OPEN HEAVEN 11 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: 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

Open Heaven, May 11, 2024, Bible Reading Jeremiah 29:1-14

1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;

2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)

3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 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.

12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

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Open Heaven 12 May 2024

Open Heaven 10 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 11 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Whether you believe it or not, God has a plan for your life.

Even if your parents weren’t planning to have a baby when they had you, as long as God formed you in your mother’s belly and made you come out of the womb alive, He has a plan for you.

Jeremiah 1:5 illustrates this clearly: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and lordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Believe me, the plan that God has for you is a good one. He made that known in Jeremiah 29:11.

The question now is, are you walking in line with His plan for you? It is not enough for God to have a good plan for your life; if you refuse to live according to His plan, it will look like there was none in the first place.

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21

God is willing to guide you in the direction you should go at every point of your life; He is willing to be your compass all through life.

Another question you must answer is, are you willing to draw close to Him enough to hear His voice?

After you have heard His voice, are you willing to obey Him, even when He asks you to do something that seems foolish?

Only those who draw close to God, listen to Him, and obey Him completely will fulfil His plan for their lives.

I thought I was on the right path when I was trying to become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa.

I thought that was a good plan until I met God and drew close to Him. Thereafter, He began to whisper into my ears which way to go at every point.

When He told me to leave my job and become the General Overseer of a church whose total monthly income was not up to my salary, that was a hard thing to do – thank God I obeyed.

I did not become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa, but today, many Vice Chancellors call me Daddy.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God also owns a university that has been rated as the second overall best in the country.

God’s plans will always be far greater than anything you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

OPEN HEAVEN 11 MAY 2024 REFLECTION

Are you close to God enough to hear His voice leading you in line with His plan for your life?

OPEN HEAVEN 11 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 5: BLESSED ASSURANCE

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. [Refrain]

OPEN HEAVEN 11 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 17-20

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 10 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: For not he that commandeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commandeth. 2 Corinthians 10:18

Open Heaven, May 10, 2024, Bible Reading Judges 16:4-21

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 there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

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.

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Daily Confession: I confess today that in the name that is above every other name, Jesus, I will not be a prey to any fowler and to the chief of all fowlers, in the mighty name of Jesus

Open Heaven For Teens 10 May 2024 Friday

Open Heaven 11 May 2024

Open Heaven 9 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 10 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Today, I will conclude my discussion on the qualities that make the devil’s bait effective: the devil ensures that his bait invokes his prey’s pride.

In Genesis 3:6, Eve ate the forbidden fruit because she felt that it could make her wise. When you are lured to do something to show off, beware!

Usually, the enemy catches people who think that they can never be caught (1 Corinthians 10:12).

When a fellow says, “I believe in holiness, and I practise it, so the devil can never get me,” he or she should take heed.

For example, in Luke 22:31-34, the Lord said to Peter, “Satan desires to have you.”

Peter said, “Lord, even if it involves death, the devil will not overpower me.” Jesus replied, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

In today’s Bible reading, we discovered that Samson fell because he was over-confident.

Delilah did not hide her intentions, she clearly asked for the secret of his power to know how to overpower him.

Samson thought that with his track record, he could not be captured and so, he decided to play a game with the devil.

Don’t play games with the devil, he has been around for a long while. His track record shows how many great people he has destroyed.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” If it looks like evil, don’t think that you can withstand it.

Run!

I know someone who said that he joined one of the secret cults on his campus because he was curious.

He said he did it for fun, believing that he would not get involved in the terrible things they do as if that were possible. Don’t joke with the devil.

The Bible says in Proverbs 16:18 that pride goes before destruction. Proverbs 29:23 says that a man’s pride shall bring him low.

Some years ago, a lady was to be employed as my private secretary, and I said, “No way!” I know the nature of my work; I work day and night.

What will I say I am doing alone in my office at night with another man’s wife. Some people came later and said, “Sir, we thought you were anointed.” I said,

“I know, but does the anointing turn your body to stone?”

If you think you cannot fall, you are already on your way down because your pride will make you get close to the trap enough for it to eventually catch you.

