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

Open Heavens 4 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WORTH CELEBRATING
Open Heavens 20 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – A matter of choice
Open Heavens 19 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STUDENT FOR LIFE
Open Heavens 18 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – AVOID DEFILEMENT!
Open Heavens 17 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ABIDE IN CHRIST
Open Heavens 16 December 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WHAT OF YOUR VOWS?
Open Heaven Today 3 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – TITHING IS TRUSTING
Open Heavens 15 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – GOOD FROM EVIL
Open Heavens 14 December 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – PAUL WAS TRULY YOKED
Open Heavens 13 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ALL SECRETS SHALL BE UNCOVERED
Open Heavens 12 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STANDING FAULTESS BEFORE CHIRST
Open Heavens 11 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye - A SACRIFICE GOD LOVES
Open Heavens 10 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye - INVITATION TO GRATER WORKS
Open Heavens 9 December 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STOP THE PRETENCE
Open Heavens 8 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – HOW CONCEALED ARE SECRETS?
Open Heavens 7 December 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ERODING GOD’S HONOUR?
Open Heavens 6 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Open Heavens 5 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – KNOWLEDGE DELIVERS
Open Heavens 4 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WORTH CELEBRATING

Open Heavens 4 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WORTH CELEBRATING

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:26 PM PST

WORTH CELEBRATING – Monday December 4^th 2017

Memorise: "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Read: Luke 10:17-20 (KJV)

^10:17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

^10:18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

^10:19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

^10:20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

open-heavens-open-heaven-today-4-december-2017-monday

Bible in one year: Psalm 102-105, Habakkuk 1:1-2:1, Sing Hymn 12

MESSAGE:

If you are sure of your salvation from sin, you need to be grateful to God. The reason is that there is nothing else in the whole wide world that can transform a sinner into a saint other than the Name of Jesus and the power of His Blood. Acts 4:12 says,

"Neither is there salvation in other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

No hero from any country can save you; neither can any prophet from any age or dispensation deliver you. No amount of money can buy you out of Hell, and no level of good works or moral uprightness can redeem you either. Only faith in the Name of Jesus and faith in the cleansing POWER OF His Blood can save you. Thank God that Jesus fully paid of our redemption! If He had only paid in part, you can be sure that no one would have been saved today, going by Satan's antecedents. However, Jesus fully paid for our redemption - Hallelujah! To show that the price has been paid in full, shortly before He died on the cross, He publicly declared "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Therefore, you ought to daily thank God for your salvation. How often do you appreciate Him for saving your soul?

Today, many believers celebrate their birthdays, graduation from school, promotion at the office, appointments, winning big contracts and other major achievements in life, but many of these people forget to even say "Thank You Jesus for the salvation of my soul". This is the benefit that should give you the greatest joy! After the 70 disciples sent out by the Lord for evangelism returned with fantastic testimonies of the success of their outing, the Lord shocked them by telling them that they were rejoicing over what was not the main issue. He then told them what the object of their joy should be:

"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirit are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:20

Your salvation from sin is far more important than any other achievements you have on earth. Great is the value that God and the whole of heaven place on it. You should therefore thank God for it every day of your life; it is well worth it.

Key Point:

If you knew the severity of eternal hell, you would treasure the salvation of your and soul and thank God always for it.

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 12

HYMN 12 – HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

Verse 1:

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Verse 2:

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

'Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Verse 3:

Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Verse 4:

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I'll praise Thee as I ought.

Verse 5:

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!

Open Heavens 20 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – A matter of choice

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:16 PM PST

A MATTER OF CHOICE - Wednesday December 20^th 2017

Memorise: "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant." Psalms 35:27

Read: Genesis 32:3-6 (KJV)

^32:3And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

^32:4And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

^32:5And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

^32:6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Bible in one year: Proverbs 5-8, Zachariah 8:9-23, Sing Hymn 10

MESSAGE:

If you measure life by the experiences of some people, you will live far from your God–given purpose and barely scratch the surface. Some people are alive but only just surviving from day to day. In Luke 13:11-17, the woman who was bound for 18 years did not die, but she was merely surviving and not living. Also, the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 1:23-26 was continually going to church, and yet he was inhabited by an unclean spirit. Open heaven. It was even in the synagogue that the Lord met him. Although he was living, he was the captive of a demonic spirit. What of Naaman who appeared to be a distinguished and successful man, and yet he had a problem that no man could solve (2nd kings 5:1)? just like the individuals in all these examples, many people today are barely surviving, and are not living life as purposed by God for them. God not only wants you to live life, He also wants you to enjoy the abundant life that he gives (John 10:10) are our not tired of "managing" struggling to survive, and living from hand to mouth? If you are truly tired, the Lord will make a way for you.

God is interested in the overflow of his blessings upon your life. He does not just want you to be healed; He also wants His healing virtue to flow through you to others. He wants you to be free from captivity, and beyond this, He also wants you to set the captives free. Open heaven for today. God does not want you just to be rich but also to lend to nations. He wants you to be so prosperous that that when nations cannot balance their budgets, they will come and pay you a visit. God wants you to bring great joy to your family, community, city and nation. However, no matter how much He wants the overflow for you, He will respect what you want for yourself. He cannot force and overflow of his blessings on you when you want so little of it. There are different levels of greatness, and your choice of the type of life you want for yourself as a role to play in determine how great you become. Let us see the example of Esau. Yes, he sold his birthright, but as a seed of Abraham, he was so blessed from the remnant of blessing pronounced on him that he had 400 bodyguards. How many bodyguards do ministers, senators, state governors or even presidents have today? So you would agree that Esau was not doing badly. However, compared to Jacob his brother, who became a great nation, the difference is definitely clear. Do you want to merely survive, or do you want to be truly blessed with the overflowing portion of God's blessings? The choice is Yours!

Prayer Point:

Father, I am tired of just managing to survive. I choose the overflow of Your blessings. Please release it to me and my family now.

