Open Heaven For Today 2024 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Good Followership III
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Good Followership III
MEMORISE: "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed". Galatians 2:11
READ: Galatians 2:11-14(KJV)
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 47-49
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
One major leadership challenge is that some people see leaders as being superhuman when they are not.
I mentioned yesterday that leaders need help sometimes, but beyond that, you should also note that they can make mistakes.
When leaders err, people are sometimes afraid to correct them. However, leaders need to be corrected so they don’t put their followers in trouble.
I’m sure one of David’s regrets was not listening to Joab when he was told not to conduct a census because it led to the death of over 70,000 of his followers (1 Chronicles 21:1-14).
As a good follower, you must not keep quiet when you see your leader going in the wrong direction; respectfully correct them. Y
ears ago, I published a book in which I tried to justify the statement of the midwives in Exodus 1:15-19, where they said that the Hebrew women were very strong and delivered their babies without assistance.
Somebody who read the book boldly came to me and said,
“I know you are the General Overseer, but sir, this justification is wrong.” I realized the error, thanked him, and said, “I will go to God; He knows I didn’t mean to lead anyone astray.”
I re-wrote the book, stood before the congregation, and said,
“I have made a mistake. I wrote something in this book that should not have been written. I apologize.”
I added,
“So we don’t keep remembering it, I won’t tell you what the mistake is, but I want you to return the copies you have bought, and for every copy you return, I will give you two.”
I got all the books back and burnt them.
Thank God someone was bold enough to correct me.
Today, with how God has increased our influence, it would have been difficult to erase that error from the minds of people in the body of Christ if that fellow had felt that I could not be corrected.
In correcting a leader, ensure that it is for the good of the leader and other followers rather than to show that you know better.
Discuss with the leader privately, showing love and respect.
Present the matter in a way that will be easy to accept, or find someone that is closer to the leader to present it on your behalf.
The leader might find it easier to take the correction from that fellow than from you.
Key Point
Don’t stand aloof when your leader commits a blunder, correct him or her with love and respect.
HYMN 30: When We Walk With The Lord
1. When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows
And the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
3. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Good Followership II
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Good Followership II
MEMORISE: "But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Exodus 17:12
READ: Exodus 17:8-13(KJV)
8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 44-46
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Yesterday, I said that being submissive to a leader and seeking common interests above personal interests are attributes of a good follower. Today, I will discuss more attributes of a good follower.
Leaders are not omnipotent; they need help sometimes. Good followers recognize that their leader needs help and seek to provide it before the leader asks for it. They watch to see which areas they can support the leader in and provide the support as needed.
In today's Bible reading, Moses did not ask for Aaron and Hur's help. He did not even explain why he was stretching his hands towards the battlefront.
They both saw him stretching his hands and noticed that they were winning as he did so. They also noticed that his hands were getting tired, so they went to him, gave him a stone to sit on, and held up his hands. That is good followership, the kind that will make a leader surmount any mountain that stands in his or her way.
Sometimes, supporting your leader will not be convenient. When Aaron and Hur helped Moses, they were not sitting down, neither was anyone helping to hold their own hands up.
They must have gotten tired too, but they stayed like that until the battle was over. Sometimes, when you step in to help your leader's weakness, others might laugh at you and even call you names. However, you must not fail your leader; you must take whatever comes with helping out.
It is a terrible thing when followers take advantage of their leader's weaknesses. Some followers, because their leader doesn't know how to keep track of money, start stealing from the accounts instead of helping to manage them. Some others tell people about their leaders' weaknesses to discredit them.
If there is someone in the Bible that every follower should study, it is David. Even though he had already been anointed as he next king o Israel in 1 Samuel 16:13 and had done many exploits (1 Samuel 17:48-51, 1 Samuel 18:5-7), even though he had seen Saul's weaknesses (1 Samuel 16:23 ), he remained loyal and never discredited the king.
While running for his life because Saul was trying to kill him, he got the opportunity to kill Saul but didn't do it (1 Samuel 24:4-13) - that is a good follower! As a result, he not only fulfilled his destiny, but the King of kings, who is also called the Son of David, came from his lineage (Revelation 22:16).
Key Point
Never try to take advantage of your leaders' weaknesses. Help them instead.
HYMN 4: To Walk! To The Work! We Are Servants Of God
1 To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the might of His power our strength to renew,
Let us do by His grace what He calls us to do.
Work for Him by His grace;
Work thru Him for His praise;
Work with Him all the days;
And work in Him in many ways.
2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the thirsty be led;
In the cross and its vict’ry our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, “Salvation is free!”
3 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,
By the pow’r of His Name, with the light of His Word,
All the slaves of the darkness of Satan set free
And His riches of grace in His glory we’ll see.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Good Followership I
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Good Followership I
MEMORISE: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ". 1 Corinthians 11:1
READ: 1 Kings 19:19-21(KJV)
19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 41-43
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Many people talk about leadership, but you hardly hear them talk about fellowship. The truth is, no leader can succeed without good followers. Leaders are raised from amongst the followers, so the better the followers, the better the quality of leaders.
Submission is one of the greatest attributes that a follower can have. It is different from cooperation. You cooperate when you agree with a leader's instructions, but you are submissive when you obey, whether you agree with the instruction or not. Not being submissive indicates that a follower is acting in his or her own interest rather than the interest of the entire group that the leader represents. Some followers steal because they are ready to sacrifice the interest of the entire group to satisfy their personal interest. If the behaviour continues unchecked and the follower eventually becomes a leader, he or she will only care about himself or herself.
Gehazi showed this in 2 Kings 5:20-27. Elisha had collected nothing from Naaman for curing his leprosy, but Gehazi was after his personal interest as opposed to that of the Lord, which his master represented. He proceeded to collect gifts from Naaman and was immediately struck with leprosy. Judas Iscariot was also recorded to have been stealing from ministry's purse (John 12:6). This is why he could not be amongst the apostles to carry the gospel around the world after Jesus left. Such a person will never make a good leader because his or her personal interest will be more important than common interests.
Some people may say,
"I don't steal, I just disobey my leader because I don't like him."
This is, however, just as bad as stealing. In Matthew 25:24-30, the servants who was given one talent to trade with did not steal the talent, he hid it rather than trade with it as instructed because he did not like his master's leadership style. The master wasn't annoyed that he did not trade with it as instructed, but that he could have at least put it in the bank to yield some interest. Putting it in the bank would have shown that even though he did not like his master, he was interested in the company's prosperity. This made his master call him an unfaithful servant. He was more particular about himself, which is a bad trait for any follower or leader.
Beloved, if you want to be a good leader, you must first be a good follower by obeying your leader and putting common interests above yours.
Reflection
Am I a good follower?
HYMN 30: When We walk With The Lord
1. When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows
And the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
3. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Growing In Faith
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Growing In Faith
MEMORISE: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". Hebrews 11:6
READ: Mark 11:12-24 (KJV)
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 38-40
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Faith comes through God’s word (Romans 10:17). The more you study God’s word, the greater your faith becomes. Also, when God speaks to you directly, your faith increases.
For example, when Abraham heard God speak to Him directly about having many children, it stirred up his faith (Genesis 15:5-6). There is great power in studying the word of God and in hearing His voice.
When I asked God for a small apartment in a suburb of Lagos, He told me that He would give me a city instead.
This sounded ridiculous, but hearing it from Him directly built up so much faith in me that I started telling people what God told me.
For your faith to really grow, don’t just study the word and pray; seek to hear from God concerning your life. Once you hear Him give you a promise, His voice will cause a surge in your faith.
Furthermore, just as you grow your muscles through physical exercise, grow your faith by exercising it as well.
If you believe God for something and don’t make any move in line with what you believe, your faith will never grow.
When I decided to believe that paying tithes would bring me blessings, I took action to pay my tithes. I discovered that God supernaturally improved my finances after doing that.
Immediately, my faith grew. I then knew, without any doubt, that paying tithes attracts God’s blessings, but I didn’t get to that level of faith until I had acted on the little faith I had initially.
As you believe God for little things and see them fulfilled, your faith will grow for big things.
Act your faith; dare to do things that are greater than your human capacity, knowing that you serve a limitless God. Jump and let Him catch you.
The more you do this and succeed, the stronger your faith will be. Lastly, testimonies will also grow your faith.
Hearing someone’s testimony builds faith in you to know that God can also move on your behalf.
Many people have testified at our Holy Ghost Services that they got their miracle because they heard someone else’ testimony.
I started operating in divine health when I heard the testimony of a man that was bent double whom God healed completely.
From that testimony, I knew that God can heal all diseases, so I trusted Him completely with my health.
Listen to more testimonies; purposely search for testimonies of people who have gone through what you are going through.
As you hear their testimonies, your faith will rise, and you will also get your miracle.
Prayer Point
Father, please help me to continually grow my faith in You.
HYMN 16: Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
1 ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”
CHORUS
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!
2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me
‘Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4 I’m so glad Learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend,
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Dangerous And Benign
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Dangerous And Benign
MEMORISE: "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him amist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand". Acts 13:11
READ: Acts 13:1-11 (KJV)
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 35-37
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
When you’re baptized in the Holy Spirit, it might seem like nothing has changed about you, but the reality is, you have become very dangerous to the enemy and his cohorts.
In 2 Kings 1:9-12, Elijah was not looking dangerous; he had no weapon in his hands and was not wearing a warrior’s attire.
However, the captains and soldiers that were sent to arrest him never lived to tell the story. You may look the same to your enemies, but the moment you are baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, if they try to touch you, they will be consumed.
To become dangerous to your enemies, ensure that you carry the fire of God inside you in great measure.
For over 13 years, I never went to my village because witches and wizards had threatened to deal with me. I became born again, and not long after I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, I received an invitation to attend a programme in the village.
When I told my mother about the invitation, she begged me not to go. I told her that I now carry fire and anyone who touches me will roast.
She said,
“But you don’t look any different; you are the same Adejare that I know.”
I replied,
“The naked wire looks the same whether electricity is passing through it or not. However, touching it while electricity is passing through it is a suicide attempt.”
I went to the village, and no witch dared to touch me. Today, I announce my arrival beforehand so they can hide before I arrive.
In Nigeria, after drinking a bottle of Coke, we sometimes use the empty bottle as a container for kerosene. Once the bottle has become a kerosene container, you dare not put it in your mouth again. The devil knows that once you start carrying fire, he has to step carefully around you.
If he has been tormenting you, the way to get him off your shoulder is to carry the fire of God. Pray so often that the fire of God starts boiling inside you. Become addicted to praying in the Holy Ghost.
As you do this, the fire of God will burn inside you, and you will become dangerous for the devil to attack. Any yoke he had previously placed on you will break completely, and you will be free from his hold.
When you have the fire of God burning in your bones, you will become a threat to the devil and his demons. Are you ready to carry God’s fire?
Action Point
Speak in tongues for at least one hour today, and make this a daily practice going forward
HYMN 1: All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name
1 All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!
2 Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
3 Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
4 Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
5 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all!
6 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
7 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
8 Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Content Vs Container
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Content Vs Container
MEMORISE: "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away". 2 Timothy 3:5
READ: Titus 1:15-16 (KJV)
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
We live in a world where people have learnt how to ‘package’ themselves to look a certain way, whereas they are not who they package themselves to be.
Many years ago, when The Redeemed Christian Church of God was not as big as it is now, my mother-in-law said that it was difficult to differentiate between the pastor who was a mechanic and the one who was a lecturer in the university because they all looked alike in their suits on Sundays.
However, the secret comes out on Mondays when everyone goes to their places of work. Some people know how to dress like Christians and even speak and pray like fervent Christians, but deep within them, they are unbelievers.
Being in this world is like their Sunday; no one can tell the difference now. However, Monday is coming at rapture; then, the difference will be clear.
Believe me, it does not matter if everyone in the world thinks that a fellow is the closest person to Jesus Christ. If he or she is not truly born again, Jesus will deny the fellow on the last day.
Jesus Christ said in Luke 5:37-38 that if you put new wine in an old wineskin, both the content and the container will be lost forever.
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
You cannot call Jesus ‘Lord’ and keep on obeying the devil. If you do so, you are trying to put new wine (the Holy Spirit) into an old wineskin (your sinful heart), which will only result in destruction at the end of the day.
Some people can deceive the whole world with their container, but that will only put them in more trouble because it will become more difficult for them to get on the right track with God.
Many pastors have gone to hell because when they realised that they should genuinely give their lives to Christ, they were too ashamed to come out for an altar call or make restitution for the things they had done while they were pretending.
Don’t pretend to be a Christian; genuinely give your life to Christ if you haven’t done so and live a holy life henceforth.
Key Point
Make your inside clean first, and then the outside will be clean as well. It is not the other way around.
HYMN 23: Take My Life, and Let It Be
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
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,
swift and beautiful for thee.
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,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
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,
it shall be thy royal throne.
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,
ever, only, all for thee.
0 Comments
Please drop a comment. God bless you!