OPEN HEAVENS FOR 10TH JUNE 2026
TOPIC: MIND YOUR FRIENDS
MEMORISE:
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. — 1 Corinthians 15:33
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (KJV)
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
MESSAGE:
Many Christians profess to be children of God; however, they still maintain really close friendships with unbelievers and are heavily influenced negatively by such relationships. They attend church regularly, but they have friends who want nothing to do with the Church.
Christians such as this might hear God's word regularly and even be involved in the various church activities; however, when they are in the midst of their friends, they never discuss the things of God with them. Eventually, their association with such friends becomes a thorn that chokes God's word in their hearts.
Today's Bible reading admonishes us to be separate from the world because light has nothing to do with darkness. Believe me, it is easier for a fellow to be brought down than to be pulled up by another fellow. This means that it is easier for friends who are unbelievers to pull down a Christian than for the Christian to pull such friends up. This is why Paul advised Christians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Beloved, if you have friends who are worldly, you most likely will begin to care so much about worldly things, and James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. When your close friends always speak ill about God, the Church, and men of God, you will likely begin to mock the things of God.
In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul told us about a young man named Demas who was his companion on some of his missionary journeys but eventually forsook him and left the faith because he loved the world. When a fellow allows unholy friends to introduce little foxes like ungodly habits, unrighteous conversations, and immoral behaviour into his or her life, it will eventually ruin the fellow (Song of Solomon 2:15).
Are there wild desires or ungodly habits in your life that can be traced to your association with some of your friends? Break up with such desires and habits so that you won't sow among thorns and miss out on God's blessings or be pushed out of your purpose like Demas.
Furthermore, dissociate yourself from unholy friends and begin to cultivate a more intimate relationship with God and other believers who can influence you positively and help strengthen your faith.
I pray that the Almighty God will guide you to cultivate relationships with godly people that will influence you to be more committed to Him and strengthen you to fulfil His purpose for your life, in Jesus' name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please guide me to make friends with the right people, in Jesus' name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalms 28-33
HYMN 39: I AM THINE, O LORD
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Chorus:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
About RCCG and Open Heavens
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a global Pentecostal denomination founded in 1952 by Reverend Josiah Akindayomi and now led by Pastor E. A. Adeboye as General Overseer. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, RCCG has spread to over 200 countries with millions of worshippers worldwide.
Open Heavens is the daily devotional of RCCG, written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye. First published in 2003, it has become one of the most widely read daily devotionals in the world. Each edition includes a memory verse, Bible reading, message, prayer point, and hymn. The devotional is known for its practical, Bible-based teachings that address everyday Christian living, spiritual warfare, and faith.
The devotional for 10th June 2026 warns believers about the danger of close friendships with unbelievers and the importance of cultivating godly relationships.
BRIEF COMMENTARY
Based on Open Heavens 10th June 2026 – "Mind Your Friends"
The Silent Danger: Close Friendships with Unbelievers
In today's devotional, Pastor Adeboye addresses a critical issue that many Christians overlook. Many believers profess to be children of God yet maintain close friendships with unbelievers and are heavily influenced negatively by such relationships. They attend church regularly and may even be involved in various church activities, but when they are in the midst of their friends, they never discuss the things of God.
Eventually, their association with such friends becomes a thorn that chokes God's word in their hearts. This connects back to the Parable of the Sower: the seed grows, but thorns spring up and choke it. Unholy friendships are among those thorns.
The Law of Spiritual Gravity
The memory verse from 1 Corinthians 15:33 is a solemn warning: "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." Paul says this because many Christians sincerely believe they can walk with unbelievers without being affected. The word "communications" here means companionships, conversations, and constant associations. The truth is simple but devastating: bad company does not merely annoy you—it corrupts you slowly, subtly, and certainly.
Pastor Adeboye states a sobering principle: it is easier for a fellow to be brought down than to be pulled up by another fellow. This means it is easier for unbelieving friends to pull down a Christian than for the Christian to pull such friends up. Sin is naturally attractive while holiness requires effort. The world system supports downward pulls through peer pressure and cultural norms. One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel (Ecclesiastes 9:18), but one good apple does not automatically sweeten the bad ones.
Friendship with the World Is Enmity with God
James 4:4 is quoted without softening: "Friendship with the world is enmity with God." The word "friendship" here means fondness, affection, and intimate association. The "world" means the system of values, desires, and behaviors that ignores or opposes God.
When your close friends always speak ill about God, the Church, and men of God, you will likely begin to mock the things of God. You cannot sit at a table where God is being dishonored day after day and remain unaffected. If you swim long enough in a polluted river, you will be contaminated.
The Case Study of Demas
Paul wrote about Demas, who was his companion on missionary journeys (Philemon 1:24) and was still with Paul during his first imprisonment (Colossians 4:14). But eventually, Demas forsook Paul and left the faith because he loved the world (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas did not fall suddenly. He drifted. He began to love the world more than the kingdom, and his close associations likely played a role.
The devotional warns: break up with ungodly desires and habits so that you won't sow among thorns and miss out on God's blessings or be pushed out of your purpose like Demas.
The Little Foxes
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines." Destruction often comes not through massive, obvious sins, but through small, seemingly insignificant compromises introduced by unholy friends.
When a fellow allows unholy friends to introduce little foxes like ungodly habits, unrighteous conversations, and immoral behaviour into his or her life, it will eventually ruin the fellow. The tragedy is that these foxes are little. They do not seem dangerous. They seem harmless. But they spoil the vines—the tender grapes of character, reputation, and spiritual fruit.
What to Do
The devotional gives three clear instructions:
First, break up with ungodly habits and desires. Identify the specific habit, trace it back to the friendship that introduced it, confess it as sin, repent completely, and remove access to triggers.
Second, dissociate from unholy friends. This is difficult but necessary. It does not mean never speaking to unbelievers again, nor being hostile or judgmental. It means stopping having unbelievers as your inner circle of influence. Reduce time spent with them, decline invitations to compromising events, and when they mock God, speak gently but clearly.
Third, cultivate intimate relationships with God and godly believers. You do not need many friends. You need a few faithful friends who love Jesus more than they love you and who will pull you up when you are slipping.
Warning
If you do not separate from unholy friendships, you will sow among thorns and miss out on God's blessings. Blessings require purity; thorns block the flow. You may be pushed out of your purpose, like Demas, forsaking your calling for the world.
Conclusion
The devotional closes with a prayer that the Almighty God will guide you to cultivate relationships with godly people who will influence you to be more committed to Him and strengthen you to fulfil His purpose for your life.
Prayer Point from the Devotional:
Father, please guide me to make friends with the right people, in Jesus' name.
Action Steps
The friendship audit – write down the names of your five closest friends. Next to each name, note whether they are passionate for Christ (spurring you toward holiness), nominal (talking about God but living like the world), or an unbeliever.
The Demas check – ask yourself honestly: Am I slowly loving the world more than I love God? What "little fox" has recently entered my life through a friendship? Identify it, confess it, and remove it.
The godly friendship pursuit – for the next 30 days, intentionally invest time in relationships with believers who are spiritually ahead of you. Replace ungodly influence with holy influence.
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