Pride goes before a fall.

OPEN HEAVEN 10 MAY 2024 KEY POINTS

Let he that thinks he stands take heed lest he falls

OPEN HEAVEN 10 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

1 All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!

2 Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.

3 Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.

4 Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.

5 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all!

6 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.

7 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.

8 Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.

OPEN HEAVEN 10 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 12-16

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 MEMORISE: And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Genesis 24:12

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 READ: Genesis 24:12-14

[12]And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

[13]Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

[14]And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

I Abraham’s chief servant promised his master that he would go to Abraham’s hometown to get a wife for Isaac.

He set out on the journey, and as he approached his destination, he stopped to pray, pleading for God’s favour.

He said, “I pray thee.” Some other Bible versions translate this as “Please.”

The word ‘please’ is used to express politeness when making a request.

When you’re asking God for anything in prayers, be polite and courteous. Don’t go to God in prayer being pompous and demanding.

James 4:6 says that God resists the proud, but He gives grace unto the humble.

Whenever I pray, I say, “Father, please give me so and so…please do this for me because I know you are my Father, and you would not withhold any good thing from me.”

Similarly, when you want to make a request from your parents, friends, colleagues, siblings or neighbours, even if you are entitled to that thing, it is important to still say words like ‘please’, ‘could you’, or ‘please, may I have this?’

When you do this, people will know you are a child who has good manners.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 KEY POINT

Pride hinders a lot of things; be humble, even in prayers.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 HYMN 13 – PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR

1 Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2 Let me at a throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3 Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4 Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 10 MAY 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27 John 6:22-42

AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 9 MAY 2024 MEMORISE: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have Proverbs 28:13

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 9 MAY 2024 READ: Psalms 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Good morning, Beloved, we are deeply sorry for publishing late. We will keep to posting early, thank you

Open Heaven 9 May 2024 Thursday

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 9 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

As long as we are here on earth, there is bound to be friction between children and parents, leaders and followers, teachers and students, and so on.

However, what truly matters is the remorse a fellow expresses after he or she has done something wrong.

Instead of trying to explain the reason for wrong actions or intentions, the wise thing to do is to first apologise genuinely.

It is good for young people to be encouraged to be bold and confident, face their fears, and speak the truth always.

However, when a child or teenager makes a mistake, the appropriate thing to do is to own up to that error, ask to be forgiven, and try not to repeat it again.

Don’t make it a habit to always give excuses for your errors or mistakes. If you do, people will think that you can’t be trusted on any matter.

If this can give you a bad reputation before men, how much more before God?

REFLECTION

How respectful are you?

HYMN 2 – GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES

1. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught
Homes where the Master’s will is sought
Homes crowned with beauty Thy love has wrought
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

2. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the father is true and strong
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong
Homes that are joyous with love and song
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

3. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the mother, in queenly quest
Strives to show others Thy way is best
Homes where the Lord is an honoured guest
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

4. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 5:1-7:17 John 6:1-21
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 9 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:12

Open Heaven, May 9, 2024, Bible Reading Romans 6:1-23

¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin.

⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Beloved, please share this message with someone. If you do so, we will continue to post timely and make this platform better for you and your loved ones. Thank you! 

Open Heaven 10 May 2024

Open Heaven 8 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 9 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Today, I will discuss the second quality that makes the devil’s baits effective. The devil uses baits which are pleasant to the eyes and taste to get people in his trap.

For example, Eve considered the forbidden fruit to be pleasant to the eyes and good for food when the devil tempted her with it (Genesis 3:6).

Presenting sin as if it is pleasant is an old trick of the devil to trap man, and every believer must be wary of it.

If a fellow is controlled by physical senses, he or she becomes vulnerable to the devil’s bait. This is why you must be dead to the flesh.

When people always want to satisfy their flesh, they will not be able to control their sexual desires, eating habits, and so on.

The very dangerous thing about the devil’s bait being pleasant to the taste is that if a fellow tastes it once, it can become difficult to stop, just as I described three days ago.

