OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 8TH AUGUST 2018

THEME: THE GOVERNMENT OF SELF.

MEMORISE:

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

READ: Luke 15:11-21

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

MESSAGE

The story of the prodigal son can aptly be summarized as what happens under the government of self. Although man was created to have dominion, he was not created to be governed by self. This truth accounts for the instructions God gave to man in Genesis 2:15-17:

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

One can safely assume that the purpose of these instructions was to let man know that he is under divine governance. It is unfortunate that the devil sold the idea of self government to man. This same idea was what to led the devil’s fall from grace, and a s a matter of fact, has continued to be the problem of man even today (Isaiah 14:12-15). The Lord is asking you today: are you living under the government of self or planning to detach yourself from the governance of heaven? Please don’t tread that path. None of those who did it before you have ever had a good story to tell. Psalm 2:1-5 tells us that God is sorely displeased by attempts to rebel against His Lordship.

People tend to see obeying God’s instructions as slavery, just as the prodigal son saw the control of his father as slavery. The prodigal son wanted his “freedom”, and so he decided to break away from his father’s control, not because his father was wicked or because he was suffering or lacked anything. All he wanted was self-rule, and he suffered for it. Every story of self-rule initiated against God’s governance ends in chaos, regrets and unbearable suffering. The unfortunate thing is that the government of self is finding its way into the Church. Today, any church leadership that tends to be built around the governance of God’s Spirit is often maligned, ridiculed and condemned. From the onset, the Church of God was designed to be ruled by the Holy Spirit. He is the Vicar that Jesus Christ sent to us after His ascension into heaven. Whatever we do outside the Holy Spirit is invalid. I have said this several times. And because it is the truth and the truth is constant, I cannot retract this statement. Years ago, when certain brothers demanded more freedom from the leadership of our church, I told them that any freedom more than what they had already under God would amount to bondage. Those who did not believe me then, who found a way of getting the freedom they desired, understand this truth better now. Beloved, voluntarily put yourself under the governance of God; it pays now and it will also be worth it in the hereafter.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please forgive me in any way I have sought self-rule, and take control of my life from now onward in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 21-24

Matthew 15:21-16:4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

o Refrain:

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Every hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;

Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL by PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

THEME: GOOD SUCCESS.

Memory Verse: Joshua 1:8

“This book of the law shalout of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

READ: Proverbs 1:29-33.

29.For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose The Fear of The LORD:

30.They would none of My Counsel: they despised all My Reproof.

31. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33. But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

MESSAGE 

A. Our memory verse today lets us know straightaway that not all success is the same. 

1. While some success can be can be good, others can be bad. 

2. If you want your own success to be good, this Book of The Law, which is The Bible shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night to ensure that you live according to all that it says. 

3. The Word of God further emphasizes the fact that not all success is good success. 

4. For example, Proverbs 1:32 tells us that if prosperity is put in the hands of a fool, it will eventually destroy him or her. 

5. This means there is a kind of success that brings destruction. 

6. We see this today in the lives of many seemingly successful people especially celebrities and young stars all over the world. 

7. I pray that the kind of success and prosperity that destroys its owner will never come your way in the Name of Jesus. Amen!

B. Good success has many facets. It could mean prosperity without adversity. 

1. Proverb 10:22 says that The Blessing of The Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow. 

2. It could also mean promotion without the possibility of demotion. 

3. It is better not to be promoted at all, than to be promoted today and demoted tomorrow. 

4. Good success also refers to deliverance without any relapse. 

5. It is said that some people who were once delivered have later relapsed into bondage again.

6. (Luke 11:24-26). 

7. Good success also manifest as victory without the possibility of future defeat, as well as processing an anointing that never dries up. 

8. Good success is salvation without backsliding, and it could also mean several other things. 

9. The Lord will grant you good success in the form of A Blessing that last forever in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

C. For you to experience good success, you must first accept Jesus as Your Personal Lord and Savior. 

1. Then you must submit to The Authority of The Bible as The Eternal Word of God, through a diligent study of its teachings. 

