Prayer Point

Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Psalm 35:1

Read: Luke 18:1-8

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?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

One of the sins that God hates so much is the sin of murmuring. During the mass exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, the reason why God destroyed some of them was due to their incessant murmuring. They kept on murmuring instead of discussing their problems with the One who had severally demonstrated the capacity to solve them. A reoccurring scene in their journey is described in Numbers 14:1-2. The consequence of this demonstration of faithlessness in God was that He denied them the joy of making it to the Promised Land. They all died in the wilderness, according to what they had said against themselves while murmuring. We must be careful of what we use our mouth to say in times of challenges (Numbers 14:28).

When confronted with the challenges of life, we should learn from our Bible reading and our memory verse what our attitude should be. In our memory verse, the Psalmist asked God to come to his aid against enemies that fought against him. He chose the correct Ally for the battle of life he was confronted with – the One whose Name is the Lord of hosts. He would rather report his enemies to the Captain of his battle rather than murmur about them. When you consider the end of David and the posthumous glory accorded him till date, you will see a man whose Ally was the Almighty God. Also, the widow in the parable of Jesus did not go to the house of the judge to murmur.

She knew what she wanted: that the judge should fight her cause and grant her justice. Nobody knows what her adversary did to her; probably the adversary killed her husband and took their properties away. We are not even told for how many days, weeks, months or years she had been going to the judge for justice. But one thing we know is that, she kept on saying to him: “avenge me of my adversary” (Luke 18:3). The judge had no choice but to avenge her. Hear the Lord’s conclusion from this parable in Luke 18:7-8a:

“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.”

This is so comforting and reassuring. I therefore urge you to cultivate the habit of reporting your adversaries to your sure Ally: the All-powerful God. Don’t engage in murmuring while you think you are praying. My prayer for you is that the Great God of heaven will avenge you of your adversaries this season, and you will know peace in Jesus’ Name.

Father, You are the All-powerful One, arise and avenge me of all my adversaries in Jesus Name.

May God Bless Nigeria, America And Israel And Take Care Of Us; May God Make His Face Shine Upon Us, And Be Gracious To Us; May The Lord Lift Up His Countenance Upon Us, And Give Us Peace, In Jesus Christ Name, We Pray! Amen!

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Other Side Of Prosperity. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Proverbs 30:8

Read: 2 Chronicles 18:1-3

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.

3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Prosperity is good, and it is far better than poverty. As a matter of fact, God wants His children to prosper (3 John 2). However, we cannot wave off the words of Agur’s prophesy in today’s memory verse. One may wonder why he would make this strange utterance. The answer lies in Proverbs 30:9:

“Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

The first part of his reason for this statement is what I consider to be the other side of prosperity. When you become so prosperous that you forget the God who prospered you in the first place, you are in very serious trouble. My prayer for you is that the prosperity that will make you forsake God will not come your way in Jesus’ Name.

In our Bible reading, we see how God prospered King Jehoshaphat with abundant riches; but after he experienced prosperity, he made a military alliance with the wicked King Ahab. He would have lost his life through this evil association with Ahab, but for the mercy of God (2 Chronicles 18:31). You must be very careful of the people you associate with as you climb the ladder of prosperity (Proverbs 19:4). Some people suddenly become clubbers after they start commanding wealth. They now enjoy the world of vanities, and no longer value time for fellowship with the brethren. The story of King David in 2 Samuel 11:1-4 is an example of what prosperity can do to a one-time valiant warrior. David had no time for extra-marital affairs when he was running for his dear life from cave to cave. But after the crown came, at a time he was supposed to lead Israel to battle as he used to do, he was busy enjoying a sinful holiday.

Should we then conclude that prosperity is evil? Not at all; all we need to do is to follow the pattern of prosperity management used by the fathers of faith like Abraham. No matter how wealthy you become, keep standing out as a lover of God who trembles at His commandments. Your wealth has a purpose, which is to serve the interest of God and His kingdom through the machinery of the Church. You cannot imagine that God will bless someone with a car, when the motive is to use it for seducing innocent girls to defile them. This is the reason why some children of God are yet to receive their promised prosperity: God knows they cannot handle it yet.

