OPEN HEAVENS BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

MONDAY JULY 6

WE ARE GOING HIGHER: PRAYER

MEMORISE:

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

READ: 

Luke 18:1-7

1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Jonah 1-4

MESSAGE:

Prayer is another part of the Christian life that is fast becoming unpopular, but its power has not reduced one bit. When I was a lecturer in the University of Ilorin, my-father-in-the-Lord- Pa Josiah Akindayomi came on a visit and passed the night in my house. Before I went to bed, he was praying; when I woke to ease myself in the middle of the night, he was still praying. Worried, I asked him the next morning what was wrong. He responded that I would understand soon. He passed on and I became the General Overseer of the Church; with the enormity of the task I faced, I started praying all night also. The country needs prayers so that ungodly policies will not stand; you need prayers so that you don’t fall for the trick of the devil in these end times. Your children need prayers against the perverseness of this generation.

The devil knows that if he can attack a Christian’s prayer life, then he can get that fellow. That is why he brings all sort of distractions to take your mind off prayers. Your work, family responsibilities, social media, television and even church activities are all things that he ensures take your time such that you have little time left for prayers. I pray for you: Your prayer altar will receive fire in the mighty name of Jesus.

Many of the struggles that we experience today would not even have existed if only we prayed. You can move mountains and change seasons with your prayer. You are only shortchanging yourself when you don’t pray. James 5:16 says:

*“...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”*

1 John 5:14 says:

*“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”*

Seeing all these promises in the ever-true word of God, you know that prayer can solve many of those issues that have lingered too long. As a Christian, you should pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

ACTION POINT:

Double your daily prayer time as from today. If you have been praying for thirty minutes daily before, increase it to one hour.

HYMN 24:

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

Chorus:

Savior, Savior,

Hear my humble cry,

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy 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 BY PST. ENOCH .A. ADEBOYE

TUESDAY AUGUST 4

REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE II

MEMORISE:

Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14

READ: 

Psalm 90:12

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

2 Kings 22-23

2 Chronicles 34-35

MESSAGE:

It is wise to learn from the experience of others, but sometimes, we ourselves have experiences that we ought to learn from. Nebuchadnezzar was a man who learnt from his personal experience. God had warned him in a dream and also arranged for Daniel not only to interpret the dream to him, but also to counsel him on how to escape the wrath of God. Unfortunately, he did not heed the warning and for seven years, he ate grass like an animal (Daniel 4). Thank God he got a second chance. By the time he came back to his senses, he had learnt his lesson and now recognised Jehovah as the real King. Nobody needed to teach him that again; his experience had done enough. Daniel 4:34 says:

*"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:"*

There are however, some foolish people who refuse to either learn from the experience of others or even theirs. Such people usually never live to tell the story. King Pharaoh for example, should have realised, at least by the third plague, that the God of Israel is not a God to fight. Little wonder God hardened his heart afterwards and he did not realise this truth even after the tenth plague and his eventual death (Exodus 9).

Many people talk about the foolishness of Pharaoh, but some are doing the same thing. How can someone who committed adultery and lost some privileges from that act still go back into it? How can someone who stole and was imprisoned come out and steal again? For people who refuse to learn from personal experience, the end will be disastrous if they don't repent and forsake their sins. A word is enough for the wise.

REFLECTION:

Learn from your past experiences and those of others. Remember Lot's wife.

HYMN 18:

1. My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my guilt away,

Oh, let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll;

Blest Saviour, then in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!