Open Heavens 12 August 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Tricks of the Devil II

Topic: Tricks of the Devil II — Saturday 12, August 2017.

Memorise: Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. – Proverbs 23:3

Read: Luke 4:5-8 (KJV)

5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 9; Ezekiel 23:22-34, Hymn: Sing hymn 7: O Jesus, I Have Promised

Open Heavens 12th August 2017 Message:

Today, we are considering another trick of the devil, which is trapping a person through inordinate desires. This tactic often takes the form of a sweet and generous offer used in sugar-coating a poisonous pill. Such offers can come as a gift, an appointment or a promise of greatness. The packaging of such offers is always tasteful, attractive and elegant, but inside lies destruction. The devil tried to play this trick on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in today’s Bible reading. In many cases, no matter how much you try, you may not see anything wrong with the whole arrangement at the initial stage, but at the end of the day, you will find yourself entrapped to do the bidding of your “benefactor” against your wish. The rich and powerful of this world deploy this trick in getting what they want. They use the luxuries they can provide to entrap the less wealthy and vulnerable, who may feel obligated to do their bidding. Many victims of this scam have been disappointed, enslaved and some have even lost their lives. I enjoin Christian youths to be warned that those who are addicted to pleasure, who always have their eyes roving and seeking for a luxurious lifestyle, will easily be sucked in and entrapped by these wicked predators. The language of Satan and his agents is “All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them” (Luke 4:6). I pray that you will not be deceived or fall victim of such mean and wicked deceivers in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 13 August 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Captives Of The Mighty”

For diverse reasons, this particular trick of the devil is especially potent and effective in this generation more than any other time in the history of mankind. We are in a world where instant riches, riotous living, exhibition of immorality and the pursuit of extreme pleasure have become attractive to people. Now, wealth and fame derived from participation in vices (such as corruption, gambling and drug-trafficking) are being celebrated, even among some so-called Christians. Some attributes that used to be highly valued in society, such as integrity, diligence, moral principle and godliness, have become things of the past and are now looked down on. The younger generation seems to have a warped idea of what success really means. Consequently, predators are using the weapon of deception to entice vulnerable individuals into evil deeds, such as sexual gratification in exchange for favours, drug-related businesses, human trafficking, organised crime, internet fraud, and many others, promising quick money, political appointments, business opportunities, rapid job promotions etc. Is anyone promising you something in exchange for “nothing”? Ensure that you do not fall for any deceptive proposal of the devil. The rich and powerful do not give away their favours for free. They always ask for something in return, and their demand is usually much greater than their initial investment. If care is not taken, you may lose your own soul in the process. Don’t be carried away by any “delicious” offer, because it is really nothing but deceitful food laden with poison. You’ve been warned!

Prayer Point: Father, please keep me from ever falling for the tricks of the devil or becoming a victim of fraudsters.

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.

Open Heavens 11 August 2017: Friday Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Tricks of the Devil I

Topic: Tricks of the Devil I — Friday 11, August 2017.

Memorise: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. –Proverbs 16:18

Read: Isaiah 14:12-16 (KJV)

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 7-8; Ezekiel 23:1-21, Hymn: Sing hymn 7: O Jesus, I Have Promised

Open Heavens 11th August 2017 Message:

A trick is a cunning act or scheme intended to deceive or outwit a person. One of the greatest tricks by which the devil deceives men today is to cause their hearts to be lifted up in pride. Through pride, the hearts of mankind have rebelled against the knowledge and authority of God. Pride comes with arrogance, pomp, presumption, conceit, self-satisfaction, boasting, high-mindedness and haughtiness. It is especially dangerous because of its silence and the stealth by which it operates. When pride is well seated in the heart and has taken full charge of a person, it becomes extremely difficult to pin down. However, we thank God because the light of God’s word is bright enough to expose it in all its forms. To understand pride, we need to consider the first entity in whom pride was found: Satan. Isaiah 14:13-14 reveals the thoughts of his heart that made God depose him from his exalted position in Heaven:

“13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

A careful consideration of the above scripture shows that pride is basically a sin that has its roots in the attitude of the heart. Hence, Proverbs 21:4 speaks of “a haughty look” and “a proud heart” as sin. The first thing to watch out for in a man or woman with pride in their heart is the emphasis on their person in their speech. The speech of such people is normally laden with the personal pronoun ‘I’. In a single short statement, Satan made reference to himself five times: “I will ascend, I will exalt my throne, I will sit, I will ascend above, and I will be like the most High.” Secondly, the proud displays an unwarranted attitude of confidence and inordinate ambition, such as displayed by Satan. He was not satisfied with where God placed him, and he actually wanted to supplant God Himself. He was so confident of himself that he thought he could ascend into Heaven and exercise dominion over all the angels of God, all by himself.

