RCCG Bethlehem

RCCG Bethlehem Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the Lord and Saviour.

27/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

*TOPIC :DIVINE LOVE III*

*DATE : TUESDAY DECEMBER 27TH 2022*

*MEMORIZE:*
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
*Isaiah 63:9*

*READ:Isaiah 63:7-9*
7. I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

8. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.

9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

*MESSAGE:*
The very first time I read our memory verse for today (Isaiah 63:9), I couldnt believe my eyes. The first sentence really surprised me.

*“In all their affliction he was afflicted”*

Whenever those that God loves are afflicted, He is afflicted too. No wonder in Matthew 25:37-40, Jesus referred to Himself as the one in prison, the one who was hungry and so on, while the people He was talking to saw other humans in those situations. Anytime Gods beloved is in pain, He is in pain too. Galatians 6:10 says:

*“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”*

It makes sense that when we, His beloved, are in pain, He is in pain too. When you see someone you love in pain, you wish that the pain could be transferred to you. Each time someone you love is suffering, you are suffering too. This explains 1Peter 2:24 to us:

*“Who his own self bare our sins in his ownbody on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”*

What He is saying there is, Let your sickness fall on me. He was saying I would rather die than see you die. This gives me the assurance that aches and pains cannot stay in my body.

You can say confidently to any pain in your body, Jesus and I cannot suffer for the same thing. He has already suffered my pain, so I cannot be in pain again. If death tries to threaten you, tell him, Jesus died so that I can live. It is because of Jesus love for me that I know I can never be poor. 2Corinthians 8:9 says:

*“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”*

Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and forsake all your sins if you also want to experience this special divine love.

*KEY POINT:*
Consider whatever challenge you are facing now and tell it, You cannot afflict Jesus and afflict me. Jesus has paid the price for me, so get out of my life in the name of Jesus Christ.

*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*
Jude 1:1-25,
Revelation 1:1-20,
Revelation 2:1-29,
Revelation 3:1-22,
Revelation 4:1-11

*AUTHOR : PASTOR ENOCH ADEJARE ADEBOYE*

*HYMN: THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR*
1.Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well:
Precious is the blood that healed us;
Perfect is the grace that sealed us:
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

2.Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;
Ours is such a full salvation,
All ,all is well:
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Holy through the Spirit's guiding;
All must be well.

3.We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well;
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well:
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Or in living or in dying,
All must be well.

26/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

*TOPIC: DIVINE LOVE II*

*DATE: MONDAY DECEMBER 26TH 2022*

*MEMORISE:*
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
*Romans 8:28*

*READ: JOHN 11:1-45*
1. Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3. Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27. She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

32. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

34. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35. Jesus wept.

36. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37. And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38. Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42. And | knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

*MESSAGE:*
Divine love, holiness is a must. Key Point: love is good, but then, what are the benefits of being loved by God? Let us use Lazarus as a case study. Lazarus was sick and his sisters sent to Jesus saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

Jesus loved Lazarus and it was obvious to everyone, but what was His reply? *“When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”* John 11:4

When God falls in love with you, every challenge you face will lead to a testimony. The day you discover that you are beloved of God, you can begin to rejoice because each time a challenge comes, God is going to bring a testimony out of it for you.

In fact, the greater the problem, the greater should be your rejoicing. For those who God loves, He will from time to time give them a new testimony, and you cannot have a new testimony except you have a new problem. A testimony is the result of a problem that is miraculously solved.

That is why when I face challenges, I rejoice. I rejoice because a new challenge means a new testimony is on the way. In fact, those of us who are convinced beyond any doubt that He loves us look forward to challenges because we know that, with every challenge, there would be a miracle around the corner.

Do you believe that God loves you? If you do, why do you worry so much about the challenges facing you? Why do you lose sleep over something that He has already decided to use to bring glory to His name? Beloved of God, don’t worry yourself unnecessarily.

You can relax, God is planning to use your story to show the whole world how great He is. You just ensure that you don’t do anything to make Him change His mind about loving you, then leave the rest to Him. He will shock your enemies.

*KEY POINT:*
New challenges mean new testimonies for Gods beloved.

*BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:* 1 JOHN 4:1-21 , 3 JOHN 1:1-15

*AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.*

*HYMN 27: When Upon Life’s Billows You Are Tempest Tossed*

1 When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

4 So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

24/12/2022

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE.

DATE: SATURDAY 24TH DECEMBER, 2022

THEME: BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR CALLING

MEMORISE:
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
- (2 Timothy 1:9)

READ: 2 Chronicles 20:22-27 (KJV)

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

MESSAGE:
The Almighty God, our heavenly Father, made each and every one of us for a purpose. It does not matter the circumstances of your birth, God brought you into this world and called you to fulfil a specific purpose. Not everyone is called to be a Pastor, but everyone is called to fulfil a purpose.

Ephesians 2:10 says:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

If you have found that good work for which God formed you, focus on it. What God wants for each of His children is for us to find our place and stay there. The one who was called to be in politics should not decide to become a Pastor and the one called to academics should not decide to go into farming. Everyone has his own assignment in this world and God will reward you, not based on how much work you have done, but if you fulfilled the purpose for which He formed you.

If you have not discovered that good work for which He formed you yet, you need to really pray for Him to reveal it to you. You need to be very clear about it and not make assumptions.

For example, you may have the talent to sing, but your purpose may not be to become a musician. The talent could only be a tool to fulfilling your purpose.

Joseph was a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. Had he made assumptions, he would have thought his calling was to interpret people’s dreams.

He spoke on his purpose in Genesis 45:7 thus:

“And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance”.

The interpretation of dreams and even talent in administration were just tools to fulfilling His God-given purpose. Thank God he recognized that purpose, otherwise, he might have missed it by trying to retaliate against his brothers.

If God gives you a natural talent to handle scissors excellently, don’t conclude that you are called to be a fashion designer; barbers also use scissors.

Pray and get a clear direction as to what God has called you to do on earth, and be faithful to that calling.

KEY POINT:
Discover your purpose in life by asking God, then focus on fulfilling it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Peter 3 - 2 Peter 2

HYMNAL: 28 - 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 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.

[Refrain]

3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.

[Refrain]

4 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.

[Refrain]

23/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

*DATE : FRIDAY DECEMBER 23RD 2022*

*TOPIC: DON'T CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE II*

*MEMORIZE:*
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
*John 17:19*

*READ: 1Peter 5:1-4*
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 ensamples to the flock.

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

*MESSAGE:*
Those who serve in the house of God have a serious responsibility to the people they minister to.

As Gods representative to the flock, you are supposed to care for them and live an exemplary life that removes all stumbling blocks from their way. God values each soul
in the congregation. In Acts 20:28, the Bible says:

*“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”*

God did not buy the Church back with the blood of goats or the sacrifice of an angel. It cost God His Son to save the world. If we understood this as ministers, we would see the importance of living a life that does not insult the gospel of Christ.

Beloved minister, be very careful about becoming a rock of offence to Gods people. Luke 17:1-2 says:

*“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”*

These are the words of Jesus Himself. If you are a minister of God, check your life to be sure you are not leading the flock astray.

If you do not place much importance on the word of God, the people who follow you will find it easy to disregard Gods word.

If you never preach about the eternal damnation that will come to a soul who continues in sin because you dont want the flock to be uncomfortable, you are building people who would be indifferent about where they would spend their eternity, and their blood would be on your head. James 3:1 says:

*“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”*

Ministers of God will receive a stricter judgement. What example are you setting for your flock? I pray that, when the Master returns, you will not be ashamed.

*PRAYER POINT:*
Heavenly Father, help me not to fail in my assignment over Your people, in Jesus name. Amen.

*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:*
James 4:1-17,
1Peter 1:1-25,
1Peter 2:1-25

*AUTHOR : PASTOR ENOCH ADEJARE ADEBOYE*

*HYMN:*
1. Nearer, my God to Thee, Nearer to Thee; E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me, Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, (2ce) Nearer to Thee!

2. Though, like the wanderer, The sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone, Yet in my dreams I'd be Nearer, my God, to Thee, (2ce) Nearer to Thee

3. There let the way appear Steps unto heaven; All that Thou send'st to me In mercy given; Angels to beckon me Nearer, my God, to Thee, (2ce) Nearer to Thee

4. Then with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise, out of my stony grief bethel I'll raise; so by my woes to be nearer, my God to thee, (2ce) nearer to thee!

5. Or if on joyful wing cleaving thy sky, sun, moon, and stars forgot, upwards I fly still all my songs shall be nearer my God to thee, (2ce) nearer to thee

22/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

*TOPIC: DON’T CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE I*

*DATE: THURSDAY DECEMBER 22ND 2022*

*MEMORISE:*
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
*2 Peter 2:2*

*READ: EZEKIEL 36:20-23*
20. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.

21. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

22. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

23. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

*MESSAGE:*
When we refuse to let the light of Jesus shine through our lives by the way we live, we hinder others from coming to the glorious Lord. The gospel of Jesus Christ is sometimes mocked on account of many so-called believers.

Romans 2:24 tells us: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” Don’t let this be your testimony, where heaven would say that you are the one hindering someone from coming to the knowledge of the Most High.

Gods will is that all men would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). It is a dangerous thing for you to be the reason someone would not choose to come to Christ.

Hophni and Phinehas – sons of Eli the priest, abused their positions until the people started to despise the Lords offering. Their end was not good (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 4:11). Romans 14:13. says: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

It is better not to be known as a Christian than to be known as one, but still be living like a sinner. While you may be deceiving yourself, you are also putting a stumbling block on the way for sinners who should come to know the Lord.

As long as they keep seeing the way you live, they would think, Well, his life is not different from mine. Why should I become a Christian? Don’t claim to be a Christian if you won’t live like Christ.

Many people have used their lives to hinder the salvation of others. These people will receive the judgement of God if they do not change. God did not give His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, so that someone somewhere would be playing games with the souls of men.

If He paid the high price by giving Jesus Christ for us so we can be saved from eternal damnation, then you can be sure that He will do anything possible – including disgracing a hypocrite who claims to be a Christian – so He can save more sinners.

