OPEN HEAVENS AND OTHER DEVOTIONALS

MEMORISE: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.  Romans 9:16 READ:  Psalm 136: 1-26 1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever. 11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever. 12 With a strong hand, and with a stre...

MEMORISE: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 READ:  Romans 2:6-10 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: MESSAGE: Good people are wise people. They understand that being good to others will endear them to God, so they keep doing good. Also, they know that, according to Proverbs 11:17, when you show mercy to others, you are actually being good to yourself, and when you are cruel to them, you are also being cruel to yourself. It is very simple: you cannot deceive God, W...

MEMORISE: Quench not the Spirit.  1 Thessalonians 5:19 READ:  Galatians 5:16-26 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have c...

 MEMORISE: Now faith is the substance   of    things hoped f o r , t h e evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11 :1 READ: Hebrews 11:1-1 1 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7. By faith Noa...

MEMORISE: I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.  Daniel 4:2 READ:  Matthew 10:32-33 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. MESSAGE: Children are testifiers. If you give a child a gift, he or she would tell everyone about it. Children also boast a lot about their parents and the benefits they get from them. If you have just got a car, it is most likely that your child will want you to take him or her to school in it so as to show off to their friends. If you give a child a gift, if possible, he or she will tell the whole world about it. Do you tell everyone what God has done for you or are you ashamed to talk about Him in public? Do you share testimonies of His wondrous works that will make others want to serve your God? I tell stories because I cannot he...

MEMORISE: But without faith it Is Impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 READ:  Deuteronomy 28:3-13 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, a...

MEMORISE: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.                                                         1 John 4:8 READ:  Matthew 18:1-7 1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe ...

 MEMORISE:  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. Revelation 16:15 READ:  Matthew 24:36-44 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would no...

  MEMORISE:    *For I know the* *thoughts that I think* *toward you, saith the* *Lord , thoughts of peace,* *and not of* *evil, to give* *you an expected end.* *Jeremiah 29:11*    READ:  Psalm 126:1-6   1. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.   2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.   3. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.   4. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.   5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.   6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.   MESSAGE:   You may have tried many things, and none seems to be succeeding; I want to encourage you not to give up. Don't forget your dreams. Don't forget the prophecies that h...

MEMORISE: And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  Luke 19:8 READ:  Leviticus 6:1-5 1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more ther...

MEMORISE: “Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours : f r o m the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be” Deuteronomony 1:24 READ:  Deuteronomony1:22-25 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 23 Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. MESSAGE: But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood m...

MEMORISE: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.                  Romans 13 :1 READ:  Romans 13 :1-3 1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: MESSAGE: 'RA' in   our equation for Resistance in the Mathematics of Christ in You" (MCV) series which we started on January 11, stands for Rebellion against Authority. Some 'Christians' feel they are too big to do God's work because they are educated· Some refuse to obey their Father-in-the-Lord and still expect to get the...

MEMORISE: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  Luke 14:26 READ:  Matthew 10:35-38 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. MESSAGE: The 'F' in our equation for Resistance in the "Mathematics of Christ in You” (MCY) series that we started on January 11, stands for Family Ties. As difficult as it sounds, if Christ is going to operate freely in you, some family ties would have to suffer, as we see in todays' memory verse. What Jesus was saying is that your love fo...

 *MEM. VERSE: JN. 1:23:* "He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Esaias." *Reading: Jn. 1:19-28.* Nothing great comes without preparation. This is the time for you to prepare for the great testimonies ahead of you. Therefore, we are going into prayers that will bring forth your hidden blessings beginning from this morning. I counsel that you may need to fast along as you pray daily in order to guarantee result. The first step in your prayers for testimony is to discover your divine purpose on earth. In our reading this morning, the Jews asked John, "Who art thou?" They were not interested in his name or where he came from. They wanted to know his divine mission on planet earth. Every man and woman created by God has a divine purpose. God has never created a useless person. He has assignment for everyone.   Your duty is to find out why God created you. What is your assignment? Those who know the...

MEMORISE: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  Matthew 6:14 READ:  Mark 11:23-26 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. MESSAGE: We have been treating the "Mathematics of Christ in You" (MCY) since January 11. The 'B' in our equation for Resistance stands for Bitterness. If you refuse to forgive those who have offended you, you are only mul...

THEME: MCY: LUST II. MEMORISE: Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 READ:  Judges 16: 4-20 4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 Now t...

MEMORISE: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  John 2:15 READ:  1 John 2:15-17 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. MESSAGE: The fifth element in our equation for Resistance in the Mathematics of Christ in You" (MCY) series is 'L' and it stands for Lust. For today however, we Will only focus on the lust of the eyes. Our Bible reading for today says the world and all that is in it will pass away. When you have a strong desire for material things, Christ cannot dwell and operate mightily in you. Many people will miss Heaven because of their love ...

MEMORISE: The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe .           Proverbs 29:25  READ:  1 Samuel 15:18 -30  18 And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.   19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?   20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.   21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.   22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Beho...

MEMORISE:     Brethren , I count not myself to hove apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.                                               Philippians 3:13     READ:  Philippians 3:11-16     11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.   12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.   13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,   14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.   15 Let us therefore, as many as be p...

MEMORISE: I am the vine, ye are the b ranches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  John 15:5 READ:  Judges16:20-21 20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him. 21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. MESSAGE: The 'S' in our equation for Resistance in the "Mathematics of Christ in You" (MCY) stands for Self-Sufficiency (If you do not understand, kindly refer to the devotionals of January.11 and 12). Most times, what many people call self-sufficiency is purely reliance on their flesh rather than God. In Daniel 4 :2 8-37, we see how this attitude got Nebuchadnezzar into trouble. He said "Is this not Babylon that I buil...

MEMORISE: But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith , God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4: 6 READ:  Proverbs 16:18 18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  MESSAGE: Today, we will be considering the element 'P' in the " Mathematics of Christ in You" - MC:' (If you do not understand, kindly refer to the devotional of January 11 ).The element 'P' in the equation for Resistance stands for Pride. Pride will resist the free flow of Christ in you. Today’s memory verse says God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. This means that it is only when pride disappears that the grace of Christ would begin to now flow fully in you.1 Peter 5:6 says:  "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Almost as soon as I got born again, I began to hear the voice of the Lord.  It was a sweet experience. I was also the interpreter for the then Gen...