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 12 August 2017: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Tricks of the Devil II”

However, pride cannot remain internalised and hidden. It often finds expressions: through speech (such as boasting), through looks and through behaviour, such as acts of impatience and contemptible treatment of others. The Bible highlights the inevitable downfall of a proud person, and we should learn from what happened to Satan(Proverbs 16:18, Ezekiel 28:16-19). The proud will not escape God’s terrible judgement; therefore, be warned!

Prayer Point: Father, please expose every hidden tendency of pride and related attitudes in my life and completely destroy them, in Jesus’ Name.

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, Bl

Open Heavens 10 August 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Spiritual Armour

Topic: Spiritual Armour — Thursday 10, August 2017.

Memorise: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. – Romans 8:37

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18 (KJV)

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 5-6; Ezekiel 22:17-31, Hymn: Sing hymn 18: Onward Christian Soldier

Open Heavens 10th August 2017 Message:

Weapons of war usually fall under two major categories: offensive and defensive. Body armour can be classified as defensive weapons of war against missiles, projectiles and handheld combat weapons; they work as protective covering, designed to safeguard vital parts of the body. Today’s Bible reading talks about spiritual warfare, revealing how the different parts of physical body armour mirror the spiritual armour available to us as believers in Christ. We have at our disposal invisible weapons of spiritual warfare that are potent against the wicked assault of the enemy. In Ephesians 6:11, our spiritual armour is referred to as the armour of God, which implies that it possesses divine attributes, making it indestructible by the power of the devil. We are invited to “put on the whole armour of God”. However, this armour is inaccessible to those who have not accepted the Lordship of Jesus Christ over their lives.

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 11 August 2017: Friday Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Tricks of the Devil I”

Putting on the armour of God is equivalent to putting on Jesus, and He is more than enough to protect us against all evil and temptations we may encounter. Romans 13:14 says,

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Putting on Jesus involves accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, meditating on His word day and night, living a life of holiness, and spreading His gospel. I pray that in the heat of the battles of life, the armour of God will be your strong defence in Jesus’ Name.

The Bible used the imagery of physical warfare to communicate a powerful spiritual message to us in Ephesians 6:10-18. Firstly, we are asked to gird our waist with the sturdy belt of truth. It’s with this same belt that our sword is fastened to our body. In the days of old, a soldier girded in this manner was recognised as being on active duty. We are expected to gird ourselves with truth as the foundation of all our spiritual activities. Next, we are to find our protection in righteousness by putting on the breastplate of righteousness. Also, our feet should be ever ready to move with the gospel of peace. We should then arm ourselves with the shield of faith to quench all the fiery arrows of the enemy. To protect our head, the most important part of our body, we must put on the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation is required to protect our spiritual destiny. Finally, as soldiers of Christ, we are to wield the “Sword of the Spirit”, which is the spoken word of God. As the only offensive weapon mentioned, this is the soldier’s most important weapon, and it is supplied by the Holy Spirit. I decree that God will fortify you and make you untouchable to the devil in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, please prepare and equip me for battle as a good soldier of Christ in Jesus’ Name.

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.

Open Heavens 9 August 2017: Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Jehovah Nissi

Topic: Jehovah Nissi — Wednesday 9, August 2017.

Memorise: Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. – Psalm 35:1

Read: Exodus 17:8-16 (KJV)

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:

16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Bible in One Year: 2 Kings 3-4; Ezekiel 22:1-16, Hymn: Sing hymn 4: Through the Love of God Our Saviour

Open Heavens 9th August 2017 Message:

Jehovah Nissi is the third revealed compound Name of God, meaning “The Lord is my Banner”. It was the Name Moses gave the altar he built following Israel’s victory over Amalek in Exodus 17:15. The word “nissi” means banner, standard or flag. A banner is the rallying point for warriors in the time of battle. Moses named the altar “the Lord is my banner” to acknowledge God’s active role in fighting for the nation of Israel, and at the same time, to testify to God’s continued war against the people of Amalek from generation to generation(Exodus 17:16). This altar stood as a witness to the whole world that the God of Israel was behind the victory over the Amalekites. You may recall that this battle with Amalek took place under the upraised hands of Moses, holding the rod of God. Moses therefore named the alter Jehovah Nissi with the consciousness of the role that God played in the battle. Starting from today, the hand of God will be so evident against all your enemies and detractors that you will begin to sing “The Lord is my Banner” in Jesus’ Name.

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 10 August 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Spiritual Armour”

It is amazing to note that the ordinary rod that Moses used in his years as a shepherd had become the rod of God in today’s Bible reading. This shows that anything we surrender to God or commit into His hands in support of His kingdom is made to pass through an unseen divine transformation over time. I therefore pray that as you submit yourself under the mighty hand of God today, He will transform you and your natural gifts into supernatural objects and vessels of honour to achieve great and mighty things for His Name in Jesus’ Name. It is important to note that Amalek came out of the blues and decided to wage war against Israel without any provocation. This provoked the anger of God against them, so much so that He promised to completely wipe out the memory of Amalek from the face of the earth (Exodus 17:14).Therefore, I decree by the word of the Lord that Jehovah Nissi will raise His standard against anyone who is angry with you and plotting evil against you without cause, or fighting against you without any provocation, and they will be completely destroyed in the mighty Name of Jesus. The story in our Bible reading is more like a blueprint of how God’s children should deal with anyone or anything that is identified as an enemy of God’s kingdom. The strategic tools deployed here include fervent prayers, knowledge of God’s word, the advocacy of Jesus, the rod of divine judgement, and believers’ unity. We should learn to deploy these tools to spur Jehovah Nissi into action against the enemy on our behalf.

Prayer Point: Jehovah Nissi, please fight every enemy that is stirred up against the advancement of Your Kingdom in every corner of the world.

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.

5 Great Passive Income Ideas

In today’s economy, having a passive income seems to becoming more of a necessity than something of convenience. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 great passive income ideas to consider.

Consider Rental Income

A passive income idea to consider is real estate rental income, where you can rent out homes, apartments and office spaces that you own to generate a healthy monthly or annual revenue. If you don’t have property to rent out, you can consider renting out other things you own for some rental income. Your car is an example, if you have two cars or a car you don’t use so often, you can rent it out for use as a taxi, you only need to ensure the agency or driver is a trusted one and your car is safe with them. If you happen to have a film camera, you can also rent that out and make some income from that. Basically, anything you have that can be rented out to earn some rental income, should be considered.

Consider Doing Voice Overs

If you have the voice for it and your diction is very good, you can consider going into the studio to do voice overs for jingles etc. and earn an income from that. This doesn’t take much of your time and works according to schedules, so this is another passive income idea you can consider.

Sell Professional Photos Online

If you’re into photography and things like Photoshop, you don’t have to abandon the skill because you’re working a 9-5 job. You can leverage photo-selling websites like iStockPhoto and Shutter Stock to sell your photos and earn money while you sleep. However, there is a lot of competition in this business, but if you have a knack for photography and believe your pictures are good and able to compete, then why not? Get a very good photo-editing software, find your niche, and in your spare time work on your photos and put them up on these photo-selling websites.

Consider Becoming an Uber Driver

Depending on how flexible your main job is, if you have a car that meets the necessary requirements you can consider becoming an Uber driver and earning a reasonable amount of daily passive income. You can make your own schedule with Uber and get some extra income driving others around when you’re already driving out and about anyway. Taxify, Smart Cab and other taxi services also offer you this option.

Become a Business Silent Partner

Over time, one or two people will come to you asking for a loan to start their business. If you believe that a business has prospects and is likely to become profitable over time if managed well, rather than just giving the person a loan, you can consider becoming something like a small-time angel investor, treat it as a business opportunity and give the person the needed capital with the request of taking an equity position in the business, in return. This way, the business owner will handle the day-to-day operations of the business, while you act as a silent partner that participates in the profits of the business. The only thing is that you will need to keep track of how your business partner handles the business to avoid being cheated, but then you shouldn’t go into business with someone you can’t trust in the first place.

By Damilola Ojo
PR Associate Jumia Travel
+2348101556883

Open Heavens 7 August 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Ye Shall Be The Head

Topic: Ye Shall Be The Head — Monday 7, August 2017.

Memorise: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  – Colossians 2:10

Read: Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (KJV)

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 22; Ezekiel 21:1-17, Hymn: Sing hymn 7: O Jesus, I Have Promised

Open Heavens 7th August 2017 Message:

The head is the most important part of the body; hence, kings and priests were anointed on their heads and Christ is referred to as the Head of the Church(Ephesians 4:15). Also, more often than not, symbols of power, authority and honour are displayed on the head. The body is able to operate efficiently because the head is capable of interpreting data received from the body, and also because the head is able to send out appropriate signals to the various parts of the body. The capacity of the head to intelligently interpret and direct the activities of the whole body makes the existence of the body completely dependent on the head. For this reason, we as the Body of Christ are totally dependent on Him, who is our Head. The Lord has also sent us out as His representatives to be head over every situation around us. Henceforth, you shall be the head and the most important personality within your sphere of influence in Jesus’ Name.

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 8 August 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – The Almighty”

To be the head indeed is not a theoretical concept but a practical reality that must be manifested. A person who is really the head must effectively provide leadership through the coordination of all the abilities at his or her disposal. From a physical point of view, the eyes are there to provide vision, the ears to collect information through sound, the nose for smelling, the tongue for taste and the mouth for verbal communication. The brain has the responsibility of processing the various data gathered by these different parts of the head, either for immediate use or for future application, as the case may be. If any of these organs that form part of the head is impaired, the head will not be able to effectively perform its leadership role in the body. For you to be head indeed, every ability that you need in order to provide leadership, be it spiritual, physical or resource-wise, must not be impaired. I therefore pray that God will protect everything about you, so that you will provide excellent leadership, in the Name of Jesus. Among other things, three factors are necessary for a head to perform effectively: eyes that see, ears that hear and a month that speaks. Physical eyes are required to view things in general, while spiritual eyes are necessary for divine revelation to see beyond the physical realm. Ears that function properly listen to people and also hear from God. Picking up divine communication is absolutely necessary for anyone who will be the head. Also, a functional mouth is necessary for communicating with fellow men and for making declarations in the Name of Jesus. I pray for you that you will receive clear vision, your ears will hear the sound from heaven, your mouth will make irreversible decrees, and you shall be an effective head in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Prayer Point: Father, please touch my head and bless me with everything I need to be a successful leader in Jesus’ Name.

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.

Open Heavens 6 August 2017: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Like Theophilus?

Topic: Like Theophilus? — Sunday 6, August 2017.

Memorise: Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  – Psalm 19:14

Read: Luke 1:1-4 (KJV)

1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Bible in One Year: 1 Kings 20-21; Ezekiel 20:39-49, Hymn: Sing hymn 1: My Faith Looks Up To Thee

Open Heavens 6th August 2017 Message:

The name which a person is identified is very significant. The Jews and a good number of African cultures attach great importance to the names they give to their children. It is amazing that God Almighty also recognises the influence of names on the lives of their bearers. For example, while entering into a covenant with Abram, God changed his name to Abraham, and He gave reasons for this (Genesis 17:5). Also, at Bethel, God changed Jacobs’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:28). The Lord Jesus and His apostles also gave people new names(Mark 3:16-17, Acts 4:36).

Click HERE to Read: "Open Heavens 7 August 2017: Monday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Ye Shall Be The Head”

In our Bible reading today, we read about a man whose name was Theophilus. ‘Theophilus’ in Greek means “lover of God”. It is amazing that this man loved God so much that he earnestly sought to know about Him and His Christ. His curiosity about God produced two of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament: the gospel according to St. Luke and the Acts of the Apostles (Luke 1:1-3, Acts 1:1). When you love someone, you would seek to know more about that fellow. This was exactly the attitude of Theophilus towards God. His drive to know God more, led Luke to write his gospel on the life of Jesus. However, his continued thirst made him unsatisfied with just one book about Him, thereby necessitating the need for a second book to be written by Luke, which is now referred to as the Acts of the Apostles.

There are several lessons we can learn from the life and attitude of Theophilus, one of which is that in spite of his highly exalted position, Theophilus still sought to know the truth about Jesus Christ. The Bible says you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). Wherever you are confronted with an idea, be it religious or philosophical, try and find out the truth embedded in it. Some people completely fall for some religious ideas without first finding out their authenticity; hence, they have been deceived to believe lies. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, yearned to know more of Jesus (Philippians 3:10). If you love Jesus, you would want to know more of Him through regular Bible study and fellowshipping with genuine Christians. The benefits of loving God and His Christ are obvious from our memory verse. When you love God, he will deliver you from erring from the truth (John 10:1-14). He will also promote you because your personal relationship with Him will avail for you. Beloved, do you love God? To what extent do you love Him? Jesus Christ, in John 14:15, said:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

By this benchmark, can you say you truly love Him? 

Prayer Point: Father, help me to love You as I ought to: in deed and in truth.

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.

A Pretty Lady Writes An Open Letter To Yahoo Guys

A beautiful young lady, Loty Keri took to Facebook to write an open letter to Nigerian guys who engage themselves in internet fraud popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo”.
These boys lack integrity, which of course is key for everyone in life. Read Below:

“Dear yahoo boys, I’m not telling you not to do your kind of business but this internet business has made most of you not to have integrity in the real world. Hey you oh yes you, just because you cut corners to make money and tell lies for a living does not mean you should apply the same in your daily life. You guys are so blinded by money and lies that you don’t even know how to earn the love of a good woman by simply just saying the truth. It’s funny how you guys think that every girl is the same as those white women you sweet talk to believing you and sending you money, too bad! Kindly get a life please and if that is too much to ask, stay away from good women and find your match. I’m sure there are some girls like you who wont mind the way you lie and the character you display once they are seeing the money. Women please be wise. It’s good to have a home than a house. God bless you all.”

source : http://9naija.com.ng/ent/nigerian-lady-writes-open-letter-to-yahoo-yahoo-boys/%20