Amb. Onyango-Osore

WILL YOU BE READY? 4 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: - (Ephesians 4:26) READ: Romans 13:11-14, Colossians 3:5-8 Jesus can return at any time. This is why my wife and I ensure that we settle any misunderstandings between us before we go to sleep, because we don't want to be left behind. I don't want anything to keep me from going with the Lord when He returns. In today's memory verse, Paul urges us not to allow the sun to go down upon our wrath. Never go to sleep angry or with grudges in your heart. Do not let anger fester, for it can create a barrier between you and God. Ephesians 4:31 says that you should put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice. Cast them off because they will keep you from going with the Lord when He returns. Child of God, settle any issues you have with others quickly so they do not hinder you from being a partaker of God's Kingdom when He returns. If you find it very easy to keep a grudge, run to God for help today. Ask Him for the grace to forgive those who offend you, even if they have not asked for your forgiveness. Do not allow offence or anything at all to separate you from the Lord for eternity. For believers, death is merely like falling asleep because a glorious eternity awaits us (1 Thessalonians 4:13). For those living in sin, however, eternal damnation awaits them after death (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 21:8). This is why you must live your life prepared to meet the Lord at any time. Settle every matter as quickly as possible because you do not know the moment when your eternal sleep will begin. One man of God said that the Sunday after the rapture, some churches will still be full. The pastors will still be there to preach, but this time around, their preaching will not be casual. They will stand on their pulpits and say, "I knew this event was going to happen, but I didn't prepare myself and this congregation for it." They might apologise to the congregation who will be left behind, but their apologies will be useless at that point. Beloved, if you miss the rapture, all the time you have spent in church will be in vain. Forgive those who have hurt you; let it go! I pray that God will give you the strength and courage to deal with anything in your life that can cause you to miss the rapture, in Jesus' name. REFLECTION: Are you holding on to any grudges? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 14-17 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E Adeboye

THE ULTIMATE PROMOTER But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. - (Psalm 3:3) READ: 1 Samuel 2:7-9 When I was studying for my Master's degree, there was a young man who was working in a professor's office as a messenger. In those days, there were no mobile phones, so whenever someone called the office phone to speak with the professor, the boy would answer the phone first before taking it to the professor. Most times, however, whenever he answered the phone, the people on the other end of the call would say, "Prof," thinking it was the professor who had answered. After some time, the boy began to call himself 'Prof,' and people joined in, jokingly calling him the same. One day, he said to himself, "Hey, I know that people jokingly call me 'Prof, but I can really become a professor." By the time I left the University of Lagos as a lecturer, he was already studying for his PhD. Today's Bible reading says that God can lift beggars from the dunghill and sit them among princes. I can relate to this because I had no shoes for the first 18 years of my life, yet by God's special grace, I have met many heads of state and engaged in lengthy conversations with them. The same God who promoted me can also promote you, if you surrender all to Him. Some people experience what can be called 'normal' promotions in life. A good example of this is when people make steady progress in their careers. They might get salary increases once every year, and as they work hard, they get promoted once every five years. While this is good, I know that God has greater plans for His children. In John 10:10, Jesus said that He came to the earth that we might have life and have it more abundantly. God wants you to enjoy promotion that is beyond normal; He wants you to enjoy supernatural promotion. David was someone who experienced supernatural promotion. One day, he was on the field tending his father's sheep, and the next day, the Ultimate Promoter arranged for him to be anointed as a king (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Beloved, the key to experiencing supernatural promotion is to humble yourself before God and live in total obedience to Him. When you do this, He will exalt you in due time and crown your life with His glory (1 Peter 5:6). I pray that the Ultimate Promoter will give you a supernatural promotion before the end of this year, in Jesus' name. PRAYER POINT: Father, I ask for supernatural promotion in every area of my life, in Jesus' name. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 41-43 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT 2 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. - (Luke 12:48) READ: Matthew 25:14-30 Referencing the example I gave in the first paragraph of yesterday's teaching, if God gives you an assignment, He will provide you with the resources you need to execute it. Some of those resources will be around you, and others will be within you. As we see in today's memory verse, to whom much is given, much is expected, so the more resources God gives you, the more results He expects from you. People who feel that God has not given them enough resources must be careful that they do not become like the servant who despised the talent his master gave him, as we read in today's Bible reading. Some people feel that the resources they have are insufficient and try to wait for God to give them something better or more before they can start being faithful with the little they have. Beloved, this is a wrong mindset. A person who cannot be faithful with what he or she has received should not expect to receive more. God only gives more to those who have proven themselves faithful in little things. I hail from a village that was not on the map. My father was so poor that people who were also poor called him poor. Even though my parents were poor and I did not have many resources growing up, God gave me one talent, and that is my brain. I used the talent God gave me very effectively by studying diligently, and gradually, I acquired many more resources with it. The Lord gave me salvation in 1973, and from that point onward, I became a very useful vessel in His hands. When I reflect on the great things God has enabled me to achieve despite the limited resources I started out with, I always praise the Lord for His faithfulness. Indeed, when a fellow is faithful with little, more will be committed to him or her. Child of God, look around and within you, and you will see all the great gifts that God has given to you. Don't fail Him; please, use those gifts to win more souls to the Kingdom of God. Use them to gain so much influence that when you speak, people will be willing to listen and serve the same God that you serve. I pray that the Almighty God will use you to accomplish mighty things in His Kingdom as you serve Him faithfully with the gifts He has given you, in Jesus' name. REFLECTION: Are you serving God faithfully with the gifts He has given you? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 28-30 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

