Open Heavens 26 February 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Hypocritical?

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Open Heavens 26 February 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Hypocritical?

Topic: Hypocritical? [Sunday 26, February 2017]

Memorise: But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Matthew 22:18

Read: Luke 11:37-44 (KJV)

37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 21:23, Isaiah 45:14-25

MESSAGE:

One of the characteristics which the Holy Spirit warns us will be rife in the last days is hypocrisy (1 Timothy 4:2). No wonder the Lord Jesus Christ made it very clear that many who expect to be granted access through the pearly gates will be turned back on the last day (Luke 13:24-27). Do you know that many bishops, pastors, general overseers, apostles, etc who are professing Christ today will not make it on the day of judgement? May that not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. To prevent this from happening to you, you need to periodically examine yourself to see if you are still in the faith, as received from the Lord. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says,

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

Ask yourself if your name is still written in the Book of Life. Does the Spirit of God still bear witness with your spirit that you are a bona fide child of God? Is your conscience free from guilt and dead works? Can the devil and his agents testify that truly, you are no longer in their camp? Don’t pretend to be a child of God when you know you are on your way to perdition.

The greatest challenges Jesus had with the Pharisees was the issue of their mindset. They appeared to have good intentions, but it was all a lie. Jesus knew the state of their hearts. The human heart is like a computer. Whatever you feed it with will determine what comes out of it. The heart of a man is what shapes his destiny. The reason why some people come to church and are still not blessed is the state of their heart. Their hypocritical hearts are hardened, and so they cannot receive anything from God. If the Pharisees had allowed the message of Jesus Christ to penetrate their hearts, their perception would have been different. If you allow God to work on your heart, your breakthrough will be immeasurable. Our heart is a reflection of who we are. Every time Jesus performed a miracle, instead of being happy that someone in need had received help from God, the Scribes and Pharisees would rather question by what authority He did it (John 9:13-27, Luke 20:1-2). That is what a hypocritical heart looks like. I wish we all knew that God is watching not just our actions but also our motives. He hears and watches everything we do behind closed doors. There is nothing hidden from Him that will not be exposed on the last day. Hypocrites know how to find faults in the lives of others, but their own lives are like sepulchres which appear beautiful on the outside but are full of dead men’s bones (Matthew 23:27). God wants us to reflect a life of righteousness and transparency, a life that radiates the glory of God, a life of virtue and of good works.

Prayer Point: Father, deliver me from all forms of self-deception.

Open Heavens 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Click HERE to DOWNLOAD Daily Open Heavens Devotional from January to December 2016.


Nigeria: The Paradox of a Corrupt Opposition Party in Power

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By SKC Ogbonnia

The All Peoples Congress (APC) gained the Nigerian presidency on an enchanting mantra of change, particularly change from the tide of an endemic corruption that characterized the 16-year reign of the People Democratic Party (PDP). Unfortunately, however, over one and half years after it lost power, virtually all structures of government have remained in the firm grip of the PDP, the now opposition party. Not surprisingly, the hope for the much-anticipated change is gradually becoming a pipe dream.

Let us look at the executive arm of government for a start. A vast majority of the agencies under the executive branch are controlled by the opposition. The parastatals, for instance, remain dominated by the appointees of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The foreign service is sadly similar. With the undue delay to appoint substantive diplomats; the embassies and consulates, which typically help to promote the president’s vision abroad, are still in the hands of the very PDP apologists that tainted the convex lens through which the world views Nigeria.

The paradox at the legislature has grown old but obviously worse. In short, the change agenda of the current government took a nose dive when the opposition swayed the election of the Senate President to a pliable member of Nigeria’s corrupt oligarchy. Still, that is practically nada when compared to the fact that the opposition has continued to hold fast the position of the Deputy Senate President.

To remain fair, it is not a taboo for a member of the opposition to occupy a leadership post in the legislature. But the current case in Nigeria is eerily different. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has been reduced to a titular figure due to his deserving battles with the anti-corruption agency. To that end, a dateless deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, is once again the de facto head of the Nigerian legislature.

