OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28TH 2025

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TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING HARVESTS MEMORIZE : While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 READ : Mark 4:26-29  26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. MESSAGE The first thing to understand about harvests is that they ultimately come from God. 1 Corinthians 3:6 says, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." Also, harvests come in different levels, which Jesus identified as thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold (Mark 4:20). Some Bible scholars believe that a thirtyfold harvest results from...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY APRIL 28TH 2024

TOPIC: GIVE THANKS

MEMORISE:
“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” - (Psalm 136:1)

READ: Psalm 100:1-5
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

MESSAGE:
The reason Solomon was extremely grateful to God in (2 Chronicles 1:6-12) is that he realised that he didn’t deserve to be king. His father was an adulterer and his mother an adulteress. His father was also a murderer who murdered his mother’s first husband. How could God pick the fruit of such a union and make him king? Solomon indeed had every reason to be grateful. If you look at your life closely, you will also see that you don’t deserve many of the things that God has given to you, including your life. I think you should really give Him thanks.

When people see me dancing in agbada at least once a year to praise God in my mother tongue, many of them do not understand. The day I asked God how He could choose the product of a sinful relationship like Solomon to be king, He also asked me, “Is your mother the first wife of your father?” I had no more questions because, based on the circumstances surrounding my birth, I don’t deserve to be called to pastor His sheep. I am always grateful to God because to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Even the fact that I am here in this world is something to be grateful for. My mom had made up her mind that she wasn’t having any more children because she already had as many girls as she wanted and a boy. However, the boy died, and people begged her to give birth again. She agreed, and I was born. Coming from that background, and also considering all the sins I had committed before giving my life to Christ, it is a privilege that God could save a soul like mine and make me a pastor. So, I know why I dance and sing praises to my God.

When we say, “Let us thank God,” those who feel that they deserve everything they have don’t see the importance. For some of them, they believe God chose them because He had no choice and so, they don’t bother. However, for some of us, we know where we are coming from and the things we survived. I grew up amongst scorpions, snakes, and all sorts of wild animals, and was surrounded by witches, wizards, and the rest. For me to have survived in that kind of environment, I cannot keep quiet when it is time to thank God. Will you do the same?

ACTION POINT:
Throughout today, just keep thanking God for all that He has done for you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 CHRONICLES 3-4

AUTHOR PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 18 - PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE KING OF CREATION
1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,
join me in glad adoration.

2 Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

3 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriends you.

4 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him.

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