Open Heaven For Today 2024 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – When You Pray III
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TOPIC: When You Pray III
MEMORISE: " Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full". John 16:24
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:
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: 1 Chronicles 1-2
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Today, I will conclude the teachings I began two days ago on how to pray effectively.
Many people make the mistake of giving up on their prayers when it appears as if God is not responding.
Such people are only cheating themselves when they do that.
To really get the desired results from prayers, you have to be persistent. Isaiah 62:7 says:
And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
You are to give God no rest until He has answered your prayers.
Jesus Christ said in John 16:24 that you should ask, then you will receive so that your joy may be full.
From our Bible reading for today, Jesus Christ assures you that if you keep knocking on God’s door, asking Him for something, He will give it to you.
According to Him, even the wicked judge gave the widow what she wanted, how much more the good shepherd.
This tells you right away that if you keep praying about that issue, no matter how long it takes, God will answer you.
There are prayer points I prayed for 15 years before I got answers. I did not stop after praying for a few weeks.
I kept knocking on heaven’s doors, telling God, “I will not let you rest until you have answered me,” and He answered me eventually.
This is an attitude that you must also imbibe. Some people get angry that God has not answered their prayers after a while and so, they stop praying.
God is not your servant that you can command as you please; He is the King of kings.
If you want something from a king, you must learn to humble yourself and keep asking until He is ready to give it to you.
If you ask for a little while and go away without receiving anything, who would have lost? You or him?
You may say, “What if God is not willing to answer my prayer at all?” You have to keep asking Him until He answers you.
This is why you must pay attention to hear what He will say when you pray to Him. Don’t just keep asking, seek to hear from Him.
The Holy Spirit is always available to teach you what prayer points to pray, and if He is the One teaching you how to pray, you can be sure that you are praying right.
Key Point
Be persistent in the place of prayers.
HYMN 15: Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour
1 Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
2 Let me at a throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief. [Refrain]
3 Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace. [Refrain]
4 Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee? [Refrain]
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – When You Pray II
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TOPIC: When You Pray II
MEMORISE: "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." Psalms 95:2
READ: Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 24-25
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Yesterday, I discussed the importance of being totally focused while praying. Today, I will continue the discussion on how to pray effectively.
When you pray, you must note that prayer is not a one-way conversation but a dialogue between you and God.
In other words, prayer is not complete when you only talk to God and do not give Him the opportunity to speak back to you.
In fact, whenever I pray, and I don’t get a response from God, I become worried because I really want to hear what He has to say.
Even if his response is a rebuke, at least I know He has heard me.
Yesterday, I discussed the importance of being totally focused while praying. Today, I will continue the discussion on how to pray effectively.
When you pray, you must note that prayer is not a one-way conversation but a dialogue between you and God.
In other words, prayer is not complete when you only talk to God and do not give Him the opportunity to speak back to you.
In fact, whenever I pray, and I don’t get a response from God, I become worried because I really want to hear what He has to say.
Even if his response is a rebuke, at least I know He has heard me.
Action Point
The next time you are praying, start with thanksgiving and praises before you make a request. Then, wait to hear from Him
HYMN 18: Praise To The Lord The Almighty
1. Praise to the Lord,
the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is
thy health and salvation:
Join the great throng
psaltery,organ and song
sounding in glad adoration!
2. Praise to the Lord,
who over all he gloriously reigneth:
Borne as on eagle-wings, safely
his saints, He sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How all thou needest hath been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
3. Praise to the Lord,
who doth prosper thy way and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy
shall ever attend thee;
Ponder anew, What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee
5. Praise to the Lord!
Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath breath, join with
Abraham’s seed to adore Him!
Let the Amen, sum all our praises again;
Now as we worship before Him.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – When You Pray I
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TOPIC: When You Pray I
MEMORISE: "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;" Colossians 4:2
READ: Mark 1:30-36(KJV)
30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 22-23
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Prayer is a very powerful tool given to us by God for regular communication with Him.
As powerful as this tool is, it is rather unfortunate that many people don’t use it at all while some who do, fail to make the best of it.
The first thing that must be in place for you to pray effectively is focus; all distractions must be done away with.
The devil knows that you need to be completely focused to get the best out of your prayer time, and this is why you usually remember some not-too-important things that can distract you during prayers.
One of the reasons you see many men of God praying when everyone is asleep is that they don’t want to be distracted.
In Mark 1:35, Jesus Christ woke up before daybreak to pray while others were asleep. He went to a secluded place to pray. You must try to remove distractions.
Find a secluded place where you can always go to pray. That secluded place could be your closet or any other place without distractions.
Anyone who does not regularly go to a secluded place to pray will eventually grow cold spiritually;
I am saying this from experience. Many years ago, God pointed my attention to the fact that I was growing cold.
He asked me, “When last did you spend quality time in my presence?
Do you remember when you used to worship me in your car so much that my presence will fill the car, and you will have to park by the roadside because tears would have filled your eyes?”
I responded, “Yes Lord, I remember, but that was before I had a driver.
If I worship you that much now and my driver sees tears in my eyes, he will think something is wrong.” He responded, “Oh, it is now my fault that I gave you a driver?” I quickly apologised.
That night, I left the house when everyone had slept to pray in the auditorium. The moment I started worshipping, the tears came rolling down.