The key to avoiding the bait is not to taste it at all. Yes, it looks attractive, but you must not go near it at all. An African proverb says, “What you should not eat, you should not sniff.”

Ask anyone who is addicted to something bad, and they will tell you it all started with a taste. Those who masturbate only tasted it once, and when they saw that nothing happened to them, they did it again and again until they found out that they had become addicted.

Those who are addicted to alcohol usually start out as casual drinkers before becoming heavy drinkers. When the trap snaps shut and many of these people look back at their lives, they regret the first day they ever tasted the enemy’s bait.

If a snare is prepared by the fowler and you stay away from the bait, you will not be caught in it.

During the Nigerian civil war, there was a slogan used by one side of the conflict: “The price of safety is unresting vigilance.”

Please, my beloved, stay as far away from the devil’s bait as you can.

If you are addicted to a sinful habit, you need the power of the Most High God to break free from it.

Seek help from a spirit-filled man of God and you may also consult a Christian professional counsellor to break free from that addiction.

By the grace of God, you will not become the devil’s prey, in Jesus’ name.

OPEN HEAVEN 9 MAY 2024 KEY POINTS

Don’t taste the devil’s bait at all.

OPEN HEAVEN 9 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD

¹ I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

² Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine. [Refrain]

³ Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend! [Refrain]

⁴ There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee. [Refrain]

OPEN HEAVEN 9 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 8-11

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 8 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:29

Open Heaven, May 8, 2024, Bible Reading Matthew 6:22-23
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Beloved, please share this message with someone. If you do so, we will continue to post timely and make this platform better for you and your loved ones. Thank you! 

Open Heaven 9 May 2024

Open Heaven 7 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 8 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Yesterday, I promised to discuss the three major qualities that make the devil’s baits effective.

The first bait the devil ever used was the forbidden fruit. When you read Genesis 3:6, you will see all the qualities of the devil’s bait in the fruit.

Eve saw that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes. The fowler’s bait is usually attractive and difficult to ignore.

The devil studies a fellow and knows the things that he or she is attracted to. You will hardly see a man commit adultery with a woman he considers ugly.

The bait the enemy will use is usually attractive.

Don’t be fooled by its attractiveness; it has death in it. In Judges 16:4, Samson ‘fell in lust’ with Delilah and threw all caution to the wind.

The devil used his attraction to her to bait him into a trap that eventually destroyed him.

There are probably things around you that you are attracted to that are sinful or that may cause you to sin.

It is a trap that you should beware of so that you will not become prey to the devil.

If a man is attracted to light-skinned women, the devil will put them all around him as temptations to commit fornication or adultery.

If he is attracted to flashy cars, the devil will keep bringing flashy cars his way. If he lets his lust for flashy cars push him to steal, then the devil has caught him.

This is why Christians must circumcise their hearts to change their affections. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

Do not be too attracted to the things of the world.

You must soak yourself in the word of God. Let His word abide in you so much that the only things that are attractive to you are the things that please Him.

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). Beware of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

If you discover that things of the world are becoming more attractive to you than the things of God, it means that you are vulnerable to the devil’s snare.

Declare a fast for yourself, go on a retreat and spend quality time in God’s presence till that lust dies.

OPEN HEAVEN 8 MAY 2024 KEY POINTS

The devil knows what you are attracted to, and he will use that as bait to get you. Beware!

OPEN HEAVEN 8 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

1 All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!

2 Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.

3 Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.

4 Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.

5 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all!

6 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.

7 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.

8 Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.

OPEN HEAVEN 8 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 5-7

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 8 MAY 2024 WEDNESDAY: THE MAGIC WORD: EXCUSE ME

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 8 MAY 2024 MEMORISE: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: James 1:19

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 8 MAY 2024 READ: James 1:19-20

19]Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

[20]For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 8 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Preschoolers are usually taught the five magic words, which are: excuse me, please, sorry, thank you, and pardon me.

Over the next few days, I will teach about each of these magic words.

The first is ‘excuse me’. This phrase is a polite way of asking a fellow to move away from your path because he or she is obstructing you.

