OPEN HEAVENS 28TH OCTOBER 2015 BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE… DANGERS OF ENVY II
DANGERS OF ENVY II
Memorise: And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachael envied her sisters; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. Genesis 30:1
Read: Numbers 16:29-35, 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.
30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked theLord.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 10-11, Ephesians 4
MESSAGE!
Envy is a terrible character flaw that everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour must completely give up. Envy can lead to the murder of the one being envied or the murder of his or her dreams. Many polygamous families are wrapped up in envy. The mark of a place where there is envy is confusion and evil. James 3:16says:
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
As much as it lies within your power, avoid such places, because the Spirit of God will not stay in a place where there is confusion (1st Corinthians 14:33). In such places, people go to any extent to discredit, poison, afflict and destroy their own out of envy. If you are driven by envy, you are on a satanic mission: a self-destructive mission that will definitely lead to regret someday. Today, some churches are envy-driven. Do you know that some pastors go to set up their own ministries out of envy? The foundation of such ministries is faulty from the beginning, and if you dare to check, God is completely out of it. Are you driven by envy? What are you doing as a result of envy? Repent and amend your ways today before it is too late.
There is a great price the envious always has to play. This price could have a physical, emotional and spiritual component. The price for envy can be very costly! You would be amazed at what that tiny envy in your heart towards your neighbour can take out of you. Envy can erode the blessings of the environs. If you do not want to lose your blessings, completely abstain from it. Korah, Dathan and Abiram paid dearly for the envy that led them to rebel against their leader – Moses (Numbers 16:1-3). God publicly set them aside to show everyone that they had done the wrong thing. God, who earlier appointed them as leaders under Moses, openly discredited them. Thereafter, the ground swallowed them up together with their households. Envy made sure their generation was terminated. That envy in your heart can terminate your future generations! Greed and envy are two tools the devil uses to destroy future generations and destines! Gehazi’s greed brought leprosy to his generation (2nd Kings 5:27), while the envy of Korah, Dathan and Abiram completely wiped out their generations. Check your heart! That tiny looking seed of envy that appears harmless today can become your greatest undoing. Ask God to help you uproot it now.
Prayer Point
Father, in your mercy, uproot and destroy completely every trace of envy in my heart. S
BLESSED IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE by Joseph Prince
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We are not trying to get peace with God. We already have peace with God, having been justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace with God brings us the peace of God, which guards our hearts and minds. (Philippians 4:7) Then, the peace of Godinside us will also translate into the peace of Godoutside us—in all our outward circumstances.
Firstly, we will find that what would normally cause us much care and anxiety will no longer be the case. Secondly, not only will everything turn out well, but we will also be blessed in more ways than one. This is what happens when Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is our peace.
A church member, though stricken with cancer, enjoyed the peace of God, knowing that He was her healer. She later received confirmation from two different doctors that she had been completely healed of cancer. In addition to receiving her blessing of complete healing, she also received from her insurance company a critical illness claim of S$50,000!
Another church member, upon hearing news of her retrenchment, committed the matter to God, believing that He would work all things out for her, especially her loss of a regular income. Shortly after, she received her retrenchment package—a substantial five-figure sum. And within days of her retrenchment, she received calls from her contacts in the industry, offering her jobs, two of which were jobs in well-known multinational corporations (MNCs).
At that time, she had not yet started looking for a job, so the calls were unexpected but welcomed. She finally opted to work for one of the MNCs—a dream come true for her—at a salary that was 30 per cent more than her previous one! When she simply prayed, “Abba Father, I trust You to look after me,” and rested in His love and peace, she was abundantly blessed.
Beloved, because Jesus is your peace, you are blessed in more ways than one. Your soul will prosper. Your health will prosper. Your finances will prosper. Your loved ones will be taken care of. Your relationships will flourish. You will enjoy the favor of God. All because you have the Prince of Peace!
Thought For The Day
Because you have peace with God and the peace of God, you are abundantly blessed!
Five Ways Children will Rule the World
Recently we had some friends over for dinner and they announced they were expecting their fifth child. We were thrilled. I laughed looking into our backyard and seeing our own eight children running around in circles, creating a mini-circus. Our neighbors must have thought we were having a birthday party.
As we rejoiced with them over the exciting news, my friend made an interesting comment, “You know, early on in our marriage we talked about how we might change the world by writing a book or getting on the cover of Time, but now we’re realizing our best shot at changing the world is through raising the kids God has given us.”
A Call to (Tiny) Arms
What if more Christians had this view of family? What if more of us didn’t see children as a burden, but as a blessing, and as an opportunity to raise up a small army who could change the world?