2. You must take The Word of God as your absolute guide in all matters relating to human life and existence. 

3. Your commitment and obedience to The Word of God will bring you to a level of Fellowship with God that attracts the Assured Presence of His Almighty Power, which enforces the manifestation of Good Success and Prosperity in your life. 

4. As you endeavor to live according to God’s Word today, good success and prosperity will accompany everything you do, in Jesus Name. Amen!

PRAYER POINT:

Father, Please give me The Spirit of Wisdom that will produce my desired joy in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Number 4; 1 Corinthians 14:26-15:11

HYMN : A NEW THING

(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

1. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because GOD will do new things

Sinners will soon be forgiven

Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:

Shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Rivers in desert now flowing

Halleluyah to our king.

2. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Sickness and sorrow will be gone

Bondage will be forgotten. Chorus:

3. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

The barren will be fruitful soon

Failure will be forgotten. Chorus:

4. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Poverty will be forgotten

Stagnancy will soon be gone. Chorus:

5. We will soon shout Hallelujah

Because God will do new things

To all miracles are given

There shall be celebrations. Chorus:

6. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Many will have testimonies

Of prayers answered fully. Chorus:

7. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

One of us will chase a thousand

Two will conquer ten thousands. Chorus:

8. We will soon shout Halleluyah

Because God will do new things

Songs of praises we will sing

Halleluyah to our King. Chorus:

EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

ACCESSING DIVINE INFORMATION!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: ACCESSING DIVINE INFORMATION!

MEMORISE:

“Surely The Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His Secret unto His Servants The Prophets.” Amos 3:7

READ: Daniel 2:13-19

13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

14. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15. He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

16. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

17. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18. That they would desire mercies of The God of Heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed The God of Heaven.

MESSAGE:

A. Information is very powerful, and the wise do not underestimate its power.

1. It can have positive or negative impact depending on the type of information, the giver of the information and the receiver of that information. 

2. The Lord will give you Pleasant Information today in Jesus Name. Amen!

3. It was pleasant information to Abraham and his household, when The Lord announced the coming of the child of promise.

4. (Genesis 18:10). 

5. However, it was unpleasant information when the Lord later announced the coming total destruction of Sodom and Expectations Gomorrah where Abraham’s nephew lived.

6. Genesis 18:17-21 “And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

7. However, irrespective of the nature of the information, it is always a privilege to have access to divine information because it enables you to always be one step ahead of the enemy.

B. In today’s memory verse, The Lord committed Himself to The Principle of Sharing Divine Information with His Servants. 

1. The wise will scrutinize this principle and apply it to their benefit. 

2. Daniel was wise; he therefore tapped into the possibilities made accessible by this commitment. 

3. In today’s Bible text, when all the astrologers in Babylon were to be killed because they could not decode the information embedded in the king’s dream, they turned to Daniel who knew how to access Divine Information from the spirit realm. 

4. Beloved where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18). 

5. We can learn some vital truths on Accessing Divine Information from the experience of Daniel and his companions.

6. One of which is that they got the information from The God of Heaven. 

7. For you to access information that will guide you alright in life, you need The God of Heaven. 

8. This same God has packaged all the information you need to excel in life in a book called the Bible. 

9. Just as Divine Information made a way of escape for Daniel, it also helped the king of Israel, guided by Elisha, to escape the traps of the king of Syria. 

10. 2 Kings 6:9-10 says, “And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.”

C. We will be delivered from the snares of our enemies when we have Access to Divine Information.

1. But we must act on it like the king of Israel did. 

2. For example, we have been Divinely informed that sinners face eternal damnation.

3. But can escape this future through repentance and acceptance of The Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

4. The wise will act on this information and escape eternal damnation.

ACTION POINT:

Get acquainted with The God of Heaven through Jesus Christ, and you will on daily basis have Access to Divine Information that will keep you away from evil.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Number 1-2; 1 Corinthians 13:1-14:5

HYMN: I NEED THEE, OH, I NEED THEE.

1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

Refrain:

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Every hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.Refrain:

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.Refrain:

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises in me fulfill. Refrain:

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;

Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son. Refrain:

EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

GREATER WORKS THAN THESE.!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL!

DATE: SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2018!

THEME: GREATER WORKS THAN THESE.!

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: 2 Kings 2:9-15
9. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.
12. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is The LORD God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15. But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

MESSAGE
A. When Elisha requested for the double portion of Elijah’s anointing, he was simply asking for the ability to do greater works than what his master had done.
1. Here is Elijah’s response to his request: “And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.” 2 Kings 2:10
2. One lesson we should quickly learn from this response is that any Child of God asking God for more of His Gift or Blessings is actually courting higher responsibilities.
3. Asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit required great faith on the part of the upcoming prophet.
4. In the same vein, It requires faith from us to believe that we can do greater things than Christ did.
5. As far as Elisha was concerned, nothing could be allowed to come between him and the anointing for greater works.
6. He therefore, keenly watched and followed the footsteps of his master.
7. As they took a walk and talked, A chariot of fire and flaming horse parted them.
8. Elisha beheld this, and he cried out to signify that he saw everything and had met the condition Elijah laid down for him.
9. He tore his clothes and picked up the mantle that fell from Elijah while he was being transported to Heaven, signifying that he was ready to change his old garment for a new one for a new life of greater exploit.

B. I have good news for you: someone greater than Elijah is now present with us, and His Name is Jesus Christ, The Son of The Living God.
1. He came to die for our sins and to rescue us from all forms of damnation.
2. Bible testifies that He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).
3. To be able to do what He did and even greater things than He did, you must decide to follow Him all the way, just as Elisha did with Elijah.
4. In order to be intimate with Jesus Christ, doing His Bidding is not optional.
5. After Elisha got the double portion of Elijah’s spirit, other sons of the prophets had to acknowledge the beautiful thing that had taken place in his life, and they all bowed to him.
6. A greater experienced awaits those who give their lives to Christ, because demons will begin to bow to them.
7. This is just part of the Lord’s promise to us
8. Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

C. What is expected of us, therefore, is to abide in Him and follow His Way of Life and the ideas He brought from His Father, even if this requires our having to suffer for him.
1. 1 Peter 2:21 say: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please count me worthy to do greater works that My Master did while on earth, and let Your Name be glorified through me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 13; 1 Corinthians 4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN : I NEED THEE, OH, I NEED THEE.
1. I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh. Refrain:

3. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. Refrain:

4. I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill. Refrain:

5. I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son. Refrain:
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

PSTR. E. ADEBAYO IS WISHING ALL CHRISTIAN AROUND THE GLOBE, 2018 CHRIST LOVE VALENTINE

PSTR. E. ADEBAYO IS WISHING ALL CHRISTIAN AROUND THE GLOBE, 2018 CHRIST LOVE VALENTINE 

PASTOR ENOCH ADEBAYO IS WISHING ALL THE CHRISTIAN AROUND THE GLOBE, A CHRIST LOVE SPIRITUAL AND WONDERFUL VALENTINE DAY.
                         
 with his Spiritual fortified OPEN HEAVENS  DEVOTIONAL  bible Quotation text message

DATE: WEDNESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2018!

THEME: HOLY UNTO THE LORD.

MEMORISE:
“Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My Name.” Psalm 91:14

READ: Daniel 1:1-8; Daniel 6:18-22
1. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2. And The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3. Was And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
4. Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the kin
6. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7. Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to, of Abednego.
8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of The Living God, is Thy God, Whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22. My God hath sent His Angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

MESSAGE:
A. According to Psalm 91:14, one sure weapon against experiencing destruction and calamity is a life of holiness. 
1. Opinions differ on what it means to live a holy life, and to some, such a lifestyle is unattainable. 
2. However, with reference to Biblical Heroes of Faith. 
3. I have been able to explain what holiness is all about. 
4. Holiness simply means obedience to God’s Instructions. 
5. As long as you obey God’s Commands, He sees you as an acceptable carrier of His Image and He will love you for that. 
6. In John 14:21 & 23b, the Lord Jesus Christ expounded on this truth, saying: “He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him……If a man love Me, he will keep My Words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our Abode with him.”

B. Every Child of God who knows God’s Holy Nature will also know that before The Trinity would decide to dwell within a person, he or she must be living a consecrated and holy life. 
1. In our text for today, we see how Daniel guarded himself against the calamity and destruction that would have terminated his destiny later in life. 
2. Daniel 1:8a says “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank:”
3. Please note that a portion of the king’s meat and some measure of the king’s wine were part of Daniel’s entitlements as an undergraduate in the University of Babylon where he was studying in preparation for service in the king’s court, but he declined having them. Glory to God that Daniel’s modest life of consecration to God paid off for him on the day of calamity when he was thrown into the den of lions. 
4. He could testify to his friend, King Darius, in Daniel 6:22, saying: “My God hath sent His Angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”
5. Beloved, endeavor to live holy though a modest life of consecration unto God, and you can be sure of Divine Protection because of God’s Love.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, Please help me to live holy for You and keep me safe in The Holiness of Your Son, Jesus Christ My Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 6-7; 1 Corinthians 1


HYMN 5: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty Lyrics
1.Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2.Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert and art and evermore shalt be.

3.Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4.Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity! 

i bless you all with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ....... by Pastor Enoch adebayo. happy Valentine day!!! my lovely christians and all the entire R.C.C.G

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: DIVINE FAVOR II.

MEMORISE:

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth Favour of The Lord.” Proverb 18:22

READ: Genesis 2:18-25

18. And The Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19. And out of the ground The Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

20. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

21. And The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22. And the rib, which The Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

MESSAGE 

A. Yesterday, we reflected on Divine Favor and discovered that Divine Favor is for those who seek Favour from God. 

1. Today we will be considering The Blessedness of having a good spouse as a form of God’s Favor. 

2. A blissful marriage is A Divine Gift and A Mark of Favour from The Almighty God. 

3. Some men and women maltreat their spouses because they fail to realize that having a wife (not just a woman) or a husband (not just a man) is God’s Favour, as our memory verse clearly shows. 

4. The truth of the matter is: a blessing you do not appreciate depreciate in your hands as a result of abuse or misuse. 

5. It is evil to abuse The Gift of God that is your spouse.

B. In today’s Bible text, we see how God graciously provided Adam with a helper comparable to him, since none of the other existing creatures could meet this needs. 

1. The Lord knew that this helper must share the same Image that Adam shared with God, and hence He created the woman. 

2. From this deed, one can understand why God frowns at sexual perversion, particularly homosexuality and bestiality. The Bible in Deuteronomy 27:21 says, “Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.”

3. Beloved, The Lord is calling on you today to cherish The Gift He has given to you in the form of your spouse. 

4. It Is an act of ingratitude for you to maltreat your spouse who is an embodiment of the Lord’s Favor in your life. 

5. Speaking to both parties, the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:21 says, “Submitting yourselves one to another in The Fear of God.”

C. Let there be mutual submission between the two of you. 

1. Learn to say “sorry” to one another whenever you wrong each other. 

2. To the Christian husband, please love your wife Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,”

3. You have our Lord Jesus Christ as a role model to copy, being The Husband of The Church. 

4. The same unconditional and unending love with which Christ loves you must be extended to your wife. 

5. Rebuke the ego that has been preventing you from apologizing to your wife whenever you wronged her in the past. 

6. May The Lord help you in this regard in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

7. To the Christian wife, I appeal to you not to allow that strange woman to take advantage of your pride and steal your husband from you.

8. Please submit to your husband as the head; he did not make himself your head, God did. 

9. Ephesians 5:22: Marriage-Christ and the Church: ”Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to The Lord. 

10. May God The preserve your home for you in Jesus’ Name.Amen!

ACTION POINT:

Confess your faults to each other today and jointly pray this prayer: "Father, Please forgive us our sins and help us to learn how to forgive one another. Father, Please make our home as the days of Joy on earth in Jesus’ Name. Amen"

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 24-25; Romans 8:18-39

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS 

1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;

Forward into battle see His banners go!

Refrain:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

2. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;

On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;

Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.Refrain:

3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;

Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.

We are not divided, all one body we,

One in hope and doctrine, one in charity. Refrain:

4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,

But the church of Jesus constant will remain.

Gates of hell can never ’gainst that church prevail;

We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail. Refrain:

5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,

Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.

Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,

This through countless ages men and angels sing. Refrain:

EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

SOME fake and unfaithful Pastors are the real robbers of God

SOME  fake and unfaithful Pastors are the real robbers of God

JESUS warns believers to be wary of thieves and robbers. He says:

 “I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the she dnot hear them.” (John 10:7-8).

                                   
                                         Jesus on the cross 

Who precisely are the thieves and robbers of whom Jesus speaks? Is he talking about men who mug us in the streets? Is he talking about highway robbers who snatch our cars? Or is he talking about those who break into our houses in the dead of night? Listen and understand.

 The thieves and robbers of primary concern to Jesus are some pastors of our churches. Jesus’ message is some fake pastors and other so-called “men of God” are thieves and robbers who steal, kill and destroy.  “It is written, 

‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:13). Bad pastors Jeremiah says the church building should not be confused for the temple of God: “Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord,” (Jeremiah 7:4). 

He says further-more: “My people have been lost sheep; their pastors have led them astray.” (Jeremiah 50:6). 

Ezekiel is of the same opinion. He says: “Woe to the pastors who feed themselves instead of their flocks. Shouldn’t pastors feed the sheep? You eat the best food and wear the finest clothes, but you let your flocks starve.” (Ezekiel 34:2-3). Is this not directly applicable to many of today’s highfalutin pastors? Isaiah says:

 “They are as greedy as dogs, never satisfied; they are stupid pastors who only look after their own interest, each trying to get as much as he can for himself from every possible source.” (Isaiah 56:11). Does this not acc-urately describe today’s pastors who use all kinds of tricks and shenanigans to fleece the flock of their hard-earned money? Robbers of God God asks in Malachi: 

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me.” (Malachi 3:8-9). Pastors use this scripture to browbeat their church-members and extort money from them. 

However, what they hide from unsuspecting Christians is the fact that the thieves said to be robbing God here are actually not the people of Israel, but the Levites and pastors themselves.

 As is still commonplace today, the pastors of biblical Israel were stealing the tithes and offerings of the people, and converting them to personal use. (1 Samuel 2:28-35). All through Malachi, pastors are the objects of God’s angst:

 “It is you, O priests, who show con-tempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ You place defiled food on my altar.” (Malachi 1:6-7). The Levites were replacing the unblemished sacrificial animals with crippled and diseased ones. (Malachi 1:8). “This admonition is for you, O priests.

 If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honour my name, I will send a curse upon you.” (Malachi 2:1-2). The priests were fraudsters: 

“The lips of a priest ought to pre-serve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruct-ion—because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble.” (Malachi 2:7-8). Moreover, the widows, the fatherless and the aliens were going hungry because the priests were denying them the portion of the tithes and offerings that God expressly reserved for them. (Malachi 3:5). 

Therefore, God is insistent: “Bring ALL the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” (Malachi 3:10). Since these same Levites were the ones required to atone for the sins of Israel, their thievery was in danger of bringing a curse on the whole nation. Redeemer Therefore, God promises to send Jesus; his “messenger of the covenant,” to purify, in this in-stance, the priests and not the people:

 “He shall purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.” (Malachi 3:3). That process ultimately involves the replacement of the Levitical priesthood established after the order of Aaron, with a completely new Messianic priesthood, esta-blished after the order of Melchi-sedec. (Hebrews 7:11-16). 

This would fulfil God’s long-standing plan: “I will establish ONE pastor over them, and he shall feed them- my servant David. He shall feed them and be their pastor.” (Ezekiel 34:23-24). This one true pastor is none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who minist-ered to the man attacked by robbers on Jericho road, while the priest and the Levite ignored him. (Luke 10:30-35). 

With Jesus replacing them High Priest: “the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.” (Malachi 3:4). Thus when Jesus finally arrived, he declared: “All who ever came before me were thieves and rob-bers, but the sheep did not listen to them. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good pastor. The good pastor lays down his life for the sheep.”

