OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-MONDAY-15/02/2016-COMMANDED TO REJOICE -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-MONDAY-15/02/2016-COMMANDED TO REJOICE -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

 

COMMANDED TO REJOICE

Memorise

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord,

Thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected. Jeremiah 29:11

Read

Philippians 4:1-7

1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

3 And I in treat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   The commandment to rejoice seems to be a repeated theme in the book of Philippians. First, Philippians 2:18, then 3:1, and 4:4. Why did Paul pay so much attention to the word rejoice? On a closer look at all, rather, Paul’s emphasis is on the term “rejoice in the Lord”. He was trying to draw a line between the common rejoicing that happens to all human beings and the art of rejoicing in the Lord. God wants us to know that joy is a matter of realm, because there are diverse types of joy and it is the realm of joy that makes the difference.

   There is a rejoicing that is common to all men, it is a feeling of joy that depends on situations and circumstances around us and it is temporal and short-lived: this joy is unsubstantial and evanescent. However, there is a delight that comes with God’s presence, it is divine and powerful; the joy of the Lord. This joy is also called the ‘joy of salvation’, it is real, it is a great kind of joy, it is endless, and an everlasting joy that brings down the presence of God into the hearts of men. Apostle Peter had this to say about this kind of rejoicing in 1^st Peter 1:8:

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

   What makes rejoicing in the Lord so important that God had to repeatedly command us to rejoice? It is the very first miracle that happens to a person when he becomes born again. The joy of the Lord is immediately shed in the heart of the fellow. The unspeakable expression of the joy of salvation is therefore the most vital and undeniable proof that a person is genuinely born of God. The wisdom of God commanded it repeatedly in the Bible, and emphasised it in Philippians at least for two major reasons. First, being born again is a spiritual walk with God, the joy of the Lord is the token of our connectedness to God, losing the joy therefore, is another token of disconnection from God. You will never be disconnected from God in Jesus’ name. Secondly, God knows that a genuine conversion to Christianity would cause a forceful separation and disconnection from the worldly system of thought and action, which naturally leads to rejection, persecution, and diverse temptations. Therefore, the joy of the Lord is provided as an offensive weapon of consolation, encouragement, and strength in the face of persecution. That is why Philippians 4:4 says;

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”

 

   God commanded His people to rejoice, He was not giving a suggestion or permission, neither did He make it a matter of choice. We are compelled to rejoice in the Lord as a necessary ingredient to the Christian faith. Rejoicing is founded on and derived through the Word of God, it is needful in affliction, it brings comfort and strength to press forward in times of trouble. 

Prayer Point

Father, please fill my heart with your heavenly joy, that is all I need from you today.

Bible in one year

Luke 2:22-4:15, Job 22: 1-11

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-SUNDAY-14/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE V -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-SUNDAY-14/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE V -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE V

Memorise

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his

Mother. Proverb 15:20

Read

Psalms 127:3-5

3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   Let me start by clarifying something about being alone. Being alone could be in two ways, by solitude and by loneliness. Solitude is by being alone on purpose; an international separation from people from a period, such a person can be alone by the river side or watching television without being lonely. There is a biblical basis for solitude (Exodus 33:7, 11; Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12-13; Luke 22:41), therefore, solitude could be a good thing. However, loneliness is usually never desired. Prolonged loneliness may sometimes is usually never desired. Prolonged loneliness may sometimes lead to desperation. Being alone is the very first aspect of creating that met with God’s disapproval and His harsh judgment of not being good, and 1^st Corinthians 1:25 says,

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

   Therefore, God’s assessment of “being alone” should be taken seriously. God in His infinite wisdom decide to solve the problem of being alone by providing a “help meet for the man”. A perfect companion that is suitable for him, one that will cancel out the negative effects of ‘being alone’. Now, fulfilling the purpose of God in life in general and marriage in particular depends largely on our understanding and total submission to the manufacturer’s instructions. A simple, direct, Holy Ghost inspired and time tested meaning of this passage is clear to all. Help refers broadly to aid or assistance, the word ‘helper’ may connote subordinate, but does not necessarily imply inferiority. Hosea 13:9 refers to God as Israel’s helper, also, Genesis 2:18-25, describes how God provided the suitable

Helper for the man.

   The declaration of Adam, that Eve is the bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh is a pointer to the fact that marriage creates the closest of all human relationships and should be cherished as such. We are to note also that only one Eve was created and not several Eves or another Adam. This is a confirmation that God established heterosexual monogamy as the divine pattern for marriage at creation. However, the language of Ephesians 5:22-25 is probably clearer on the God given roles of husbands and wives.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

   Every child of God that is determined to fulfil God’s purpose must live according to the order of marriage ordained by the Almighty God. Marriage is the foundation of life according to the Bible. Consequently, marital failure may as well translate to failure in life and ministry.

