Thoughts of Our Fathers (TOF)

Memorise: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. 2ndCorinthians 5:17

Read: Deuteronomy 28:11-13 (King James Version)

Memorise: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

 1st Timothy 4:2Read: Romans 9:1, 1st Timothy 1:16-20 (KJV)

Memorise: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28

Read: Genesis 1:26-30 (KJV)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.


28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.


30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.




Bible in one year: Genesis 42-43, Isaiah 55, Hymn: Sing hymn 10
MESSAGE:



God’s voice is so powerful that it can bring about abundant increase. When He speaks in a situation of lack and acute shortage, whatever is responsible for that anomaly is arrested and there is bountiful provision. An example of this can be seen in the lives of the children of Israel. In Genesis 46:26-27, we read that all the people that Israel brought with him into Egypt including Joseph and his family were 70. However, when they were leaving Egypt, the men alone were numbered at 600,000 (Exodus 12:37). In fact, the Israelites’ rate of multiplication in Egypt was so raid that it became a source of worry to the Egyptians (Exodus 1:7-10). Sometimes, we think that such miracles can only occur in Bible times. By the grace of God, in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we have seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated in the area of multiplication. In 1952, the Church started with about 12 people. By the time I became the general overseer in 1981, we had only 40 parishes including the headquarters. The convention we had in 1980 had a little over 600 people in attendance, yet we thought that was quite large. Today, through the grace of the Almighty God, this same Church has spread to over 174 nations of the world! Why? It is simply because there is a God who can speak from Heaven to make something little increase abundantly. This shall be your portion today in Jesus’ Name!


A blessing summons all the forces in heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to help an individual to succeed. To bless someone, you have to open your mouth to declare it. When God blesses you, all the angels of God will assist you, and even demons will fight one another to clear the way for you. In Genesis 48:8-20, Joseph, while visiting his father Jacob with his two sons, carefully guided his father to rest his right hand on the head of the elder son, Manasseh, and to rest his left hand on Ephraim the younger. At this time, Jacob was old and sick, and could no longer see. When Jacob crossed his hands over the two boys, Joseph protested but Jacob insisted, saying the younger will be greater than the elder, and then he blessed them. Within a short period of time, the younger son had become 10 times more blessed than his elder brother (Deuteronomy 33:17). This is what the declaration of a divine blessing can do in the life of a person. Ask God to declare His blessings on you. You can also seek the declaration of blessings from a father that is connected to God.

Memorise: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
Read: 2nd Kings 5:20-27 (KJV)

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.


21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?


22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.


23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.


24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.


25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.


26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?


27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.




Bible in one year: Genesis 36-37, Isaiah 51:17-52:12
MESSAGE:
Holiness is so integral to the person of the Holy Spirit that the word “holy” is attached to His Name. You cannot live the Christian life without having a relationship with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9); but to have a good relationship with the Holy Spirit, you need to understand that He detests sin. 6 March 2017 open heaven. Part of His assignment in this world is to liberate you from the power of sin and to help you live above it (John 16:8, Romans 8:2, Galatians 5:16). Two sins entangling a lot of Christians today and fast eroding their character are stealing and lying. Stealing has its origin in covetousness and it leads to betrayal. The life of Judas Iscariot, a man who walked with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, is a case study of this (John 12:6). Today, due to covetousness, even ministers of God are stealing from the Church purse, thereby betraying the huge trust reposed in them by God. Have you been stealing from God or from men? Repent, restitute and turn a new leaf today (Ephesians 4:28)!