YOUR SALVATION IS NOT FOR SALE For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? - (Mark 8:36) READ: Matthew 26:15, 27:3-5 In today's world, many people are selling their salvation for all kinds of mundane things. Some have sold their salvation for money, while others have sold it for fame or positions. There is, however, nothing in this world that is worth trading your salvation for. Anything that a person wants to acquire that will require the person to commit a sin is a trap of the enemy to get the fellow to sell his or her salvation and end up in hell. In Matthew 16:26, Jesus asked His disciples, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" These questions still apply to us today. There is no gain in trading the salvation of your soul for anything because nothing in this world is as precious as your soul. Esau is an example of someone who traded something precious for something mundane and temporary. In Genesis 25:29-34, he chose to despise his privileged position in his father's house for just a bowl of pottage. He sold his birthright so cheaply just because he was hungry, and in Hebrews 12:17, the Bible says that he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. In like manner, Judas sold his salvation for money in today's Bible reading. He threw everything he had learnt from Jesus down the drain for 30 pieces of silver. Whatever lures a person to trade his or her salvation only wants to destroy the fellow. It might offer immediate pleasure and instant gratification, but the devil ultimately aims to use it to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). One way the devil tries to lure believers into trading their salvation is by making them believe that some sins are not as important as others and telling them that such sins do not matter. However, there is no act of sin that is not significant; every sinful act matters in God's sight. Every little compromise is a step out of His protective and merciful covering. Ecclesiastes 10:8 says that a serpent will bite whoever breaks a hedge. In other words, sin exposes a fellow to the attack of the enemy. Beloved, do not toy with sin because it only offers a one-way ticket to hell. I pray that you will not trade the salvation of your soul for anything in the world, in Jesus' name. KEY POINT: Nothing is worth losing the salvation of your soul over. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 15-17 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

