RCCG Upper Room Area Headquarters Nsukka

RCCG Upper Room Area Headquarters Nsukka There's no place you can find Joy than the presence of God. In his presence there's fullness of Joy.

13/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 13 JANUARY 2025 MONDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: GOD TESTS

MEMORISE: “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” – 1 Peter 4:19 (KJV)

READ: Genesis 22:1-12 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

MESSAGE

God is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24); He never wants anything to take His place in your heart. God wants you to love Him wholeheartedly (Luke 10:25-28), and at different times, He will test you to see if you really love Him as you should. Your response in those moments will show whether you truly love Him or not. The tests may hurt or excite you, but you must not feel so hurt that you deny Christ or become so excited that you forget Him. You must keep Him as your only focus at all times.

If God decides to test you, He might take you through a painful experience to see if it will cause you to deny Him as He did with Job (Job 1). On the other hand, He may decide to bless you with something big to see your reaction. If you are still obedient and submissive to Him afterwards, He will then give you more.

Years ago, during one of our services, God told me to announce that three breakthroughs were coming for someone. The first was to be given to Him, the second was to be shared equally between Him and the fellow, and the third was for the fellow concerned. After a few weeks, a widow came to me, saying that she had brought the proceeds of the first breakthrough. I knew she was struggling because her husband owed the bank a lot of money before he died, which she had to repay.

Therefore, I told her that the prophecy may not have been for her. She insisted, so I collected the money from her and kept it aside just in case she came back for it. Not long after, the bank called her to apologise, saying that they were the ones owing her husband a lot of money, which they paid her. God tested her with a little breakthrough, and when she passed the test, He brought something big her way.

Now, you need to note that God will never allow you to be tested beyond what you can handle, and with every test, He supplies the grace that is required to pass it (1 Corinthians 10:13). To pass God’s test, you must use the grace that He supplies to you. May you not fail when your love for God is tested, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please give me the grace to always love You in whatever situation I find myself.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 42-43

HYMN 21 – STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING

1 Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail.
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

3 Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

12/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 12 JANUARY 2025 SUNDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: ATTRACT GOD’S BLESSINGS

MEMORISE: “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” – Romans 4:7 (KJV)

READ: Psalms 112:1-10 (KJV)

1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

MESSAGE

Yesterday, I explained how dangerous a curse from God can be and how you must avoid it. Just as a curse from God is powerful, a blessing from God is also extremely powerful. The best thing that can happen to anyone is for God to bless him or her. When God blesses you, every force in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth will work to favour you. Also, there will be no sorrow added to the blessing (Proverbs 10:22).

There are several passages in the Scriptures that talk about the blessings of God and how you can attract them. Unfortunately, many Christians just read about the blessings and claim them without paying attention to what to do to attract them. Owing to my training in mathematics, whenever I see a blessing in the Bible, I always want to know what the condition of getting that blessing is.

I know that if the conditions are not right, no matter how hard I try, I will not get the desired result. Therefore, I always pay more attention to the conditions needed for God’s blessings than the blessings themselves.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 is filled with many blessings that God has promised us. However, when you study that Bible passage closely, you will see that the condition to getting the blessings is that you hearken diligently to the word of God. If God looks at you and sees no sin, you are already blessed.

*“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”* – Romans 4:8

To attract God’s blessings, you must live a holy life. You cannot continue going against God’s word and expect Him to keep blessing you. When you start living a holy life, you will discover the real meaning of God’s blessings. I thought I was successful before I met Christ; I was a young lecturer at the university, growing steadily in my career.

However, no matter how much my salary was, by the middle of the next month, I would be borrowing money from my driver to fuel my car. Then, I met Christ and started living a holy life. He blessed me, and all of a sudden, the same salary that wasn’t usually sufficient became enough to cater for my needs.

Beloved, start living a holy life from today, and you will see the real meaning of being blessed.

KEY POINT

To attract the blessings of God, live a holy life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 39-41

HYMN 7 – I AM THINE O LORD

1 I am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Chorus:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessd Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3 Oh the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

4 There are depths of love
that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy
that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

10/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JANUARY 2025 FRIDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: YOU MUST AVOID CURSES (1)

MEMORISE: “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)

READ: Genesis 4:3-16 (KJV)

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

MESSAGE

A curse is a summon to spiritual forces to work against someone or a group of people, while a divine curse is a summon to all forces in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth to do the same. No matter how strong you are, I’m sure you don’t want any spiritual force to work against you; hence, you must avoid curses.

In Judges 9:5-57, we see an example of a curse impacting an entire city. Jotham had escaped being killed by his brother, Abimelech, who had killed seventy of his brothers, and he responded by placing a curse on Abimelech and the men of Shechem who helped him. Three years later, God allowed an evil spirit to execute the curse, leading to chaos and destruction in the land and, ultimately, Abimelech’s death.

I heard a story when I was young that helped shape my actions as I grew older. It was reported that a young man who was travelling on a journey passed by an old man and laughed mockingly at him for no reason. The old man responded by saying, “I may be too weak to do anything, but the basket is never satisfied with water.”

After saying this, he continued on his way. Suddenly, the young man felt an intense thirst, so he rushed to the nearest hut to drink some water before continuing his journey. Shortly after, he became thirsty again, and he stopped at another hut to drink more water. After many more similar stops, some people sensed that something was amiss. They questioned him, and he told them the old man’s statement. They shouted, “Ah! That is a curse.” They found the old man and begged him to forgive the young man. He agreed, released him from the curse, and immediately, the intense thirst stopped.

Beloved, avoid actions that can attract curses to you. Honour elders, and do not cheat or hurt other people. If you have done nothing wrong and someone curses you, it will not come to pass because a causeless curse will never come into effect (Proverbs 26:2).

When you study your Bible, you will see that certain actions can attract curses from God; avoid them like a plague. If a man’s curse can be as powerful as the one in the story I shared above, how much more curses from God? I will discuss more about avoiding God’s curses tomorrow.

If there‘s any curse currently operating in your life, I decree that it will be broken today, in Jesus’ name.

KEY POINT

Be wise; avoid anything that can attract a curse.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 32-35

HYMN 33 – GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!

1 Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven!
Feed me now and evermore (2ce)

2 Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer! strong deliverer!
Be Thou still my strength and shield (2ce)

3 If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Bear me through the swelling torrent,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises! songs of praises!
I will ever give to Thee (2ce)

4 Saviour, come! We long to see Thee,
Long to dwell with Thee above;
And to know in full communion,
All the sweetness of Thy love.
Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Lord Jesus!
Take Thy waiting people home (2ce)

09/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JANUARY 2025 THURSDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: KEEP PUSHING

MEMORISE: “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (KJV)

READ: Luke 9:57-62 (KJV)

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

MESSAGE

During natural childbirth, a woman is required to push the baby out. No matter how many times she pushes, until the baby comes out, she must keep pushing. The moment she gives the final push that brings the baby out, she becomes a new person – a mother.

As a Christian, you will never be done pushing until you have put on a new body in Christ. No matter how much you have achieved in the past, you must keep pushing until you see the Lord in glory (Philippians 3:13-14). Many people started out right; they achieved many great things for God, but as time went on, they stopped pushing. They stopped fasting and praying as they used to, and they missed the glory that would have been theirs.

At a time when there was serious persecution against Christians in Russia, five Christian boys were captured by Russian soldiers and thrown into a freezing pond in the middle of winter. The soldiers started a fire and said that those who would deny Jesus could come out of the pond and warm themselves by the fire. Slowly, the boys started freezing, and at a point, one of them called out to the soldiers and said that he was ready to deny Jesus. As one of the soldiers went to get him out, the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw five angels holding crowns, one for each of the boys. However, the angel holding the crown of the boy who had denied Jesus was turning back to return with the crown. That boy had suffered for long for Christ, but at the tail end, he gave up and missed his crown.

Beloved, it doesn’t matter how much you have done for God; if you give up now, you will miss your crown. Don’t let the pleasures of this life distract you; don’t let the lure of sin take you out of the way of righteousness. Keep pushing by praying, studying your Bible, fasting, attending fellowships, and living holy. Do not be weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9).

In Philippians 3:13, Apostle Paul said, *“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”* Forget the things you have achieved in the past; they are not as important as the things you must do for God in the future. I pray that you will keep soaring until the end, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please keep me standing until I see You in glory.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 29-31

HYMN 12 – 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 anthems 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,
Kingdoms rise and wane;
But the church 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.

08/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JANUARY 2025 WEDNESDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: GROWING IN WISDOM

MEMORISE: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” – Luke 2:52 (KJV)

READ: Job 32:4-9 (KJV)

4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.

6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

MESSAGE

The longer you have spent on earth, the wiser you are expected to be. This is why people never ask how young you are, rather, they ask how old you are. In reality, they are asking, how much wisdom have you garnered? This is in line with Job 12:12, which says, *“With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.”*

In Yorubaland, when people do not act their age, they are called Agba iya, meaning ‘old for nothing’. When people are unserious with their lives, even though they are advancing in age, they are called agba iya. May you not be old for nothing, in Jesus’ name.

Proverbs 22:15 says that there is foolishness locked in the heart of a child. Therefore, everybody starts out being foolish. This is an interesting fact about life; the child of a servant and that of a president will both start the journey of life alike as newborns. However, their choices in life will determine how they will end.

For the first 18 years of my life, I walked around barefooted. Today, by God’s grace, I can wear a different pair of shoes every day for a whole year if I choose to. This is because I have walked with the ancient of days, and His Holy Spirit has continually given me wisdom that I have applied to make my life better. Regardless of your age, you can walk in wisdom if you yield yourself to the instructions of the Holy Spirit; He is the source of all knowledge and wisdom (Colossians 2:1-3).

When I was younger, I had an older brother who was tall and strong. One day, he erred, and my father beat him such that he cried like a baby. When I saw my ‘strong’ brother crying, I determined never to do anything that would make my father beat me. If you are wise, you will not make some mistakes in life; you will recognise danger and avoid it as much as possible.

If you know the consequences of an action and still take that action, you are an agba iya. Committing sin and refusing to repent leads to eternal separation from God. If you are wise, you will choose to be holy because that is the only way to see God (Hebrews 12:14).

Beloved, if you haven’t been wise with your decisions so far in life, it is time to yield to the Holy Spirit and surrender to His leading.

REFLECTION

Are you growing in wisdom with the help of the Holy Spirit?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 26-28

HYMN 29 – WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH MY WAY

1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul. Refrain

3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain

4 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain

07/01/2025

OPEN HEAVEN 7 JANUARY 2025 TUESDAY Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: WHEN GOD PROMOTES

MEMORISE: “This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” – 1 Timothy 3:1 (KJV)

READ: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-10 (KJV)

1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

MESSAGE

When I see Christians celebrating because they have been promoted to higher positions of influence in God’s kingdom, I wonder if they really know what serving God is about. When someone is promoted from leading 10 people to leading 100 people in God’s kingdom, such a fellow should be sober. This is because the demons that will be posted to bring him or her down will not only increase in number but also in rank. Also, he or she will become accountable to God for more people. It is tough enough to be accountable for one person, let alone multiple people.

When Joshua was promoted to become the national leader of Israel, God had to tell him multiple times to be courageous. Why then do people celebrate when they are given greater assignments in the kingdom? Could it be because their focus is not on the work but on the prestige and benefits that come with the new office?

If God puts you in charge of the souls of men, you must recognise that at the end of your life here on earth, you will give account to God for every soul that He put in your care. In John 17:12, Jesus said:

*“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”*

If Jesus could give an account of the people in His care while He was on the earth, how much more His disciples? This is why James 3:1 says that the judgement for those who are leaders in His kingdom will be greater than that of others. Therefore, the more people you are teaching the word of God and discipling, the more people you will have to account for. This invariably means that when God promotes you, you have to work, fast, and pray more.

When I was pastoring just a few people within one state in Nigeria, I used to sleep all night. During this period, one day, I saw my Father-in-the-Lord praying all night, and I was worried. In the morning, I asked him if all was well. He laughed and told me that I would understand later. Now, I understand because all-night prayers have also become my lifestyle.

When you serve God, He will promote you, however, you must take the promotion as an opportunity to work harder.

KEY POINT

The meaning of promotion in God’s kingdom is more work and sacrifices.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 24-25

HYMN 4 – TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD

1⁠ ⁠To the work! to the work!
we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our
Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel
our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what
our hands find to do.

Refrain
Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on,
Let us hope, let us watch,
And labour till the Master comes.

2⁠ ⁠To the work! to the work!
let the hungry be fed,
To the fountain of life let
the weary be led!
In the cross and its banner
our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings,
“Salvation is free!”

⁠3 To the work! to the work!
there is labour for all,
For the kingdom of darkness
and error shall fall;
And the name of Jehovah exalted shall be,
In the loud-swelling chorus,
“Salvation is free!”

4⁠ ⁠To the work! to the work!
in the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall
our labour reward,
When the home of the faithful
our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed,
“Salvation is free!”

06/01/2025

Open Heaven For Today Monday 6th January, 2025 Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye –

TOPIC: WHEN GOD CALLS

MEMORISE: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” – Luke 9:23 ( KJV)

READ: Matthew 8:19-23 (KJV)

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

MESSAGE

Nowadays, many see God’s call as a call to a higher social status. Even though God rewards those who work hard to please Him with influence and wealth, His call to service is a call to put Him first in everything. In Matthew 19:16-24, a rich man, who had been careful to obey God’s commandments, approached Jesus and said, “Lord, I have obeyed all your commands, and I have kept all the law, but somehow, I feel that something is missing. What do I lack?” Jesus replied: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” On hearing this, he became sorrowful because he had many possessions and obviously valued them more than following Jesus. Beloved, when God calls you, following Him must be your only focus, and you should be ready to surrender anything He asks of you, including your life (Luke 14:26).

Those who will heed God’s call must see Him as their only source. This is why in Numbers 18:20, God told Aaron that he would have no inheritance among the Israelites because He would be his inheritance. In Ezekiel 44:28, God said that He would be the inheritance of His priests.

God is not against you taking up secular jobs (except He has specifically told you not to); however, He wants you to see Him as your only source. If God calls you, no matter how wealthy or influential you are, He will first take you through a wilderness to be sure that you are serious about serving Him and that you are not just serving Him for material gains. If you lose patience in the wilderness season and start going after material things, you are not fit for the call. This is why we have many half-baked ministers of God today; when God was building them in their wilderness season, they rebelled against Him and found alternatives.

Those who will be used mightily by God must be willing to trust Him wholeheartedly. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is built when you let go of everything you can rely on and focus on God alone. The good news is, after He has truly seen that your faith is solely in Him, He will begin to raise you up, and when God raises you, there is no limit.

KEY POINT

Those who will be used mightily by God must be willing to trust Him wholeheartedly.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 21-23

HYMN 23 – Take My Life And Let It Be

1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

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