Topic: Who is my Neighbour? [Saturday 5, November 2016]
Memorise: Let brotherly love continue. – Hebrews 13:1
Read: Luke 10:30-37 (KJV)
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 16:1-19:10, Psalms 95
MESSAGE:
Love is the foundation upon which relationships are built. If your life will please God, then love is one action you must always practice. One of the basic principles of love is showing care for others. If you say you love, and you don’t show how much you care, your love isn’t genuine. Brotherly love should not only be restricted to the household of Christ, You must extend love beyond those you personally know. You need to show care to strangers too. At every given point in time, you must help those you come across to the best of your ability. When it becomes necessary, you must go the extra mile to show love to people, regardless of whether they deserve it or not. The very heart cry of Jesus is that we continue in love because we are partakers of His divine nature. Jesus Christ demonstrated the sacrificial love of giving himself for the benefit of those who did not deserve His love. Our Bible reading gives a clear picture of the kind of love that must not be mentioned among believers – the lip service kind of love, ‘missing in time of need’ kind of love et cetera.
Love, is a divine nature and since we have the mind of Christ, the love of Christ should be shared among us. When a person is driven by love, he will find it easy to apply the love of God in his behaviour towards others within his environment and also those outside his environment. There are people who claim to love Jesus, but they hate everyone around them. They suspect everyone around them; this is not the nature of Christ. The love of God will not make you condemn others or judge them. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours; that person next door, that staff in your office, that sinner on the way, that child with no one to run to, that widow who does not know where the next meal is coming from. Criticism and condemnation is not a reflection of the mind of Christ, strife and division among brethren is not the nature of Christ, but of the devil. Love will always attract a beautiful attitude.
Love was one of the hallmarks of the early apostles; they did everything in the spirit of love. The early church loved each other so much that everybody’s needs were met. When there is love, there will be an elimination of jealousy and envy, whatever you do will be done in the best interest of others. When in love, we will no longer focus on just thinking about ourselves, but about the good of the other fellow. You must always have the desire to help people and add value to the lives of those around you. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, the scripture tells us about the relationship that existed between Jonathan and David. Jonathan loved David the same way he loved himself. Jonathan made out time to meet the needs of David, he never bothered about himself. He just wanted to do what was right for the relationship; he was all out for the protection of David. Where there is love, there will be trust. Where there is trust, there will be growth. Love will bring commitment to the common good of all.
Key Point: Love is not easily provoked.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
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Saturday, 5 November 2016
Friday, 4 November 2016
Open Heavens 4 November 2016: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Enslaved by Falsehood?
Topic: Enslaved by Falsehood? [Friday 4, November 2016]
Memorise: Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. – Proverbs 12:22
Read: Genesis 3:1-6 (KJV)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 12-15, Psalms 94
MESSAGE:
There are dangerous traps of the devil set to derail people from inheriting their possessions in Christ Jesus. There are many people who have been deceived and enslaved in falsehood because they were not sensitive. This is why Jesus warned that if care is not taken, even the very elect will fall for the deceits of the devil. By all standards, lies are the devil’s greatest weapons with which he enslaves people into falsehood. A lie is anything other than the absolute truth. The first man and woman to exist on the earth were victims of lie when the devil intentionally misinterpreted the instructions that God gave them to keep. It is upon this that the Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents, because the devil will always try to prove to the children of God how ‘unreasonable’ the commandments of God are. You have to make up your mind to obey God rather than question simple instructions that are intended to make you happy and give you rest. The devil will also make efforts to question the reputation of God. Some teachers have taught that one can continue in sin since grace abounds. False teachers will tell you to live your life as you deem it fit because there is liberty in Christ. These are all lies of the devil; those who fall for them will always have woeful experiences. The scripture tells us not only to hate lies but to keep the utmost distance from it because those who engage in lies are abominable in the sight of God.
We need to be men and women who delight in the truths of God in all matters. The problem with human beings is that we always do not appreciate the truth when we find it. There are people who prefer to seek counsel from people that will destroy them through wrong counsels. Some people know that there is nothing biblical about their church, yet they remain in such places.
There are various wolves in sheep clothing parading themselves as true prophets sent by God, but if you allow the Lord to open your eyes, you will see clearly who they are. Many people have suffered untold damages in the hands of the fake prophets; this is why you need to be watchful. If you are a liar, or you are engaged in anything fraudulent, you need to stop it before the wrath of God comes upon you. If you are living a life that misrepresents the Kingdom of God, you have to quickly amend your ways before it becomes too late. If you give yourself to ungodly living, you will be enslaved by falsehood because you have refused to retain God in your knowledge. Are you under a ‘man of God’ who is performing miracles, signs and wonders, but whose life does not resemble that of Christ? I will advise that you relocate immediately to where the Truth will find you.