In today’s Bible reading, Gehazi lied to Naaman and received the gifts his master had rejected. Thereafter, his master sent for him and asked him where he had been. He lied again saying he went nowhere. He however did not get away with that lie. There are lies you tell and it may appear you got away with them, but there are also lies you will tell that will leave their sting on you perpetually. Gehazi lied to his master and his master and his life changed negatively and irreversibly from that day. Open Heavens 6 March 2017:- Stealing and lying. Similarly, Ananias and Sapphira may have told lies in the past and escaped the consequences. However, on the day they lied to Peter, they never lived to tell another lie (Acts 5:1-10). If you consider the punishment that followed the supposedly “little” lie of this couple, many people would be of the opinion that it far exceeded their offence. Why? It is because they see lying as a regular, common sin that is inconsequential if weighed on a scale with “heavier” sins like murder. This is why many people engaged in it, even those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Some people have even categorised lies by colour and size! If God could bring leprosy on Gehazi and kill Ananians and Sapphira because of lies, it means that He does not take lies lightly as we do. God even says He will exclude all categories of liars from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:8, Revelation 21:27). Run away from lies and embrace Jesus Christ, the Truth!

Memorise: In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Titus 2:7

Read: 2nd Corinthians 2:14-17 (King James Version)

14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.


15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:


16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?


17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.




Bible in one year: Genesis 24, Isaiah 46, Hymn: Sing hymn 9
MESSAGE:
Insincerity is one of the greatest reasons behind the downfall of many believers today. Some people claim to love God, but the kind of fruit they manifest makes people question the genuineness of their salvation. Loving God is not just by words, it must reflect in all that we do and in our approach to life. The moment we are saved, we should no longer walk as those who are heading for eternal damnation. The word of God must be obeyed in its entirety. There are believers today who cherry-pick the aspects of the Bible they want to obey. This should not be so! After we are saved, it is expected of us to immediately renounce all the hidden things of dishonesty (2nd Corinthians 4:2). We cannot afford to be careless in our Christian walk, because we have an adversary (1st Peter 5:8). To be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, we must be sincere with ourselves. One of the things that gave David victory over Goliath was his sincerity. Although King Saul offered David his armour, David was sincere enough to admit that he had never tired that approach (1st Samuel 17:38-39). His sincerity made him stick to his familiar strategy of using smooth stones and a catapult, rather than wasting his time on an untested line of attack that would not produce results.


Today, there are many ministers of the gospel who have abandoned the true gospel for a social message. They believe that people are not interested in hearing the truth. Open Heavens Devotional 2017 Monday 27 February 2017:- Sincerity. This is false! Some believe that if they preach the true gospel to people, they will find it very hard and most will turn away, hence, they water down their messages. Such ministers need to learn from Jesus (John 6:60-67). If Samson had been sincere with himself, he would not have died the kind of death he died (Judges 16:21-30). The devil had tested Samson several times and had found out that he had no wisdom. Samson knew he had a weakness for women, but he refused to admit it. He felt things would always remain as they were (Judges 16:20). If he was sincere, he would have built a wall of defence between himself and his weaknesses. He kept a relationship he knew God did not approve of. He kept visiting places he should not visit, just like some Christians today who visit bars; even though they know ungodly things happen there. Open heaven 2017. Are you finding it difficult to stop stealing, yet you still join others in counting offering money? Are you finding it difficult to keep your eyes off your female secretary, despite speaking in tongues, and yet you have not eased her out? Are you competing with the grace of God in other people’s lives, despite the fact that God has told you your own area of strength? If any of these describes you, then you are not being sincere with yourself!
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Prayer Point

Memorise: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

Read: 1st John 3:1-3 (King James Version)

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.


2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.


3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.




Bible in one year: Genesis 16:18, Isaiah 44:9-20, Hymn: Sing hymn 7
MESSAGE:
You cannot discover your true identity if you are not in Christ. You need to recognise your true self through the light of the Scripture. If you know your true identity, it will help you not to compromise the call of God on your life. The secret of blessings lies in your being able to walk in the divine purpose for your life. As a believer, you are the light in the midst of darkness, called to shine forth. You are the bridge to the destinies of men. If you don’t discover your destiny, the destinies of many others will be buried. I once asked the Almighty God why He allowed me to “waste” twenty-seven years studying mathematics, when He knew that I would eventually become a pastor. The Lord told me that it was simply for the purpose of being able to preach mathematically. It then dawned on me that indeed all things work together for good for the children of God (Romans 8:28).