Father, grant me the wisdom and the spiritual maturity to handle wealth.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Get Rid Of The Amalekites. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

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

Read: 1 Samuel 15:1-3

1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Pastor E A Adeboye. RCCG. Daddy G O

Who or what is an Amalekite? An Amalekite is a symbolic representation of whosoever or whatsoever stands as an enemy of God or His plan. In our Bible reading, God opened the book of remembrance to the page where the wickedness of the Amalekites against His chosen people was recorded. 1 Samuel 15:2 says:

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.”

This should serve as a warning to whoever takes pleasure in doing wickedness to desist from it, because every deed has its divine recompense. Also, it should serve as a pointer to all children of God that they have a responsibility to identify and get rid of anyone or anything that provokes their Heavenly Father to wrath.

The Lord commanded King Saul to go and get rid of the wicked Amalekites, who opposed His goodwill to Israel, and that he should spare nothing and no one. Unfortunately, the calamity of disobedience struck, and God got rid of King Saul for failing to get rid of His enemies. In like manner, the Almighty had earlier commanded Pharaoh to let His people go so that they may serve Him, but after Pharaoh refused, God got rid of him. I pray for you today, that those who are opposed to the good plans of God for your life will be destroyed in Jesus’ Name.

Just as God sent Saul to destroy all the Amalekites, God is telling all His children today to destroy every symbolic Amalekite in their lives. The Bible in Ephesians 5:3-4 says:

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”

As children of God, we must know that there are things that men do which provoke God to anger. A good child of God will not do what annoys the Father. This is why Jesus in today’s memory verse said that if your right eye would make you sin, you should pluck it out. It is that serious. I pray for God’s grace to help you today to get rid of whatever will make the Father reject you like He rejected Saul, in Jesus’ Name.

Carry out an examination today to see if anything the Bible considers an abomination before God is present in your life. If you find any, get rid of them without further delay.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

True Worshippers. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 4:24

Read: John 4:21-24

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

It is not all acts of worship that God accepts, because not all worshippers are true worshippers. This truth was revealed by Jesus in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. He also revealed some other great truths about worship that we should pay close attention to if we want our worship to be acceptable to God. The first of these is that any “God” that is limited or restricted to a particular place is false and not worthy of worship. Worship directed towards such contraptions of men is counterfeit worship.

The worship of the true God does not involve going to a junction where three roads meet to put food items for God to come and eat. Paul came across worshippers of such gods at Mars’ Hill in Athens (Acts 17:22-31). The true God is described thus by the Psalmist in Psalm 8:1:

“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.”

Another truth about worship which Jesus revealed is that any god that does not have a fatherly relationship with his worshippers is not worthy of our worship. Anyone worshipping such gods is not a true worshipper. This is why Jesus came to make us children of His Father.

Also, when He was teaching His disciples how to pray, He described the true God as “Father” (Luke 11:2). Furthermore, Jesus revealed that our worship of God is not true worship if we do not know the God we are worshipping. This is the reason why Paul tried to introduce the Athenians to the God they were ignorantly worshipping (Acts 17:23). He tried to teach them that they were wrong to think that the Godhead could be represented by gold, silver or stone graven by art and man’s devices (Acts 17:29). No worshipper should ignorantly think that a Holy God will accept worship from a life laden with the sin of falsehood, pretence and all manner of immorality and wickedness.

True worship involves worshipping the true God in spirit and in truth. We must worship God in spirit because God is a Spirit, and only through the spirit can we relate meaningfully with His Spirit. To worship God in Spirit means to do what He bids you to do with a spiritual mind of faith. There are things the Holy Spirit of God would ask us to do that when viewed with a carnal mind, are difficult to understand. For example, when God asked Noah to build a big ship on dry ground, to men of his generation, this was not a sensible thing to do. That a person should stick to one spouse “for better, for worse” may not sound reasonable, but that is what the word of God says. A true worshipper of God will not tell lies even if there is no risk of being found out. To a true worshipper, being truthful is not about man but about God who is all-knowing.

Father, grant me grace to live a life of acceptable worship through Your Spirit in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

We Must All Bear Fruit Of Souls Into God’s Kingdom. DO NOT CLOSE YOUR MOUTH PART 2. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Prayer

John_15-16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 15:16

Read: Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world Amen.

In addition to opening our mouth in prayer, opening our mouth as witnesses of Jesus is another obligation we must perform. Evangelistic outreach is for all children of God; not for God’s ministers alone. We must all bear fruit of souls into God’s Kingdom as commanded by our Lord in today’s memory verse. To back us up in this obligation, our Lord Jesus Christ assures us that all power in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. It is therefore a settled matter that no power on earth or in the spiritual world can stop us from carrying out His instructions. We are therefore inexcusable if we fail to win souls. He instructed us to go and teach all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Great Commission therefore involves teaching. Let us pause and think about what this assignment of teaching means.