For example, when someone is standing in front of a door that you are approaching, as a matter of courtesy, you should say, “Excuse me,” so that the person will step aside for you to pass.

It is very appalling to see children and teenagers struggling to pass through a door or little space with another person.

I see it as a lack of etiquette or respect, especially if the person is older than they are.

Respecting other people only increases your good reputation before men.

The Bible says that a good name is better than riches. Therefore, you should learn to respect others and use respectful words.

REFLECTION
How respectful are you?

HYMN 2 – GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES
1. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught
Homes where the Master’s will is sought
Homes crowned with beauty Thy love has wrought
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

2. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the father is true and strong
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong
Homes that are joyous with love and song
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

3. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the mother, in queenly quest
Strives to show others Thy way is best
Homes where the Lord is an honoured guest
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes

4. God give us Christian homes
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow
God give us Christian homes
God give us Christian homes!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 John 5:24-47
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 MEMORISE: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 READ: Daniel 1:3-4

[3]And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

[4]Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

A profession, according to the dictionary, is a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.

God is the originator of all professions, and this was evident in the life of the first man and woman – Adam and Eve.

First, Adam practised zoology when he named all the animals in Genesis 2:19.

He practised fashion designing when he and his wife made clothes from leaves, and he also practised farming in the garden of Eden.

When God sent him out of the garden, he must have also practised midwifery to help his wife deliver their children.

Paul was a lawyer and tentmaker, Peter was a fisherman before he became a global evangelist, and I was a senior lecturer at the university before I became a pastor.

Beloved, every noble profession was inspired by God, the creator of all wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

My dear child, you can become anything you want to be as long as your life keeps giving glory to God.

Thus, in whatever you choose to do, ask for divine guidance and the grace to excel at it.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 KEY POINT

Write what you would love to become and ask God to guide your choice.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 HYMN 4 – CHRIST IS OUR CORNER-STONE

1. Christ is our Comer-stone;
On Him alone we build;
With His true Saints alone
The courts of Heaven are filled;
On His great Love
Our hopes we place
Of present grace,
And joys above.

2. Oh, then with hymns of praise
These hallow’d courts shall ring:
Our voices we will raise,
The Three in One to sing;
And thus proclaim
In joyful song,
Both loud and long,
That glorious Name.

3. Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh;
In copious shower
On all who pray,
Each holy day,
Thy blessings pour.

4 Here may we gain from Heaven,
The grace which we implore,
And may that grace, once given
Be with us evermore;
Until that day,
When all the blest,
To endless rest
Are call’d away

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 7 MAY 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21 John 5:1-23

AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 7 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. 1 John 2:16

Open Heaven, May 7, 2024, Bible Reading James 1:12-16

¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Beloved, please share this message with someone. If you do so, we will continue to post timely and make this platform better for you and your loved ones. Thank you! 

Open Heaven 8 May 2024

Open Heaven 6 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 7 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? Isaiah 49:24

According to the word of God, anyone who catches prey with a trap like I described yesterday can legally lay claim to it.

There are lawful captives of the enemy. We have tried to cast demons out of people before, and they would say, “You are trespassing because this fellow belongs to us. They walked into our trap.”

For example, I once had a student who was on his way to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) station when he fell sick.

The doctor said he was allergic to rice. When they brought him to me, and as I was about to pray for him, the Lord said that he had to make restitution.

It turned out his father stole a neighbour’s bicycle to pay his school fees, and the owner placed a curse on the thief.

His father died from an allergic reaction to rice, and now the son was on the same path.

If that had not been revealed to me, we would have prayed in futility because the boy was a lawful captive.

I told him to buy a bicycle for the man’s son because the man was late. Incidentally, when he returned after doing so, I was about to eat rice.

He ate my rice, finished it, and nothing happened to him. Another boy was brought to me for prayers because he was barking.

This boy had been having sex with their dog in the house. I prayed, but the barking did not stop.

I advised the parents to keep bringing him for the Holy Ghost service every month and be hopeful that God will have mercy and deliver the lawful captive from his captor.

When a fellow walks into the trap of the enemy after being lured by his or her lust, the devil can lawfully lay a claim on the fellow.

