Open Heaven For Today 2023 – Open Heavens 19 October

 

Open Heaven For Today 2023 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – You Must Grow Spiritually 1

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Open heavens

TOPIC: You Must Grow Spiritually 1

MEMORISE: “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62 (KJV)

READ: Romans 8:35-39 (KJV)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

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

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 14

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

After you have become born again for a while, the devil will try to test your faith. It is as you overcome these challenges and remain standing that you become mature in the things of God. At this stage, you would no longer be satisfied with the milk of God’s word; now, you would desire strong meat. A mature Christian wants to go deeper and not remain in the shallow waters of the word and ways of God.

Newly born again Christians, also referred to as ‘baby Christians’ must grow to the point where they can face trials and remain standing in Christ. Every Christian has low moments when the flesh seems to be rising above the spirit-periods when he or she could fall into sin if care is not taken. In such a period, someone who has been in Christ for a while but hasn’t been feeding on the word of God constantly is likely to fall. Proverbs 24:10 says: “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” The day of adversity will definitely come, but what will keep you standing is how much strength you gathered before that period.

How much of God’s word have you been consuming? How much praying have you been doing? How deeply rooted have you been in the things of God?These are the things that will go a long way in determining whether you will remain standing in the day of adversity. Know that the more mature you get, the bigger the adversity the devil is likely to bring your way, but we find solace in (1 Corinthians 10:13), which says: “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.”

Thus, if a trial made you turn your back on God, it is not that trial really that brought you down, but rather your weakness in spiritual things. Jesus Christ said in our memory verse that if any man lays his hand on the plough and turns back, then he is not fit for the Kingdom of God. You have already laid your hands on the plough; build up your faith by engaging in spiritual activities like praying, Bible study, fellowshipping with other believers and so on. All these are required to enable you stand when the day of adversity comes.

Beloved, if you keep your Christian walk on a shallow level, you are likely to look back eventually and not make it to the Kingdom of God at the end of the day.

KEY POINT:

If you do not grow spiritually, you will not stand in the day of adversity.

HYMN 27 – What A Friend We Have In Jesus

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear;

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

2 Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged,

Take it to the Lord in prayer,

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3 Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge,

Take it to the Lord in prayer,

Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He’ll take and shield you,

You wilt find a solace there.

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

OHVENG: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus’ name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to info@rccg.org, +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.

Open Heaven For Today 2023 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Are You A Fresh Or Stale Christian? 2

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Are You A Fresh Or Stale Christian? 2

MEMORISE: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” – Psalm 34:1 (KJV)

READ: Psalm 34:1-11 (KJV)

1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 12-13

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

Fresh Christians are always joyful in the house of God. When you see a fresh Christian during praise and worship, the fellow will be singing and dancing with joy, unlike some so called big men of God who have now become so familiar with the Lord that they can’t dance for Him anymore.

Many years ago, while waving my tambourine and dancing for my Maker during the praise and worship session at a Pastors’ meeting, a big man of God tapped me and said, “Look at you, a whole General Overseer, dancing like that”. I told him I would never stop dancing for the One who made me the General Overseer of RCCG. David, with all his majesty, never outgrew dancing for God. In fact, (2 Samuel 6:14) says he danced with all his might. What was the result? God kept lifting him steadily. He went from becoming king of Jerusalem to king of Israel and kept progressing until he became the father of the King of kings. Even the key of God that opens and none can shut is called the key of David. Fresh Christians never outgrow praising God even after several years of surrendering their lives to Christ. However, people who see themselves as too big to dance for God because they think they are no longer new in the faith have allowed themselves to become stale Christians.

Fresh Christians submit to the authority God has placed over them. You will always hear them say, “My Pastor said…”, and the blessings of obedience always follow them (2 Chronicles 20:20). Many years ago, my Father-in-the-Lord told all the workers that there was a need in the Church, so they should empty their bank accounts and bring the money to Church. The next Sunday, when he was meeting with us again, he said the need had been met, then he asked, “How many of you actually obeyed the instruction? Only my wife and I raised our hands. As far as we were concerned, it was God saying it, so we obeyed. The other people who had been in the Church long before us however did not obey. In return, God raised us to become the leaders of the Church.

You must never become so familiar with men of God that you begin to disobey and disrespect them. That is not a sign of spiritual maturity, but rather, of spiritual staleness and death.

KEY POINT:

A fresh Christian never outgrows praising God and obeying Him at all times.

HYMN 17 – Praise My Soul, The King Of Heaven

1 Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven,

To His feet your tribute bring.

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,

Evermore His praises sing.

Alleluia! alleluia!

Praise the everlasting King!

2 Praise Him for His grace and favour

To His people in distress.

Praise Him, still the same as ever,

Slow to chide and swift to bless.

Alleluia! alleluia!

Glorious in His faithfulness!

3 Father-like He tends and spares us,

Well our feeble frame He knows,

In His hand he gently bears us,

Rescues us from all our foes:

Alleluia! alleluia!

Widely yet His mercy flows!

4 Angels, help us to adore Him!

You behold Him face to face.

Sun and moon, bow down before Him,

Dwellers all in time and space,

Alleluia! alleluia!

Praise with us the God of grace!

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

NG: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus’ name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to info@rccg.org, +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.

Open Heaven For Today 2023 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Are You A Fresh Or Stale Christian? 1

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

TOPIC: Are You A Fresh Or Stale Christian? 1

MEMORISE: “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3 (KJV)

READ: Matthew 18:1-6 (KJV)

1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 10-11

Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE

When there is an evangelistic outreach, the most beautiful part of the Scripture is usually preached so that unbelievers in attendance can be won for Jesus. The preacher would typically tell the congregation that when they come to Jesus Christ, they would find healing, deliverance, freedom, promotion and so on, and indeed, all these are true. Once they give their lives to Christ, they become fresh Christians. Fresh Christians are however, required to remain fresh at all times, just as we see in our Bible reading today. Yes, new converts are baby Christians who should grow into spiritual maturity, but they must never lose their freshness in Christ as they constantly renew their minds (Romans 12:2).

There are many distinct characteristics of fresh Christians. The very first thing is an insatiable hunger to know the word of God (1 Peter 2:2). People who just genuinely gave their lives to Christ don’t go late for fellowship. They even usually sit in front where there would be no distractions because they just have this strong desire for the word of God. Unfortunately, you see many people who have been born again for a long time forgetting this desire they once had. When you mature, you are supposed to advance to strong meat, but many fail to do this and rather become stale though they usually claim they have become mature. A Christian becomes stale when he or she stops feeding on the word of God daily.

Beloved, if you no longer spend quality time studying your Bible daily, you are becoming a stale Christian. Unless that hunger returns and you begin to feed on the word of God daily again, you are a dying Christian.

Another distinct characteristic of fresh Christians is that they cannot stop talking about Jesus. They are not ashamed of Christ at all. A Christian who has become stale however, will see himself or herself as too big to preach the gospel to everyone, forgetting Jesus’ command in Mark 16:15 and His warning in Matthew 10:33.

Freshness or staleness in Christ is not determined by how long you have been born again, but by your attitude towards the things of God.

REFLECTION

When was the last time you won a soul for Christ?

HYMN 20 – Onward, Christian Soldiers!

1 Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Christ, the Royal Master, leads against the foe;

Forward into battle, see His banner go!

Refrain:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before!

2 At the name of Jesus, Satan’s host doth flee;

On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver, at the shout of praise:

Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthem raise!

3 Like a mighty army, moves the Church of God;

Brothers, we are treading, where the saints have trod;

We are not divided, all one body we,

One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

4 Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdom’s rise and wane;

But the Church of Jesus, constant will remain:

Gates of hell can never ‘gainst that church prevail;

We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

5 Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng;

Blend with ours your voices, in the triumph song:

Glory, praise and honour, unto Christ the King;

This, through countless ages, men and angels sing.

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

OHVENG: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus’ name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to info@rccg.org, +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.