Open Heavens 10 June 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Sin Brings Death

Topic: Sin Brings Death [Saturday 10, June 2017]

Memorise: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. –Matthew 1:21

Read: Matthew 1:18-21 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

Bible in One Year: Joshua 15-17, Jeremiah 46:13-28, Hymn: Sing hymn 11

MESSAGE:

Today’s memory verse clearly states that the reason why Jesus Christ came to this would was to save His people from sin. Many people fail to realise the horrors of sin, hence they toy with it. If only they knew how terrible sin is, they would maintain a great distance from it. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. This “death” is not limited to physical death but also extends to every area of life. Do you know that sin can lead to physical death? Going by the laws of many countries today, if a man is convicted of killing a fellow human being, he might have to pay with his own life. In this case, the sin of murder has led to physical death. Beyond physical death, sin can also bring about material death, marital death, spiritual death, and more. Do you know that for failing to comply with the divine commandment on tithes and offering, some people who once enjoyed a boom in their businesses have had to face dryness of the worst kind – almost to the point of begging for food? This is how sin can bring about material and financial death. It can also attract emotional death. A man or woman cheating on his or her spouse will bring about emotional death in that relationship. In any way you have attracted death to yourself, may the mercy of God intercept judgement and turn its sword away from you in Jesus’ Name!

As far as God is concerned, there is only one penalty for sin, and that is death (Ezekiel 18:20). It is important to note here that this death is separation from God. If you were brought before the judgement throne of God, accused of just one act of sin, you would not be made to face a sentence of three months, one year or even five years imprisonment; God’s judgement for every size of sin is the same – death. Today, we categorise sin according to our understanding. We call some sins “high crimes” while some others are seen as harmless. However, whether a sin is so light or so “innocent” that everyone approves of it does not matter to God. All sins fall short of His standard and are all punishable by death. We are created to live our lives fully connected to God, but when sin comes in, it separates us from our only Source and Sustainer. If the Blood of Jesus is not applied to wash away a person’s sins, the drift away from God continues until physical death occurs and the fellow is forever banished to Hell. In what way is your sinful lifestyle bringing death upon you today? Rise up and run to the cross of Jesus Christ, asking for forgiveness of sins and cleansing by His Blood. Invite Him to come into your heart, and thereafter keep a great distance from sin.

Prayer Point: Father, in Your mercy, reverse every form of death I have brought upon myself.

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.

Must Read: Wake Up To Reality By Osijo Busayo

This is a must digest article...
WAKE UP TO REALITY!


‘’ To thine own self be true,” says Polonius in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Growing up and gaining wisdom through self awareness, I’d always made peace with the fact that everything in life has two sides to it.


Day to Night. Darkness to Light. Trial to Triumph. Pain to Gain. Sowing to Reaping. Planting to Harvesting And so on…


We all want stuffs in life. We have dreams and desires. Wishes and aspirations. Though, everything you want in life is available, but you must be ready to pay the price. To think that you can make an omelette without breaking eggs is sheer fantasy! Wake up my dear friend! Stop looking for greatness in cheap places!


I’m sure you have heard this 16th century nursery rhythme before now that “If wishes were horses beggars might ride.” If wishing could make things happen, then even the most destitute people would have everything they wanted. Don’t be fooled brother! Don’t sister! Everything that is of value, significant thing in particular, has its price.


There is a force that wants you to realize your destiny; it whets your appetite with a taste of success. However, it must be crystal clear to you that there is a price to pay for that success. We all have the potential to achieve everything we want in life.


Howbeit, most of us want the reward without the risk. The shine without the grind. The prize without the participation. We want the promotion without the examination. The mastery without the practice. The sweet without the sweat. The gain without the pain. The love without the commitment. The fame without the fight. The destination without the journey. The arrival without the departure. The heights without the lows. The leadership without the servanthood. The placement without the process. The winning without the losses. The settlement without the sacrifice.


But, the hard truth is “If you want the benefits of something in life, you have to also want the costs.” Without adequate effort, we cannot get any tangible result in life. Even in Freetown in Sierraleone there is no free lunch, I was told.  No prey can enter the mouth of a sleeping lion. So wake up to reality and be true to thine own self my dear friend!

So, instead of thinking about what you want right now, first ask yourself:

“What am I willing to give up to get it?” Or, for those inevitably hard days ahead: “What is worth suffering for?” Seriously, think about it...

If you want the successful business, you have to also want the late nights, the risky business deals and decisions, and the possibility of failing many times to learn what you need to know to succeed. If you find yourself wanting something day in and day out, year after year, yet nothing ever happens and you never come any closer to it, then maybe what you actually want is just a fantasy, or a false promise. Or perhaps you are daydreaming. The choice is yours oh my beloved!


Until you think differently and change the course of your actions, you’ll always recycle your experiences. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow and in order to find the treasure you seek in life, you will have to be ready to pay the parallel PRICE! Remember, nothing goes for nothing! Even the word ‘nothing’ represents that there is NO THING! So, wake up!


#GreatnessMindset

#PurposeDriven

#LifeImpacting


Your friend,

Osijo Busayo Bridget

Open Heavens 9 June 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – God: A Wonder

Topic — God: A Wonder [Friday 9, June 2017]

Memorise: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.– Isaiah 57:15

Read: Isaiah 57:15-16 (KJV)

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 12-14, Jeremiah 45:1-46:12, Hymn: Sing hymn 3

MESSAGE:

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? - Exodus 15:11

One amazing thing you need to know about our God is that He is a wonder! For example, In 1 John 4:8, the Bible says that God is love, and yet in Hebrews 12:29, the same Bible says this God is a consuming fire! When you hear that God is love, you will think of embracing Him, but just then, you also hear that He is a consuming fire and you freeze, asking yourself if you want to embrace fire! Another wonder of God has to do with His size or form. The Scriptures says God is so big that the heaven and the heavens of heaven cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8:27).It also says that Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool, meaning that as He sits in Heaven His legs touch the earth(Isaiah 66:1). Just imagine how great and long those legs are! What of His arms? The Bible says His arms are everlasting and so long they can reach any distance(Deuteronomy 33:27). When you try to picture how super-massive this God is, then you will begin to wonder how such a God can become small enough to reside inside of you. 1 John 4:4 says,

“Ye are of God little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

God is truly awesome and a wonder we cannot comprehend. As massive as God is, He can still relate with us at our tiny, very little level. As high as He is, He can still reach down to those who are lowly placed or have a heart of humility. In fact, from the height of heights, God is able to see those who are of a humble spirit. And He relates with them while ignoring the proud. Are you like God? Is the position you occupy not distancing you from those who are not as fortunate or as privileged as you are? If you are truly of God, your privileged status will not hinder you from reaching out to those who are impoverished. Recently, the wife of one of the richest men on earth visited an African country and identified with the poorest people there by trekking a good distance to fetch water like the poor women there. She carried a bucket of water on her head and trekked all the way back. She also joined in washing the dishes in a very poor neighbourhood. That is a minute example of what Jesus did by leaving His heavenly throne and becoming a man (Philippians 2:5-8). Can you leave your throne to reach out to the lowly?

Key Point: If you have truly encountered Jesus Christ, there is nobody that you cannot relate with.

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.

Popular Blogger Japhet Omojuwa mourns late sister, Gloria!

 

Popular public speaker and blogger Japhet Omujuwa has lost his sister Gloria Oreoluwa. The political commentator and social media expert took to his Instagram page to mourn her.

He wrote:

My beloved, I know you are resting in peace already. I have spent the days trying to believe this never really happened but it did and I have come to accept God's will. Oreoluwa Gloria, you were committed to people and even on your sick bed, you spoke to me about people you needed to send money to. And we got the money to them. In the week you were to come join the@omojuwafoundation team to do what you have been so excited about doing - touching lives - you chose to leave this sinful world, after saying your prayers. Mum will miss you, we will all miss you. In your name, Gloria, all that you wanted to so much do, we will do. We will be strong for you. We will always remember the joy and laughter you shared and we will always remember the Love you were wholly and completely about. I love you my beloved and I will always miss you. You will forever be in my heart, forever. Rest In Peace, till we meet at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. 😘❤️

KemiFilaniPage

Moji Olaiya: Photos of late actress' husband surface online

Late actress Moji Olaiya's husband, Yomi Allen was one of the many faces at her final burial ceremony. Yomi was extremely quite and heavily guarded as he made his way to the Ikoyi cemetery. Photos below....

KemiFilani

Police arrest man with fresh head,other human parts of a woman in Osogbo [Photos]

38 year old Ajibade Rasheed pictured above, has been arrested by the Osun State Police Command, for being in possession of fresh human parts in Osogbo, the state capital.

While parading him before newsmen today, the state commissioner of Police, Fimihan Adeoye, said Ajibade was apprehended at Olu-Ode area with the fresh head of a woman, intestine, lung, vagina, liver and a bottle containing blood, all inside his car with registration no: LSD 987 DJ. (graphic photo after the cut)


Adeoye said investigation has commenced to identify the victim.

“A female head, two human palms, livers, lungs, intestines, vagina and some charms were found in his possession. A bottle filled with a red liquid substance suspected to be blood was also found in his possession. We are working on getting the identity of the victim. On the completion of our investigation, the suspect will be prosecuted accordingly” he said

Open Heavens 8 June 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Why God Sometimes Delays

Topic: Why God Sometimes Delays [Thursday 8, June 2017]

Memorise: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; – Genesis 2:21

Read: Genesis 2:21-22 (KJV)

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Bible in One Year: Joshua 10-11, Jeremiah 44:20-30, Hymn: Sing hymn 1

MESSAGE:

From experience, we know of a truth that God answers prayers. It is also common knowledge among those who walk with God that on several occasions, despite consistent prayers, God may take His time before intervening in a given situation. In fact, in some cases, He may allow the situation to deteriorate to its extreme limits before He steps in.  This was the experience of Mary and Martha, sisters to Lazarus (John 11:1-6). Why would God wait until you are completely helpless before He turns things around? It could be because He does not want you to tamper with what He is about to do. When a doctor wants to perform an operation, he puts his patient to sleep. When God was about to form Eve out of Adam, He put him into a deep sleep.Genesis 2:21 says,

“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;”

Do you know that God still likes to do some great things without any contribution or interference from us? Sometimes, He may allow us to get to a point of helplessness before He moves in to begin His work. He wants you to be absolutely surrendered to Him so that when He begins to do what He wants to do, you will not consider your own ideas. If you are ever so self-willed, you may need to visit the bus stop of helplessness repeatedly, but if you are completely yielded to Him, this may not occur too often in your life. How submissive are you to God?

Similarly, God may take His time before coming to your aid because it is in those extreme moments that prayers are said from the depth of the soul (1 Samuel 1:15).When you are totally helpless, you will pray from your heart and not from your head. InMatthew 15:21-28, when the woman whose daughter was grievously tormented of the devil came to Jesus asking for help, the Lord ignored her, and the disciples asked that she be sent away because she was too noisy. The woman simply said, “You haven’t heard any noise yet. Whether you like it or not, I am not leaving here without my miracle.” Then the Lord said to her, “I cannot give the children’s bread to dogs.” She said, “Fine, I agree I am a dog, but this dog is going to get her miracle today.” Since she had no alternative, she knew she had reached her last bus stop, and she refused to give up. People who are totally helpless pray a different kind of prayer compared to those who have alternatives. Whatever you needs maybe today, as you ask God, He will answer you in Jesus’ Name. Have you reached your final bus stop? Is Jesus Christ your last hope, or do you have other alternatives?

Action Point: Some delays are in your best interest. Ask God to make every delay to work in your favour.

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.

Kemi Olunloyo Released From Prison And Set to Become Political Activist

Controversial blogger/journalist Kemi Olunloyo who was released yesterday from a Port-Harcourt prison after she was held for 81 days over "criminal defamation" is set to become a political activist!
The daughter of Sir Victor Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo state allegedly held a press conference today (according to her Instagram post) Which reads:

“Effective today, I become a #politicalactivist. I will return to #Journalism after my defamation case is over. “FRN seized my travel passport as part of my bail conditions. It is tied to my job,”Olunloyo also said she plans to testify before the Senate on press freedom and prison reform.Continue
“For now, I’m planning to testify at the Senate on #pressfreedom #prisonreform#journalismisnotcybercrime.

Culled from Kemi Filani page...........

Another Attack In Paris And The Attacker Was Shot

There's just so much terror and different attacks going on in the world lately. On Tuesday, Police in Paris shot and injured a man who attacked officers with a hammer at the Notre-Dame cathedral in the center of the city. The attacker was wounded and taken to hospital, and the situation was immediately brought under control.

The incident caused panic among visitors in the area. Hundreds of people were being held inside the cathedral and photos on social media showed crowds inside, with their hands in the air.
ISIS has also claimed responsibility for the attack.

LIB

Qatar row: Trump urges Arab unity in call to Saudi Arabia's King Salman

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionMr Trump (R) met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Than in May but on Tuesday accused the country via Twitter of funding extremism

BBC reported that US President Donald Trump has called the king of Saudi Arabia to urge Gulf unity amid an escalating dispute over Qatar's alleged support for militants.

"His message was that we need unity in the region to fight extremist ideology and terrorist financing," a US official told Reuters news agency.

Earlier, he said the Saudis' move to isolate Qatar could mark the "beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism".

Several countries cut travel and embassy links with Qatar on Monday.

Qatar strongly denies supporting radical Islamism.

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The emir of Kuwait is mediating in the dispute and the president of Turkey has also offered to help, saying isolation and sanctions will not resolve the crisis.

The rift has affected oil prices, hit travel and shipping, and left supermarkets in Qatar short of goods.

• Why this row has erupted
• I'm flying through the Gulf: How will this affect me?
• Food, flights and football at risk
• Five things you may not know about Qatar

What is Trump saying?

Mr Trump had earlier claimed credit for the pressure placed on Qatar, saying his recent visit to Saudi Arabia was "already paying off".

In a series of tweets on Tuesday morning, Mr Trump accused Qatar of funding terrorism, saying: "During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!"

In his phone call to King Salman, he was quoted by Reuters as saying: "It's important that the Gulf be united for peace and security in the region,"

Separately, the Pentagon thanked Qatar for hosting the largest US air force base in the Middle East.

• Should Trump take a bow for Qatar row?
• The Qatar diplomatic crisis explained

What do the Saudis want?

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister called on Qatar to cut ties with Palestinian group Hamas in the occupied territories, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, if it wanted to end its isolation in the Gulf region.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionHamas is an Islamist Palestinian group whose flag is green

Adel Al-Jubeir said: "Nobody wants to hurt Qatar. It has to choose whether it must move in one direction or another direction."

Speaking in Paris, he said the economic measures should put pressure on Qatar to act "like a normal country".

He name-checked "support of extremist groups", "hostile media" and "interference in affairs of other countries" as things Qatar would have to change if it wished to restore ties.

He added that Qatar was undermining the Palestinian Authority and Egypt by supporting Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, and said stopping these policies would "contribute to stability in the Middle East".

Hamas is the largest of several militant Islamist Palestinian groups, and was the first Islamist group in the Arab world to win election at the ballot box, before it took power in Gaza after a battle 10 years ago.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is another Islamist group that became politically active. Some countries designate both as terrorist groups.

• Profile: Hamas Palestinian movement
• Muslim Brotherhood: From rapid rise to sharp decline

What is happening in Qatar?

The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in Washington says Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have all funded extremists in Syria but pulled back under US pressure, while Qatar, which likes to see itself as a neutral player and potential intermediary, has dealings that are arguably murkier than the others'.

Media captionQatari foreign minister: 'No evidence we support radical Islamists'

But Qatar's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Than, said: "There is no single evidence that the Qatar government is supporting radical Islamists."

On Monday, several countries withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, Qatar's capital, while some cut transport links and gave Qatari nationals two weeks to leave their territory.

Disruption to airspace in the Gulf began on Tuesday morning local time. Doha, Qatar's capital, is a major hub for international flight connections.

Airlines affected include Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have revoked the licences of Qatar Airways and ordered its offices to close.

When avoiding Saudi Arabia, their massive - and only - neighbour, Qatar's planes are having to take more indirect routes, leading to longer flight times.

Qatar is heavily dependent on food imports and residents have been queuing at supermarkets to stockpile.

• Qatar travel ban for Philippine workers
• Saudi pulls Qatar Airways licence
• 'A Qatarstrophe' - social media reacts
• All you need to know about Qatar

Does anyone sympathise with Qatar?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said isolating Qatar would "not resolve any problems" and called for "mutual dialogue".

"In this respect, we appreciate Qatar's constructive stance," he said.

"Trying to isolate Qatar, which certainly carries out an efficient fight against terrorism, will not resolve any problems."

France's President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Mr Erdogan and to the emir of Qatar in separate telephone calls, saying he was ready to back "all initiatives to encourage calm".