OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 31/10/2014 - DIVINE PROMOTION FOR THE WISE - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DIVINE PROMOTION FOR THE WISE

Memorise
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Proverbs 3:35

Read
Psalm 75:5-7


5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Message
Divine promotion is a reward for those who live holy. God is the Judge, and only He can promote you. The devil is not the one who will promote you. There are two types of promotion according to Proverbs 3:35. These are: glory and shame. There is glorious promotion for the wise and shameful promotion for fools. Who are the wise? The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Those who are wise fear God, and because of this, they live a holy life. They depart from sin. God says that such people will have a glorious promotion. A classical example of a wise man, who as a result of his fear of God abstained from sin, is Joseph in Egypt. He refused to have carnal knowledge of his master’s wife, though it was offered to him ‘free of charge’. In Genesis 39:9, He queried this offer saying:

“......how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

The end of the story is that Joseph became the Prime Minister of Egypt. Who are fools? Fools are those who can see danger ahead and still walk into it. Fools are those who know that the wages of sin is death and yet continue to sin. Fools are those who know that the only way to get to the kingdom of God is by becoming born-again and yet they refuse salvation. Fools are those who have decided to continue living in sin, after knowing that without holiness, no man shall see God.

You must live a holy life if you want glorious promotion. God is no respecter of persons. He will never bend His standards. Promotion puts you on top. Being on top comes with very many advantages, according to Deuteronomy 28:1:

“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 the nations of the earth.”

God will give you divine promotion if you live holy. However, if you do not live holy, you will go down. Those who are on top enjoy it up there. Those who are below remain in suffering. I prefer being on top. When you are on top, you will get special protection. The one who is on top is special and of more value than the one who is below. Can you see how wise it is to live holy? I pray that today, the Lord will give you the grace you need to live holy for divine promotion, in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to make up your mind that you will no longer live a life of sin anymore, and the Lord will help your decision.

Prayer Point
Father, put your fear in me so that I may shun evil for holy living, and grant me divine promotion this season in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Kings 19:19-21:16

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 28/10/2014 - DEBORAH, THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

DEBORAH, THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN

Memorise
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Proverbs 31:10

Read
Judges 4:4–9

4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Message
Deborah was a patriotic woman. She was a prophetess, who used the anointing of God on her life to judge and instruct Israel in the way of righteousness. Are you a virtuous woman? In what way is your life affecting your community? The name Deborah means ‘bee’. She lived up to her name by her industry, sagacity and great usefulness to the society, her sweetness to her friends and her sharpness against her enemies. How far does your name influence you? What influence does the name of Christ have upon you? Have you been able to influence others to Christ? Deborah was said to be the wife of Lapidoth. ‘Lapidoth’ means ‘lamp’. As one associated with light, Deborah was a blessing to her community. Are you a blessing or a curse to your family, friends, acquaintances, neighbours, community, state or nation? Deborah was intimately acquainted with God. She was a judge and a prophetess. How close are you to the Almighty? From the life of Deborah, we learn that God depends on man to carry out His rescue operations and programmes. However, no man should see himself as indispensable. God can use anyone. Any man or woman who purges himself or herself can be used as a vessel unto honour by the Master. 2 Timothy 2:21 says:

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Don’t be too big for God. He has alternatives. As a prophetess and a judge, Deborah’s head was perpetually greased by the oil of the anointing. To excel in God’s service, you need the anointing. It is the anointing that destroys the yoke. Deborah was picked from among the rebellious multitude in Israel. God still has His own vessels. He uses whoever yields himself or herself to Him. Deborah did not allow her gender and other issues of time and life to block her focus or stifle her consecration. She was entirely devoted to the service of God in Israel. There is no person without challenges. However, God expects diligence and total consecration in whatever is committed to your hands. Deborah was a good leader. She gave her followers the assurance of victory and did not fail. She raised their hope, and she delivered. Are you a morale-booster or a discourager? She helped the faith of her subordinates to grow strong. She was also submissive to her husband. How submissive are you?

Key Point
God is no respecter of persons. What He needs from you is holy living. Live a life of holiness and you will be used of God.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Kings 14:1-15:32

Proverbs 18:1-14
               

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 22/10/2014 - READY FOR THE GREAT HARVEST? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

READY FOR THE GREAT HARVEST?

