Open Heaven For Today 2023 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Dangers of Fame
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TOPIC: Dangers of Fame
MEMORISE:”Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God”. 1 Samuel 15:30
READ: 1 Samuel 15:24-30 (KJV)
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
Open Heaven 13 December 2023 MESSAGE:
Fame is something that many people pursue without actually knowing just how dangerous it is.
Once you are in the limelight, you have to become extra careful.
You have to watch your every move because people are looking at you.
Sometimes when we go for an event and I am to sit at the high table, my driver will say “You sit at the high table and we will sit where we can eat”.
Those at the high table, though hungry, always act otherwise.
Even if they eat at all, it would only be a little, with plenty of caution because all eyes are on them.
When you are famous, it is as if you are on the high table everyday of your life and believe me honestly, there is nothing like just being free to do whatever you want to do without anyone looking at you.
When you are famous, you cannot even take a stroll outside or play in a public place like every other person.
One of the dangers of being famous is that people tend to forget that famous people are human beings too.
I thank God that I have never been after fame so I show regularly that I am as human as anybody can be.
I still occasionally buy roasted plantain on the roadside.
These days it has become more difficult to do that because of the escort vehicles, but as often as I can, I still do, not minding who is looking at me.
I am not after fame so whatever anybody thinks is their own business.
When you are famous, people expect more from you than the average person and if care is not taken, you would not want to disappoint them.
Don’t pursue fame; as exciting as it may seem, it comes with a lot of problems.
Fame may come as you fulfil your assignment on earth, but it should not be your goal.
Those who chase after people knowing and liking them all the time are likely to get into trouble.
In our Bible reading today, King Saul got into trouble with God because he wanted to look good in the eyes of the people.
The only fellow you should live to please is God.
KEY POINT:
Pursuing fame will land you in trouble.
HYMN 3: – Ancient Words
1. Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the ancient words impart
Chorus
Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the ancient words impart
2. Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home
3. Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ
4. Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart
Open Heaven For Today 2023 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Two Types Of Salvation
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TOPIC: Two Types Of Salvation
MEMORISE: “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:” – Romans 9:27 (KJV)
READ: Matthew 22:8-14 (KJV)
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Thessalonians 1-5
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Jesus said clearly in Matthew 7:21 that not all who call Him ‘Lord’ will enter into the Kingdom of God.
This implies that not everyone who is dancing and praising God in Church will go to heaven.
Anyone who is a child of God is regarded as an Israelite, but then our memory verse today says that though there will be many who will become born again, only a remnant amongst them will be saved on the last day.
Not every Prophet, Pastor or evangelist will make it to heaven.
Don’t think that every man who says he is a man of God will make it to heaven.
Thus, when you hear of certain men of God doing some ungodly things, don’t let it surprise you; some of them are not on the narrow path to heaven at all.
There are two categories of Salvation.
There is instant salvation, the kind that happens when people answer the altar call (Romans 10:13) and then there is the ultimate salvation, which happens when you endure to the end as seen in Matthew 10:22:
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
The fact that you are standing now is great, but you must stand until the end to be saved.
Some people teach that once you are saved, you are saved forever; that you can be saved and then live like a child of the devil and you would still make it to heaven.
That is the devil’s lie. You must guard your salvation jealously as shown in Philippians 2:12:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
The devil will do everything within his power to take you back to himself. Don’t think that because you have done many great things for God, you now have a sure ticket to heaven. You must remain standing until the end if you would make it to heaven.
KEY POINT:
You must remain standing until the end if you would make it to heaven.
HYMN 21 – Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King
1 Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
3 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 Monday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Embrace His Word Completely
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TOPIC: Embrace His Word Completely
MEMORISE: “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” – Matthew 15:9 (KJV)
READ: Matthew 15:7-9 (KJV)
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Colossians 1-4
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Occasionally, particularly when I find myself amongst top academicians and theologians, they like to tell me that you can believe whatever is in the New Testament, but the Old Testament should not be believed.
This is because anytime they find something in the Old Testament that is not convenient for them, they want to brush it aside. Malachi 3:10 for example that talks about tithing is ignored by such people.
They ignore Proverbs 3:9-10 too. Then I ask them, what about Isaiah 54:17 which says no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper? What about
“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want”
in Psalm 23:1? What about Deuteronomy 28:13 that says you shall be head and not the tail, you shall be above only and not beneath? I encourage you to know that every Scripture is written by the Holy Spirit and every bit of it must be embraced.
Aside from Scripture, there are people who do something and say, “God will understand”. The Bible does not say anywhere that God understands sin, but rather that He hates it. Psalm 5:4 is very clear about this:
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
If you call yourself a Christian, you have to stay away from sin. (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.
If you are lukewarm, God pushes you out of Himself forcefully and if you are away from God, then you are with the devil.
He says in Revelation 3:16, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Don’t be lukewarm. If you jettison holiness during tough times, then you are not a child of God.
KEY POINT
Your claim to Christianity is not genuine if you live holy only when it is convenient for you.
HYMN 23 – Take My Life, And Let It Be
1 Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Open Heaven For Today 2023 Sunday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Believe His Word
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TOPIC: Believe His Word
MEMORISE: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” – Numbers 23:19 (KJV)
READ: 2 Corinthians 1:18-20 (KJV)
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 1-4
Open Heaven For Today 2023 MESSAGE
Isaiah 6:1-3 tells us that the Almighty God, even though He is all-powerful, loving and glorious, wants to be known for one thing above all others and that is that He is holy.
He is a holy God and that makes it impossible for Him to lie.
Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Psalm 119:89 says His word is forever settled – in other words, you can rely on His word.
Psalm 33:8-9 says once He speaks, it is done.
Why must we believe in Jesus Christ? John 14:6 says He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
If you believe in God the Father and God the Son, it automatically follows that you will believe in God the Holy Spirit.
This is because John 15:26 says the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father.
(2 Peter 1:20-21) says the Bible is written by the hands of men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
In other words, your Bible was written by the Holy Spirit, using the hands of men. Since (1 John 4:6) says the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, then it follows that everything you find in Scripture is the truth.
Unless you believe the entire Scripture, you are not even saved. John 1:11-12 says:
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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:
If you are truly saved and you believe the entire Scripture, then you can go ahead and claim your healing because it is written in (1 Peter 2:24) that by His stripes we were healed.
Take note of the past tense ‘were’ used in the verse.
This means your healing has been settled already.
God is simply waiting for you to manifest divine health through your willingness to obey every word of His.
You can also claim your deliverance if only you would believe.
John 8:32 and 36 says you shall know the truth, the truth shall make you free and whosoever the Son sets free shall be free indeed.
There are lots of blessings available to the believer.
All you have to do is believe in God, believe in His word, and everything He has promised in the Bible will be yours.
PRAYER POINT
Do you really believe in God’s word? If you do, then you will live strictly according to it.
HYMN 21 – Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King
1 Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
3 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
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