To teach is to expound truths that will bring about change in the taught. We are faced with a two-pronged problem in the area of fulfilling this assignment today. One aspect of this problem is that the teacher who is supposed to expound the truth is often afraid of what the reaction of the student would be to a demand for change; hence, he shuts his mouth. But the Bible in 2 Timothy 4:2 says:

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

The other aspect of this problem is that the people to be taught are not comfortable with the cry for “change“. They do not want to be “intimidated” by the “dos and don’ts” of their new found faith in Christ. Such people are deceiving themselves because the Bible does not say we are called into lawlessness. As a matter of fact and whether we believe it or not, a yoke of “learning and change” is attached to our calling into the faith. Jesus in Matthew 11:29a said:

Matthew_11-29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;”

It is our duty as children of God to open our mouths wide to this perverted generation and teach them the counsel of God without fear or favour. I was in a church sometime last year and I heard a sister teaching on tithes. In order to make people accept the doctrine of tithing, she said they could start by giving 5% of their income and gradually increase it! What an erroneous teaching! We must not hold back the truth from those we are sent to. This is the only way our fruit can endure, and then our prayers will be answered.

Determine to properly disciple your converts through sound teaching of the Bible from today.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Divine Partnership. RCCG, June 2015 Holy Ghost service

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Prayer

Divine Partnership. RCCG June 2015 Holy Ghost service

THEME: Divine Partnership

DATE: Friday, 5th June 2015

VENUE: REDEMPTION CAMP: KM 46, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Mowe, Ogun State Nigeria.

TIME: 7PM (Nigerian Time)

MINISTERING: Pastor E. A. Adeboye & other anointed ministers.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

June 2015 RCCG Holy Ghost Service. RCCG

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

THEME: Divine Partnership

DATE: Friday, 5^th June 2015

VENUE: REDEMPTION CAMP: KM 46, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Mowe, Ogun State Nigeria.

TIME: 7PM (Nigerian Time)

MINISTERING: Pastor E. A. Adeboye & other anointed ministers.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Pastor E A Adeboye Donates An Ambulance To Zaka, Israel’s Disaster Recovery Organization (Pictures)

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye Donates An Ambulance To Zaka, Israel’s Disaster Recovery Organization

Pastor EA Adeboye yesterday May 13th through his church RCCG, donated an Ambulance to Zaka, Israel’s disaster recovery organization. At the ceremony which held in Israel, the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, a rep for Israeli Prime Minister were there.

Pastor E A Adeboye Donates An Ambulance To Zaka, Israel’s Disaster Recovery Organization

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

God Bless Unilag! God Bless Nigeria! Mathematics of Greatness by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye Birthday

Mathematics is not only the language of science; it is the language of life.

That is why important statements in life are made of one, two or at most three words. E.g. Congratulations, Amen, Good morning, Thank You, I love you, God bless you.

Greatness can be explained in two basic equations from which some corollaries flow.

GOD is the most High———-Equation (1) Ecc5: 8

GOD is the Almighty ———–Equation (2) Psa91: 1

From the two equations above, we have:

God is sovereign, He does as He pleases, Psalms115: 3

He is the great promoter, Psalms75: 6-7

He can promote from the lowest to the highest 1Sam2: 8

And whosoever He wills, He can demote 1Samuel2: 7

When He promotes, even the sky is not the limit. Deut33: 27

And only His promotion is permanent Deut28: 13.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

Next

To divine promotion is academic promotion (once you get your degree, you’ve got it) But even that is subject to Divine intervention Dan2: 20-21 And God can still reduce the wisdom of man to foolishness, 1Cor1: 19-20

There was a mad man in my area sometimes whenever we wanted to hear real history all we had to do was buy him a keg of palm wine and he will begin to tell us deep history he was a professor but he was mad.

The worst kind of promotion is that given you by a crowd. Those who shout “Hosanna” today will shout “Crucify Him” tomorrow.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

CASE STUDY

I am a case study of Divine promotion born in a village recently put on the map of Nigeria, to a father so poor the poor called him poor.

Today by Divine Grace alone I have become probably the first to hold three (3) postgraduate degrees of the prestigious University of Lagos M.Sc. (1971), Ph.D. (1974), D.Sc. (2015).

The 1st two I worked for, the 3rd they dashed me. I am very grateful.

However the greatest thing that happened to me in UNILAG is that it is while in this University that I gave my life to Christ on July 29, 1973.

It is while in this University that I started hearing the voice of God clearly and audibly in 1974.

It is while in this University that God gave me a glimpse of my future in August 1975.

It is while in this University that I became an ordained Pastor in Sept 1975.

It is while in this University that God gave me a detailed description of what my future holds on the 24th of Dec 1979.

That is why I want to conclude by making a passionate appeal to those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus to do so today.

Only His promotion is continuous and permanent.

Kindly taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalms34: 8

God Bless Unilag

God Bless Nigeria

God Bless You All

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

God Is Love. Do You Bear In You The Marks Of The Lord Jesus? MARKS OF THE LORD JESUS, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Galatians 6:17

Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-14

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

Message

A mark can be described as an impression, a distinguishing trait or quality. Marks indicate characteristics or symbols used for identification or indication of ownership. All heaven-bound Christians are children of God and by implication, belong to Christ (Mark 9:41, Romans 8:16). What are the marks of the Lord Jesus?

One distinguishing trait or quality that indicates one’s ownership by the Lord Jesus is faithfulness. Everyone belonging to Christ is expected to be faithful in prayer, in tithes and offerings, in studying the word of God, in their marital relationship, general human relations and in service to God. Are you a child of God? Be faithful to God, yourself and others. Your faithfulness allows God to reveal greater insights to you. Faithfulness brings opportunities to you that are not given to the unfaithful. God takes pleasure in answering prayers that come from a faithful heart. Another mark of the Lord Jesus is obedience to the will of God. Christ came to fulfil God’s perfect will for His life. Hebrews 10:7 says,

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

Are you living according to God’s perfect will for your life? Anything that brings shame or reproach to the Name of God is not God’s will for you. Are you involved in a business deal where it is required that you tell lies, engage in immorality and cut corners? That business venture should be reviewed. It is probably not God’s perfect will for your life. As a spouse, are you obedient to the will of God in your marriage through fidelity, submission and love?

Affiliated to obedience is love. Love is another mark of the Lord Jesus. John 13:1 says,

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

God is love. The love of God is what indicates that you belong to Christ. You should be able to demonstrate true love to God and man. Love is a benevolent disposition of the mind towards fellow-Christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God. Indicators of love include kindness, selflessness, humility, self-discipline and purity. Love can endure evil, injury and provocation without being filled with resentment, indignation or revenge. Love is benevolent, bountiful, courteous and obliging. Love suppresses envy: it is not grieved by the good of others. Finally, love controls and restrains passions. Do you bear in you the marks of the Lord Jesus?

Father, I submit myself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; let His marks be seen in my life.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Our God Is Praiseworthy. IMPULSIVE PRAISE, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

Memorise:

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Luke 1:46-47

Read: Acts 3:6-9

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

Psalms_63-3: Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Message

Praise can be described as a spontaneous outburst of thanksgiving by a grateful child of God in God’s presence. When a person knows God and experiences Him intimately, he or she sings to the Lord with deepest praise! Our God is praiseworthy. He dwells in the praises of His children. Christ came so that men would be able to praise God in holiness and truth. The woks of Jesus caused men to rejoice and praise God. Luke 19:37 reports that:

“And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;”

God created us to praise Him. This will be our activity when we are gathered around His throne in Heaven. No true child of God should have difficulty thinking of reasons why God deserves his or her praise. We should enjoy the times we have to praise our Lord, both privately and publicly. If your life is not filled with praise, it may be that you have lost your appreciation of God’s mercy upon you. Please, don’t forget what God has saved you from. Never take for granted what it means to have the assurance of eternity with God. Your lifestyle should praise God in holiness and good works. Jesus in Matthew 5:16 said:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Moreover, don’t disregard the spiritual kinship you enjoy with other believers. Take time often to recount the blessings God has poured out upon you and your family in the midst of God’s people. Jesus in Hebrews 2:12 declared thus:

“Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”

As you contemplate the boundless love and mercy God has shown you, you will want to sing praises to His holy Name. Impulsive praise is spontaneous. It is involuntary and not pre-meditated. Here you can sing praises to God or mention His redemptive Names. Here you praise God because you are overwhelmed by His greatness, loving-kindness and goodness to you. Impulsive praise is credible praise. It does not have to be manipulated or orchestrated. It is a real and personal expression of a grateful heart and wonder-filled life that has encountered the Holy God. This is what God expects from you.