Hymn 10

HYMN 10: THERE SHALL BE SHOWER OF BLESSING

1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

[Chorus]
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

2. There shall be showers of blessing--
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

[Chorus]

3. There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

[Chorus]

4. There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we're confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

[Chorus]

Open Heavens 19 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STUDENT FOR LIFE

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:11 PM PST

STUDENT FOR LIFE - Tuesday December 19^th 2017

Memorise: "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:" Proverbs 1:5

Read: Proverbs 1:1-6 (KJV)

1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

^1:2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

^1:3To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

^1:4To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

^1:5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

^1:6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

Bible in one year: Proverbs 1-4, Zachariah 7:1-8:8, Sing Hymn 12

MESSAGE:

"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."

Proverbs 1:5

According to the above scripture, knowledge is good, although not all knowledge is necessary for the children of God. It also states that only a wise fellow will benefit from what he hears. If you are taught something but you fail to act on it, you are at a greater disadvantage compared to those who were not exposed to such information at all. Why? Jesus says that on the last day, it is the Word of God that will judge us. In other words, any sound teaching from God's word that you heard but failed to act upon will stand against you on the last day. Rccg open heavens 2017. This means that just as the word of God can liberate a person, that same word can also condemn him or her. May you not be condemned by what you have heard in Jesus' Name! This is why you need to live your life by every word of God or teaching from the Bible you have received..

From Proverbs 1:5, we also learn that if knowledge is given its rightful position in your life, what you are taught will provoke you to desire more knowledge. In other words, if you are wise, you will always remain a student throughout your life, because one revelation of God's word will prompt you to search for another in an unending chain. In this regard, believers are expected to be like professionals who need to constantly update their knowledge. Open heavens. Are you always seeking to know more? Do you find time to read good, inspiring books? It is popularly said that leaders are readers. If you fail to read and learn from the experiences and wealth of knowledge of others, you will only be left with the stale information that you have inside you. Therefore, seek knowledge from today for you to lead in your group; you ought to know what others do not know. According to Ecclesiastes 9:18 winning a war is not only dependent on the nature of the weapons available to you, but more on what you know and your ability to apply what you know to the situation at hand. If there is one area every believer in Christ should work on, it is to know God more. How well are your doing in this area?

Key Point:

It is either you are current and relevant, or you become stale and abandoned. It's your choice to make!

Hymn 12

HYMN 12 – HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

Verse 1:

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Verse 2:

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

'Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Verse 3:

Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Verse 4:

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I'll praise Thee as I ought.

Verse 5:

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!

Open Heavens 18 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – AVOID DEFILEMENT!

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:07 PM PST

AVOID DEFILEMENT! - Monday, December 18^th 2017

Memorise: "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." Revelation 21:27

Read: Isaiah 52:11-12 (KJV)

^52:11Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

^52:12For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

Bible in one year: Revelation 20-22, Zachariah 5:5-6:15, Sing Hymn 9

MESSAGE:

It is the great desire of the wonder-working God to work wonders through His children. However, for you to be a partaker of the manifestation of this desire, you must be prepared to pay the price. Nothing good comes cheap. Anything that is cheap is obviously of low quality and value. If you are interested in working wonders as a worker in God's vineyard, you must be prepared to be a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). You must be ready to say, "Lord, for the rest of my life, feel free to do whatever you want with me." In addition, to work wonders, you must have clean hands. Isaiah 52:11 says,

"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD."

Your hands must be free from defilement at home, at work, when nobody is watching, and everywhere else. Many years ago, while I was still lecturing in the university, I wrote a personal letter, and as I reached out to take one of the official envelopes assigned to me, the Lord said, "You wrote a personal letter, but that envelope is for official use." I replied, "Lord, how much is an envelope?", and He said to me, "If it is so cheap, go and buy your own." If you want to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, or if you want to lay hands on demon-possessed individuals and have the demons obey your voice, then it cannot be with hands that have been stealing, defrauding or writing false reports.

Moreover, you need to be in constant touch with God. 1^st Thessalonians 5:17 says that you should pray without ceasing. One way to do this is by regularly praying in tongues like Paul (1^st Corinthians 14:18). You can also keep in touch with God by constantly thanking Him. I tell you, Jesus would like that. I heard the testimony of a man who on his 50th birthday said all he wanted to do was say 'Thank You' to Jesus at least 50 times. I said that was a beautiful idea which had never crossed my mind. How old are you now? When you want to pray, say thank You to Jesus the number of times corresponding with your age, and you will be amazed at what could happen through this. Do you want to be a worker of signs and wonders? Are you ready to pay the price?

Prayer Point:

Father, by Your power, keep me from being defiled, every day of my life.

Hymn 9

ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

Verse 1

On a hill far away

Stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

Verse 2

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

(Chorus)

Verse 3

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

To pardon and sanctify me.

(Chorus)

Verse 4

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,

its shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,

Where his glory forever I'll share.

(Chorus)

Open Heavens 17 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ABIDE IN CHRIST

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:03 PM PST

ABIDE IN CHRIST - Sunday, December 17^th 2017

Memorise: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:17

Read: John 15:4-7 (KJV)

^15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

^15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

^15:6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

^15:7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Bible in one year: Revelation 17-19, Zachariah 4:1-5:4, Sing Hymn 14

MESSAGE:

The Lord Jesus Christ gave out several great invitations while He was on earth, and these invitations are still open to us today. If only you can accept them, your life will never be the same again. He says to us "Come and eat", "Come and drink", and "Come and Follow me" (John 21:12, John 7:37, Mark 8:34). To follow Him, you must deny yourself of certain desires and lusts; take up your cross daily by being ready to live the sacrificial life that He demands, and put your feet where He trod, while carefully studying the paths that He walked (1 Peter 2:21). May God grant you the grace to truly follow Him! Today, on difference social media networks, quite a lot of people have a great follower-ship. There is no better person to follow than Jesus Christ! Following some of the characters on social media networks cannot add anything good to your life, but following Jesus will add both earthly benefits and eternal rewards to you (Mark 10:29-30). The best thing that can ever happen to you is to follow Jesus! A good follower of Jesus is a disciple of Christ.

