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Open Heaven of Tuesday 9th July 2013.
YOU CAN OVERTAKE
Memorise: ………: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:1b
Read: 1 Samuel 2:20-21
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed
of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went
unto their own home. 1 Samuel 2:20
And the LORD visited
Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.
And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:21
Bible in one year: 2 Timothy 1-4
Message
A single contact with God can make the difference in the life of an
individual. For some years, some people have laboured in ministry,
business, academics and career with nothing to show for it. If you are
in such situation, a contact that will usher a season of positive change
is coming your way. When the hand of God was laid on Elijah in 1 Kings
18:41-46, he outran king Ahab who had earlier taken off with speed on
his chariot of horses. How can ordinary legs overtake horses? When God
lays His hands on you, your progress will be so rapid that none of your
enemies will be able to catch up with you. From the above scripture, we
learn that when God’s hand is upon you, the time you lost that worked
against you will be recovered, and will work in your favour. Ahab ran
ahead of Elijah, yet the later still overtook him. Also, when God’s hand
is upon you, every limitation or deficiency that should have stalled
your progress will rather advance you. Imagine a man on his two feet
beating a chariot of horses! This tells us that even when you lack the
latest technology, you can still emerge the best if God’s hand is upon
you. This season, God’s hand will rest upon you for good.
David
a young shepherd boy had contact with God and he became a king (1
Samuel16:11-13). Many people had already written off Hannah as
permanently barren until she had contact with God and the result was six
children including Samuel (1 Samuel 2:21). At the end, God permanently
shut her mockers up as she had more children than Peninnah. Isaiah 54:1
was fulfilled in her life. The time you started having children does not
necessarily determine how many you will have. You can start early and
have few children or start late and have many children. Hannah started
late yet she had more children. Are you trusting God for the fruit of
the womb? Have you been waiting for a long time? Are you asking when
will it ever be my turn to have a baby? Your turn has just arrived. Get
ready, you are about to overtake those who are years ahead of you. It is
allowed.
PRAYER POINT
Father, lay your hand upon me and cause me to overtake all those who took advantage of me and those who have gone ahead of me.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS TEST QUESTIONS FOR FIRST WEEK OF JULY. (TEST RUN)
DURATION: 20 MINUTES
DATE: 7/8/2013
Note: the questions cover the publications from 1st to 5th of July.
You are required to send the answers to the inbox (a-d). This a test
run, we may decide to make it once a month. The gift will only be
shipped to the Reader of the week/month for now. We hope to make this
very interesting by God’s grace….
QUESTIONS
1. Some including highly educated people, still believe in
..................... – that when they die, they will return to this
world as ...............
a) Christ/spirits
b) Sango/gods
c) metamorphosis/ animal
d) Reincarnation/a baby
2. If he wants to introduce a major hindrance on your way to finishing
your assignment or making Heaven, he will stir up someone you
.................... to hurt you to do something to you that will become
a ............................. to your progress.
a) Most expected/lesson
b) Love/lead
c) never expected/ permanent hindrance
d) really respected/ temporary hindrance
3. People fall little by little and rise little by little. If you don’t
want a negative surprise, .................................
a) watch how slowly you respond to Christ
b) watch the friends you keep and your development.
c) watch little developments that are taking place in your life.
d) Just be steadfast
4. It is one thing to have the potential to be something, but it is
entirely different ball game to run with the vision and actualize this
potential.in Bible times, Gehazi had the potential of having four times
the anointing of Elijah, he could have become a super champion, but
..................
a) he bungled it.
b) he failed
c) was too arrogant.
d) messed it up
5. According to one of the passages, miracle happens like ........... every time God visits.
a) with a Vision
b) like a Dream
c) most quickly
d) like a Magic
GOOD LUCK BRETHREN.
Open Heaven of Sunday 7th July 2013.
MIND YOUR CONFESSION
Memorise: Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Proverbs 6:2
Read: Numbers 14:26-31
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Numbers 14:26
How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against
me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Numbers 14:27
Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Numbers 14:28
Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered
of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and
upward, which have murmured against me, Numbers 14:29
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to
make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the
son of Nun. Numbers 14:30
But your little ones, which ye said
should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land
which ye have despised. Numbers 14:31
Bible in one year: 1 Timothy 4-6
Message
Every seed sown has its time to speak. There are situation you may find
yourself that only your seed will speak for you. At such a time may
your account in heaven be found in credit. Some years ago, I had a
friend who was a great support to my ministry. While praying one day,
the Lord said, ‘Son, your friend is about to die within the next one
week in London: go to him now’ I immediately bought a ticket and went to
London to see and pray with my friend. It has been over 14 years since
that incident and he is still alive because he had some credit with God.
This is why irrespective of what anybody says, you cannot afford to be a
bench warmer in God’s house. Similarly, I had another friend who was
also very supportive. Sometime in 1995, he heard in his ear that he
should go and put his house in order because he was about to die. When
he told me, I laughed it off because I knew I could talk it over with my
Daddy that I still needed my friend’s support, being so useful to me.
More than 16 years after, he still lives. Do you have a solid deposit
with the bank of Heaven that you can draw from today? If not, take steps
to build one.
A great lesson to be learnt from the Shunammite
woman recorded in 2 Kings 4:18-26 is the need to be careful of what you
say especially when going through a trying period. When this woman’s
only son died, she was saying ‘All will be well’ and from there
graduated to ‘All is well’. And all became well. She did not start to
lament over her problem. Be careful with your tongue because it contains
the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). Even when good may be
coming your way, you can use your tongue to turn it off; your tongue can
also become a snare (Proverbs 6:2). No wonder God asked Moses to tell
the Israelites that it is what they said into His ears that He will do
to them (Numbers 14:28). In those days, when it was difficult for us to
make ends meet, I used to tell my wife that things will not continue to
be tough for us, and that our tomorrow will be alright. What are you
confessing about your tomorrow and today?
ACTION POINT
Most of the things that come our way are products of our confession. Stop calling negative things to yourself!
Open Heaven of Saturday 6th July 2013.
BE HIS FRIEND
Memorise: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth
not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things
that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. John 15:15
Read: Genesis 18:17-18
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Genesis 18:17
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? Genesis 18:18
Bible in one year: Psalm 40-42
Message
The God we serve is not only a God of choice and promise but also a friendly and loving God. Genesis 18:17 says,
“And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”
By this, God meant that because of his friendship with Abraham, it has
become difficult for Him to hide certain future event from him. As high
as God is, yet is He not ashamed to make the works of His hands His
friends. Our Lord Jesus Christ also exhibited the same character. In
John 15:15, Jesus declared:
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for
the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you
friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known
unto you.”
In other words, when you newly give your life to
Christ, He may keep some secrets from you until He tries you out and
sees you are ready and worthy of being trusted with divine secrets. In
the Kingdom, a child is seen as no different from a servant until he
grows into maturity (Genesis 4:1-2).
If you are wise and move
on from being a child who may or may not obey Him, to being His bond
servant – who would always obey Him, you will begin to learn His trust
and confidence. Then, He will start to share some secrets with you, and
would wait to see how you handle such privileged information. When He
has tested your level of commitment, love and loyalty, and He is
satisfied, He will upgrade the relationship by making you a friend.
Abraham was a friend of God and Christ’s disciples were also elevated to
become His friends. From that moment onwards, He told them virtually
everything the father revealed to Him. At what level are you operating?
Becoming His friend has nothing to do with the number of years spent in
the Kingdom. There are believers of 5, 10, and 20 years or more who are
still children and hence like servants. They have not been able to
upgrade their relationship to friendship status; yet there are converts
of six months or one year of whom the Lord is almost finding it
difficult to do without. They are already operating as His friends,
enjoying lots of divine secrets. Locate yourself where you are and move
up.
KEY POINT
God wants to upgrade you to the level of friendship but it will take your cooperation and willingness.
Open Heaven of Friday 5th July 2013.
LIKE A DREAM
Memorise: When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalms 126:1
Read: Psalms 126:1-4
When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Psalms 126:1
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. Psalms 126:2
The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Psalms 126:3
Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. Psalms 126:4
Bible in one year: Psalm 37-39
Message
Sometimes, when the King of glory pays you a visit, things will happen
so fast that you may think that you are dreaming. When Peter had such a
visit, he thought he was dreaming. After the angel left him out of
prison and finally vanished, that was when he realised it was no dream
(Acts 12:1-11). A brother who never believed he could own a car in his
life time received a great shocker one day when a relative bought him a
car and asked somebody to deliver it to him. He asked: ‘Is this for me?’
the one who brought it said ‘Yes’. The man simply turned around and
began to walk away. He thought he was dreaming. Psalm 126:1-3 says when
God visited His people who were in captivity, their deliverance came
like a dream. Then those who were full of sorrow became filled with
might and laughter. The truth is: after waiting for long to receive a
particular blessing, when the blessing is to come, it will be in a
hurry, especially if there is a divine visitation influencing it. In the
name of Jesus, your blessing shall come to you like a dream. That good
desire that has been denied you for so long will be delivered to you
this season. Your blessings are going to locate you in a hurry.
However, you may want to ask: How can I initiate a divine visitation?
This can be done through prayer. Acts 12:5 says before Peter’s divine
visitation, the church prayed without ceasing. Don’t give up on your
prayers! Be persistent until God shows up. Also, high praises in the
midst of that unpleasant situation can attract God’s visitation as was
the experience of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25-26). In addition, you can
attract God’s visit when you give what nobody else has given. It could
be money, time, dedication, etc. This was how Solomon attracted a divine
visitation (2 Chronicles 1:6-12). Moreover, you can attract God’s visit
by honouring God in different ways, particularly with your first
fruits. God says He will honour those who honour Him (1 Samuel 2:30).