Key Point: You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. – Proverbs 12:22
Read: Genesis 3:1-6 (KJV)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 12-15, Psalms 94
MESSAGE:
There are dangerous traps of the devil set to derail people from inheriting their possessions in Christ Jesus. There are many people who have been deceived and enslaved in falsehood because they were not sensitive. This is why Jesus warned that if care is not taken, even the very elect will fall for the deceits of the devil. By all standards, lies are the devil’s greatest weapons with which he enslaves people into falsehood. A lie is anything other than the absolute truth. The first man and woman to exist on the earth were victims of lie when the devil intentionally misinterpreted the instructions that God gave them to keep. It is upon this that the Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents, because the devil will always try to prove to the children of God how ‘unreasonable’ the commandments of God are. You have to make up your mind to obey God rather than question simple instructions that are intended to make you happy and give you rest. The devil will also make efforts to question the reputation of God. Some teachers have taught that one can continue in sin since grace abounds. False teachers will tell you to live your life as you deem it fit because there is liberty in Christ. These are all lies of the devil; those who fall for them will always have woeful experiences. The scripture tells us not only to hate lies but to keep the utmost distance from it because those who engage in lies are abominable in the sight of God.
We need to be men and women who delight in the truths of God in all matters. The problem with human beings is that we always do not appreciate the truth when we find it. There are people who prefer to seek counsel from people that will destroy them through wrong counsels. Some people know that there is nothing biblical about their church, yet they remain in such places.
There are various wolves in sheep clothing parading themselves as true prophets sent by God, but if you allow the Lord to open your eyes, you will see clearly who they are. Many people have suffered untold damages in the hands of the fake prophets; this is why you need to be watchful. If you are a liar, or you are engaged in anything fraudulent, you need to stop it before the wrath of God comes upon you. If you are living a life that misrepresents the Kingdom of God, you have to quickly amend your ways before it becomes too late. If you give yourself to ungodly living, you will be enslaved by falsehood because you have refused to retain God in your knowledge. Are you under a ‘man of God’ who is performing miracles, signs and wonders, but whose life does not resemble that of Christ? I will advise that you relocate immediately to where the Truth will find you.
Key Point: You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
NJC suspends Judges accused of corruption
In other to sanitize the judiciary, The National Judicial Council, NJC, has suspended seven senior judges arrested on October 7th by the State Security Service over allegations of corrupt practices. The judicial body had initially refused to suspend the accused judges but resolved to suspend them after the council’s meeting which took place between November 2nd and on November 3rd.
The suspension of the affected judges is contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye.
LIB
The suspension of the affected judges is contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, and signed by NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye.
LIB
Must Read: 5 Ways to maximize your time at NYSC camp
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), an organization set up by the Nigerian government since 1973 to ensure Nigerian students give a mandatory one-year service upon graduation, recently issued out call-up letters to certain individuals who have qualified to join the last batch for the year. However, while these individuals are much elated to get the opportunity, seeing as completing the service year entitles one to employment, a number of them are perturbed as to how to cope with the three weeks “orientation” period spent in a military-controlled boot “camp” away from family and friends. Jumia Travel, therefore, suggests 7 ways prospective youth corpers can maximize their time at the NYSC camp.
Join the OBS
The Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS) is a great way to serve while in the camp. A very important unit of the camp, it will offer you opportunities to not only develop your editorial and media skills, you will get to know the key officers in the camp. It also gives you a measure of authority and allows you to get an exemption from some of the camp activities which you may be averse to.
Run a small business
You can actually make money while at the orientation camp. You can offer services such as hair dressing or laundry to others in the camp who need them for a fee or you can rent a stall at the Mami market and sell food items which most corpers need from day to day. It is a great way to hone your business skills before you are launched into the labour market.
Do an online course
The orientation period does not have to be all activities and socializing, you can further develop yourself on the side by registering and going through a short online course during your stay. The good thing about online learning is that it is flexible so you can actually plan it around the time that you will be leaving the camp.
Socialize and actually meet new people
The NYSC scheme was originally established to encourage oneness among citizens in the country and promote national unity. By sending these individuals to other states, the expectation is that they mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds and learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted. Rather than sticking to yourself all through the orientation process, use your spare time to actually fraternize and get to know the people in your platoon and camp as a whole. You would be surprised how many new things you will learn about Nigeria and what connections you may make for the future.
Start applying for jobs
The orientation period is not too early a time to start sending out your CVs to potential employers. The NYSC orientation can actually serve as an avenue for corpers to share job information and career resources, so take advantage of that and start early.
By Nkem Ndem
PR Associate at Jumia Travel
Join the OBS
The Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS) is a great way to serve while in the camp. A very important unit of the camp, it will offer you opportunities to not only develop your editorial and media skills, you will get to know the key officers in the camp. It also gives you a measure of authority and allows you to get an exemption from some of the camp activities which you may be averse to.
Run a small business
You can actually make money while at the orientation camp. You can offer services such as hair dressing or laundry to others in the camp who need them for a fee or you can rent a stall at the Mami market and sell food items which most corpers need from day to day. It is a great way to hone your business skills before you are launched into the labour market.
Do an online course
The orientation period does not have to be all activities and socializing, you can further develop yourself on the side by registering and going through a short online course during your stay. The good thing about online learning is that it is flexible so you can actually plan it around the time that you will be leaving the camp.
