Open Heaven 29 April 2018 Sunday – IT CAME TO PASS

Open Heaven 29 April 2018 Memorise:And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22

Read: 1st Peter 1:1-9 Open Heaven 29 April 2018

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Open Heaven 29 April 2018

Bible in one year: 1st Samuel 3-5, Hebrews 7

Hymnal: Sing hymn 10

MESSAGE – OPEN HEAVEN 29 APRIL 2018 SUNDAY DAILY DEVOTIONAL

There is a phrase commonly used throughout the whole Bible which should serve as comfort to all Christian pilgrims, particularly when they are passing through situations that are not so pleasant. That phrase is the title of today’s devotional – “It came to pass”.

To someone using this devotional today, all your challenges shall pass in Jesus’ Name. The Lord Jesus Christ did not promise us that the Christian walk would be a wall in the park. He actually promised us persecutions and trials as part of the Christian experience (John 16:33, Mark 10:30).

He even said in Matthew 10:22 that a time will come when will be hated all men. Be aware that this time is fast approaching. What is expected of us is endurance and long-suffering. As God would have it, long-suffering is part of the fruit of the Spirit, which is made manifest in our lives as we daily walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Know for sure that from the inception of the Christian faith, believers in Christ have always faced trials of cruel mocking, scourging, imprisonment and even death. Nevertheless, be encouraged by the words of Apostle Peter to some brethren who were also going through trials and persecutions:

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trials of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 1st Peter 1:6-7

OPEN HEAVEN 29 APRIL 2018

Just as the trying periods of the heroes of faith who have gone ahead of you “came to pass”, yours also will come to pass. Let your gaze be set on the reward that is ahead of you, which the Holy Spirit spoke of in James 1:12, saying;

“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.”

In Revelations 22:12-14, the Lord also spoke of the reward we will receive, having endured unpleasant situations in this world. Beloved, the Lover if your souls, Jesus, will soon appear; be of good cheer therefore because all your trials of faith will soon be over. Just make sure you do not deny the faith.

Don’t be like Demas who loved this present world and forsook the Lord (2nd Timothy 4:10). May the Lord keep you holy till His appearing in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point – Open Heaven 29 April 2018

Father, please let me not lose sight of the rewards that await me at Your appearing. Please grant unto me the grace to endure to the very end.

OPEN HEAVEN 29 APRIL 2018 SUNDAY HYMN

SING HYMN 10 – MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamp of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart

My zeal inspire!

As Thou hast died for me,

Oh, may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside

When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Savior, then in love

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul

Open Heaven 28 April 2018 Saturday – LESSONS FROM THE LEPERS

Open Heaven 28 April 2018 Memorise:And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:2

Read: Luke 17:11-19 Open Heavens 28 April 2018

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Open Heaven 28 April 2018

Bible in one year: 1st Samuel 1-2, Hebrews 5:11-6:20

Hymnal: Sing hymn 10

OPEN HEAVEN 28 APRIL 2018 DAILY DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

The faith of the ten lepers in today’s Bible text can best be described as practical faith. They cried to Jesus for healing and He told them to go and show themselves to the priests to certify their cleansing.

These lepers immediately proceeded as Jesus directed, even though the physical manifestation of their cleansing was not apparent. This s a classical demonstration of faith. Whether they came back to say “Thank you” to Jesus understand the practical faith demonstrated by these lepers, you need to read Leviticus chapter 14 which described the painstaking process of certifying the cleansing of lepers.

There are other examples of practical faith which can teach us some vital lessons of faith that works. Take for instance the servants of the wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-9). These servants were commanded by Jesus Christ to take the water they had put in water pots by themselves to the master of ceremony as wine to be served to guests. It took practical faith for them to obey this instruction.

The fact that they knew all about the water that was poured into the water pots should have denied them the faith that was needed to receive this miracle of supernatural provision. However, they obeyed because they remembered the instruction of Jesus’ mother when she said to them in John 2:5b:

“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

OPEN HEAVENS 28 APRIL 2018

Beloved, do you desire a miracle? You need to demonstrate the practical faith that exalts the Almighty God. The lepers in today’s story went ahead to show themselves to the priests because the Great Healer told them to do so. What is the Lord telling you to do so that you can have your financial breakthrough? Are you doing it? Are you paying your tithes and offering?

