OPEN HEAVENS AND OTHER DEVOTIONALS

MEMORISE:  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13   READ:  Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.   MESSAGE:   We have come to the end of another year. a new year begins tomorrow. At the end of a season, it is important that you sit and review the season.   Review all that happened or didn’t in every aspect of your life in 2020. Did you experience any progress in your career? Did you draw closer to God this year? did your relationship with loved ones get better this year? you know the important areas of your life; do a review.   After your review, you will see areas where you need to improve. The opportunity to improve starts now; grab it with faith in God for a better year. list the things you want to achieve in the new year and put things in place to ensure you achieve them.   If for example, you want to live a better spiritual life, but there is a partner ...

 MEMORISE:    But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.  1 Corinthians 9:27 READ:  1 Corinthians 9:24-27   24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.   25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.   26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:   27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.   MESSAGE: Anyone that is going to excel according to our Bible reading for today, must be self-disciplined. Such a person must keep his/her body under. Do not be deceived - greatness is readily available. There is plenty of room at the top; the ...

MEMORISE: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1 READ:  Psalm 121:1-8   1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.   2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.   3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.   4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.   5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.   6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.   7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.   8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.   MESSAGE: Often I see a lot of people going through life on their own. They try to do everything by their knowledge and power. Though they  achieve some level of success and celebrate it, I pity them because they have no idea how...

MEMORISE:   Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.  Psalm 37:5   READ:  Psalm 37:1-5   1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.   2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.   3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.   4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.   5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.   PRAYERS:   Praise God for the year 2021, praise Him for every single month of the year. Thank Him for preserving you all through the outgoing year. Lord, keep me alive to see 2021 in sound mind and divine health in the mighty name of Jesus. Father let me experience many significant breakthroughs in the coming year. Father uncover and destroy every ambush laid ah...

 MEMORISE:    I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.  Psalm 122:1 READ:  Psalm 122:1-2    1. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.    2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. MESSAGE: Technology is a good thing; it is very effective in enhancing the worship experience, but it must be used with caution so it does not rob us of the worship experience that we need. There is a new trend now where people prefer to sit at home and connect to a service through their Television, a website or social media. Believe me, what you get while watching through these means can never be the same as when you attend the service physically, especially if there is really nothing stopping you from doing so. When you connect to a service from home, you are prone to lots of distractions. Someone could knock on your door and distract you; you could even remember something you wanted to ...

MEMORISE:   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.   James 4:7   READ:  Matthew 8:5-9   5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,   6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.   7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.   8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.   9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. MESSAGE:   Submission goes hand in hand with victory. James 4:7 says that you should submit yourself first to God, then you can resist the devil and he will flee. In other words, if you have not submitted yourself to God, you cannot have...

 MEMORISE:   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.   2 Corinthians 8:9   READ:  Luke 2:6-7   6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.   7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.   MESSAGE:   Jesus came into this world in the most unusual way for a King. The circumstances surrounding His birth alone is a message to the whole world. The Christmas alone is a message of hope. It is a message which says that God can bring greatness out of a manger. It doesn’t matter how humble your background is; Jesus had a worse background just to show that you can soar high and rule notwithstanding your background. I am a living example of how Jesus can transform a nobody i...

 MEMORISE:    Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  Romans 8:37   READ:  1 John 4:4   4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.   MESSAGE:   Someone once gave an analogy on what it means to be more than a conqueror’: When a boxer gets into the ring for a bout, he receives blows and jabs from the opponent; he bleeds and has a swollen face, but in the end if he knocks out his opponent, he is declared the winner. After receiving the belt, he hands it over to his wife. While he is conqueror, his wife is the one who is more than conqueror because without fighting at all, she got what the conqueror fought for.   Our memory verse says “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” This means that, as Jesus’ bride, He has already given you victory without a fight; thus, you are more than a conqueror!   “Th...

 MEMORISE:   A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.   Psalm 91:7   READ:  Psalm 91:1-16   1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.   2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.   3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.   4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.   5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;   6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.   7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.   8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward ...