NOT BY MIGHT Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. - (Zechariah 4:6) READ: Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 What a person will become during his or her sojourn on earth will not depend solely on the fellow's efforts. African elders have an adage that says, 'Hustling and bustling does not translate to wealth.' This is true because, for instance, dockworkers who offload cargo from a ship from sunrise to sunset typically would earn only a fraction of what the Chief Executive Officer of a wharf, who sits in an air-conditioned office, sipping tea and merely signing documents, would earn. At the end of a month, the fellow's salary might even be more than what a hefty, hardworking dockworker will earn in a whole year! Today's Bible reading makes it clear that the fact that a fellow can run swiftly does not mean that he or she will win a race, and the fact that a fellow is strong does not mean that he or she will defeat an enemy. The passage goes on to say that bread is not to the wise, neither are riches to men of understanding. This means that a fellow's advanced level of education alone will not determine how wealthy he or she will become. I recall that I was in Redemption Camp (now Redemption City) sometime between 1983 and 1984, spending time alone with God, and crying to Him. I said, "God, I'm not asking for clothes, a car, or a house. I was minding my business as a lecturer at the university when You asked me to come and serve You. I agreed, and I really want to serve You; however, I need power to do Your work. I don't want to be an ordinary pastor; I want to excel." In desperation, I added, "God, it is either You empower me, or You take me home." My prayer touched Him, and that night, the entire campground shook due to an earthquake that sent tremors as far as ljebu Ode, a town several kilometres away. The Lord visited me and empowered me with His anointing to excel. Beloved, you need God's anointing to excel. It is God who gives power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), it is only His anointing that can teach you everything you need to know (1 John 2:27), and it is only through Him that you can do all things (Philippians 4:13). This is why you must cry out to God to anoint you just as I did several years ago. I pray that my Daddy will empower you to excel, in Jesus' name. PRAYER POINT: Dear Lord, please visit me and empower me to excel, in Jesus' name. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 9-11 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

THE KEYS TO FREEDOM 2 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; - (Deuteronomy 30:15) READ: Exodus 21:1-6 Yesterday, I mentioned that admitting there is a burden and recognising the need for God's help to remove it is the first step that people who are under the yoke of satan must take to become free from his bondage. Today, I will discuss the next step that such people must take to gain their freedom. While admitting the need for help is the first step to gaining freedom from satan's bondage, the second step is to be willing to be helped. In John 5:2-9, Jesus asked a man who had been sick for 38 years, "Do you want to be made whole?" Ordinarily, one would think that there is no need to ask a man who had suffered for so long if he wanted to be made whole. However, Jesus asked him the question because He knew that not everyone wants to be helped; some people love their burdens and do not want to be set free from them. Today's Bible reading tells us that when slaves love their chains, their owners should pierce their ears and brand them as slaves for life. No matter how long a slave has been in slavery, the day such a fellow decides that he or she wants to be free marks the beginning of his or her journey to freedom. For example, the day the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:20-22 sought Jesus for her deliverance was the day her bondage of 12 years disappeared. The Almighty God can deliver anyone who is under the devil's yoke, even a lawful captive (Isaiah 49:24-26); however, he or she must be willing to be delivered. Beloved, any Christian who is still indulging in the pleasures of sin is under the devil's bondage and is clearly not willing to be free. Anyone who claims to be a believer but keeps company with people who lure him or her to sin is under satan's yoke and cannot be free until he or she decides to cut off such relationships. It is not enough for a person to just declare that he or she wants to be free; the person's actions must show a willingness to be free. Such a person must live a holy life and must be committed to praying, studying the Bible regularly, and fellowshipping with other believers. God will fight for such a person and give him or her total freedom. REFLECTION: Are you submitting to the devil in any area of your life? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 25-28 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

