Open Heaven For Today 2024 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Called To Be Prayerful
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TOPIC: Called To Be Prayerful
MEMORISE:-"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17
READ: Luke 18:1-8(KJV)
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 23-25
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Many ministers of God talk about prayers and lead prayers often, but hardly pray.
When it is time for prayers, they announce the prayer point, ask people to pray, and all they do throughout is encourage the people to keep praying; they don’t pray in prayer meetings or in private.
This is one of the reasons many don’t fulfil the call of God on their lives.
Apostle Paul was a man of prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, he said,
“Pray without ceasing.”
When I want to leave my house on a journey, I pray. When I get into the car, I pray again. When I get on the airplane, I pray again.
The Bible says pray without ceasing – keep praying.
A songwriter said:
Christian, seek not yet repose, Hear thy gracious Savior say; Thou art in the midst of foes: Watch and pray..
Around 1985, I had tried everything I knew, but the church wasn’t growing as l expected. Then, I heard about a pastor in South Korea whose church was growingrapidly, and who usually held a yearly Ministers’ Conference.
I didn’t have the money to go, but I prayed and God sent help. I went and I saw what I had never seen before.
I heard the pastor saying on the pulpit that those who had come that Sunday should not come the next Sunday because of space, this was despite holding seven services every Sunday in a hall that could take 50,000 people.
During the conference, they took us to his prayer mountain where we were assigned to grottos where we could pray privately.
I lost track of time while praying in my grotto and by the time I finished, those who came on the same bus with me had been waiting for me for at least one hour.
When I got into the bus, they were angry and asked,
“Why have you delayed us?”
I said,
“I’m sorry, I thought we came to pray.”
They said,
“Are you going to pray everything in one day?”
Nobody spoke to me all the way back and that was fine because, in my heart, I was still roaring in prayer.
Some years ago, I went back to South Korea. The first time I went, I couldn’t get close to the man of God, but this time, I was able to meet him – Dr Yonggi Cho of blessed memory.
He said,
“I have heard about you, will you please pray for me?”
Beloved, I encourage you to pray always (Ephesians 6:18).
Key Point
I don’t know where God is taking you, but if you really want to get there, you must lead a prayerful life.
HYMN 22:– Sweet Hour Of Prayer
1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Called To Be Temperate
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TOPIC: Called To Be Temperate
MEMORISE:-"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."1 Corinthians 9:25
READ: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27(KJV)
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 20-22
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
To fulfil your calling, you must be in full control of your body and not allow sin into your life at all.
Galatians 5:17 says that the body and spirit areal ways at war. You must be able to keep your body in check so that it does not put you in trouble.
When God calls you for an assignment, He will support you all the way so that you can succeed despite the forces that try to stop you.
However, Romans 8:31 says,
“If God be for you, who can be against you?”
The answer is, ‘You!’ If God is for you, yet you cannot control your body not to work against you, then you may not fulfil His call.
Not only must you stay away from sin, you must also do everything in moderation. You cannot afford to sleep anytime you like, eat as you wish, or be intimate with your spouse as many times as you want.
Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
You must remain in control such that you cannot be brought under the power of even the things that are necessary.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Apostle Paul said, “I keep my body under.”
That is the apostle of the same grace that some people claim has taken care of everything, and that no matter how much we sin, it is fine.
Paul said that he kept his body under, in other words, I tell my stomach when it is going to eat next and my eyes when they are going to sleep next.
People have asked me how I fast for 40 days and nights, and I say, “Simple. The night before I start, I go to an almanac, count 40 days, and mark when the fasting is to end.
Then I say to my stomach, ‘That date is the next time you will get food.'” The stomach will grumble because it doesn’t like that kind of situation.
When you drive along the street, every restaurant on the route will seem to be calling you, and you will smell the food in another house from almost a quarter kilometre away.
I don’t care; l ignore everything the devil tries. After about 3-4 days, when my stomach sees that l am not yielding, it will keep quiet.
He that strives for mastery has to be temperate in all things.
Key Point
If you want to fulfil the call of God over your life, just like Paul, you must be a man or woman with strong self-control.
HYMN 19:– Rock Of Ages, Cleft For Me
1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.
2 Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law’s demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
3 Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
4 While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Called To Be Grateful
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TOPIC: Called To Be Grateful
MEMORISE:-"Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" 2 Samuel 7:18
READ: Luke 1:46-55 (KJV)
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 16-19
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
One negative trait I have seen in many ministers of God is pride.