Are honouring God with your first fruits and engaging in other forms of continuous giving (Luke 6:38)? The Bible also says that we should pray without ceasing because it is when we ask that we will demonstrate our faith in God who gave these instructions, and He honours our faith by doing what only He can do in our lives.

There are many times the Almighty God would ask me to do things that are very ridiculous by doing the ridiculous, there is no way I can experience the miraculous which my knowledge of mathematics can never do for me.

This is why I have been living a miraculous life daily, and it shall continue to be so till I see my Master in glory. My prayer is that the practical faith that you need to experience the miraculous will be given to you today in Jesus’ Name.

Key Point – Open Heavens 28 April 2018

Doing the ridiculous in obedience to the Lord’s instructions will always yield the miraculous.

OPEN HEAVEN 28 APRIL 2018 SATURDAY HYMN

SING HYMN 10 – MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamp of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart

My zeal inspire!

As Thou hast died for me,

Oh, may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside

When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Savior, then in love

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Friday, April 27, 2018) – Belated Cries For Mercy

1.Thank you, Father, for your mercies that endureth forever, over my life and family.

2.Thank you, Father, for sparing my life to witness today; for it is by your mercy, that I have not been consumed.

3.Father, in anyway, l have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, help me never to do those things that will send me to eternal torment, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, let your mercy prevail over every judgement of sin in my life, family and lineage, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, empower me by your mercy, to do any restitution, that I need to do while I am still alive, that I may not end up this journey, in hell fire, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, as many, who are yet to accept Jesus, as their Lord and saviour, please, extend your mercy to them, to do so, before it is too late, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, let every work and property of hell, still in my possession, catch fire and be burnt to ashes, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, release upon my life, the mercy, that will take me to the place of my destiny and fulfilment, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, by your mercy, cause my name to be written, in the Lamb’s book of life, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, let your mercy and goodness, never depart from Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the author of the open heavens daily devotional and general overseer of RCCG, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus’ name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Open Heaven 27 April 2018 Friday – BELATED CRIES FOR MERCY

Open Heaven 27 April 2018 Memorise: For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2nd Corinthians 6:2

Read: Luke 16:19-26  Open Heaven 27 April 2018

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Open Heaven 27 April 2018

Bible in one year: Ruth 3-4, Hebrews 4:8-5:10

Hymnal: Sing hymn 3

OPEN HEAVEN 27 APRIL 2018 DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Whether you believe it or not, the verdict of God is irrevocable: all men have sinned and come short of His glory (Romans 3:23). To escape the everlasting punishment that is the consequence of the verdict, there is the need to cry to God for mercy, obtain forgiveness and live a life of righteousness.

Some may say, “I want to enjoy my life the way I deem fit; don’t upset me with your message of doom.” May I further announce to you that there is a limited amount of time for you to cry to God for mercy on account of your sins and be heard. The Bible speaks of this limitation in Hebrews 9:27

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement:”

Your cry for mercy can only be heard while you are still alive on earth. You can only die once, and immediately after you die you will come face to face with God’s judgement. At this point you can no longer cry for mercy, and there will be no second chance.

For this reason, the Lord is warning you today against crying for mercy belatedly. The rich man in today’s Bible text is an example of someone who belatedly cried for mercy. His cries came after he had closed his eyes in death. Hear his plea to Abraham in Luke 16:23-24

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

OPEN HEAVEN 27 APRIL 2018

Alas, it was too late. The rich man’s cries could have been heard if they had been expressed while he was still alive, but he ignored the warnings of God sent through His messengers. On the other hand, the publican in Luke 18:9-14 is a good example of someone who cried for mercy while he could still be heard. Open Heaven 25 April 2018

The cry for mercy of the thief at Jesus’ side on the cross also came just in the nick of time, before he gave up the ghost. Beloved, today’s memory verse is food for thought that I want you to consider. If you have never asked God to forgive your sins, do it now for the salvation of your soul. I can assure you that it is either you cry for mercy here and obtain salvation, which is timely, or you will cry for mercy in the hereafter, which will be too late.