THE KEYS TO FREEDOM 1 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. - (Psalm 72:12) READ: Mark 10:46-52 God does not want anyone to be under satan's yoke. This is why Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). God is more than able to break the enemy's yoke over anyone (Isaiah 10:27), but such a person must first admit that he or she needs to be delivered. Years ago, a man brought his wife to me and said, "Daddy, help me. My wife is a witch." I asked the woman if it was true, and she denied it. I then told her that if she was indeed a witch, as her husband claimed, we could pray with her, and she would be delivered. However, she insisted that she wasn't a witch because she wasn't willing to be delivered. I then prayed, "If you're not a witch, you will continue to prosper; however, if you are, I bind whatever demon is operating in you." Three months later, she was brought back to me with her body so swollen, as she had doubled in size! Apparently, the demon that I bound inside her and had been feeding on her and defecating in her. The first step for someone who is under the devil's yoke to become free is for the fellow to admit that there is a burden that he or she needs to be freed from. Until the fellow makes such an admission, he or she cannot be free. Likewise, if the person is okay with where he or she is and is satisfied with sickness, loneliness, barrenness, sorrow, or pain, he or she will remain under the burden of satan. Sometime ago, a man was coughing badly, and he was brought to me for prayers. In the past, I would have gone ahead and prayed for him without asking questions, but from experience, I had learnt to ask questions. Therefore, I asked him, "Sir, how can I help you?" Even though it was clear that he was sick, I knew that I needed to ask him what he really wanted, just as Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted in today's Bible reading. To my surprise, the man said, "I want you to pray that the cough leaves slowly." Beloved, are you under satan's yoke in any area of your life? Admit that you need God's help and cry to Him to break it off immediately and completely. He will come to your aid speedily and deliver you, in the mighty name of Jesus. KEY POINT: The first step to gaining freedom from the devil's yoke is to admit the need for help. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 20-24 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

NEVER OUTGROW PRAISE By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. - (Hebrews 13:15) READ: Psalm 63:3-5 One way the enemy cheats many believers is by making them look down on the praise and worship sessions in their churches. Such believers either do not participate in the sessions or wait until they are over before they enter their churches. They think that praising God and dancing before Him is childish, or that they are too spiritually mature to dance and praise Him. In God's sight, however, we are all children because a thousand years is as a day before Him (2 Peter 3:8). This means that in God's eyes, nobody on earth today is up to a day old. Praise is one of the most potent weapons Christians have. Psalm 22:3 says, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." This means that your praise attracts God's presence, and when God visits a place, He does not come empty-handed. He comes bearing gifts, healings, and blessings. When Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah used praise as their weapon, their enemies turned against one another and killed themselves until they were utterly destroyed (2 Chronicles 20:22-24). Some battles can only be conquered when you praise and dance recklessly before God. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. - (Acts 16:25-26) In the Scripture above, Paul and Silas offered a sacrifice of praise to God in prison. God responded by causing a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opened all its doors, and loosed every prisoner's chains. No one can praise God wholeheartedly and remain bound. When you praise God with your whole heart, He will arise in His might to help you and bless you. Beloved, you must never allow yourself to get to a point where you think you have outgrown praise. Michal thought that praising God was beneath her royal status; as a result, she remained childless throughout her life (2 Samuel 6:16-23). Always come before your Father as a child and praise Him with all your heart. In Psalm 50:23, He said that whoever offers praise to Him glorifies Him, and when God is glorified in your life, His beauty will radiate through you and everything that concerns you. I pray that as you praise God, His glory will keep manifesting in your life, in Jesus' name. KEY POINT: Never outgrow praise because it is dear to God's heart. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ecclesiastes 5-8 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