 (John 10:8-12). It should therefore be clear that the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy is none other than the pastor. Pastors are “bad” all-in-all; but Jesus is “the good pastor.” Accordingly, under the New Covenant, says Jesus: “There will be one flock and ONE PASTOR.” (John 10:16).

 That means all those still parading themselves as pastors today are thieves and impostors. With the replacement of the Levitical priesthood, there should be nobody still collecting tithes today, calling himself a Levite or pastor. Jesus forbids this, saying: “Do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for one is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.” (Matthew 23:8-9). Jesus killers If you still don’t get it that pastors are the thieves who steal, kill and destroy, listen to Hosea: “The priests are like a gang of robbers who wait in ambush for a man. Even on the road to the holy place at Shechem they commit murder.”

 (Hosea 6:9). Shechem was a “city of refuge” and of Levites and priests. But the very priests God had appointed to teach the truth that people might live, were those endangering their lives. Answer me this: who killed Jesus? Was he not killed by pastors? Who said in Jesus’ parable of the landowner and the vinedressers:

 “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance?” (Matthew 21:38). Was it not the vinedressers, represented today by pastors? Never forget: pastors killed Jesus. Every day, today’s pastors testify against themselves that they are the descendants of those who killed Jesus. 

They rob men of God determined that they, and not God, should be the gods of their lives. In effect, the armed robber steals from men with a gun in his hand: the pastor steals from men by brandishing the bible. Therefore, Jesus says to pastors: “Assuredly, tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.” (Matthew 21:31).

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is

Considering what is happening presently, I think human activities here on earth is on the verge of ending.

I wish I could tell all my Facebook friends to pray, but I'm even tired of praying - for impossible things.

"You cannot pray off a divine agenda; you can only seek your exemption." - Bishop David Oyedepo. Again, Matthew 5:18 has the say story. Praying for the economic situation of Nigeria to get better is a waste of time. Not expecting more deadly diseases to come up is like being ignorant of the times. However, as God exempted the people of Israel from the calamities that befell Egypt (Genesis 47:27), He can do same for anyone who has signed up to Him.

Matthew 24 prophesies has been repeatedly fulfilled, especially these days. People are turning against each other by kidnapping, robbery, killing, agitations and the likes. The latest is that the old-story lassa fever is back - pestilences. Even at the dropping prices of goods in the market, people are still hungry. I use to think that the hunger issues is limited to Nigeria; but the whole world is suffering it today.

When the clouds gather, rain is expected. I can draw but just one conclusion from these events - the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is near.

Everyone should be getting ready to go home now. 90 minutes has been completed, the extra time is equally up; we are just repeating penalty turns, of which any thing can happen any time. But, there are two homes - one with eternal recommendation and another with eternal condemnation. Where would you want to spend your eternity?

Some of you are living right before yourselves and friends, but Jesus told us that a man must be born again (John 3:3-6). Every person must make a conscious response to a call to salvation (Romans 10:9,10) for it is mandatory for an eternity with Jesus Christ - eternal rest.

Eventually, Acts 2:38 says, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

GENERAL Overseer of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, SCOAN,

GENERAL Overseer of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, SCOAN, Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, yesterday called on Nigerians to remember the poor and the vulnerable in the society, arguing that the gift we give to this category of less-privileged people is rendered unto God. The renown televangelist who was born on June 12, 1963 marked his 54th birthday yesterday in a sombre manner, urging Nigerians that; “This is the time to go to the elderly, widows, widowers, physically challenged and the less-privileged in our society to share our love and care.”

 TB Joshua The prophet who has been called one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines, The Africa Report and New African Magazine, said; “Your compassion, your care are not limited to money,” a  statement from the church’s media unit said, adding; “This is the life of the man we are celebrating. Let us celebrate his life. Let us celebrate his journey so far. Let us celebrate his divine nature. He is a partakers of the inheritance of the saints. ‘’At a time like this when the nation is passing through recession, Prophet Joshua deserves to be celebrated from different perspectives, especially as he has put smiles on faces and has become the greatest friend of the poor and the downtrodden in society. Apart from his healing and deliverance gifts, T.B. Joshua walks tall in several aspects of human endeavours.’’ 

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