OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY OCTOBER 26TH 2025

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TOPIC: THE LORD IS MY VERY PRESENT HELP MEMORISE : “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” - (Psalm 46:1) READ : PSALM 46:1-11 (KJV) 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutt...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. THE ESSENCE OF FORGIVENESS. SATURDAY 13th JUNE 2015

Memorise:
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Read: Mark 11:25-26

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Message
The enmity between God and man, created by sin, can only be reversed through the forgiveness of God. Going by the righteous requirement of God’s law, no man can pay the high price demanded by God for the atonement of sins, but the divine mercy of God brought us forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). Without the power of forgiveness, there can be no atonement, no reconciliation and no salvation.

Just as God has extended His unconditional forgiveness to us, He expects us to extend the same to our neighbours. This is an area where the people of God have problems. We like to enjoy God’s benevolence, but we find it difficult to extend the same to others. The gravity of this negative attitude is found in the parable of Jesus about the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35). Although the king forgave this servant a debt he could not afford to pay, when his fellow servant who also owed him begged him to be patient with him, he refused. Rather, he cast this fellow servant into prison. This attitude made the king so angry that he handed him over to the tormentors and charged them to torment him until he was able to pay his debt. Of course he would not be able to pay; so he was effectively banished to a lifetime of torment. The key thing to note from this parable is what Jesus said in Matthew 18:35:

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

The virtue of forgiveness proceeds from the offended, and it is carried out by the offended also. There is nothing anyone can do to convince the offended to forgive, if he or she does not look beyond the offending party and choose to unconditionally forgive. There is every reason to be vengeful when you are offended, but when you cast your mind back to remember how you have been forgiven yourself; you will have no choice as a child of God but to forgive. Those who easily forgive others who offend them are likely to be favourites of God because they share the nature of God in the area of forgiveness. Their prayers are also more likely to be speedily answered than the prayers of those who are vengeful.

Action Point:
Look out for those who have offended you, declare and demonstrate to them that you have forgiven them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 KINGS 22 and LUKE 7:18-35

AUTHOR : Pastor E.A. ADEBOYE

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