Archives for November 2020

Open Heaven 30 November 2020 Memorise: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Read: Psalm 136:1-26 Open Heaven 30 November 2020

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Open Heaven 30 November 2020

Bible In One Year: 1 Corinthians 9-11

MESSAGE: – Open Heaven 30 November 2020 Monday Daily Devotion

PRAYER:

1. Thank God for the salvation of your soul.

2. Thank God for your life. Thank Him for preserving your life. You are not better than those you started this year with but are no more.

3. Praise God for His grace that has brought you this far in life.

4. Thank God for victory over known and unknown enemies.

5. Thank God for your health. Thank Him because His stripe has healed you.

6. Thank God for His provision. Thank Him because He provides for you even when it seems all hope is lost.

7. Thank God for journey mercies every day.

8. Thank God for all your relatives, friends, neighbors and colleagues.

9. Thank God for your place of work, business or school.

10. Thank God for the Body of Christ and for the privilege to be a part of the Church.

11. Praise God in advance for all that He is set to do in your life.

12. Count your blessings, name them one by one and thank Him from the bottom of your heart.

I join my faith with yours and pray that the Lord will accept your thanksgiving, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Action Point: – Open Heaven 30 November 2020

Make today a special Thanksgiving Day unto God. He will surely reward you for it.

Open Heaven 30 November 2020 Monday

Hymn 16: Let Us With A Gladsome Mind

1. Let us, with a gladsome mind,
   praise the LORD, for He is kind:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
2. Let us blaze His Name abroad,
   for of gods He is the God:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
3. He with all-commanding might
   filled the new-made world with light:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
4. All things living He doth feed;
   His full hand supplies their need:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
5. He His chosen race did bless
   in the wasteful wilderness:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
6. He hath with a pious eye
   looks upon our misery:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.
7. Let us therefore warble forth
   His high majesty and worth:
   for His mercies shall endure,
   ever faithful, ever sure.

Open Heaven 28 November 2020 Memorise: For when fro the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Hebrews 5:12

Read: Hebrews 5:12-14 Open Heaven 28 November 2020

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Bible in one year: 1^st Corinthians 1-4

Hymn: Sing hymn 5

Message: – Open Heaven 28 November 2020 Saturday Daily Devotional

The Christian life is in stages. A baby Christian first feeds on milk – the soft word of God. This is when he/she has just become born again and is being introduced to the ways of God. After this new believer has been taking milk for a while, it is expected that he/she begins to crush bones. That is when a believer can take in deeper things of the word of God without being confused. At this stage of crushing bones, he/she can also begin to feed some new converts with milk.

There is a time to be a regular member of your church and there is a time to join the workforce. There is also a time at which you must also start raising disciples for God. In your Christian walk, you should never remain on the same level, you must keep growing.

Since you got born again, how many souls have you won for Christ? If you have been born again for some years now and you have only been getting fed, not feeding others and helping them grow spiritually, then you need a revival. Jesus’ mandate for all Christians is clearly stated in Matthew 28:19:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

God’s desire is that every disciple grows to the level of raising other disciples for Him. Paul told Timothy:

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2^nd Timothy 2:2

If you have been a Christian for long and you have not started raising disciples for God, what are you waiting for? Jesus has given us the mandate and He expects us to be faithful to it. Don’t disappoint Him.

Reflection – Open Heaven 28 November 2020

Are you growing in the things of the Kingdom? How many souls have you won for Christ since you become born again.

Open Heaven 27 November 2020 Memorise: Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the God exceedingly. Genesis 13:11-12

Read: Genesis 14:8-16 Open Heaven 27 November 2020

8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Open Heaven 27 November 2020

Bible in one year: Acts 18:19-19:41

Hymn: Sing hymn 2

Message:- Open Heaven 27 November 2020 Friday Daily Devotional

I may not have achieved as much success and impact as I have today if I had travelled to a developed country as I wanted to when I was younger.