Key Point:

Sincere praise is the spontaneous response of one who meditates on the greatness and goodness of the Lord.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive, And Bear A Son, And Shall Call His Name Immanuel. EMMANUEL, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

Matthew_1-21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins

Memorise:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

Zechariah 8:23

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Isaiah_7-14: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Message

One reason why the Holy Spirit caused the Gospel of Matthew to be written is to show that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah. One of such prophesies is found in Isaiah 7:14 which says,

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

This prophecy was shown to be fulfilled by Jesus in our Bible reading today. One of the key points of this prophecy is that Jesus will be referred to as Emmanuel. The name Emmanuel means “God with us”. There is nothing as good as when God is with a person. God is the eternal, independent, self-existing Being. He is the Being whose purpose and actions spring from Himself without any external influence. God is absolute in dominion and infinitely benevolent. He alone is the cause of all existence and the upholder of all things. Numerous benefits accrue from the presence of God. One advantage of having God with you is that no force, known or unknown can successfully detract you from fulfilling destiny (Romans 8:31-32).

For you to fully key into the revelation of “God with us”, you need to understand who God is. God revealed who He is in discrete parts through His redemptive Names to the saints of old. He said to Moses in Exodus 6:3:

“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”

An understanding of His redemptive Names gives us insight into His personality and allows us to profit from the consciousness that this personality is with us.

God is the Elshaddai: He is the All-Sufficient One. This means that He has enough resources to meet all your needs – be it spiritual, physical, emotional or psychological. Also, God is Jehovah Jireh: the Great Provider. He has the ability to turn your austerity to prosperity and poverty to wealth (Philippians 4:19). Another Name for God is Jehovah Rapha: the Healer. Are you sick? He has the ability to cure you of all ailments – be it pathological, soul sickness or spiritual sickness. God is also Jehovah Nissi: He is the Man of War. Are you facing any battle? The Almighty God has the ability to fight all of your battles for you and to grant you total victory. Are the enemies of your life mammoth? Turn to Jehovah Nissi today. Let Him be your Emmanuel. I prophesy that you will experience victory in all the battles of your life in Jesus’ Name.

Consciously carry the presence of God along with you wherever you go.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

It Is Time To Correctly Prioritise Your Life And Passions. Be Passionate About The Things Of God. GREAT EXPECTATIONS, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

1-Corinthians_2-9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him

Memorise:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Read: John 4:24-34

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The Scripture reading of today shows us a marked difference between the priorities of our Lord Jesus Christ and that of His disciples at a point in time. Many of us, like the disciples, are often engrossed with how to meet our physical, psychological and emotional needs. We are immersed in things which are ephemeral in nature. These include what to eat, what to drink, where to live, how to be clothed, how to take care of our immediate and distant families, how to stay healthy, how to be wealthy and how to be famous. Jesus assured His disciples that the Father knew their needs and would provide for them (Matthew 6:31-32). Moreover, He stressed what should be the topmost priority of all heaven-bound Christians. Matthew 6:33 says,

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Passion for the things of God should be your topmost priority! It is often said that passionate people make the greatest contributions to society. Be passionate about the things of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the necessities of daily life will be provided. Stop chasing shadows. Stop putting the cart before the horse. It is time to correctly prioritise your life and passions.

God is called the God of glory in Acts 7:2. There are therefore great expectations for those who serve the God of glory in holiness and truth. There is a blessing of divine favour for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth. It should be noted that a day of divine favour is better than many years of labour. The blessing of divine favour is superior to what people ordinarily enjoy. I pray that you will enjoy the blessing of divine favour with effect from today in Jesus’ Name. Those who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth also receive divine prosperity (Psalm 1:1-3). God is the only one who blesses without adding sorrows to it. Are you experiencing sorrow in any area of your life? I pray that God will turn that sorrow to joy in Jesus’ Name.

There is fruitfulness for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth (Psalm 92:12-14). They also have an assurance of victory over all known and unknown enemies (Psalm 132:18). God will reveal the secrets of all your enemies to you. He will stand by you and fight all your battles for you. He will render your enemies irrelevant and grant you victory over them. Finally, there is the assurance of making heaven at last for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth. What is the state of your consecration and love for God?