DON'T STOP LEARNING For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. - (Acts 13:36) READ: Acts 18:24-28 Today's Bible reading tells us the story of Apollos, a knowledgeable fellow who lived in Ephesus. He was described as an eloquent man who was mighty in the Scriptures. If he had lived in the present age, he might have been called a bishop, apostle, or reverend. Apollos was well-grounded in the Scriptures and was bold enough to teach people in the synagogue. However, when Aquila and Priscila got to Ephesus, they noticed some gaps in the things he knew, and they took him aside to teach him the word of God more perfectly. Apollos was not proud, nor did he disregard the things they were teaching him. Instead, he listened to them and added what they taught him to the things he already knew. Consequently, the man who started as one who was mighty in the Scriptures ended as someone who was able to mightily convince the Jews that Jesus is the Christ through the Scriptures. Apollos was teachable and humble enough to learn from others. Beloved, are you teachable? Are you humble enough to learn from people who might not be as popular, prayerful, or educated as you are? One of the greatest tragedies a person can experience is to stop learning. Proverbs 1:5 says, "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:" Your thirst for knowledge determines your level of growth. You must never get to a point where you think you are too knowledgeable to learn more. When the widow in (2 Kings 4:1-8) began to pour the remaining oil from her pot into the vessels she had borrowed, it continued to flow until there were no more empty vessels. I believe that the oil would have continued to flow if she had more empty vessels to pour it into. This is a clear example of what will happen to anyone who thinks he or she is full of knowledge; such a person will stop growing. Beloved, there is always something more to learn. No matter how knowledgeable you think you are in the things of God, there will always be more of Him to unravel. (2 Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ..." Don't allow what you know to stop you from learning what you need to know. I pray that the Lord will keep revealing more of Himself to you, even as you keep seeking to know more and more of Him. REFLECTION: Are you humble and teachable? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 1-3 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

ALWAYS THANK GOD It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: - (Psalm 92:1) READ: Matthew 15:30-38 (KJV) Years ago, a very wealthy man came to see me and said that he was having trouble sleeping. He also said he was told that if I prayed for him, the problem would be solved. He added that he would give me 14 houses if I prayed for him, and the problem was solved. Of course, he didn't need to offer me his houses for me to pray for him, but his desperation to be able to sleep made him say so. Being able to sleep is one of the many divine blessings that are often taken for granted until one can no longer sleep or sees people who can't. Beloved, you have a lot to thank God for, and living a life of thanksgiving makes you quick to recognise God's goodness in your life. Even amid challenges, when you are thankful, you will find many reasons to praise God. You will be quick to acknowledge that God is the reason things are not worse. You will also be confident that God is working things out in your favour (Romans 8:28). When people thank God, He opens the windows of heaven to pour out His blessings upon them. In today's Bible reading, there were 4,000 hungry men, besides women and children, with Jesus and His disciples. Jesus had compassion on them and wanted to feed them; so, He asked His disciples to tell Him how much food they had. They replied that they had only seven loaves of bread and a few fishes. Despite the obvious inadequacy of the food to feed thousands of people, Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and handed them to His disciples to share among the multitude. His first response to the scarcity of resources was to give thanks. Jesus' heart of gratitude opened the windows of heaven for multiplication, and suddenly, the food that was too little to feed the multitude multiplied so much that everyone was filled, and they were left with seven baskets of leftovers. Beloved, are you facing any difficult situation? Are you in dire need of resources, help, or a change in the circumstances surrounding your life? Do not despair or complain; rather, give God thanks. Despair or complaints will not multiply the little you have; however, thanksgiving will give you access to the miraculous. I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to see His grace at work in every facet of your life and help you to cultivate a heart of genuine gratitude, in Jesus' name. KEY POINT: Giving thanks to God releases the miraculous. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 73-77 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

POVERTY ≠ GODLINESS Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. - (3 John 2) READ: 2 Kings 4:1-7 In the 70s, when I became born again, it was widely believed among Christians that poverty is one of the criteria for being a true child of God. This belief was so strong that when someone gifted me a Mercedes-Benz, I parked it in my garage unused for months until the Lord told me I was hindering the blessings of the person who gave me the car by not using it. I was afraid that people would think I had backslidden if they saw me in such an expensive car. Because of what the Lord had said to me, I decided to drive the car just once, and I recall that I felt so ashamed that day. After that day, I said, "Lord, I have driven the car, can I sell it now?" He agreed, and I sold it. Not long after that, someone gave me a limousine with six doors. When I saw it, I said, "Lord, you know that even if they put my dead body in this car, it will jump out of it." That is how much we thought that poverty was directly proportional to godliness in those days, and because of that, the devil cheated us. He raised people to take over companies and industries until Christians were at the mercy of evil people running different economies around the world. There is nothing godly about poverty; it has sent many people to hell, just as riches have done. Poverty has made many youths decide never to follow the path of their Christian parents because of how badly they suffered while growing up. It has made the people of the world mock the Almighty God because they thought that Christians were dumb as a result of their devotion to God. In today's Bible reading, one of Elisha's proteges died in poverty and left an inheritance of debt for his family. If his wife had not run to Elisha and received the word of the Lord that turned their poverty to wealth, his two sons, who were facing a lifetime of slavery, could have grown up hating God even though their father was a godly man. God is not poor (Haggai 2:8), so poverty is not godliness. God gives his children power to make wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), and it is His desire to prosper them even as their soul prospers (3 John 1:2). Beloved, reject poverty! It is not the will of God for your life. KEY POINT: There is nothing godly about poverty. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 43-49

LOVE SHOULD NOT HINDER GOD'S WILL But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. - (Matthew 16:23) READ: 1 Samuel 17:26-31 In December 2018, I went for the RCCG's annual Let's-Go-A-Fishing evangelism programme, as I usually do. The roads were bad, but I didn't let that bother me because I was already used to travelling on bad roads. However, the roads were so bad that year that by the third day of the programme, my body broke down completely, and I had to spend Christmas Day in bed. When it was time to return to Redemption City, I was so weak physically that I couldn't go by road. Therefore, arrangements were made for a helicopter to transport me. When the helicopter arrived, a crowd of people gathered around it, making it difficult for me to get on board. My protocol team managed to get me on board the helicopter; however, the crowd made it impossible for it to take off. They clung to the helicopter, and the situation became so charged that one of its windows broke. To God's glory, I survived that encounter and returned home safely. Sometimes, people who love you may think that they are acting in your best interests; however, their actions might be causing more harm to you than good. The people who gathered around the helicopter, as I narrated above, didn't do so because they wanted to hurt me. They gathered because they love me, but they didn't know that their actions might have seriously harmed me. In today's Bible reading, Eliab was trying to protect David as every big brother would do. His younger brother had no combat training whatsoever, yet he was determined to challenge a seasoned warrior. If you were in Eliab's shoes, you would also have done everything possible to prevent David from facing Goliath. However, even though he had good intentions, his actions might have prevented David from fulfilling his destiny. Beloved, you must be careful to know when your loved ones are acting in a manner that would limit you from fulfilling God's plan for your life. In Matthew 16:21-23, Peter, who had just declared that Jesus is the Son of God, started to rebuke the Master because He began to talk about His impending death. He obviously loved Jesus, yet he almost became a stumbling block to the Lord fulfilling His earthly assignment. I pray that God will help you discern whenever your loved ones' actions are hindering His will for your life. May He give you the courage to refuse to allow their words and actions prevent you from doing His will, in Jesus' name. PRAYER POINT: Father, please help me to discern when my loved ones are not mindful of Your will concerning my life. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 34-37 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

The antisemitic dictator Erdoğan – who is committing genocide against the Kurds, supports the Hamas terrorist organization, oppresses his own people and imprisons political rivals – is the last person who can lecture the State of Israel on morality. The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to take forceful action against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world.

#WOK The LORD said there is someone here today; concerning your business, "fat today and tiny tomorrow" is gone forever! #Amen! #WordOfKnowledge

#WOK The Lord says there’s someone here today; what the enemy has swallowed, they shall vomit! #Amen!

A BRAND-NEW HEART 4 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. - (Revelation 3:15) READ: Matthew 13:7, 22 The third kind of soil Jesus described in His parable about the sower is 'Thorny ground'. He compared this soil type to people who hear God's word, but are distracted by many things that prevent the word from bearing fruit in their lives. This type of people appear to love God's word, but clearly not enough to change their ways or let go of some worldly pleasures. A male chorister in a church choir who serves God fervently but still fornicates is an example of someone with a thorny heart. Such people received the word of God at a point, but they did not allow it to change them. Some Christians argue by asking questions like, "Where is it written in the Bible that drinking alcohol is a sin?" Some others even say that listening to worldly music is not a sin as long as they do not do what the lyrics of the songs say, or that gambling is not bad so long as the Bible doesn't say so. Whenever I hear such statements, I know that they are coming from thorny hearts. They want to serve God, but they are unwilling to let go of worldly pleasures. If you find yourself trying to find loopholes through which you can serve God and still do some of the things unbelievers usually do, beware, that is a major symptom of a thorny heart. Being God's child is not about following rules and regulations; it is about being like Christ. When the Holy Spirit is truly dwelling in you, you will flee things that can hinder your relationship with God or cause unbelievers to blaspheme His name, whether they are clearly referred to as sins in the Bible or not. For instance, if a Christian man puts his hand around the waist of a woman who is not his wife, it can be argued that he didn't break his vows to his wife, but it is clearly inappropriate. Also, such an action can make unbelievers speak against the faith. Beloved, many people have lost their relationships with Christ because they do not want to change completely for Him. They want to do whatever they like and still hold on to Jesus. If you are living this way, you need to have a change of heart today because there will be no fruits to show from your walk with God. I pray that you will live a fruitful life as a Christian, in Jesus' name. REFLECTION: Are you fully surrendered to God, or are you looking for loopholes in His word so you can behave like the world? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 35-38 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye

#WOK The LORD says there is someone here today, He said; cheer up, you are on the threshold of a major breakthrough. #Amen

STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH 2 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. - (Psalm 84:4) READ: Isaiah 40:28-31 Yesterday, we saw how Peter fell into temptation because he couldn't keep watch in prayer (Matthew 26:40-43). Prayerlessness is one of the signs that a believer is relying on his or her own strength. Unlike Peter, however, David kept watch day and night in the place of prayer (Psalm 55:17). He often stayed awake at night, spending time with God and meditating on His word (Psalm 63:6, Psalm 119:148). He was so aware of the limitations of his strength that on many occasions in the Bible, he enquired of the Lord to know what He wanted him to do (1 Samuel 23:1-5, 1 Samuel 30:8-9). However, in (2 Samuel 11?), where he obviously didn't enquire of the Lord but rather gave in to lust, he got into a predicament that negatively impacted his lineage (2 Samuel 12:9-12). Daniel also knew the importance of prayer. He knew how much he needed God in the strange land of Babylon, and the Bible tells us that he prayed thrice daily (Daniel 6:10). Even when a decree was made that nobody should pray to anyone except the king, he was too aware of the limitations of his strength that his first reaction was to open his windows and pray as usual. His response to everything was prayer. Prayer is so important that the Bible urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The moment you don't feel like praying or see the need to pray is actually the time to pray more intently because prayerlessness can leave a believer in a weak state and cause such a believer to lose his or her spiritual vitality. Once the devil douses a believer's spiritual fire, he can ruin him or her. Praying puts us in a posture of humility before God, where we acknowledge that we cannot do anything without Him. It keeps our hearts tender and reminds us of the limitations of our physical strength. When we cultivate a lifestyle of waiting on God in prayer, we renew our strength daily (Isaiah 40:31) and are able to overcome the devil's temptations (Matthew 26:41). Beloved, how do you respond to life's challenges? Do you always try to solve them with your wisdom and strength first? Do you only run to God when everything you've tried fails? Do not make God a spare wheel in your life, rather, He should always be your first resort. Cultivate the habit of praying without ceasing, and you will live victoriously all the days of your life, in Jesus' name. KEY POINT: When you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, you will tap into the Lord's strength daily. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 6-10 Open Heaven Devotional by Pastor E A Adeboye