At what other point in life do we have such a convenient opportunity to teach, model, rebuke, and encourage the characteristics we desire to see in another person? We have tiny disciples living right under our roof. We so often talk about the ministry we’re doing with others — discipleship over coffee or another Bible study — but what about at our own breakfast table?
If we want to impact our world for Christ, many of us should be involved in raising up a new generation of Jesus followers. I realize not everyone is called to marriage, and some married believers suffer from infertility. But for those of us who are blessed with kids living within our walls, here are a few ways to raise little world-changers. Shape their minds and hearts with these five passions and habits while they’re still living in your home.
1. A Hungry Passion to Meet God in His Word
Everyday our kids see how we choose to use our time. Do they know that spending time in God’s Word is a priority for you? Talk at the dinner table about what you’re studying in Scripture. Ask them what they learned from the sermon or their Sunday school lesson. Our passion, or lack of passion, for the Bible will be easily absorbed by the ones who spend every day watching us. Help them realize the Bible is the most amazing book we have on this earth!
2. A Prayerful Dependence on God in Everything
Do your kids know you pray for them? A routine question we ask our kids when putting them to bed is, “How can I pray for you tonight?” It’s amazing to me how just those few words can help them open their heart to us and share what’s troubling them.
When we see world tragedies on the news or an accident happen on the highway in front of us, our kids should see that our knee jerk reaction is to pray for those involved. God hears and cares and desires to answer the prayers of his saints. There is nothing too big or too small to pray about.
3. A Contagious Gratitude to God for Everything
“Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Thankful people are happy people. And realizing that all our good gifts are given from our Heavenly Father should spur us on to give thanks — both to him and to others. Each day I have opportunities to model thankfulness in my family, whether it’s for the food we’re about to eat, or for my daughter unloading the dishwasher.
Point out to your kids the goodness of God shown to you through the beautiful sunset or your new refrigerator, and be thankful! The joy spread through more and more grateful people living in a society will eventually change that society — or family, or church, or neighborhood.
4. A Happy Faithfulness to Your Local Church Family
Our church body is a precious gift. They are our family away from family. I want our kids to know that being with this body of believers is a high priority in life. Attending corporate worship trumps Sunday morning sports. Being involved in fellowship, through hospitality to small group Bible studies to playdates, is a staple part of our life.
As our kids grow, we want them to see and understand the seriousness of church membership and know that church isn’t just meant to be a Sunday morning thing. These are the precious people God has given us to walk through life with and we should make it a priority to be with them.
5. A Compassionate Heart for World Missions
My husband and I dream about one day being able to take all our kids on a mission trip with us. But for now, as we change the diapers of our 2-year-old and carpool to school, we still have opportunities to give our kids a vision for missions.
Read missionary biographies and talk about their impact for the kingdom. Invite missionaries into your home, and let your kids hear them share about their lives over dinner. Pray as a family for the needs of the missionaries you support. Look for ways to serve your own community, from hosting a neighborhood ice cream social to serving at a soup kitchen in your own city.
If God has blessed you with children, consider what legacy you’re leaving them that will impact our world. Even though the American dream teaches us to limit the number of our children to ensure a more comfortable, undistracted lifestyle, consider doing something radical to make a difference for Christ: Have and raise kids!
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! (Psalm 127:3–5)
Deitrick Haddon Readies The Release Of His New Album ‘Masterpiece in November 6th, 2015
Award-winning gospel artist, songwriter and producer Deitrick Haddon will release his new album, Masterpiece, on November 6th. The new project, released on Entertainment One, is available for special preorder on iTunes now, where fans can get an exclusive bonus track that is available only by album pre-order.
The 16-track Masterpiece features the lead single, “Restore Me Again,” which is in the Top 20 at Gospel radio and still climbing. The project is said to include “rhythmic, riveting beats, fused with sounds of R&B, hip-hop and soul along with tinges of reggae, all perfectly woven together with restorative lyrics that inspire fans to believe and trust God’s plan in their lives.”
Hit iTunes today to pre-order Deitrick Haddon’s Masterpiece!
The Joy of Spiritual Growth by Joyce Meyer – posted October 27, 2015
The Joy of Spiritual Growth
by Joyce Meyer – posted October 27, 2015
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
– Colossians 1:28 NIVAs your relationship with God matures, you will find yourself living less by guidelines, rules, and regulations, and more by the desires of your heart. As you learn more of the Word, you will find His desires fill your heart with thanksgiving and joy. God wants you to know His heart well enough that you will want to follow the prompting, leading, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
– Colossians 1:28 NIVAs your relationship with God matures, you will find yourself living less by guidelines, rules, and regulations, and more by the desires of your heart. As you learn more of the Word, you will find His desires fill your heart with thanksgiving and joy. God wants you to know His heart well enough that you will want to follow the prompting, leading, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Once you are free in Christ, stand fast in that liberty and do not become ensnared with the joy stealer of legalism, which is the yoke of bondage that you have put off (see Galatians 5:1). God wants to bring you into a new place that is full of freedom, so follow your heart, because that is where His law abides.
Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, that the more time I spend in Your Word, the more I love it. I pray that Your Word would fill my heart so that my desires will begin to line up with Your instruction and direction for my life. Thank You that You are bringing me to maturity in You.
The Life Of Jesus Is In You
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Though Jesus is completely God, He was born completely human. He went through temptation after temptation and conquered every one of them. (Hebrews 4:15) And all that overcoming power is found in His life. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!
During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He conquered sickness, the winds and waves, the powers of darkness and death. It is His life that brings victory over the devil and all his works. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!
Finally, Jesus went to the cross. And that life in Him put an end to everything that was natural of the Adamic race—sickness, poverty, failures, pains, curses and death. All that was natural ceased to be in that life of His. But all that was supernatural remained in Him. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!
Then, Jesus rose from the dead. And in that life of His was added the power of resurrection. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!
After His resurrection, Jesus went back to heaven to His Father. Today, He is seated at the right hand of God, resting in His finished work, occupying a place of the highest authority. And He put that life in you—the life of Christ is in you!
And because Jesus went back to the Father, the Holy Spirit came to indwell you (John 16:7), so that you will live life with His anointing in you and walk in His overcoming power.
All that Jesus is, God meant for you to be. All that He has, God meant for you to have. All the exciting things that you read in the Bible about Jesus, all the treasures of Him hidden in the Old Testament and the unsearchable riches in Him that you find in the New Testament, all of that life of His, is not out there somewhere. God has deposited all of it in you, so that you can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give you!
Thought For The Day
All that Jesus is and all that He has, God has deposited in you so that you can live the abundant life that Jesus came to give you!
HE STILL SENDS ANGELS –Tuesday October 27th 2015
HE STILL SENDS ANGELS
Memorise: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Hebrews 1:14
Read; Acts 27:20-25, 20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Bible in one year: Deuteronomy 6-7, Ephesians 2
MESSAGE!
When God sends help from Heaven to an individual, He could send an angelic being to rescue the fellow. Often times, such an angel takes up a familiar form while executing the assignment. When this happens, the recipient of that assistance may not recognise the angel for who he is. For instance, many years ago, it was time to build a particular church. Announcements were made for members to gather together on a particular date and volunteer themselves to take part in the work. On the set day, as they gathered in the morning, they prayed to God before commencing the work, asking for strength not to be tired, and that God should send His angels to join them in the work. After the work started, they observed three unknown faces that had joined them in doing the work. Although they noticed that these men did most of the work, none of them dared to ask them who they were. At the end of that day’s work, when they were trying to take stock of the day’s activities, they wanted to appreciate everyone, particularly those three unknown people, but they realised that they had disappeared.
Similarly, when I was about six or seven years old, one of my elder sisters got married and went to live with her husband. One day, we met and I asked her where her farm was. “Not very far” she said, as she tried to describe it to me. At that age, I could not determine the meaning of “not very far”, so I set out to locate it on a particular day. At a point, I did not know where I was, how to get to her farm or how to get back home. I realised I was lost! In my own little childish way, I looked up to heaven for God’s help. By the time I looked down, I saw a little dog which showed a very friendly disposition towards me and was sort of beckoning to me to follow it. So I followed the dog until I got to my sister’s farm. On seeing me, my sister asked, “How did you get here? Who brought you?” “I followed that dog”, I replied. “Which dog?” She asked. “That little white dog”. Then she said, “There is no dog on this farm.” When we went outside their hut, there was no dog anywhere. God sent His angel to rescue me and the angel took the shape of a dog to accomplish the mission. The Lord will go before you. He will send His angel to lead you on the path to your destiny. May He open your eyes to see the angels He sends your way in Jesus’ Name.
Action Point
Whether you see them or not, as long as you are saved, holy and obedient to God, always remember that an angel is around you.
RIGHTEOUSNESS PAYS! Today: 2015-10-27
RIGHTEOUSNESS PAYS!
Today: 2015-10-27
Prov 11:31
“Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth…”
Righteousness is a seed.
It can’t die. It can’t be lost
Someday it will emerge with its fruits.
Never be weary at living righteous.