Father, grant me the grace to consecrate myself to serving You in spirit and truth.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

God Prefers Obedience To Sacrifice. PROMPT OBEDIENCE. By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Memorise:

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Matthew 8:21-22

Read:

1 Samuel 15:22-23

22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

In the service of God, sacrifice is good. God expects all His children to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to Him. He also expects our sacrifice to be holy and acceptable (Romans 12:1). However, He makes it clear that He prefers obedience to sacrifice. Jeremiah 7:23 says,

“But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Obedience is the act of doing what one is told to do. In the spiritual sense, obedience is total submission to the written and spoken word of God. It is an express but conditional commandment of God. In Exodus 19:5, God instructed the Israelites to obey His voice:

“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

One distinguishing characteristic of those who are great in the things of God is prompt obedience. The Bible contains so many stories of men and women who became great for God as a result of their obedience to His word. A classical example of a person whose lifestyle was defined by prompt obedience was Abraham. Other heroes of obedience include Joseph, Joshua, Ruth, David, Elijah, Elisha and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Obedience entails learning (Hebrews 5:8). It involves God taking you to His own school of theology. Here you are stripped of all knowledge and pomposity in order to obey God in simple holiness and truth. Obedience requires sincerity, genuineness and love. True obedience comes from a heart of love. It is real and not mere eye service. Obedience requires boldness. It takes boldness for a child of God to obey Him in this world of perversion and outright corruption. It takes moral courage to live holy and move against the tide of sin. Don’t be a moral coward. Be bold enough to say “No” to all acts of unrighteousness. Speak out against sin anywhere you find yourself.

A true Christian is one who is neither ashamed of the gospel nor a shame to the gospel. You can overcome the fear of man through reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. Obedience requires humility. It takes the grace of God to obey God all the way to the end. Are you facing persecution because of your obedience to Christ? Don’t give up! Don’t compromise your stand. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted from the path of obedience. Obedience must not be done haphazardly. Disobedience is rebellion, which is likened to witchcraft (1Samuel 15:23).

Obey God, obey those who share the truth with you, obey your leader and obey your body when it needs rest.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Weeping May Endure For A Night, But Joy Comes In The Morning. LAMENTATION AS PRAISE! By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

Psalms_30-5: For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Memorise:

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:5

Read: Psalm 30:7-12

7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

A lamentation is a song of mourning or sorrow. In the Bible, lamentations were usually motivated by national disasters (2 Chronicles 35:25), by bereavement (2 Samuel 3:33-34), personal suffering (Psalm 102:1-11) or by the judgment of God (Amos 5:1-2). Lamentations could also be inspired by repentance as shown in Daniel 9:4-20.

A lamentation can contain praise to express thanksgiving and gratitude to the Almighty God. Such was the lamentation of Daniel in Daniel 9. It was laced with praises to God even though He was mourning the captivity of the children of Israel. No wonder the Lord heard his lamentation and quickly dispatched an archangel to comfort him. Jesus in Matthew 5:4 said:

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

This reveals that there is blessedness even in mourning. There is still a reason to glorify God for His goodness and His mercy even in mourning. It shows that though there is lamentation, there will be clear reasons to praise God at the end. Singing songs of sorrow can therefore lead to comfort.

An example of sorrow leading to comfort is seen when we lament for our sins, mistakes and errors in such a way that leads to genuine repentance. Such repentance leads to righteousness:

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

2 Corinthians 7:9-10

In the above passage, the lamentation and sorrow of the Corinthians led to repentance. Paul rejoiced to see this genuine repentance take place in the life of the people. Godly sorrow brings repentance unto salvation. What started as lamentation or a song of sorrow, produced reasons to praise God at the end. Lamentation becomes a source of praise when godly sorrow produces genuine repentance. Such repentance leads to the joy of salvation, divine approval and blessing.

Father, let Your Church experience godly sorrow that leads to genuine repentance in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

In Everything Give Thanks. BLESSING OF THANKSGIVING. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Prayer

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Memorise:

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

Psalm 92:1

Read: Luke 17:11-19

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.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

Thanksgiving to God, especially for gifts and blessings received, is required and expected. God abhors ungrateful people. God expects Christians to give thanks in all circumstances they are confronted with. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Apostle Paul wrote that:

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ also demonstrated to us the essence of thanksgiving. Several times, He gave thanks to the Father (John 11:41, Matthew 15:36, Luke 22:17).

God wants His children to thank Him and show gratitude for everything that happens in their lives. We are to thank God when we are full and when we are empty. We are to continuously show appreciation for the many things we normally take for granted. Our willingness to thank God should not be based on our mood, i.e. whether we are happy or not. It should not be based only on the things we receive and recognise as gifts and blessings; we should also thank God for the miracle of sleeping and waking up, for the gift of life, for the salvation of our souls and for divine health. Thank God for the ability to use every part of your body; that you can eat, drink, see, walk, speak, learn and interact with people. Thank God because no matter what you are going through, you are still better off in certain areas compared to some other people on the face of the earth.

Thanksgiving to God can be expressed in several different ways. However, offering thanksgiving to God in an acceptable manner guarantees an immediate response from God. Solomon chose to give a thousand burnt offerings (2 Chronicles 1:6), one of the lepers in our Bible text fell down and glorified God with a loud voice (Luke 17:15-16), while David showed gratitude in song and with dancing (2 Samuel 6:14). God responded to Solomon by giving him a blank cheque to ask for anything he wanted. The leper had a partial healing at first, but Jesus made him completely whole after he offered thanks. God was pleased with David and He established his throne forever. Each of these three received a blessing from God that was irreversible. I pray therefore that as you praise and thank the Lord for His goodness and mercy over your life, you will receive irreversible blessings from Him in Jesus’ Name.

Father, please give me a heart of gratitude and put on me the garment of thanksgiving.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Good Number Of Christians Are Still Living Under The Bondage Of A Conscience Filled With Guilt. Why? A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE , By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Memorise:

And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Acts 24:16

Read: Romans 14:16-21

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The Church of Jesus Christ on earth will be healthy and pleasant if Christians would live with a conscience void of offence. Unfortunately, offences often arise here and there in the Body of Christ today. This is caused by the misuse of opportunities, wealth and other material possessions. For this to be uprooted from the Church, we need to apply the spiritual principles that Apostle Paul laid down in 1 Timothy 6:17-18:

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, 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;”

A good number of Christians are still living under the bondage of a conscience filled with guilt. Why? It is because they have not being totally cut off from their terrible past. For instance, some of them are still living with women who are not their first wives. Some others are still living in houses they stole money to build or buy. Some find it difficult to sever their relationship with their old satanic clubs. These and many other entanglements are the reasons why they are not totally free. Some of these Christians put their pastors in tight corners, because their problems just refuse to go away. It then appears as if the pastor does not have enough anointing to deal with such problems. They then move from church to church without finding rest for their souls. The abuse of wealth and position, particularly those that are ill-gotten, robs you of a free conscience. This is why the expected life of peace, joy and contentment, which is our greatest gain and which makes us peculiar as children of God, has eluded some.

A common saying among Christians guilty of the abuse of wealth and position is “My conscience does not condemn me.” The question is: which conscience are you talking about? Is it the dead one that has become reprobate? Some of them even say “As many as are led by the Spirit are the children of God.” Which spirit are you talking about? Can the Spirit of God, who inspired the writing of the scripture, turn around to tell you that what He inspired men to write was a mistake? Beloved, let us not deceive ourselves any further. Let us live a Christian life devoid of offence against God and men, particularly those of the household of faith.

Prayer Point:

Father, with the Blood of Jesus, please purge my conscience of all dead works that bring offence, in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Sweet Holy Spirit, Fill My Heart With Love For The Things Of Heaven. WHAT HAS YOUR AFFECTION? By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

Memorise:

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:2

Read: Colossians 3:1-6

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

I have observed that one of the reasons why many Christians find it difficult to live according to the standards of the Bible today is that their mind is not set on the things of heaven, and the reason for this is the coming of material prosperity to the church. Is it then a mistake that God has prospered us materially? Certainly not! Abraham was blessed, Isaac was blessed and Jacob was also blessed, but yet, they all served the Lord. King David even blessed the Lord for material prosperity among other things. Psalm 103:1&5 says,

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name…Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

I have always said that the grace you need to manage material prosperity is far greater than the grace you need to manage poverty. When God begins to prosper you, you must begin to pray harder for more grace to manage the prosperity, or else, your affection may shift from the things of heaven. It is foolishness to serve the Lord and be mindful of the things of heaven when you are poor, only for you to forget the Lord who has prospered you when the wealth comes. This is why the Bible in Proverbs 1:32 says:

“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.”

