The Open Heavens 14 May 2026 devotional for today is MIND YOUR FOOTPRINTS II.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 14 MAY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: MIND YOUR FOOTPRINTS II
MEMORISE
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Proverbs 13:22
READ: Matthew 7:16-20
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.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 14 MAY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
If a fellow constantly takes the wrong steps in life, there is a high tendency that his or her children will do the same. However, if the fellow takes good steps in life by making the right decisions, his or her children will also have a greater chance of taking good steps in life. This is because children naturally follow their parents’ footprints.
For example, in society today, there are many men who, despite hating their fathers for beating their mothers, have become wife-beaters themselves.
This is because the moment their fathers opened themselves up to the spirit behind that violent and evil act, they allowed that spirit to have access to their sons also.
Years ago, a single mother asked my wife to speak to her daughters to stop engaging in illicit relationships with men. When my wife started speaking to the girls, one of them said, “Please, counsel our mother to also stop bringing all sorts of men to the house.” The daughters were only taking after their mother, and they knew that as long as she continued in that behaviour, it would be difficult for them to stop.
If you want to be a good parent, decide today to leave a good legacy for your children to follow. Don’t become a bad example to them; rather, determine to be the kind of parent they can look up to and emulate.
Some parents think they can do certain things in secret without their children knowing, but believe me, children know far more than people think they know. They can sense many things that are going on around them.
Sometimes, children inherit certain traits from their parents even before they are born. For example, in Genesis 20:2, Abraham lied to Abimelech that Sarah was his sister. Several years later, Isaac, who had not yet been born when Abraham lied to Abimelech, repeated the same lie (Genesis 26:7).
Isaac’s son, Jacob, continued the pattern of deception when he stole his brother’s blessing by lying to his father (Genesis 27:1-29), while Jacob’s sons conspired to deceive their father about what happened to Joseph, their brother (Genesis 37:31-33).
Beloved, don’t cultivate unhealthy patterns and habits because your children will be in line to inherit them from you, and unless God intervenes, such negative patterns will continue from generation to generation. Determine today to leave footprints of godliness and righteousness that your children can follow.
I pray that the Almighty God will help you as you commit to this, in Jesus’ name.
REFLECTION
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind for your children?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Chronicles 25-28
Open Heavens HYMN 59: I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 14 MAY 2026 COMMENTARY
Here is the detailed commentary and interpretation for today’s devotional.
MEMORISE: Proverbs 13:22
“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”
This verse reveals that godly living has multigenerational impact. A good man does not just provide for his immediate children—he leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren. But the verse also distinguishes between material wealth and spiritual legacy. The sinner may accumulate wealth, but that wealth eventually passes to the righteous. More importantly, the good man leaves something far more valuable than money: a legacy of character, faith, and righteousness that blesses generations to come.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 7:16-20
“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
This passage teaches that you can identify the nature of a tree by its fruit. A thorn bush cannot produce grapes; a thistle cannot produce figs. The fruit reveals the root. Applied to parenting, this means that the fruit you see in your children is often a reflection of the root that you have planted. If you want good fruit in your children, you must be a good tree yourself.
The Inheritance Your Children Will Follow
In today’s devotional, Pastor E.A. Adeboye (Daddy Adeboye) continues his series on longevity and finishing well. He has covered many secrets: hiding, fighting, running, refueling, rest, avoiding the devil’s traps, enduring persecution, using the name of Jesus, and sowing good seeds. Today he addresses a crucial dimension of finishing well: the legacy you leave for your children and grandchildren. Your footprints do not disappear when you die—your children will walk in them.
The Pattern of Inherited Behavior
The devotional begins with a sobering observation: children naturally follow their parents’ footprints. If a father constantly takes wrong steps, his children will likely do the same. If a mother makes poor decisions, her daughters will often repeat them.
The example given: There are many men who, despite hating their fathers for beating their mothers, have become wife-beaters themselves. They despised the violence, they swore they would never repeat it—but they did.
Why? “Because the moment their fathers opened themselves up to the spirit behind that violent and evil act, they allowed that spirit to have access to their sons also.”
This is not just psychology—it is spiritual. When you engage in sin, you are not just damaging yourself. You are opening a door that your children may walk through. The enemy does not just attack you; he attacks your lineage.
The Mother Who Blamed Her Daughters
The devotional shares a revealing testimony. A single mother asked Daddy Adeboye’s wife to speak to her daughters about stopping their illicit relationships with men. The mother was concerned about her daughters’ behavior and wanted them corrected.
But when the pastor’s wife began to counsel the girls, one of them responded: “Please, counsel our mother to also stop bringing all sorts of men to the house.”