Memorise
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Matthew 28:19

Read
Acts 13:38–39

38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Message
Our God has so many wonderful attributes. Some of these attributes, such as omnipotence, omnipresence and being omniscient are unique to Him alone. There are other attributes which God as a wonderful Father, shares with His children. These include holiness, mercy and love. God is love. John 3:16 says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

One of the ways God demonstrated His love to mankind was by making adequate provision for salvation (1 John 1:8-9). As a child of God, you can demonstrate the love of God to the world through evangelism and missions. The term ‘evangelism’ denotes sharing good news from a loving God to a lost world. The Great Commission is binding on all Christians (Matthew 28:18-20). The need to fulfil this mandate is ever so urgent, especially with the imminent return of our Lord. Every child of God is called to be a “reaper”. Are you ready for the great harvest? As a child of God, you are expected to rightly divide the word of truth. There is no geographical limitation or racial restrictions to fulfilling the Great Commission (Mark 13:10, Acts 1:8).

To be actively involved in evangelism, it is required that you wisely utilise the different opportunities that present themselves to you in the course of your daily business, without appearing to be over-bearing. With the power of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God, even a newly born-again Christian can win souls on a continuous basis. Soul winning is one of the reasons God retained you on earth, and you should be particular about it. As a Christian, you can do effective evangelism in the vehicle you board, at social gatherings, birthday celebrations and send-off parties. You can also engage in hospital visitations to pray for the sick, give them provisions, befriend them – especially if they feel lonely and poor, preach salvation through Jesus Christ to them and bring Bibles and good Christian literature for them to read. You can also be involved in prison visitation. You can visit prisoners, write letters to them, send them good reading materials and give them gifts with the permission of the authorities. Other ways in which you can be involved in evangelism include, placing illustrated gospel tracts on your table after eating in a restaurant, around school campuses, on bus-stop benches and in departmental stores as you buy or sell. Additionally, you can be involved in house-to-house evangelism. Are you ready?

Action Point
Make evangelism a habit, because it is uppermost on God’s heart.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Kings 2:13-3:28

Proverbs 15:11-24
              

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY - 21/10/2014 - WHO ARE YOU? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHO ARE YOU?

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 marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:9

Read
Isaiah 6:1–8

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Message
Nothing destroys faster than ignorance. History confirms that ignorance has claimed many lives and destroyed more properties than any other factor. Half-hearted obedience is an act of ignorance. In today’s Bible reading, we learn of King Uzziah. Uzziah, king of Judah, was the son of Amaziah. His father did the right thing in the sight of God, but not with a perfect heart (2 Chronicles 25:1-2). Uzziah followed the footsteps of his father, and he died a leper (2 Chronicles 26:1-5, 21). Half-hearted obedience is worse than outright disobedience. Pride, self-exaltation, disobedience and presumption always leads to sacrilege and results in death. It is good to start well, but it is far more glorious to end well. Ecclesiastes 7:8 says:

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

Isaiah started his ministry as a preacher in King Uzziah’s court. However, it wasn’t until after King Uzziah’s death that he received a vision of the Lord’s glory. If you want to be victorious as a Christian, you should rely on God alone and know that the only throne which cannot be destroyed is the throne of the King of kings. As long as King Uzziah was alive, Isaiah saw nothing; but when King Uzziah died, he saw the glory of God and saw himself as dirty, wretched and despicable. He was broken. When you see the glory of the Lord, you will see yourself in your true state. Who are you? How does the Bible describe you? Are you patient in spirit or proud? Are you a Christian or an unbeliever? Christians are kings and priests (Revelation 1:6). We are a chosen generation, chosen before the foundation of the world. We are a holy nation; a nation of lights. We are the light of the world. Are you showing forth the light of Christ to people living in your neighbourhood? We are also called to show forth the praises of God. We show forth His praises through strength. We are not a nation of weaklings, but a nation of the strong. Where do we derive our strength as Christians? Our strength is drawn from seven main sources. The first of these is joy (Nehemiah 8:10). The second is the strength of the Lord (Ephesians 6:10). The third is the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 1:8). The fourth is the Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10). The fifth is the blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11). The sixth is the word of God (Hebrews 4:12), while the seventh is the mercy of God (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Key Point
If you do not know who you are as a Christian, circumstances of life will take you for a ride.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Kings 1:1-2:12

Proverbs 14:32-15:10
    

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 18/10/2014 - THE NEW ANOINTING - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

THE NEW ANOINTING

Memorise
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Isaiah 10:27

Read
Acts 5:12–16

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Message
Our Lord Jesus Christ did nothing without the anointing (Luke 4:18). He performed no miracles, healed no sick, delivered no oppressed of the devil and did no good until the Holy Spirit fell on Him (John 1:28-34; John 2:11). What is the anointing? Literally, anointing can be defined as applying oil or ointment on a person – especially as part of a religious ceremony. However, the anointing represents the power of God transmitted through men in the form of spiritual electricity. Electricity is electricity, but there are differences in voltage. In like manner, the anointing that will cure cancer is different from the one for headaches. You need the anointing from God because it is glorious, powerful, active and dynamic. Satan and his evil agents also anoint. Witches, wizards, magicians and tricksters are anointed of the devil for diabolical purposes. However, the anointing of God is the best.

You need the anointing from God because it brings authority and power (Acts 10:38). The anointing teaches (1 John 2:27). It is the anointing that qualifies you for God’s service; enduing puny man with a touch of divinity (Hebrews 2:4). God’s anointing always results in unquestionable success. When the anointing comes upon a person, curses are broken. Are you under the influence of a curse? The anointing destroys yokes. Signs of a curse include: a sickness or a disease whose cause is unknown or which defies all treatments; barrenness of a type where all medical examinations show that you are normal; repeatedly experiencing failure on the brink of success; mysterious and continuous tragedies in a particular family. If you observe any of these signs in your life or family, the Lord shall set you free in Jesus’ Name. There are two types of anointing from God. These are the old anointing and the new anointing. The old anointing was the type that Elijah had – the type that called down fire for the destruction of God’s enemy. The new anointing was the type Elisha had – the type whose bones raised the dead. You need the new anointing for deliverance. This type of anointing can be transferred through conduction. For you to receive it, you must be a conductor and not an insulator. It can also be transferred from one suitable vessel to another. The anointing can also flow from the spoken or written word of God to the sick (Psalm 107:20). How prepared are you for the New anointing?

Action Point
To receive the new anointing, you must be born-again, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 19:16-20:26

Proverbs 13:15-14:3
              

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY - 16/10/2014 - READY TO OCCUPY? - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

READY TO OCCUPY?

Memorise
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Luke 19:13

Read
Luke 19:11–27

11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Message
No tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang. In the gospels, we see the personal life of our Lord laid bare for us. He spoke frequently of His relationship with the Father, of the motives guiding Him, and His consciousness of the power of the Spirit at work in Him. Jesus, as man, subordinated Himself and gave the Father all honour and glory due to Him. He was the embodiment of humility and did nothing on His own (John 5:30). Jesus as man was the greatest of all teachers and greatest of all prophets. He was crystal-clear in all His predictions (Luke 21:20–24, Matthew 24:6–37). This same Jesus, when He was leaving the earth, promised His disciples that He would return, and He commissioned them to occupy till His return.

The word ‘occupy’ is a military term that means to take charge or take full control of already conquered territories. Christians are combatants engaged in the fight of faith against Satan, sin, the world and the flesh. Ours is a victorious battle. When He said, “It is finished”, our Captain and Lord Jesus Christ, gained complete victory over all these enemies for us. Satan has been destroyed (Hebrews 2:14–15), sin has been put to death (Romans 6:2), the world has been overcome (John 16:33) and the flesh has been crucified (Galatians 5:24). These enemies are therefore engaged in a lost cause, and our responsibility as Christians is to hold the fort by resisting them in faith (1 Peter 5:8-9, Hebrews 12:4). Are you a Christian? Are you a child of God? You can live above the devil in your day to day life and manifest the victory of Christ over Satan, sin, the world and the flesh. To take charge of the already conquered territories and subdue the enemy, you should understand your adversary, understand the nature of our fight and use the right weapons. In addition, you should have the mind of Christ and focus on the right objectives. Satan is your enemy. He is unseen (Ephesians 6:12). He is the ruler of wickedness, with other fallen angels (demons) under his control. All the unsaved are also under his dominion (Ephesians 2:2). Note also that your enemy - Satan, is not foolish. Satan is cunning. He is full of dangerous and destructive wisdom. Your enemy was perfect in beauty and wisdom when God made him (Ezekiel 28:12–15). He was made of precious stones. Know therefore that, not all beautiful things are wholesome and holy (Proverbs 31:30). Satan loves jewellery. Lucky stones are the habitations of Satan. Some so called lucky stones are objects of the occult. To occupy effectively, leave the objects of the enemy alone.

