Prayer Point

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8

Read: Genesis 31:36-42

36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Message

God is a righteous God, and as a result, He hates all forms of fraud. According to Leviticus 19:13, it is a crime to delay your worker’s salary for 24 hours. Do you promptly pay your staff – whether church or secular? Another aspect of fraud is manipulating your workers’ salaries. One Bible character who was a victim of this was Jacob. All the years he worked for Laban, he suffered a great deal. He was deceived, cheated, made to bear the losses his boss should have borne and earned an ever-decreasing wage. Laban was extremely wicked. But do you know that some employers today are like Laban? They take all the gains of their businesses and push all the losses to their staff, irrespective of what caused such losses. Also, while they plan to make more profit and push their staff to work hard at it, they hardly ever plan to increase their salaries. If anything, they continue to come up with excuses as to why such salaries should remain at the same level, or even be reduced.

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

Laban reduced Jacob’s wages 10 times. If you are happy to cut down your staff salaries rather than increase them, though your business is not diminishing, you are toying with Hell. If your business cannot afford an employee anymore, it is better to let such staff go after paying their entitlements. Take note of the words of Romans 13:8:

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Every cent, kobo or penny you fraudulently cut off the wages of your staff amounts to a debt you owe them. Also, the fact that you owe your staff shows your lack of love for them.

You cannot be cutting down the salary or wages of those you love, while your business is doing fine. Do not be surprised that some employers who claim to be believers in Christ will die and get to the gate of Heaven, only to be told that they cannot enter in because of the debt they owe their staff. At that checkpoint, the entire amount owed will be found on them. They will then say “I am sorry; I am now prepared to pay the debts I owe my staff“, but the angels will say “Sorry, it’s too late.” The money such persons fraudulently stole from their staff will follow them to Hell-fire and torment them there for eternity. For your own good, go and restitute all the wages you have cut off without just cause!

Key Point:

Besides pride, another vice that God cannot stand in people is breaking of agreements. If you make a promise, you must keep it.

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

Is It As To The Lord? Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Ephesians 6:6

Read: Ephesians 6:5-8

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

Message

The story was told of a preacher who went to church one Sunday morning, fully prepared to deliver his sermon, only to find out that the bad weather had prevented members from coming to church except one little boy. This preacher, as the story goes, preached as if the whole auditorium was full of members. After the sermon, the preacher made an altar call and the boy gave his life to Christ that glorious Sunday morning. It was one morning, one preacher, one-member congregation and one convert. That little boy became a world-renowned evangelist.

Today’s Bible reading encourages us to render our service, either in church or outside of church, as to the Lord, not with eyeservice or as men-pleasers. Unfortunately, there are men-pleasers today in Church, who would rather offend God instead of offending the feelings of people, even when this is unscriptural. Such an attitude affects our service to God negatively. It taints our holy service to God. Paul in Romans 12:1 says thus about Christian service:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

The work ethics in our church organisations should require little or no supervision. This is one of the first things we were taught when we applied as volunteer workers in church. There is danger in working with eyeservice, because when the one you intend to impress is not around, you will do something else.

Some civil servants short-change themselves when they think that government work is not to be done wholeheartedly as if one’s life depends on it. If you work in any organisation, particularly a government establishment, and you think you can loaf around and still get paid at the end of the month without repercussion, you must have been deceived. The law of natural justice and equity establishes the fact that if your work is worth 50,000 of your country’s currency but you receive 1,000,000, by the time you have spent the last unit of the money, you will realise that the value of what the 1,000,000 obtained is not more than what is obtainable with 50,000.

Father, deliver me from eyeservice, and please help me to serve You acceptably from now onwards in Jesus’ Name.