For many children of God, when they were still struggling to make ends meet, their prayers used to be “Thy Kingdom come.” Nowadays, they live their lives as if they are not going to die any more, and as if Jesus cannot come at any moment. It’s not hard to identify those whose affection is set on the things of heaven, because they are always busy investing in the expansion of God’s kingdom. Because their investments are in heaven, their hearts are always thinking about heaven.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Matthew 6:20-21

There is no certainty in whatever treasures you keep on earth. Your investment in the things of heaven is what you will be left with if you make it to heaven. Therefore, begin to set your affections on heavenly things from today.

Prayer Point:

Sweet Holy Spirit, fill my heart with love for the things of heaven in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Sacrificial Hospitality. The Poor Shall Never Cease Out Of The Land. Caring For The Needy, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Prayer

John_13-34: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Memorise:

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Deuteronomy 15:11

Read: Matthew 25:34-40

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave the drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The Bible says something very fundamental about our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ which many of us do not pay close attention to. This relates to caring for the needy. Proverbs 22:9 says:

“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”

One of the quickest ways to be blessed by God is to care for the poor. The Almighty God said that the poor shall never cease out of the land, and it is His prerogative to take care of such poor people. In as much as God will not come down to do this duty Himself; He has commanded those who are blessed with resources to give to those who do not have. Whoever acts on God’s behalf by catering for the needy and the poor will be bountifully blessed by Him. This is one of the secrets of divine blessing.

Apart from blessings in this world for those who cater for the poor, our Lord Jesus Christ goes further to assure them of eternal blessings. He said that such people will be adequately rewarded in the kingdom of God. Matthew 25:34-35 says:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:”

One of the respected general overseers of a church in Nigeria once gave the testimony of how he got saved during the Nigerian Civil War. According to him, as he was running from place to place for safety during the war, he stumbled on the small residence of a Christian couple and they received him into their home. To his surprise, he had barely settled down to rest in this couple’s house when the wife placed a big plate of rice before him. He wondered how the couple managed to prepare such sumptuous meal in the first place, and how they could sacrifice such a delicious meal to a wanderer like himself. There and then, he decided to serve the God who was able to take care of this couple even in the time of war. That was how he became a Christian. Today, he has a successful Christian ministry that is spread all over the place. One fact remains, the couple that led him to Christ through sacrificial hospitality will share in the reward of the harvest of souls being credited to his ministry.

Father, grant me the grace and the provision I need to care for the needy in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

If It Becomes A Crime To Be A Faithful Disciple Of Jesus Christ, Will You Be Found Guilty? THE PRICE OF BEING A STANDARD, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:17

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2-Corinthians_3:18: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord

Message

To become a standard or a positive reference point, there is a price to pay. Going through the Bible, one will see that all those who got outstanding approval from God had at least one thing in common, which is that they stood out for God before they became a reference point. One of such Bible heroes is Elijah. He stood out for God on Mount Carmel. He risked being killed by the numerous prophets of Baal whom he had challenged. As a matter of fact, he was considered to be Public Enemy No. 1 by the ruler of his day, Ahab (1 Kings 21:20).

Another Bible hero is Daniel. He stood out alongside three other young Hebrew men in order to be outstanding and thus became a standard. Several times, he risked being killed because of his stand for godliness. He knew his God and would not compromise his allegiance to Him. On one occasion, a decree forbade everybody from praying to God, but he put his life at risk by praying. He showed that he was different from every other person. The Bible says he did not go into hiding to pray; rather, he opened his windows and prayed three times a day until he was found out (Daniel 6:10). He disobeyed the malicious decree, which his malicious fellow presidents made King Darius to sign. One striking thing in this story was the statement of these presidents in Daniel 6:5:

“Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

The question is: if it becomes a crime to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, will you be found guilty? It is unfortunate that Christians are steadily losing their virtue as salt and the light in this world of darkness. Christians are no longer setting the standard for godly, virtuous living. They are allowing this corrupt world to overwhelm them, failing to realise that the state of corruption they are witnessing today was predicted in the Bible so long ago to prepare us to meet its challenges (2 Timothy 3:1-5). This is the reason why in today’s Bible reading, God commands us to come out from among evildoers, particularly false brethren. This is part of the price of being a standard; you must stand out and not conform to this world (Romans 12:2). May the Lord give you the grace to obey in Jesus’ Name.