You are not a child of God just to attend church; you need to find out what God has empowered for you, and do exploits in that area. Open heaven 2017. The reason why you are a child of God is not just to feel cool but to be driven by God’s purpose and mission. When you recognise that you belong to God, it will be practically impossible for anyone to get you derailed (Acts 27:23-24). The power you have received as a child of God is not for nothing. It is expected that you will use this power in raising the dead, in opening the eyes of those still walking and living in ignorance, and in setting captives free from the bondage of Satan. In John 14:12, the Lord Jesus says to you:


“Verily verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”


As children of God, let us wake up from our slumber and do the needful urgently. Every child of God is meant to be a fighter – a fearless fighter. You must not be weak in doing exploits for the Lord. You must not give in to fear despite the obstacles before you. All you need is the confidence that as a child of God, you have the backing of your Father. Anyone who comes to Christ comes to the newness of life which qualifies him or her for a new beginning. Open Heavens Devotional 2017 Friday 24 February 2017:- Children of God. As a child of God, you must realise that Christ is the centre of your life, and you are meant to be a channel of blessings. A lot of people pass through life without being noticed because they have failed to understand the plan and programme of God for their lives. I pray for you that, in the Name of Jesus, you will find your place in God. By His grace, you will begin to experience prosperity, excellence and extraordinary breakthroughs, and before the end of your life, you will make a lasting change in the world.

Memorise: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter and should greatly increase. Job 8:7

Read: Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.


27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.


28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.




Bible in one year: John 16-17, Isaiah 38:20-40:5, Hymn: Sing hymn 10
MESSAGE:
In the beginning, although the Almighty God had the vision of man filling the whole earth, He decided to actualise it through the law of increase. It is amazing that the whole world came forth from one man and woman. Our God is a God of increase. If you want anything that will increase in life, you have to source for it from the Almighty God, and use His approach and not that of the world to actualise it. Whatever is from the Lord will always stand the test of time. If God gives you an idea, He expects it to bring increase to your life. If God gives you a blessing, He also expects it to increase. When Adam knew his wife, a seed was planted in her which became a tree (Genesis 4:1). This is the more reason why you need to draw close to God so that He can sow a seed in your life that will become a reference point to generations yet unborn. If you sow to your flesh, you will reap destruction, but if you sow to the Holy Spirit, your increase will be till eternity (Galatians 6:8). The fact that God wants you to increase does not mean you can do things that contravene His commandments to get his increase. The fact that God wants increase does not mean He allows polygamy. God has never been in a hurry to populate the earth, therefore His design is one man, one wife. Sex with anyone other than your spouse means you are throwing your most precious seed into the wrong soil. An adulterer is a person in bondage! Such a person lacks understanding of the fact that he or she is sowing seeds that only lead to poverty, destruction and eventual shame. There are some men whose children are out of school due to non-payment of fees, and yet they are sowing their seed into the lives of concubines. Such men are already on the path of destruction unless they come to the saving grace of Jesus. If you are involved in this, you better ask God for mercy before it is too late.


God is the one who gives increase after a seed has been sown; therefore we must always remember to give thanks to Him for all the successes He brings our way (1st Corinthians 3:6). If you are excelling in your chosen field, give God the glory. If things are working out for you in your career, give Him the glory.
Open Heaven 2017 Thursday 16 February 2017:- The God of increase.
While some people grow rapidly in the things of God, some do not. One variable that determines this is the level of hunger in their hearts. There must always be a hunger in your heart to be better than what you are now. There is a better you in the mind of God, and so, refuse to remain small. Continue to develop yourself by acquiring relevant skills. Increase your knowledge base so that your earning capacity can also increase. If things have not been working out in your life, do a self-appraisal. In other words, check yourself. Soak yourself in God’s word and occupy your mind with passages of Scripture that can address your area of stagnation. You will increase in Jesus’ Name.

Memorise: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2nd Corinthians 5:17

Read: Luke 3:3-14 (KJV)

Memorise: She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:11

Read: John 8:1-11 (KJV)

1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.


2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.


3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,


4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.


5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?


6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.


7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.


8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.


9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.


10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?



11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.




