Open Heavens Daily Devotional Messages, By Pastor E.A Adeboye.

THE SOVEREIGN GOD – Wednesday April 13th 2016

Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT

THE SOVEREIGN GOD

Memorise: I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Isaiah 43:21

Read: Daniel 5:20-21, ²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

²¹And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Bible in one year: 2^nd Samuel 1-2, Proverbs 9:13-10:7

MESSAGE

After king Nebuchadnezzar was deposed from his kingly throne, his glory was taken away from him and he was disgraced to the point of eating grass like oxen, he came back to his senses to realise that the Most High God is the ultimate ruler in the kingdom of men. The problem with the king was that he got carried away with his achievements, thinking that they were the bye-products of his wisdom and physical power. This is the problem with many people like him through the ages. Any achievement that will not lead us back to the original Achiever could be very deadly. Jesus Christ spoke of a rich farmer who was boasting of his achievements in agriculture, only for his life to be taken away from him that same night.

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

Luke 12:19-20

Apostle James warned against being boastful without giving consideration to the sovereignty of God in James 4:13-15

"Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city. and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

It is presumptuous for someone who does not know whether he will survive the next day to commence planning a programme that will take place in six months time. It is only the Almighty God that has the power to will and to do. One can see the cause of the calamity that befell kings Pharaoh and Herod.

In the case of King Herod, he took not only the glory that belonged to God but God's sovereignty. The consequence was fatal because he was stricken by angel of the Lord and he was eaten up by worms immediately.

"And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost."

Acts 12:21-23

May the sovereignty of God be made positively manifest in our lives so that we can live in the supernatural from now on in Jesus' name.

Action Point

Always acknowledge the sovereignty of God in all you do so that you may be guided aright.

THE UNCHANGEABLE CHANGER – Tuesday April 12th 2016

Posted: 10 Apr 2016 01:34 PM PDT

THE UNCHANGEABLE CHANGER

Memorise: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Read: Genesis 32:24-32, ²⁴And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

²⁵And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

²⁷And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

²⁸And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

²⁹And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

³⁰And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

³¹And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

³²Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

Bible in one year: 1^st Samuel 29-31, Proverbs 9:1-12

MESSAGE

One thing every man, especially a child of God must always remember is that our God is the unchangeable changer. In the Genesis account of the beginning we see how the Unchangeable Changer effected miraculous changes without Himself being changed.

"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

Genesis 1:2-3

In Genesis 21, the Unchangeable Changer changed the unfruitful situation of Sarah to fruitfulness. He did the same in the case of Hannah in 1^st Samuel 2, proving that what He did in the life of the father of faith, He could do in the life of his descendants also. This is why I know that someone using this devotional will encounter this Great Changer that cannot change. As He did for those who sought and called Him in the past, so will He do for you as you call upon Him today in Jesus' name.

The Almighty God has changed numerous unpleasant situations for the better in the past. For example, He changed the slavery of the children of Israel to freedom (Exodus 13). Also, Jabez prayed that the Lord should change his situation for the better and the Unchangeable Changer heard him.

"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

1^st Chronicles 4:9-10

One of my daughters in Church heard the story of how my wife miraculously gave birth to our last two children naturally and decided to believe God for a natural child delivery. Like my wife did after three cesarean sections. The God who never changes did the same for that daughter of mine. I have good news for someone reading this devotional today, as Jesus performed miracles in those days, so He still does today.

I encourage you, beloved, to put your trust in Him and He will not let you down because He is the Unchangeable Changer. He will change your situation for the better and you will glorify Him in Jesus' name.

Prayer Point

Father, please change my situation for the better from today in Jesus' name.