I had been praying all the while, but the major difference was that I had not been going to a secluded place to pray, and that had made me grow cold.
Now, I have made it a habit to pray in secluded places, and my fire has increased greatly as a result.
Open Heaven 25 April 2024 Action Point
Ensure you pray regularly in a secluded place.
Open Heaven 25 April 2024 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 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Elder, Be A Good Example
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TOPIC: Elder, Be A Good Example
MEMORISE: "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of goodworks: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity". Titus 2:7
READ: Titus 2:1-8 (KJV)
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 19-21
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Our Bible reading for today says that elders should behave right in order to influence the younger ones to also behave right – this is how it should be.
Beyond words, the younger generation learns more by observing. Besides hearing the things you say, they can also see the things you do.
If you want them to behave rightly, let them see you do what you are asking them to do consistently first.
When you lie to get a favour for your child in school, and then turn around to tell that child not to lie to you, you are deceiving yourself.
If they hardly see you pray and read your Bible, you can’t turn around and ask them to read their Bibles.
You should be bold to say to the younger ones like
Apostle Paul said:
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. -Philippians 4:9
Our memory verse for today says that you must show yourself as a pattern of good works.
Many elderly people usually say that in order to catch the youths, they need to dress like youths and use their slangs.
What they don’t know is that when they start looking and talking like them, they are endorsing their lifestyle and some of their negative actions.
They can’t change them that way, rather, they will only reinforce their negative behaviour.
Instead, they should be a standard for the youths to follow.
More often than not, the youths know the truth and when they do the wrong things, they actually expect the elders to correct them.
Now, imagine their confusion when they see their elders doing the same things they want to be corrected about.
In Yorubaland, where I come from, we call elderly people who behave childishly ‘agbaya’, meaning ‘shameless old fellow’.
God is counting on elders to guide the younger ones on how to behave for them to have a better tomorrow.
God also expects the youths to submit to their elders in humility.
Finally, Titus 2:2 says that elders should be sober, brave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity and in patience.
Action Point
Ensure you act the same way you want your children and the young people around you to.
HYMN 20: Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus
1 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.
2 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day.
Ye that are men, now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger.
And strength to strength oppose.
3 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor,
And, watching unto prayer,
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.
4 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long:
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of glory,
Shall reign eternally.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – When God Steps In
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MEMORISE: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalms 40:2
READ: Psalms 119:103-105(KJV)
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 17-18
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
There are times we go in the wrong direction due to our human nature.
For example, we had quite a good bargain when we purchased the first four acres of land that has now expanded to become Redemption City.
As time went by, we kept buying more land even though the price was increasing.
After we had bought about a thousand acres, some people spoke to me and said, “Why are you buying lands in this bush?
There are other things to spend money on,” and I listened to them.
However, one night, God said to me, “Son, who called you?
These people or Myself? Who promised you a city instead of a boy’s quarters?”.
I woke up and made up my mind to keep buying more land, but by then, what used to be N1,000 had gone up to N50,000.
Today, we have over 40,000 hectres, and we are still buying more.
If you are moving in the opposite direction of God’s will for your life, God will step in today and bring you back to the right path, in Jesus’ name.
A fellow might have done something terrible in the past which made it impossible for him or her to reach some goals.
An individual can commit a crime and end up with a life sentence. Even though that fellow’s case may seem hopeless, God can step in and turn things around.
In Genesis 49:1-7, Jacob, on his deathbed, cursed Levi because of some sins from his past, but God stepped in and gave Levi an opportunity to be restored.
In Exodus 32:25-26, Moses returned from the mountain and found out that the children of Israel were dancing naked before an idol.
He cried out, “Who is on the side of the Lord? Let him come to me.”
Everyone belonging to the tribe of Levi crossed over to Moses and became his army.
God looked down from heaven and said, “That curse on you is cancelled!” Levi missed it earlier, but he got on God’s side and was restored.
God can step in to give you hope again. I however have some questions for you: are you on the Lord’s side?
Do you do His will? Are you committed to serving Him alone? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, God will step in and bring you back to the path of fulfilling your destiny, in Jesus’ name.
Point Point
Father, I am on your side. Please step into my situation and let me fulfil Your plans for my life.
HYMN 14: What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
1 Oh What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
Day I Will Never Forget
After I’d Wandered In Darkness Away
Jesus My Savior I Met
Oh What A Tender Compassionate Friend
He Met The Need Of My Heart Shadows Dispelling With Joy I Am Telling
He Made All The Darkness Depart
Chorus:
Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul
When At The Cross The Savior Made Me Whole
My Sins Were Washed Away
And My Night Was Turned To Day
Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul
2 Born Of The Spirit With Life From Above
Into God’s Fam’ly Divine
Justified Fully Thru Calvary’s Love
Oh What A Standing Is Mine
And The Transaction So Quickly Was Made
When As A Sinner I Came
Took Of The Offer Of Grace He Did Proffer
He Saved Me Oh Praise His Dear Name
3 Now I’ve A Hope That Will Surely Endure
After The Passing Of Time;
I Have A Future In Heaven For Sure
There In Those Mansions Sublime
And It’s Because Of That Wonderful Day
When At The Cross I Believed;
Riches Eternal And Blessings Supernal
From His Precious Hand I Received
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