I had applied for a Commonwealth scholarship programme abroad for my masters. On the day of the interview in the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the members of the panel asked me questions so simple that I wondered if they knew I was an honours student of Mathematics. I was confident I had passed the interview, until a member of the panel who had been dozing all along woke and asked “Where is Entebbe?” I responded “Pardon me, I am here for a Mathematics interview, not Geography”. Unknown to me, he was the chairman of the committee. Everyone laughed in such a way that made me realise I would not be getting the scholarship.

When I got out of the interview hall, I ran into one of my lecturers from my alma meter who now worked in UNILAG. We exchanged pleasantries and I told him why I had come to UNILAG. He said to me “No, you don’t need to go abroad; I know your stuff. I will supervise you here for your postgraduate studies”. Thus I became a postgraduate student at UNILAG, eventually got an invitation to attend a service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, encountered Christ, became born again and today, the Lord has made me the General Overseer of the Church.

Things may be tough now where God wants you to stay, but if you trust and obey Him, your tomorrow will be alright.

When Lot had the chance to choose where he would stay, he did not bother asking God, he just went straight for the seemingly better option. Little did he know he was going into a condemned city. At the end of the day, we see that Abraham who stayed put became far greater than Lot. In Genesis 14:14-16, when Lot was kidnapped because he did not have divine protection, Abraham and his men had to fight and defeat four armies to rescue him. In the midst of all the complaints and struggles in developing countries, some people are still getting huge breakthroughs and fulfilling their destinies. You don’t have to tell lies and keep running from the Police to become great in life; don’t compromise your eternity for a journey God did not send you on. Let God lead you.

Prayer Point – Open Heaven 27 November 2020

Father, don’t let me abandon your plans for my life in the mighty name of Jesus.

Open Heaven 26 November 2020 Memorise: Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!  Ecclesiastes 10:16

Read: Ecclesiastes 10:16-18 Open Heaven 26 November 2020

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Open Heaven 26 November 2020

Bible in one year: 1^st Thessalonians 1-5, 2^nd Thessalonians 1-3

Hymnal: Sing hymn 18

Message: – Open Heaven 26 November 2020 Thursday Daily Devotional

As seen in our memory verse of today, if the king of a territory is a child, the whole land suffers the woe. In other words, you must choose your leaders very carefully. Whenever you have the opportunity to elect a leader in your country or an association you belong to, learn to put sentiments aside and elect a mature and responsible person with a credible track record.

Any single lady who has more than one suitor has a decision to make. She could choose based on looks, money or God’s will. If she chooses based on money and looks alone, she will face the music when the time comes. However, if she chooses God’s will, then she is on the path toward having a great marriage and a wonderful family.

Beloved, sister, marriage is a lifetime commitment; imagine how terrible it would be to have an immature king for the rest of your life. Older women who married immature men must have ignored the red flags they saw during courtship. Are you also ignoring the signs of immaturity and irresponsibility in that man courting you? Proverbs 6:10-11 says:

 “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man!”

Run when you meet a man who is always sleeping when he should be working, or playing when he should be studying.

Before you decide on a local church to attend, watch the Pastor’s attitude closely. A Pastor could be anointed but immature. These ones could be likened to babies handling guns; so much power in immature hands. Elisha was like that when he first received the anointing in 2^nd Kings 2:23-24.

Forty-two children lost their lives in a single day because he got angry when they began to call him names. After that day, Elisha learnt to be mature and was always in control of his temper. An immature leader whether spiritual or in the secular world is dangerous. Choose your leaders wisely.

Prayer Point: – Open Heaven 26 November 2020

Father, please give me the gift of discernment so I may please you with my choices.

Open Heaven 24 November 2020 Memorise: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. – Matthew 5:28

Read: James 1:12-16 Open Heaven 24 November 2020

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Open Heaven 24 November 2020

Bible In One Year: Galatians 4-6

MESSAGE: – Open Heaven 24 November 2020 Tuesday Daily Devotional

Every temptation that a fellow yields to will lead to a bigger one. This is why many people are deep in sins they once vowed never to commit. The fall happens slowly until the fellow is completely submerged in sin.

The devil lures believers into sin so as to destroy them. This is his goal. To achieve this, he comes in subtle ways – first, with thoughts and seemingly harmless sins, focusing on the heart. He knows that if the heart can fall, it is only a matter of time before the body falls too. Proverbs 14:14 says:

“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways…”

Your spiritual destiny would be determined by your decision to either accommodate or expel the subtle suggestions of the devil. When you start thinking of being in bed with a woman who is not your wife or you start spending money that is not your own, that is the devil trying to get you to fall, using your heart first.

The devil could also try to cut you away from the people who helped you grow in the faith. When you consider the story of Samson, you will discover that he spent most of his time outside Israel. If the devil can successfully separate you from people who helped you grow spiritually, and your prayer life begins to wax cold; before long, you would stop studying your Bible and start permitting sin in your life. This is why you must never forsake the fellowship of the brethren (Hebrews 10:25, Proverbs 27:17).

You may have yielded to temptation in the past, the good news is that restoration is possible. Though Samson fell, he was restored to the Lord before his death; so much so that he was listed among the fathers of faith in Hebrews 11:1-40. Proverbs 28:13 says:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

If you would confess your sins, forsake them and rededicate your life (for backsliders), God is willing to accept you.

Action Point: – Open Heaven 24 November 2020

Check your life. Are you yielding to the lure of the devil already? God is able to restore you if only you would ask Him for help.

Open Heaven 24 November 2020 Tuesday

Hymnal 13: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   I have decided to follow Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.
2. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
   Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
   Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow;
   No turning back, no turning back.
3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
   My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus,
   My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
   No turning back, no turning back.
4. The world behind me, the cross before me,
   The world behind me, the cross before me,
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   The world behind me, the cross before me;
   No turning back, no turning back.

Open Heaven 23 November 2020 Memorise: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1^st Corinthians 10:12

Read: 1^st Corinthians 10:1-13 Open Heaven 23 November 2020

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Open Heaven 23 November 2020

Bible in one year: Galatians 1-3

Hymnal: Sing hymn 8

Message: – Open Heaven 23 November 2020 Monday Daily Devotional

Samson judged Israel for twenty years. He was an unusual child with wonderful parents (Judges 13:2-3). He was brought up as a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1-21, Judges 13:7), and this meant he had to lead a life of consecration unto the Lord. He was also a man of prayer (Judges 15:18 and 16:28), but he failed so terribly because he had not learnt to bring his body under subjection like Paul did (1^st Corinthians 9:27). Samson’s story is a strong warning to every Christian never to toy with sin. Imagine a Judge of Israel lying in Delilah’s lap.

Samson started sinking into sin little by little. First, he fell in love with a strange woman (Judges 14:1-2), then disobeyed his parents when they told him he couldn’t marry her (Judges 14:3). Later on, he slept with a prostitute (Judges 16:1) before he finally landed in Delilah’s lap. Samson did not worry because his supernatural strength remained even while he was committing sin. In fact, one day, He lifted the gates of the city and took them up a mountain just after sleeping with prostitution (Judges 16:3).

He did not see a need for caution because despite his misdeeds, the anointing appeared to still be on him. Little did he know that the devil was luring him to a place of no return. Samson eventually landed in Delilah’s lap where he was afflicted and overpowered. While with Delilah, there were several warning signs but he had gotten so deep into sin that he could not stop. The devil lured Samson with seemingly harmless sins until he lost his strength, sight and purpose in life. Ezekiel 18:20 says

 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die…”

Learn from Samson’s life: Those seemingly harmless sins you are committing and getting away with are simply baits from the devil to encourage you to go deeper. The devil is not stupid; he has planned a big downfall along the line. You must stop those sins now before it becomes too difficult to do so. Everything was okay for Samson years into when he started to fall, but in one night, he hit rock bottom. Learn from Samson and make amends while you have the chance.

Key Point: – Open Heaven 23 November 2020

Don’t be deceived; no sin is harmless. Every sin that goes unpunished is just an enticement towards damnation

Open Heaven 22nd November 2020 Memorise: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

Read: Judges 7:1-15 Open Heaven 22nd November 2020

1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

9 And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Bible in one year: Psalm 9-16, Amos 9

Hymnal: Sing hymn 13

Message:- Open Heaven 22 November 2020 Sunday Daily Devotional

God’s directions may not always make sense to us, because as humans, we are too short-sighted to see what He does and too dull to think as He (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Gideon experienced the seeming logicality of God’s directions firsthand. He thought he had been mistaken for someone else when the angel of God called him a man of valour. Gideon was cowardly but God had decided to use him to lead His people to victory over their enemy. Even Gideon eventually accepted to lead the Israelites in battle, God still went ahead to prune his army of thirty-two thousand soldiers down to just three hundred! Three hundred men against an army! Although it looked like an impossible mission, at the end of the day, Gideon was victorious. No matter how unreasonable an instruction from God may be, as long as it is from Him, it will surely end in victory. Isaiah 30:21 says:

 “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.”

We were preparing for a crusade in Benin many years ago. Everything had been set when I thought to walk to God about it. He told me we should go to Ede instead. We had just concluded a crusade in Ilesha (very close to Ede), and so I felt that anyone who wanted to come from Ede should have been at that crusade. However, since I have learnt never to disobey God, I told my people “God said we are going to Ede.”  

We went to Ede and when it was time for the monarch of the town to greet the people during the crusade, he said he did not have money, but offered us land – in any quantity we desired. After the crusade, I called my people together and we decided to ask for the fifty acres of land. That seems like a lot, but when I went back to ask God, He said we should ask for five hundred hectares. This did not make any sense at all because the developed part of Ede was not that large, but I asked anyway. We got the land and today, the Mission School of the RCCG as well as the Redeemer’s University are sited on that land.

Key Point: – Open Heaven 22nd November 2020 Sunday

Ever if His instruction does not make sense, just trust Him and obey.

Open Heaven 21 November 2020 Memorise: And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 1^st Samuel 30:8

Read: 2^nd Samuel 5:17-25 Open Heaven 21 November 2020

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.

21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

Open Heaven 21 November 2020

Bible in one year: James 1-5

Hymnal: Sing hymn 30

Message:- Open Heaven 21 November 2020 Saturday Daily Devotional

Many times, there are things that make common sense to us and we just want to go ahead and do them without asking God if we should or not. Let us learn from David, a man who we find seeking God’s face for direction a lot of times in the Bible.

In 1^st Samuel 30:1-8, David had just returned from battle to find out that his people had been attacked. All their belongings along with their wives and children had been taken by the enemy. His soldiers who had lost everything they lived for were considering stoning him to death, but in the middle of all these, David too time to ask God if he should pursue the attackers.

In 2^nd Samuel 5:17-25, David asked God how he should attack the Philistines in war and God gave him a strategy that worked. After that, he was to face them in battle again and everything looked exactly like the previous one. David still went back to ask God what to do. You must never assume that you know what to do at any point in time. Proverbs 3:5 says:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Open Heaven 21 November 2020 Saturday

 Still learning from David, there were also times when he failed to seek God’s guidance before taking decisions and the results were woeful. A classic example is the census of Israel the devil made him conduct (1^st Chronicles 21) which brought God’s wrath upon the nation.

No matter how brilliant you are in your field of practice, always lean on God for what to do and what not to do. Many people have made great mistakes that are still hurting them because they thought they were making the right move based on their professional assessment.

When you get your salary at the end of the month, do you ask God what you should use the money for? When you are going out in the morning, do you ask Him what route to take? When you are about to have a business meeting or presentation, do you ask God for the right approach?

There is a lot to gain from always asking God for advice. If you want to win in every area of your life, ask God for what to do per time.

Key Point -Open Heaven 21 November 2020

Never assume that you know what to do; always ask God for direction.