Bible in one year: John 1-3, Isaiah 33:10-24, Hymn: Sing hymn 11
MESSAGE:
While it is very sweet and pleasant to be given another chance in life, in the face of resignation to doom and hopelessness, making the most of the opportunity presented by such a privilege is of greater importance. A classical example of someone who enjoyed another chance at life is the woman caught in the act of sexual immorality in today’s Bible reading. Just when her life would have been taken away from her, God gave her another chance. Under the Mosaic Law, for her sin of adultery, she should have paid the supreme price of death through stoning. The scribes and Pharisees arrested and brought her to Jesus Christ for condemnation, but because He came to rescue and save the lost, he gave her another chance to live. The mercy of God that smiled on this woman on that fateful day caused her to be brought to the Saviour of life and not to the taker of it. After throwing a poser to her accusers which rocked the foundation of their souls and caused them to abandon their mission to take a life they did not create, Jesus in John 8:10 turned to this woman and asked her, “…. Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” “No man, Lord”, she replied. Praise God for the verdict of Jesus which gave her another chance:


“….. Neither do I condemned thee: go, and sin no more.”
John 8:11


To someone reading this Devotional, Jesus Christ is saying to you today that though your family, your friends, your church, your government or the world many have condemned and written you off, He has not condemned you. Open Heavens Devotional Messages – Another Chance February 8 2017. He says to you, “Receive my forgiveness but go and sin no more”. Thank God for His mercies. His mercy is so great that even the thief on the right side of the cross was given another chance (Luke 23:40-43)! This is the wonder of the cross. Beloved, you can be a partaker of the second chance that Jesus offers. Probably you are reading this in the prison yard, and you have been condemned to die. Do what that thief did – acknowledge your sins, repent of them, and accept Jesus Christ as the Righteous One who died for the unrighteous like you. Plead for God’s mercy and believe you have received it through Jesus Christ. I assure you that the door of a second chance is opened to you. Seize it, celebrate it and thank God for it. You are now saved by grace. Hallelujah!

Memorise: He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 113:9

Read: Exodus 23:24-26 (KJV)

24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.


25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.


26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.




Bible in one year: Luke 23-24, Isaiah 32:9-33:9, Hymn: Sing hymn 4
MESSAGE:
Contrary to what the world would have you believe, you are a creation of the Almighty God. You were put here on earth to fulfil a divine purpose, and part of that purpose is multiplication. When God created you, He gave you a mandate, and He equally endowed you to fulfil this mandate (Genesis 1:28). You need to therefore understand that no demon, power, principality or even medical practitioner can say that there is no solution to the challenges you are facing. The only person permitted to have the final say over your situation is the Almighty God, and this is what He says about you in Exodus 23:26:


“There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.”


Have you been tagged barren by this world? I want to assure you that your situation is not hopeless. Open heavens devotional Tuesday Febuary 7 2017:- None shall be barren. The same God who remembered Rachael will surely remember you and remove every reproach in your life in Jesus’ Name (Genesis 30:22). While Rachael trusted God for the fruit of the womb, the world despised her, her sister disdained her and her husband gave up on her; but by the time the Lord decided to repay her for the many years she had been under ridicule, her testimony exceeded that of those who had written her off.


I pity those who consult diviners in their search for children. God’s stance on this is very clear:


“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.”
Deuteronomy 18:10-11


Every child that is gotten through the help of diviners will not give you joy. Submit to what God only can give. Do not run faster than your shadow. At God’s appointed time and season, your song will change. As the Lord remembered Rachael He will surely remember you. Rccg open heavens 2017. Every reproach, sorrow, humiliation and secret cry of yours shall be brought to an end this month in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to worship the One who can do what doctors’ say is impossible. Every husband who has been praying silently for his wife shall rejoice this season in Jesus’ Name. Every family needs to unite together in prayer to wage war against those things that are not part of God’s promise for your destiny. Have you lost so many years while waiting in expectation? Know that there is a God of redemption, and that the lost years of your life can be redeemed. The promises of God’s restoration will come to pass in your life in Jesus’ Name.


Action Point

Memorise: For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. Psalm 75:6

Read: Psalm 113:1-9 (KJV)

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.


2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.


3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.