Prayer Point – Open Heaven 27 April 2018

Father, have mercy on me; please forgive me and help me never to do again those things that will send me to eternal torment.

OPEN HEAVEN 27 APRIL 2018 HYMN

SING HYMN 3 – WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole

again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:

Oh! Precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my cleansing this I see

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

For my pardon this my plea

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Nothing can my sin erase

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Naught of works, ‘tis all of grace

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my hope and peace

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my righteousness

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Open Heaven 26 April 2018 Thursday – THE STILLER OF STORMS

Open Heaven 26 April 2018 Memorise:Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Read: Mark 4:35-41 Open Heaven 26 April 2018

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Open Heaven 26 April 2018

Bible in one year: Ruth 1-2, Hebrews 3:7-4:7

Hymnal: Sing hymn 10

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

The story in Mark 4:35-41 reveals Jesus Christ as the Stiller of Storms. He was travelling in a ship with His disciples when a great storm arose, putting the ship and its occupants in Jeopardy. Meanwhile, even in the midst of this storm, Jesus Christ was fast asleep, and the frightened disciples hurriedly woke Him up.

When He awoke, He first rebuked the wind and then commanded peace to reign. In obedience to Him, the wind ceased and the Bible reports that there was immediately a great calm (Mark 4:39). After restoring calm, He rebuked His disciples for being fearful and faithless. Hear what the scripture says in Mark 4:41:

“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Beloved, what kind of storm are you currently facing? I am using this opportunity to introduce to you that same Jesus, the Stiller of storms.

He can still that storm raging in your life, be it sickness, poverty, failure or disappointment of a great magnitude. Only believe, and you will see the glory of God. I advise you to invite Jesus Christ into your life if you have not done so before. He is eager to still your storms today.

Prayer Point – Open Heaven 26 April 2018

Jesus, You are the Stiller of storms, please still every storm ranging in my life today.

OPEN HEAVEN 26 APRIL 2018 THURSDAY HYMN

SING HYMN 10 – MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamp of Calvary,

Savior divine!

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart

My zeal inspire!

As Thou hast died for me,

Oh, may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside

When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Savior, then in love

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

Open Heaven 25 April 2018 Wednesday – OBSESSED WITH FASHION?

Open Heaven 25 April 2018 Memorise:And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 1st Corinthians 7:31

Read: 1st John 2:15-17 Open Heavens 25 April 2018

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 forever.

Open Heaven 25 April 2018

Bible in one year: Judges 20-21, Hebrews 2:5-3:6

Hymnal: Sing hymn 9

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018 WEDNESDAY DAILY DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Fashion is based on culture, and so people’s taste for fashion differs from one culture to another. Every form of culture and its attendant fashion must be subjected to the light of God’s word because they are all creations of mankind. Today’s memory verse reminds us that the fashion of this world is transient. Open Heaven 24 April 2018

Consider the fact that most things that were in vogue ten or twenty years ago are no longer desired today, and yet some people shipwrecked their faith while pursuing them. As Christian pilgrims, transient things should not enslave us. Every by-product of culture that is not in alignment with the tenets of God’s word is dangerous and should therefore be avoided.

Today’s Bible text warns us against being obsessed with fashion. The Christian life is a life of modesty and we must not lose sight of this for anything. Philippians 4:5says,

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018

It is unfortunate that some teachers now teach that moderation is relative. They teach that what is moderation to one person based on his or her level of wealth might not be moderate to some other persons.

Such teachers and those seduced by their teachings choose to ignore that when the Holy Spirit said we should be moderate, He added the clause that our moderation should be apparent to all men and not just to those who belong to our class of wealth.

The Holy Spirit also teaches us to be content with whatever we have (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, the Lord said we should beware of covetousness, because a person’s life does not depend on the abundance or variety of goods he or she possesses (Luke 12:15).