But the leopard, they say, hardly changes its spot. Rather than toe the line of change, Chief Ekweremadu is craftily replicating the unbridled roles he played in the last regime that combined to plunder Nigeria into an economic recession. Moreover, the maxim “charity begins at home” still holds true. Ekweremadu, remember, was a ranking member of the cabal that did nothing during the Jonathan years but render his Southeast zone of Nigeria the sorriest of the spectacles.
On top of these, the Deputy Senate President and his rogue master had the audacity to pad vital Senate Committee chairmanships with their poodles from the opposing party. Sure enough, but unfair to the masses, the fate of public policies, particularly implementation, is at the mercy of a party disgraced out of power.

The situation at the third arm does not exude hope. Infamous for frivolous delays of corrupt cases at the courts, it did not shock anyone, therefore, that the judiciary would quickly collude with the legislature to obstruct the vision of the executive arm.

The objective fact, if it is not already manifest, is that a virally corrupt opposition party is dictating the nature, character, and pace of the Nigerian national agenda. It goes to say, thenceforth, that the opposition confederates are also the ones relishing the spoils of the current government. That is not even all. The People Democratic Party of Nigeria, anchored by two notorious highbinders in Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Ex-Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, is brazenly deploying its stolen wealth to not only sustain the status quo but to also fan the embers of crisis in the land.

Blaming the opposition for Nigeria’s current woes, as above, will always attract a captive audience for obvious reasons, but President Buhari’s style has become a perplexing quotient. Fresh from the euphoria of a historic victory, many thought the president had a unique clue when he proclaimed to “belong to no one” and thence begged our indulgence to single-handedly change Nigeria by himself. Alas, we are all finding out the hard way.

What we have found out thus far is a meticulous approach to governance and, by consequence, a slow pace of the change. This pattern, coupled with a seemingly lack of transparency as well as skewed political appointments, had ignited a public outcry which, in essence, spurred the lees of the corrupt past regime to creep back in all spheres of political power. More painfully, any good intention notwithstanding, Buhari’s uneven attempt to prove that he belongs to no one might have painted a picture of a one-man show, thereby alienating the APC intelligentsia that would have ordinarily placed the opposition squarely where it belongs.

The solution, though, is self-evident. Instead of continuing to rest on the oars of the victory of 2015 with a small clique of leeches or waiting to fully recover from an unfortunate health setback, Buhari might as well consider that the battle for 2019 is almost here. A ready route is to broaden and embolden the change agents. Besides a much-needed cabinet overhaul, it is about time the president finally embraces his party structure across the country to help him fill, without any more delay, the thousands of positions still in the hands of a party opposed to change.

To regain the trust of the APC main thrust, however, is not expected to be easy. Even the purest of the paragons of virtue would feel used and abandoned. But there is every reason for the change family as well as the masses to remain steadfast. Any thought to officially surrender power back to the PDP or its makeover is a hellish proposition. True.

SKC Ogbonnia
Houston, Texas


I Am Guilty Lord!

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Author: Emode Victor

A Promise For You From Bible Promises:

Topic: I Am Guilty Lord! [25/02/2017]

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13. Read: Psalm 51:1-11

I am guilty Lord was the loud cry of a woman whom the LORD opened her eyes to see her eternal nakedness and destitute. When she looked beyond this present world, she saw the light of the Lord which beamed on her entire life and spotted her gray paths out. She saw all her secret sins, all her lies, her costly jesting, little lies she never considered to be lies; all her waywardness. She saw all her fornication and adulterous lifestyle, all her secret lust, love for money. She saw all the people who looked up to her as a role model and how she has misled them all in the name of fashion, all these were written down in bold letters beside her name. She also saw countless opportunities the Lord gave her to repent of her sins but turned down Jesus’ invitations, she saw the names of all the preachers, the time and the places they preached to her both in the bus and with tracts. Seeing all these, she opted with a loud voice, “I am guilty as charged Lord”. God forgave her.

What about you? If the Lord should show you your eternal nakedness now, would you be find guilty as charged or you will be discharge and acquainted? If you are weigh in the scale of eternity, what would be your proclamation? Examine yourself whether you are still in the faith and ready to go meet your God any time the roll is called. 2 Cor 13:5.

#BiblePromisesThought

* When the roll is called beyond, will you be guilty as charged or be discharge and acquainted?


David Abioye's Daily Devotional February 25, 2017 – The Back Bone Of Life

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Topic: The Back Bone Of Life [Saturday February 25, 2017]

Man’s credibility is His backbone.

