The Open Heaven 21 September 2025 devotional for today is TIME AND CHANCE.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVEN 21 SEPTEMBER 2025 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: TIME AND CHANCE
MEMORISE:
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill;
Ecclesiastes 9:11
READ: 1 Samuel 17:12-50:
12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.
13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of thy brethren;
18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lordof hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 SEPTEMBER 2025 TODAY MESSAGE
There is a popular saying that good luck is when opportunity meets preparation – this is very true. A person can dream about achieving a particular feat, but if he or she does not prepare adequately towards this, when the opportunity comes, the fellow will be caught unawares and it will become obvious that he or she never prepared for it.
In today’s Bible reading, you will observe that David had been preparing himself for war while he was in the desert tending sheep. He had no weapons, but he continually trained until he mastered how to use a sling perfectly. His ‘lucky day’ came when he encountered Goliath and defeated him with just one swing of his sling.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 1 Samuel 17:50
Unlike David, Rehoboam wasn’t prepared for the throne of Israel. Although he was the son of King Solomon, who many consider to be Israel’s wisest king, he was very foolish. He was the heir to the throne, and it would have been expected that he would have been preparing for the day he would become king. Unfortunately, he wasn’t prepared for something that he knew was coming, and he failed (2 Chronicles 10:1-19).
When a student knows that a school examination is coming and he or she doesn’t prepare, such a student can be said to be foolish. As a member of staff in an organisation, when a fellow knows that there will be regular performance appraisals and doesn’t do his or her job well, that fellow is foolish and cannot be promoted. If a pastor who knows that he or she will preach a message on Sunday does not fast, pray, or study for the message, he or she is the devil hindering his or her own growth. When the time for a big breakthrough comes in your life, I pray that you will be prepared, in Jesus’ name.
Today’s memory verse says that time and chance happens to every human being on the earth. This means that every human being on the earth will have opportunities to advance in life. However, only those who are prepared will recognise those opportunities when they come and maximise them.
Beloved, you must continuously increase your capacity, especially in areas you are seeking advancement so that when opportunities come your way, you will be prepared to make the best of them.
REFLECTION
What are you doing now to prepare for the day your big opportunity comes?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jonah 1-4
HYMN 26: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
OPEN HEAVEN DEVOTIONAL 21 SEPTEMBER 2025 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Ecclesiastes 9:11 (KJV)
“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
This verse presents a divine perspective on success. It acknowledges that natural advantages like speed, strength, wisdom, and skill are not the sole determinants of victory. The phrase “time and chance” (Hebrew: ‘eth ve pega‘) refers to appointed opportunities and decisive moments that God orchestrates for every person. Success, therefore, is when preparation meets this God-ordained opportunity.
BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 17:12-50 (KJV)
This passage is the classic account of David and Goliath. It meticulously contrasts the unpreparedness of Saul’s army (v. 11, 24) with the meticulous preparation of David. David’s confidence (v. 32-37) was not bravado but the assurance of tested skill and proven faith. His victory (v. 48-50) was the direct result of countless hours spent in obscurity, practicing with his sling against lions and bears, and cultivating a deep trust in God.
The Principle of Preparedness
Daddy Adeboye’s message centers on a universal principle: opportunity is useless without preparation. “Good luck” is redefined not as random fortune, but as the moment when a God-sent opportunity intersects with a person who is ready to seize it. The devotional interprets that dreams and destinies are not fulfilled by wishful thinking but by diligent, often hidden, preparation.
David: The Model of Preparation
David’s story is broken down to reveal the components of true preparation:
- Skill Development: He “mastered how to use a sling” through constant practice while tending sheep. This represents honing your natural and spiritual gifts in private.
- Faith Development: His testimony of God delivering him from the lion and the bear (v. 34-37) shows that his confidence was in God, not just his skill. His private victories built his public faith.
- Rejection of Inappropriate Armor: He refused Saul’s armor because he had not “proved it” (v. 39). This signifies staying true to how God has trained and equipped you, rather than trying to imitate others.
Rehoboam: The Cautionary Tale of Unpreparedness
In stark contrast, Rehoboam is presented as the archetype of the unprepared heir. Despite having every advantage—being the son of the wisest king, with foreknowledge of his succession—he failed because he neglected to prepare his character, wisdom, and leadership skills. His story teaches that knowing about a future event is not the same as preparing for it. This applies to Christians who know about Christ’s return but live unprepared lives.
Application Across Spheres of Life
The devotional applies this principle to various arenas:
- Students: Examination failure is directly linked to a lack of study.
- Employees: Lack of promotion is tied to poor job performance despite knowing appraisal criteria.
- Ministers: Ineffective ministry results from neglecting prayer, study, and preparation for sermons.
In each case, the individual becomes the “devil hindering his or her own growth” through a lack of discipline.
The Divine Role and Human Responsibility
The message balances divine sovereignty with human responsibility. God is the one who orchestrates “time and chance”—the opportunities. Our responsibility is to “continuously increase your capacity” through:
- Skill Acquisition: Learning and improving in your field.
- Spiritual Discipline: Praying, fasting, and studying the Word to sharpen spiritual sensitivity.
- Character Development: Cultivating integrity, faithfulness, and wisdom.
This preparation ensures that when God’s appointed moment arrives, we are ready to “recognise” it and “maximise” it for His glory.
Pray this:
“Heavenly Father, I thank You for the destiny You have planned for me and the opportunities You will send my way. Forgive me for times of laziness and procrastination. I ask for a spirit of discipline and diligence. Help me to prepare faithfully in the secret place, like David in the wilderness. Develop my skills, strengthen my faith, and build my character so that when the ‘time and chance’ You have appointed for me arrives, I will be ready to prevail. I refuse to be a Rehoboam, squandering my inheritance through a lack of preparation. Make me a person of preparation, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Action Steps:
- Identify Your “Goliath”: What is the big challenge or goal in your future? (e.g., a career position, a ministry assignment, a financial goal).
- Define Your “Sling”: What specific skill, knowledge, or spiritual discipline do you need to develop to overcome that challenge?
- Create a Practice Routine: Dedicate time daily or weekly to intentionally practice and develop that skill or discipline. Start small and be consistent.
- Seek Your “Lion and Bear”: Look for smaller challenges now that can test and prove your growing skill and faith.
- Stay Ready: Live each day with expectancy, knowing that a divine opportunity could present itself at any moment. Your preparation will determine your outcome.
Remember: Your future victory is being determined by your present preparation. The battle is not won on the public battlefield but in the private fields of your daily discipline. God is faithful to bring the opportunity; your job is to be prepared to seize it. Do not curse the darkness of obscurity; use it as your training ground. For when your moment comes, your preparation will make your victory look like luck to those who didn’t see you training.
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