Saturday 20 July Open Heaven: WHEN THE SPIRIT DEPARTS

Saturday 20 July
WHEN THE SPIRIT DEPARTS
Memory Verse: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Psalm 51:11
Read: Psalm 51:1-12
Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden partthou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thyfree spirit.


Message
Every believer in Christ needs the Holy Spirit. As long as He is with you, all is well, but the moment He leaves you, trouble sets in and weakness follows. When He was with Samson, everyone saw him as a real-life Superman or Spiderman; but when He left him, Samson became an ordinary man and his enemies dealt with him (Judges 16:18-20).

Saturday 20 July Open Heaven: WHEN THE SPIRIT DEPARTS

Saturday 20 July
WHEN THE SPIRIT DEPARTS
Memory Verse: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Psalm 51:11
Read: Psalm 51:1-12
Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden partthou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thyfree spirit.


Message
Every believer in Christ needs the Holy Spirit. As long as He is with you, all is well, but the moment He leaves you, trouble sets in and weakness follows. When He was with Samson, everyone saw him as a real-life Superman or Spiderman; but when He left him, Samson became an ordinary man and his enemies dealt with him (Judges 16:18-20).

Friday 19 July Open Heaven: EXCEEDING GREATNESS BY SACRIFICE

Friday 19 July
EXCEEDING GREATNESS BY SACRIFICE
Memory Verse: Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Psalm 50:5
Read: Genesis 22:7-14
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Gen 22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behindhim a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.


Message
Our God is a covenant keeper. This is why He hates the acts of truce breakers with a passion. If you want your future to be exceedingly great, make sure you are connected through a covenant to God. God is taking us to the level of exceeding greatness. Don't let anybody deceive you by telling you that you have reached a height nobody has achieved for God. Simply tell them that whatever they consider as your height is truly the beginning of your achievement for God. Tell them they have not seen anything yet.

Thursday 18 July Open Heaven: LAYING DEMANDS ON YOUR CALLING

Thursday 18 July
LAYING DEMANDS ON YOUR CALLING
Memory Verse: And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 2 Kings 1:10
Read: 2 Kings 1:9-12
2Ki 1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
2Ki 1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
2Ki 1:11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
2Ki 1:12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.


Message
Every potential champion faces the risk of never becoming a champion. Becoming a champion is a process which involves a lot of effort on the part of the would-be champion; while it takes nothing – no effort on your part to die a potential champion. This is exemplified by Judas Iscariot. He was one of the very few portfolio holders in the ministry of Jesus. He was indeed a potential champion but because he never realised it, Satan deceived him, he lost his ministry and somebody else replaced him (Acts 1:15-20).

Monday 15 July Open Heaven: FULFILLING HIS PURPOSE

Monday 15 July
FULFILLING HIS PURPOSE
Memory Verse: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Ephesians 1:11
Read: Ephesians 1:9-12

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Message
Isaiah 60:1 commands us to arise and shine. To shine is to fulfil your purpose. In Mark 10:46-52, when Bartimaeus was led to Jesus and He commanded his eyes to be opened, He was simply asking his eyes to fulfil the purpose for which they were created. No part of your body is there just for fun: every part has a purpose. Also, in Acts 3:1-8, when Peter commanded the lame man to walk, he was only asking the legs to fulfil their purpose. Whenever Jesus heals or delivers an individual, it is in connection with creating fresh avenues for the fellow to fulfil divine purpose. In Mark 8:14-16, Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law so that she could serve – fulfil her purpose. Are you sick? The healing power of God will touch and heal you so that you can fulfil God's purpose. God's purpose for the mad man of Gadara was to be an evangelist, so when He came to him and met him occupied with insanity – which is the devil's purpose, He delivered him and he fulfilled his purpose as an evangelist.

Wednesday 10 July Open Heaven: DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WEAKNESS

Wednesday 10 July
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WEAKNESS
Memory Verse: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Romans 6:12
Read: Judges 16:6-10

Jdg 16:6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
Jdg 16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
Jdg 16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
Jdg 16:9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
Jdg 16:10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

Message
While fighting with the enemy, God sometimes helps us by causing the enemy to verbalise their evil intent like it happened to Samson in Judges 16:6. If your enemy tells you his plan towards you, what are you supposed to do? Sometimes, the enemy will be so full of the evil plot that he will spill it out unawares; for the mouth releases what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34). If you share your secret with a particular friend, and you observe that your plans are repeatedly frustrated, you don't need a soothsayer to tell you to either cut off from that enemy disguised as a friend or keep your secrets to yourself afterwards.

Tuesday 9 July Open Heaven: YOU CAN OVERTAKE

Tuesday 9 July
YOU CAN OVERTAKE
Memory Verse: ... for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:1b
Read: 1 Samuel 2:20-
1Sa 2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

1Sa 2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

Message
A single contact with God can make the difference in the life of an individual. For some years, some people have laboured in ministry, business, academics and career with nothing to show for it. If you are in such situation, a contact that will usher a season of positive change is coming your way. When the hand of God was laid on Elijah in 1 Kings 18:41-46, he outran King Ahab who had earlier taken off with speed on his chariot of horses. How can ordinary legs overtake horses?

Friday 5 July Open Heaven: LIKE A DREAM

Friday 5 July
LIKE A DREAM
Memory Verse: When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalm 126:1
Read: Psalm 126:1-4
Psa 126:1 .A Song of degrees When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Psa 126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psa 126:3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
Psa 126:4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.


Message
Sometimes, when the King of glory pays you a visit, things will happen so fast that you may think that you are dreaming. When Peter had such a visit, he thought he was dreaming. After the angel led him out of the prison and finally vanished, that was when he realised it was no dream (Acts 12:1-11).

Tuesday 2 July Open Heaven: YOU WILL MAKE IT!

Tuesday 2 July
YOU WILL MAKE IT!
Memory Verse: Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 2 Corinthians 11:29
Read: 2 Corinthians 11:23-30
2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, inperils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city,in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
2Co 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
2Co 11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.


Message
The midwives of Exodus 1 did not fail God over the purpose for which He planted them at the general hospital. If they did not fail God in spite of their trying circumstances, you too will not fail God over His purpose for your life. If there was somebody who should not make it, it was Paul.

Sunday 30 June Open Heaven: ANY CREDIT WITH GOD?

Sunday 30 June
ANY CREDIT WITH GOD?
Memory Verse Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Psalm 20:3
Read: Acts 9:36-42
Act 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

Act 9:37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

Act 9:38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

Act 9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

Act 9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

Act 9:41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

Act 9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.



Message
“And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.”
2 Kings 4:21.
When the son of the rich Shunammite woman died in 2 Kings 4:18-26, she laid him on the bed that she had provided for the man of God. It was another way of telling God: 'Lord, I have some deposits in my heavenly account: it is time to make a withdrawal'. She did not request for the child in the first place; it came as interest on her investment. Do you have a deposit with God which you can draw from in times of crisis? It is wisdom to have such a deposit because at very crucial moments in the life of the depositor, your investment will speak for you. At such times, you may not be the one to speak for yourself.