Open Heaven For Today 2023 – Open Heavens 7 May

Open heavens 

Open Heaven For Today 2023 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Showing Off In Church?

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Showing Off In Church?

MEMORISE: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” – Acts 4:32 (KJV)

READ: 1 Corinthians 11:18-22 (KJV)

18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 27-29

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:

One habit that seems to have crept into the Church recently, is that of showing off to other Church members. There are people who go to Church majorly to show off their new clothes or some other material possession. This is completely outside God’s plan for the Body of Christ. God’s original plan for the Church is for everyone to be united and have everything in common. The Bible says in Acts 2:46-47:

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The reason the Church is not growing as fast as it should is that there is no singleness of heart. When people prefer to outshine one another in showing off their material possessions than actually caring about each other and the gospel, the Church cannot grow. The reason we have not won the whole world to Christ is that the Church is not united.

The Holy Spirit does not move in the midst of divided people. When the Holy Spirit descended in the Upper Room, the people were in one accord (Acts 2:1). Until Christians love each other and are in one accord, the Church cannot experience the move of the Holy Spirit as it should.

Many Church leaders wonder why the Holy Spirit is not moving as much as they expect, not knowing that the problem is in the divisions within the Church. Some pastors give special attention to the rich in the Church. Apostle James said in James 2:1-5 that you should not give the rich preferential treatment against those that are not so rich, or else you would become a judge with evil thoughts. It doesn’t matter how rich they are, they should not be praised for showing off in the Church, but rather, rebuked.

Believers should dress well and can own luxurious items. However, it is wrong to flaunt material possessions with the intent to oppress others. The Church must unite and cease to be a place where people compete to outshine one another over material possessions.

REFLECTION:

When you go to Church, do you show off your material possessions? If yes, stop it henceforth.

HYMN 20: Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus

1 Stand up! stand up for Jesus,

Ye soldiers of the Cross!

Lift high His royal banner;

It must not suffer loss.

From vict’ry unto vict’ry

His army shall He lead,

Till ev’ry foe is vanquished,

And Christ is Lord indeed.

2 Stand up! stand up for Jesus,

The trumpet call obey;

Forth to the mighty conflict,

In this His glorious day;

Ye that are men now serve Him

Against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger,

And strength to strength oppose.

3 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!

Stand in His strength alone;

The arm of flesh will fail you,

Ye dare not trust your own:

Put on the gospel armor,

Each piece put on with prayer;

Where duty calls or danger,

Be never wanting there.

4 Stand up! stand up for Jesus!

The strife will not be long;

This day the noise of battle,

The next the victor’s song;

To him that overcometh,

A crown of life shall be;

He with the King of glory

Shall reign eternally.

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 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – When You Have Questions

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: When You Have Questions

MEMORISE: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” – Psalm 73:17 (KJV)

READ: Psalm 73:1-17 (KJV)

1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 24-26

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:

As a younger Christian, I had many difficult questions for my pastors. For example, since Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”, I asked where He was before He created Heaven, but none of them could answer. Since I could not get answers from my pastors, I turned to God and He answered me.

The reason we don’t understand certain things in the word of God is in Isaiah 55:8-9:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Some of the things that you are trying to explain with logic are far higher and deeper than what the ordinary human mind can process. In the Sciences, we say, “Prove it and I will believe you”. God however says, “Believe me and I will prove it”. If you are not ready to believe God’s word because you don’t understand it, you may never experience the power in it and you would be the one on the losing end.

There was one particular question that I had from the story of Elisha and the Syrian army who had come to arrest him in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Elisha told them that they were in the wrong place then led them to Samaria where they were captured and then later released.

I wondered for a long time how God could have supported how Elisha deceived the soldiers, until the day He explained by asking, “My son, if death were to come knocking on your door asking for you, would you welcome it in? If sickness comes asking for you, will you hug it? If poverty comes looking for your address, will you say it is in the right place?”

When you have questions, turn to God for answers. He alone can open your eyes to behold the wonders in His word (Psalm 119:18).

KEY POINT:

When you have questions, turn to God for answers.

HYMN 5: Blessed Assurance

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Saviour all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Saviour all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight,

Angels descending, bring from above;

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Saviour am happy and blessed,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

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 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Prayers For Elders

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Prayers For Elders

MEMORISE: “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” – Isaiah 46:4 (KJV)

READ: 1 Peter 5:1-4 (KJV)

1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 20-23

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE:

PRAYERS:

Father, thank You for our elders. Thank You Lord, for giving them long life and good health.

Father, please forgive all the sins our elders may have committed in the past so that they can have peace in their old age.

Father, please give our elders wisdom and understanding to counsel the younger ones correctly.

Please Lord, if there is any elder who has not surrendered his or her life to You, please let them encounter You so that they can make it to heaven.

Father, please comfort any elder who is lonely. Please Lord bring people around them who will show them love and care.

Father, please give our elders good health. Don’t let the diseases that are common to old people come upon the elders around us, Lord.

Father, don’t let the godly efforts of our elders go to waste. Let their children carry on their legacy successfully.

Father, we ask for unity between elders and youths. Whatever may have caused disunity between elders and youths in families, Churches or communities is destroyed now, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please answer the prayers of our elders by fire, in Jesus’ name. James 5:14 says we should go to the elders for prayers when we are sick. As they pray for us Lord, please let their prayers be answered speedily, in Jesus’ name.

Father, let our elders leave a good inheritance for us. Let only blessings flow from them to the younger ones, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please bless every child who desires to care for his or her parents but does not have the means, in Jesus’ name.

Your personal prayer points for the elders in your family, Church and community.

HYMN 22: Sweet Hour Of Prayer! Sweet Hour Of Prayer!

1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my want and wishes known;

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,

By the return, sweet hour of prayer.

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

The joy I feel, the bliss I share,

Of those whose anxious spirits burn

With strong desires for thy return!

With such I hasten to the place,

Where God my Savior shows His face,

And gladly take my station there,

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

Thy wings shall my petition bear,

To Him whose truth and faithfulness

Engage the waiting soul to bless;

And since He bids me seek His face,

Believe His word and trust His grace,

I’ll cast on Him my every care,

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.

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