4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.



5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,


6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!


7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;


8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.


9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.








Bible in one year: Luke 22, Isaiah 31:1-32:8, Hymn: Sing hymn 7
MESSAGE:
The promotion that comes from God is worth waiting for; never settle for the promotion of men. Man can promote you today and demote you the next day. When man promotes you, they will expect something in return, but when God promotes you, all your sorrows will turn to joy and you will have absolute peace even in the midst of trouble. God’s promotion usually shuts the mouth of detractors. Your detractors are those who boasted that you would never rise in their presence, and those who threatened that they would use the power of their position to destroy you, because you have refused to bow to their gods. They are those who, because of your uncompromising conviction, have said they will never recommend you for promotion as long as they are on the seat of power. The sure source of promotion. I have good news for you: by this time tomorrow, their promotion will be at your mercy in Jesus’ Name. They will never be able to carry out their mischievous plans against you in Jesus’ Name. Concerning such people, the word of God inPsalm 21:11 says,

“For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.”


When God promotes you, you will go from success to success. This is why you need to make Him your ally. You need to come to Him, and let Him take over your life. Open Heavens Devotional 2017. The Lord’s decision is always final. If He decides to promote you, no man can demote you. If He says this is your season, no accuser can deny you access. If He decides to bless you, no curse can prevail over you. All you need to do is to ensure His presence never departs from your life. There is someone reading this Devotional: by the time God starts with you, the whole world will be amazed. God promoted Joshua from being a massager to the position of a commander. When God told him to take over the mantle of leadership from Moses and lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land, Joshua thought God was joking. God had to reassure him repeatedly that as He was with Moses, He would be with Him (Joshua 1:5-9, Joshua 3:7). Irrespective of how forceful the opposition confronting you is, when God is promoting you, He will cause you to experience certain blessings that will make all your enemies crumble. You will be able to do things you never thought you could do. However, God will not promote a person who is just folding his hands doing nothing. It is the soul of the diligent that will be made fat (Proverbs 13:4). If you are a hardworking person, God will reward you. God does not bless the lazy. What you sow is what you reap. If you want to soar, you have to go the extra mile and be a benchmark in the lifestyle of holiness and excellence.

Memorise: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

Read: Galatians 5:22-26 (KJV)

Memorise: And many leper were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. Luke 4:27

Read: Luke 4:25-27 (KJV)

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;


26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.


27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.




Bible in one year: Luke 4-5, Isaiah 23, Hymn: Sing hymn 8
MESSAGE:
When God opens treasures to you but blinds your enemies from seeing them, the experience is simply wonderful. However, when your tomorrow becomes permanently settled for good, it is even more wonderful. This is what the Lord sent His word to do inIsaiah 3:10:

“Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”


Beloved, if you are genuinely born again and in right standing before God, no matter what the devil does, no matter how hard he fights against you, and no matter the number of forces that gather together to stand in your way, you will prevail at the end. Sometimes, God keeps quite and allows your enemies to believe that they have the upper-hand against you; but just when they think it is all over for you, the Lord will suddenly arise on your behalf and bring them under your feet. Also, never think that your labours are in vain. Open Heaven Devotional Thursday 26 January 2017:- Singled out. They are not! God keeps a record of them. that you did not enter your harvest today does not mean your harvest is lost forever. You shall not lose your harvest! There can only be some delay, some temporary setback, but you will enter your harvest. Have you been separated from your harvest for so long? This season, the Lord will arise for you, scatter all the impediments on your way and give you a great harvest, in Jesus’ Name.


Beloved, it shall be well with you. Your tomorrow shall be alright. Your tomorrow is secured in God and not in your nation’s economy. Open Heavens devotional 2017. When God prospers you to the level where you can say, “By the grace of God, I now have enough to take care of me and my family for the rest of our lives”, then that can be described as being even more wonderful. Beyond this, the experience of the widow of Zarephath in 1st Kings 17:8-16 can be described as most wonderful because, of all the households in a country suffering a nationwide famine, this widow’s household was the only one singled out for favour. The miracle of divine provision was limited to her particular household alone. When you are singled out this way, the negative things that affect others will not affect you. Also, the good things that other cannot get, no matter how hard they try, will be yours with little or no effort. This year, the Lord will single you out for protection against any form of famine, disease or pestilence. The Lord will single you out for an uncommon blessing that will leave your enemies in the dark in Jesus’ Name.