Prayer Point

Father, Please help me to be obedient in all things and help me to fulfil your purpose for my life in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year

Luke 1:1-2:21, Job 21:17-34

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-SATURDAY-13/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE IV -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-SATURDAY-13/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE IV -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

 

 

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE IV

Memorise

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them

Up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

Read

Genesis 18:17-19,

17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   The Bible declared the father as the head of the home – head of the mother and the children. As such, fathers have complete authority within the household to direct the affairs of The family, and to administer discipline when necessary. However, Apostle Paul admonishes that fathers should handle authority over their children with care; they are to be careful not to provoke their children to wrath. Some fathers are guilty of using their authority unreasonably in ways that cause their children to harbour resentment. However, fathers have the responsibility to bring their children up in the way of the Lord. In many cultures today, parents have submitted and completely relinquished their God given responsibility to raise godly children to school teachers, Sunday schools teachers, pastors, or governmental institutions. Every Christian parent should know that God will hold them responsible for the success or failure of their wards. Children are God’s heritage, we have an awesome responsibility and authority over them, we are responsible for them before God, and we will surely render our account to God over them.

    Are there any particular reason(s) why parents, particularly fathers, are called by God to play such a crucial, God ordained role in the upbringing or discipleship of their children?  Ephesians 6:1-4 given us a clue.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”.

   God knows that from childhood, little children gradually learn to love and trust their parents because of the relationship they have. Children normally grow up to receive love and care from their parents in the form of feeding, clothing, washing, and protection from cold and other harmful circumstances. Therefore children naturally gravitate towards their parents. For the same reasons, children are more likely to learn the ways and manners of their parents by default. Most children would choose to learn from their parents because parents are the first heroes’ children. God in His wisdom is fully aware of these factors; He therefore designed the family to take advantage of the opportunity provided by nature.

The Bible provides a very good balance here; children are to obey their parents, while parents are to treat their children with respect so that they will obey them without coercion. God expects children to obey their parents for Christ’s sake, even if their parents are not believers. Also, children should not commit any sinful act just because their parents command them to. When faced with a choice between the two, children must obey God rather than man.     

Prayer Point

Father, please make me a successful parent; don’t let me fail you over my children.

Bible in one year

Mark 14:43-16:8, Job 21:1-16

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-FRIDAY-1202/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE III -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-FRIDAY-12/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE III -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

 

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE III

Memorise

And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I

Will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18

Read

1^st Samuel 19:9-12

9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, if thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   Let me start by clarifying something about being alone. Being alone could be in two ways, by solitude and by loneliness. Solitude is by being alone on purpose; an intentional separation from people for a period, such a person can be alone by the river side or watching television without being lonely. There is a biblical basis for solitude (Exodus 33:7, 11; Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12-13; Luke 22:41), therefore, solitude could be a good thing. However, loneliness is usually never desired. Prolonged loneliness may sometimes lead to depression. Being alone is the very first aspect of creation that met with God’s disapproval and His harsh judgment of not being good, and 1^st Corinthians 1:25 says,

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

   Therefore, God’s assessment of “being alone” should be taken seriously. God in His infinite wisdom decided to solve the problem of being alone by providing a “help meet for the man”. A perfect companion that is suitable for him, one that will cancel out the negative effects of ‘being alone’. Now, fulfilling the purpose of God in life in general and marriage in particular demands largely on our understanding and total submission to the manufacturer’s instructions. A simple, direct, Holy Ghost inspired and time tested meaning of this passage is clear to all. Help refers broadly to aid or assistance, the word ‘helper’ may connote subordinate, but does not necessarily imply inferiority. Hosea 13:9 refers to God as Israel’s helper, also, Genesis 2:18-25, describes how God provided the suitable helper for the man.

The declaration of Adam, that Eve is then bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh is a pointer to the fact that marriage creates the closest of all human relationships and should be cherished as such. We are to note also that only one Eve was created and not several Eves or another Adam. This is a confirmation that God established heterosexual monogamy as the divine pattern of marriage at creation. However, the language of Ephesians 5:22-25 is probably clearer on the God given roles of husbands and wives.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

   Every child of God that is determined to fulfil God’s purpose must live according to the order of marriage ordained by the Almighty God. Marriage is the foundation of life according to the Bible. Consequently, marital failure may as well translate to failure in life and ministry.        

