Set your house in order - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Gal 4-6
SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER Saturday, July 31, 2010
MEMORIZE: “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would  come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up” (Matt. 24:43) READ: Isaiah 38:1-5 If there is one lesson God made crystal clear to me from the day of my conversion, it is the need to be ever ready for His coming. As a result, I never leave anything that can facilitate my making it to Heaven to the next day.  I have cultivated the habit of always planning ahead. If you are still procrastinating over issues that border on eternity, you are playing with fire.  Be always prepared. How? Put your house in order.  In Isaiah 38:1, when Hezekiah’s time was up, God sent prophet Isaiah to tell him to put his house in order.  This refers to securing your family against your demise. Your departure should not put your family in problems like it happened to the prophet’s widow in 2 Kings 4:1. Settle your debts. Let your family not inherit debts and liabilities. When some parents die, those left behind never have any good memory of the dead because of the untold hardship that they leave as their legacy. If you are 40 years and above, see a lawyer and draft your will. Even when you may still live up to 80 or 100 years, still do it. It is a mark of preparation. Some people are afraid that if they write their will now, that means that they are about to die. Oh, how wrong! It only means that if death comes suddenly, you and your family are already prepared. Have you written your will? Part of putting your house in order entails teaching your children basic things about God and the Christian faith which you have left undone. Consider areas you have been a bad example to them and make corrections. If you have ignored them like Eli, immediately employ the rod of correction and begin to put them back on line. Putting your house in order also means insuring your family against the scourge of poverty.  If you are poor and unable to offer something financially or materially beneficial to your family, you are not yet prepared to go. Do you have investments in their names? Have you invested in shares, stocks or real estate that could put some comfort into their life style? Proverbs 13:22 says if you can leave an inheritance that transcends your immediate family,  you are a good man. Such inheritance includes a good family name, cherished memories, godly life-style, and material things too. What legacy are you leaving behind? ACTION POINT: Within the next two weeks, see a lawyer and write your will.

Great news from bad news - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Gal 1-3
GREAT NEWS FROM BAD NEWS Friday, July 30, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thess. 5:10) READ: 1 Thess. 5:9-11 “When peace, like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul” Some hymns are borne out of pleasurable circumstances while others come from unfortunate circumstances. ‘It is well with my soul’ is one of the hymns which was inspired under unpleasant circumstances. In fact, it was written in memory of the sudden loss of all four precious daughters of the hymn writer. Not many people can leave a legacy that will bless and comfort millions of people out of a negative occurrence. Do you know that the ability to turn what was intended to be a curse into a blessing is an act of faith which can give that individual great eternal dividends? If something good can come out of the misfortune of the Spaffords, something good can come out of your present misfortune. In fact, if you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in that sorrowful situation, He will help you bring out something praise worthy. Jesus the Savior of the world died. That is supposed to be bad news yet from His death came salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, etc for lost men all over the world. That indeed is great news from bad news! If you lost your job and became closer to God and more fruitful in His service, that is great news from bad news! When the death of somebody leads to the conversion of many to Christ, that is great news from bad news. When will the world hear of the great news coming out of your misfortune? Horatio G. Spafford - a lawyer and practicing Christian one day saw off his wife and four daughters as they departed from Chicago to visit relatives in Europe. Midway into their trip, their ship collided with another and began to sink. Mrs Spafford prayed and committed her four daughters into God’s hands. That was the last she saw them. Fortunately, a life boat came to her rescue. As she arrived Britain, she sent a message to her husband: ‘Saved - Alone’. With grief, her husband immediately set out to England to comfort his wife. When their friends D.L. Moody and singer Ira D. Sankey later visited them to console the couple, they were surprised to find them in high spirits and able to say 'It is well' even in their tears. Three years later, Mr Spafford wrote the hymn, ‘It is well’ in memory of their daughters. When you go through a major loss, can you still trust God? ACTION POINT: Every loss is capable of delivering gains to God’s Kingdom if there is absolute cooperation between the loser and the loss remover (Holy Spirit).

- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: James 3-5
HEALTHY LIMITS Thursday, July 29, 2010
MEMORIZE: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9) READ: 2 Cor. 12:1-10 There is a greater awareness of fundamental human rights across the world today. As a result, many people desire to be free. Freedom is wonderful but it must be qualified lest what was meant to be a blessing becomes a curse in disguise. The prodigal son felt he needed to be free from his father.  He felt constrained so he took the next option, asked for his share of the inheritance and went on a spending spree to a far country. Do you feel constrained where you are? Do not break free if that ‘freedom’ will take you into another form of bondage. Some young ministers and pastors find it difficult to learn under senior pastors.  They feel there are too many bottlenecks and want to be free. They do not want a situation where they will be accountable to somebody: they want to be free so they leave to start their ministries. Like the prodigal son, they would soon find themselves in a greater bondage. The greatest bondage anyone can be in is to be without control, check or rules. You would become enslaved to your desires! In Isaiah 30:1-3, God warns against seeking for what appears like freedom but is really not. When you try to resist the constraints God has allowed in your path, you will end up with your idea of freedom. After this ‘freedom’ comes sinful pleasure. Hebrews 11:25 says even when Moses was faced with a similar situation, he preferred to allow the constraints that brought momentary limitations on him than enjoy the sinful pleasure such freedom could offer him. Pleasure could be godly or sinful. According to Proverbs 9:17-18, sinful pleasure moves an individual from sweetness to bitterness, and from life to hell. After such freedom comes losses and destruction (Proverbs 13:20). Shame follows after this. When a branch is separated from the stem, the leaves will still be green for a while because of the little food that was stored in the branch. But after this is exhausted and there is no hope for further food supplies, the leaves will wither.  Some up and coming ministers have been misled by their fans and admirers who asked them to leave their church, to start theirs. But after a while, the green leaves will wither.  Shame will result. Are you removing the constraints? Stop! Let the purpose of the constraints  be accomplished in your life. Paul’s constraints kept him humble.  Make the best of such constraints. ACTION POINT: If you are in God’s will, He allows the good, the bad and the ugly to work for your good.  Running from what God has allowed doesn’t help the runner.

WHICH CHRIST? - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: James 1-2
WHICH CHRIST? Wednesday, July 28, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also  glorified” (Rom. 8:30) READ: Romans 8:28-30 When John encountered Jesus in Revelation 1:12-13, he fell down at His feet with no strength left in him. Why? Although He was the same Jesus he was so close to while on earth, He was now in His glorified form. The same Jesus that was nailed to the Cross was now glorified. Romans 8:30 says for everyone who has been called and justified by the Lord, there is a day of glory. Your day of glory is coming. Nothing must make you loose it. Some waited a while but drifted off the narrow way before their day came. Colossians 3:14 says, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory”. There is a price to pay in order to enter into His glory. Jesus Himself paid a very costly price. He drank of the bitter cup. He passed through the way of the Cross. It was not an easy road. For your day of glory to manifest, you must drop whatever filthy garment you are wearing and put on Jesus Christ. He must be your life. How? You must live like Him, speak like Him, eat like Him and dress like Him. He must be seen in every area of your life. Before taking any step or decision, you must ask of His own view of the situation and always implement it. When Christ is your life, people will look at you but they will be seeing somebody else - the Lord Himself. Is Jesus the reason for your living? If you are not living for Him, any thing else you are living for is in vain. Another lesson from John’s revelation at Patmos is that Christ is no more on the Cross but now glorified. Many people still go about with neck chains portraying Jesus hanging on the Cross. No! He is off that Cross! He is forever free! Those who still wear such crosses are limiting their relationship with Christ. They are still relating with the Jesus that was crucified on the Cross with two criminals by His side instead of the glorified Christ. There are those who think putting on the Cross or doing the sign of the Cross will bring them protection. No. It will not! If you want to get the benefit of the Cross of Calvary, bow down to the glorified Christ and accept Him into your heart. In any case, whom are you relating with today - the crucified or the glorified Christ? ACTION POINT: As long as you see a crucified Christ, you will live a defeated life, but if you see the glorified Christ, you will live a victorious life.

