The Open Heavens 10 June 2026 devotional for today is MIND YOUR FRIENDS.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 10 JUNE 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: MIND YOUR FRIENDS
MEMORISE:
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt manners.
1 Corinthians 15:33
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 10 JUNE 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
Many Christians profess to be children of God; however, they still maintain really close friendships with unbelievers and are heavily influenced negatively by such relationships. They attend church regularly, but they have friends who want nothing to do with the Church.
Christians such as this might hear God’s word regularly and even be involved in the various church activities; however, when they are in the midst of their friends, they never discuss the things of God with them.
Eventually, their association with such friends becomes a thorn that chokes God’s word in their hearts.
Today’s Bible reading admonishes us to be separate from the world because light has nothing to do with darkness. Believe me, it is easier for a fellow to be brought down than to be pulled up by another fellow. This means that it is easier for friends who are unbelievers to pull down a Christian than for the Christian to pull such friends up. This is why Paul advised Christians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Beloved, if you have friends who are worldly, you most likely will begin to care so much about worldly things, and James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. When your close friends always speak ill about God, the Church, and men of God, you will likely begin to mock the things of God.
In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul told us about a young man named Demas who was his companion on some of his missionary journeys but eventually forsook him and left the faith because he loved the world. When a fellow allows unholy friends to introduce little foxes like ungodly habits, unrighteous conversations, and immoral behaviour into his or her life, it will eventually ruin the fellow (Song of Solomon 2:15).
Are there wild desires or ungodly habits in your life that can be traced to your association with some of your friends? Break up with such desires and habits so that you won’t sow among thorns and miss out on God’s blessings or be pushed out of your purpose like Demas.
Furthermore, dissociate yourself from unholy friends and begin to cultivate a more intimate relationship with God and other believers who can influence you positively and help strengthen your faith.
I pray that the Almighty God will guide you to cultivate relationships with godly people that will influence you to be more committed to Him and strengthen you to fulfil His purpose for your life, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please guide me to make friends with the right people, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Psalms 28-33
Open Heavens HYMN 39: I AM THINE, O LORD
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 10 JUNE 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: 1 Corinthians 15:33
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
This verse is a solemn warning against the deception of underestimating the power of companionship. Daddy Adeboye anchors today’s devotional on this text because many Christians sincerely believe they can walk with unbelievers without being affected. Paul says: Do not be deceived. The word “communications” here means companionships, conversations, and constant associations. “Good manners” refers to morals, character, and spiritual integrity. The truth is devastating but simple: bad company does not merely annoy you—it corrupts you. Slowly, subtly, and certainly.
BIBLE READING: 2 Corinthians 6:14-17
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?… Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”
This passage is one of the clearest commands in Scripture on relational boundaries. Paul uses five rhetorical questions to show the impossibility of true fellowship between believers and unbelievers at the deepest level of intimate friendship. A yoke is a wooden beam that joins two animals together so they pull in the same direction. To be “unequally yoked” means to be bound in a close, shared-life relationship with someone who is pulling toward the world while you are pulling toward Christ. The result is not harmony—it is friction, frustration, and eventual deviation.
The Silent Danger: Close Friendships with Unbelievers
1. The Profile of the Compromised Christian
Daddy Adeboye paints a troubling picture of a believer who is living a double life:
| At Church | With Unbelieving Friends |
|---|---|
| Attends regularly | Never discusses God with them |
| Involved in church activities | Adopts their language, jokes, and values |
| Hears God’s word weekly | Slowly being choked by thorns |
| Professes to be a child of God | In danger of being pulled down |
“Christians such as this might hear God’s word regularly and even be involved in the various church activities; however, when they are in the midst of their friends, they never discuss the things of God with them.”
This is the silent tragedy. The believer is not denying Christ outright. They are not renouncing their faith. They are simply silent about it in the company that matters most to them. And silence, over time, becomes complicity.
2. The Thorn That Chokes the Word
Daddy Adeboye connects this devotional back to the Parable of the Sower (covered in previous days):
“Eventually, their association with such friends becomes a thorn that chokes God’s word in their hearts.”
Recall the thorny ground: the seed grows, but thorns spring up and choke it. Those thorns were “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things” (Mark 4:19). But Daddy Adeboye adds another thorn: unholy friendships. These friendships:
- Introduce distractions that compete with God’s word
- Normalize conversations that grieve the Holy Spirit
- Gradually shift your affections from heaven to earth
- Produce no fruit because the plant is strangled
The Gravitational Pull: Easier to Go Down Than to Come Up
1. The Law of Spiritual Gravity
Daddy Adeboye states a sobering principle:
“Believe me, it is easier for a fellow to be brought down than to be pulled up by another fellow. This means that it is easier for friends who are unbelievers to pull down a Christian than for the Christian to pull such friends up.”
This is not pessimism; it is realism. Consider why:
| Why Pulling Down Is Easier | Why Pulling Up Is Harder |
|---|---|
| Sin is naturally attractive; holiness requires effort | The flesh resists correction and change |
| The world system supports downward pulls (peer pressure, media, cultural norms) | The Christian is outnumbered in any group of unbelievers |
| No spiritual resistance in going with the flow | Significant spiritual resistance in swimming against the current |
| One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel (Ecclesiastes 9:18) | One good apple does not automatically sweeten the bad ones |
“This is why Paul advised Christians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.”
The unequal yoke is not about never speaking to unbelievers (Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners). It is about close, intimate, life-entwining friendships where their values become your normal. You cannot evangelize effectively if you are being evangelized by the world.
2. James 4:4 – Friendship with the World Is Enmity with God
Daddy Adeboye quotes this verse without softening it:
“James 4:4 tells us that friendship with the world is enmity with God.”
The word “friendship” here means fondness, affection, and intimate association. The “world” means the system of values, desires, and behaviors that ignores or opposes God. Therefore:
| If Your Close Friends Are… | The Inevitable Result |
|---|---|
| Worldly in their values | You will begin to care about worldly things |
| Mockers of God, the Church, and men of God | You will begin to mock or at least stay silent when they mock |
| Unholy in their habits | Their “little foxes” will enter your vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15) |
“When your close friends always speak ill about God, the Church, and men of God, you will likely begin to mock the things of God.”
You cannot sit at a table where God is being dishonored day after day and remain unaffected. The water will seek its own level. If you swim long enough in a polluted river, you will be contaminated.
The Case Study of Demas (2 Timothy 4:10)
Daddy Adeboye uses Demas as a warning:
“Paul told us about a young man named Demas who was his companion on some of his missionary journeys but eventually forsook him and left the faith because he loved the world.”
Consider Demas’s trajectory:
| Stage | Demas’s Condition |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Companion of Paul on missionary journeys (Philemon 1:24) – trusted, active, serving |
| Stage 2 | Still with Paul during his first imprisonment (Colossians 4:14) – faithful enough to be mentioned |
| Stage 3 | Forsook Paul because he loved the world (2 Timothy 4:10) – chose the world over the ministry |
What happened between Stage 2 and Stage 3? Daddy Adeboye suggests: unholy friendships, worldly attachments, and little foxes that grew into big destroyers. Demas did not fall suddenly. He drifted. He began to love the world more than the kingdom. And his close associations likely played a role.
“Break up with such desires and habits so that you won’t sow among thorns and miss out on God’s blessings or be pushed out of your purpose like Demas.”
The tragedy of Demas is not that he was never saved (the Bible does not say). The tragedy is that he was a companion of Paul—a man who had seen miracles, planted churches, and touched eternity—and yet he walked away. Why? Because he loved the world. And unholy friendships are one of the primary ways the world gets into your heart.
The Little Foxes (Song of Solomon 2:15)
“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”
Daddy Adeboye uses this verse to show that destruction often comes not through massive, obvious sins, but through small, seemingly insignificant compromises introduced by unholy friends:
| Little Fox (Small Compromise) | Big Destruction (Eventual Outcome) |
|---|---|
| “Just one drink with friends” | Alcohol dependence or drunkenness |
| “A joke about the pastor” | Loss of respect for spiritual authority |
| “Skip prayer meeting to hang out” | Gradual cooling of spiritual fire |
| “Watch this movie with us” | Exposure to immorality that defiles the conscience |
| “It’s just a small lie” | Erosion of integrity and trustworthiness |
“When a fellow allows unholy friends to introduce little foxes like ungodly habits, unrighteous conversations, and immoral behaviour into his or her life, it will eventually ruin the fellow.”
The tragedy is that these foxes are little. They do not seem dangerous. They seem harmless. But they spoil the vines—the tender grapes of character, reputation, and spiritual fruit. By the time the damage is visible, the harvest is already ruined.
How to Identify a Dangerous Friendship
Not every friendship with an unbeliever is automatically forbidden (Jesus was a “friend of sinners” in the sense of reaching them). But Daddy Adeboye is warning about close, intimate, life-influencing friendships. Here is a diagnostic tool:
| Question | If Yes → Dangerous Friendship |
|---|---|
| Do you spend more time with them than in prayer and Bible study? | Your spiritual diet is being replaced |
| Do you hide your Christian identity or beliefs around them? | You are ashamed of Christ in their presence |
| Do you participate in activities with them that you would not do if Jesus returned? | They are leading you into sin |
| Do they mock God, the Bible, or Christians in your presence without you speaking up? | Your silence is complicity |
| Do you find yourself adopting their language, humor, or values? | You are being conformed, not transforming |
If you answered yes to any of these, the friendship has crossed from redemptive influence to dangerous entanglement.
What to Do: Break Up, Separate, and Cultivate Godly Friendships
Daddy Adeboye gives three clear instructions:
1. Break Up with Ungodly Habits and Desires
Before you can separate from unholy friends, you must separate from the sins they introduced:
| Action | How to Do It |
|---|---|
| Identify the specific habit | Trace it back to the friendship that introduced it |
| Confess it as sin | Name it to God; do not minimize it |
| Repent | Turn away completely; do not revisit |
| Remove access | Stop going to places or engaging in activities that trigger the habit |
2. Dissociate from Unholy Friends
“Dissociate yourself from unholy friends…”
This is difficult but necessary. Daddy Adeboye is not saying to be rude or cruel. But he is saying to end the close, intimate friendship that is pulling you down.
| What This Does NOT Mean | What This DOES Mean |
|---|---|
| Never speak to unbelievers again | Stop having unbelievers as your inner circle of influence |
| Be hostile or judgmental | Be loving but distant; friendly but not intimate |
| Abandon evangelism | Change your posture from learner to influencer; you influence them, not vice versa |
Practical steps:
- Reduce time spent with them gradually or abruptly (as the Spirit leads)
- Decline invitations to events that compromise your faith
- When they mock God, speak gently but clearly: “I don’t talk about my Savior that way”
- Replace those hours with time in godly community
3. Cultivate Intimate Relationships with God and Godly Believers
“Begin to cultivate a more intimate relationship with God and other believers who can influence you positively and help strengthen your faith.”
| Godly Friendships Provide | Ungodly Friendships Provide |
|---|---|
| Prayer support | Pressure to compromise |
| Accountability | Anonymity in sin |
| Encouragement in trials | Mockery of struggles |
| Sharpening (Proverbs 27:17) | Dulling of spiritual senses |
| A safe place to confess weakness | An audience to perform for |
You do not need many friends. You need a few faithful friends who love Jesus more than they love you and who will pull you up when you are slipping.
Warning: The Cost of Not Separating
Daddy Adeboye’s devotional carries an urgent warning:
| If You Do Not Separate | The Likely Outcome |
|---|---|
| You will sow among thorns | Your spiritual seed will be choked; no harvest |
| You will miss out on God’s blessings | Blessings require purity; thorns block the flow |
| You will be pushed out of your purpose | Like Demas, you will forsake your calling for the world |
This is not a minor issue. This is about whether you will fulfill your destiny or abandon it because you loved the world more than God.
Conclusion: Your Prayer for Godly Friendships
Daddy Adeboye closes with a prayer that God will guide you to cultivate relationships with godly people who will strengthen your faith. Do not underestimate the power of companionship. Your closest friends will determine the trajectory of your spiritual life.
Pray this:
“Lord Jesus, I confess that I have been deceived. I have believed that I could walk closely with unbelievers and not be affected. Forgive me for the little foxes that have entered my vineyard through unholy friendships. Today, I break every soul tie with friendships that pull me away from You. Give me the courage to separate, even when it is painful. And lead me to godly friends—men and women who love Your word, hunger for Your presence, and will pray with me and hold me accountable. I refuse to be a Demas. I will not love the world more than I love You. Cleanse my associations, in Jesus’ mighty name.”
Action Steps:
- The Friendship Audit: Write down the names of your five closest friends (the people you spend the most time with, text most often, or turn to for advice). Next to each name, write whether they are:
- Passionate for Christ (spurs you toward holiness)
- Nominal (talks about God but lives like the world)
- Unbeliever (does not follow Christ)
- The Demas Check: Ask yourself honestly: Am I slowly loving the world more than I love God? What “little fox” has recently entered my life through a friendship? Identify it. Confess it. Remove it.
- The Godly Friendship Pursuit: For the next 30 days, intentionally invest time in relationships with believers who are spiritually ahead of you. Join a prayer group, attend a Bible study, ask someone to be your accountability partner. Replace ungodly influence with holy influence.
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)
Your friends are shaping your destiny. Choose them carefully. Separate from what pulls you down. Run with those who pull you toward Christ.
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