Action Point
Satan loves worldly music. To devastate the enemy, remove all worldly music from your home and replace them with gospel music.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 16-17

Proverbs 12:15-28
              

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY - 15/10/2014 - A YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

A YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY

Memorise
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
Psalm 25:7

Read
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Message
A youth can be defined as a young man or woman who is strong in body and sound in mind. Youths make up the bulk of a typical community. Ideally, youths are the men and women of war. A man of war is an instrument of both protection and destruction. He protects his friends but destroys his foes (1 Samuel 17:33). The best time to be focused in life is the time of youth. It is the most productive period in the life of a person. Lamentations 3:27 says:

“It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.”

It should be noted however that youths have their limitations. Though they are strong, energetic and sound in mind, they have their weaknesses. For example, many decisions that a youth will take will require the counsel and probably the assistance of elders, so as to avoid blunders. Are you are a youth? Don’t forget that you need valuable advice from elders (Proverbs 20:29). The time of youth is delicate. Youths can fall and fail if they not careful (Isaiah 40:30). If care is not taken, the young can be used in the community by evil-minded people as miscreants to perpetrate mischief and unleash terror on innocent persons. Youths need guidance because of their inexperience (Proverbs 2:16-18). Young people are often despised, looked down upon and disdained (1 Timothy 4:12). They are also susceptible to temptation, thus, the best time to give appropriate guidance to a person is in his or her youthful age. Also, the best time to remember God is at the period of youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Young people make up the bulk of the society and they are the ones that bring about its growth. Are you a youth and a child of God? You have a crucial role to play in your community. First, it is your duty to love your community and have its best interests at heart. If you do, you will pray for your community (Luke 18:1). Go all out to seek its welfare. Secondly, as a youth, you can contribute greatly to the growth of your community by bringing in new ideas. All developed societies utilise their young people to the maximum, harnessing their energy and innovation. Youths generate modern and creative ideas. They are strong and can be given any assignment, being at their productive peak. As a Christian youth, you can be an asset to your community when you live holy and submit yourself to the Holy Spirit. Are you an elder? Encourage the youths in your community to maximize their potentials. Pray for them. Guide and counsel them to be committed to God’s agenda.

Action Point
To be an asset to your community, be committed to a Christ–like pattern of living, and commit yourself to people and God’s program.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 14-15

Proverbs 12:1-14
               

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - MONDAY - 13/10/2014 - JUDAH - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

JUDAH

Memorise
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Genesis 49:8

Read
Isaiah 1:1-6

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

Message
The name ‘Judah’ means praise. Judah was chosen to be the chief and ruling tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:8-12). The sceptre of a king and the office of a lawgiver were all allotted to Judah. Genesis 4:10 says:

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

Judah is a similitude of the church. In Judah, we can see a shadow of the things to come with respect to the church. Just like Judah, believers are the royal priesthood, expected to show forth the praises of God (1 Peter 2:9-10).

The prophet Isaiah was sent with a message primarily to Judah and Jerusalem – the seat of Judah’s power (Isaiah 1:1). This message contained instructions, reproof, warnings, comfort and encouragement from God to His people. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, the kingdom of Israel had become divided and weakened through civil wars and conflicts with other nations. This same situation applies to the present-day church. The Church today engages in several battles. There are fights within and wars without (2 Corinthians 7:5). Judah was rebellious and ignorant (Isaiah 1:2). They were corrupt, degenerated, depressed, and laden with iniquity; having backslidden, forsaken God and provoked Him to anger. Just like Judah, many modern-day Christians live in ignorance and sin. In this deplorable state, the demand of God on Judah in Isaiah 1:16-18 was:

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

This speaks of repentance and total consecration. As a Christian, God expects that you present your body as a living sacrifice which must be holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). Your consecration to God should be personal, voluntary and sacrificial. How committed are you to God? Is your consecration total? Examine yourself.

Action Point
Do a thorough self–assessment today. Repent of the short comings you identify.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 8:15-11:27

Proverbs 11:4-17
              

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China's Economy Just Overtook The U.S. In One Key Measure

This was inevitable, but it still feels momentous: By one important measure, China's economy is now the biggest in the world, topping the United States.
China's gross domestic product is worth $17.6 trillion, adjusted for China's relatively low cost of living, compared with $17.4 trillion for the U.S., the International Monetary Fund estimated as part of its latest World Economic Outlook. Here's how that looks in chart form:

Note the chart extends to 2018. The IMF expects this trend to continue indefinitely. (h/t to Business Insider for the news and the idea to use Google Public Data's amazing charts.)
Here's another way of looking at it -- China's share of the global economy is now slightly bigger than America's, at 16.5 percent to 16.3 percent:

It's important to note that these figures are adjusted for the relative costs of living in both countries, known to fancy economists as "purchasing power parity." It's something economists do to try to make comparisons between countries more fair. It is crazy cheap to live in China and crazy expensive to live in the U.S., so a trillion U.S. dollars are worth a lot more in China than in the U.S.
And that has something to do with the fact that China is manipulating its currency to be worth much less than the dollar. It does this to help make Chinese stuff cheaper than U.S. stuff on the global market. American politicians regularly pretend to be super angry about this, but don't much mind getting all the cheap Chinese stuff. And China's booming factory sector has, in turn, helped make China's economy rapidly get bigger and bigger.
In terms of sheer size, however -- meaning, not adjusted for costs of living -- the U.S. economy still dwarfs China's, at $17.4 trillion to $10.4 trillion:

GDP breaks down to nearly $55,000 per capita per year in the U.S., compared with less than $8,000 per person in China:

Again, though, that $8,000 goes a long way.

Also on HuffPost:

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10 Richest U.S. Presidents: 24/7 Wall St.

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U.S. Ebola Survivor Donates Blood to Infected Journalist

The first American flown back to the U.S. after contracting Ebola has donated blood to an NBC News freelance cameraman who was also diagnosed with the virus.
Photojournalist Ashoka Mukpo’s family told NBC News early Wednesday that Dr. Kent Brantly was contacted by the Nebraska Medical Center and asked to give plasma. Experts hope the survivor’s antibodies will kick-start Mukpo’s immune system.
Brantly was on a road trip from Indiana to Texas when he received a call from the medical center telling him his blood type matched Mukpo’s…

First Ebola patient diagnosed in the US dead

DALLAS (AP) -- The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States died Wednesday morning in a Dallas hospital Wednesday, a hospital spokesman said.
Thomas Eric Duncan was pronounced dead at 7:51 a.m. at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where he was admitted Sept. 28 and has been kept in isolation, according to spokesman Wendell Watson.
Duncan's condition was changed on Saturday from serious to critical.
Duncan carried the deadly virus with him from his home in Liberia, though he showed no signs when he left for the United States. He arrived in Dallas Sept. 20 and fell sick a few days later.
Others in Dallas still are being monitored as health officials try to contain the virus that has ravaged West Africa, with more than 3,400 people reported dead. They also trying to tamp down anxiety among residents frightened of contracting Ebola, though the disease can be spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an already sick person.
Health officials have identified 10 people, including seven health workers, who had direct contact with Duncan while he was contagious. Another 38 people also may have come into contact with him.
The four people living in the northeast Dallas apartment where Duncan stayed have been isolated in a private residence.
Everyone who potentially had contact with Duncan will be monitored for 21 days, the normal incubation period for the disease.
Duncan passed an airport health screening in Liberia, where doctors took his temperature and found no other signs of Ebola symptoms. But a few days after he arrived, he began to have a fever, headache and abdominal pain.
He went to the emergency room of Texas Health Presbyterian in Dallas on Sept. 24, but was sent home. By Sept. 27, his condition had worsened. An ambulance that day took him back to the hospital, where he stayed in isolation.
The hospital has changed its explanation several times about when Duncan arrived and what he said about his travel history. It has acknowledged that Duncan told them on his first visit that he came from West Africa.

 

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The Simple Reason You Have not Been Experiencing Miracles

Many people fail to have miraculous experience as a result of not knowing the true and practical definition of miracle. Miracle is simply defined as a slight change in the positive direction.

How did I get this definition?
I was given the opportunity of ministering in a particular church severally. In this church, I noticed a particular woman who has been experiencing pains in the legs. As a result, she cannot stand to pray for a long time. Though she did not speak to me about it but I noticed that the immediate miracle the woman needs is to restore her legs and this can be evident when she is able to stand for a longer time. Personally, I came down from the pulpit to pray with her in one of the numerous occasions. I also noticed that the answer to the prayers would not easily come unless she believes wholeheartedly in God and stands with faith. Going by the definition above, miracle in the life of this woman is a slight change in the ability to stand and walk properly. This simple challenge made me to go into the search in the word of God to support my definition and to bring desired changes in the lives of those that will go through this note.

Does the definition really have biblical backing?
Jesus healed a man that was born blind and the leaders of the people questioned His authority to do so. In order to run Him down, the parents of the man were invited who later directed the problem to their son who experienced the miracle from Jesus. When the man was asked a particular question to indict Jesus as a sinner, he answered:
“Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25

This is the simplest and most accurate way of describing a miracle. I was blind but now I see. The process that led to the miracle does not matter, what matters is that there is a verifiable change in the positive direction.

How does this concern you now?
There are many areas of your life you are believing that God would intervene. Sometimes you lose hope as result of delay in the manifestation of promises. In most cases, you see yourself disappointed by those you trust. You see yourself experiencing hard time contrary to the expectation of your life. What you simply need is a slight change in the positive direction. The answer to the many questions you raise is in the definition that was demonstrated by the man born blind. You might be in a good place, you still need a better offer from God.

Have you considered this? 
The man I said:"I was blind but now I see." This is verifiable. Your own might be one of the following:
I was poor but now I am rich
I was barren but now I have children
I was unproductive but now I am productive
I was jobless but now I am an employer
I was jobless but now I have good jobs
I was homeless but now I can accommodate
I was single but now I am married
I had no car but now I have fleet of cars
I was heavily indebted but now I am a lender
I was inferior but not I am superior
I was unable to feed well but now I can feed others
I was rejected by friends but now I have numerous friends
I was unimportant in the family but now I am a pillar
I was a citizen of a drowning nation but now the nation is progressive
I was never noticed in Society but now I am indispensable
I was always intimidated but now I have courage
I was lacking God's presence but now I have the Holy Spirit
I was mocked by people but now I am praised
I never knew the road to an airport but now I fly to many countries and continents
My ministry was small but now I am everywhere
I lived in a small house but now my coast has been enlarged
I was illiterate but now I am educated
I had a hopeless home but now we are sources of hope to others
I lacked money to pay school fees but now I have degrees.

I don;t know where it is affecting you but a slight shift in the positive direction will shake your world. The simple thing expected of you to have this opportunity is to believe that a situation can be changed in the favourable direction.

If you believe this, bow your head and say to God:"Father change the unfavourable situation of my life."

Hear these:
Did they say you will never match forward? God has already changed the order. You will overtake them....
Did they say you are not qualified to grow? The grace of God has already qualified you....
Are they doubting the power of your God? They will remain in their confusion while you match forward to the next level...

I hereby proclaim as an oracle of the Most High that before the end of this month, God will expose you to a verifiable change in Jesus' name. Amen!

White Ohio woman sues over sperm from black donor

 

CLEVELAND (AP) - An Ohio woman has sued a Chicago-area sperm bank after she became pregnant with sperm donated by a black man instead of a white man as she and her partner had intended.
The woman is seeking damages and wants to ensure the sperm bank doesn't make a similar mistake again.
Within days of their wedding in New York, Jennifer Cramblett and Amanda Zinkon had become pregnant with the donor sperm. In April 2012, five months into her pregnancy, Cramblett, 36, called Midwest Sperm Bank LLC outside Chicago to reserve sperm from the same donor in the hope that Zinkon, 29, would someday also have a child.
That's when Cramblett learned from a sperm bank employee that she had been inseminated with sperm from the wrong donor, according to a lawsuit filed Monday against Midwest Sperm Bank in Cook County, Illinois.
Cramblett said they had chosen sperm from a man known as No. 380, a white donor. The sperm used for insemination came from No. 330, a black donor, she said.
"How could they make a mistake that was so personal?" Cramblett said during a telephone interview on Wednesday.

According to the lawsuit, her excitement about the pending birth was replaced with "anger, disappointment and fear."
"They took a personal choice, a personal decision and took it on themselves to make that choice for us out of pure negligence," Cramblett said.
A woman who answered the telephone at Midwest Sperm Bank on Thursday would not comment and said an attorney would be providing a statement. She would not give her name or identify the attorney.
Cramblett said she and Zinkon love their 2-year-old daughter, Payton, very much and wouldn't change anything about her. But they are concerned about raising her in the predominantly white community where they live.
The lawsuit said they had moved from Akron to Uniontown for better schools and to be closer to Cramblett's family. She said that as a lesbian she has felt the sting of prejudice but doesn't know what it's like to be mistreated because of skin color.
Therapists have recommended that Cramblett, Zinkon and Payton move to a more racially diverse community with good schools, the lawsuit said.
Cramblett said she decided to sue to prevent the sperm bank from making the same mistake again. The lawsuit says the sperm bank has no electronic record-keeping and no quality controls that would have prevented it from sending the wrong sperm to fertility clinics.
The lawsuit seeks a minimum of $50,000 in damages. Cramblett's attorney, Tim Misny, said some of the compensation would pay for ongoing counseling.

 

 

Many sick in US Ebola patient's Liberia hometown

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Thomas Eric Duncan rushed to help his 19-year-old neighbor when she began convulsing days after complaining of stomach pain. Everyone assumed her illness was related to her being seven months pregnant.

When no ambulance came, Duncan, Marthalene Williams' parents and several others lifted her into a taxi, and Duncan rode in the front seat as the cab took Williams to the hospital. She later died.
Within weeks, everyone who helped Williams that day was either sick or dead, too - victims of Ebola, the virus that is ravaging Liberia's capital and other parts of West Africa, with more than 3,300 deaths reported.
The disease is spread through direct contact with saliva, sweat, blood and other bodily fluids, and all those who fell ill after helping Williams had touched her. She turned out to have Ebola.
Duncan is now hospitalized in an isolation ward in Texas after falling sick with Ebola following his arrival last month on a family visit. He has become a symbol of how the lethal disease could spread within the U.S.
Here in Liberia, however, he is just another neighbor infected by a virus that is devastating the cluster of tin-roof homes along 72nd SKD Boulevard where Williams lived.
"My pa and four other people took her to the car. Duncan was in the front seat with the driver, and the others were in the back seat with her," recounted her 15-year-old cousin Angela Garway, standing in the courtyard between the homes where they all lived. "He was a good person."
Meanwhile, Liberian authorities Thursday announced plans to prosecute Duncan, saying the delivery driver lied about his Ebola status upon leaving the country.
On an airport screening questionnaire obtained by The Associated Press, Duncan said that he hadn't come into contact with an Ebola patient. However, it is not clear whether he had learned of Williams' diagnosis before traveling.
In an interview with Canada's CBC News, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said she was "very saddened" and "very angry" with Duncan for putting Americans at risk, adding: "I just hope that nobody else gets infected."
In the neighborhood where Williams lived, some people were no longer willing to take any risks Thursday, not after seeing what happened to those who showed compassion for the pregnant woman.
As 9-year-old Mercy Kennedy sobbed along with neighbors mourning news of her mother's death, not a person would touch the little girl to comfort her.
Mercy's mother had helped to wash the pregnant woman's clothes, and had touched her body after she died at home when no hospital could find space for her, neighbors said.
On Thursday, little Mercy walked around in a daze in a torn nightgown and flip-flops, pulling up the fabric to wipe her tears as a group of workers from the neighborhood task force followed the sound of wailing through the thick grove of banana trees and corn plants.
"We love you so dearly, yeah," one man wearing rubber gloves told her from a safe distance. "We want to take care of you. Have you been playing with your friends here?"
With Mercy's mother dead, neighbors fear it is only a matter of time before she, too, shows signs of the virus, and they want to know which other children may have come into contact with her while she was fetching water.
Pewu Wolobah, a member of the neighborhood anti-Ebola task force, lamented that even as Americans try to trace all of Duncan's contacts there, the virus is spreading through Duncan's old neighborhood faster than anyone can keep track.
The aunt of the pregnant victim died on Wednesday after collapsing in her house next door to the Williams home. Her 15-year-old daughter Angela is left behind, along with the pregnant woman's three younger siblings - Ezo Williams, 16, Tete Williams, 12, and Stanley Williams, 3 - and the family dog.
Their parents left Thursday morning for an Ebola treatment center. As word spread that they, too, took a taxi, the health workers expressed alarm.
"Does anybody know the taxi number or the license plate?" one man called into the crowd. "We need to find this vehicle!"
All the cases, including Duncan's, appear to have started with Williams, though some wondered how a pregnant woman who stayed at home could have contracted Ebola. Maybe it was her boyfriend, who hasn't been seen in weeks, they said. Or could it have been her close friend known as Baby D, who has since died herself?
The tragedy of Williams' death could grow larger still: Neighbors and relatives said more than 100 people came to a wake for her. No one could say for sure how many people may have touched the body.
"We had a lot of people come from a great distance to sympathize with her family," said Joseph Dolo from the anti-Ebola task force. "She had a lot of friends."
___

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OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - FRIDAY - 03/10/2014 - INTEGRITY - BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE.

INTEGRITY

Memorise
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Matthew 3:8

Read
Matthew 7:15-20

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Message
It is pathetic but true: integrity is a scarce commodity nowadays. The unvarnished truth is that almost all nations parade those who plead guilty to fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, immoralities, perjury, making of false statements and other criminal acts. Modern society is in dire need of people of integrity. A person is identified by his or her integrity. Matthew 7:16 says:

“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

What is integrity? Integrity can be defined as steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. It is a state of being unimpaired of soundness; the quality of being whole or of having undivided completeness. Integrity is a synonym for honesty. It manifests itself as what is called incorruptibility. Are you corrupt or incorruptible? Are you a man or woman of integrity? There are certain things to note about integrity. First, integrity is a skill: It is a practical skill. It is the ability to practice honesty and to exhibit moral courage in all ramifications. As with all skills, integrity is developed and learned over time. Integrity is a trait that is taught and learned over an entire lifetime. We need men and women of integrity in our society. Integrity can be integrated into a society through sound ideological precepts and practices. Secondly, integrity is a guideline, a benchmark, point of reference or a goal that is used to make decisions based on truth and honesty. To maintain integrity, a person must remember to refer to truth and honesty in all decisions, thoughts, actions and reactions. Thirdly, integrity can be described as a great tower. It is something that a person builds and maintains over a lifetime. May I ask: when will you begin to build your own tower of integrity? Fourthly, integrity can be considered as a seed. It is planted in childhood, watered in youth and blossoms in adulthood. The more a person waters this seed throughout life, the more it grows and blossoms. Just as it is with plants, if integrity is neglected at any point, it will wither and die. Integrity requires constant maintenance. A man or woman of integrity can be likened to a janitor. As a janitor cleans and straightens rooms for a living, a person of integrity should maintain true integrity through daily self-assessment in moral and financial probity. The fifth point to note is that integrity is delicate. If care is not taken, integrity can be eroded, lost or compromised beyond recognition in a person’s life. Integrity means what a person says and what he or she does are the same; the results are consistent. Are you a person of integrity?

Action Point
Resolve to maintain integrity in all your thoughts, utterances and actions from today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Samuel 14:47-16:23
Proverbs 6:1-15
              

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