Covetousness enslaves people and drives them into being obsessed with fashion. Thankfully, the cure for this is given in 1st Timothy 6:17-18 which says:

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate,”

The good thing about the above admonition is that when you have material possessions and you do good with them by distributing to the needy, there is no way these possessions will intoxicate you to the level of abuse.

Sister, what are you doing with a thousand pairs of shoes? They should be distributed to those in need, particularly those of the household of faith.

If you are a hoarders of things, or you are enslaved to fashion, goodliness with contentment is the panacea prescribed by the Holy Spirit for your deliverance (1st Timothy 6:6-8). Willingly submit yourself to His remedy, and you will be free.

Action Point – Open Heavens 25 April 2018

Ask the Lord to deliver you from the enslavement of fashion and give you contentment.

OPEN HEAVEN 25 APRIL 2018 WEDNESDAY HYMN

SING HYMN 9 – THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

On a hill far away stood an old

rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and

Shame;

And I love that old cross where

the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was

Slain.

Chorus:

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last l lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it someday for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so

despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For dear Lamb of God left his

Glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained

with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus

suffered and died

To pardon and sanctify me.

To that old rugged cross I will ever

be true,

Its shame and reproach gladly

bear;

Then he’ll call me some day to my

home far away,

Where his glory forever I’ll share.

Open Heaven 24 April 2018 – POWER IN THE WORD

Memorise: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Open Heaven 24 April 2018 Read: Hebrews 4:1-12 (KJV)

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise
being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter
into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in
my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the
seventh day on this wise, And God did
rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place
again, If they shall
enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of
another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Bible in one year: Judges 19, Hebrews
1:1-2:4,

John 1:1 describes the Word of God as
God himself. This implies that since God is the Almighty, the Word of God is also Almighty. It is therefore dangerous to trivialise the Word of God. No wonder Psalm 138:2 says,

“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness
and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified
thy word above all thy name.”

In light of this scripture, and considering the immense power embedded in the
Name of Jesus, can you then imagine how powerful the word of God truly is? The power in the word of God was
demonstrated at the creation of the world. To therefore understand the power in God’s word, just take a look at the
universe around you. The Almighty God spoke the word and the word produced the entire universe. Psalm 148:3-5 ,

“Praise ye him, sun
and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye
heavens of heavens , and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD : for he commanded, and
they were created .”

You may want ask: what can the word do for me? Well, for one thing, the word can heal you. In Matthew 8:5-13 , there is the story of a centurion who begged Jesus
Christ to heal his servant, and Jesus
agreed to go with him to his house to heal his servant. However, the centurion
demonstrated his understanding of the power in the spoken word, particularly that
of the Almighty God. In Matthew 8:8 He profoundly said.

“…Lord, I am not
worthy that thou
shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

In responses to this demonstration of faith in the power of God’s word, Jesus Christ released the word and the required healing
occurred. Matthew 8:13 says,

“And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his
servant was healed in the same hour.”

From this example, it is obvious that
space and time are not a limitation to the power in God’s word. It does not matter where you are or how far gone the situation is; the word of God can touch you right where you are. All you need to do is believe (Mark 9:23 ).

I therefore release
the word of God to you today: “Be healed of every infirmity that ails you now, because the stripes of Jesus have set you free from that infirmity.”

Beloved, believe in the power of God’s word today, and it
will make you triumph over every situation of life. It is well with you.

Action Point
Speak the appropriate word of God to that
challenge facing you today.

Sing hymn 13
IMMORTAL. INVISIBLE
GOD ONLY WISE

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the
Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou
rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high
soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of
Goodness and love.

