OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. TUESDAY AUGUST 30 2016. THEME : PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE BLESSING.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

TUESDAY  AUGUST  30 2016.

THEME : PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE BLESSING.

MEMORISE : Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 1 SAMUEL 2 : 30.

READ : DEUTERONOMY  28 : 1 - 6 :

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

MESSAGE  :

If you want to command the blessings of God, you must be willing to pay the price. If you want the kind of blessing that does not have any form of sorrow, you must be willing to obey the instructions of God. If you want the kind of blessing that is no respecter of seasons, you must be willing to live a holy life. This means it is very possible for you to enjoy the blessings of God all the days of your life; however, there are principles that command this blessing. When you follow and honour God, you have no fear of tomorrow. There are many people who are worried about what their tomorrow looks like. They don't know what will happen next. For those who are living holy, they know their tomorrow will be alright as promised by God in His Word, they know they will prosper. This is automatic for them because the Word of God says :

"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" Isaiah 1 : 19.

If you are living a holy life, God will supply all your needs. There are many people who are blessed but they have no peace. For those who walk in the path of God, He blesses them and adds peace to their blessing.

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." Isaiah 3 : 10.

If you want a glorious promotion, you must live a holy life. The Almighty God is no respecter of persons. He will never bend His standards. He is very strict and perfect. It is the blessing of God that takes an individual to the top. The moment you choose to live by His standards, God will lift you up on high. If you do not live holy, you will always see yourself falling down. Those who are down always suffer but when you are on top, the Lord will bless you greatly. This is why you have to make up your mind to pay the price of consecration. The knowledge of God produces material and financial blessings. The moment you honour God with your life, you will have access to the good things of life. You will attract blessings from all parts of the world and He will give you the wisdom to keep the blessings. Obedience brings blessings; if you are obedient you will have victory in every aspect of life. You will have access to the Fullness of God's provision. Only those who walk in the principles of God can command the blessings of God. He fed the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness without them working for one day. The blessings of the Almighty God are inexhaustible. When you distance yourself from the principle of tithing, the blessings of God will always be distant from you. There is no blessing for the wicked unless the wicked repents and comes to Jesus. Fools are those who know the consequences of something and still go into it. They know that the wages of sin is death and still continue to sin. Divine blessings come to those who keep the commandments of God. They enjoy good success and prosperity. The moment you begin to walk in the principles of God, everything you touch becomes blessed. It is obedience to the Word of God that attracts blessings into one's life.

KEY POINT :  It pays to follow God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 5 : 14- 7 : 29 AND PSALMS 44 : 17 - 26.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 1 : O LORD MY GOD

1. O LORD my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hand hath made;
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed:

Chorus:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

2. When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze:

Chorus:

3. And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in:
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

Chorus:

4. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home - what joy shall fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art!

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. DATE: MONDAY 29TH AUGUST 2016 THEME: THE GREAT INVITATION!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: MONDAY 29TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: THE GREAT INVITATION!

Memorise:
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith The LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

Read: Matthew 11:28-30
11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29. Take My Yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I Am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

11:30. For My Yoke is easy, and My Burden is light.

MESSAGE:
A. There are numerous invitations we receive during the course of our lifetime, but there is an invitation that changes the life of a person permanently and that invitation is only found in Jesus.
1. Sometimes, people can invite you to great occasions where you dine and wine with very important people in the society but that does not put an end to the trouble you are going through as an individual.
2. You dine with them, but upon returning to your private closet, you carry your problems again.
3. However, when you respond to the invitation of Jesus, He solves all your problems.
4. This is why you cannot afford to respond inappropriately to this invitation. 5. With this invitation, you come as you are.
6. Present yourself to Him the way you are and let Him turn your  life around.
7. This is why the invitation of Jesus is the greatest of all invitations; it is also unique because He has all The Power and The Resources to turn any situation around.

B. No matter how blessed an individual is, there is a limit to how many people he can help.
1. No matter how buoyant your organisation is, there is no CEO that can employ everyone in a country.
2. Jesus is the only employer who can pay everyone that comes under His Government.
3. There no restriction, it is open to all.
4. This invitation is to those who live under the stress and turmoil of this world.
5. He wants to deliver them from all their troubles.

C. There are those who have problems with their spiritual life.
1. Jesus is available to release Grace and Mercy in the state of their spiritual poverty.
2. There are people living under the bondage of emotions and religion.
3. Jesus wants to set them free and deliver them from all their battles both within and without.
4. There are many people who are struggling on the inside. When you see them, they appear alright but they have troubles, fears, worries, anxieties and depression.
5. Jesus is calling you to come to Him.
a. He wants to remove the yoke that the devil and His agents have put on you.
b. He wants to uproot every plant that He has not planted in your life.
c. He wants to deliver you from the burdens of this world that cause frustration and depression.
6. However, you must submit to Him before He can be of help to you.

D. It does not matter how far you have gone into the world of sin, Jesus is calling you to come.
1. There is no sinner without a future and there is no saint without a past but in Jesus everything becomes new;
2. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
3. One finds Peace and Rest of mind by understanding that his sins are forgiven by The Grace of God through The Blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross at Calvary. Because where there is no shedding of blood there is no remission for sins.
4. You can cast all your worries and anxiety on Jesus. It is part of your Redemption Right because all those troubles have been exchanged for Peace through His death.
5. However, you must know that The Glory of God is His Holiness.
6. His dwelling is in Holiness.
7. His Way is Holy and the invitation to us is not an invitation to lawlessness but an invitation to Holiness.

Prayer Point:
There is no sin that is beyond the redemption at cross.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 3:6-5:13
Psalms 44:9-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS!

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.

4. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“My Father’s house above
Has many mansions; I’ve a place
Prepared for you in love.”
I trust in Jesus—in that house,
According to His word,
Redeemed by grace, my soul shall live
Forever with the Lord.              EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. DATE: MONDAY 29TH AUGUST 2016 THEME: THE GREAT INVITATION!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

DATE: MONDAY 29TH AUGUST 2016

THEME: THE GREAT INVITATION!

