Topic: The Reward Of Diligence [Open Heavens 1st May 2018, Tuesday]

Memorise: Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. – Matthew 25:28

Read: Matthew 25:14-28 (KJV)

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 8-9, Hebrew 9:11-28

MESSAGE:

God Almighty has called all of mankind to a life of diligence. After He created Adam, he charged him to keep and diligently dress the beautiful garden He bequeathed to him (Genesis 2:15). The Almighty indeed rewards diligence. In Proverb 10:4, He enlightens us on the reward that awaits diligent people:

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”

The Lord Jesus Christ further drove home the point with the story of a diligent servant to whom his master had entrusted five talents to trade with. He was so diligent that these talents yielded five more talents. When his master returned to take stock of his activities, he was commended and handsomely rewarded. Matthew 25:21 says:

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

In this same parable, we also see the direct opposite of diligence and its consequences. The servant with one talent mischievously kept the talent and refused to trade with it. His reward was the loss of his talent and outright rejection from the joy of his lord. On the other hand, the diligent servant who started with five talents gained the talent that was taken away from the indolent servant, and ended up with eleven talents in all.

Beloved, laziness, in whatever guise it may come, is not a Christian virtue. Every child of God must be diligent. In Proverbs 6:6-8, the Lord instructs the lazy to learn from the ant, saying:

“6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”

As a matter of fact, from Proverbs 6:10-11, we understand that penury is the outcome of laziness:

“10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”

Proverbs 27:23-27 further highlights the rewards of diligence. The Lord promised to bless the work of your hands, not your idleness. Know for sure that faithful is He who promised you this, and He will fulfill all He has said if you diligently play your own part (Deuteronomy 28:1-5, Hebrews 10:23).

Prayer Point: Father, please bless the work of my hands and cause me to prosper in the land of the living.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Open Heavens 30th April 2018 Monday — Progressive Prosperity

Hymn 4: Trust And Obey

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.

Chorus:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. 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 blessed if we trust and obey.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

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

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

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

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Topic: Requirements for accessing vision!

Welcome to the concluding part of this teaching series! I hope you were blessed by last week’s teaching. Today, we shall focus on Requirements for Accessing Vision!

From scriptures, we discover that the vision of the book (The Bible) is sealed to any man no matter how learned until some conditions are fulfilled. God’s plan for every one of His children is in the Word. As it is written: And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned(Isaiah 29:11-12). Every genuine vision leads to enthronement. Therefore, we have the responsibility of ascertaining the genuineness of our vision before launching out in its pursuit.

What, then, are the Requirements for Accessing Vision?

Be Born Again: In the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, the Bible records that: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? …(John 3:3-8). It is common knowledge that only like creatures hears one another. For instance, only a sheep can hear the bleating of another sheep. To a human being, a sheep is just bleating but to the sheep, they are communicating. Again, a barking dog is not just barking but speaking with another dog in their language. In the same vein, because God is a Spirit, it would take a spirit-being of like-nature to hear what He is saying (John 4:24). This means that when we become born again, we become spirit-beings with the innate capacity to hear what the Spirit of God is saying. Therefore, until we are born-again, we cannot hear or see what the Holy Spirit is saying or showing to us (John 16:13).

We Must Be Spiritual: It is one thing to be born again and yet another to be a spiritual person. ‘Being spiritual’ here connotes walking in the fear of God. It is written: What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose (Psalm 25:12). This means, we cannot live carnal lives and access divine plan. For it is written: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). A natural man, no matter his level of education or knowledge cannot access vision. He must be spiritual in order to access it. Therefore, we must tune in spiritually to hear what the Spirit of God is saying and showing because He can speak to us at any time.

Possess a Quiet Spirit: God requires a quiet spirit from us in order to reach us. The Bible says: But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3:4). Many of us are overburdened with issues. We are so anxious about matters which make our spirit-man crowded and noisy. Thus, we miss out on the still small voice of God; designed to open up the next phase of our destinies. God said: Be still and know that I am God… (Psalm 46:10).

Possess a Grateful Heart: Every time we give God thanks for the present, we commit Him to secure our future. As it is written: Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up (Psalm 28:5; see also Malachi 2:2-3). From these scriptures, we understand that whenever we recognise God’s intervention in our situation and give Him thanks, He builds us up and takes us to the next phase of our destinies. Sometimes, we attach the positive happenings in our lives to our efforts rather than to God, thereby blocking access to the next chapter of our lives. This explains why some are stagnated in life.

Engage the Force of Prayer and Fasting: God still visits His people on the altar of prayer and fasting. For it is written: Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6-12).

Through Word Encounters: Here, ‘Word encounter’ connotes God’s written Word (The Bible) that is turned to the spoken Word as we engage in a study in order to address any situation in our lives. The Bible says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:1-5). This simply means that God dwells in His Word.