Don’t stand in God’s way. Live a life that pleases God, so you would be found to be on His side when He is fighting all the demons keeping people in the prison.

*KEY POINT:*
Don’t claim to be a Christian if you won’t live like Christ.

HYMN: I’M PRESSING ON THE UPWARD WAY
1. I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher
ground”.

CHORUS
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on heaven’s table-land;
Where love and joy and light abound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2. My heart has no desire to stay,
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where
these abound,
My constant aim is higher ground.

3. Beyond the mist I fain would rise,
To rest beneath unclouded skies,
Above earth’s turmoil peace is found
By those who dwell on higher ground.

4. I long to scale the utmost height,
Though rough the way, and hard the fight,
My song while climbing shall resound
Lord lead me on to higher ground.

5. Lord lead me up the mountain side,
I dare not climb without my Guide;
And heaven gained, I’ll gaze around,
With grateful heart from higher ground.

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: HEBREWS 13:1-25, JAMES 1:1-27, JAMES 2:1-26, JAMES 3:1-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.

21/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2022*

*DATE: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21ST 2022*

*THEME: GOD'S STANDARD*

*MEMORISE:*

*“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” - (2 Timothy 2:19)*

*READ: Titus 2:11-13 (KJV)*

11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

*MESSAGE:*

Knowing God is not the same as going to Church. The evidence that you know God is that you love Him and others. Some people prize spiritual gifts above love, but God is only interested in the person who loves Him, as seen in (1 Corinthians 8:3):
But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

You prove your love for God by obeying His commandments. John 14:15 says:
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

It is easy to profess to be a Christian, but are you really living a Christ-like life?

Many years ago, you could tell a person is genuinely born again by how vibrant he or she is for the Lord. In today’s world, there are so many fellows who claim to be Christians but are not. God’s standard has not changed.

(2 Timothy 2:19) says:
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Only those who meet God’s standard are qualified to be called Christians. Any fellow whose actions contradict that of Jesus Christ is not a Christian at all. A man who loves God will not sin secretly. Even if he falls into sin, he would try to get out of it. When you fall into sin, do you say, “Well, everybody is doing it’ and then continue to go against God’s command, or do you try to get out of it?

When Jesus comes back to take His own, He will call for His sheep to meet with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). He said that His sheep know His voice (John 10:27). Thus, on that day, if you do not meet up with the standard of God for His sheep, you will not even hear Him call at all, hence, you would be left behind. You have the opportunity to drop every sin and meet up with His standard of complete obedience now. Beloved, give up those sins and commit to living holy now, before it becomes too late.

*REFLECTION:*
Ask yourself: "Is my lifestyle meeting up with the standard of God for His children?" If your answer is "No", repent today and commit to living holy henceforth

*AUTHOR: PASTOR E A ADEBOYE*

*BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrews 10-12*

*HYMNAL: 28 - 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. Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3. But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

4. 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. [Refrain]

20/12/2022

*OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

*DATE: TUESDAY DECEMBER 20TH 2022*

*TOPIC: ARE YOU STILL A BABY CHRISTIAN?*

*MEMORISE:*
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
*Galatians 4:1*

*READ: 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-4*
1. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

*MESSAGE:*
We see from our memory verse today that an heir is likened to a servant if that heir is still a child. In the same vein, the devil will toss around a child of God if he or she is not mature. This alone tells you that spiritual maturity is a must for every child of God.

There are people who have been born again for 10 years yet God has not healed even a headache through them. How are they to get developed? 1 Peter 2:2 says: *“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”*

The more of Gods word you consume, the more mature you become spiritually. As you keep studying your Bible from day to day, you will be steered by the Spirit in the word of God to do all the other things needed for your spiritual growth.

If you spend quality time studying your Bible, you will hate sin; you will fast and pray regularly, love your neighbour as yourself, and many other qualities of mature Christians will be built in you.

Don’t waste the time you should spend building your relationship with God on frivolities. Don’t eat when you should be fasting. Don’t sleep when you should be praying. Don’t spend time on entertainment, when you should be studying your Bible.

A woman who does not take responsibility to grow her relationship with God, but wants to marry a God-fearing man, is just wasting her time. A good father will not allow his committed son to marry a wayward lady. Also, if the devil meets you as a baby Christian, that is trouble.

A woman had a dream where a mad man came to her doorstep and started knocking furiously. She opened the door and chased the mad man away, but he stayed there and kept saying, Leave me alone. Leave me alone. It is your husband I have come to see.

In the dream, the husband came to the door, saw the mad man and allowed him to come into the house. This womans husband fell sick and died a few months later. Had the husband been spiritually mature enough, he would have chased that mad man away in the spirit realm.

My beloved, don’t leave your spiritual life unattended to; there are terrible consequences for remaining spiritually immature.

*KEY POINT:*
The more spiritual exercises you do, the faster you grow spiritually and the more power you have over the devil.

HYMN: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE
1. Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
3. There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
4. Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
5. Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: HEBREWS 6:1-20 , HEBREWS 7:1-28 , HEBREWS 8:1-13 , HEBREWS 9:1-28

*AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE.*

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