To all life Thou givest, to both
great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life
of all;
We bloosom and flourish as leaves
on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought
Changeth Thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light.
Thine angels adore Thee, all
Veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O help us to see: ‘Tis only the splendor of light
hideth Thee

To all life Thou givest, to both
great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life
of all;
We bloosom and flourish as leaves
on the tree,
And wither and perish, but nought
Changeth Thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure
Father of Light.
Thine angels adore Thee, all
Veiling their sight
All laud we would render, O
help us to see:
‘Tis only the splendor of light
hideth Thee

Immortal, invisible, God only
wise,
In light inaccessible hid from
our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the
Ancient of Days
Almighty, victorious, Thy great
name we praise.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TEENS MONDAY 23TH APRIL 2018: CONFESSION AND HEALING

MEMORISE: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John
3:15

Please read: Mark 2:1-12

MESSAGE:
During a trial of faith, God wants to know how elastic your faith is. And so He brings about
some situations that will take your faith beyond
certain limits: sometimes, even to a breaking point. To remain intact, keep your faith in the
Lord and always remember that His grace is sufficient for you.

However, there are many sufferings and hardships that come about as a result of a hidden sin or yet to be confessed sin.

When you sin and hide it, you are only killing yourself inside little by little. The Bible says that any man who hides his sin will not prosper. There are many things you may have been praying for with no
results all because you have refused to repent from that one hidden sin you have been indulging in.

Never attempt to hide any sin from God; it is foolishness to hide a thing from the God who is
everywhere at all times.

Hiding things from God will disconnect you from Him. And the worst thing that can happen to any believer is to be
disconnected from God.

ACTION POINT:
Confess any hidden sin to God and ask Him for the grace to live above that sin.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 7-9
Luke 19:1-28

Hymn 7
1. I am Thine 0 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.

Chorus
Draw me 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.

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!

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.

Open Heaven 23 April 2018 – DELIVER US FROM TEMPTATION

Memorise: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine us the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:13

Open Heaven 23 April 2018 Read: Matthew 26:37-41 (KJV)

26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul
is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell
on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.

Bible in one year: Judges 17-18,
Philemon

The Name of Jesus is infused with so
much power that it can deliver from every form of satanic bondage. The devil’s weapon of choice to lead men into bondage is temptation, but the use of the Name of Jesus in the place of prayer is able to deliver from this weapon of the
enemy.

Since the Lord has given us the go-ahead to pray in His Name for anything we need, deliverance from temptation falls under the category of things we can ask for, and we will surely be delivered if we do (John
14:14 ).

Confirming this truth, our Lord
Jesus Christ taught the disciples to pray
against temptation (Matthew 6:9-13 ),
Furthermore, at the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord instructed His three closest disciples to put into practice what He had taught them on prayer in order to overcome temptation. In Matthew 26:41 , He said to them,

“ Watch and pray ,
that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit indeed is willing , but the flesh is weak .”

There are many lessons we can learn from today’s Bible reading, one of which is that
temptation is a reality of life. The tempter has been at work right from the Garden of Eden and he has not retired. Another lesson is that the tempter and his temptations are no respecters of any person; they did not even spare Jesus Christ. The Bible in Luke 4:1-2a says

“ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness , Being forty days tempted of the devil.”

It is noteworthy that although Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Ghost, the devil still tempted Him. Thank God He defeated the
tempter! I pray that you will not be
overcome by the tempter in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heaven 23 April 2018

Every believer in Christ should therefore take the Lord’s injunction to watch and pray against temptations very seriously. We can overcome temptation if we would pray against it in the Name of Jesus. We must be prepared to shield ourselves against the wiles of the tempter.

Ordinary church members, workers,
ministers and pastors are all targets of the tempter. Learn from the experience of the disciples. Shortly after Jesus Christ instructed them to watch and pray, temptation indeed came. Unfortunately, they were all asleep, and they could not resist the urge to run away after their Master was arrested.

Open Heaven 22 April 2018

One of the only two disciples who managed to fellow closely behind even denied the Master (John 18:15-17 ). Pray that the Lord will give you victory over any temptation that comes your way in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heaven 23 April 2018 Prayer Point
Father, please shield me from the arrows of temptation and deliver me from all
forms of evil.

