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

Open Heavens 3 October 2016:-The Blessing of Solitude III

Posted: 30 Sep 2016 02:05 PM PDT

THE BLESSING OF SOLITUDE III –Monday October 3^rd 2016

Memorise: Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward pasts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51:6

Read: Daniel 2:16-19, (KJV)

¹⁶Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

¹⁷Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

¹⁸That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

¹⁹Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 30:20-32:32, Psalms 73:1-17

MESSAGE

It takes withdrawing from the crowd to be able to hear the message that will not only save you from evil, but will take you to the next level of stardom. An adage says: "He that is afraid of being alone will die in the crowd unnoticed." The Psalmist says that the Lord makes him to be wise "in the hidden part" (Psalms 51:6)

In today's reading, we learn a lot from the withdrawal approach of Daniel and his friends. The king had a dream that he could not remember, not to talk of interpreting. All the wise men of Babylon and the dream-interpreting astrologers could neither figure it out nor give interpretation to it. So, their lives were put at stake including those of Daniel and his friends. When the news got to Daniel and his colleagues, he demanded for some time to seek the face of their God. Daniel and his companions went into the secret place of the Most High and sought His face for the revelation of the dream of the king. Open Heavens 3 October 2016:-The Blessing of Solitude III The Bible says:

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Deuteronomy 29:29

There are lots of lessons we can learn from this story. The first that readily comes to mind is the fact that we must always find time to be in God's presence, because He desires our fellowship. You can be sure that God will always present you with a gift whether you are a guest to Him in His sanctuary or you play host to Him when you invite him to come into your life. An example of someone who was a guest to Him in His sanctuary was Hannah who withdrew from the crowded festivities at Shiloh. 3 October 2016 open heavens

Her gift was a bouncing baby boy, Samuel (1^st Samuel 1:9-18). When God comes visiting you in your lonely condition, He comes with gifts that money cannot buy. When Abraham decided to be alone with God, coming out from his extended family, he hosted the Almighty God through His angelic representatives and what he got in return was a child of promise (Genesis 18:1-14). Another lesson in this story is that we must learn how to trust God for good knowledge. The Almighty is the custodian of good knowledge and He gives it to those who diligently seek it. The Bible says:

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

James 1:17

It is wisdom, therefore, that we seek God wherever and whenever. He may be found. Incidentally, from time immemorial, God is not always in the midst of the crowd. This is corroborated by the adage which says: "One with God is a majority". Beloved, seek God today, not in the crowd, but in your personal and quiet life.

Action Point

Choose a place where you will not be distracted for your daily personal fellowship with God.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

Open Heavens 2 October 2016:-The Blessing of Solitude II

Posted: 30 Sep 2016 01:55 PM PDT

THE BLESSING OF SOLITUDE II – Sunday October 2^nd 2016

Memorise: Elias was a man subject a like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. James 5:17

Read: 1^st Kings 19:9-18, (KJV)

⁹And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

¹⁰And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

¹¹And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

¹²And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

¹³And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

¹⁴And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

¹⁵And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

¹⁶And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

¹⁷And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

¹⁸Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 28:1-30:19, Psalms 72

MESSAGE

Other blessings of solitary living include divine authority, divine revelation and divine direction. In our memory verse for today, we read that Elijah was a man who possessed divine authority that controlled the weather. He commanded rain to cease and it was so; when he felt it was time to release the rain, he commanded it to start falling and it was so! Open Heavens 2 October 2016:-The Blessing of Solitude II The Bible says in 1^st Kings 17:1:

"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

This did not come by careless and flamboyant living. This authority came as a result of solitary living and a separated life. We can understand this by what God said to Elijah in 1^st Kings 18:1:

"And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."

It took instruction from God before Elijah could show himself to Ahab. He had been in solitary confinement ever since he made the proclamation of the drought. Some Christian ministers would want to be seen everywhere, at every public function and yet they want authority, they want divine revelation and direction. They dine and wine with the elites in the society and yet they want to exercise divine authority. It does not work like that. Elijah said, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand…" Children of God, pastors, where are you standing? Before God or in the crowd?

In the reading of today's Bible text, it is amazing to know that not only spiritual but also physical encouragement came to Elijah during his solitary time with God. Through this divine physical provision, the Bible says that he travelled for forty days and forty nights without eating anything else. One lesson we must quickly grasp here is that God is interested in our physical and spiritual well-being. It is a pity that some Christians spiritualise so many things at the detriment of their physical well-being. Imagine God saying, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." This divine consideration came because Elijah took time to be alone with God. One other lesson we must learn is that still in his solitude. Elijah was visited by God and he was able to lodge his complaint against the society he was living in and consequently he was told what to do. We receive divine instruction when we are alone with God. Our misconceptions about life situations will receive clarification and better understanding when we are alone with God. 2 October 2016 open heavens

The Bible says:

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant."

Psalm 25:14

Unknown to Elijah that he was not the only prophet standing for God, he wanted to die. However, he was told what God Himself had preserved seven thousand prophets who had not corrupted themselves! What a revelation and a lesson. Never think you are the only one keeping the bound of holiness, there are others unknown to you. So don't give in to the deceit of Satan. God will never change and He will never lower His standards. God bless you as you continue with God in holiness.

Prayer Point

Father, the grace to be separated unto You, not following the multitude, please give to me.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye