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Showing posts from May, 2024

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY JANUARY 17TH 2025

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TOPIC: DON'T OUTGROW CORRECTIONS MEMORISE:  While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:15 READ : Proverbs 15:10-12 10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. 11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? 12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise. MESSAGE For every action or inaction, there are consequences. This is why you should consider it a great privilege when you have people around you who can correct you whenever you do something wrong so that you do not have to suffer terrible consequences. Unfortunately, some people do not listen to corrections. The Bible refers to such people as servants. A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer. Proverbs 29:19 You can choose between being corrected by words or by consequences. If you...
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY MAY 31ST 2024

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TOPIC: WISDOM IS PRINCIPAL MEMORISE: “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” - (Job 28:28) READ: Proverbs 4:5-9  5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. MESSAGE: Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Acquiring knowledge and applying it are two different things. For example, if a man is driving on a road and sees a road sign that says, ‘Narrow bridge ahead,’ as soon as he sees that sign, he has acquired knowledge. However, what that man decides to do with that knowledge wil...
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY MAY 30TH 2024

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TOPIC: THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD MEMORISE:  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16 READ: Proverbs 15:22  22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. MESSAGE Our Bible reading for today tells us that without counsel, purposes are defeated. In other words, if you plan to do something and you don't have any advice, you might not be able to achieve it. Proverbs 20:18 says: Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. Getting advice or counsel, as the Bible calls it, is very needful. Do not begin any endeavor without getting good advice. Proverbs 24:6 says, "...in multitude of counsellors there is safety." When you surround yourself with many good advisers, you will be safe and unlikely to make costly mistakes in life. Note that it is not every piece of advice that you should...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: WEDNESDAY MAY 29TH 2024

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TOPIC: DISCOVERING GOD'S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE MEMORISE:  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:   1 Peter 2:9 READ : Ephesians 2:8-10  8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. MESSAGE God has a purpose for everything He does. In Exodus 8:1, He said to Moses, "...Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, thus saith the LORD, let my people go, that they may serve me”. God's reason for delivering the Israelites from bondage was so that they could serve and worship Him. Likewise, your salvation comes with a purpose, as the passage in today's Bible reading reveals. In Mark 1:40-45, a leper came to Jesu...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY MAY 28TH 2024

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TOPIC: HE IS IN THE BOAT MEMORISE:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:20 READ: Mark 4:35-41 35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that ev...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY MAY 27TH 2024

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TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN MEMORISE:  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:13 READ: Isaiah 44:2-6  2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5 One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. 6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. PRAYERS 1. Father, thank you for the gift of children. Thank you Lord for all the children a...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY MAY 26TH 2024

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TOPIC: HE IS A REWARDER MEMORISE:  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6 READ: Matthew 10:40-42  40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. MESSAGE   Peter's encounter with Jesus at the Lake of Gennesaret, is a pointer to the fact that our Lord is indeed a generous rewarder (Luke 5:1-7). He allowed the Lord to use his boat as a pulpit and was rewarded with such a great catch of fish that his boat began to sink; he had t...
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OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL: SATURDAY 25th MAY 2024.

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TOPIC: THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING JESUS MEMORISE :  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits". Daniel 11:32 READ: Philippians 3:7-11 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. MESSAGE: The joy that comes from knowing God is immeasurable. However, joy is just one of the many benefi...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY MAY 24TH 2024

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TOPIC: POWER TO PROSPER MEMORISE:  But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18 READ: Deuteronomy 8:6-18  6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. 10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. 11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, ...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY MAY 23RD 2024

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TOPIC: THE EVER-PRESENT HELP MEMORISE:  But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalm 37:39 READ: Psalms 46:1-7  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. MESSAGE Many children of God do not fully comprehend the fact that our God is Omnipresent. When you really understand this truth, your heart will...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: WEDNESDAY MAY 22ND 2024

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TOPIC: WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS? MEMORISE:  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2 READ: Colossians 3:1-4  1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. MESSAGE From my experience as a lecturer before going into full-time ministry, I know that in a class, not everyone’s focus is on understanding what is being taught. Some students are focused on the teacher’s clothes, some on how he talks, others on impressing other students, and so on. What is worthy of note is that those who focus on less important things lose a whole lot in the end.  This same thing plays out in God’s kingdom; many Christians do not focus on the right things. All some Christians want fr...
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY MAY 21ST 2024

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TOPIC: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES Memorise  But love your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Luke 6:35 READ: Proverbs 25:21-22 21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. MESSAGE The most difficult instruction Jesus Christ gave to His disciples is probably what we have in today's memory verse. He wants us to love our enemies if we are to be genuine children of God. What are we to do about this seemingly difficult command? Firstly, you should note that His commands are not grievous (1 John 5:3) Also, when you consider the benefits of being a child of God, you will realise that what the Lord commands is just a little price to pay. Amazed by these benefits, John the Apostle wrote in 1 John 3:1: “Behold, what ...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY MAY 20TH 2024

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TOPIC: HE THAT HATH CLEAN HANDS MEMORISE:  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalm 66:18 READ: Psalms 24:3-6  3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. MESSAGE It takes clean hands to ascend to the hill of the Most High God and receive from Him. Isaiah 59:1-2 says: Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. When you ask God for something, and He does not give it to you, please check your life first before you start complaining. Are ...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SUNDAY MAY 19TH 2024

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TOPIC: BE A DOER MEMORISE:  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  James 1:22 READ: Matthew 7:24-27  24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. MESSAGE James 1:22-25 tells us that we must not be hearers only, but doers of the word of God. It says that people who are not doers of the word are deceiving themselves and are qualified to be called fools. According to our Bible reading for today, a fool is someone who hears t...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: SATURDAY MAY 18TH 2024

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TOPIC: BANISHING FEAR MEMORISE:  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 READ: Matthew 10:26-31 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. MESSAGE For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy1:7...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY MAY 17TH 2024

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TOPIC: GOD HATES LIES MEMORISE:   For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelations 22:15 READ: Acts 5:1-11 5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when hi...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY MAY 16TH 2024

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TOPIC: DO NOT STEAL MEMORISE:  Nor thieves, nor covetous, drunkards, nor revilers,  nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:10 READ : Joshua 7:13-26  13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. 15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. 16 So Jo...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: WEDNESDAY MAY 15TH 2024

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TOPIC: GOD HATES DIVORCE MEMORISE:  For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covere the violence with hisngarment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. Malachi 2:16 READ: Mark 10:2-12  2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again ...
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY MAY 14TH 2024

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TOPIC: DON'T DESTROY YOURSELF MEMORISE :  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 READ: MATHEW 6:9-13 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. MESSAGE In Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord was teaching the disciples to pray. He said in verse 13 that they should cry to the Father, “Lead us not into temptation and in case we have already fallen into trouble, then deliver us from evil.” This part of the Lord’s prayer bothered me for a while. Can God really lead someone into temptation? Then I read in Proverbs 22:14: The mouth of strange women is a deep...
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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL: FRIDAY OCTOBER 11TH 2024

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TOPIC: COMMITTING GOD MEMORISE : I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalm 138:2 READ: ISAIAH 40:4-8 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 6. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. MESSAGE : Do you know that it is possible to commit God to do some things for you and leave Him with no choice but to do them? Psalm 115:3 says that God is sove...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY JANUARY 2ND 2025

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TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR 2025 MEMORISE :  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Genesis 12:2 READ : Isaiah 35:1-10 1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. 4 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 5 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. ...
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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL: THURSDAY MAY 9TH 2024

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TOPIC: THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER 4 MEMORISE:  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:12 READ: Bible Reading Romans 6:1-23 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead w...
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