Open Heaven 30 June 2018 Saturday – MEEK BUT MILITANT

Open Heaven 30 June 2018 Memorise: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2nd Timothy 4:7

Read: Genesis 14:14-24 Open Heaven 30 June 2018

14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Open Heaven 30 June 2018 Bible in one year: 1st Chronicles 18-20, Acts 20:1-16

Hymnal: Sing hymn 16

Is it possible to be meek and militant at the same time? To be meek is to do what other people want without imposing your own opinion. It is having the power to act but refusing to use it to oppress others. Being militant on the other hand means to use force or pressure to achieve your goals. How is it possible for a Christian to be meek and militant at the same time?

Open Heaven 30 June 2018

Our Lord, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, clearly taught us that it is a blessed thing to be meek (Matthew 5:5). In his letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul also declared that meekness is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated meekness when He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hear what He said in Matthew 26:53-54, when He was about to be arrested:

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angles? But how often shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

This same Jesus tells us that there are times when we need to be violent. In Matthew 11:12, He said:

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Paul further expounded on this truth, telling us the reason why we are in battle and providing the guidelines for how to shield and prepare ourselves for this violent warfare. In Ephesians 6:12, He wrote:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The beautiful swan which vigorously paddles away under the water to stay afloat is viewed as one of the most graceful animals on water because it appears calm on the surface. Our Christian life needs to emulate the posture of the swan. In the spirit realm, we need to display all the militancy that is needed to secure us a place in heaven and push the agenda of the kingdom of our God on earth. At the same time, in the physical realm, the fruit of the Spirit – meekness – must be visible in our lives.

Key point – Open Heaven 30 June 2018

You cannot keep the faith without giving the devil a fight.

Open Heaven 30 June 2018 Saturday Hymn

Sing hymn 16 – STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!

Yet soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner,

It must not suffer loss:

From vict’ry unto vict’ry

His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished

And Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!

The trumpet call obey;

Forth to the mighty conflict

In this His glorious day.

Ye that are men, now serve Him

Against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger.

And strength to strength oppose.

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!

Stand in His strength alone;

The arm of flesh will fail you;

Ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the Gospel armor,

And. Watching unto prayer,

Be never wanting there.

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!

The strife will not be long:

This day the noise of battle,

The next the victor’s song;

To him that overcometh

A crown of life shall be;

He, with the King of glory

Shall reign eternally.

Prayer Points on Today [Open Heavens 29 June 2018] – SHARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Sing a worship song and exalt the name of Jesus for the gift of life. Ask God for divine wisdom. Bless the lord for who He is and who He will continue to be in your life, family, career and business.

1.Thank you, Father, for giving your son, as the ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of my soul and that of humanity.

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

3.Father, thank you for creating me in your image and likeness.

4.Father, I ask for your grace upon my life. Help me to delegate responsibilities to capable hands with wisdom, in Jesus’ Name.

5.Father help me to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in every aspect of my life to the Glory of your name, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, let every spirit of pride, envy, hatred, selfishness and all forms of wickedness, in my life, be consumed by your fire, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, increase the love to work for you in my life, in Jesus’ name.

8.Spirit of the living God, please manifest more of Your attributes in my life everyday in Jesus’ Name.

9.Father, let my faith in you never wane or diminish, even, in times of adversity, by the power of your words, that all things shall always work together for my good, in Jesus’ name. Open Heaven 29 June 2018

10.Father, please, uphold me till the end, by your right hand of righteousness; let me never go back into the world, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, please fill my heart with Your love, so that Your love may flow through me to others.

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 29 June 2018 Friday – SHARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Open Heaven 29 June 2018 Memorise: And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach. Mark 3:14

Read: Exodus 18:13-27 Open Heaven 29 June 2018

13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Open Heaven 29 June 2018 Bible in one year: 1st Chronicles 16-17, Acts 19:21-41

Hymnal: Sing hymn 4

Message – Open Heaven 29 June 2018 Friday

It is amazing that not only are many leaders guilty of self-abuse by working more than is necessary, they are also guilty of stressing themselves out to the point of exhaustion, thereby leading to their untimely death. When God created man, He created us in His own image and likeness and so we are expected to be like Him in many respects. One area we should resemble Him is in the attribute of delegating responsibility.

Genesis 2:15and 19 reveals how God readily delegated the responsibility of keeping the Garden of Eden and the naming of animals to Adam. There is no monopoly of responsibility in the attributes of God. We need to begin to emulate God by sharing and delegating responsibilities with our colleagues, subordinates and neighbours to avoid burning ourselves out and even killing ourselves. Open Heaven 28 June 2018

In Exodus 18:13-27, Moses was taught the art of division of labour by his father-in-law, Jethro. When Jethro came visiting, he observed that Moses hardly had time to rest, because he was ever busy attending to every case brought to him by his people – even minor cases that were domestic in nature. Although the reason Moses gave for this arrangement was genuine and good intentioned, Jethro pointed out the folly of what he was doing to him. In Exodus 18:17b-18, Jethro said:

“The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.”

Jethro then taught him how to delegate his judicial responsibilities to elders who were able and capable. Moses heeded his advice and it worked: judgment was no longer delayed and Moses had time to take care of himself.

Open Heaven 29 June 2018

Members of the Body of Christ need to be willing to work, and their pastors need to be willing to prepare them to take responsibilities. Nevertheless, responsibilities must not be delegated carelessly. They should not be passed on to those who would destroy the work you have laboured so much for. In delegating responsibility, adhere to what Paul said in 2nd Timothy 2:2:

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Apply this principle in your church, business and family and you will find rest for your soul.

Action Point – Open Heaven 29 June 2018

Join an empowerment programme that would increase your effectiveness today.

Open Heaven 29 June 2018 Friday Hymn

Sing hymn 4 – TRUST AND OBEY

When we walk with the Lord in

the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our

way!

While we do His good will, He

abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and

obey.

Chorus

Trust and obey, for there’s no other

Way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust

and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a

cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it

away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh

or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and

obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a

sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly

repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown

or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and

obey.

But we never can prove the

delights of His love

Until all on the alter we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the

Joy He bestows,

Are from them who will trust and

obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we

will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the

way;

What He says we will do, where

He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey