This post contains RCCG Open Heaven July 2023 Devotional for the whole month. The daily devotional is written by Pastor. E.A. Adeboye, General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Check:
- RCCG Open Heaven August 2023 Devotional
- RCCG Open Heaven June 2023 Devotional
- Follow RCCG Live on Facebook
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 1 JULY 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
MEMORISE: Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
Be for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
BIBLE TEXT: Philippians 4:6-7
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 1 JULY 2023 PRAYERS
1. Father, thank You for keeping me all through the first half of the year and for bringing me into the second half.
2. Father, thank You for Your love and covering over me and my loved ones.
3. Father, thank You for giving me a sound mind. Thank You for preserving me Lord.
4. Father, thank You for the strength to do all that I have to do. I acknowledge that You are the source of my strength. Thank You Lord.
5. Father, thank You for providing for me always. Thank You for being my source Lord.
6. Father, thank You for my salvation. Thank You for making me a part of Your family.
7. Father, thank You for my past, my present and my future. Thank You Lord for the glorious future You have placed ahead of me.
8. Father, thank You for my family members and all my loved ones. Thank You for the gift of family
9. Thank You Lord for Your mercy that is made available to me daily. Thank You Lord.
10. Father, thank You for all the battles You fight for me. I am deeply grateful to you for making me more than a conqueror.
11. Father, I am grateful for everyone in my local Church and the body of Christ as a whole. Thank You for not allowing the gates of hell prevail over us.
12. Your personal thanksgiving prayer.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 4-7
RCCG HYMN 17: Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 2 JULY 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE HELP I
MEMORISE: Psalm 121:2 (KJV)
My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 121:1-8
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 2 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The kind of help anyone can render is determined either by the person’s might or capability. Nobody can give what he or she does not have. This makes divine help very desirable since it comes from the unlimited God. David knew this secret and penned what we have as part of our text for today. He said,
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” (Psalm121:1-2)
The following are the steps we must take to secure divine help:
First, we must fear and trust the One who has unlimited power to help. Psalm 37:39-40 says that the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord and that He shall help and deliver them from the wicked because they trust Him.
The second step is to keep the law of the Lord. Psalm 119:145-146 says: “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.” Unfortunately, many self-professing Christians do not want to hear anything about the law of God and would rather overstretch the place of grace to the point of lawlessness. This is not God’s will.
The third step for those who would benefit from Divine help is to call on the Lord for the needed help. The Bible says in Exodus 20:3: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Looking up to anything or anyone apart from God is idolatry. This is dangerous because our God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). As a matter of fact, we short-change ourselves by trusting in man that is limited rather than trusting the Almighty, the Unlimited God. The Bible says:
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horse, because they are strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord. Isaiah 31:1.
Beloved, I encourage you to surrender your life to Jesus, live righteously and look up to God alone for help. He will never let you down.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please send help to me today, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 8-11
RCCG HYMN 5: Blessed Assurance
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 3 JULY 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE HELP II
MEMORISE: Matthew 15:28 (KJV)
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 15:22-28
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 3 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Divine help is comforting and assuring. It is however, not for everybody. Unless God is your Father, you may not be able to access divine help. In our Bible reading today, Jesus told the woman seeking His help that divine healing is researved only for God’s children, so she was disqualified.
Her faith in Jesus Christ however, eventually qualified her for divine help.
Therefore, you should ask yourself, “Am I a child of God?” “Have I surrendered all to the Lord Jesus?” Placing all your faith in Jesus and surrendering your life to Him is the only way to access God and divine help (John 14:6).
Another vital requirement to access divine help is knowing exactly what you need help with. The woman in our Bible reading today was very clear about what she wanted, and she got it as she persisted in her request, with all her faith in Christ Jesus. Bartimaeus is also an excellent example of someone who knew what he wanted God to do for him and got the divine help he sought (Mark 10:46-52).
It is also important to know where to seek for help. Beloved, where are you seeking help from? Many people seek help from different sources – man, rivers, mountains and so on. Everyone seeking help from other sources apart from the Almighty God will only have their sorrows multiplied as we see in Psalm 16:4.
You may be asking, “How do I seek divine help?” Jesus said: “Ask, and it shall be given you…” (Matthew 7:7). When asking the Lord for help however, don’t ask for things He has already empowered you to do yourself. For example, when God provides a job, don’t go to sleep and expect Him to do the work for you! There are however, many things that are beyond human capacity and the good news is that nothing is beyond God’s capacity.
Ask Him for help with those things that no man can do for you. For example, only God can cause a woman without a womb to conceive and bring forth a set of twins. That was the testimony of a sister some years ago and I pray you will also experience unbelievable miracles, in Jesus’ name.
Beloved, if you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you have His open invitation to ask for everything you want in faith and He will do them for you according to His will.
ACTION POINT
If God is truly your Father, go ahead and ask Him for what only He can do for you today.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 12-14
RCCG HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 4 JULY 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE HELP III
MEMORISE: 1 Kings 19:5 (KJV)
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 19:1-8
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 4 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11
The verse above clearly states that the Creator made all things for His pleasure. For example, in our Bible reading for today, we see God feeding Elijah so that he would have the required strength to fulfill the divine mission set before him. The angel of the Lord said to him, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” That meal gave him the strength he needed for forty days and forty nights as he travelled to Horeb, the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:7-8).