Memorise:
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith The LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

Read: Matthew 11:28-30
11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29. Take My Yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I Am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

11:30. For My Yoke is easy, and My Burden is light.

MESSAGE:
A. There are numerous invitations we receive during the course of our lifetime, but there is an invitation that changes the life of a person permanently and that invitation is only found in Jesus.
1. Sometimes, people can invite you to great occasions where you dine and wine with very important people in the society but that does not put an end to the trouble you are going through as an individual.
2. You dine with them, but upon returning to your private closet, you carry your problems again.
3. However, when you respond to the invitation of Jesus, He solves all your problems.
4. This is why you cannot afford to respond inappropriately to this invitation. 5. With this invitation, you come as you are.
6. Present yourself to Him the way you are and let Him turn your  life around.
7. This is why the invitation of Jesus is the greatest of all invitations; it is also unique because He has all The Power and The Resources to turn any situation around.

B. No matter how blessed an individual is, there is a limit to how many people he can help.
1. No matter how buoyant your organisation is, there is no CEO that can employ everyone in a country.
2. Jesus is the only employer who can pay everyone that comes under His Government.
3. There no restriction, it is open to all.
4. This invitation is to those who live under the stress and turmoil of this world.
5. He wants to deliver them from all their troubles.

C. There are those who have problems with their spiritual life.
1. Jesus is available to release Grace and Mercy in the state of their spiritual poverty.
2. There are people living under the bondage of emotions and religion.
3. Jesus wants to set them free and deliver them from all their battles both within and without.
4. There are many people who are struggling on the inside. When you see them, they appear alright but they have troubles, fears, worries, anxieties and depression.
5. Jesus is calling you to come to Him.
a. He wants to remove the yoke that the devil and His agents have put on you.
b. He wants to uproot every plant that He has not planted in your life.
c. He wants to deliver you from the burdens of this world that cause frustration and depression.
6. However, you must submit to Him before He can be of help to you.

D. It does not matter how far you have gone into the world of sin, Jesus is calling you to come.
1. There is no sinner without a future and there is no saint without a past but in Jesus everything becomes new;
2. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
3. One finds Peace and Rest of mind by understanding that his sins are forgiven by The Grace of God through The Blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross at Calvary. Because where there is no shedding of blood there is no remission for sins.
4. You can cast all your worries and anxiety on Jesus. It is part of your Redemption Right because all those troubles have been exchanged for Peace through His death.
5. However, you must know that The Glory of God is His Holiness.
6. His dwelling is in Holiness.
7. His Way is Holy and the invitation to us is not an invitation to lawlessness but an invitation to Holiness.

Prayer Point:
There is no sin that is beyond the redemption at cross.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 3:6-5:13
Psalms 44:9-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS!

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.

4. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“My Father’s house above
Has many mansions; I’ve a place
Prepared for you in love.”
I trust in Jesus—in that house,
According to His word,
Redeemed by grace, my soul shall live
Forever with the Lord.              EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. THURSDAY AUGUST 25 2016 THEME : NOTHING GOES FOR NOTHING

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
THURSDAY AUGUST 25 2016
THEME : NOTHING GOES FOR NOTHING
MEMORISE : And after six days Jesus taketh
Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth
them up into an high mountain apart, MATTHEW
17 : 1.
READ : MATTHEWS 17 : 14 - 21 :
14 And when they were come to the multitude,
there came to him a certain man, kneeling down
to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is
lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth
into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they
could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless
and perverse generation, how long shall I be with
you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither
to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed
out of him: and the child was cured from that
very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and
said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your
unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith
as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place;
and it shall remove; and nothing shall be
impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer
and fasting.
MESSAGE :
In secular environments, it takes diligence to get
to the top and it takes even more diligence to
remain there. There are many people who work
really hard to get to the top but upon getting
there, they soon begin to relax. Diligence is even
more important when it comes to spiritual
responsibilities. You need to work hard to have
an encounter with God but you need to work
twice as hard to keep your encounter intact. To
get the answer to all your requests, you have to
invest a lot of time before God. Many people just
get born again and begin to relax. If you want to
command the miraculous you must be ready to
pay the price. You have to keep running until you
get to the finish line. There are people who have
not given God their entire lives, yet they want
God to always respond to all their requests. If
you want a spiritual transformation in your life,
you have to give attention and seriousness to the
business of growing daily. Following Jesus Christ
could be very costly, His standards are always
high and He will never compromise His standard
for anyone. If you want to operate in the
miraculous, you must be willing to die daily. Self-
denial is a basic qualification for discipleship and
there are many courses you have to register for
in the school of exploits. That includes fasting
while others are feasting. It includes praying
while others are sleeping. You have to study the
Bible while others are spending time on things
that will not add significant value to their lives. It
involves spiritual discipline while some people
are wasting their time away. Paul testified that
he kept his body under in order to win the prize.
Keeping the body under is self-denial. You are
deliberately doing something to achieve
something. Somebody asked me how I am able
to fast for many days and I replied that it is
always very easy for me to do so because each
time I want to start a long fast I just go to the
calender and count the number of days I want to
go and I tell my stomach "look at that day very
well, that is the time next time we shall be
taking food" it is as simple as that.
To command supernatural situations, nothing
goes for nothing. You have to engage in spiritual
exercises ;
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer
and fasting." Matthew 17 : 21.
If Jesus said "men ought to pray and not to
faint" ( Luke 18 : 1 ), it is very obvious that
prayer covers a wide range of issues that should
keep one very vigilant. It is in the place of prayer
that there is a guarantee of continuous Open
Heavens for every child of God. At the same
time, there are many people who have lost many
opportunities because of their understanding of
the significant prayer in commanding the release
of their heart desires. Fasting is not just a
religious exercise as some think. When you
engage in fasting, you are equipping yourself with
strong weapons to counter every attack of the
wicked ones and take your victory in every battle
of life. When faith is actively coupled with prayer
and fasting, there is nothing that can stop your
prayers from being answered. Every barrier that
wants to stand on your way will always give in
like we observed in the case of Daniel with the
prince of Persia.
KEY POINT : Fasting and prayer is a combined
spiritual weapon that commands the miraculous.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 56 : 9 - 59 : 21 AND
PSALMS 41.
AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. THURSDAY AUGUST 18 2016. THEME : THAT WE MAY BE RICH.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

THURSDAY  AUGUST 18 2016.