Once God calls and equips them with gifts for the calling, they begin to think that they are special.
The opposite is the case, however, because 1 Corinthians 1:27 says that God calls the weak, the foolish, and those that are nought.
When God calls you for an assignment, you must be extremely grateful to Him for the privilege of being called and for every single achievement as you walk in your calling because, without Him, you can do nothing (John 15:5).
As I mentioned earlier in this series, I studied people who were called before me and who succeeded in their callings.
One of them was Apostle Paul; He was an academic like me before he was called by God. I noticed that Paul was always grateful to God.
He wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
In our Bible reading today, we see how grateful Mary was for being chosen to give birth to our Saviour Jesus Christ and she succeeded in her calling.
If you really want to succeed in your calling, then you must be grateful to God always.
I don’t know about you, but I can never forget how good God has been to me.
We had just finished a service in a foreign country one day and God really moved in that service, many souls got saved and there were all kinds of miracles.
On my way back to the hotel, I discussed the great things that happened in the service with those that were with me.
When we arrived, the fellow sitting in the front seat of the car opened the door to get down and as he slammed the door shut, my finger got caught in the door frame.
Up until today, I have no idea of how my finger got caught in the doorframe.
I cried out in pain and everyone rallied around me saying, “Sorry”.
As I went upstairs, I asked God, “Lord, why did you let this happen to me?”
He said, “You were talking about all the great things I did in the service and you didn’t even turn to Me to say, ‘Thank you Lord.’” I realised my error, apologised and thanked Him.
By the time I got to my room, the pain had completely disappeared.
God is watching to see if you will be grateful or not. He will warn you once or twice if you are ungrateful. If you refuse to heed His warnings, He will withdraw His support and that will be dangerous.
Action Point
Begin to thank God for all the things He has done for you, especially in the course of fulfilling your calling.
HYMN 6:– I am so glad that our Father in heav'n
1 I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the Book He has given;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Refrain:
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.
2 Jesus loves me, and I know I love Him;
Love brought Him down my poor soul to redeem;
Yes, it was love made Him die on the tree;
Oh, I am certain that Jesus loves me!
3 In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blest;
Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
4 Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song through eternity be,
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!”
5 If one should ask of me, how can I tell?
Glory to Jesus, I know very well!
God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree,
Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – A Call To Multiplication
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TOPIC: A Call To Multiplication
MEMORISE:-"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;" Isaiah 54:2
READ: Isaiah 54:2-3 (KJV)
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Many people receive the call of God, start walking in that call, and when they experience a little breakthrough, they settle for that as the best they can achieve.
That is not the assignment that Jesus gave to us when He was leaving the earth; He said we are to take the gospel from Jerusalem (your immediate environment) to Judea, to Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1:8).
God is interested in the multiplication of your impact around the world. Don’t stop until you win the whole world for Christ.
Isaac didn’t just grow to become great, the Bible says he kept on moving forward (Genesis 26:12-13).
Apostle Paul said He was constantly pressing on; in Philippians 3:13-14, he said:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
If I had listened to people who said that I had ‘arrived’ many years ago, the impact that RCCG has made today would never have happened.
I tell such people,
“Thank you, I haven’t even started yet.”
I remember over 30 years ago when someone came into my office during a period when I was fasting for 40 days. He saw me lying there, weak because I had not eaten for weeks and he said,
“What else are you looking for that you stress yourself so much? Your auditorium is the biggest in Africa, what else do you want?”
Imagine if I had listened to such, maybe you would never have heard of Adeboye today.
You are not only to multiply in the impact you make in the world, but you are also to multiply in your knowledge of the One who sent you.
The strength with which you got to where you are today is not enough to take you to the next level.
Jesus Christ gave an open invitation to anyone who thirsted to come unto Him and drink from Him.
He went further to say that if such a fellow also believes on Him, rivers of living water will flow out of his or her belly (John 7:37-38).
You need to keep drinking from Him if you want to keep multiplying.
The deeper you go in God, the more He can commit to you.
Key Point
Don’t settle on any level of achievement, keep pressing on until you win the whole world for Christ.
HYMN 26:– There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing
1 There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Saviour above.
Refrain:
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.
3 There shall be showers of blessing:
Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honour Thy Word.
4 There shall be showers of blessing,
Oh, that to-day they might fall,
Now, as to God, we’re confessing.
Now as on Jesus we call!
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