In our Bible reading for today, Apostle James tells us clearly that God does not tempt anyone, but rather, people are tempted by their own lusts, which result in sin and then death eventually.

The bait the devil uses does not usually look like death.

The bait has three major qualities to make it effective: it is usually attractive to the prey, it is pleasant to the prey’s taste, and it invokes the prey’s pride.

I will discuss these qualities in detail in the following days because I believe God that after this study, you will never fall into the devil’s trap.

OPEN HEAVEN 7 MAY 2024 KEY POINTS

Beware of the things you lust after; they are baits of the devil that will lead to death eventually.

OPEN HEAVEN 7 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

¹ All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!

² Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.

³ Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.

⁴ Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.

⁵ Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all!

⁶ Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.

⁷ Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.

⁸ Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.

OPEN HEAVEN 7 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 1-4

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 6 MAY 2024 MEMORIZE: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Open Heaven, May 6, 2024, Bible Reading Psalms 124:6–8

⁶ Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

⁷ Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Beloved, please share this message with someone. If you do so, we will continue to post timely and make this platform better for you and your loved ones. Thank you! 

Open Heavens For Teens 6 May 2024 Monday

Open Heaven 7 May 2024

Open Heaven 5 May 2024

OPEN HEAVEN 6 MAY 2024 MESSAGE

The Bible teaches that there are some people called fowlers who hunt for souls.

A very good example of a fowler is an adulteress (Proverbs 6:26).

The Bible says that she hunts for precious life. The chief of all fowlers is the devil (1 Peter 5:8).

A fowler uses a snare to entrap prey. I grew up on a farm, and we used to get our meat by trapping animals.

In the evenings, we would get traps, dig into the soil, put the traps in the hole, cover them with leaves, and sprinkle soil on the leaves so that everything would look normal.

After setting the traps, we would put baits (usually corn) on both sides of the traps and then go to bed.

At night, when an animal sees the baits around a trap, it will go close and eat some of the corn.

When it sees that nothing happens, it moves forward, eats a little more and then goes on until it finishes all the corn on one side.

Since it has eaten all the corn on one side, it ignorantly attempts to cross over to eat the corn on the other side, and suddenly, as it steps on the trap, it snaps shut and catches the animal.

By morning, it is in our cooking pot.

There are countless people in hell today because they tasted sin and nothing seemed to happen, so they kept sinning until they got caught in the devil’s trap.

Many young ladies from good homes who were taught to keep their virginity have ended up badly because they had sex once, and since nothing happened, they continued until they got pregnant, contracted a disease, or became fully immersed in that terrible lifestyle.

One thing a trapped animal experiences when the trap snaps shut is great fear.

Likewise, one of the signs that a fellow is in trouble is fear.

The one who is caught in the trap of the fowler is called prey. Interestingly, prey sounds like pray. If a Christian does not pray, he or she will become prey.

Psalms 91:3 says that the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will be delivered from the snare of the fowler.

If you don’t want to fall into the snare of the fowler, your secret place with your Father must be on fire.

If your altar grows cold, you may soon find yourself in the devil’s cooking pot.

Pray fervently for at least one hour every day, and it will be difficult for you to be the devil’s prey.

OPEN HEAVEN 6 MAY 2024 KEY POINTS

If you don’t pray, you will become prey to the devil.

OPEN HEAVEN 6 MAY 2024 HYMN

HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER

1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 
that calls me from a world of care, 
and bids me at my Father’s throne 
make all my wants and wishes known. 
In seasons of distress and grief, 
my soul has often found relief, 
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare 
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer! 

2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 
the joys I feel, the bliss I share 
of those whose anxious spirits burn 
with strong desires for thy return! 
With such I hasten to the place 
where God my Savior shows his face, 
and gladly take my station there, 
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer! 

3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! 
thy wings shall my petition bear 
to him whose truth and faithfulness 
engage the waiting soul to bless. 
And since he bids me seek his face, 
believe his word, and trust his grace, 
I’ll cast on him my every care, 
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer! 

OPEN HEAVEN 6 MAY BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 27-29

AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE