OPEN HEAVENS 2017 DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO GOD – Friday March 3rd 2017

OPEN HEAVENS 2017

DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO GOD – Friday March 3rd 2017

Memorise: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Read: John 3:16-17 (King James Version)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Bible in One year: Genesis 30:31, Isaiah 49:8-23, Hymn: Sing hymn 6

MESSAGE

Our Heavenly Father expects us all to grow in our Christian faith (2nd Peter 3:18). If you refuse to grow, you may end up keeping God in an endless state of waiting for you to grow. Unfortunately, while God waits for you to grow, you may end up losing certain crucial things to others who grow up faster. For how long will you remain a babe? How long do you expect God to wait for you? Keeping God waiting can definitely affect His original plan for the life of some of His children. The night is far spent, and the Lord’s return is around the corner; therefore we cannot afford to slow down the growth process.

Your level of maturity determines the level of relationship you have with God, and in turn, the level of your relationship determines the communication channels that are open to you from heaven (Numbers 12:6-8). It also determines your understanding of and response to God’s word. As a result of this, you can expect different responses to the same word from God by different children of God. Open heavens devotional. Take for instance, if you tell three Christians at different maturity levels that God loves them, they will see it in different ways. When a baby Christian hears “God loves you” he will rejoice because this reminds him of his triumphant state. He will remember Romans 8:37 which says,

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”

When you tell an adult Christian “God loves you”, he will inquisitively ask why you are saying this to him, because this reminds him of responsibility: for whosoever the Father loves, he chastises (Hebrew 12:6). On the other hand, when you tell a bone-cracking Christian “God loves you”, he will be a lot more apprehensive. He will say “Amen; may God have mercy.” He is saying this because it reminds him of sacrifice: for whosoever the Father loves, He sacrifices (Genesis 22:2, Ephesians 5:2). God the Father was so pleased with Jesus that He sacrificed Him to redeem the world (John 3:16). When God wanted to prove to the world that there was no God above Him, what did He do? He sent His outstanding sons, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, into fire. When He wanted to show His supremacy over lions, what did He do? He allowed His loved Daniel to go into the lion’s den. How will you respond now when I say to you that God loves you? Can God trust you enough to send you to tough assignments that will bring honour and praise to His Name?

 Prayer Point

God can be patient, but not to the detriment of His timetable. Wherever you need to say “yes” to God, do it now.

Friday March 3rd 2017, Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye

My Utmost For His Highest March 2nd 2017 Have you felt the hurt of the Lord?

My Utmost For His Highest 

March 2nd 2017 

Have you felt the hurt of the Lord?

Have you felt the hurt of the Lord to the uncovered quick, the place where the real sensitiveness of your life is lodged? The devil never hurts there, neither sin nor human affection hurts there, nothing goes through to that place but the word of God. “Peter was grieved because Jesus said unto him the third time….” He was awakening to the fact that in the real true centre of his personal life he was devoted to Jesus, and he began to see what the patient questioning meant. There was not the slightest strand of delusion left in Peter’s mind, he never could be deluded again. There was no room for passionate utterance, no room for exhilaration or sentiment. It was a revelation to him to realize how much he did love the Lord, and with amazement he said – “Lord, Thou knowest all things.” Peter began to see how much he did love Jesus; but he did not say – “Look at this or that to confirm it.” Peter was beginning to discover to himself how much he did love the Lord, that there was no one in heaven above or upon earth beneath beside Jesus Christ; but he did not know it until the probing, hurting questions of the Lord came. The Lord’s questions always reveal me to myself.

The patient directness and skill of Jesus Christ with Peter! Our Lord never asks questions until the right time. Rarely, but probably once, He will get us into a corner where He will hurt us with His undeviating questions, and we will realize that we do love Him far more deeply than any profession can ever show.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Sincerity means that the appearance and the reality are exactly the same

Our Daily Bread Thursday, March 2, 2017 One of Us

Our Daily Bread

Thursday,
March 2, 2017

One of Us

Read: Hebrews 2:9-18 

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 

At the memorial service for Charles Schulz (1922–2000), creator of the beloved Peanutscomic strip, friend and fellow cartoonist Cathy Guisewite spoke of his humanity and compassion. “He gave everyone in the world characters who knew exactly how all of us felt, who made us feel we were never alone. And then he gave the cartoonist himself, and he made us feel that we were never alone. . . . He encouraged us. He commiserated with us. He made us feel he was exactly like us.”

When we feel that no one understands or can help us, we are reminded that Jesus gave us Himself, and He knows exactly who we are and what we are facing today.

Hebrews 2:9–18 presents the remarkable truth that Jesus fully shared our humanity during His life on earth (v. 14). He “taste[d] death for everyone” (v. 9), broke the power of Satan (v. 14), and freed “those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (v. 15). Jesus was made like us, “fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God” (v. 17). Thank You, Lord, for sharing our humanity so that we might know Your help today and live in Your presence forever. — David McCasland 

What fears and concerns do you have? What should you do with those fears? (1 Peter 5:6–7). What does the Lord promise to do for you? (Heb. 13:5).

