? Do not stop at where you are. All you know about God presently can be compared with a drop of water from an ocean. No wonder Apostle Paul made knowing Christ His life ambition. Little wonder he was full of exploits.
ACTION POINT:
More than ever before, cause me to know You Oh Lord!

Releasing the Anointing- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 21-24

RELEASING THE ANOINTING
Monday, February 08, 2010

MEMORIZE: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9)

READ: Matthew 17:14 -21

God is calling us to a closer walk with the Holy Spirit. This launches us into the realm of the miraculous. But one question you may ask is: ‘After I am anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit, how do I ensure the anointing will flow through me without any hindrance?’ You can plug a fan to electricity yet it fails to work. This brings the need for holiness. “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee, with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9).

To receive the anointing you need to be holy. To transfer the anointing, you need holiness too. To be hooked up with the Holy Spirit, you must be holy. Every sin in your life both reduces your chances of being anointed as well as being used as a channel. Of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is most jealous about holiness. Is there any sin in your life that can hinder the supernatural outflow of the power of God through you? Confess them to God and live right.

Apart from holiness, you need faith because whatever you are doing for God’s Kingdom is based on His Word. And anything not done in faith will receive God’s rebuke rather than approval. It is by faith the anointing is released. Commands issued to demons, sicknesses and unpleasant situations may not be obeyed if not backed by faith. In addition, you need prayer and fasting. In today’s reading, a young boy was brought to the disciples while the Lord was away.

They tried all they could but the demon only laughed at them and told them he was going nowhere. But when the Lord descended from the mountain where He was transfigured before Peter, James and John, He saw the same child and with a single rebuke the demon left him alone. When the disciples later asked to know why they could not deliver the child from the power of darkness, Jesus told them there are certain cases that refuse to respond except after combining prayer and fasting with your faith. If you are prayerful, and you can go into fasting periodically and you have your faith and robe of righteousness in place, you will easily operate in the miraculous.

ACTION POINT:

Sin is a major obstacle to the flow of the anointing: Never allow it in your heart!

 

THE OUTSTANDING PRIEST- Open Heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Exo. 18-20

THE OUTSTANDING PRIEST

Sunday, February 07, 2010

MEMORIZE: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15)

READ: 2 Cor. 6:14 -18

As God’s royal priest, we must set the pace in every good deed (1 Tim. 4:12). You must lead by example. You must be seen practicing whatever you teach your congregation. Be positively different. Even when it was the vogue for men of God to identify themselves by their flamboyant attires, I towed a different line. The Lord will cause you to be His true representative in Jesus’ Name.

Another role of a royal priest is praise. You are called to offer praise to God and cause Him to be praised by what you do. We should praise God, not ourselves or other men. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”. Do you know that you can glorify God or make Him unhappy in little things like what and how you eat and drink? The royal priest who recognizes his spiritual position in Christ will mind table manners and watch what goes into his belly. Some believers are so fond of food that they do not watch what they eat and how they eat.

Apart from the pace-setter role and call to praise, the royal priest is expected to be resolutely holy. This is why we are called a holy nation. “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy: for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Some compromising believers blame their unsteadiness on the corrupt nature of their environment. They would argue: ‘Can a fish in the sea avoid drinking from its waters?’ The organization where you are may be rotten but that is not enough reason to drink from its defiled waters. God wants you different for all to see. You should be different from those who take advantage of others, cut corners, sleep around and compromise. As a peculiar priest, you should be identified as one who practices God’s commandment contained in the Bible. Ask God for grace to be an outstanding priest. Your light should so shine that everyone will be able to attest by your works that you are truly of God. You can be a priest with a difference! You can stand out for righteousness in your generation!

ACTION POINT:

Thank God for all men and women of God in your nation. Ask God to make them positively different so that they can affect their generation for good.