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

THE KING IS COMING – Monday April 10th 2017

Posted: 08 Apr 2017 03:53 AM PDT

THE KING IS COMING – Monday April 10^th 2017

Memorise: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1^st Thessalonians 4:16

Read: Acts 1:9-11 (KJV)

⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 19-20, Jeremiah 10:17-11:8, Hymn: Sing hymn 6

MESSAGE:

One of the reasons why there is spiritual decadence in the Church today is the loss of focus on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus knew this would happen and for this reason, He gave us the parable of a king who went on a journey to a far country, leaving behind his servants to work and await his return (Luke 19:12-27). Our King is coming back to be the judge of both the living and the dead. As a preview of the nature of the judgement He will declare against those who rejected His Lordship over their lives, Luke 19:27 says,

"But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me."

Beloved, this will not be your portion in Jesus' Name. However, you must always remember that our King is coming, and you must also remember what He is coming to do. This attribute will guide you on how to comport yourself in readiness for His return. Do not be deceived by the error of those who claim that Jesus Christ will not come again or that He has already come in the spirit. These are all lies of the devil. The angels who addressed the early disciples after Jesus was taken up to Heaven said this to them in Acts 1:11:

"….This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven."

You can therefore rest assured in your heart that Jesus will surely come back. Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming to put the devil where he belongs (Revelations 20:10). All the angels that fell along with the devil, referred to as demons, will also partake of the eternal damnation that will befall him (Matthew 25:41). Our King is also coming to give rewards to every believer according to his or her works. The Lord in Revelation 22:12 says,

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

Beloved of God, ensure you are one of those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. if your name is already there, work hard to receive commendation and a good reward from the Master. If you labour for the expansion of God's Kingdom through evangelism and witnessing or through giving and intersession, you can be sure you will not miss your reward when the King returns.

Prayer Point

Father, at the second coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, may I not be put to shame please give me the grace to be watchful as I live according to your word.

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.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Click HERE to DOWNLOAD Daily Open Heaven Devotional from January to December 2017

THE PRICE OF DISCIPLESHIP – Sunday April 9th 2017

Posted: 08 Apr 2017 03:43 AM PDT

THE PRICE OF DISCIPLESHIP – Sunday April 9^th 2017

Memorise: 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. Matthew 11:29

Read: Luck 9:23-26 (KJV)

²³And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

²⁴For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

²⁵For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

²⁶For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Bible in one year: Leviticus 17-18, Jeremiah 10:1-16, Hymn: Sing hymn 14

MESSAGE:

After giving your life to Christ, you need to go further in your walk with God by becoming a disciple. Many Children of God these days don't know that discipleship has a price. They don't even know that Jesus Christ, the Master, has a yoke that they must share with Him. The early disciples, with great difficulty, got to understand this truth on the eve of the crucifixion. While agonising over the inevitable death on the Cross, Jesus Christ asked the disciples to pray and watch along with Him, but instead, they slept. Matthew 26:40-41 says:

"And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

We are so blessed to have a Master who knows our frame. He knows that the flesh is weak, even though the spirit is willing. Our willingness to share in His yoke qualifies us to be His disciples. Today, many people don't want to be taught this aspect of the gospel. They prefer the doctrine of relativism, which teaches that the end justifies the means. Those things that the Lord Jesus Christ abhorred are being courted by some so-called believers today. This should not be so!

In our Bible reading today, Jesus Christ gives a vivid description of the price we must pay to be true disciples of His. In Luke 9:23-24, He said:

"….If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

This is the price of discipleship. There are man so-called "disciples" today who are far from being disciples. Many cannot even deny their ungodly friends, not to talk of denying themselves. They hold tenaciously to the world contrary to the word in 1^st John 2:15-17 which says:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Beloved, are you a true disciple of Jesus Christ or do you want to be one? Ponder on these things and don't deceive yourself. Always remember what the Holy Spirit said to us in 2^nd Timothy 2:12:

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us."

Prayer Point

Father, the grace to follow You in spirit and in truth, please give me today.

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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Click HERE to DOWNLOAD Daily Open Heaven Devotional from January to December 2017