In addition, the Lord invites His children to abide in Him. In John 15:5, Jesus says if you abide in Him, you will bear much fruit. Abiding in Him is one secret of fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God. If you want to be able to win a lot of souls to Christ, you must take time to ensure that He permanently resides in you and you in Him. It is only then that His life will fully and freely flow through you. If you are still toying with sin, you cannot be fruitful from God's perspective. Also, abiding in Him gives you the assurance that all your prayers will be answered (John 15:7). When your requests are granted, what more can you wish for? This is where God wants all His children to be and not just some of them. Are all your prayers been answered? If only some have been answered, then you really need to look at your present relationship with Christ and do some more work on your love towards Him, your faith in Him, your devotion to Him, your obedience to Him, your service to Him, and your study of His word. You need to look at how consistent you are in His presence and go deeper in Him. Don't stop until all your prayers are answered! Don't stop until you are most fruitful!

Action Point:

On social media networks today, so many people who are being followed are leading their followers to Hell. Watch who you follow!

Hymn 14

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Verse 1:

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;

Let them flow in endless praise.

Verse 2:

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Verse 3:

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Verse 4:

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Verse 5:

Take my will and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Verse 6:

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 16 December 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WHAT OF YOUR VOWS?

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 12:58 PM PST

WHAT OF YOUR VOWS? - Saturday, December 16^th 2017

Memorise: "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." Ecclesiastes 5:5

Read: Ecclesiastes 5:1-6 (KJV)

5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

^5:2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

^5:3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

^5:4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

^5:5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

^5:6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Bible in one year: Revelation 14-16, Zachariah 3, Sing Hymn 16

MESSAGE:

The institution of marriage is largely misunderstood and consequently abused by a lot of people in today's word. Marriage was designed by God for the good of the partners involved. He designed it as an institution where they can complement each other, enjoy life on earth, and reproduce their kind to replenish the earth. In contrast to what is sadly the norm in the world today, marriage is a covenant relationship that is of a permanent nature. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself stated this in Matthew 19:6 when he said:

"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God Hath joined together, let no man put asunder."

Contrary to God's expectations, the marital vow that is supposed to be very scared is fast becoming a recitation that is violated at will. How many married people ever reflect on the vows they exchange at the altar to see if the current state of their lives has not deviated from it? Marriage is a very serious covenant relationship. God expects the partners involved in it to keep the pledge they made to each other in the presence of many witnesses. Are you married? How faithful have you been in keeping your marital vows?

As children of God, we should not be surprise by the current sorry state of the institution of marriage in the world today. The Holy Spirit told us ahead of time that unfaithfulness to vows will form part of the unrighteousness of men in such times as this, When in Romans 1:31 He describe the characteristics of people in the last days as follow:

"Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, Implacable, unmerciful:"

In 2^nd Timothy 3:3-4, He also indicates to us that a sign by which we will know we are in the last days is when we see men increasingly becoming traitors and trucebreakers (i.e. implacable). Are you breaking any of the promises you made in your marriage vows? Are you the type that cannot be appeased? Do you find it difficult to forgive your spouse whenever there is a form of misunderstanding in your relationship? If you have any of those traits, it shows that you are not walking in the love of God. Are you are unmerciful to your spouse? How can you receive mercy from God when you cannot even show it to your own spouse? At the altar, you promise to take care of your spouse; are you doing so today? You promise to use all your worldly goods to make life easier for your spouse, but is that what you are doing today? You promise to leave everyone else and belong to your spouse forever; is that so? Are you secretly dating someone else? If you have fallen out of line, repent and keep your vows from today!

Action point:

Every vow made shall be accounted for someday. Never break your vows!

Hymn 16

GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

Verse 1:

God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master's will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty

Thy love hath wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Verse 2:

God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyful with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Verse 3:

God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Thy way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Verse 4:

God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Open Heaven Today 3 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – TITHING IS TRUSTING

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:52 PM PST

TITHING IS TRUSTING - Sunday December 3^rd 2017

Memorise: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Read: Proverbs 3:5-7 (KJV)

^3:5Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

^3:6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

^3:7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

open-heavens-open-heaven-3-december-2017-sunday

Bible in one year: Psalm 93 – 101, Nahum 3:5-19, Sing Hymn 14

MESSAGE:

To experience exploits in your life, you must have a personal relationship with God. You must believe that He lives and love Him with all your heart. You must also learn to trust in Him. The command to pay tithes on your earnings simply places a demand on you to trust in God. Your response to this command shows the level of trust you have in Him. If you can pay your tithe correctly, it shows that you trust God for your livelihood, but if you find it difficult to be faithful in doing this, it simply shows that you trust more in your earnings than in God to sustain you. After I became newly born again and we were taught to pay tithes, I laughed and said in my mind, "These people do not know that I am a mathematician. If 100% is not enough for me, how can 90% be enough after I have paid 10% as tithe? Thank you very much! Even though these people are not educated, they still want to use their smartness to take 10% of my income from me. Let them try and take it" However, down the line, God convinced me by Himself and I observed remarkable changes in my life.

In those days, I was a lecture in the university. I had a car but was afraid to drive in Lagos so I got a driver. At the end of the month, I would pay my driver his salary, but by the middle of the next month, I would have to borrow money from him to buy petrol (gasoline). This happened month after month. I continued to struggle with my finances and even had to spend all my earnings. However, when I started paying my tithes, I suddenly realized I did not need a driver anymore, because boldness came from nowhere and I could now drive myself. Also, I did not have to visit hospitals again because I now had the Great Physician as my doctor. My children did not fall sick again, and that leakage in my finances was blocked off. All of a sudden, doors of opportunities began to open to me because I trusted the Lord. Are you still struggling with tithing? If you are, it only shows that you do not trust God to take care of you. The truth is, whatever you are paid may never be sufficient to meet all your needs because you are limited to that source, whereas you are open to various devourers. In contrast, when you tithe, you will have access to resources beyond your income because God's storehouse will be opened to you, and He will also block every source of losses in your life. It is a matter of choice. Why don't you start trusting God from today by paying your tithe faithfully?

Key Point:

It is shocking to know that quite a number of God's children cannot trust God with their finances.

Hymn 14

HYMN 14 – TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Verse 1:

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;

Let them flow in endless praise.

Verse 2:

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Verse 3:

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Verse 4:

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Verse 5:

Take my will and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Verse 6:

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 15 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – GOOD FROM EVIL

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:42 PM PST

GOOD FROM EVIL - Friday December 15^th 2017

Memorise: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" 2^nd Corinthians 4:17

Read: John 16:4-7 (KJV)

^16:4But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

^16:5But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

^16:6But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

^16:7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Bible in one year: Revelation 11-13, Zachariah 1:18-2:13, Sing Hymn 4

MESSAGE:

Everybody has a choice to make on the issue of focus in life. Your focus has a way of directing your activities and dictating how well or badly your resources are utilized. It is therefore great wisdom to make Jesus Christ your focus. May the Lord grant you grace to do so in Jesus's Name. When you walk with God for a while, you will come to realize that He specializes in bringing something good out of something seemingly bad. This is why it is well said that opportunities are wrapped up in unpleasant packages. This truth was demonstrated in the life of Elisha (2^nd Kings 2:1-15). To Elisha, losing his mentor and master was seemingly a bad thing, but this had to happen for him to get promoted to the office of the national prophet and become a mentor to others. Similarly, it was seemly a bad thing when Jesus had to be beaten and His body was torn in shred. However, this was the price He had to fully pay for us to access for all kinds of diseases (1 Peter 2:24). This tells us that not every bad event is truly bad, particularly as it relates to children of the Most High God (Romans 8:28).

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you"

John 16:7

After spending just three and half years with His disciples, the time came for the Lord to leave them. This was an unthinkable scenario for them, and it was most undesirable! The disciple were not ready to let the Master go, not even when they knew that He needed to go the cross in obedience to God. In fact, Peter was prepared to involve himself in physical combat in his attempt to prevent Jesus from leaving them. However, Jesus needed to depart for the Holy Spirit to come. Some people may have to leave the scene so that you can move from obscurity into limelight. Have you been left out in the cold? Something will happen that will cause a sudden divine remembrance of you this season in Jesus' Name! King Uzziah had to die for Prophet Isaiah to see more clearly (Isaiah 6:1). The Lord will do something about your matter today! Whether good or bad, things will happen that will favour you in Jesus' Name. Both good and bad will work in your favour this period! As bad as afflictions appear to be, 2^nd Corinthians 4:17 says they are actually working great rewards for us. May every seemingly bad event work for your good in Jesus' Name!

Prayer Point:

Father, in seemingly bad situations I have been through or that I am going through now, please open my eyes to see the good inherent in them.

Hymn 4

THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR

Verse 1

Through the love of God our Savior,

All will be well;

Free and changeless is His favor;

All, all is well.

Precious is the blood that healed us;

Perfect is the grace that sealed us;

Strong the hand stretched out to shield us;

All must be well.

Verse 2

Though we pass through tribulation,

All will be well;

Ours is such a full salvation;

All, all is well.

Happy still in God confiding,

Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,

Holy through the Spirit's guiding,

All must be well.

Verse 3

We expect a bright tomorrow;

All will be well;

Faith can sing through days of sorrow,

All, all is well.

On our Father's love relying,

Jesus every need supplying,

Or in living, or in dying,

All must be well.

Open Heavens 14 December 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – PAUL WAS TRULY YOKED

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:37 PM PST

PAUL WAS TRULY YOKED - Thursday December 14^th 2017

Memorise: "Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 21:13

Read: Acts 21:7-14 (KJV)

^21:7And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

^21:8And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

^21:9And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

^21:10And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

^21:11And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

^21:12And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

^21:13Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

^21:14And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Bible in one year: Revelation 7-10, Zachariah 1:1-17, Sing Hymn 14

MESSAGE:

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest upon your souls" Matthew 11:29

In the above scripture, Jesus mentions two profound things that will give rest to our souls, one of which is that we should take on His easy yoke. What is His yoke? It is that cross of self-denial we are required to carry as we follow Him. This refers to works such as these, which are integral to the Christian life: making sacrifices, giving, service, investment of time to pray and study God's word, and soul-winning. One person who carried the yoke of Jesus was Paul. He understood what it means to be 'made by Him and for Him' (Colossians 1:16). When he met Christ on his way to Damascus and he surrendered of Him, from then onwards, he never turned back. He joyfully sacrificed all his earthly achievements and recognition so as to pursue on goal in life: to know Jesus (Philippians 3:8)! He worked like no one else did. He travelled extensively across the globe just to serve his Saviour, risking his life over and again in the process. When it was revealed that he would be bound and afflicted if he went to Jerusalem, with the brethren passionately pleading that he should not go, he responded with these words in Acts 21:13:

"…what mean ye to weep and break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus"

Have you taken on the yoke of Christ to the extent that you can go anywhere, do anything and give up anything for Him?

In addition, Jesus said we must be ready to learn of Him. Jesus Christ can be likened to a well of knowledge that we cannot exhaust in our lifetime. Beloved, there is so much to know about Him. Have you ever wondered how the Holy Spirit gives you insight into a particular scripture, and by the following day, week or month, when you take up the same verse, you still receive a deeper revelation from it? Do you know that the Holy Spirit can give you deep insight in a verse of scripture from which you can produce 10 or more solid books from? Although Paul knew so much about Jesus, when he compared what he knew with what he was yet to know, he realized that he still knew very little. For this reason, he made it his life's goal to know Him. Do you think you know so much about Jesus and boast over this? Repent now and commit to learning more of Him everyday till you meet Him in glory.

Key Point:

Those who went before us have left a great legacy for us; what legacy are we leaving behind for our children regarding the Christian faith?

Hymn 14

HYMN 14 – TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Verse 1:

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;

Let them flow in endless praise.

Verse 2:

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Verse 3:

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Verse 4:

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Verse 5:

Take my will and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Verse 6:

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 13 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ALL SECRETS SHALL BE UNCOVERED

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:32 PM PST

SECRETS SHALL BE UNCOVERED - Wednesday December 13^th 2017

Memorise: "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Romans 2:16

Read: Luke 12:1-3(KJV)

12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

^12:2For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

^12:3Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

open-heaven-today-open-heaven-13-december-2017-wednesday

Bible in one year: Revelation 3-6, Haggai 2:10-23, Sing Hymn 6

MESSAGE:

Those who attempt to hide their sins or cover up their errors fail to realize that nothing can be hidden from God, the heavenly saints and even from God's angels. A child of God who indulges in hypocritical lifestyle is yet to be broken in spirit. Do you realize that God can expose the secret deeds of anybody He chooses to (Daniel 2:47)? If He has not revealed yours, it is not because you are smart, but because He is still giving you some time of grace to make amends. In the early Church, the secret conspiracy of a couple was revealed by the Holy Spirit, and this led to their death (Acts 5:1-11). No matter how deep that secret deed is buried, it can still exposed at anytime.

In addition, a day is coming when everyone's secret will be made public before a staggering crowd of every person that has ever inhabited the earth all through the ages. This will happen at the Great White Throne Judgment, where everyone who ever lived on earth will be divinely summoned, and stand before the Almighty God to face their final judgment and thereafter receive their eternal sentence (Revelation 20:11-15). On that great and terrible day, the past will be harmonized with the present to determine the eternal future of everyone. Before the greatest screen, every life will be reviewed before everyone, and then comes sentence. The only people who will not be judged at that universal judgment are those who were saved and washed in the Blood of Jesus, and who must have sustained their faith in Christ until they died or were ruptured. On that day, these saints will be part of the judges who will sit over the rest of the people from all nations, colour, tribe and tongues (1^st Corinthians 6:2). On that day, would anyone still have a secret? No wonder Jesus said that there is nothing done in secret that shall not be exposed, and nothing said in private that shall not be broadcast from the mountain top. How prepared are you to face the judgment of God? How long will you continue to live in secret sin? Repent today and live in holiness and prepare for the Lord's return.

Key Point:

Calling yourself a Christian (light) but living in secret sin (darkness) is a hypocritical life. Are you not tired of this?

Hymn 6

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Chorus:

O deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

Chorus:

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

Chorus:

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu'ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Chorus:

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow'r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Chorus.

Open Heavens 12 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STANDING FAULTESS BEFORE CHIRST

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:24 PM PST

STANDING FAULTLESS BEFORE CHRIST - Tuesday December 12^th 2017

Memorise: "I Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36

Read: Matthew 26:36-41(KJV)

^26:36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

^26:37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

^26:38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

^26:39And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

^26:40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

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

open-heavens-open-heavsn-12-december-2017-tuesday

Bible in one year: Revelation 1:2, Haggai 1:12-2:9, Sing Hymn 12

MESSAGE:

The Lord in Hosea 4:6 reveals that ignorance is one of the greatest factors that lead to the undoing of believers. What you attain in life may not go beyond what you know. What you know adds to you, but what you fail to know takes away from you. The Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 26:41 says,

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

From these words of the Master, we understand that there is a link between what you know and how effectively you pray. We also understand that there is a link between what you know and how you overcome temptations. The less you know about God, His ways and His word, the less inner strength you will have to overcome temptations. If you want to live a Christian life that manifest the victory that Christ has given us over Satan, sin, self and the pleasures of the world, you must be well versed in the Scriptures. You must study to show yourself approved before God (2^nd Timothy 2:15). To what extent do you know God?

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36

This scripture tells us that although prayer is very important, it is however not enough. If you can pray very well but lack knowledge, many things can still go wrong. From the words of the Master in this scripture, prayer must be effectively combined with knowledge to be able to escape the dangers of the last days. Do you know the signs of the times? Do you take time to monitor local, national and international events and reconcile these events with what God has said concerning them in His word? If you have knowledge and are prayerful, certain things that would take the world by surprise cannot catch you off guard. In fact, you will be the one alerting others to the implications of the events happening around you. In addition, it takes a combination of knowledge and prayer to be able to stand as a worthy vessel before the judgment seat of Christ. When you know what the Lord wants of you, how He wants you to do the work He has assigned to you, and the time He has appointed for you to do the work, it will be easy to do it and to stand faultless before His throne at last.

Prayer Point:

Father, please do all You need to do in me to present me faultless before your throne.

Hymn 12

HYMN 12 – HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

Verse 1:

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Verse 2:

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

'Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Verse 3:

Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Verse 4:

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I'll praise Thee as I ought.

Verse 5:

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!

Open Heavens 11 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye - A SACRIFICE GOD LOVES

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:20 PM PST

A SACRIFICE GOD LOVES - Monday December 11^th 2017

Memorise: "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and

will call upon the name of the Lord." Psalms 116:17

Read: Psalms 116:17-19 (KJV)

^116:17I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

^116:18I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

^116:19In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

Bible in one year: Psalm 142-150, Haggai 1:1-11, Sing Hymn 8

MESSAGE:

If you have been washed in the precious Blood of the lamb, thanking God for the salvation of your soul is something you need to do daily for the rest of your life. Some people throw parties to celebrate milestones and achievements in different areas of life, but Jesus said that what should give us the greatest joy is the fact that we are saved and have our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Luke 10:20). That your name is in the Lamb's Book of Life is a great testimony that you should regularly thank God for whenever you pray.

However, giving thanks to God is not always a very easy thing to do, particularly if you have been through a spate of negative and very sad events of experiences. In such situations, thanking God requires sacrifice. Our God loves sacrifices – particularly a sacrifice of thanksgiving. No wonder the Psalmist says thus in Psalm 116:17:

"I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD"

When you offer thanksgiving to God at a time when every situation in your life is saying that He doesn't deserve it or that He has forsaken you, it is sacrificial.

Similarly, your thanksgiving is sacrificial when you thank God even when He has not granted your requests. This is an expression of faith. Sacrificial thanksgiving glorifies God and proves to Him that your faith in Christ has spiritual substance. Do you know that most people remember to thank God only when they believe He has 'earned it'? Such people live by a personal philosophy which says "Whenever God does something for me, only then will I give Him thanks in return". Such an attitude is simply calculative and myopic. There are so many things God does for us everyday which we take for granted as normal everyday occurrences, but the truth is, nothing is ever really "normal", and every day comes with its challenges. Those who give God a sacrifice of thanksgiving do so because they choose to. They choose to see things from God's perspective, which makes them see reasons why they ought to be grateful to God, even when other people cannot see any reason why.

Action Point:

Apply the lessons learnt in today's study to offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving today.

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!

Open Heavens 10 December 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye - INVITATION TO GRATER WORKS

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:15 PM PST

INVITATION TO GRATER WORKS - Sunday December 10^th 2017

Memorise: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19

Read: Matthew 14:23-29 (KJV)

^14:23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

^14:24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

^14:25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

^14:26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

^14:27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

^14:28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

^14:29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Bible in one year: Psalm 135-141, Zephaniah 3:9-20, Sing Hymn 14

MESSAGE:

On one of their journeys by sea, the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. Astonished to see this wonder, Peter asked the Lord Jesus Christ if he could join Him, and Lord invited him to come. Peter's fellow disciples watched in amazement as he walked towards Jesus on the water. If only too had responded to the lord's invitation, they would have partaken of this awesome experience, but they were not courageous enough to step out. Nevertheless, that invitation to do the impossible was not limited to them. It is still open to you and me today. In John 14:12, Jesus said,

''Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall do also.' And greater works then these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Beloved, the call to the works of Jesus and even perform greater works than He did is a call to the impossible. To be able to do this, you must be prepared to believe in Jesus Christ with all your heart, leaving no space for doubt. Do you believe in him? Why then do you still leave room for doubt? Don't you know that the Lord never fails?

Furthermore, Jesus invites us to follow him. John 8:12 says,

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

As the light, if you follow Jesus, you will not walk in darkness, and neither will you stumble. Also, if you follow Him, He will make something great out of your life. He will make you what you never dreamt you could become. Consider a person like Peter: he would have died an unknown fisherman if he had not accepted Christ's invitation to follow him (Matthew4:18-19). Have accept that invitation to follow Jesus? Today some people give various excuses for not following him. One of such excuses is that they do not want to be disturbed distracted from their life's goal or ambition, failing to realise that if only they accepted Lord's invitation, they would have had a greater future and they would have enjoyed His backing in all their life's endeavours. Have you heeded His invitation?

Action Point:

The call to follow Jesus is a call to true discipleship. Are you His disciple?

Hymn 14

HYMN 14 – TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Verse 1:

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;

Let them flow in endless praise.

Verse 2:

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Verse 3:

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Verse 4:

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Verse 5:

Take my will and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Verse 6:

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Open Heavens 9 December 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – STOP THE PRETENCE

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:11 PM PST

STOP THE PRETENCE - Saturday December 9^th 2017

Memorise: "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:" 1st Timothy 1:5

Read: 1^st Timothy 1:5-9 (KJV)

^1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

^1:6From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

^1:7Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

^1:8But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

^1:9Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Bible in one year: Psalm 120-134, Zephaniah 2:13-3:8, Sing Hymn 6

MESSAGE:

Salvation through Christ is such a great experience, but the devil in his characteristic manner has introduced counterfeits into people lives. The consequence of possessing a counterfeit salvation experience is a life of pretence. To guard against this wile of the devil, the Holy Spirit in 1^st Timothy 1:5, admonishes us thus:

''Now the end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart, and of good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.''

While God wants us to show love to all, he equally cares about the source of this love. The source of a thing goes a long way in determining its quality and value. You cannot bring something good out of an evil heart. If you do, that good thing is already tainted. For instance, even though you see lots of food in dunghill, you will not go to eat from there. God is therefore saying that should do away with pretence and hypocrisy, because they taint whatever good works you are doing. He is saying that if you will show Him love, make sacrifices for His sake, or give to His cause, such actions must come out of a pure heart, with a good conscience and done with sincerity; otherwise, the doer of these works may not get any reward.

Are you saved? Is your salvation genuine or false? 2^nd Corinthians 5:17 says if you are saved, old things are passed away. This means that if you were stealing before, after experiencing salvation, you will stop stealing. You cannot continue stealing and still lay claim to salvation. While my father-in-the-Lord was alive, if you claim to be saved, he would ask you these questions. What were you saved from? ''What were you doing before that you longer do now?'' Today, people claim they are saved, and yet they still steal, lie or fornicate. What kind of salvation is that? In one of my missionary trips outside Nigeria, a man came to me and said, '' Sir, I heard that you are a prophet of God and that your prophecies are deadly accurate.'' '' is that so?'' I replied and further added, ''I am not a prophet but Pastor, but I do hear from God once a while.'' He then asked me to tell him his future. I asked him if he was born again and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and His response was ''No''. So I said to him, ''future will be terrible'. Alarmed, he said, ''How how do you know? You don't even know my name, and you have not even prayed!'' I told him there was no need for that because Isaiah 3:11 says '' Woe to the wicked!'' On the other hand, if are saved, your tomorrow will be alright. Are you saved? Did you genuinely give your life to Jesus Christ on particular day? If not, do it today!