Open Heaven 23 April 2018 Sing hymn 5 I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS

I have decide to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross
Before me;
The world behind me, the cross
before me;
The world behind me, the cross
Before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Through none go with me, still I
Will follow;
Through none go with me, still I
Will follow;
Through none go with me, still I
Will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross 1’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow
Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow
Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow
Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL LESSON THIRTY-FOUR SUNDAY:APRIL 22, 2018: CHILD ABUSE

Open Heavens 22 April 2018

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

PRAYER: Father, save our children from all manners of child abuse.
Heal those children who have been abused.

BIBLE PASSAGE:Mark10:13-16
13.And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14.But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15.Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16.And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

MEMORY VERSE:”But whose 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.” Matthew 18:6

LESSON INTRODUCTION:According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, a child is “a young person especially between infancy and youth”. Child abuse is any maltreatment of a child which causes him/her harm. Such action can also take the form of child neglect or failure to protect a child from danger especially by a parent or other care-giver. The Bible does not use the word abuse but tells us that whosoever hams a child is asking for God’s anger. Mark 9:42.

TEXT REVIEW: MARK 10:13-16
OFFENCE TO LITTLE CHILDREN
The Lord pronounced a huge judgement on those who offend the little ones who believed in Him. Words like “Millstone were hanged on his neck and were drowned in the depth of the sea” Matt. 18:6 were found in Jesus’ pronouncement of judgement.
The offence in today’s Bible passage was that the disciples of Jesus rebuked those who brought the children to be touched and the Lord was greatly displeased with their action-Mark 10:13-14. God has been very mindful of children and He places high premium on them. The scriptures support this position in the following examples:
I. He provided water for Ishmael when he cried. Ger.. 21:16-20.
II. He accepted the ownership of children and mated them His heritage. Psalm 127:3
III. He compared children to arrows in the hand of the mighty. Psalm 127:4. He helped Elisha to raise the dead son of the Shunamite woman. 2 Kings 4:16-35.
IV. He carried them on the shoulder and blessed them. Mark 10:16.
V. He appoints angels to them who beholds God’s face. Matt.18:10.
VI. He assured them of the Kingdom. Mark 10:14-15 If God values children like this, then, those who plan to abuse them are looking for His trouble and before long they will find what they are looking for. Matt. 18:6

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL LESSON THIRTY-FOUR SUNDAY, 22ND APRIL 2018: CHILD ABUSE

LESSON OUTLINES:
Lesson Outline 1:FORMS OF CHILDABUSE
Child abuse takes different forms:
i. Physical Abuse:Can be excessive beating of a child especially one that leaves him/her with marks, throwing objects, poisoning, child labour (trafficking, hawking), neglecting to give the child basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, etc. It also includes use of drugs, alcohol or any substance that will cause the child distress. 1Kgs. 3:19, 25-26; Mk. 9:42.
ii. Sexual Abuse:This is when any person engages a child in any sexual activity such as fondling a child’s sexual organs, engaging the child in any immoral activity e.g. pornography, rape, defilement of the child, etc. 2Sam. 13:10-15.
iii. Emotional/Psychological Abuse: Includes teasing, bullying, threatening, verbal abuse (such as cursing, belittling, and constantly finding fault), etc. 1Sam. 17:26-28; Col. 3:21.

Class Activity 1: Identify any other signs and prevention of child abuse in our society.

Lesson Outline 2: SIGNS AND PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE
A. Signs of Child Abuse
i. Aggressive behaviour.
ii. Low self-esteem.
iii. Sleeping difficulties
iv. Unexplained bruises.
v. Burns or swellings.
vi. Lack of concentration.
vii. Criminal Inclinations.

Child abuse may eventually lead to deformation or death.

B. Prevention of child abuse may take the following forms:
i. Early education, identification and intervention.
ii. Break the silence, report any abuse.
iii. Train a child in a godly way. Prove 22:6.
iv. It is not every wrong that should be met with punishment.

Class Activity 2: Identify any other signs and prevention of child abuse in our society.

SUMMARY:No child should be abused under any guise.

CONCLUSION:Children are very precious to God and should be well taken care of.

EVALUATION:
i. What is child abuse?
ii. How can it be controlled?

CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, make our society child-loving in Jesus’ name.

ASSIGNMENT: