Open Heaven For Today 2024 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Law Of Priority
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: The Law Of Priority
MEMORISE: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me". Exodus 20:3
READ: Matthew 6:25-33(KJV)
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 5-8
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
The law of priority states that if you put the right thing first, everything else will fall in place. Jesus clearly stated the law of priority in Matthew 6:33.
When a person seeks other things above God, such a fellow will struggle, but if he or she seeks God first, other things will be added unto him or her.
What you prioritise determines the quality of your life. When you receive your first harvest in any field, you must take it to God.
This is a sign that you honour and put Him first, and as such, other harvests will be secure (Proverbs 3:9-10).
Many people put money before God; this is why they experience sorrows that money cannot solve.
Some wealthy people cannot sleep at night, and will gladly trade their wealth to have peace and joy. The problem is usually what or whom they prioritise.
The rich man in Matthew 19:16-22 knew that something was missing in his life. He had been obeying the law and had lots of money, but he felt incomplete.
He met Jesus for a solution and was told that his problem was with his priorities; he prioritised money above following Jesus.
If God tells you to sell all you have, forget about your dreams, and go into full-time ministry, will you do it? Your answer will determine if you prioritise Him or not.
When you check through the Scriptures, those who prioritised God were greatly rewarded.
For example, the blessings of Abraham exist today because He prioritized God over everything, even his own son (Genesis 21:10).
I am a living example of the benefits of prioritizing God. I left my thriving career in academics and my dream of becoming the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa to become the General Overseer over a church whose monthly income was less than my salary because God said so.
Today, the name Adeboye is known all around the world because I prioritized God above my dreams.
God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14); He cannot take second place in your heart. Whatever or whomever you prioritize above God has become a god to you.
God said that you should have no other god before Him (Exodus 20:3). You must love Him with all your heart, soul and mind; this is the greatest and foremost commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).
When you do this, everything else will fall into place in your life. Put God first.
Prayer Point
Father, I will put you first in every area of my life. Please, never let anything be more important than You in my life, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 10: In Christ Alone
1 In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
2 In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live
3 There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Law Of Harvest II
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: The Law Of Harvest II
MEMORISE: "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold". Matthew 13:8
READ: Matthew 13:3-9(KJV)
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 30-31
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Today, I will conclude my teaching on the law of harvest. As a mathematician, I learned early that laws only stand when certain conditions are present.
For example, the law of gravity simply states that when you throw an object up, it will fall to the ground. When the conditions present favour the law of aerodynamics, the law of gravity, as powerful as it is, will not hold.
For any law to stand, some conditions must be met.
Yesterday, I discussed how powerful the law of harvest is, but in spite of its power, it will only stand when you sow under the right conditions.
First, you must sow on good ground. I mentioned earlier this month when I was discussing the series, ‘Return on Seeds’, that I sowed multiple times into a ministry abroad many years ago, but got no harvest.
God showed me in a dream that I had been sowing on hard ground. Some ministries and ministers are not linked to God. When you sow into them, you might think you are giving God an offering, but it never gets to Him because they are hard grounds. This is why you must be sure of the places you sow your seeds.
Matthew 10:41 says that when you give to a prophet, you will get a prophet’s reward. Some people claim to be prophets, but God does not recognise them at all. Discern before you sow.
Also, don’t sow grudgingly. If you sow as if you are being forced to sow, God will not accept your offering. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says that He loves a cheerful giver.
You may sow sacrificially, such that it is so hard for you to release the seed and you shed tears while doing so, but you must never sow grudgingly; you must sow from a willing heart.
Years ago, I was at a service, and the people conducting the service were calling for multiple offerings. I became angry, and as I wanted to bring out an offering, God told me, “I don’t want your money.” I immediately repented and changed my perception.
God is not a beggar. If you bring an offering to Him grudgingly, it may enter the offering basket, but God will not accept it, and you will reap nothing from it.
Beloved, for you to make the law of harvest work in your life, ask God to show you a good land where you can sow and when you find it, make sure you sow willingly
Key Point
Sow in the right conditions, and you will get a good harvest
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.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Law Of Harvest 1
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: The Law Of Harvest 1
MEMORISE: "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease". Genesis 8:22
READ: Luke 6:37-38 (KJV)
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
The law of harvest is one of the strongest laws that God placed on earth. It is so powerful that God Himself will never break it.
In Mark 14:36, Jesus Christ prayed fervently, sweating blood and praying that God should change the plan of salvation so that He wouldn’t have to go to the cross to die for mankind.
God said ‘No!’ He said ‘no’ because of the law of harvest; He had to sow His only Son in order to reap many more children into His kingdom (Romans 8:29, Hebrews 2:10, 1 Corinthians 15:20).
The law of harvest states that whatever a man sows, he will reap.
This is well captured in Galatians 6:7:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Another beautiful thing about the law of harvest is that you will reap what you sow in greater proportions (Hosea 8:7).
Therefore, whenever you give an offering or give alms, you are sowing a seed, and whatever you have given will come back to you in multiple folds. This is a law that nothing can break.
The law of harvest becomes much stronger when operated in two ways. The first is the law of firstfruit, while the second is the law of tithes.
These two laws open the possibility of overflowing blessings. There are only two places in the Bible where God says that if you do something, He will bless you so much that there won’t be enough room to take it (Proverbs 3:9-10 and Malachi 3:10).
These two passages show us clearly the secret of overflowing blessings.
Many times, when people pray for overflowing blessings, God expects them to obey the laws of first fruits and tithes so that they can receive the blessings they seek.
Believers will stop struggling with their finances when they obey the divine law of harvest in their work, business, and in giving.
The Almighty God Himself put the law of harvest in place and expects us to obey it. For example, when I was first told about tithing, it didn’t make sense to me mathematically, but I obeyed. I wondered back then, if one hundred per cent was not enough to take care of my needs, how can ninety per cent be sufficient after taking out ten per cent as tithe?
Thank God I decided to test the law of tithing, and, to my surprise, I discovered that it was true.
Key Point
You will reap what you sow in greater proportions.
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!
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – God's Refining Fire
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: God's Refining Fire
MEMORISE: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 1 Peter 1:7
READ: Job 23:6-12 (KJV)
6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 27-29
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Kings usually get the best of everything. Our God is the King of kings, and He wants everyone who surrenders to Him to be the best.
To achieve this, God passes them through a refining process to make them the best that they can ever be. Just like a goldsmith puts gold through fire for it to come out purer, God will take you through a refining fire for you to come out purer and better. Are you willing to go through the refining fire of God?
In John 15:2, He said: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
If you want to be a branch that is connected to the vine and bear fruits for God, you must be ready to go through a pruning process. It will be tough, but it will make you more fruitful.
In the pruning process, God will take away things that are competing with Him from your heart.
He may ask you to stop wearing jewellery, not necessarily because it is a sin to wear them, but because they may be a distraction to your fruitfulness. He may allow persecution to arise against you so that you will draw closer to Him.
As you draw closer to Him, you will become more like Him and be more fruitful. He might hold some things back from you for a while to test your faith, so that you can become perfect, wanting nothing (James 1:2-4).
At the end of the refining process, you will become so valuable that people will run over each other to favour you. Just like everyone wants gold in its purest form, you will become a spectacle to your generation.
As everyone wants the best of fruits, you will have people from all over the world coming to glean from the great value that you possess.
Those who successfully go through the pruning process of God become superstars in their generation because they carry great value that the whole world wants to glean from. They are problem solvers, and people see them as blessings.
Money is never their problem because their value attracts money from all around the world. They don’t beg for doors to open to them, their names open doors. Are you ready to be refined by God?