THEME : THAT WE MAY BE RICH.

MEMORISE : For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 CORINTHIANS 8 : 9.

READ : JOHN 10 : 9 - 11 :

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

MESSAGE :

The death of Jesus was for a purpose and that purpose is to ensure that you fulfil your destiny. Jesus sacrificed Himself for your redemption. He took your place and gave you His. It is upon this arrangement that you have access to all that He provided. The death of Jesus was not in vain, it is a substitution for all your human weaknesses and deficiencies. God is not only interested in making you saved; He is interested in you having all that is available in the salvation package. I decree that whatever will not make you enjoy the full benefits of salvation shall be destroyed in Jesus’ name. Just for your sake, Jesus was born into very poor circumstances, He lived a poor life and died in poverty; and all these was that such things do not happen in your life. He voluntarily did all that, so that you might be rich. The riches even cover your divine health; by His stripes you are healed. I command every sickness and disease operating in your body to be uprooted in Jesus’ name. His death is so that you might be rich in deliverance. There are many people attending deliverance services but are yet to be free. If you appropriate the death of Jesus into your situation, there should be freedom for you.

“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”
John 8 : 32.

As believers of the new covenant, you are to be rich in the love and favour of the Almighty God. You are to be rich in the blessing and promises of the new covenant. You are to be rich in your expectation of eternal life. When you give your life to Jesus Christ, there is happiness in your life not only by the things you have but by the experience you have in Him. The Lord Jesus becomes the shepherd of your soul and He guarantees your protection so that you enjoy the riches of His divine security. Nothing scares you any longer because He that now watches over your soul does not sleep nor slumber. You become rich in abundance and the yoke of poverty becomes destroyed. You will be practically guided on how to enjoy the benefits of His riches through His goodness and mercy.

This is why you must not allow the devil see your life as being vacant. The devil is out to kill, to steal and to destroy but when you give Jesus a chance in your life, you will experience a turnaround from poverty to wealth. The devil has nothing good to offer you. In the end, his offers lead to destruction and disgrace, but the riches of God are permanent. The Joy of God is real; the peace of God is timeless. The abundance of God is not a function of economic indices. The longevity of life has nothing to do with keeping to medical prescriptions. The security of God has nothing to do with human elements. All these benefits are part of the riches He gave to you on the cross of Calvary but they become activated when you accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour.

KEY POINT : If you don’t know your rights, you cannot enjoy them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 34 : 1 - 37 : 13 AND PSALMS 37 : 1 - 20.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

HYMN 12 : MY HOPE IS BUILD ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Chorus:

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Chorus:

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17 2016. THEME : DESIRE ACCELERATED PROMOTION?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

WEDNESDAY  AUGUST  17 2016.

THEME : DESIRE ACCELERATED PROMOTION?

MEMORISE : Seeth thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. PROVERBS 22 : 29.

REQD : 2 KINGS 2 : 9 - 15 :

9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

MESSAGE :

Some people wrongly believe that God will promote them irrespective of their attitude in life. God is not a God of mediocrity, laziness or indolence. God is interested in promoting those who make good effort in their endeavours. Joseph was not just promoted in the house of Portiphar, his master saw a mark of excellence and diligence in him before he was put in charge of everything. Those who think God will favour them despite being lazy, dormant, inactive and lethargic are only wasting their time. There are people who have privileges but refuse to use them. Joseph utilized the privilege he had in his master’s house and he was in charge. He also utilized the privilege he had in the prison and he was put in charge. This attitude of hard work and diligence continued with him until space was made for him at the top.

There are many people who have remained in the same spot for a long time because they have refused to engage their God given potentials. They want God to provide food for them and cook it and also put it in their mouths. You must be able to strike the iron while it is red hot. Maximizing the opportunities given to you by God can change the story of your life and attract uncommon promotion to you.

If one knows how to work efficiently, he will have no problem getting to the top. He will be able to provide for himself and his family. Industrious people will always rule over those that are lazy. What were the other sons of the prophet doing when Elisha was following Elijah? They were making mockery of Elisha, reminding him that his master will soon be taken away. Even though all of them were sons of the prophet they did not see Elijah as their own master. They told Elisha that ‘his master’ will soon be taken away. The anointing you do not respect will never work for you. The office you do not respect can never get to you. They were all there viewing from afar. They refused to step out of their comfort zone. Complacency had taken over their hearts. Elisha followed his master from Gilgal to Bethel and from Bethel to Jericho and from Jericho to Jordan but the others just viewed from afar. Are you like one of the 50 sons of the prophet? When you see your leader pursuing a vision, you just stay and watch from afar? Are you one of those who discourage others from putting their best into what their superiors are doing? Are you one of those who specialize in pulling down others because their promotion is a threat to you? You have to have a rethink of heart if you don't want to remain in the valley of life. God is interested in blessing you and promoting you but you have to convince Him that you desire that promotion.

If you are hardworking, there is no demon that can stop your progress in life, but God will never bless the lazy. You must be up and doing. You should be diligent in all your duties. It is takes diligence to get to the top and the same diligence is required to sustain your place at the top. You must challenge yourself to rise above every limitation and barrier and work your way to the very top through hard work.

KEY POINT : It is the soul of the diligent that will eventually be made fat.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 30 : 18 - 33 : 24 PSALMS 36.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 14 : ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See His banners go!

Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before.

At the sign of triumph
Satan's host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.

Chorus:

Like a mighty army
Moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.

Chorus:

Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
Gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ's own promise,
And that cannot fail.

Chorus:

Onward then, ye people,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL... DATE : MONDAY 15 AUGUST 2016 THEME : NO HINDRANCE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE : MONDAY 15 AUGUST 2016

THEME : NO HINDRANCE

Memorise:

Who are thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone therefore with shoutings, crying, Grace, unto it. Zechariah 4:7

Read: Zechariah 4:7-11, (KJV)

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you.