 MEMORISE:   Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Romans 1:21   READ:  Judge 15:14-19   14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.   15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.   16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.   17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.   18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand...

 MEMORISE:   Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  Isaiah 29:13 READ:  1 Chronicles 16:23-31   23 Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.   24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.   25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.   26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.   27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.   28 Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.   29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.   30 Fear before him, ...

 MEMORISE:  He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: Proverbs 24:24 READ: Proverbs 24:23-26 23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. MESSAGE: Many times, we Pastors find ourselves in situations where we are faced with either speaking the truth or telling a lie to flatter someone who is influential or from whom we can get a lot of benefits. At such times, we must ensure that we do not lie. Our God has never been in support of respecting people to the extent of endorsing their wrongdoings. It does not matter who the fellow is or how much you can gain from them, never lie to get their favor. When God told Prop...

 MEMORISE: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:8 READ: Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. MESSAGE: Many of our beloved ‘grace’ preachers have often misinterpreted today’s Bible reading to mean that since being saved is not by works but grace, you can do whatever you like and still maintain your salvation. Grace means unmerited favor. That means, you did not do anything to be amongst those who God decided to save. John 6:44 says “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 15:16 says “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you” It is only by grace that we had an encounter that brought us into a relationship with Christ. The passage then goes on to say that we are “saved through faith”. So, we are not only sav...

 MEMORISE: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Isaiah 52:7 READ: 3 John 1:5-7 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. MESSAGE: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 As we pray for and bless the Shepherds around us with gifts, let us not forget those in hostile and war-torn communities too. It is not God’s will for missionaries to be abandoned while wealthy Christians enjoyed His blessings in the urban centers. Usually, these gospel crusaders risk their lives, having left the...

 MEMORISE:  He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:30 READ: Exodus 32:22-26 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. 23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. 25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. MESSAGE: The Israelites had departed from God while Moses was on the Mount. They had begun to worship a golden calf which ...

 MEMORISE: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Mark 10:15 READ: Mark 4:8-11 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: MESSAGE: Being a part of the Kingdom of God is the ultimate achievement for any human being. It is a special thing to belong to God’s Kingdom because we become exposed to his mysteries thereby. For example, many people cannot understand or accept the mystery of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ because the eyes of their understanding have been shut. In our memory ve...

 MEMORISE: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3 READ: John 14:21-24 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. MESSAGE: God our Father, the creator of the world, always knows what is best for us. He knows how we should conduct ourselves and live a perfect life. In the beginning (after the fall of man in the garden of Eden), man became a free moral agent, doing whatever pleased h...

 MEMORISE:  I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1 READ: 1 Samuel 30:1-19 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his d...

 MEMORISE: But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 2 Kings 6:5 READ: 2 Kings 6:1-7 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. MESSAGE: A miracle happens when God suspends...

 MEMORISE: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12 READ: Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. MESSAGE: Today’s memory verse says that you must honor your parents if you do not want to die young. This is because of the law of harvest. Whatever you do to your parents, your children will do to you in future. If you honor your parent, you will live to become a parent and your children will honor you in return. The Bible says that God gets very upset at children who mistreat their parents. “ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.” Proverbs 20:20 The above passage tells you that you should watch what you say to or about your parents, so that your light would not be put out ...

 MEMORISE: And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31 READ: Acts 4:23-31 23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to ...

 MEMORISE:  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22 READ: Matthew 21:18-22 18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. MESSAGE: There is tremendous power in faith. In Mark 9:23, Jesus Christ Himself said: “... if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him...

 MEMORISE: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8 READ: Revelation 20:14-15 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. MESSAGE: The second death is mentioned on multiple occasions in the book of Revelation and it is synonymous with the Lake of fire. It is a ‘death’ in that it is an eternal separation from God, the Giver of life. It is called the ‘second’ death because it follows the physical one. Our memory verse (Revelation 21:8) explains the second death in the most detail. From this Bible verse, we see a detailed list of those who will experience the second death. Check to be sure that you don’t fit into this list, because the second death is an e...