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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 Not Over Yet. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Prayer

Philippians_3-14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

Read: Philippians 3:10-14

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The Christian journey is more often than not a long distance race. This is particularly true because of the long life that our Heavenly Father has promised us (Psalm 91:16). We therefore need a lot of patience to run the race. Apostle Paul in today’s Bible reading gives insight on the nature of the race we are engaged in. It is a non-stop marathon. Once you start, you cannot go on sabbatical leave. Because you are already grafted into Jesus Christ once you start the race, you must ensure that you don’t pull yourself away from Him who first ran this race and finished well (Hebrew 12:2). How do we sustain the tempo and determination to finish well? Paul answers this question in Philippians 3:13-14:

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Many Christians live in the glory of their past achievements, and this has resulted in their undoing. The various indictments Jesus levelled against the seven Churches in Asia in Revelation 2-3, should be food for thought for all end-time Christians. In the past, when a Christian mistakenly said something that was not untrue but also not 100% true, he quickly corrected himself with an apology. For example, in the days when my father-in-the-Lord was still alive, I remember travelling to Ilesa, a city in south-west Nigeria, and forgetting to buy some oranges along the way as I used to. I remembered after I got to Lagos and quickly bought some in Lagos. I gave them to my father-in-the-Lord and he asked if I bought the oranges on my way. I said “Yes sir”. Immediately, the Holy Spirit rebuked me that I was not telling the whole truth.

I bought them on the way, yes, but not on the way from Ilesa as the old man meant to ask. I quickly corrected myself and he exclaimed “Holy Spirit!” in adoration of the Holy Spirit’s rebuke of love. Today, many children of God tell lies with impunity and they do not feel the pain of lying, even against the Holy Spirit. Their first love is all gone. Be warned that the race is not over yet. Ezekiel 18:24 says:

“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.”

Prayer Request:

Father, please uphold me to the very end of my Christian race.

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

Death Is Not The End. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Prayer

John_5-24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1 Thessalonians 4:14

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

Everything in this life will come to an end one day. However, the life of a man does not end in death, it continues in eternity, either with God in Heaven or with the devil in the place of torment. Those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and live by the expectation of experiencing the same someday, have the hope of eternal life. The Bible in 1 John 3:2-3 says:

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Jesus Christ promised that He will come back to take us home after preparing a place for us. Here are His words in John 14:2-3:

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Those who have this hope in them will conduct themselves in a way that is expected of saints.

“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

Psalm 15:1-2

This scripture reveals the condition to be met by those who will triumph over death, while Revelation 21:1-7 gives a brief description of the eternal life of bliss awaiting those who give their life to Jesus Christ. But for those who remain resistant to the invitation of Jesus, what awaits them is the second death. This is described in Revelation 21:8:

“But the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

I pray that an eternity in the Lake of fire will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

Father, let me find eternal rest in Your kingdom in Jesus’ Name.

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

Haunted By Your Past? Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Prayer

1-John_1-9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

Read: Romans 8:1-3

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Romans_8-1:There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit

Message

Some Christians allow their past to haunt them so badly that they have no confidence in their heritage as children of God. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, is an example of someone who did not allow his past to haunt him or prevent him from fulfilling his destiny. He gave the following testimony about himself in Galatians 1:15-17:

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.”

One noticeable reason why the past haunts some children of God is their lack of knowledge and understanding of the word of God. It is necessary for every child of God to possess very sound knowledge of who they are in Christ through God’s word. As revealed in our Bible reading, any individual who is born-again is free from every form of condemnation of past sins. The past should therefore not torment you if the reality of this scripture has been received in your spirit. Let us look at this passage very closely and learn one or two truths about our new life in Christ.

Before you can escape the evils of your past life, the first thing you should ascertain is whether or not you are indeed in Christ, because some people are in Church but not in Christ. The evidence of a life in Christ is outlined in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This new life is not by our power but by the power in the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ. The Bible says the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).

Part of the cardinal truths distinguishing the Christian faith from all other faiths is the grace which brings salvation to us without imputing our past sins, and the power given to us to live above those past sins. Beloved, if you are still struggling with your past life of sin, you need to check your background. Are you genuinely born-again? If yes, are you still living your past life? If not, your past will not haunt you again. Demolish the bridge that links you with the past and be free.

Cut away from activities, friends and habits of the past, so that you can be free indeed.

