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Open Heaven For Today 2023 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Divine Help I
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TOPIC: Divine Help I
MEMORISE: “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:2 (KJV)
READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16 (KJV)
8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 8-11
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:
Divine help refers to the intervention of God to get a man to a place he is trying to reach. The help of God is always on time; God is never late (Psalm 46:1). Just at the moment when you need help, He will be there-in the nick of time (Psalm 124:1-7).
In 1 Kings 17:8-16, we read the story of a widow in a time of famine. She was going to prepare her last meal so that she and her son could eat before dying. Unknown to her, help was already on the way and that seemingly last meal was the first of many more. Your help is already on its way, in Jesus’ name.
Many years ago, during our annual Convention in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, my wife came to me and said, “Darling, we need 5000 naira to feed the people today”. This was a lot of money in those days. Although I had no money on me then, I responded, “Good, I will send for you”. She left and I turned to the Helper of the helpless, praying for a way to feed everyone there.
Not long after, a man was driving past and decided to stop by. He asked what we were doing and I told him we were having a convention. He said, “That is a very wonderful idea. Next year, I will be part of it”. I thought, “I am talking of today; this man is talking of next year”. The man then put his hand in his pocket and said, “But for now, have this”. He gave me an envelope and left. I opened the envelope and found 1000 naira in it. I said, “Thank you Lord; one down, four to go”. Before long, the youths came to my office and at the end of their visit gave me an envelope with 2000 naira in it. Within a short time, I had all the money needed for the feeding. In the nick of time, God sent help to me. Your help will come today, in Jesus’ name.
The interesting thing about God is that He is the Reverser of the irreversible, so even when it looks as if He is late, He can reverse time for your sake. Sarah laughed when God told her she would carry a child because she believed it was already too late for her and Abraham, but she carried a child to term and delivered safely (Genesis 21:1-2). Even if it seems as if God is late, I decree: He will reverse time for your sake, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, even if You have to reverse time so that You can help me, just help me in this season, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 10: In Christ Alone
1 In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when striving cease,
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
2 In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied,
For every sin on Him was laid,
Here in the death of Christ I live.
3 There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Could ever pluck me from His hand,
‘Til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I stand.
Open Heavens 2023 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2023
Open Heaven For Today 2023 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – He Can Change His Mind
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TOPIC: He Can Change His Mind
MEMORISE: “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” – Acts 13:22 (KJV)
READ: Deuteronomy 8:11-20 (KJV)
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 5-7
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:
When God promotes you, you must never forget that your loyalty must be to Him and only Him. 1 Samuel 15:15-24 records that when Saul became king, he forgot the One who put him there. God sent him on a mission; he failed, and his reason was, “I feared the people”. Don’t try to lower the standard of God because you want to be popular.
Don’t forget that God is sovereign; He can do and undo. He can change His mind. Each time we read 1 Samuel 2, we love to quote verse 8 and ignore verse 7 which says that the Lord makes rich and He makes poor, He can take a beggar from the dunghill and promote him until he is sitting with princes. In 1 Samuel 2:30, He said to Eli, “I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed”. He can promote and He can demote.
Never forget that God always has a substitute ready. You can never hold God to ransom. If He promotes you and you think that without you, He cannot do anything, He would just bring in the substitute. For over a decade, King Saul was still on the throne, but David had already being chosen and anointed king. Saul was merely carrying the title but David was the approved king. Right in the house of Eli, little Samuel was already rising – the one who would take over was already there, in waiting.
My prayer is that God will promote you, but don’t forget that when He does, you must put Him first and obey Him completely. You must help others and never use your position to oppress people. Proverbs 22:22-23 says God Himself will plead the case of those who oppress others. Let your promotion birth promotion for many other people too.
Perhaps you are the one resisting God’s promotion by indulging in one sin or the other. The Bible says if you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, He will Iift you. Surrender all to Him and let Him begin to lift you.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, as You promote me, I promise to always do Your will, in Jesus’ name.
HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour
1 I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee;
Ev’ry hour I need Thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee!
2 I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
3 I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide
Or life is vain.
4 I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
5 I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy one;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son!
Open Heavens 2023 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2023
Open Heaven For Today 2023 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Why God Promotes
Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Why God Promotes
MEMORISE: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45 (KJV)
READ: Matthew 20:20-28 (KJV)
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 1-4
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:
God never does anything without a purpose. He promotes people primarily to fulfill His purpose. God promotes men so that they can use their promotion to serve and bless others. A tree does not consume its own fruit; it produces fruit for others to benefit from. You don’t become fruitful just for your own self, but rather, so that you can be of service to others.
According to Exodus 2:11-15, Moses was a fugitive. He was running away from Pharaoh because he had just committed murder, but by the time we get to Exodus 7:1, God said, “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh…”. God promoted Moses so that he could deliver the nation of Israel. This is why, in Exodus 14:21-28, God could use Moses to clear a way through the Red Sea for the whole nation. 1 Samuel 16:11-13 tells us that when God wanted to appoint a king in his family, He chose the only one that nobody considered relevant – David. By the time He had promoted David, one of the reasons for his promotion came up in the next chapter – God used him to deliver a nation from a terrorist (1 Samuel 17:1-51).
When God promotes a man, it is so that he can help others fulfil their destiny. You can help others become who God wants them to be. This is why I don’t say a word when people criticize us for planting so many Churches, because a lot of people would never have discovered their purpose if they were not sent out. The purpose of God promoting you is to help others become what He planned for them. I pray that you will remember to help others fulfil their destinies when God promotes you.
The Bible says in Ezekiel 22:30 that God sought just one man who would stand between Him and the people so that He would not destroy their nation, but found none. Maybe God is waiting to promote you. If you are willing to help others, God will find you worthy of promotion.
KEY POINT:
A heart of service will attract divine promotion.
HYMN 30: When We Walk With The Lord
1 When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2 But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
3 Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
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