The daughters were not the source of the problem—they were the fruit of the problem. Their mother was living in sexual sin, and her daughters were simply following her example. As long as she continued, it would be difficult for them to stop.
This is the painful reality: You cannot expect your children to live differently than you live. They may not say it. They may even rebel against it. But patterns are caught, not just taught.
The Lie That Traveled Through Three Generations
The devotional gives a biblical example of how sin passes from generation to generation. Abraham lied about his wife Sarah, calling her his sister to protect himself from Abimelech (Genesis 20:2).
Isaac, who had not even been born when Abraham told that lie, repeated the same lie. Years later, when Isaac went to the same region, he told the same king that his wife Rebekah was his sister (Genesis 26:7). The pattern continued.
Jacob, Isaac’s son, continued the pattern of deception. He lied to his blind father, pretending to be Esau, and stole his brother’s blessing (Genesis 27:1-29).
Jacob’s sons continued the pattern. They conspired to deceive their father about what happened to Joseph, dipping his coat in goat’s blood and pretending a wild animal had killed him (Genesis 37:31-33).
Four generations of deception. The lie started with Abraham, and it kept reproducing. This is the power of a negative legacy.
What Children Really See
The devotional makes a powerful statement: “Children know far more than people think they know. They can sense many things that are going on around them.”
Parents think they can hide their sins. They think they can do certain things in secret without their children knowing. They close the bedroom door. They wait until the children are asleep. They conduct business calls in private. They post on social media under fake names.
But children are perceptive. They sense tension. They notice changes in mood. They overhear conversations. They see the phone hidden. They know when something is wrong—even if they cannot name it.
You may think you are keeping secrets, but your children are absorbing patterns that will shape their entire lives.
The Good News: You Can Break the Cycle
The devotional is not all warning—it also offers hope. You can decide today to break the cycle. You can determine to be the kind of parent your children can look up to and emulate.
How to leave a positive legacy:
1. Decide Today
The change starts with a decision. “I will not continue the patterns of my parents that were destructive. I will not pass on the sins of my ancestors. I will be a different tree.”
2. Repent and Renounce
If there are generational sins in your family line—anger, sexual sin, lying, addiction, violence—repent on behalf of your ancestors and renounce the pattern. Pray: “I break the cycle of [specific sin] in my family line. It stops with me.”
3. Become the Example You Want to See
Do not just tell your children what to do—show them. If you want them to be honest, be honest. If you want them to be pure, be pure. If you want them to love God, love God openly and passionately. Your life is their curriculum.
4. Create New Patterns
Abraham’s pattern of deception was broken only when his descendants turned back to God. You can start new patterns today—family devotions, honest communication, forgiveness, kindness. These new seeds will produce a new harvest.
5. Pray for Your Children and Grandchildren
The memory verse speaks of leaving an inheritance to your children’s children. That inheritance includes prayer. Pray over your grandchildren even before they are born. Pray over your great-grandchildren. Your prayers can reach generations you will never meet.
What Kind of Tree Are You?
The Bible reading asks a simple question: Does a good tree produce bad fruit? No. Does a bad tree produce good fruit? No. The fruit reveals the tree.
- If your children are angry, check your anger.
- If your children are dishonest, check your honesty.
- If your children are rebellious, check your submission to God.
- If your children are distant from God, check your own relationship with Him.
You cannot give what you do not have. You cannot lead where you do not go.
Conclusion: Leave Footprints Worth Following
The devotional ends with a prayer and a challenge: “Determine today to leave footprints of godliness and righteousness that your children can follow.”
Your children are watching. Your grandchildren will hear stories about you. The patterns you set today will echo for generations.
- Will they remember a parent who loved God passionately?
- Will they remember a parent who was honest, kind, and pure?
- Will they remember a parent who broke the cycle and started something new?
The choice is yours. Decide today. The legacy starts now.
Pray this:
“Father, I come before You as a parent, a grandparent, and a future ancestor. Forgive me for the patterns I have inherited and for the patterns I have passed on. I break every cycle of sin in my family line—anger, lying, sexual sin, addiction, violence. It stops with me. Help me to be the example my children need. Let my footprints lead them to You. I determine today to leave a legacy of godliness and righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Examine your family patterns: Write down the negative patterns you have observed in your family line—anger, addiction, divorce, dishonesty, etc. Be honest.
- Renounce each pattern: Pray specifically over each one, declaring that it stops with you.
- Ask your children (if they are old enough): “What is one thing you wish I did differently?” Listen without defensiveness.
- Start a new pattern this week: Choose one positive habit to model—family prayer, honest conversation, controlled anger, kindness—and practice it intentionally.
- Pray over your grandchildren: If you have grandchildren, pray for them by name. If you do not yet, pray for the generations to come. Your prayers are part of their inheritance.
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