Socialize and actually meet new people
The NYSC scheme was originally established to encourage oneness among citizens in the country and promote national unity. By sending these individuals to other states, the expectation is that they mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds and learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted. Rather than sticking to yourself all through the orientation process, use your spare time to actually fraternize and get to know the people in your platoon and camp as a whole. You would be surprised how many new things you will learn about Nigeria and what connections you may make for the future.
Start applying for jobs
The orientation period is not too early a time to start sending out your CVs to potential employers. The NYSC orientation can actually serve as an avenue for corpers to share job information and career resources, so take advantage of that and start early.
By Nkem Ndem
PR Associate at Jumia Travel
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Open Heavens 3 November 2016: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Matrimonial Robber?
Topic: Matrimonial Robber? [Thursday 3, November 2016]
Memorise: And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? – Proverbs 5:20
Read: Malachi 2:14-16 (KJV)
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 8-11, Psalms 93
MESSAGE:
There are some people who never knew what sickness, failure, poverty or stagnation was until they committed fornication or adultery. Fornication/adultery is a sin that attracts the automatic wrath of God because it involves your Body, Soul and Spirit. Those who secretly engage in the sin of adultery end up being reduced to a piece of bread. Some think that as long as their sins are not found out, they are safe. Ask King David, he will tell you that your sins will always find you out. Fornication and adultery will reduce you to a state of nothingness. Every precious thing in you will shut down permanently, the grace of God upon your life will be automatically removed and you will immediately become exposed to all forms of satanic attack. The cover of the Almighty God is removed and shame and reproach will become a daily occurrence to such a person. It doesn’t matter how long you may have spent in building your life, it begins to crash the moment you invite destruction.
A righteous person will be wise enough to avoid the dangers that come with the act of immorality. Joseph understood this and preferred that his garment be torn in the hands of Mrs Potiphar than that his destiny and colourful future be destroyed by a few minutes of pleasure. All those who give excuses about the negative sides of their spouses as an excuse for sleeping around are only being foolish. There is nothing outside that is not already given to you by God through your wife or husband. Don’t allow your life to end in shame and disgrace, because that is always the end of those who continue in extra-marital affairs. Stay with the spouse that God has given you and receive your emotional nourishment from that spouse. If you can’t find contentment in your marriage, then you can be sure you will never really find it anywhere else.
The plan and purpose of God for marriage is – one man to one woman. There is no perfect man or woman anywhere, you have to work with what/who you have, make lemonade out of your lemons.
You must stay far away from those people who can cause you to sin. This was the case with Samson in the book of Judges. Everywhere Samson went; his focus was always on woman, and he lost his life and all he had through a woman. You have to examine yourself to find out if there is any possible channel through which you can become a victim of fornication or adultery. Disconnect yourself from that man or that woman that wants to disconnect you from the place of grace. God is not just holy; He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. It is the holiness of God that secures the grace of God in our lives.
Action Point: A righteous man is identified by how much he loves righteousness and hates sin.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? – Proverbs 5:20
Read: Malachi 2:14-16 (KJV)
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 8-11, Psalms 93
MESSAGE:
There are some people who never knew what sickness, failure, poverty or stagnation was until they committed fornication or adultery. Fornication/adultery is a sin that attracts the automatic wrath of God because it involves your Body, Soul and Spirit. Those who secretly engage in the sin of adultery end up being reduced to a piece of bread. Some think that as long as their sins are not found out, they are safe. Ask King David, he will tell you that your sins will always find you out. Fornication and adultery will reduce you to a state of nothingness. Every precious thing in you will shut down permanently, the grace of God upon your life will be automatically removed and you will immediately become exposed to all forms of satanic attack. The cover of the Almighty God is removed and shame and reproach will become a daily occurrence to such a person. It doesn’t matter how long you may have spent in building your life, it begins to crash the moment you invite destruction.
A righteous person will be wise enough to avoid the dangers that come with the act of immorality. Joseph understood this and preferred that his garment be torn in the hands of Mrs Potiphar than that his destiny and colourful future be destroyed by a few minutes of pleasure. All those who give excuses about the negative sides of their spouses as an excuse for sleeping around are only being foolish. There is nothing outside that is not already given to you by God through your wife or husband. Don’t allow your life to end in shame and disgrace, because that is always the end of those who continue in extra-marital affairs. Stay with the spouse that God has given you and receive your emotional nourishment from that spouse. If you can’t find contentment in your marriage, then you can be sure you will never really find it anywhere else.
The plan and purpose of God for marriage is – one man to one woman. There is no perfect man or woman anywhere, you have to work with what/who you have, make lemonade out of your lemons.
You must stay far away from those people who can cause you to sin. This was the case with Samson in the book of Judges. Everywhere Samson went; his focus was always on woman, and he lost his life and all he had through a woman. You have to examine yourself to find out if there is any possible channel through which you can become a victim of fornication or adultery. Disconnect yourself from that man or that woman that wants to disconnect you from the place of grace. God is not just holy; He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. It is the holiness of God that secures the grace of God in our lives.