Prayer Point

Father, I believe in the institution of marriage according to the Bible, please help me to build a strong happy and joyful name in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Bible in one year

Mark 12:41-14:42, Job 20:20-29

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-THURSDAY-11/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE II -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-THURSDAY-11/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE II -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE II

Memorise

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden

To dress it and to keep it. Genesis 2:15

Read

Genesis 1:26-28,

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   At the beginning of creation and before the fall of man in Genesis chapter three, the instruction given to humanity can be safely classified into three categories. Category one is to cultivate the land and to keep it. The words “subdue”, “have dominion”, and “rule” are all pointers to what is required to effectively keep the land as steward-kings of God’s creation. Category two is the institution of law with the purpose of teaching people to live under authority. The third category is the institution of marriage to expose people to the principle of love and teach people to live for someone other than themselves. From that very beginning, God made it very clear that He is not abandoning us to ourselves to figure things out all alone. He wants us to use everything we have to serve Him and humanity, therefore manual labour or service at this level was not the result of the fall, rather it was part of God’s original purpose for humanity. The truth is evident in Genesis 2:15-18, which says:

“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 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 shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

   The starting point of fulfilling God’s purpose for anyone therefore, is to be productive. Since we are discussing the very first set of instructions to humanity, obedience to God must necessarily start from here. A true believer is to provide for his near relatives and his immediate family at the same time. It is not by choice; failure to provide for one’s family is equal to denial of the faith as stated in 1^st Timothy 5:8:

 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

   This is the major reason why believers must be busy doing something worthwhile in life. If a Christian is unable to care for his family, such a person will be unable to love and care for others. The Bible says that such people are worse than infidels. Now it is possible to be in such a state temporarily due to several reasons, but it must not be accepted as permanent status. A faithful Christian will soon find favour with God and man that will pull him or her out of such despicable situation. I therefore prophecy into the life of anyone in such a situation reading this devotional today, the Great Provider will transfer you from poverty to abundance today in Jesus’ name. For those that are looking unto God for profitable ventures, receive it now in the name of Jesus. From this day, you will begin to fulfil God’s purpose for your life in the mighty name of Jesus.  

Prayer Point

Father, please help me to fulfil my purpose in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year

Mark 10:46-12:40, Job 20:1-19

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-WEDNESDAY-10/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE I -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL­-WEDNESDAY-10/02/2016-FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE I -BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE I

Memorise

See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to

Root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Jeremiah 1:10

Read

Jeremiah 1:1-10,

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

3 And say thou unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel; cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:

5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, so be it, O Lord.

6 Then the Lord said unto me, proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.

9 And the Lord said unto me, a conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

 

KJV

MESSAGE

   Several passage of the Bible confirms the fact that every human being was originally created by God and born into this word to fulfil God’s purpose. Colossians 1:16 says;

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and

For him:”

Colossians 1:16

   There is nothing like an afterthought with God. Everything He does is purposeful and deliberate. Not only that, He has everything to the minutest detail, precisely tied to time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says;

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

   From Adam and Eve, to Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and all the prophets and Kings in the Bible, they all were precisely programmed to come and go according to God’s ultimate plan. There is no randomness with God; all things that have ever happened on earth and in heaven were ordered according to His unsearchable wisdom. Act 15:18 says;

“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”

   For example, John the Baptist was selected by God to prepare the way for the Lord by announcing His arrival, confronting the sinfulness and rebellion of that generation and by preaching repentance of sins. Jeremiah’s purpose as a prophet of God was clearly described in Jeremiah 1:1-10. These two prophets were able to fulfil God’s purposes; they did not at any time jettison their responsibilities. John the Baptist perfectly prepared the way for the Lord without taking upon Himself any additional responsibility beyond that which was ordained from heaven. Immediately he identified Christ, he made it public, he was ready to decrease and stay in the shadows as Jesus began to increase. Bible scholars have several interpretations about the real cause of his death, but at the end, Jesus declared him as the greatest man that ever lived. His greatness must have been tied to the fulfilment of God’s purpose for his life.

   Jeremiah on the other hand was deliberately setup by God as the national prophet to the nation of Israel in his generation. It was a period of apostasy and God was determined, after many unheeded warnings, to deal with the children of Israel according to their doings. Jeremiah was set over the kingdom of Israel to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down. He was also permitted to build and plant. The Bible confirmed that though Jeremiah wept much for his beloved country, he faithfully discharged his duties without fear or favour.

God has also setup each of us for His purpose in this generation. Are you fulfilling God’s purpose for your life?  

Prayer Point

Father, please give me the wisdom, knowledge and boldness to discharge my duties in this world without fear or favour in Jesus’ name.

Bible in one year

Mark 9:14-10:45, Job 19:13-29