However, being born again is the only way to unveil the requirements for accessing vision. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus, for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: In pursuit of Vision, Following The Path Of The Eagle, The Breakthrough Power of Vision and Understanding Divine Direction. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: [email protected]; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/; Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin

Please click to read other inspiring MESSAGES by Bishop David Oyedepo

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Topic: Beware Of Marriage Destroyers (4)

Dear Reader,

I welcome you to this week’s teaching. In the previous editions, I have taught on wrong companion, slothfulness, anger, bitterness and covetousness, as some of those things that destroy marriage and families. Consciously staying away from those things will bring about a quick turn-around in your life, marriage and family. Today, I will be teaching on IMPATIENCE as yet another thing that can destroy marriage and families.

Patience is the opposite of impatience and impatience is simply the inability to deal calmly with a situation or wait for something. It can also mean a state of being in an unusual haste. Many families have been ruined because of impatience in the individuals or family members involved. The Word of God says: … he that believeth shall not make haste (Isaiah 28:16). Haste makes waste. One example of someone that was impatient is Abraham in Genesis 16:1-6. Abraham, the father of faith, came to a point in his life where he experienced impatience. God had appeared to him several times, assuring him that he would have a son by his darling wife, Sarah. Having waited for what appeared to be too long a time, he readily gave in to Sarah’s suggestion to go into’ her maid and raise an heir through her. One would have thought that as great as Abraham was, he would be immune to impatience but it was so natural for him to give in to it. He must have begun to tire out for waiting long before Sarah made that suggestion, such that the moment an opening came he quickly grabbed it and what an irony that the child born by Abraham out of impatience became an enemy of the child of faith. Ishmael and Isaac could not live together.

Many have killed the joy of their would-be miracle because of their impatience with the Word of God. The Word of God says: For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36). As a husband, you need to be patient with your wife. As a wife, you need to be patient with your husband. You may not be getting what you really want from your spouse right now, but you need patience to tolerate him or her.

You may be having an unbelieving spouse, all you need do is to be patient with him or her. Patience can turn your unbelieving spouse to a man or woman after God’s own heart. Remember, God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts than ours. Even when He appears to be delaying, you must never lose hope, because He makes all things beautiful in His time (2 Peter 3:9). Don’t let the enemy cheat you out of your blessings. God is never slow or late. He is always on time with whatever He promises an individual. God’s time is the right time!

The cure for impatience is simple patience backed by faith in the Word of God. The Word of God says: But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James 1:4). Perfection will only come, when your patience is in place. Your patience must be backed by a strong faith in God and His Word. For instance, if you are experiencing turbulence in your home, you must discover what God’s Word says is the solution, and then step out in obedience. It may not look like the solution, but God is a marriage expert; He instituted the union and knows how best to make it work.

When you are filled with the Word concerning your home, it will not run short of miracles. To keep enjoying God’s blessings for your family, you must keep doing whatever He tells you to do. Not just doing it, but doing it right, going to the extremes in your obedience. God has not changed, and He will not compromise His standard.

You need to give God’s Word a chance in your marriage and family. When His Word is not given its priority place in your marriage and family, there is bound to be problems. Satan is rendered powerless when a couple stands firmly on the Word of God and operates by its principles. Hold on to God and His Word patiently. Many give up when they are just a minute to their breakthrough – Don’t give up! Trust God completely.

God’s Word in Hebrews 10:36 says: For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Patience is a must! Instead of looking at the problem, challenge or situation; look into God’s Word, confess it to yourself and remind Him in prayers of His promises. If, for instance, you are looking for a baby, instead of mourning over doctor’s reports and getting unhappy about every monthly menstrual circle that comes, you can hold on to God’s Word; it never fails. To overcome the darkness of barrenness, go for the light of God’s word and keep declaring that Word, until that barren situation changes. Light will always shine in darkness and darkness can never comprehend light (John 1:5). A woman gave this testimony and in her own words, she said: “I have been married for 7 years. Shortly after my wedding, my period seized. Thinking I was pregnant, I kept expecting my baby. But it turned out to be a false alarm. From the results of an ultrasound scan I did, the doctor said I had a small uterus, too small to accommodate a baby. I laughed it off, reasoning that if God has given those without wombs children, I who even has one, has hope. I got up for prayers, when my case was described by the Bishop’s wife, at one of the conventions held, and after prayers were made, my period was restored and a month later, I became pregnant! My baby was born and his name is David! All glory to God” I declare that by the power backing the Word, I bring to you right now, that situation of barrenness is consumed and you are liberated, in Jesus name! Your testimony shall be the next in Jesus’ name! You are free!

However, true liberty from all those things that destroy marriage and family is established when you accept Jesus Christ into your life. If, peradventure, you, the reader, is not born again and you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

“Please click to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

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