Action Point: A righteous man is identified by how much he loves righteousness and hates sin.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Workers in Ogun agreed to ends two weeks strike
Workers in Ogun State have agreed to suspend their two weeks industrial action over non-payment of deductions and other demands.
The resolve was reached on Wednesday after a closed door meeting which lasted for about nine hours between the national and state leaders of the organised labour and State government.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital in southwest Nigeria.
He reiterated the commitment of his administration towards better conditions of service for the state workforce.
In his submission, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, commended the two sides for the maturity that led to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding aimed at resolving the impasse.
The civil servants had on October 20, commenced an indefinite strike to press home their demands over an alleged non-payment of 12 months deductions.
Among other demands, the industrial action was also aimed at putting an immediate end to the contributory pension scheme.
Read more
https://www.channelstv.com/2016/11/02/ogun-workers-end-strike-national-leaderships-intervention/
The resolve was reached on Wednesday after a closed door meeting which lasted for about nine hours between the national and state leaders of the organised labour and State government.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital in southwest Nigeria.
He reiterated the commitment of his administration towards better conditions of service for the state workforce.
In his submission, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, commended the two sides for the maturity that led to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding aimed at resolving the impasse.
The civil servants had on October 20, commenced an indefinite strike to press home their demands over an alleged non-payment of 12 months deductions.
Among other demands, the industrial action was also aimed at putting an immediate end to the contributory pension scheme.
Read more
https://www.channelstv.com/2016/11/02/ogun-workers-end-strike-national-leaderships-intervention/
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Open Heavens 2 November 2016: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Hater of God?
Topic: Hater of God? [Wednesday 2, November 2016]
Memorise: Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. – Jeremiah 17:5
Read: Romans 1:28-32 (KJV)
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 3:14-7:17, Psalms 92
MESSAGE:
The situation around us today requires quick intervention because the society is becoming unsafe due to emerging trends. There are many people rising up in many quarters, questioning the rationality of looking unto God. They hate the idea of putting God at the centre of human knowledge and existence. They question the efficacy of God’s knowledge and authority, and this is making the love of some believers wax cold. Haters of God are those who put the fear of man over and above the fear of God. They believe more in the inventions of man than in the creation of God. They are those who rely in their vain imagination rather than the absolute truth of God. They prefer to stay away from God and His house because they don’t want His truth to locate them. They prefer to use their wisdom to solve their problems rather than find solution in Christ alone. When they are in trouble, the first thing on their minds is running to the wrong place for solution, which eventually compounds their problem.
Looking up to a man when one should trust God can be a very futile endeavour. Those who put their confidence in man will always end up with frustrating experiences. If you keep to God He will keep you in perfect peace. There are many people who have no experience of what the Peace of God is. May this never be your portion in Jesus’ name.
Haters of God allow their hearts to be dominated by impure thoughts. They allow demons to control their hearts, and this is why they find it impossible to experience the Peace of God. You can make up your mind this day to be a lover of God.
Those who hate God will never know the peace of God. Don’t allow the power of hell to dominate your life. Every place of activity through which evil ideas come into your life must be avoided. Separate yourself totally from those things separating you from the blessings of God. Keep a distance from those negative connections and influences that lure you into evil including internet views and impure television programmes. Stop feeding your eyes with lust inducing items and materials. Don’t give yourself further to those things that will attract the wrath of God upon your life, things such as masturbation, fornication, incest, rape, same sex relationship, occultism, and pornography. Through the power of God, you can dominate these evil practices that keep you away from the grace of God.
Prayer Point: Father, please give me the grace to please you.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. – Jeremiah 17:5
Read: Romans 1:28-32 (KJV)
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 3:14-7:17, Psalms 92
MESSAGE:
The situation around us today requires quick intervention because the society is becoming unsafe due to emerging trends. There are many people rising up in many quarters, questioning the rationality of looking unto God. They hate the idea of putting God at the centre of human knowledge and existence. They question the efficacy of God’s knowledge and authority, and this is making the love of some believers wax cold. Haters of God are those who put the fear of man over and above the fear of God. They believe more in the inventions of man than in the creation of God. They are those who rely in their vain imagination rather than the absolute truth of God. They prefer to stay away from God and His house because they don’t want His truth to locate them. They prefer to use their wisdom to solve their problems rather than find solution in Christ alone. When they are in trouble, the first thing on their minds is running to the wrong place for solution, which eventually compounds their problem.
Looking up to a man when one should trust God can be a very futile endeavour. Those who put their confidence in man will always end up with frustrating experiences. If you keep to God He will keep you in perfect peace. There are many people who have no experience of what the Peace of God is. May this never be your portion in Jesus’ name.
Haters of God allow their hearts to be dominated by impure thoughts. They allow demons to control their hearts, and this is why they find it impossible to experience the Peace of God. You can make up your mind this day to be a lover of God.
Those who hate God will never know the peace of God. Don’t allow the power of hell to dominate your life. Every place of activity through which evil ideas come into your life must be avoided. Separate yourself totally from those things separating you from the blessings of God. Keep a distance from those negative connections and influences that lure you into evil including internet views and impure television programmes. Stop feeding your eyes with lust inducing items and materials. Don’t give yourself further to those things that will attract the wrath of God upon your life, things such as masturbation, fornication, incest, rape, same sex relationship, occultism, and pornography. Through the power of God, you can dominate these evil practices that keep you away from the grace of God.