Worthy of fellowship? - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezra 5-7
WORTHY OF FELLOWSHIP? Monday, July 26, 2010
MEMORIZE: “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him” (Mark 3:13) READ: Mark 3:13-15 “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him” (Mark 3:13). God has a right to call some people and not to call others. If He has called you, you should count yourself privileged. In today’s reading, the Lord chose 12 out of so many disciples for three reasons: To keep Him company, to go out and preach and to be empowered. And in that order too! Why must you be with Him before He will send you to preach and empower you for signs and wonders? It is simply to deal with the problem of loneliness. Loneliness is one of the greatest challenges of a leader. Great leaders are lonely for want of like-minded people. Birds of the same feathers flock together they say. People tend to fellowship with those with whom they have common visions, aspirations and goals. Where such goals are diverse, there will not be meeting of minds on crucial issues. For instance, when the Heaven-focused leader is thinking of how to turn in 1000 souls, his subordinate may be thinking of acquiring prime land at Lekki, Lagos. While the leader is thinking of Lets-Go-A-Fishing in December, the subordinate will be thinking of Christmas turkey. What kind of companion are you to your pastor? Some pastors are still lonely even with several ministers and workers under them. Is your presence solving or compounding the loneliness of your pastor? Great leaders see far into the future. They see what their subordinates cannot see. Our Lord Jesus needed the 12 to be with Him. In Genesis 1:26, the Lord created Adam to fellowship with Him. The Trinity could not fellowship with inanimate objects or animals they had made. Hence, they had to specially make man in their own image so that they can fellowship with them. Everyday, God came down to fellowship with Adam. One day, He came down and found Adam hiding. He had come for fellowship but Adam was not there for Him. And He asked: “Adam, where are thou?” God is still in search for true worshippers today (John 4:23-24). Are you in the place God can fellowship with you? Whenever you are located in sin like fleeing Adam, God cannot fellowship with you. Can God fellowship with you? If He cannot, you are not fulfilling the most important reason for living. ACTION POINT: Some married women still battle regularly with loneliness because their husbands are too busy to have time for them. Is your spouse lonely?

In or out of favour?- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezra 1-4
IN OR OUT OF FAVOUR? Sunday, July 25, 2010
MEMORIZE: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52) READ: Luke 2:49-52 “Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). One divine virtue you cannot do without on earth if you must accomplish your earthly tasks, is favor.  When a hopeless slave girl suddenly turns into a queen unopposed and when an imprisoned slave suddenly becomes a world ruler without any form of opposition, these could only be as a result of divine favor.  God’s favor is something very powerful. It can turn a business which started on a meager amount into a large business empire.  There is nothing favor cannot accomplish in the life and situation of the favored. It is so indispensable that even our Lord Jesus Christ could not do without it while on earth. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). If there was anyone who enjoyed favor, it was our Lord Jesus.  He was born into favor.  His birth was heralded by angels. He also grew in favor before God and men. He never ran out of favor.  As an infant, the ruling power was under intense threat because of Him. Wise men travelled a long distance just to have an opportunity to bless Him. Prophecies concerning His birth and times were fulfilled while fresh ones were released into His future. In this life, there would always be a difference between the one with favor and the one without favor.  Everything under creation works for the one who is favored of God. If God can smile at you, everything else will smile at you. Some people were born into favor like Jesus but unlike Him, they ran out of favor as they grew up. This is why parents must be very careful what they do, and how they live today as it could affect the destinies of their families sooner or later.  If you want to increase in favor, continue to do those things that please God. Obey Him promptly.  Flee from secret and open sin. Sow into the lives of others, favor them, assist the needy and intercede for the distressed. Make others joyful on your account. Regularly visit and dwell in God’s  presence. The Lord will favor you this season. When you are favored, the sun, moon and stars will work for you. According to Acts 2:47, favor also makes a difference between an ever increasing church and a stagnant church. Your church may not be growing because it is out of favor. Are you out of favor? Ask God to bring you  into favor today and make you grow in it. ACTION POINT: Father, surround me with favor as a shield.