No one understands like Jesus.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 DEALING WITH FALSEHOOD

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

DEALING WITH FALSEHOOD

-DEUTERONOMY 13:1-18

KEY VERSE:

"Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 13:3).

God hates falsehood and any attempt to contaminate and adulterate His holy standard. Moses warned the children of Israel against false prophets, false teachers and fake dreamers who might come with new dreams and revelations to divert their minds from the true God. Israelites were warned to guard against listening to any self-acclaimed prophets or anyone else who might get them to worship any other god even when the individuals could be close friends or family members. In the Old Testament period, such fake prophets and teachers were to be stoned to death to safeguard the sanctity of true godly worship. The battle for truth and war against falsehood demands conviction, courage and concern for the glory of God. Believers must uphold Bible truth above ego trips and personality cults. False prophecies, fake dreams and revelations in any assembly easily engender disunity, discouragement, discord, fear, suspicions and unnecessary bondage where true freedom and sincere brotherly love should exist. A true child of God must make clear his stand especially when biblical convictions are at loggerheads with mere emotions and fantasies that have no root in the Scriptures. When people claim to speak for God today, we need to confirm whether they say the truth. False prophets and dreamers of dreams still abound today. Wise people must therefore test their claims with the word of God and take a position for God’s glory alone.

Thought for the day: "Buy the truth, and sell it not".

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 SAMUEL 8-9

OPEN HEAVENS 2017 THE COMFORTER – Thursday March 2nd 2017

OPEN HEAVENS 2017

THE COMFORTER – Thursday March 2nd 2017

Memorise: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26

Read: 2nd Corinthians 1:3-10 (King James Version)

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Bible in one year: Genesis 28:29, Isaiah 48:12-49:7, Hymn: Sing hymn 15

MESSAGE

In addition to knowing God as the Father and as the Son, you also need to know Him as God the Holy Spirit. There are many marvellous things to know about the Holy Spirit. For example, He is the Source of our power (Acts 1:8), a wonderful Teacher (John 14:26) and a Revealers of secrets and of the future (John 16:13). Although all these characteristics are wonderful, one characteristics I find so fascinating is that He is the Comforter (John 14:26). If you have experienced Him as the Comforter, you will be able to comfort others in their time of distress (2nd Corinthians 1:4). If you have not experienced sorrow, you cannot be of much use in comforting the sorrowful. When we encounter tragedies and sorrowful situations, the best people can do is to say comforting words like “take heart”, “sorry”, etc. in such situations, the ministry of the Comforter is needed to heal the hurt felt deep inside. Are you presently going through a sad circumstance? Are you so sorrowful that all human attempts at comforting you have failed? The Holy Spirit will reach out and comfort you today in Jesus’ Name.

In times of sorrow, people do not expect some of us who occupy certain positions to express sorrow. This should not be so. I once visited a family who suffered a great loss, and I began to shed tears after seeing what they were going through. Some people began to say, “You are the General Overseer, you are not supposed to cry. We have come here to comfort those who are mourning; we should not be mourning.” I simply told them, “Leave me alone. In a similar situation, Jesus wept. If Jesus can weep, I am free to cry also.” One of my sons lost his mother, and it was extremely difficult to comfort him. His mother had suffered to train her three children and these children had plans to take good care of her. She however passed on while they were still trying to find their feet. This brother began to ask God why He called his mother home at a time when they had not been able to do anything for her. Open Heavens 2017 Thursday 2 March 2017:- The Comforter. The Lord simply replied, saying “Your mother has come to be with Me. Can you take better care of her on earth than I am doing here in Heaven?” On hearing these words, he dried his tears, apologised to the Lord and moved on. Are you in a situation where you need the comfort of the Holy Spirit? He will reach out and touch you today. He will dry your tears, calm your fears and give you a greater hope.

Action point

Pray for believers going through sorrow everywhere, asking that they receive the soothing of the Comforter.

My Utmost for His Highest 1 March 2017 The Undeviating Questions

My Utmost for His Highest 

1 March 2017

 The Undeviating Questions

Peter declares nothing now. Natural individuality professes and declares; the love of the personality is only discovered by the hurt of the question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way in which any natural man loves a good man. That is temperamental love; it may go deep into the individuality, but it does not touch the centre of the person. True love never professes anything. Jesus said – “Whosoever shall confess Me before men,” i.e., confess his love not merely by his words, but by everything he does.

Unless we get hurt right out of every deception about ourselves, the word of God is not having its way with us. The word of God hurts as no sin can ever hurt, because sin blunts feeling. The question of the Lord intensifies feeling, until to be hurt by Jesus is the most exquisite hurt conceivable. It hurts not only in the natural way but in the profound personal way. The word of the Lord pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, there is no deception left. There is no possibility of being sentimental with the Lord’s question; you cannot say nice things when the Lord speaks directly to you, the hurt is too terrific. It is such a hurt that it stings every other concern out of account. There never can be any mistake about the hurt of the Lord’s word when it comes to His child; but the point of the hurt is the great point of revelation.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark—the imaginations of our minds; the thoughts of our heart; the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God’s sight. 

Our Daily Bread Wednesday, March 1, 2017 All of Me

Our Daily Bread

Wednesday,
March 1, 2017

All of Me

Read: Matthew 27:45-54 

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

Young Isaac Watts found the music in his church sadly lacking, and his father challenged him to create something better. Isaac did. His hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” has been called the greatest in the English language and has been translated into many other languages.

Watts’s worshipful third verse ushers us into the presence of Christ at the crucifixion.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

The crucifixion Watts describes so elegantly stands as history’s most awful moment. We do well to pause and stand with those around the cross. The Son of God strains for breath, held by crude spikes driven through His flesh. After tortured hours, a supernatural darkness descends. Finally, mercifully, the Lord of the universe dismisses His anguished spirit. An earthquake rattles the landscape. Back in the city the thick temple curtain rips in half. Graves open, and dead bodies resurrect, walking about the city (Matt. 27:51–53). These events compel the centurion who crucified Jesus to say, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (v. 54).

“The Cross reorders all values and cancels all vanities,” says the Poetry Foundation in commenting on Watts’s poem. The song could only conclude: “Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all.” — Tim Gustafson

It is our privilege to give everything we have
to the One who gave us everything on the cross.

DCLM Daily Manna. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 PRECURSOR TO MERCY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017

PRECURSOR TO MERCY

-AMOS 7:4-9

KEY VERSE:

"Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD" (Amos 7:5,6).

God prompts His people to pray because He is the living God; He hears because He is the Loving God; He acts because He is the Covenant keeping God. The sinful world is rushing to a precipice of everlasting judgment. There should be an Amos who will preach to men and plead with God! Israel, the chosen one, had incurred the displeasure of God by going into sin and departing from the Lord. The rod of judgment had repeatedly visited the land, yet His people did not return to Him. Just before this revelation of a more severe judgment on Israel to Amos, 1000 talents of silver had been gathered and paid to assuage Assyria. Even then, they returned not to the source of their blessings. God was looking for a man to stand in the gap so that He might not destroy the land. He found Prophet Amos, and showed him in quick succession the judgment coming on the people. In each case, Amos interceded on behalf of the people, and the Lord stayed His hand. God is not willing that any should perish but that all would repent and be converted. There is a ceaseless clarion call for all sinners and backsliders to read the signs of the times concerning the impending judgment and cry mightily unto the Lord for mercy.

Thought for the day: Take care to pray for prayer will take care of everything else.

Bible Reading in one Year: 1 SAMUEL 6-7

OPEN HEAVENS 2017 SOWING IN TEARS – Wednesday March 1st 2017

OPEN HEAVENS 2017

SOWING IN TEARS – Wednesday March 1st 2017

Memorise: They that sow in tears shall reap in Joy. Psalm 126:5

Read: Psalm 126:5-6 (King James Version)

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Bible in one year: Genesis 27, Isaiah 47:14-48

MESSAGE

More often than not, we associate sowing with giving of money. For this reason, some people who do not have money believe they do not have anything to sow. This is far from the truth! If you do not have money, you can sow your time or talents into the work of the kingdom. Be it through praying, using your natural talents or your acquired skills/training, there is no one who has nothing to sow. Even if all you can do is smile, you can apply this is making new comers to church feel welcome. If you are a dramatic person, use it for the propagation of the gospel. Everyone has something to sow; all you need to do is to identify what you have. Romans 12:6-8 says,

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, or exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

 When you sow a seed in tears, you will reap its yield in joy. Moreover, what you reap will be determined by what you have sown. You can sow towards the salvation of a loved one, telling God that he or she must not go to hell. To this end, you can sow prayers, fasting and witnessing to the fellow. The day such a soul eventually becomes saved; you will definitely reap the joy of heaven (Luke 15:7).  I cannot forget the wife of one of my friends; I was his best man at their wedding. My friend’s wife would say to me, “Please give your life to Christ and be born again.” But I would tell her “I am already a Christian, and my Christian name is Enoch.” She would reply, “That is not what I am taking about”, and then she would begin to cry. I would look at her and wonder what was wrong with her, saying “I am not the worst fellow around; at least you can ask your husband. He knows I am a good person. “However, she kept on praying and crying, sowing in tears for my salvation. Today, she is now laughing. When last did you sow towards the salvation of a loved one – family or friend?Open Heavens 2017 Wednesday 1 March 2017:- Sowing in tears. Some of us attempt to preach to such a fellow once or twice, but after being rebuffed, we say “I have done my best; if you like, refuse to repent. Your blood can no longer be required from my hands.” Yes, you have made attempts, but you have not yet done your best. You have to keep at it, and in Jesus’ Name, you will reap in joy. Rccg open heavens March 1 2017.

Action Point

The salvation of some people requires great sacrifice. Ask God for the grace to pay the required price of the salvation of all your loved ones.

Wednesday March 1st 2017, Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye