Open Heaven For Today 2024 Saturday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Whom Are You Serving?
Click HERE for the Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: Whom Are You Serving?
MEMORISE: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” – Matthew 6:24 (KJV)
READ: Colossians 3:23-24 (KJV)
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 13-15
Open Heaven For Today 2024 MESSAGE
I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. – John 9:4
The above passage says, “The works of Him that sent me,” not the works of your pastor. This was why I laughed when someone told me some time ago, “I’ve been serving you all these years.” I was amazed, so I responded, “Serving me?!” I thought we were serving God together on the same platform. You need to know whom you are serving. Are you serving God, your pastor, or your Head of Department in church? If you are serving God, you won’t only behave well when your pastor or Head of Department is around, but you will do so at all times because the One you claim to be serving can always see you.
Some people are serving their neighbors. They want their neighbors to see them as genuine Christians, but, in secret, they keep committing sins. If you know you are serving God, you will care more about being holy in His eyes than in public. Revelations 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure, they are and were created.” You are to please God irrespective of the people around you.
Lastly, some people claim to be serving God, but they are serving their needs; they come to Him only because they need something from Him. Everything they do for God is motivated by what they want to get from Him. For example, this is why some people reduce their commitment to the church or even stop going altogether once they get the job they have been praying about.
Some are only in church because they seek a godly husband or wife to marry. In John 6:24-26, Jesus sent the people who were coming to Him because of bread and fish away. Such people’s service is unacceptable to Him; He can see their real intentions and does not count them among His children.
Are you serving God, people, or your needs? Beloved, it would be best to be clear about whom you serve. Serve God for who He is and not for anything else.
REFLECTION
Are you serving God for who He is, or what can you get from Him?
HYMN 23 – Take My Life, And Let It Be
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet is its treasure store.
Take me, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Open Heavens 2024 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical churches in the world, and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2024
Ambydennis Notice Board: Until you are born again, God’s abiding presence will never be with you. It would be best if you were born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart. You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You, Lord, for saving me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online, please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Gains Of Total Surrender
Click HERE for the Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: The Gains Of Total Surrender
MEMORISE: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
READ: Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 10-12
Open Heaven For Today 2024 MESSAGE
In my study on this topic, I noticed that Apostle Paul, who said in Philippians 4:7: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ,” was promoted so highly that in 2 Corinthians 12:11, he said, “I’m not behind the greatest apostles.” When we talk about promotion, many of us think about titles. Titles are beautiful, but I would rather be a deacon who can raise the dead than be a National Pastor who cannot heal a fly.
I preached a message on total surrender one day in church. In those days, only a few members had cars. After the service, a young man came to me and said, “Daddy, from now on, I surrender all to Jesus.” I said, “Really?” He said, “Yes”. I said, “Good. So, we will now be able to borrow your car tomorrow for a church assignment.” He replied, “But I have to go to work tomorrow.” I laughed and said, “I just wanted to show you that you haven’t surrendered all.” I only asked about the church borrowing his car, which was difficult for him to agree to. What if I had asked for something bigger?
What could make an individual surrender to God and even serve Him without pay? I found the reason in Philippians 2:5-11 which is our Bible reading for today. It started by saying, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” It further told us how great Jesus was and how He humbled Himself unto the point of death, even the death on the cross. Then verse 9 says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him…” At that point, I knew that the gain always outweighs the pain. Hebrews 12:2 says:
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When you seek God’s things first, the other desires of your heart will also be granted to you according to His will. When you lay your life down for God, He will honor you.
Anyone who surrenders totally to God will experience great joy. If you give Him all that you have, He will give you more in return. Beloved, give Him all, and He will bless you far beyond your imagination.
PRAYER POINT
Lord, help me to surrender all to You today, in Jesus’ name.
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.
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 power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3 O 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 yet may know
Ere Thee face to face I see;
There are heights of joy that I yet may reach
Ere, I rest in peace with Thee.
Open Heavens 2024 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical churches in the world, and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2024
Ambydennis Notice Board: Until you are born again, God’s abiding presence will never be with you. It would be best if you were born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart. You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You, Lord, for saving me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online, please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.
Open Heaven For Today 2024 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Challenges Of Being Anointed 2
Click HERE for the Previous Open Heaven Devotional
TOPIC: The Challenges Of Being Anointed 2
MEMORISE: “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” – Luke 12:48 (KJV)
READ: Mark 6:31-34 (KJV)
31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, ran afoot thither out of all cities, outwent them, and came together unto him.
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw many people and was moved with compassion toward them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 8-9
Open Heaven For Today 2024 MESSAGE
In continuation of my discussion from yesterday, one of the challenges of being anointed is that anointed people are perceived to be stronger than they are. Because they pray and God answers immediately, people think they don’t need prayers. Also, because they lay their hands on the sick and the sick get healed, people believe they are superhuman and can never be weak or tired. Because they preach and souls get saved, there is a tendency to think that they never get tempted, whereas they probably face temptations more than other people.
In 40 years of leading the Israelites, Moses made one mistake, but God said he would not get to the promised land. He had been interceding for Israel whenever they did terrible things, and God forgave them. Now, there was nobody to plead for him in his case.
Do you want to be heavily anointed? Be ready to work endlessly. I was happy when I discovered that the Bible says we should earnestly covet spiritual gifts. I asked for double the anointing on Elisha, Peter, Paul, and Jesus Christ when He was on the earth, and then I asked that all be combined and doubled again. God warned me then that I was asking for a dangerous thing because people would not let me rest. When people see you are anointed, they will bring all their problems to you. Even after you minister to them from the altar, they will still want to see you personally. You cannot send them away because the purpose of the anointing is to serve.
When I employed a personal assistant, he asked, “What are our work hours?” I said, “We start the day at 5 am, and only God knows when we will close.” This is why raising other people who will also become anointed is necessary. RCCG is in over 190 nations in the world. How will I cope if every member comes to me with their problems? This is why each local assembly has anointed pastors who can pray for the members; only the cases they can’t handle come to me. God has also made things more accessible by making it possible for me to pray from the altar and anoint handkerchiefs used to perform the miracles thople would have called the General Overseer to pray about in the past.
Being anointed comes with many responsibilities and challenges, so if you desire to be anointed, you should be ready to embrace them.
KEY POINT
The anointing comes with challenges and responsibilities.
HYMN 23 – Take My Life, And Let It Be
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet is its treasure store.
Take me, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Open Heavens 2024 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical churches in the world, and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2024
Ambydennis Notice Board: Until you are born again, God’s abiding presence will never be with you. It would be best if you were born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart. You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You, Lord, for saving me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online, please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], +234-1-8447340, +234-0-7098213112.