Prayer Point
Father, please refine me and make me the purest and best version of myself that I can ever be, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 29: When Peace Like A River Attendeth My Way
1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”
Refrain (may be sung after final stanza only):
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul. Refrain
3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain
4 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Divine Setup
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Divine Setup
MEMORISE: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice". Genesis 22:18
READ: 1 Kings 3:4-15 (KJV)
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
The first time I read 1 Kings 3:4-15 after being born again, I thought to myself,
“How did Solomon think of offering God a thousand burnt offerings?”
This made me carry out a background check, and I discovered a secret.
In 2 Samuel 12:24-25, the Bible tells us that God loved Solomon as soon as he was born. His father named him Solomon, but God named him Jedidiah, meaning beloved of the Lord.
Because God loved Solomon, He wanted an opportunity to bless him in a way that nobody would be able to query Him, so He set him up by putting it in his heart to do something nobody had ever done before. That way, He also could do for Solomon what He had never done for anyone before.
When I joined RCCG in 1973, when there was any need in the church, they would ask only the children of God to wait behind. In those days, children of God meant those that are truly born again and know it.
One day, my wife and I waited behind, and the General Superintendent said,
“We have an urgent need that must be met this week. Every one of you should go and close your bank accounts and bring whatever money you have there to the church.”
On Monday, my wife and I closed our savings accounts and took the money to church.
The following Sunday, the General Superintendent said again that the children of God should wait behind. We waited. He announced that the need had been met, and we all rejoiced. Then he asked the question,
“How many of you closed your accounts as l instructed?”
My wife and I raised our hands, and when we looked around, no other hand was raised.
Immediately, I thought to myself,
“I hope I am not going crazy with this Christianity of mine.”
Then, God spoke to me,
“Son, you are not mad. I am allowing you to do what others have not done so that when I take you to where I am taking you, nobody will be able to query me.”
The rest is history; it was a divine setup.
When God places it in your heart to give Him something, He is only setting you up for greatness.
If you obey, you will be rejoicing later in future, but if you disobey, you will have missed a miracle.
Whether you give or not, God has numerous ways to meet His need. The one who is really in need is you.
Prayer Point
Father, please help me not to miss Your divine setup for my greatness, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 28: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
1 Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
2 Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell’s Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – He Shall Laugh
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
MEMORISE: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision". Psalms 2:4
READ: Psalms 37:12-13 (KJV)
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
Open Heaven For Today MESSAGE:
As God is seated in heaven, He controls everything on earth because the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1).
In Psalm 2:1-4, the Bible says that when enemies try to deal with the anointed of God, He that sits in heaven shall laugh. In other words, when someone threatens a believer, God laughs at the person.
If someone says that you are not going to be promoted, He that sits in the heavens shall laugh. This is because promotion comes neither from the East nor West, but from God alone (Psalms 75:6-7).
If a doctor says your case is hopeless, He that sits in the heavens shall laugh because He already settled your healing thousands of years ago by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5).
If anybody tells you that you will not be successful in life, He that sits in heaven shall laugh because Deuteronomy 28:13 says that you shall be above only and not beneath.
While God is laughing at every evil intention of the devil over your life, you should not be crying, rather, you should be praising Him. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:27: Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Your worrying will not solve adverse situations.
When God is laughing, you should be laughing too. You should be mocking the mockers and standing on the ever-sure word of God, knowing fully well that your case is already settled in God.
Don’t cry like people who have no hope; you are a child of the King of all kings. Your Father owns the earth and all its fullness (Psalms 24:1), so there is nothing you need that is beyond your reach.
Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
When you make your requests known to God, do so with thanksgiving. Don’t come to Him as if you have no hope.
James 1:6-7 says that if you come to Him without faith, you should not even think of receiving anything from Him.
Since Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the evidence of things not seen, then you must come with thanksgiving, knowing fully well that your requests are already granted.
This is the right state of a true believer; he or she does not live in fear but in faith because of the consciousness of how big and powerful God is.
Key Point
When God is laughing at your enemies, you should not be trembling before them. You should be praising Him and laughing too.
HYMN 27: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge–
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
0 Comments
Please drop a comment. God bless you!