10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

MESSAGE

You must never allow anything to hinder you from becoming what God wants you to become. Don’t give in to the lies and fear that the devil is sending against you. In 1981, before I became 40 years old, I had been General Overseer for just a few months. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw grey hair all over my head. We had many problems in the church then. The Lord said I was carrying a burden that was not mine and I responded by saying that I was carrying the burdens related to the church. He said the church belonged to Him and that He could take care of it. He said He just made me the General Overseer as a front so that people will see a visible representative. I relaxed henceforth, and all my hair became black again.
There are mountains that stand between us and the things God wants us to achieve. These mountains could be issues that are hindering the actualisation of our set goals. The mountain could be people who do not see or understand what God is saying to you yet; or it could be people who are falsely accusing you, but you can be sure that God will always reduce all your mountains into plains. There are certain burdens and problems that are too big for you to carry? All you need do is to hand them over to the Burden Bearer. In Numbers 16:1-35, three men; Korah, Dathan and Abiram, came with the intention of hindering the assignments that God gave to Moses. They accused him of turning the leadership of the congregation into a family affair. They said Aaron his brother was a priest while Miriam his sister was the Choirmaster. In the midst of this mountain, Moses turned to God for intervention. The Lord told Moses to stand aside and watch Him fight against the mountains that were rising before him to hinder the work He had committed into his hand. By the time God was through with the mountains, they had all become plains.

When mountains rise against you, don’t waste your time entertaining any fear. When the Almighty God is on your side, it does not matter the problems confronting you, testimonies will be the final result in your favour. The Bible says in Psalms 30:5:

“Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.”

What is that sickness hindering you? The Almighty God will be your personal Physician. If it is poverty that wants to hinder all the great dreams that the Almighty God has given to you, do not fear the hindrance because He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Are there people standing up against you? Are they persecuting you and distracting you from that which God has designed you for? Just relax; God who levels all mountains knows the best judgement for your enemies. He has assured you that when the enemies come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against them. He has assured you that no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper. He will supply you with the strength to succeed when failure rises up. He will still all the storms rocking your boat and at the end you will look for the mountains but you will see them no more in Jesus’ name.

Key Point:

There is no mountain that is beyond God.

Bible in one year: Isaiah 24-27 and Psalms 34:11-22

AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 9: MY FAITH HAS FOUND A  PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.

Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.

Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. SUNDAY AUGUST 14 2016. THEME : RELEVANT TO EACH OTHER.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

SUNDAY AUGUST 14 2016.

THEME : RELEVANT TO EACH OTHER.

MEMORISE : So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. ROMANS 12 : 5.

READ : 1 CORINTHIANS 12 : 18 - 25 :

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

MESSAGE :

The church is an assembly of the called out; people who have been called out of darkness into the marvellous light of Jesus. We have become vessels unto honour unto God and also unto one another in righteousness. It is upon this that Apostle Paul admonished us in Philippians 4 : 8 :

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things".

As people who have received the grace of God, we must be concerned about one another. We should live our lives helping others to become what God has destined them to become. We must give ourselves in service to other brethren. Our minds must be directed by purposes higher than the material world and selfish ambitions. We are what we are by the Grace of the Almighty God, and everyone cannot possess the same measure of grace and abilities, hence the need to encourage one another and not engage in envy and strife.

No matter how highly placed you are, you must never look down on others, neither should you write anyone off because the weak person of today can become the strong person of tomorrow. The people in David's army were once called vagabonds, but they were the same people who eventually became mighty captains of his army. There must be unity amongst us, because we are members of the same body. The entire body needs every member in order to function as a whole. You cannot do everything all alone, you need others to succeed. There are great people that are your destiny ties. The moment you identify them, you need to also invest in them and leverage on their grace. Every member must be encouraged to use his God given abilities to profit the entire body. The church is like a chain and everyone is very important in the scheme of things. No one should claim superiority over others because this will not encourage unity. Unhealthy competition should not be allowed in the Body of Christ. We are one and we need one another. There is no one who is an island. Let those who are strong help those who are feeble. Let those who are rich help those who are in need. Let those who are matured help those who are coming behind. Let those who are at the top encourage those who are climbing.

Jesus specifically instructed Peter to strengthen his brethren. You must contribute to the success of others. Great leaders who gain respect are the ones who constantly add value to others. You need to be a source of hope to those around you. Your life must demonstrate the competence and chemistry that attracts others to the grace of God upon your life. This starts by respecting yourself and respecting those that God has given to you. People will naturally submit to your leadership when you take them from where they are to where God wants them to be. You must see the good in people. Encourage people to do their best and when you have to correct, let it be done in love. Do not take any failure or criticism personally. Treat everyone you meet as important because they are.

ACTION POINT : You are very important to God. If you fail to play your role in the Body of Christ, it could bring losses to God's Kingdom. Determine to play your role today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 19 : 16 - 23 : 18 AND PSALMS 34 : 1 - 10.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5 : OH SPREAD THE TIDING ROUND

Oh, spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come!

Chorus:
The Comforter has come,
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Lord’s dear promise giv’n;
Oh, spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
The Comforter has come!

2. The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!

Chorus:

3. Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliv’rance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings:
The Comforter has come!

Chorus:

4. O boundless love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. SATURDAY AUGUST 13 2016. THEME : SELF DISCIPLINE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

SATURDAY  AUGUST 13 2016.

THEME : SELF DISCIPLINE.

MEMORISE : But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 CORINTHIANS 9 : 27.

READ : 1 CORINTHIANS 9 : 24 - 27 :

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE :

Self-discipline is a personal commitment and decision to voluntarily yield every aspect of ones life to the Almighty God. This is ensuring nothing controls or influences your life outside the power of God. You must make no further provision for anything else to rule your life except the power of God. For this specific reason of desiring to be vessel unto honour, you deliberately narrow your choices to only what Jesus will have you do at any given time. When a man is self-disciplined, he will no longer entangle himself with the affairs of this life or with those things that add no significant value to his life as a Christian. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice is one of the ways to impose discipline on yourself.

“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.

The fact that some people are not determined enough to pay the price of self-discipline is a major reason why things will not work for them the way they expect. In life, nothing goes for nothing. Until there is a departure from certain things, there can never be a discovery of great things. No one will amount to something great until they are ready to make certain sacrifices, which must come through self-imposed discipline.
Having been a boxer myself, I can tell you that you can never become a champion in the world of boxing if you are not programmed to be self-disciplined. When an individual is not disciplined, he or she will not be able to go far in life. A believer will have to be disciplined when it comes to certain issues like eating, sleeping, talking etc. Some people cannot do without comfort for a while. There are some that are slowed down in life because there are numerous weights that they are entangled with. When you are not self- disciplined, it will lead to your being unfruitful and unproductive in the business of God. There are people who cannot pray as they should because they cannot allow anything to deny them of their sleep. Some people will always eat when they should be fasting just because they cannot deny themselves of food.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one recieveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain”. 1 Corinthians 9 : 27.

Here, Paul was portraying the struggles that one must contend with in the Christian walk if one will have to make full proof of his ministry. Apostle Paul was willing to make all sacrifices and commitments required in evangelising to the world. He was obedient to the demands of the gospel because of the assurance that He who called him was faithful to reward him in due time.

As believers, there is the need to show commitment in self-discipline to the task of our calling as ministers of the gospel. Those who prepare for competitions with the mind of receiving perishable rewards still give the competition all the sacrifice required, this is a big lesson for those of us preparing for eternal rewards. One must exercise no less commitment or sacrifice. As long as we faithfully run the Christian race, we can be assured of the gift of eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter the difficulties we encounter, we can be rest assured that the grace of God can be relied upon.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please remove anything that will hinder my greatness from my life in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 14 : 28 - 19 : 15 AND PSALMS 33 : 12 - 22.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 2 : O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.

O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh, speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. FRIDAY AUGUST 12 2016. THEME : THE CHRISTIAN RACE.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

FRIDAY  AUGUST 12 2016.

THEME : THE CHRISTIAN RACE.

MEMORISE : And if a man also strive for masteries, Yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2 TIMOTHY 2 : 5.

READ : PHILIPPIANS 3 : 13 - 17 :

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing
ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule,
let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

MESSAGE :

Apostle Paul admonished us in his epistle to forget those things that are behind us as we journey through the pilgrimage of this earth. We should not allow the things of this world to distract us from the goal of eternal dwelling. A Christian cannot lay hold of that which he strives for if he is still distracted by the ephemerals of life. The greater a person grows in the knowledge of Christ, the greater his desire to be with Jesus will be. This is why my hope for Heaven is strong. As a Christian who wants to dwell with Jesus, you have to deliberately submit yourself to the narrow way of Christian living. We must give our attention to those things that will endure the passing of this material world. As a soldier of the cross, you must allow your life to be influenced by those whose minds are set on things above. We must live up to the spiritual nature of the gospel after which we are called. We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.

It is necessary to allow the Word of God to direct your life as you press on to greater spiritual heights. This is the only way you will be able to communicate the nature and character of God to the world. We have to submit ourselves to the gospel and allow the Head of the Church ( Jesus Christ ) to give us direction in all our ways if we are to end as divine champions. Those who will be champions for Christ will be people of rugged determination who have set their minds on certain goals. They will pursue these goals relentlessly until they begin to see the kind of reward they desire in Christ. You will never find a believer who understands the nature of the Heavenly race retreating because he is being discouraged. They will never give any excuse for non-performance neither will they allow failure to be placed at their door step. They have only one life to live and they do everything to please Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of their lives.

There are many people who have lost their miracles and blessings because they stopped too soon. They were not determined enough, they gave in to certain impossibilities as they journeyed through life. This is a lie of the devil to cheat you of your blessings in Christ Jesus. Nothing is ever impossible before God according to Luke 1 : 37. In my little walk with Jesus, I have met a lot of people who said what they wanted to do at some point in their lives was impossible. The moment you agree that it is impossible, it becomes impossible. There are people who believe that it is impossible to live holy and this is why holiness is not a venture for them. Unfortunately, it is a strategy of the devil to deny them the blessings of living a holy life. There are young converts who have been discouraged by their leaders. They discovered that there is a great difference between what their leaders teach and what they practice, hence they give up their faith. This is why it is very dangerous to put your trust in any human being. Put your trust in God because He is the only one who will never fail you. Make Jesus your Senior Partner. Know that if God is for you, nobody can be against you. Know that if God is the one backing you up, there is no amount of conspiracy against your life that will ever come to pass. No matter the size of the enemy and the direction of the attack, you are divinely secured.

PRAYER POINT : Father, please let me finish my race without losing any battle in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : ISAIAH 11 : 1 - 14 : 27 AND PSALMS 33 : 1 - 11.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

HYMN 4 : TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. THURSDAY 11 AUGUST 2016 THEME: THE CARNAL MAN

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

THURSDAY 11 AUGUST 2016

THEME: THE CARNAL MAN

MEMORISE:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

MESSAGE:

If you want to do great exploits for God you have to rise above your carnal mind because no serious exploit can be done in the flesh. One of the things responsible for the miraculous events in the early church is that everything was done in atmosphere of God's Spirit. This is why we need to thirst for more of His presence in our midst if we want an outpouring of His spiritual blessings. It takes the Spirit of God for one to have access to deeper revelations of God.

"For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father." Ephesians 2:18

Anyone who wants to experience and encounter the glorious presence of God must be ready to let go of the flesh and allow the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Truth to take over. The carnal man is manipulated by his emotions and thinking. The carnal man is vulnerable to lust. The carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. The carnal man is always a victim of strife and questionable actions. The carnal man will always be found in questionable environments and circumstances, but the man who allows the Spirit of God to dwell in him will always be sensitive to the leading of the spirit.

To effectively deal with the problem of carnality, wisdom demands you take it from the root. A tree that is cut down but not uprooted will grow again; it is only a matter of time. The only time you can be assured of permanent victory over the flesh is when you uproot the carnal man from its root. The moment you turn on the light, darkness automatically ceases. There is a need for you to turn on the Spirit man, who is nourished through a life of holiness and consecration to the Almighty God. As long as the Spirit is in charge, you cannot be defeated. You remain a champion and everything that is not of God will keep its distance from you, but the moment you give the carnal man a little attention, it begins to take over again. The best way to deal with the carnal man is to flee from every appearance of evil. One of my spiritual sons once told me that anytime it is Friday, he was always looking forward to the weekend being over because he wanted to be in the office on Monday. He was always looking forward to Monday mornings because of his secretary in the office whom he had grown fond of. I told him he was playing with a cobra in his bed and at anytime, the cobra could bite him. I asked him to kill the cobra once and for all by sacking the secretary that was unknown to him, feeding his flesh to destruction. Out of wisdom, he heeded my counsel and sacked his secretary, who in turn verbally insulted him and all those who had advised him. After she left, my son found peace in his spirit. Anything done with carnal mind will always bring problem and fear, but where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty and rest of mind. Are you toying with sin? Repent and come to Jesus for restoration. Are you in the company of those who will feed your flesh? Return to Jesus, His grace will overcome the works of the devil. Obey His Word, walk closely with Him and you will see yourself exercising victory over your weaknesses.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, fortify every deed of the flesh in my life in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 8-10 and Psalms 32

AUTHOR: Pst E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. TUESDAY AUGUST 9 2016. THEME : BLESSED ASSURANCE

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

TUESDAY AUGUST 9 2016.

THEME : BLESSED ASSURANCE.

MEMORISE : Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. ISAIAH 3 : 10.

READ : PSALMS 23 : 1 - 5 :

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

MESSAGE :

God is calling us to a closer walk with Him. This is the only way to launch us into the realm of His divine blessings. The blessings and miracles of God are exclusively reserved for His children. It is only the elect of God that can be assured of His blessings. One question we must always remember to ask when we read of or hear God make a promise is : am I the one God is referring to? Do I qualify to be blessed? God's blessings are only reserved for those who live holy.

"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." Hebrews 1 : 9.

To be assured of the blessing of the Lord,  you need to be righteous. Every sin in your life reduces your chance of being a full beneficiary of the goodness of God. This is why you need to find out ( and be sincere in your search ) if there is any sin hidden in your life. Ask yourself : what are those things that can limit the flow of God's blessings to my life? God has given us all things, but they will not flow into the lives of those who are not living according to His pattern. You can determine how far you want to be blessed in God. It is a function of the relationship that exists between you and God. This is why you need to ensure that nothing hinders your relationship with Him, so that there can be an uninterrupted flow of blessings to your life.

The moment we to begin follow God, there will always be an assurance of His divine protection so that you don't become plagued with the suffering and turmoil of life. All that is necessary for one's survival is already guaranteed in God. For reasons best known to God, there are certain things that He will not reveal to you. He enjoys giving pleasant surprises to His children. He always gives those who serve Him more than they bargained for. When I was answering the call to ministry, I never knew God was going to bless me as much as He has done so far. All I was after was just to love Him and serve Him with the whole of my heart, because I was glad He had rescued me from the wicked hands of the Devil. But God decided to bless me beyond measure. My greatest dream was to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor of a University. But today, that dream is a child's play in comparison with what God is doing in my life. All you need to do is to live a life of holiness and everything will work out in your favour. By the time Joseph finally arrived in the palace, he must have felt far better than he had ever imagined. But remember that Joseph had to contend with those things that were capable of hindering his glorious destiny. There is no challenge or sin that God cannot give you victory over as you trust in Him. Just turn to the Lord and ask Him to help your weakness. The moment you do this, you will see better and bigger victories emerging on your behalf. God will never forsake those who trust in Him. The assurance of every believer in Christ Jesus is that God will never turn His back on His people. There will be a guarantee of protection when you are under any attack. He will protect you to the point that you will pity your attackers. He will openly manifest to all that you belong to Him. Only those who come under His government enjoy His benefits.

KEY POINT : There is a ready-made banquet prepared for those who belong to God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  ISAIAH 1 - 3 AND PSALMS 31 : 9 - 18.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 11 : STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

Standing on the promises of Christ MY King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,  Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

3. Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

4. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s string cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus:

5. Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. FRIDAY AUGUST 5 2016. THEME : STOLEN BREAD?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

FRIDAY AUGUST 5 2016.

THEME : STOLEN BREAD?

MEMORISE : Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. PROVERBS 20 : 17.

READ : EPHESIANS 4 : 28.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

MESSAGE :

We live in a time when the nature of man is so selfish that all he does is think about himself continually. How much can I get? What will I gain? What do I have at stake? Of what interest will this be to me? This is why you see people transferring the resources meant for an entire nation into their private coffers. They are happy to collect the contract amount given for the construction of public roads only to complete such roads on paper alone. The better ones among them do a bad job and pocket the rest despite inflating the cost of completion. After all, they will not drive on such roads. When the judgment of God comes upon those who do this, their ends are always terrible. Some of them use such monies to train their children in the best schools available and such children end up killing them. Some of them use such money to build estates and such estates become desolate in the future.

Lazy people look for any excuse not to work. They want cheap money. They want to live in luxury without paying the price. This is why you see a lot of value being eroded in the social system today. People are no longer ready to task their minds. Some people sit with their computers the whole day, looking for people to defraud. How do you think you can have an enduring blessing through such means? There are some market women who use unequal weights in the scale to measure what they sell to unsuspecting customers. If you do this, it is to your own peril. Such people will never be blessed by God. Some are involved in fraudulent business practices, exploiting others for their own gain. They think they are making it at the moment, but the truth is that such gains bring much sorrow. Lazy people who do not work will end in poverty because they lack understanding. Those who are sleeping when they should be working will end up serving those who are industrious.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6 : 7.