SUDDEN EXIT - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chron 33-36
SUDDEN EXIT Saturday, July 24, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35) READ: Matthew 24:36-42 One message that the living should always have at the back of their heart is to ever be ready. One morning, our beloved Arch bishop Benson Idahosa woke up healthy. He made a call to his wife who was abroad. After their chat, he successfully conducted a powerful service and retired for lunch. Thereafter, he was talking with some of his guests when he slumped. Before they could reach him, he was gone. Our elders say that the death that killed your peer is sending a proverb to you. When someone who is physically fit, strong and energetic suddenly slumps, if you are wise, you will take it to heart and examine your own life and how prepared you are to face eternity. It is only God who can tell which of us will survive today. It is true from scripture that God may want to inform you of your home coming before hand. It is only God who can tell which of us will survive. Yes, He could even give a hint a few minutes to your departure. Whenever your time is up, may you be ready! Some years ago, God revealed how a professor in the University of Ibadan died. He and another professor were at a particular South African airport heading for different directions. While they chatted, the airbus that would convey the professor to Nigeria arrived, so they bade each other bye and he joined the queue. While waiting to board the plane, the Lord told him that if he took that flight, he would miss Heaven, but if he did not, he would go to Heaven. If given such options, which would you choose? The professor accepted going with the Lord and he immediately slumped and his spirit went to the land of eternal bliss. Such sudden departure can be the greatest news to the ever-ready believer but the saddest news to the careless, carefree believer. Matthew 24:42 warns us to watch and be on guard. It is not enough to pray. You must watch also. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says the rapture would come unannounced. It will be most sudden. If you are expecting to go with the rapture, you must always be ready. All pending restitutions must be made. Those you are grudging must be forgiven and released. Your life must be void of besetting sins. No sinful weight must tie you down. Any defect in character that the mirror of life shows you must not be swept under the carpet. It must be dealt with immediately. How prepared are you for death or the rapture? ACTION POINT: Days of grace and preparation periods have their expiry dates. Nobody knows whose period is about to expire. Be prepared!

Faultlessness is by Faith - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chron 30-32
FAULTLESSNESS IS BY FAITH Friday, July 23, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24) READ: Daniel 6:1-5 God’s call comes to millions and billions of people but only a few respond and so only such people are chosen. There are several expectations from the chosen. According to Ephesians 1:4-7, the chosen must be holy and blameless. The Bible has a list of blameless people - those who operated beyond the level of faults here on earth. Daniel could not be faulted even by his enemies (Dan. 6:1-5). This was a feat of faith! If you want to know the weaknesses of someone, pay a visit to his opponent. If you want to know the shortcomings of a political party, approach the opposing party and they will reel out all you need to know. One major assignment an opposing individual or party is naturally saddled with, is to discover your weaknesses in order to discredit you. Your enemies should have your errors and weaknesses at their finger tips. So if your enemy says you are faultless, then you are. The virtue of being faultless is a product of faith. Matthew 5:48 says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. Your faith is a very powerful thing. 1 John 5:4 says faith is a formidable weapon in the hands of believers: it conquers. Any area faith is appropriately applied to becomes victorious. Every born again Christian applied faith for forgiveness of sins before becoming saved. Some apply the same faith over sickness and healing was delivered. Some others applied faith to overcome poverty and wealth was delivered. Some academically challenged students applied faith for improved academic performances and they began to top their classes. Faith is a strong weapon in the hands of those who know how to use it. In the same way, Daniel exercised his faith towards becoming perfect and his enemies gave a verdict of ‘faultless’ concerning him. If your secular or ministerial work is still replete with errors and mistakes, you are in unbelief. It is because you have not channeled your faith towards that direction. But if you take up the challenge today and apply your faith towards being faultless, combining prayer, fasting, with zero tolerance for shoddy jobs, procrastination and anything below excellence, your name will be listed in Heaven as one of those who were faultless. ACTION POINT: The same faith that delivered salvation to you can make you be above board in everything.