Are you prepared to honour Him? Go ahead and provoke God’s divine
visitation today!
ACTION POINT
Ask that as many as are in
various satanic bondages such as prostitution, alcohol, sodomy, drug
addiction, masturbation, serial killing, etc. be liberated by the blood
of Jesus.
Open Heaven of Thursday 4th July 2013.
STILL A POTENTIAL CHAMPION?
Memorize: …..and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the
north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
Ecclesiastes 11:3
Read: Proverbs 6:9-11
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Proverbs 6:9
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: Proverbs 6:10
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Proverbs 6:11
Bible in one year: Psalm 34-36
Message
There are three categories of champions: potential champions (champions
to be), reigning champions (existing champions), and ex-champions
(those who were once champions). Of the first category, virtually
everyone was born to this world with the potential of becoming a
champion. But as you would expect, it is one thing to have the potential
to be something, but it is entirely different ball game to run with the
vision and actualize this potential. Every man is a potential father
but not all men become fathers. This also applies to women. Not all
women who had the potential of becoming a mother eventually became one.
Every good potential in your life shall be pursued to its logical
conclusion in Jesus name. in Bible times, Gehazi had the potential of
having four times the anointing of Elijah, he could have become a super
champion, but he bungled it.
In 1977, at a congress we held at
Ilorin (Nigeria), during the prayer time, I told the brethren that God
told me that one day, The Redeemed Christian Church of God will be all
over the world, and that it will take place very soon. They said amen. I
was speaking as a potential champion then. Some among those who said
amen left us. Also, in 1983, during our first Church Convention at the
camp grounds, when we had about 15 or 16 buildings in all, we
slaughtered a total of 10 cows during the Convention. I told them that
someday, we will be using trailers to bring cows to our Conventions, and
they said amen. In that particular year’s Congress held at Ilorin, I
travelled in the company of a brother we were ordained together as
pastors on the same day. On our way, I prophesied that The Redeemed
Christian church of God will soon be all over that place. He said amen.
Today, out of the five potential champions ordained the same day with
me; I am the only one still in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Of
the five, I loved one so much. Whenever I travelled to his station of
service, we would sleep on the same bed. As we lay on bed, I share with
him the future the Lord as shown me. Yet, as close as we were, he never
caught the fire. It is possible to sleep by the fire and never be
ignited. May you not die as a potential champion! May your potentials
become a reality this season. What are you doing to bring your
potentials into reality?
KEY POINT
A potential champion and
a champion started from the same place but while the former did not do
enough to bring his potential into reality, the later went the extra
mile.
Open Heaven of Wednesday 3rd July 2013.
LITTLE BY LITTLE
Memorise: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how
the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou
knowest not the works of God who maketh all. Ecclesiastes 11:5
Read: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1 Corinthians 10:11
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye
may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Bible in one year: Psalm 31-33
Message
It is good to know the weapons with which to engage the enemy, but this
is not enough. It is important to also know the techniques of the enemy
so that you will be guided on how to apply the weapons you have. The
more I study the devil, the more I am convinced he is a good boxer. In
boxing, there are three major types of blow; the jab, the hook and the
uppercut. The average boxer aims at hitting the head of his opponent but
he may not start there. He starts with the jabs at the head, while the
opponent is dodging these jabs, is stomach is exposed and the boxer
capitalizes on this to give the hook on the stomach. If he succeeds in
hitting the solar plexus in the stomach, the opponent tilts forward and
the boxer gives the uppercut because the head is closer and most likely
not protected.
This tells us something about Satan’s modus
operandi, particularly in bringing down committed, Heaven-bound
Christians. Although his goal is to completely severe the believer from
his helper, so that members of the kingdom of darkness can do whatever
they like with the fellow, he carries out this plan on a piecemeal
basis. To succeed in this plan, the enemy can be very patient. The devil
is satisfied with separating you from the vine little by little. As is
commonly said, ‘Little drops of water make the mighty ocean’. This is
why you must be concerned about your decrease in spiritual matters as
little failings lead to a great fall. If you are gradually accepting
Satan’s excuse – it doesn’t matter, know that something is wrong
somewhere. If you have moved from no lie to little lies once in a while,
you are already heading for a fall. If your bible study has decreased,
you are backsliding. If a little anger is now permitted by you, know
that great anger is on its way. Never allow the little sins! Never give
room for secret sins. No matter the size, sin is ultimately going to
separate you from God your Ally. Take steps to know God more, obey Him
and have more of Him. Little by little keep making efforts to grow in
faith no matter how little effort is each time. Don’t stay at the same
spot!
ACTION POINT
People fall little by little and rise
little by little. If you don’t want a negative surprise, watch little
developments that are taking place in your life.
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