As long as you choose to remain lazy, you will never encounter a divine touch, because God Himself is hard working. One of the great virtues that fathers can leave for their children is a heritage of integrity. There is only one path to true increase and that is gathering wealth by honest means. It may take a longer time than you expected, but you can be sure that at the end, you will have peace of mind. There are things money cannot buy. Money cannot buy happiness and joy and this is why you need to understand that there is no need to play smart. The little you earn from what you do legitimately will attract the blessing of God, as opposed to those who earn millions by fraudulent means. The scripture ;

"Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich." Proverbs 28 : 6.

Don't envy sinners who are prosperous. It is foolishness to do so because you can easily tell what their end will be.

"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." Proverbs 13 : 11.

Those who gather wealth unjustly are doing so in readiness for devourers. They will never be able to explain how they spend such money.

KEY POINT : Whatever you get non-legitimately cannot last.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 PETER 1 - 4 AND PSALMS 28.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 4 : TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. THURSDAY AUGUST 4 2016. THEME : BELIEVING LIES? MEMORISE : Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. PSALMS 120 : 2.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

THURSDAY AUGUST 4 2016.

THEME : BELIEVING LIES?

MEMORISE : Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. PSALMS 120 : 2.

READ : 1 TIMOTHY 4 : 1 - 6 :

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

MESSAGE :

There are many heresies spreading around us today, unfortunately, there are lots of people believing them. This is why true ministers of the gospel cannot just fold their hands. They have to make efforts to counter the bad philosophies around with the absolute truth of God's Word. There is no better time for us to be aware and gather ourselves from being led astray by these erroneous teachings. The Bible warns us that if not careful even the very elect will deviate from the truth and follow after the deceptions of devious men, who, by the way are skillful in leading men astray. Some of these teachers are popular and some of them are widely sought after; but be not decieved, the Word and Truth of God is greater than the personal profile of any minister. There are wolves in sheep's clothing in the church today ( Matthew 7 : 15 - 20 ). They teach one thing and practice another. They appear to be speaking the truth but they are living in error. When they talk, their words are very smooth and there is no error in their presentations. They make a lot of noise but they lack depth. If you watch closely, you will see that their conduct is contrary to the principles of godly living. They come with all sorts of theologies that have no bearing with the Word of God. They justify unholy living with the illusion that it is impossible for anyone to live holy. They explain away the truth of God's Word just to make sinners comfortable in their sins.
There is no rebuke, no reproof and no correction in their theology. They preach so much about the place of grace and give so much motivation about people's freewill and liberty, forgetting that the Christian calling is not a call to lawlessness. They preach against the validity of the 10 commandments in the era of grace. Some teach that once saved you are forever saved and there is no need to work out your salvation with fear and trembling as the Bible says in Philippians 2 : 12. Some ask why you need to fast at all, since Jesus said it is finished.

As a genuine minister and disciple of Jesus, there is the need for you to teach your members to be aware of these wrong teachings. The fact that many people listen to them do not mean they are approved of God. They are liars. You need to caution those in your church concerning heretic teachings that deny the fundamental principles of Christianity. Don't allow your members to stray away from the truth. Expose them to the truth of God's Word very often so that they can stand against the lies of the devil. Some churches have become mere social and entertainment centers where members only gather for fantasies and entertainment purposes. You cannot see them leading salvation prayers or asking lost souls to come to the altar to forsake their sins. Many people do not want to hear the truth of God's Word and that is why the church is saturated today with many false and fake ministers. How can you be comfortable in a church where the pastor has two wives? What will you expect such pastors to tell their members? Some members prefer to run from one prophet to another who will 'see things' for them and deceive them that God has spoken when God has said nothing. They are looking for prophetic declarations from 'great men of God' even when they don't know the spirit behind such declarations.

ACTION POINT : Beware of wolves in sheep clothing.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : JAMES 1 - 5 AND PSALMS 27.

AUTHOR : PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE.

HYMN 9 : MY FAITH HAS FOUND A  PLACE

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Chorus:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He'll never cast me out.

Chorus:

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's Name,
Salvation through His blood.

Chorus:

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

Chorus.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: WEDNESDAY 3RD AUGUST 2016 THEME: ARE YOU GROWING IN GRACE?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 3RD AUGUST 2016

THEME: ARE YOU GROWING IN GRACE?

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

READ: LUKE 2:39-40

39 And when they had performed all things
according to the law of the Lord, they returned
into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in
spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

MESSAGE
Show me a man that is doing great exploits in life and in ministry and I will show you a man that is growing in the grace and knowledge of the Almighty God. It is the grace of the Almighty God that makes us vessels of honor and beneficiaries
of this grace; we need to continue to grow in it so that we will not run out of it. By the virtue of our past, none of us will be qualified to be amongst the chosen of God, but the grace and mercy of God qualifies us. It was His grace that brought us salvation and not our works. It was the grace of God that blotted out the handwriting of the devil against all the sins we had committed. The devil stood to accuse us before the Almighty God, but His mercy stood in for us.

Long ago when I was a lecturer in Ilorin, Kwara
State, Nigeria, a woman brought her sick child to me for prayers as she had been told to come see
me; a man of God. When she arrived and
discovered that I was the man of God she was asked to see, she couldn't hide her shock because she knew how bad I was in the past. Only the grace of God could have taken me from being a 'great sinner' to being a 'man of God'. The moment we come to the truth of the gospel, there is an expectation from us. There is an expectation to live a life of holiness. A personal knowledge of God is necessary to enable us obtain his best for our lives. As God reveals Himself to us daily, we in turn, must reveal Him
to others.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

The grace God is available in abundance, but must not be taken for granted. We must use the grace that we have received to be a blessing to others. The grace of God makes the forgiveness of sin possible. This is why every child of God must have a big heart to 'let go'. You must not hold anything against anyone. Others may, but you cannot; because you are excepted to be growing
in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. The grace of God helps us to stand in the gap in the place of prayer. This makes it necessary of us to
seek the face of God on behalf of those that God has committed to our trust. We must always remember that it is Jesus that has chosen us out of His own divine grace (John 15:16).