Action Point:

The afterlife has no room for pretence. It's all about reality and truth.

Hymn 6

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Chorus:

O deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

Chorus:

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

Chorus:

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu'ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Chorus:

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow'r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Chorus.

Open Heavens 8 December 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – HOW CONCEALED ARE SECRETS?

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:08 PM PST

HOW CONCEALED ARE SECRETS? - Friday December 8^th 2017

Memorise: "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13

Read: Hebrews 4:11-14 (KJV)

^4:11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

^4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

^4:13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

^4:14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Bible in one year: Psalm 119, Zephaniah 2:1-12, Sing Hymn 6

MESSAGE:

The way a child of God relates with sin is indicative of the level of brokenness he or she has attained. An unbroken fellow tries to cover up sin. He or she tries to play smart with sin, particularly when its repercussions are not immediately apparent. In proverbs 28:13, the Holy spirit has this message for such people:

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

If you fall into sin and the most important thing to you at that moment is that no one should know what you have done, it is because you are not broken. In any case, to what extent can you truly hide sin? For how long can you cover up your evil deeds? Can you hide your sins from God? Hebrews 4:13 answer this:

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

Thinking that you can hide away your sins from God is living is a fool's Paradise. This can be compared to the proverbial ostrich which buries his head in the sand to hide from predators, not realizing that is body is still visible to its enemy and vulnerable to attack.

Not only are your sin never hidden from God, they are equally not hidden from the saints in Heaven. Hebrews chapter 11 provides a list of saints that ran this race ahead of us and are now in Heaven. Hebrews 12:1 calls them a 'cloud of witnesses'. These brethren know and can see all we are doing. Someone who was privileged to visit Heaven and return to earth said that there is a curtain in Heaven that anyone there can pull and the fellow will be able to monitor the activities of anybody here on earth. Another brother who also had that same privilege spoke of how saints in Heaven gather together in a place like a stadium, where they watch earthly saints facing crucial trials of their faith. When a saint being watched compromises, they shout in disappointment, just like when your favourite football team concedes a goal. In contrast, when a person stands for his or her faith in Christ, they shout with excitement. Be aware that you are being watched. If only you can imagine the number of eyes monitoring you, you would be conscious of the fact that nothing you do is hidden!

Key Point:

The next time you are tempted to sin in secret, just imagine multiple eyes peering at you from every corner of the enclosure you are in.

Hymn 6

HYMN 6: DEEPER, DEEPER

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Chorus:

O deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

Chorus:

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

Chorus:

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu'ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Chorus:

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow'r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Chorus.

Open Heavens 7 December 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – ERODING GOD’S HONOUR?

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:05 PM PST

ERODING GOD'S HONOUR? - Thursday December 7^th 2017

Memorise: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name?" Malachi 1:6

Read: Malachi 1:6-8 (KJV)

^1:6A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

^1:7Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

^1:8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.

Bible in one year: Psalm 113-118, Zephaniah 1, Sing Hymn 9

MESSAGE:

For your prayer to be a sweet savour before the Almighty God, you must be prepared not only to praise Him but also to honour His Name. You cannot truly claim to belong to God without reverencing or honouring His Name. This is why the Lord posed this crucial question to us in Malachi 1:6:

"A son honoureth his father and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is mine honour? and if be a master, where is my Fear? Saith the LORD of hosts unto you, o priest, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name?"

If you look at the types of relationships referenced in the above Scripture passage, you will agree with me that the lower member of each relationship owes a type of honour to the higher member. A son owes his father a high degree of honour and respect borne out of love. Also, a servant owes his master some degree of fear, honour and regard, as the master is the source of the servant's livelihood. As a result of those, a father can demand honour of his son, just as a master ca demand honour of his servant. However, when it comes to our relationship with God, many people who claim to be God's children, prefer to relate with God without giving Him the honour due to His Name. Unsurprisingly, this is unacceptable to the One to whom all honour is due.

Today, the Lord is asking, "where is honour?" in other words, there are many honour-thieves in the Christian fold. Are you an honour-thief? If you call on God's Name without giving it the high regard it deservers, you are an honour-thief. If you fail the materials test, by offering to God a detective gift or a gift that does not befit His status as the King of kings, nor reflect the level of His blessings on your life, you are an honour-thief. If you treat His assignments or handle His work with anything less than the honour due to Him, you are an honour-thief. If your lifestyle makes people look down on your God, you are an honour-thief. If you offer torn currency notes to God, when you know you cannot even use such to pay for things, you are an honour-thief. Do you honour the Lord in all you do?

Key Point:

Carefully come up with 5-10 ways of honouring God. Go ahead and implement them.

Hymn 9

ON THE HILL FAR AWAY

Verse 1

On a hill far away

Stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Chorus:

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.

Verse 2

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

(Chorus)

Verse 3

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

To pardon and sanctify me.

(Chorus)

Verse 4

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,

its shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,

Where his glory forever I'll share.

(Chorus)

Open Heavens 6 December 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:02 PM PST

WHAT DO YOU SEE? - Wednesday December 6^th 2017

Memorise: "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. Habakkuk 2:1

Read: Habakkuk 2:1-3(KJV)

2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

^2:2And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

^2:3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Bible in one year: Psalm 108-112, Habakkuk 3, Sing Hymn 7

MESSAGE:

The power of vision is one very crucial lesson we can learn from Elisha's unshakeable focus when his master was about to be taken up to heaven (2 kings 2: 1-15). Vision gives directions. What you see is what you attain, and what you focus on determines what comes to you in life. You can never rise above your vision. While speaking to Abraham concerning His promise that Abraham's descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, the Lord plainly told him that he would possess would be determine by the extent of his vision. Genesis 13:15 says,

"For all the land which thou seest, to thee will give it, and to thy seed forever."