2 Chronicles 20:15

…Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

When faced with a problem or challenge, we tend to ask ourselves, “What am I going to do?” And well-meaning family members and friends will come along and ask, “What are you going to do?”

Jehoshaphat faced a multitude of enemies. But instead of focusing on what he would do, he prayed, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

When we turn our eyes to God, we will hear Him say, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s...You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17)

But standing still is the last thing we want to do when the enemy is coming against us. It is also the most difficult thing to do because we feel that we cannot just stand around and do nothing—we must try to save the situation. But God wants us to stand still and see Jesus our salvation fight for us.

So what do you do the next time you are faced with a battle and don’t know what to do? Jehoshaphat sent his singers to the front of the army to proclaim, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21) Some people will wonder, “Does that mean that I just sing and don’t do anything else when I have a problem?” No, that is not what I am saying.

Do what the situation requires, but don’t worry and don’t trust in what you do. Like Jehoshaphat, rest and trust in His mercy that endures forever. When you do that, God will turn your battlefield into the Valley of Berachah. Berachah means “blessings”. The children of Israel gave the battlefield this name because it took them three days to gather all the spoils of war! God turned their situation into a great blessing! (2 Chronicles 20:25–26)

Do you have a battle to fight? Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!

Memorise: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: Isaiah 55:10

Read: Genesis 15:5-18 (King James Version)

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.


6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.


8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?


9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.


10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.


11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.


12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.


13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;


14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.


15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.


16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.


17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.


18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:




Bible in one year: Mark 15-16, Isaiah 19:16-20:6, Hymn: Sing hymn 10
MESSAGE:



When our Lord Jesus Christ walked the earth, in several of His parables, He used the principles of farming to teach His disciples about how God’s Kingdom operates. It is therefore important for us to apply the knowledge of farming principles in our quest to obtain a good harvest from God’s Kingdom. Isaiah 55:10 gives us some insight inn this regard.


“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:”


From this verse of Scripture, we understand that God is the one who gives seed to the sower. He gives you seed, and He expects you to sow it. Never eat your seed! Even physical seeds usually taste bitter or unpalatable to the taste buds because they were not designed to be eaten in the first place. Open Heavens Devotional Monday 23 January 2017:- after sowing don’t sleep. May God give you the grace to sow all the seeds you need to sow in order to generate your desired harvests!


Besides giving the sower seed, God also gives the eater bread. There is food for the eater and seed for the sower. After sowing, God expects you to water the seed. Don’t go to sleep after sowing your seed – get ready for some really hard work. As a farmer’s son, I can tell you a few things about farming. Before you can even sow, you have to clear the ground and build heaps. After sowing, you have to do some weeding. As your seed is germinating, weeds will begin to grow alongside; you have to get rid of these. While it may be easy to sow, it is not easy to weed. One fellow can sow on a vast expanse of land, but it will be very difficult for the same fellow to clear that land all by himself. To obtain a quality harvest, God expects you to fellow sound farming principles. Learn from the farmer! Not every harvest is meant for the stomach. Some must be kept aside for the next planting season. After you have sown your seed, water it with prayer, fasting and thanksgiving. After Abraham offered a sacrifice to God, he did not go to sleep. He stood there watching, waiting for God to receive it. While he waited, he saw some birds descending on his sacrifice in order to destroy it. He drove them away and thereafter the fire fell. Open Heavens 2017. You can weed your spiritual farm after sowing seeds by living righteously before God. The devil will come craftily to introduce tares of sin into your life so as to destroy your harvest. Hence, after sowing, you must remain holy, prayerful, thankful and completely obedient in order to enter into your harvest.

Memorise: He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

Read: Jeremiah 33:1-9 (KJV)

Memorise: When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Mark 2:5

Memorise: Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha. Psalm 40:15Read: 

Psalm 40:14-17 (KJV)

Memorise: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 1st Peter 5:5

Read: 1st Peter 5:5-6 (King James Version)

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.