Despite the antecedents of Saul, God chose him.
Jeremiah was chosen and ordained even before his birth. With all these examples and stories of our time, it is wisdom to make the best choice of allowing God to have his way in our lives. We must glorify God in all we do. We must continue to grow in Him and never allow His investment to
go to waste. We must justify His being interested in us by living holy and being a blessing to the body of Christ with all the talents, abilities,
endowments and gifts He has given us. Don't
allow yourself to be led astray by the immoral
conduct of those who have given themselves to the lust of the flesh.

It is the responsibility of everyone to grow in the things of the Spirit and the motivation required for this has been given through the revelation of His grace through the cross.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, cause me to grow daily in your grace and knowledge in Jesus' name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
HEBREWS 11-13 AND PSALMS 26

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL... DATE: TUESDAY 2 AUGUST 2016 THEME: COME BACK HOME

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...

DATE: TUESDAY 2 AUGUST 2016

THEME: COME BACK HOME

Memorise:

There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. Isaiah 48:22

Read: Isaiah 48:18-22

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

Message

There was a point in the life of the children of Isreal when God had to bring to their remembrance what He had done for them. He had to draw their attention to their rebellion over the years starting from the point when He used Moses to deliver them from captivity. The children of Isreal soon forgot the faithfulness of God and began to attribute their freedom and victory to idols. How easy it is for us to forget the investments of God in our lives. He delivered them from their afflictions. He made them partakers of His glorious presence. He guided them and led them
through the wilderness. He never left them alone for a moment. He enlightened them and guided them to their destinations. Yet, they began to praise the idols they had made with their hands. God tried different methods to get their attention but they ignored Him. He sent them prophets and raised judges for them. He sent His servants to them to forewarn them of the consequences of their actions and occasionally appeared to them but they never listened until they met their destruction. They forgot the reason for which they were called 'the people of God'. They refused to retain God in their knowledge; they trusted in their idols and intellects, and as a result began to engage in what was not convenient until they lost the peace and joy of the living God.

This is also true of the time and days we live in. God wants us to come back to His love, despite our state of wickedness. God is still interested in having us to Himself for our good. There is great joy and happiness  for those who repent and come back to God. The Opportunity is here and I want you to take advantage of the grace of God that is available now. Choose good and not evil. Choose life and not death. Choose blessing and not curse. There can never be peace for a wicked man because he is a stranger and an enemy of God. There is no peace for those who stand in opposition to the Almighty God. They do so to their own peril. Unspeakable happiness and joy comes to those who align themselves with God but uneasiness, fear, sorrow, trouble and destruction comes to those who forget where he is bringing them from. When you are on the Lord's side, there will be quietness, peace, calm and comfort because you are a friend of God and not an enemy.

Like the prodigal son, you may have wasted all that has been committed into your hands. You may have gone beyond where help can reach you but the grace of God is longer than the stretch of your iniquities, therefore return home. Remove rebellion from your heart. Let there be light and a change of heart. Make a fresh resolution that you won't backslide again.

"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!" Psalms 81:13

As you make this strong decision, you will begin to see the peace you desire in your heart. All the good your heart has desired and all the comfort you have ever longed for becomes a reality. Your peace is a function of His presence in your life. Begin to relate with Him daily, praise and worship Him. See His Word as what you must feed on and obey Him even when you don't seem to understand. As you do this, you will enjoy the prosperity and protection of the Almighty God. His blessings in your life will never be interrupted and you will continue to enjoy all that God has to give.

Prayer Point:

Father, please help me to return to you fully.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
HEBREWS 9-10 and PSALMS 25

AUTHOR: Pst E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 1 August 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Blessings from Above

Topic: Blessings from Above [Monday 1, August 2016]

Memorise: Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. – Deuteronomy 33:28

Read: Deuteronomy 33:27-29 (KJV)

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Bible in One Year: Hebrews 5:10-8:13, Psalms 24

MESSAGE:

There are different kinds of blessings, but there is a kind of blessing that comes from God alone. This is the blessing that has no boundary. It is from above where God sits to coordinate the affairs of His people. Today, the blessing of God will locate you wherever you are in Jesus’ name. If you must prosper the way God desires, you cannot afford to ignore the presence of God. Those who have succeeded exceedingly in life are those whose source of blessing is God. When the presence of God is with you, He causes whatever you lay your hands upon to prosper. With little effort, you enjoy great favour and you become a channel of blessings to others around you.

If you study the biblical men of faith; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will notice that God was not only interested in giving  them blessings that will be sufficient for them alone, He was interested in blessing them to a point that they become channels of blessings to others. Do you know God can bless you so much that your driver becomes a millionaire just from driving you? He told Abraham.

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:” - Genesis 12:2

The blessing that came from above into the life of Abraham made a great nation out of him. That blessing gave him such a great name that there was no nation where his name was not known.  The name attracted so many blessings to his life that he became a great possessor of vast expanses of land and today, his seed are all over the world. God can make you a man or woman of great wealth and power. No matter how dry your ground may be at the moment; He can raise greatness out of it and make your little one become a thousand. The outpouring of God’s blessing upon your life can move you beyond the point of daily provision and mere survival, to the point in which you become the talk of nations because of how frightening your blessings have become. Peter who toiled all night and caught nothing became the talk of the town when he experienced a net-breaking blessing. I have always said that a day is coming and that season is here for a reader of this devotional, that when you take your money to the bank, the bank manager will order that the branch be shut down for three days to other customers just because they are attending to you.

For you to achieve this level of blessing, you need to understand that it will not come easy, but you need not be discouraged because God is ever faithful and He knows the path to take you through to get there. God is the fountain of all honour and it is from Him that promotion comes. What you are going through at the moment may not show that you are a candidate for this kind of blessing but you need to know that the plan and purpose of God for your life cannot be denied. Your faith and obedience will be tried. You need to be separated and set aside for God alone. Those who forsake their sins and turn to God will get blessings that they never bargained for. You have to take your mind off the mundane things of this world and step up into the higher ground of what God is prepared to do with your life.

Key Point: Until there is a departure from the little things, there will be no discovery of greater things.