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Open Heaven For Today 2024 – Open Heavens 7 November

Open Heaven For Today 2024 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Seeing Beyond Fathers

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Seeing Beyond Fathers

MEMORISE: 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. John 14:12

READ: 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (KJV) 

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.


15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.


16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Open Heaven For Today 2024 – Open Heavens 7 November

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 16-17

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

Children often look up to their parents, and this is no different in God’s kingdom. A son might strive to learn all he can from his father in the Lord and even pray to carry his spirit.


However, what do fathers stand to gain from their children in the Lord? When you consider the fact that there was a school of prophets in Israel, where Elijah could have gotten many people to help him, you will realize that he did not really need Elisha.


The primary reason a father sticks close to his children in the Lord is usually that he wants to pass his knowledge and anointing to them.


He does not want everything he has gotten from God to die with him; he wants to pass them on to people that will carry on after he is gone. 


Thus, it is the willingness of fathers to teach, and their children in the Lord to learn, that builds such a strong bond between them. Just as in the case of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:11, fathers will one day be taken from the earth, and their children in the Lord will be faced with the reality of carrying on to greater heights without them. How ready are you for the time you will need to carry on from your father in the Lord?


Your vision in your walk with God must go beyond your father in the Lord, otherwise, when he is gone, your walk with God may be affected. My Father in the Lord was a great man of God. He fasted and prayed more than anyone I knew at that time. He saw visions of the future, and I learnt a lot from him.


However, he told me that he never fasted beyond 21 days at a stretch. Not long after he went to be with the Lord, I moved beyond that and started fasting for 40 days at a go once every year. He saw the Church spreading across the world, and that has come to pass, however, God has further expanded the vision to other areas like establishing the Redeemer’s University where young people can obtain a university degree and be equipped spiritually while doing so.


If you want your father in the Lord to be proud of you, while you are learning all you can from him before he leaves the earth, you must also see beyond him in your daily walk with God.

Reflection 

Does your vision in God extend beyond your relationship with your father in the Lord?

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 he shall lead

till ev’ry 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,

each piece put on with 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 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Harden Not Your Heart 2

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TOPIC: Harden Not Your Heart 2

MEMORISE: I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Jeremiah 31:18

READ: Hebrews 12:5-11(KJV) 

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:


6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.


7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?


8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.


9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?


10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.


11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 13-15

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

Sometimes, when you hear from God, it may be a rebuke. However, you must still open your heart to Him despite the rebuke. In any case, l would rather God rebuke me than stay silent.


If a Christian only wants to hear sweet things from God but never wants to listen to His rebuke, he or she will eventually stop hearing from Him. You should be glad when God rebukes you because Hebrews 12:6 says that it is the child the father loves that he chastens.


When David was rebuked in 2 Samuel 12:1-14. he did not harden his heart, rather, he repented, and God continued to walk with him.


How do you react when you hear a rebuke from your pastor? Do you harden your heart or do you make amends immediately? No matter how influential a believer is in ministry, or how gifted the fellow is in the Holy Spirit, if such a person hardens his or her heart against God’s rebuke, God can reject such a believer (Samuel 16:1). Psalm 51:17 says:


The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.


If you want God to keep walking with you and speaking to you, you need to have a broken spirit and a contrite heart. God is not moved by mere religious activity; He is most interested in a relationship with you. However, just as it is impossible to have a good relationship with someone that you cannot correct when he or she offends you, God will not dwell with hard-hearted individuals. He said in Isaiah 57:15:


For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.


Beloved, when God rebukes you, whether through His word, a fellow believer, or directly by Himself, never harden your heart.


Hardening your heart against His rebuke will only lead to destruction as we see in Proverbs 29:1:


He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.


Do not despise rebuke from God, rather, embrace His correction as evidence of His love for you.

Prayer Point

Please Lord, help me to yield to Your corrections at all times.

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 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Harden Not Your Heart 1

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TOPIC: Harden Not Your Heart 1

MEMORISE: Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Psalm 95:8

READ: Hebrews 3:7-11 (KJV) 

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,


8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:


9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.


10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.


11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 11-12

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

God talks to His people; the only problem is that many do not listen to Him. Psalm 95:6-8 says that if you want to hear His voice, you should not harden your heart.


If God has been talking to you and you have been disobedient, He will keep quiet, and you won’t hear Him again.


You need to hear God so that He can guide you. The primary way to hear from God and be guided by Him is to study your Bible.


However, what should you do when the situation you need guidance about is not specifically addressed by the Bible?


Whenever you need to make decisions on such matters, you need to hear from God directly.


There are times when you can clearly see what God wants you to do in the Scriptures.


However, you still need to hear from Him on how to go about what He wants you to do. For example, when Paul wanted to go to Asia in Acts 16:6-7, the Spirit of God forbade him.


You might ask, 


“How can the Spirit of God stop Paul from going to preach since it is written in Matthew 28:19 that we should go into the world and teach every nation?”


Some years ago, I wanted to hold a crusade in Benin, a state capital in Southern Nigeria.


We had prepared everything for the crusade, but to my surprise, when I went to ask God about it, He said that we should go to Ede, a town in South-West Nigeria instead.


I told Him that we had just concluded a crusade in llesha, another town in the same state as Ede and that the inhabitants of Ede would have most likely been in attendance.


However, since God is my Commander-in-chief, I obeyed Him.


During the crusade in Ede, the king was in attendance, and when he got on the stage to speak, he announced that he would be gifting the church with whatever quantity of land we desired.


We initially decided to ask for 50 acres of land, however, when I went back to hear from God, He told me to ask for 500 hectares, and I obeyed.


Today, that portion of and is where Redeemer’s University and The Redeemed Christian School of Missions are situated.


If I had hardened my heart, I wouldn’t have gone to Ede, and I wouldn’t have received the blessing.


Beloved, when you are dealing with God, don’t harden your heart. Listen to Him with an open mind, be committed to obeying Him, and He will speak to you.

Key Point

If your heart is hardened, God will not speak to you.

HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord

1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah

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 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Learn  From The Elders

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TOPIC: Learn  From The Elders

MEMORISE: With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. Job 12:12

READ: 1 Kings 12:1-19 (KJV) 

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.


2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)


3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,


4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.


5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.


6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?


7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.


8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:


9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?


10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.


11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.


12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.


13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;


14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.


15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.


17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.


18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.


19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 9-10

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

Elderly people carry valuable gems of wisdom.


No matter how educated you are, some lessons cannot be learnt in classrooms; they are only taught in the ‘classroom of life’ and are learned by experience.


Even though I have a PhD, I have learnt to defer to the wisdom of the elders from time to time.


This is why you will always hear me say, 


“The elders have a saying,” 


because there are valuable things that I have learnt from the elders that all of my formal education did not give me.


I was privileged to sit at the feet of my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi.


Every week, I would visit him to ask questions, and he would teach me valuable lessons.


I was also privileged to learn from Pa S.G Elton. Every two weeks, I would travel to llesha to sit at his feet.


He taught me many things, even though I didn’t agree with some of them initially because I felt that they were incorrect.


However, as I grew older, I began to realise that he was correct.


One of the things he taught me was that I should always remember that I am not God, irrespective of the level of the anointing that I operate in.


He also taught me that God does whatever He pleases, and all that I have to do is to take my burdens to Him in prayer and go to bed.


This is why, if you ask those close to me, they will tell you that I have no difficulty sleeping.


No matter how big the problem is, once I have prayed, I go to sleep.


Beloved, even if your parents and the elders around you are not as educated or sophisticated as you are, listen to them.


Whatever things you disagree with or that seem hard for you to understand, keep them in your memory regardless.


One day, when you are wiser, you will likely refer to them.


Do not joke with the moments you have to spend with elders, whether they are related to you or not. Tell them to teach you some of the things they know and do.


Some natural remedies to sicknesses died with some elders because the generation after them did not learn about them when they had the opportunity.


Some important principles of life have also been lost in this manner.


Learn all you can from the elderly ones, especially the Christian elders that you still have around you, before they go to be with the Lord.

Key Point

Spend quality time with the elders around you; there is a lot of wisdom to gain from them.

HYMN 28: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah 

1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah

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 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Hearing From God

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Hearing From God

MEMORISE: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21

READ: John 10:2-5 (KJV)

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.


3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.


4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.


5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 5-6

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

Hearing is critical to all humans. For example, you will immediately know that you need to get out of the way when you hear the blare of a car’s horn behind you. Beyond hearing in the physical, it is also critical for believers to be able to hear from God as we see in our memory verse.


Due to my training as a mathematician, I have learnt to delve into things that are not obvious. For instance, many Christians miss out on the fact that Elisha and Elijah were talking as they walked together in 2 Kings 2:11. When I studied that Scripture, I wondered what their discussion was about. Also, in Daniel 3, when the three Hebrew men were with the fourth man in the fire, what were they talking about?


What did Jesus discuss with Moses and Elijah in Matthew 17:1-9? What was so crucial that they came down from heaven to discuss with Jesus?


In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, Paul said that he heard words that were not lawful for a man to speak.


What were those words? In Revelation 10:4, John heard some things and wanted to write them down, but the angel told him they were not to be written; they were for his ears alone.


What did he hear? I am really curious about these and many more of such conversations.


God made the world with words. Words are very powerful, especially when they come from God. The Bible says that the entrance of His word always brings light to the hearer and to situations (Psalm 119:130). You cannot live an effective Christian life if you do not hear from God. The Bible teaches that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (John 11:40). However, this faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent His word, and He healed and delivered them.” The question is, how do you receive God’s word?


To receive God’s word effectively, ensure that nothing distracts you and that you are totally focused on listening to His word. Move away from distractions, so that you can hear exactly what God wants to say to you in that moment.


Also, pray for God to open your spiritual ears so that you can understand what is being said.


In Revelation 2:29. Bible says that those that have ears should hear what the spirit is saying. You have spiritual ears; ensure that they are not deaf to what the Spirit of God has to say to you at every point in time.

Prayer Point

Father, please open my spiritual ears and let me hear from You always.

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]

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