People have often said that what the mind can conceive can be achieved. What can you see? What can you picture or envision concerning your future? For your mind to be able to see clearly, you have to be born again and have a recreated spirit which is capable of seeing things the God sees them (Romans 12:2).

In addition, what you focus on is equally very important. This is because what you focus on expands and fills your sight. Your focus affects you significantly, shapes your life and determines what you attract to yourself. The sons of the Prophets in all three locations Elijah visited before his rapture to heaven focus on loss. They on fact that their national Prophet would soon be raptured, and they would soon be without their leader. Consequently, that was exactly what they got. On the other hand, Elisha focused on his singular goal of receiving a double portion of the Spirit of his master, Elijah, and he got it. We have a way of attracting what we focus on. What or who is your focus? Hebrews12:2 says we should look unto Jesus. In other word, it says we should make Jesus Christ our Focus. Furthermore, 2^nd Corinthians 3:18 says,

"But we all, with open face beholding as a glass the glory of the Lord, are change into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

When we focus on Jesus, we will begin to change from what we are into what He is. Focusing on Jesus is a major change medium that will definitely make us what we ought to be. Until you focus on Him, you will unknowingly be focusing on other things, individual or even yourself. What is your focus today?

Action Point:

Catalogue what you spend your time doing in a day, and this will give you a good indication of what your focus is really is.

Hymn 7

HYMN 7: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED.

1. O Jesus, I have promised,

To serve Thee to the end;

Be Thou forever near me,

My Master and my Friend;

I shall not fear the battle

If Thou art by my side,

Nor wander from the pathway

If Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,

In accents clear and still,

I dare not trust my judgment:

Thy way shall be my will;

Oh, speak to reassure me,

To hasten or control;

Oh, speak, and make me listen,

Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised

To all who follow Thee

That where Thou art in glory

There shall Thy servant be;

And Jesus, I have promised

To serve Thee to the end;

Oh, give me grace to follow,

My Master and my Friend.

4. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,

And in them plant mine own;

My hope to follow duly

Is in Thy strength alone.

Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,

Uphold me to the end;

And then in Heav'n receive me,

My Savior and my Friend

Open Heavens 5 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – KNOWLEDGE DELIVERS

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 02:58 PM PST

KNOWLEDGE DELIVERS - Tuesday December 5^th 2017

Memorise: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Read: Daniel 2:46-49 (KJV)

^2:46Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.

^2:47The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

^2:48Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

^2:49Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Bible in one year: Psalm 106-107, Habakkuk 2:2-20, Sing Hymn 1

MESSAGE:

The Scriptures declare that wisdom is a major asset we must acquire (Proverbs 4:7). To get wisdom, you have to first lay its foundation stones with knowledge. What you know can determine your position in life. It was what Joseph knew, together with the ability to interpret dreams, that God used to move him from prison to the throne (Genesis 41:1-44). In other words, the stop-gap between you and your place of destiny is knowledge. Can you truthfully say that you know enough to get you to your place of destiny? If your answer is in the negative, then start acquiring knowledge today. In many corporate organizations, preference is given to those who have acquired more knowledge than others. open heavens 4 December 2017 This is why there is a tendency to select employees with higher degree for higher positions in these organizations. So don't just remain stagnant in knowledge, acquire more of it! Enroll for higher degrees and relevant online or offline training programmes to position yourself for a more successful career ahead of time. What you know can promote you and bring you before kings.

Furthermore, what you know can deliver you from death. No wonder the Lord in Hosea 4:6^a, said:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:"

It was the information Daniel and his colleagues received from God that delivered them and the rest of the wise men of Babylon from death. In other words, what you don't know can kill you. Ignorance is not just a disease, but also a killer – a worse killer than some diseases. Ignorance is a terrible destroyer! Lack of knowledge can lead to a lot of wasteful spending. For example, if a person doesn't know the importance of maintaining good hygiene, he or she will fall sick often and waste money on treatments that could have been avoided. Do you know that many people are being taken advantage of by the devil because they do not know their rights and privileges in God's Kingdom? They do not know that they have been healed by the stripes of Jesus, and so they continue in sickness. open heavens 4 December 2017 If you fail to know that Jesus has paid the price for you to be rich, you will remain in poverty and even celebrate it like some people do today. What do you know?

Key Point:

If you do not yet have a degree and you are less than 60 years, consider enrolling for one.

Hymn 1

MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

Verse 1:

My faith looks up to thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine;

Now hear me while I pray;

Take all my guilt away.

O let me from this day

Be wholly thine!

Verse 2:

May thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart,

My zeal inspire.

As thou hast died for me,

O may my love to thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

Verse 3:

While life's dark maze I tread

And griefs around me spread,

Be thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow's tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From thee aside.

Verse 4:

When life's swift race is run,

Death's cold work almost done,

Be near to me.

Blest Savior, then, in love

Fear and distrust remove.

O bear me safe above,

Redeemed and free!

Open Heavens 4 December 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – WORTH CELEBRATING

Posted: 02 Dec 2017 02:48 PM PST

WORTH CELEBRATING – Monday December 4^th 2017

Memorise: "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Read: Luke 10:17-20 (KJV)

^10:17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

^10:18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

^10:19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

^10:20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Bible in one year: Psalm 102-105, Habakkuk 1:1-2:1, Sing Hymn 12

MESSAGE:

"Neither is there salvation in other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirit are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:20

Key Point:

If you knew the severity of eternal hell, you would treasure the salvation of your and soul and thank God always for it.

Hymn 12

HYMN 12 – HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS

Verse 1:

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Verse 2:

It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

'Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Verse 3:

Jesus! My Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

O Prophet, Priest and King,

My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,

Accept the praise I bring.

Verse 4:

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I'll praise Thee as I ought.

Verse 5:

Till then I would Thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath,

And may the music of Thy Name

Refresh my soul in death!