Jacob’s righteousness spake for Him – Gen 30:33; 31:1-16
Joseph shows us the way to it – Gen 37:1-6; 42:18
David practiced it a great deal – 1 Sam 24:1-22; 26:1-23
Daniel maintained it as a lifestyle– Dan 6:22
It paid off for all of them. It will work for you in the same way.
“News Update” Bishop Kevin Bond Charge Music Ministers
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Kevin Bond, a well-established keyboardist, music director and multiple Grammy award winners and one of the finest producers in the gospel music industry has charged Nigerian gospel music artistes, worship leaders and concerned stakeholders in the non- secular sector to brace up in their capacity and contribute to fast growing music industry in Nigeria. He said this at the Lagos session of the worship conference tagged, ‘Catalysis 2015’ organised by Trucework Limited, a faith-based organisation.
The conference designed to empower the leadership of the present day church and others was held in three major cities in Nigeria: Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja with worship leaders from different churches, notable gospel music artistes and aspiring talents in attendance at the different cities.
Speaking at the Lagos conference, Bond opened the day with deep x-ray on understanding the root of worship and how God created angels for the purpose of worship. He took the participant through how God created Lucifer with lots of good qualities by giving him power, position and popularity to influence and lead worship in heaven. However, Lucifer lost his place due to arrogance, pride and other qualities that were against God’s wish.
He added that as worship leaders and stakeholders in the non-secular sector of the music industry in Nigeria, there is need for participants to use their God given power, popularity and positions to contribute to the development of the industry to the glory of God.
He expressed appreciation for being invited to Nigeria for Catalysis 2015 which he believes achieved more than the set goals since it was also an avenue to worship and encourage Nigerians to understand what it means to truly submit to God in worship.
The convener, Kunle Soriyan and Chief Executive Officer, Trucework disclosed that he firmly believes that churches should professionalise the business of ministry and utilize their talents and skills to drive the ultimate goal of reaching people and saving souls.
“Catalysis 2015 is aimed at driving the cardinal focus of organisations and our partnership with Kevin Bond is to further give participants that inspiring experience that will reshape worship in a way that will glorify God. We also work to shape culture and change the course of history with the integrity of the gospel of Jesus Christ by reaching, inspiring and empowering thinkers, decision makers and influencers at all levels within and outside the church.”
He added that, the conference will in all facets, build, inform and inspire act of sincere worship through building and adequately equipping worship leaders in Nigeria.
“Bond’s wealth of experience and impeccable work with several gospel artistes proved him highly competent as a producer and firmly validated the production facet of his calling. Bond has numerous productions to his credits and has thoroughly permeated the most prominent gospel CD and cassette jackets over the past 20 years. His coming to Nigeria will be a big plus for the Gospel music industry.”
At a special dinner session held in Lagos for participants and song leaders, Kevin further intimated them on the uniqueness and power of gospel music which deepens the act of worshipping God.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Bond arrived on the gospel music scene in 1983. That year, as a 19- year-old prodigy he became the organist for the highly acclaimed Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts Seminar Mass Choir. Teaming with gospel pianist extraordinaire Richard Smallwood and a host of other gifted minstrels (including guitarist Jonathan Dubose and drummer/bassist Joel Smith), Bond formally introduced himself to the gospel nation on the 1984 EHMAS release, ‘Angels Will Be Singing’. He began to exercise his production talents during the early 1990’s and has collaborated with a number of artists, including Stephanie Mills, Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers, The Kurt Carr Singers and Trinitee 5:7, among others.
Bond has experienced overwhelming success as a producer in recent years. His leadership and production expertise have been vital to the success of some of gospel music’s most recognizable artists; including Kirk Franklin, God’s Property, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, Bishop T.D. Jakes and The Potter’s House Mass Choir, Marvin Sapp, and host of others. He was even commissioned by Steven Spielberg to produce a song for the Prince of Egypt soundtrack. His works have garnered an astounding 10 Grammy Awards, 30 Stellar Awards, and numerous other awards.
Some of the participants at the event commended Trucework Limited for the initiative, Maureen Ayodeji-Akinpelu a chorister at Elevation Church, stated that the conference was an opportunity to learn from Kevin’ wealth of experience to further enhance her worship act. Emmanuel Patrick-Dioha, second runner up Nigerian Idol Season One, applauded the convener of the conference, saying it was a unique gathering to get inspired, learn and build capacity on the true meaning of worship and other business side of gospel music production. Adenike Yomi-Oyeniyi who represented the Fountain of life Church, Lagos said Catalysis 2015 has redefined not just the act of worship but took the participants through what she described as best life experience that gave them true meaning of what God has called them to do as worship leaders.