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

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No Food For The Lazy Man. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Prayer

Proverbs_6-6: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

Laziness is not a Christian virtue in any way. Our Lord Jesus Christ made this clear by His lifestyle of hard work while here on earth. A lifestyle of laziness is outrightly rejected in Scriptures typified by today’s Bible reading. It is amazing that some people are still expecting God to rain manna on earth! It does not work that way anymore. After the children of Israel had settled in the land flowing with milk and honey and they had eaten the old corn of the land, the manna ceased (Joshua 5:11-12). What the Lord expected of them going forward was to cultivate the land and expect His abundant harvest. Some people don’t know that working is a divine attribute. They think the idea of work came as a result of sin. This is far from the truth because God worked, and Jesus Christ even said this in John 5:17:

“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”

It was reported to Paul that some so-called brethren were not working in the early Church. Paul quickly responded to the situation with the example of himself, because he was hard-working. Read his testimony in Acts 20:33-34:

“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”

Some Christians claim that they do not work for a living because they cannot get a job. From personal experience, the truth of the matter is: it is the job of their dreams that they are looking for, and because it is not forthcoming, they stay at home or loaf around, living on other people’s sweat. Such people should look for an alternative job, not only to keep busy but also to earn a modest living. Proverbs 12:11 declares that:

“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.”

Genesis_8-22: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease

Apostle Paul did not depend on any person but God for survival. Despite his extraordinary anointing, he was a still a tent maker (Acts 18:3). I pray for someone reading this devotional who is currently unemployed: the Lord will provide you with a good job that will enable you to support the work of God and bless the brethren, in Jesus’ Name.

If you are looking for a white collar job and it is not forthcoming, prayerfully try your hands on something else, and God will bless your effort 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!

Remain True To God. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Prayer

Ephesians_1-3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Psalm 103:2

Read: Deuteronomy 8:10-14

10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

Solomon was a man who enjoyed the goodness of the Lord in an unprecedented way. The crown of God’s goodness to him was that God appeared to him twice (1 Kings 9:2-3). He indeed recognised and testified to the goodness of God in His life. In 1 Kings 5:4 he testified that:

“But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.”

Everything that Solomon desired, the Lord granted him. But the Bible in 1 Kings 11:4 says this about his latter end:

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

The negative turn taken by the life of Solomon when he was old can be attributed to the comfort he enjoyed. This example of Solomon should serve as a lesson to every one of us. To be blessed by God is not as important as retaining your relationship with Him. Solomon started well but he could not end well.

The real character of a man is not revealed at the time he is experiencing need but at the time he has entered into abundance. King Solomon was prospered so greatly by God that the Queen of Sheba heard of his prosperity and fame. She personally came to Jerusalem to witness those things she had heard. It is unfortunate that Solomon did not remain true to God who had prospered him. Is the Lord doing great things through you? Don’t ever be proud. He owns the content; you are just an ordinary container. As a pastor, are there many members in your congregation? Don’t get distracted by this, God is the one drawing them to Himself. Many who started well have turned away from the faith; don’t be one of them.

When people are in search of one thing or the other, they will be actively involved in the service of God, but as soon as their problems are solved and their needs are met, they will disappear from God’s service. Are you in a state where everything looks alright, but in your heart you know that you have missed it somewhere? There is no need to pretend; all you need to do is come back home to your senses. God is waiting for you. Never allow the pressures of this life to lead you to destruction. Deal with all those things that are capable of keeping the blessings of God out of your life. Come out of every weakness. Don’t allow that questionable relationship to deny you the joy of your salvation.

Prayer point:

Father, grant me grace not to fail in the place of honour.

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

Love In Practice By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Prayer

Matthew_6-24: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:18

Read: 1 John 3:16-18

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

The character of love is seen in practise and not through empty words. This is the reason why John the beloved advised that we should make the expression of our love practical. One practical way of expressing love is through giving. The Bible in John 3:16 says that God loved the world, and this love compelled Him to give His only begotten Son, so that men could be saved. It was through the medium of giving that God ascertained the love Abraham had for Him (Genesis 22:10-18).