Prayer Point: Father, please give me the grace to please you.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Arsenal qualifies while Man City thrashes Barcelona
Arsenal came from behind to cancel a two-goal deficit at Vasil Levski in Bulgaria on Tuesday and snatch vital three points with a superb run by playmaker, Mesut Ozil in the 88th minute. Arsenal have now qualified for the round of 16, of the Champions League, after beating Ludogorets Razgrad 3-2. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Londoners with superior goal difference, qualified with Paris Saint Germain who beat Basel away 2-1. Both teams share same 10 points and have two inconsequential matches pending. In Manchester, City thrashed visiting Barcelona 3-1, despite the parade of their lethal strikers of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/arsenal-survive-city-thrash-barcelona/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/arsenal-survive-city-thrash-barcelona/
Tuesday, 1 November 2016
Open Heavens 1 November 2016: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Grieve not the Holy Spirit
Topic: Grieve not the Holy Spirit [Tuesday 1, November 2016]
Memorise: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30
Read: Matthew 12:24-31 (KJV)
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 1:1-3:13, Psalms 91
MESSAGE:
There are many Christians living in frustration and defeat because they have set themselves against the flow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the outpouring of revival and every endeavour in this new dispensation. The Holy Spirit is the secret behind every supernatural occurrence. Do you desire to know the plan of God for your tomorrow? Get the Holy Spirit. Do you want to live a successful Christian life? Get the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will live a life of continuous defeat. As helpful as the Holy Spirit is, one should be careful in relating with Him. Ananias and Saphirra lied to Peter about how much they sold their land. They felt they were deceiving Peter, unfortunately, it was too late for them to realise that they had grieved the Holy Spirit. Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
There are numerous ways by which people grieve the Holy Spirit. The moment a person begins to rebel against the instructions in God’s Word, such a fellow is asking for trouble from the Holy Spirit. At several points in the life of the children of Israel, they murmured against God. They were never satisfied with His provision. Psalms 78:40 says:
“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!”
They grieved God for forty years in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened and they refused to acknowledge the ways of God. As a result of this attitude, they were not allowed to enter into the rest of the Lord. May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name.
Another way people can grieve the Holy Spirit is when they despise the truth of God’s Word. The apostle, in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 said that the church must not quench the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved when disciples begin to disobey God. Believers today should do everything possible to pattern their lives after the beliefs and practices that were maintained by the disciples of the early church. There should be no room for bitterness or evil feelings towards one another. There are some people who make deliberate attempts to deceive their leaders. Some try to act very cleverly. Some Christians still see themselves as being smart because their sins have not yet been found out. All these people are only waiting for the judgement of God unless they repent. Do not do anything that will make you an enemy to the Holy Spirit. Do not make yourself a stumbling block to the progress of others around you. Don’t have the ‘pull it down’ mind-set. Don’t scatter the good works others have done simply because you are in a position of influence. All those who do these will see the anger of God.
The Holy Spirit must not be grieved. He is always working hard against sinners. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on you with the breath of God so that your life can be filled anew. When your life is filled anew, you will find it easy to love what He loves.
Prayer Point: Father, help me not to grieve your Holy Spirit.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30
Read: Matthew 12:24-31 (KJV)
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Bible in One Year: Revelation 1:1-3:13, Psalms 91
MESSAGE:
There are many Christians living in frustration and defeat because they have set themselves against the flow of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to the outpouring of revival and every endeavour in this new dispensation. The Holy Spirit is the secret behind every supernatural occurrence. Do you desire to know the plan of God for your tomorrow? Get the Holy Spirit. Do you want to live a successful Christian life? Get the Holy Spirit. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will live a life of continuous defeat. As helpful as the Holy Spirit is, one should be careful in relating with Him. Ananias and Saphirra lied to Peter about how much they sold their land. They felt they were deceiving Peter, unfortunately, it was too late for them to realise that they had grieved the Holy Spirit. Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
There are numerous ways by which people grieve the Holy Spirit. The moment a person begins to rebel against the instructions in God’s Word, such a fellow is asking for trouble from the Holy Spirit. At several points in the life of the children of Israel, they murmured against God. They were never satisfied with His provision. Psalms 78:40 says:
“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!”
They grieved God for forty years in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened and they refused to acknowledge the ways of God. As a result of this attitude, they were not allowed to enter into the rest of the Lord. May this not be your portion in Jesus’ name.
Another way people can grieve the Holy Spirit is when they despise the truth of God’s Word. The apostle, in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 said that the church must not quench the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved when disciples begin to disobey God. Believers today should do everything possible to pattern their lives after the beliefs and practices that were maintained by the disciples of the early church. There should be no room for bitterness or evil feelings towards one another. There are some people who make deliberate attempts to deceive their leaders. Some try to act very cleverly. Some Christians still see themselves as being smart because their sins have not yet been found out. All these people are only waiting for the judgement of God unless they repent. Do not do anything that will make you an enemy to the Holy Spirit. Do not make yourself a stumbling block to the progress of others around you. Don’t have the ‘pull it down’ mind-set. Don’t scatter the good works others have done simply because you are in a position of influence. All those who do these will see the anger of God.