Without it there is no confidence.

It gave Paul a voice, 1 Thes.2:9,10

It earned Samuel honour. 1 Sam.9:6; 12:3-5

It is better to be a poor righteous man than to be rich and have no credibility.

People respect you to the extent of your credibility is your protection.

Everybody listens when a credible man speaks.

His words are desirous because His lifestyle is acceptable.

When you live well, your word cannot be turn down.


Joyce Meyer's daily devotional February 25, 2017 – Get Alone With God

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Joyce Meyer's daily devotional February 25, 2017 – Get Alone With God

Topic: Get Alone With God [Saturday February 25, 2017]

But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. — Matthew 6:6

Jesus rose early to be alone with God, but Peter pursued Him to let Him know that everyone was looking for Him (see Mark 1:35-36). When you get alone to pray, it may seem that everybody tries to hunt you down. But Jesus sought time alone with God so He could focus on His purpose.

We see the scenario of Jesus praying alone and then meeting the needs of others again and again. Jesus went throughout Galilee preaching and driving out demons. When a leper begged to be clean, Jesus touched him, and the leprosy completely left him (see Mark 1:39-42). If Jesus needed to be alone with the Father before He ministered to others, so do we.


Open Heavens 25 February 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Ungrateful?

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Open Heavens 25 February 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Ungrateful?

Topic: Ungrateful? [Saturday 25, February 2017]

Memorise: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: – Psalms 92:1

Read: 1 Samuel 25:4-17 (KJV)

4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 19-20, Isaiah 44:21-45:13

MESSAGE:

God plays a prominent role in every successful endeavour (Lamentations 3:37). No human effort would suffice if God is not involved (Psalm 127:1). This is why you need to be grateful to God for every achievement you experience. Nabal, his household and everyone around him lived in prosperity. In spite of all the battles raging around them, Nabal’s workers were all secure and his goods intact. He enjoyed safety and prosperity because the men of David’s hand shielded him and all he had from attacks. At a crucial point, David and his men needed his help in providing food for their sustenance, but he denied them this. He disdained David and his men because he saw them as misfits and fugitives who did not deserve his generosity. Many children of God also feel this way when they are asked to give. Some people disdain God each time they are asked to give offerings to Him. They wonder why they have to give 10% of their profit or income to God. They see this as irrational. Yes, irrational minds cannot see the faithfulness of God. We should be grateful to God, and our gratitude should be expressed through our actions to Him and to our fellow men. Every time we bless others with our possessions out of a sincere heart, we are saying to God that we are grateful He made us a channel of blessing.

You can move God to do more for you through the heart of gratitude. Those who show gratitude to God achieve significant things in life. Solomon showed his gratitude to God through his offerings (1 Kings 3:3-15). He remembered and reflected on all the intrigues and battles that led to his emergence as king, and he was moved to give thanks. Also, King David was so grateful to God that he expressed it in his dance, to the point where he was disdained (2 Samuel 6:16). He forgot he was a king, because he was demonstrating his gratitude to the King of kings. For those with a heart of gratitude to God, when things are working, they praise God, and when things are not going in the direction they envisaged, they still praise God, knowing well that the faithfulness of God will never allow them to suffer loss. Are you surrounded by enemies you can’t number? Don’t be troubled. Trust in Lord, and you will see His salvation. Are you going through situations that you can’t see yourself overcoming? Put your trust in God, and you will have total victory. Just take the step of faith and begin to bless the Name of the Lord. Even if a sack letter from your job was handed over to you yesterday, just begin to bless the Lord because something awesome is about to happen to you, and the world will hear your testimony.

Action Point: With a heart of gratitude to God, count your blessings and name them one by one.

Open Heavens 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


17 Things the Bible Says about Angels

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17 Things the Bible Says about Angels

The word, “angel,” means “messenger.”

1. God created the angels before He created anything else in the universe.

The angels watched God work and shouted for joy at the results of the creation (Job 38:4-7).

2. All of the angels were created simultaneously.

They are unable to procreate. (Matthew 22:30). The number of angels has always been constant.

