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

Open Heavens 31 October 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye –Prayerlessness disallowed

Posted: 29 Oct 2017 11:54 AM PDT

PRAYERLESSNESS DISALLOWED – Tuesday October 31^st 2017

Memorise: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

Read: Mark 13:32-37 (KJV)

^13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

^13:33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

^13:34For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

^13:35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

^13:36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

^13:37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Bible in one year: James 1-3, Hosea 8, Hymn: Sing hymn 2

MESSAGE:

Prayerlessness is a major challenge facing contemporary believers. Many refuse to pray as they ought to because they have become overconfident and proud. The more you pray to God, the less dependent on yourself you become. As young Christians, some people pray quite often. Open Heaven 31 October 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye –Prayerlessness disallowed. When they became workers in God's vineyard, they sustained their prayer tempo, but the moment they became pastors, their prayer-life nosedived. Why the decline? It's because such people began to believe that they could now do things on their own. This is the highway to ruin. Are you praying less after God has elevated you spiritually? If your answer is yes, check yourself very well, you will discover that you now have more faith in yourself to succeed by your effort than by God's support. This is one reason why God keeps a distance from the proud: He knows if He helps them achieve a feat, at the end, they will not think twice before taking His glory.

Besides pride, another reason for prayerlessness is carelessness. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said:

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Also, in Mark 13:32-37, the Lord emphasised the need to watch. You cannot afford to be careless. You can't afford to be cold, lukewarm or carefree in these days that we live in. Praying goes along with watching. You cannot pray effectively if you fail to watch as well. If you watch effectively, it will help to give you prayers direction. You will know what trending issues to lift before God's throne. You will have some burdens in the place of prayer that will only be lifted after you have prayed through. Similarly, if you watch as you should, you will be able to relate events that are happening around you with the second coming of Jesus Christ. If you are keeping watch, you will be on your guard and on your toes. If you watch, you cannot be asleep. Beloved, this is not the time to sleep but the time to be spiritually awake, alert and prepared. This is the time to pray about virtually everything that crosses our path. It is a time to wholly depend on God, who knows the way, to show us the way in the midst of growing confusion and evil spreading around the world. Wake up! Pray more! Fast more! Watch more! May the Lord guide you in Jesus' Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, please silence everything in me that is working against me having an effective prayer life.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was 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.

Hymn 2

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

Verse 1:
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Verse 2:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Verse 3:
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Open Heavens 30 October 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye –Shutting up mockers

Posted: 29 Oct 2017 10:16 AM PDT

SHUTTING UP MOCKERS – Monday October 30^th 2017

Memorise: The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. Proverbs 10:28

Read: Psalm 35:15-19 (KJV)

^35:15But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

^35:16With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

^35:17Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

^35:18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

^35:19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

Bible in one year: Hebrews 11-13, Hosea 7, Hymn: Sing hymn 8

MESSAGE:

God is a specialist at disgracing mockers and giving His Children the last laugh. This season, you shall laugh last in Jesus' Name! In Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus was crying to Jesus for help, some people were irritated. Do you know that there are people who do not want your voice to be heard at all? "Shut up you blind beggar! With people like us around, do you think the Master would have time for a beggar like you?" They laughed at him with an air of importance, but he ignored their mockery and cried out for help all the more. They got angry at this defiance. "You've got some nerve, you noisy fellow! If you know what is good for you, you better keep your mouth shut!" they continued mocking him as the crowd moved along. Open Heaven 30 October 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye –Shutting up mockers. However, to their amazement, Jesus suddenly stopped and said, "There is a blind beggar along this street behind us. Go and bring him here and now." Immediately, the laughter of his mockers ceased. The laughter of your mockers has come to a permanent end today in Jesus Name! The same mockers became his helpers. They politely took him to Jesus, and after Jesus healed him, he became the centre of attraction. Very soon, you that people thought would never amount to anything will become the centre of attraction in Jesus' Name!

A particular sister was dying at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital. Her husband met the doctors and they confided in him that she would not live to see the following morning under any circumstance. So he went to his wife, pretending to care for her, and he told her he would see her the following morning, secretly expecting to meet her corpse by then. As he left the hospital, he phoned his mistress and said, "My stupid wife will pass away tonight. Come over and let's have fun." The mistress came to his house and they were "having fun", but because they never expected anyone to disturb them, they did not even lock the door of the bedroom. They were in for the shock of their lives. After this man left the hospital earlier on, that same night, the Lord Jesus Christ visited his sick wife and said, "I am the Lord that healeth thee; rise up and go home." As she got up and walked out of the hospital, the nurses thought they were daydreaming and seeing her ghost, and so they did not stop her. She got home and caught the two evil doers in their illicit act. She said to them, "You thought I was dead, but I am alive and well." Every evil expectation of your enemies shall be disappointed in Jesus' Name! You shall laugh from now on.

Prayer Point:

Father, turn every expectation of my mockers to disappointment.

Hymn 8

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

Verse 1

"Great is Thy faithfulness,"

O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not,

Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been

Thou forever wilt be.

Chorus:

"Great is Thy faithfulness!"

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed

Thy hand hath provided,

"Great is Thy faithfulness,"

Lord, unto me!

Verse 2

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Verse 3

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!