The Holy Spirit must not be grieved. He is always working hard against sinners. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe on you with the breath of God so that your life can be filled anew. When your life is filled anew, you will find it easy to love what He loves.
Prayer Point: Father, help me not to grieve your Holy Spirit.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Happy New Month to all my esteemed readers
I want to use this medium to say thank you and as well appreciate you all for been a great readers and supporters. Today as the new month begins
I hope for you wonderful things
That a new page is turning
And fresh times will come
I wonder what this month will bring.
I pray for your days to feel bright
For your sleep to be sweet in the night
For your health to be full
And your dreams to come true
May your heart feel happy and light.
God bless you all.
I hope for you wonderful things
That a new page is turning
And fresh times will come
I wonder what this month will bring.
I pray for your days to feel bright
For your sleep to be sweet in the night
For your health to be full
And your dreams to come true
May your heart feel happy and light.
God bless you all.
Monday, 31 October 2016
Open Heavens 31 October 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Be Courageous
Topic: Be Courageous [Monday 31, October 2016]
Memorise: Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. – Deuteronomy 31:6
Read: 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Bible in One Year: Malachi 1-4, Psalms 90:7-17
MESSAGE:
Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of the Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people. Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:
“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” - 1 Samuel 15:24
Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:
“2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”
There are facts that should instill courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, king Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”-2 Chronicles 32:8
Prayer Point: Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. – Deuteronomy 31:6
Read: 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Bible in One Year: Malachi 1-4, Psalms 90:7-17
MESSAGE:
Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of the Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people. Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:
“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” - 1 Samuel 15:24
Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:
“2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”
There are facts that should instill courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, king Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”-2 Chronicles 32:8
Prayer Point: Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Sunday, 30 October 2016
Pastor Sam Adeyemi gives insight about #MentalHealth
As culled from Omojuwa, #MentalHealth: Seeking Medical Help Doesn’t Contradict God’s Word – Sam Adeyemi
Just in the wake of Sunday, Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Church took to twitter to share what he termed “Mental Health”. He made it clear with biblical references that the society and people really need to understand that these people need medical attention not stigmatization.
He started off with the hashtag #MentalHealth.
Sound health is part and parcel of our Salvation package he tweeted
The rest of his tweets read:
◦The Prosperity and Health of the Soul is the foundation of the prosperity of the physical body
◦There is a controversy amongst Christians on Mental Health issues because we believe it is a Spiritual issue
◦Mental illness is as real as physical illness. The lack of understanding gives room for a lot of Ignorance & stigmatization
◦Mental Health is the state of emotional, psychological and social well being.
◦As a result of ignorance on this issue, we label mental patients and run away from them.
◦The root cause of mental illness is Sin. (Rom 6:23)and the foundational solution to mental health is Salvation
◦To maintain mental health feed your spirit and soul with healthy diet of God’s word.
◦If you don’t get your identity from God’s word you will believe everything the enemy tells you.
◦If you allow Satan and your circumstances to define who you are it will distort the balance in your mental state.
◦I speak on mental health not as an expert in psychiatry but on the believe that sound health is part of our Salvation
◦Feed on God’s word, believe you have the mind of Christ. Interpret your life circumstances through the eyes of God’s word.
◦You must fight and win the battles in your Mind. 2nd Corinthians 10:4. You have all it takes to win as a Christian.
◦The quality of your life will not be better than the quality of your thoughts. Fight and Win your mind battles.
◦Use faith to fight the fiery darts of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:16) Quench every negative news that comes into your life
◦If you want to maintain your sanity, you have to be sensitive to God’s word. Be anxious for nothing. Philippians 4:8.
◦If something is wrong and you need medical attention or If you know anyone with mental illness. Please seek medical help.
◦Seeking medical help for physical or mental illness does not contradict God’s word or having faith for your healing.
Just in the wake of Sunday, Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Church took to twitter to share what he termed “Mental Health”. He made it clear with biblical references that the society and people really need to understand that these people need medical attention not stigmatization.
He started off with the hashtag #MentalHealth.
Sound health is part and parcel of our Salvation package he tweeted
The rest of his tweets read:
◦The Prosperity and Health of the Soul is the foundation of the prosperity of the physical body
◦There is a controversy amongst Christians on Mental Health issues because we believe it is a Spiritual issue
◦Mental illness is as real as physical illness. The lack of understanding gives room for a lot of Ignorance & stigmatization
◦Mental Health is the state of emotional, psychological and social well being.
◦As a result of ignorance on this issue, we label mental patients and run away from them.
◦The root cause of mental illness is Sin. (Rom 6:23)and the foundational solution to mental health is Salvation
◦To maintain mental health feed your spirit and soul with healthy diet of God’s word.
◦If you don’t get your identity from God’s word you will believe everything the enemy tells you.
◦If you allow Satan and your circumstances to define who you are it will distort the balance in your mental state.
◦I speak on mental health not as an expert in psychiatry but on the believe that sound health is part of our Salvation
◦Feed on God’s word, believe you have the mind of Christ. Interpret your life circumstances through the eyes of God’s word.
◦You must fight and win the battles in your Mind. 2nd Corinthians 10:4. You have all it takes to win as a Christian.
◦The quality of your life will not be better than the quality of your thoughts. Fight and Win your mind battles.
◦Use faith to fight the fiery darts of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:16) Quench every negative news that comes into your life
◦If you want to maintain your sanity, you have to be sensitive to God’s word. Be anxious for nothing. Philippians 4:8.
◦If something is wrong and you need medical attention or If you know anyone with mental illness. Please seek medical help.
◦Seeking medical help for physical or mental illness does not contradict God’s word or having faith for your healing.
Must Read: Nigerian Lady Writes Mark Zuckerberg Via DHL, Accuses Facebook Of Helping Buhari To Crackdown On Opposition Voices In Nigeria
A nigerian lady who is a popular Facebook cooking sensation and critic of president Buhari, Amonia Rita Stewart has written Facebook CEO, Mark Zukerberg, after her Facebook account was blocked and denied access in what she described as “an undue closure of her account”.
Amonia highlighted the possibility of her account being blocked because she is a critic of the Buhari led administration and appealed to Zuckerberg to unblock her account.
The letter ready to be shipped
The letter ready to be shipped
Amonia became a sensation with her usual morning teaser “Morning Tea” which has attracted her 5000 Facebook friends and over 8000 followers. Her video post on “how to make a soup” was shared over 7000 times with more than 100,000 views.
Amonia, an unrepentant critic of the Buhari government, suspects that her account may be a victim of the Buhari’s led government’s crackdown on opposition online voices on social media.
Here is a copy of the letter exclusively made available to Reports Afrique News:
amonia3
Dear Mark Zuckerberg,
UNDUE CLOSURE OF MY FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
I write you from Nigeria and I hope this letter meets you well. I am writing directly to you as all other avenues put on Facebook to communicate with your team has yielded no result. It is sad to note that Facebook, in as much it connects people, as an organization has one of the most unfriendly and rigid customer services in the world where people with genuine issues, like myself, relating to Facebook are frustrated over lack of an effective user-Facebook communications channel.
I am writing you in connection with my Facebook Account – AMONIA RITA STEWART, which was unduly closed and locked out of access.
On the 19th of September, 2016 my Facebook account, Amonia Rita Stewart with log in phone number +2348034922094 was suddenly deactivated. I do not know the reason why my account was deactivated but I assume it was reported as fake, which is not true.
After my account was deactivated I was asked by Facebook to verify my account with a Government issued ID, which I have done on two separate occasions too when my account was previously reported and deactivated by Facebook and I had no issues verifying my account then. But this time, after uploading my ID , the ID refused uploading and I get an error message saying:
“something went wrong, we are working on it”.
I have tried uploading my ID several times, I still get the same error message.
After several attempts at uploading my ID to no avail, I tried filling out the Appeal Form for Disabled Accounts but the reply I got was that my account is not associated with a disabled account.
I also used the option of filling the form of “if I am having difficulty verifying my account” but the feedback I got was that I would be contacted by Facebook if more details are needed. As at the time of writing this letter no contact has been made by Facebook to me.
These past weeks have been harrowing for me especially as my SMS is synced with my Messenger.
I am using this medium to appeal to you to forward my case to the relevant department so as to reactivate my account.
I love Facebook and it is the only social media I use and I miss it. I have done nothing wrong for my account to be deactivated except if there is something going on I don’t know about and in that case at least I deserve to know.
I am a political analyst and social commentator siding mostly with the opposition party in my country and popular opinions suggest that my account may have been shutdown as part of a plot by the government of Nigeria to clamp down on opposition social media voices. I strongly hope my case is unconnected with such suspected political conspiracy theory.
This theory now seems believable as many opposition “online voices” seem to be recently associated with one issue or the other relating to their Facebook accounts. Some have been banned from making post for as long as 30 days, others shorter, while many have to do re-verification. We hope these are not signs of any form of an attack on “Freedom of Speech” in Nigeria using Facebook.
This tend more to the truth as the Nigerian government is currently cracking down on opposition voices using a state tool called “EFCC” and controlled by the presidency. We are weary that these rampant Facebook sanctions on opposition users could be related to these deliberate crackdown by the Nigerian government.
I hope my case would be used to send a message to the Nigerian users.
Please, note that I changed my log in option last year November from my e-mail ritafyncountry@yahoo.com to my mobile number +2348034922094 and in this letter I have attached copies of my government issued ID, screen shots of my experience since this ordeal started and the e-mail I received from Facebook when I changed my log in options. My e-mail is still valid and I can be reached on it or on the phone number stated in this letter.
I am looking forward to having a positive reply from Facebook. My regards to your lovely wife Priscilla, your daughter Max and your amazing dog Beast- I also love dogs.
Yours Sincerely,
Amonia Rita Stewart
Source:http://www.reportsafrique.com/2016/10/exclusive-nigerian-lady-writes-mark-zuckerberg-via-dhl-unduly-blocking-account/
Amonia highlighted the possibility of her account being blocked because she is a critic of the Buhari led administration and appealed to Zuckerberg to unblock her account.
The letter ready to be shipped
The letter ready to be shipped
Amonia became a sensation with her usual morning teaser “Morning Tea” which has attracted her 5000 Facebook friends and over 8000 followers. Her video post on “how to make a soup” was shared over 7000 times with more than 100,000 views.
Amonia, an unrepentant critic of the Buhari government, suspects that her account may be a victim of the Buhari’s led government’s crackdown on opposition online voices on social media.
Here is a copy of the letter exclusively made available to Reports Afrique News:
amonia3
Dear Mark Zuckerberg,
UNDUE CLOSURE OF MY FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
I write you from Nigeria and I hope this letter meets you well. I am writing directly to you as all other avenues put on Facebook to communicate with your team has yielded no result. It is sad to note that Facebook, in as much it connects people, as an organization has one of the most unfriendly and rigid customer services in the world where people with genuine issues, like myself, relating to Facebook are frustrated over lack of an effective user-Facebook communications channel.
I am writing you in connection with my Facebook Account – AMONIA RITA STEWART, which was unduly closed and locked out of access.
On the 19th of September, 2016 my Facebook account, Amonia Rita Stewart with log in phone number +2348034922094 was suddenly deactivated. I do not know the reason why my account was deactivated but I assume it was reported as fake, which is not true.
After my account was deactivated I was asked by Facebook to verify my account with a Government issued ID, which I have done on two separate occasions too when my account was previously reported and deactivated by Facebook and I had no issues verifying my account then. But this time, after uploading my ID , the ID refused uploading and I get an error message saying:
“something went wrong, we are working on it”.
I have tried uploading my ID several times, I still get the same error message.
After several attempts at uploading my ID to no avail, I tried filling out the Appeal Form for Disabled Accounts but the reply I got was that my account is not associated with a disabled account.
I also used the option of filling the form of “if I am having difficulty verifying my account” but the feedback I got was that I would be contacted by Facebook if more details are needed. As at the time of writing this letter no contact has been made by Facebook to me.
These past weeks have been harrowing for me especially as my SMS is synced with my Messenger.
I am using this medium to appeal to you to forward my case to the relevant department so as to reactivate my account.
I love Facebook and it is the only social media I use and I miss it. I have done nothing wrong for my account to be deactivated except if there is something going on I don’t know about and in that case at least I deserve to know.
I am a political analyst and social commentator siding mostly with the opposition party in my country and popular opinions suggest that my account may have been shutdown as part of a plot by the government of Nigeria to clamp down on opposition social media voices. I strongly hope my case is unconnected with such suspected political conspiracy theory.
This theory now seems believable as many opposition “online voices” seem to be recently associated with one issue or the other relating to their Facebook accounts. Some have been banned from making post for as long as 30 days, others shorter, while many have to do re-verification. We hope these are not signs of any form of an attack on “Freedom of Speech” in Nigeria using Facebook.
This tend more to the truth as the Nigerian government is currently cracking down on opposition voices using a state tool called “EFCC” and controlled by the presidency. We are weary that these rampant Facebook sanctions on opposition users could be related to these deliberate crackdown by the Nigerian government.
I hope my case would be used to send a message to the Nigerian users.
Please, note that I changed my log in option last year November from my e-mail ritafyncountry@yahoo.com to my mobile number +2348034922094 and in this letter I have attached copies of my government issued ID, screen shots of my experience since this ordeal started and the e-mail I received from Facebook when I changed my log in options. My e-mail is still valid and I can be reached on it or on the phone number stated in this letter.
I am looking forward to having a positive reply from Facebook. My regards to your lovely wife Priscilla, your daughter Max and your amazing dog Beast- I also love dogs.
Yours Sincerely,
Amonia Rita Stewart
Source:http://www.reportsafrique.com/2016/10/exclusive-nigerian-lady-writes-mark-zuckerberg-via-dhl-unduly-blocking-account/
Open Heavens 30 October 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Godly Sorrow
Topic: Godly Sorrow [Sunday 30, October 2016]
Memorise: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. – Matthew 5:4
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV)
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Bible in One Year: Zechariah 11-14, Psalms 90:1-6
MESSAGE:
There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag its victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn’t know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priest failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.
On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.
Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast of both humans and animals Jonah 3:10 says:
“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.”
This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”
Key Point: Don’t sweep your blunders under the carpets of self-righteousness; repent and exercise godly sorrow. You will be comforted by divine forgiveness.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
Memorise: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. – Matthew 5:4
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV)
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Bible in One Year: Zechariah 11-14, Psalms 90:1-6
MESSAGE:
There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag its victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn’t know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priest failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.
On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.
Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast of both humans and animals Jonah 3:10 says:
“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.”
This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”
Key Point: Don’t sweep your blunders under the carpets of self-righteousness; repent and exercise godly sorrow. You will be comforted by divine forgiveness.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
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