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

THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY – Friday April 7th 2017

Posted: 05 Apr 2017 01:15 PM PDT

THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY – Friday April 7^th 2017

Memorise: Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:21

Read: 1^st Samuel 1:9-11 (KJV)

⁹So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

¹⁰And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

¹¹And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 14, Jeremiah 8:18-9:11, Hymn: Sing hymn 6

MESSAGE:

Most good things in life come at a cost. Many Children of God may find it hard to accept this truth, but doesn't change its reality. The reason why some children of God may not want to accept this reality of life is that our salvation is freely given to us. They would reason that since the precious salvation of our souls is free, other precious things of the kingdom should also be without a cost. They forget that although salvation is free for us, it came at the expense of the precious Blood of Jesus, shed through His gruesome death on the cross. The fact that it is given to us for free does not mean it was freely acquired by the Giver. Just as a child should not think the bread he is eating freely from his father's table is actually free – as the father would have laboured for the money with which the bread was purchased – believers also should not think that it cost the Father nothing to give His only begotten Son for the redemption of our souls.

When Jesus Christ was healing the sick and delivering those that were oppressed by demons during earthly ministry, the disciples wanted to perform the same feat. They were however disappointed when they discovered that they could not do what the Master was doing. They therefore asked Him why they could not cast a demon out (Matthew 17:19). Here is the Master's response to them in Matthew 17:20-21:

"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. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."

From this response, we understand that you cannot be eating three square meals with snacks in between and expect demons to obey your every command. Years ago, my children in Britain asked me to begin conducting a monthly Festival of Life Service in the U.K. I declined, the reason being that I could not minister at a Festival of Life Service without making adequate spiritual preparations. 7 April 2016 open heavens 2017 there is a price to pay. Hannah, Samuel's mother, knew that God needed a priest to replace Eli, and so she promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give the boy back to Him. God immediately granted her request because she was ready to pay a price for what she wanted. Beloved, what is the motive behind your request? If it is to glorify God, be sure you will have it today.

Prayer Point

Father, grant me the grace to constantly mortify the deeds of the blood through fasting and prayer, so that Your Spirit may operate freely without hindrance in my life.

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

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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THE POOR IN SPIRIT – Thursday April 6th 2017

Posted: 05 Apr 2017 01:04 PM PDT

THE POOR IN SPIRIT – Thursday April 6^th 2017

Memorise: Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

Read: Luck 18:9-14 (KJV)

⁹And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹²I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 13, Jeremiah 8:4-17, Hymn: Sing hymn 6

MESSAGE:

Some people believe that the poor are automatic candidates for making heaven; hence they see them as being blessed. Nothing could be further from the truth. This error is derived from a wrong interpretation of the scripture in today's memory verse. No matter how poor you are, if you are not reconciled with your Maker, the Kingdom of heaven is a mere illusion for you. Whereas, you may be as rich as Father Abraham himself was, and when you die, you will still make heaven. Revelation 19:5 says,

"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great."

Irrespective of whether you are rich or poor, once you meet the condition for admission into the Kingdom of God, you will be granted access. What is this condition? Revelations 21:27 gives us insight into this:

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

The question then is this: What type of "poor" was Jesus referring to in Matthew 5:3? It is the poor in spirit, and not the poor in wealth or riches. Who then are the poor in spirit? They are those who realise their spiritual insufficiency as touching the requirements of God with regards to righteousness, and they have a thirst in their spirit to overcome this inadequacy. 6 April 2016 the poor in spirit Rccg open heavens. This thirst will metamorphose into a search for God and for His mercy. The Almighty God is always waiting to receive such people, and He leads them on the path of righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ. Like the publican in today's Bible reading, the poor in spirit have no righteousness of their own, and hence, they cry for the mercy of God. The "rich in spirit" on the other hand will never cry for God's mercy; they will always reply on their own righteousness. Of such is the Pharisee in our Bible text. Concerning the poor in spirit (the publican), Jesus Christ said "this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. "Therefore, for anyone to enter into the Kingdom of heaven, such a fellow must first humble himself or herself at the Cross of Jesus Christ, confess his or her sins, forsake them with a promise never to return to them again, and then ask for grace to live a life that is pleasing to God Almighty (1^st John 1:9).

Prayer Point

Father, I humble myself before Your throne of grace today; please forgive my spiritual pride and take me to Your side by Your mercy. At the end of my life, let me reign with you.

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