Many people deceive themselves that they love God, but God knows they are far from what they claim to be. When God lays a demand on them, even of those things that legitimately belong to Him, they give reasons why they cannot respond positively, expecting Him to understand the situation they are passing through. For example, some people deny God of tithes and offerings, and they expect Him to understand.

Our giving should also be directed towards our fellow human beings, since this is more direct. It is an expression of love to someone we can see. As a matter of fact, Jesus appreciates our gesture towards our fellow human being, particularly those of the household of faith. He said in Matthew 25:34-36 that:

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

John the beloved in 1 John 3:17 also asked this question:

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

A popular adage goes: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” I would rather say “A brother in need is a brother indeed.” Some brethren find it difficult to pick up a stranded brother that is known to them on the road. Beloved, let us go back to the basics of love as was taught in the early days of the Church. This will make our Lord happy, and He shall bless us in return.

Look around you for those in need, and show them the compassion of Jesus.

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

Let Your Light So Shine. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Read: Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

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

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Message

Any child of God who desires not to be overwhelmed by the darkness of this world needs to compulsorily shine as the light. The Bible in John 1:5 says:

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

Why is it that the darkness does not overcome the light? Simply put, it’s because the light shines. When the light refuses to shine, it gives room for darkness to reign. This is the reason why it is dangerous for children of God to abandon politics in the hands of the children of disobedience. These children of disobedience will continue to vote for politicians who are their spiritual kinsmen. Christians have no moral justification to complain of bad governance, if they refuse to shine as light in the political scenes of their country. The reason darkness did not overcome Jesus Christ was that, as the light of the world, he shone throughout his earthly ministry. In John 9:5 He declared that:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

He also defined us as the light of the world in Matthew 5:14.

From today’s memory verse, we understand that to shine in this world of darkness requires wisdom. It therefore follows that it is foolish to light your spiritual candle of salvation and hide it under the table. Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the light goes out. One of my children once shared the wisdom that God gave him to always overcome being overrun by the evil of this age. Anytime he finds himself in a new environment, the first thing he does is to announce that he is a child of God. He does this by witnessing to the high and low of that place. So, from the first day of his arrival, people already know he is not someone to discuss fraud and other sins with.

How do we shine as stars in the darkness of this world? Daniel gave us the answer to this question also in Daniel 12:3:

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

I urge you to begin to shine through soul-winning and teaching the doctrine of righteousness, and God will back you up. The evils associated with darkness will not overcome you in Jesus’ Name.

Key Point:

When you preach, teach and exhort people into godliness, you will be left with no option but to live as such.

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

Young Must Grow. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18

Read: 2 Peter 3:15-18

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

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

There is a privately owned transport outfit in Nigeria which has “The Young Shall Grow” as its company name. This name suggests optimism concerning the potentials of the young. However, in the kingdom of God, the expectation that the young will grow is beyond optimism; it is a matter of compulsion as seen in our memory verse. I pray that you will grow spiritually in Jesus’ Name.

How can a young Christian grow spiritually? Apostle Peter gives a definitive answer in 1 Peter 2:2:

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

This is one of the areas where we have issues in the 21st century Church. Some influential churchmen and women have rejected the accuracy and sufficiency of the scripture for Christian living. They have settled for the philosophy of relativism. Incidentally, this development is not new; it was manifested in the early Church also. This formed the basis of why Peter wrote the words of today’s Bible reading. Amazingly, Peter in this epistle made mention of the epistles of Paul, which he described as too hard for the unlearned and the unstable. These ones were not ready to grow; so they twisted the epistles of Paul to suit their lusts; just like they did with other scriptures.

This practice still goes on today. I learnt with dismay that a senior pastor of a church said to his congregation that some of those things Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus and to the Corinthians are not necessarily meant for European or African Christians! How on earth would the congregation of such a pastor grow spiritually?