6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:




Bible in one year: Matthew 20:21, Isaiah 8, Hymn: Sing hymn 9
MESSAGE:
While seeking God’s face towards a particular year’s Convention of our church, the Lord asked me to go back to the basics. It was obvious we had forgotten some things, and God wanted to remind us of them. Indeed God’s ways are different from our ways; hence the need for us to always humble ourselves before Him. The big things, deep secrets and outstanding thoughts we expect to get from God may not come through the avenues that we think they will follow. There are certain lessons God may want to teach us and He would send us to the ants (Proverbs 6:6)! This shows that He can send you to what you think you cannot get anything from. He can teach you great lessons using a familiar terrain. He can use vessels you consider too junior in the ecclesiastical hierarchy to teach you things that will blow your mind. Open Heavens 10 January 2017:- Proud? This is why you have to remain humble and meek because God can only teach those who are meek.


One thing that can come between you and the divine knowledge that will transform your life is pride. 1st Peter 5:5 says God resists the proud. The word “resist” in this verse is used in the present continuous tense. To “resist” is to forcefully push back against something. It implies that if you are proud, all your attempts to move closer to God shall be rebuffed by Him. This is why the proud cannot stay on the same platform with God. Are you proud? Today, many people are proud of their achievements: how many members they have in their local church parish, the size of their tithe, how many churches they have planted, how many souls they have won etc. One thing such people forgets is that we can do nothing without Him. John 15:5 says:


“I 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.”

Some others boast over their wealth, or their privileged office or position, even their beauty and appearance. Some others have become distant from God because of the multiple academic qualifications they have acquired in various disciplines over the years; they forget that knowledge should set you free, and not cut you off from God. Open heavens devotional. Whenever what you know attracts pride into your life, the knowledge has become counter-productive, capable of pushing you into serious trouble. Examine yourself today and ask God to destroy any trace of pride in you.


Key Point

Memorise: The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:25

Read: Proverbs 11:24-26 (King James Version)

24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.


25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.


26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.




Bible in one year: Matthew 18:19, Isaiah 7:10-25, Hymn: Sing hymn 8
MESSAGE:
For all those who have received the gift of righteousness through the finished work of Calvary, the design of God for our lives is that we live by His favour. The Psalmist spoke prophetically about this inPsalm 5:12:


“For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”


The reality of this was manifested in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:52), and the early church also experienced the same (Acts 2:47). However, there are some keys that unlock the door to experiencing God’s favour. Open Heavens 9 January 2016:- Take this ride. One of these keys is found in today’s Bible reading, which says:


“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself”
Proverbs 11:25


Before you can access the fatness and abundance you desire from Heaven, you must first learn to give to the Lord what you treasure: your best and your all. This is what brings about the difference in results experienced by a person living by God’s favour and a person living by labour; one is definitely easier to achieve than the other. Towards the end of a particular year, one of my sons preached on the difference between labour and favour. He cited two examples: Jacob and Isaac. According to him, when Jacob wanted a wife, he laboured for 14 years before he could get his heartthrob, but when Isaac wanted to marry, he just went on a stroll. One laboured but the other was favoured. I have decided to enjoy divine favour. I am tired of labouring. I want to continually live in the realm of divine favour, and to do so, I will sow as I have never done before, because favour responds to the law of harvest. Open Heavens Devotional 2017


Are you not tired of increase dependent on labour? Why exert everything you have for several years to get a particular blessing, when you can pay a little price through sowing and still get great results in a shorter time, without much stress? One effective way of redeeming the time, as admonished in Ephesians 5:16, is to dump less effective methods for better, faster and less stressful ways of doing things. You are not redeeming the time when you increase only through labour. This implies that so many things will have to wait until you have the strength to work for them. Why go by labour when you rise on the wings of divine favour? Choose the vehicle to your place of destiny today!

Action Point


The price you pay to ride a flight by favour, through sowing seeds, is far cheaper than what you have to pay through labour.