3. The number of angels is incomprehensible.

Revelation 5:11 records the number of Angels: “Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands and thousands.”    … read more

David Abioye's Daily Devotional February 24, 2017 – Faith And Love

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David Abioye's Daily Devotional February 24, 2017 – Faith And Love

Topic: Faith And Love [Friday February 24, 2017]

Love is strong companion to faith.

Gal 5:6

Loving God takes you to the realm of undaunted faith in God.

Love upgrades faith into trust.

Faith is born from the Word of God but trust is born in the God of the Word.

Faith in God may fail but love for God never fails. 1 Cor.13:8

Things may separate you from faith in the Word, but nothing can separate you from your love for God. Rom.8:35-39


Joyce Meyer's daily devotional February 24, 2017 – Filled with His Light

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Joyce Meyer's daily devotional February 24, 2017 – Filled with His Light

Topic: Filled with His Light [Friday February 24, 2017]

And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way]. [So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents]. — 1 John 1:5-6

So often the things we try to hide by burying them deep inside ourselves become darkness within us. But this passage tells us in God there is no darkness at all. So when we allow Him full entrance into our hearts and minds, there will be no darkness there. I am so glad that God fills every room in my heart, so that I am filled with His light. There are no places in my heart that I know of that are blocked off from Him and the light that comes with His presence. Often one of the signs that we are walking in the light of the Gospel is that we have good relationships with everyone with whom we come in contact in our daily lives—including our spouse and our children.

I can truthfully say that right now I do not know of any person in my life with whom I have a major problem. And it is not because they have all changed. The reason is that I have allowed the Lord to come into those dark recesses of my heart and fill them with His marvelous light. When I was one person on the inside and another person on the outside, I had to wear masks and be phony. I had to put on a facade and play games. I am so glad that now I can stand before God and my family and everyone else and be at peace with myself and with others.

I no longer have to live in fear of what anyone thinks of me, because I have opened my heart to God’s Holy Spirit and He has lighted up the dark places within me so I can live free! You can say the same thing if you will open your heart to God and allow Him to fill every part of you with His life-giving Spirit.


Open Heavens 24 February 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Children of God

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Topic: Children of God [Friday 24, February 2017]

Memorise: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: – John 1:12

Read: 1 John 3:1-3 (KJV)

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 16:18, Isaiah 44:9-20

MESSAGE:

You cannot discover your true identity if you are not in Christ. You need to recognise your true self through the light of the Scripture. If you know your true identity, it will help you not to compromise the call of God on your life. The secret of blessings lies in your being able to walk in the divine purpose for your life. As a believer, you are the light in the midst of darkness, called to shine forth. You are the bridge to the destinies of men. If you don’t discover your destiny, the destinies of many others will be buried. I once asked the Almighty God why He allowed me to “waste” twenty-seven years studying mathematics, when He knew that I would eventually become a pastor. The Lord told me that it was simply for the purpose of being able to preach mathematically. It then dawned on me that indeed all things work together for good for the children of God (Romans 8:28).

You are not a child of God just to attend church; you need to find out what God has empowered you for, and do exploits in that area. The reason why you are a child of God is not just to feel cool but to be driven by God’s purpose and mission. When you recognise that you belong to God, it will be practically impossible for anyone to get you derailed (Acts 27:23-24). The power you have received as a child of God is not for nothing. It is expected that you will use this power in raising the dead, in opening the eyes of those still walking and living in ignorance, and in setting captives free from the bondage of Satan. In John 14:12, the Lord Jesus says to you:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

As children of God, let us wake up from our slumber and do the needful urgently. Every child of God is meant to be a fighter — a fearless fighter. You must not be weak in doing exploits for the Lord. You must not give in to fear despite the obstacles before you. All you need is the confidence that as a child of God, you have the backing of your Father. Anyone who comes to Christ comes to the newness of life which qualifies him or her for a new beginning. As a child of God, you must realise that Christ is the centre of your life, and you are meant to be a channel of blessings. A lot of people pass through life without being noticed because they have failed to understand the plan and programme of God for their lives. I pray for you that, in the Name of Jesus, you will find your place in God. By His grace, you will begin to experience prosperity, excellence and extraordinary breakthroughs, and before the end of your life, you will make a lasting change in the world.

Prayer Point: Father, as you did for the disciples of old, grant me boldness to speak Your word.

Open Heavens 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


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