Apostle Peter therefore warns us in 2 Peter 3:17 to beware of the error of the wicked, so that we are not led astray like Eve in Genesis 3:4-5. The serpent seemed to be saying to her: “Don’t mind God; you cannot die at all; God is only being unnecessarily high handed because He does not want you to be as enlightened as He is.” Apostle Peter followed up this warning with the command that all Christians must grow and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). If a Christian would not grow in grace to do according to the word of God, such a Christian will be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and is doomed for perdition. Therefore, young Christians must grow by being grounded in the true word of God.

Father, grant me revelation in the knowledge of You, and feed me with the bread of Heaven that I may grow to spiritual maturity 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!

Great Gain. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1 Timothy 6:6

Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

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

Message

The Church of Jesus Christ in the 21st century has been robbed of godliness due to lack of contentment. The desperation many so-called children of God exhibit in their search for money has deprived them of living a godly life. “The end justifies the means” has become the driving principle of many. Why would the Church allow herself be robbed of a virtue the Bible describes as great gain? The answer can be found in the parable of Jesus on the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:27-30: “An enemy hath done this.” The enemy of the cross is responsible for this development, and the Church must do something about it as a body and as individuals.

Every child of God must personally endeavour not to be caught in the web of worldliness and insatiable appetite for material things like Esau, Gehazi and Judas Iscariot. We must learn to live modestly in this world. The Bible in Hebrews 12:16-17 admonishes us:

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Collectively, let us avoid what happened at Kibrothhattaavah among the congregation of the children of Israel, when their appetite for the delicacies of Egypt caused them to murmur against the Lord and His servants, Moses and Aaron (Numbers 11:4-6). We should always have this truth at the back of our minds:

“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

1 Timothy 6:7

The story in Numbers 11:4-34 is a rather unfortunate illustration of lack of contentment. Although the Lord had been feeding the children of Israel with the food of angels free of charge (Psalm 78:24-25), they were not content with it; they wanted barbecue chicken instead. At the end, this brought leanness to their soul (Psalm 106:14-15). Beloved, if there is anything you must seek and find today, it should be godliness with contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Father, cause Your fear to rule my heart in contentment 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!

Four Levels Of Blessing. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Prayer

Psalms_23-5: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psalm 23:5

Read: Luke 6:38

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The level of God’s blessings on a person comes in different categories. Although all categories of blessing are desirable, only few people experience all the levels of blessing. Let’s take a look at the four levels of blessing outlined in Luke 6:38. I believe an understanding of these will tremendously bless your life.

The first level is the level of being blessed in good measure. Good measure connotes just enough. This is the level of blessing that the Israelites experienced in the wilderness. They were blessed with manna just enough for their needs each day (Exodus 16:16-18). The next level of blessing goes beyond good measure. At this level, blessings are compacted by being pressed down to make room for more. When the blessing of God keeps coming at a steady dose, such that there is no more room to contain it, there would be a need to make the blessing dense by pressing it down; this creates room to hold and receive more. This type of blessing is described in Malachi 3:10. The next level of blessing goes beyond the level of denseness achieved by pressing down. At this level, blessing is made denser by shaking it together after it has been pressed down.

This creates the capacity to have and hold more blessings at any given time. At this level, the blessings are experienced in maximum dense doses. The next and final level is a level where maximally dense blessings keep coming as a steady stream, such that all capacity to store and hold them is overwhelmed. At this level, blessings begin to run over. Many years ago, I asked my Daddy in heaven: “Why the wastage of blessings by allowing them to run over? Why keep pouring after the cup is full?” The answer I got was: so that the world could see that He is the God who has more than enough.

There is a key for accessing any of the levels of blessing we have described. This key is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6:

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

You must give before you receive, because the law of harvest cannot be broken. The quantity and quality of your sowing will determine the level of blessing you experience. I pray that the seed you need to sow to take you to a higher level shall be supplied to you this season in Jesus’ Name.

Father, please give me seed to sow for bountiful harvests 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!

Long suffering God. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Prayer

Colossians_3-12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Read: Jonah 3:5-10

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Galatians_5-22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith

When the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that love suffers long, it aligns with the character of God and confirms that God is love indeed. Our God is a longsuffering God. It is His longsuffering that has kept the world intact till now; otherwise He would have destroyed it many times over. It is however unfortunate that man tends to take the longsuffering of God for granted. Many have lost the opportunity of being forgiven because they failed to repent until death caught up with them. I was praying for a king who was sick in one city in south-west Nigeria, and the Lord told me to ask him to repent of his sins if he wanted to be healed. He was reluctant to do so, and he refused to repent until he gave up the ghost. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 6:2 says:

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

One city that enjoyed the longsuffering of God and put it to good use was the city of Nineveh. The longsuffering of God kept this great city alive while God gave them time to repent. When this longsuffering started waxing thin, He sent Prophet Jonah to warn them to repent. The Bible in Jonah 1:1-2 says:

“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”

What a gracious and merciful God He is! Thank God they heeded His warning and repented; from the king to the least person in the city. The longsuffering of God is demonstrated in the fact that even when Jonah was running away from the great responsibility of warning this city, God still put up with them until His warning got to them.

To someone reading this devotional today, I want you to know that the purpose of God’s longsuffering is to give you the opportunity to repent and not be destroyed. I therefore encourage you to give your total life to Jesus Christ and stop postponing the day of your salvation, because tomorrow may be too late. Jesus is standing at the door of your heart; I encourage you to open it to Him so that He can come in with His forgiveness, salvation, healing and all-round peace.

Examine your life and see where you need to turn a new leaf, and do so 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 Commendation. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25:21

Read: Matthew 25:15-21

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

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

You are blessed when a great man commends you for executing an assignment well. Very much more, when God commends you for a job well-done, you are exceedingly and greatly blessed. Commendation is the direct opposite of condemnation. May you not be condemned in this world and in the world to come in Jesus’ Name. The wealthy man in our Bible reading commended the servant with five talents who gained five more talents. He also commended the servant with two talents who gained another two talents. However, the one with one talent went and hid his talent in the ground, because he felt he was not given his due to trade with. On the day of reckoning, he was condemned.

Our Lord Jesus Christ promised that He would commend those on His right hand side on the day of reckoning. In Matthew 25:34 He said:

“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:”

What do we do to obtain this divine commendation? One of the things we can do is to show the compassion of Jesus to the needy: feed the poor, clothe the naked and house the homeless (Matthew 25:35-36).

Another channel for receiving divine commendation is exercising uncommon faith. A centurion, whose servant was sick, demonstrated uncommon faith in the power in God’s Word, and he received divine commendation for this in Matthew 8:10:

“When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

God celebrates people who exercise faith in Him. This is the reason why the Bible says it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).

Those who endure to the end in the Christian race will also receive divine commendation. In Revelation 2:26, our Lord Jesus promised that:

“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

We should believe the promises of our Lord and work towards receiving His commendation.

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

Watchman For God, Part 2. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Prayer

Matthew_28-19-3: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost

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.

Matthew 28:20

Read: Ezekiel 33:12-16

12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

As a young Christian, I used to think that the sole purpose of preaching was the conversion of souls. When I preached and people did not respond positively, I used to be discouraged. Often times, I felt that there was no need to preach to people whom I assumed were despisers of the message of the gospel, until the Lord led me to a truth about my assignment as a watchman. This truth is hidden in Matthew 24:14:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

From this scripture, I understood that the gospel must be preached not only for them to believe and be saved but also to serve as a witness so that they may be left without excuse! The Psalmist also mentioned this truth in Psalm 51:4. As watchmen, we are therefore left without an excuse if we do not deliver the message as instructed.

As Christians, we should understand that we are watchmen and not watchdogs. Dogs can only bark, but we are sent to teach what our Lord has commanded us, and this we must do till the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). It is satanic to consider as pointless or obsolete, the ideals of our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in the gospels and those revealed through His Holy Spirit in the epistles. Moreover, as watchmen and oracles of the Lord, we must preach the message of hope, assuring people in our generation that there is room for sinners at the cross of Jesus for repentance. Whenever they ask us “What must we do?” We should answer with the words of Acts 3:19:

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”

God told Ezekiel to assure the people that He had no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Rather, His desire is that the wicked one should turn from his evil ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11). This is our message, and this is our responsibility. However, we must call a spade a spade, so that the reality of Hell awaiting unrepentant sinners may dawn on them and they may repent.

Father, make me an effective watchman that will bring harvest of souls into Your Kingdom.

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

Watchman For God. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Prayer

Romans_5-8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19

Read: Ezekiel 33:7-11

7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?

11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Romans_3-23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

God called Prophet Ezekiel and set him as a watchman over the house of Israel. As a watchman for God, he was to hear from Him and warn the people concerning whatsoever God told him. Just like Ezekiel, believers in these end-times, particularly ministers of the gospel, are set as watchmen to warn the world of the impending judgement of God. One of the most important responsibilities of a watchman for God is that he or she must of necessity hear from God (Ezekiel 33:7). You must hear from God in order to warn on His behalf those who are perishing. You cannot warn them using your own wisdom; rather, you must tell them what God is saying to them. How do you hear from God as a watchman? The simplest way to hear from God is through the revealed truth, which is the Holy Bible. This holds true only for those who still consider the Bible as infallible and having eternal truths for all generations.

As a watchman, you must therefore follow the admonition of 2 Timothy 2:15:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Another responsibility of a watchman for God is to maintain an intimate relationship with the One who commissioned you by remaining true to your message, because, you cannot give what you don’t have. Paul emphasised the need to remain true to our message in Romans 2:21:

“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?”

In Ezekiel 33:8, the Almighty God said His appointed watchman is held accountable for every soul that perishes if the watchman fails to sound the note of warning at the appropriate time. This is one aspect of the responsibility of a watchman, where 21st century preachers need to be careful. We need to be careful not to be negligent in our responsibility to warn evildoers without minding whose ox is gored. Beware of the fact that some pastors and teachers of the word may be condemned to the lake of fire on the last day for failure to warn the people that God has set them over against sinful habits that have become part of popular culture. We are living witnesses to the tolerance and consideration the Church is showing towards issues like homosexuality, which brought fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah in the time of old. I pray that Christians, especially preachers of the word will not go to hell because of their failure to warn people against sin.

Stand your ground in whatever sphere you find yourself to warn people against a life of sin.

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

Messengers Without A Message. Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Prayer

Mark_16-15: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature

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

2 Timothy 4:2

Read: 2 Samuel 18:19-33

19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.

27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

One anomaly noticeable in the Body of Christ today is the presence of messengers running around without a message. An example of such messengers is Ahimaaz in today’s Bible reading. After the death of Absalom, Joab, the captain of David’s army, sent Cushi with a message to the palace; but Ahimaaz volunteered himself to also deliver a message to the king. In spite of the fact that Joab reminded him that he had no reason to go since he had no message to deliver, he insisted that he would, and he was allowed to. The funny thing about this story is that, Ahimaaz outran Cushi who actually had a message to deliver. When Ahimaaz got to King David and he was interrogated, the emptiness of his message was laid bare, and the king therefore asked him to step aside for the person who actually had substance in his message. One cannot help but wonder: what was the essence of Ahimaaz’s effort, so much so that he outran the person who actually had a message?

The attitude demonstrated by Ahimaaz can be referred to as zeal without meaning. This is the situation of some so-called ministers of the gospel today. They are messengers sent by their belly or by the devil (Romans 16:18). How do we know messengers without a message? We know them by their deceptive speeches, which are geared towards making people “feel good” when they should be sober about their lifestyle of sin. Apostle Paul, while giving his final charge to Timothy, his son in Christ and a young bishop, instructed him to:

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

2 Timothy 4:2

Today, many so-called sermons are actually motivational speeches, given by motivational speakers disguised as preachers. Their message cannot be the word of God; it contains no rebuke, no reproof and no doctrine. As a matter of policy, they would not teach doctrine because they say they have not been called to do so! One cannot help wondering who commissioned them in the first place. It is their belly, of course (Philippians 3:17-19). Beloved, I advise you to be careful of the ministers you listen to, and to filter the type of sermons you admit into your spiritual sub-consciousness. On the other hand, if you are a deceptive preacher of the gospel, desist before the anger of God comes on you without remedy.

Father, help me to recognise Your appointed messengers, and grant me the grace to listen and do according to Your bidding through them.

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

Rest In The Lord. Sermon By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Prayer

Matthew_6-33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

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

Matthew 6:33

Read: Matthew 6:31-34

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

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

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Nobody cares for us like our Heavenly Father. The devil and the world may want to deceive you to think that they care more than He does, but you must not allow yourself to be deceived like Eve (1 Timothy 2:14). The devil deceived Eve to think that God was being too high-handed by restricting her to eat of certain fruits alone (Genesis 3:1-5). Jesus expressed the depth of the Father’s love and care for us in our Bible reading. He consequently admonished us to stop worrying about things that have already been sorted out by our Heavenly Father. He also declared to us what our priority should be (Matthew 6:33). He said when we focus on this priority, the rest of those things that are needful shall be provided for us. Unfortunately, some children of God are too mindful of the “interest” at the expense of the “principal“. They are too mindful of the “other things”, which indeed are necessities, at the expense of our main priority, which is the kingdom of God. If you genuinely seek the kingdom of God, faithful is He that has promised; all your other necessities shall be added unto you.

It is amazing to know that God provided what He considered to be our needs, even before He created us. This shows us that God has ever been mindful of our basic necessities. In the creation story, God used the first five days of creation to provide all that man would ever need; after which He created man in His own image on the sixth day (Genesis 1:26-31). Man began to worry about what to eat, drink, wear and what would become of his future after the Fall (Genesis 3:7-8).

We can see the goodness of God demonstrated even after the fall of man. In spite of man’s rebellious act, God still sought after him in the garden. He called Adam and Eve out of their hiding place, and after rebuking them, He clothed them properly. Genesis 3:21 says:

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

There is need for us as children of God to trust that our Heavenly Father is mindful of our well-being. If we do, we will not be anxious for anything like those who don’t know God. We will have peace, joy and contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-8). I want you to consider Philippians 4:19 as God’s assurance of His provision for your life. Praise Him for this blessed assurance.

Is there any lack in your life? Tell your Heavenly Father about it today. He will pleasantly surprise you.

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

What Type Of Vessel Are You? Sermon And Prayer Point By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Prayer

Isaiah_64-8: But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

2 Timothy 2:20

Read: 2 Timothy 2:19-21

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

In the Body of Christ, there are different types of vessels. There are vessels unto honour and vessels unto dishonour. Also, there are vessels for temporary use and there are those used on a permanent basis. Vessels for temporary use are those used and subsequently dumped; whereas vessels for permanent use are for keeps. Every child of God must decide what type of vessel he or she wants to be and comport himself or herself as such. Shepherd staffs, like the rod of Aaron that budded and was kept in the ark of covenant, are examples of vessels for permanent use (Hebrews 9:4). But the jawbone of asses, like the one Samson used and dumped, have no permanent usage (Judges 15:15-17). The status of a vessel with respect to being of permanent or temporary use is determined by the nature and preparation of the vessel. This is why the Bible in 2 Timothy 2:21says:

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

A vessel of honour is not used and dumped. They stay with the Master forever. To be set apart as such a vessel, the Bible enjoins us to depart from iniquity. Jesus made a profound promise to all vessels of honour; in John 14:2-3, He said:

Irrespective of the level of preparation by a vessel, the user of the vessel has the prerogative to determine what type of use it is applied to. This is the reason why you as a child of God must be careful of who or what you allow to use you. Our God does not use and dump vessels of honour, but Satan, sin and the world do. Romans 6:13 says:

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

I pray for you that you will be a vessel of honour for the permanent use of God in Jesus’ Name.