Many people however, want divine help for selfish reasons. Some of them are not even born again; yet they are asking for miracles. Such people fail to realise that the Almighty God is a prudent investor and He will not invest in a project that will not promote His Kingdom. For example, God needed a prophet so when Hannah asked for a son and promised to give him back to God, the Lord granted her request (1 Samuel 1).
Jesus said in Matthew 7:6:
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
The verse above implies that God will not give that which is holy to someone who is still living in sin. You cannot remain in the kingdom of darkness or be toying with sin as a Christian and expect God to help you.
Beloved, if you desire divine help, surrender your life to Jesus Christ and be determined to do only things that will give Him pleasure. Be committed to showing forth the praises of He who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) and He will help you.
ACTION POINT
Begin to do things that will give God glory, honour and pleasure from now on and you will receive divine help.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 15-17
RCCG HYMN 23: Take My Life And Let It Be
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 5 JULY 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE BLESSINGS I
MEMORISE: Proverbs 10:22 (KJV)
The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
BIBLE TEXT: Genesis 26:12-17
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 5 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Divine blessing can be described as a command from God that will make all the forces in heaven, on earth and under the earth favour an individual or group of people. A divinely blessed person or group of people will succeed where others are failing.
For example, in our Bible reading today, Isaac sowed during a famine and he reaped a hundredfold. In other words, he succeeded where others were failing. We can trace this remarkable result to God’s blessing over Abraham, Isaac’s father in Genesis 22:17:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
God had promised to bless Abraham and multiply his seed after he passed the test in Genesis 22. Little wonder why Isaac would sow and reap a hundredfold during a famine. Isaac however, also had a part to play in obtaining and enforcing the fulfilment of the divine blessing on his life.
Firstly, he was obedient to his father even up to the point of death. Isaac could have escaped easily from Abraham when the latter laid him on the altar, but he did not. That must have really pleased God.
Secondly, he obeyed God’s instruction to stay at Gerar even when humanly speaking, it did not appear to be the right thing to do at the time, considering the famine in the land.
Only those who are obedient to divine instructions will experience divine blessings. Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, told the maidens that whatever Jesus asked them to do, they should do it and their obedience led to the divine provision of much better wine for the guests at the wedding (John 2:5-10).
Beloved, divine blessing is sweet, pleasant and without sorrow. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ, live in complete obedience to God and you will experience divine blessings in every area of your life, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please bless me indeed and take evil far from me, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 18-20
RCCG HYMN 26: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 6 JULY 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE BLESSINGS II
MEMORISE: Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
BIBLE TEXT: John 5:5-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 6 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
It is one thing to receive divine blessings and quite another to keep them. I always teach my children in the faith that the grace needed to receive a miracle is not as great as the one needed to keep it. God has no problem blessing His people, but keeping the blessing is a responsibility many people fail to live up to. Today we will be looking at how to retain divine blessings.
The first thing one must do is to stay connected to the source of divine blessings – God. A branch will remain fruitful as long as it remains connected to the vine, and of course will become fruitless the moment it disconnects from its source of fruitfulness. Jesus is the vine and we His disciples are His branches. Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Secondly, to stay connected to the source of divine blessings, you must be holy. Sin causes a separation between the sinner and God (Isaiah 59:2). If God will not listen to a sinner, how then will such a fellow receive and retain divine blessings? The Almighty told Abraham this secret in Genesis 17: 1-2:
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceeding.
According to our Bible reading of today, after Jesus had healed a man of a thirty-eight-year old sickness, He warned him to stay away from sin so he would not experience something even worse.
Finally, you must acknowledge that all you have is from God and always return all the glory to Him with thanksgiving. For example, Nebuchadnezzar failed to acknowledge that God was his source and he lost all he had. God however, restored all Nebuchadnezzar lost when the latter realised that he was nothing without God (Daniel 4:30-37).
I pray you will never lose your God-given blessings, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, thank you for being my Source. Please, never let me disconnect from You, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 21-23
RCCG HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 7 JULY 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE BLESSINGS III
MEMORISE: John 15:8 (KJV)
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so ye be my disciples.
BIBLE TEXT: Luke 13:6-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 7 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Many divine blessings are conditional. This is why there are many “ifs” in God’s covenants with mankind. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:1 God promised the children of Israel that He would bless them so much so that they would be above all nations of the earth, if they would harken diligently to His voice and keep His commandments.
The primary purpose of divine blessings is to make the blessed fellow fruitful and a blessing to others. Fruitfulness however, is also one of the conditional blessings of God. The primary condition for fruitfulness is found in John 15:4:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
The question then is, “How can I abide in the Vine?” The answer is not far-fetched. You must first become a part of the Vine by responding positively to Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-30. When you confess Him as your Lord and saviour, you become grafted into the Vine – the Lord Jesus Christ.
The next phase is to abide in Jesus. Abiding in Jesus means living according to His will. Jesus said in John 8:31, “…if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed”. He also said in John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love”.
You can be fruitful spiritually, like Peter who preached one sermon and 3000 souls were won into the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38-41) or Paul, who God healed many sick people through his apron and handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12). You can also be fruitful materially, as in the case of Isaac, who became so wealthy that a whole nation began to envy him (Genesis 26:14-17). Furthermore, you can also be fruitful physically such that in your old age, you would remain strong, as in the case of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:7).
Beloved, as we read in our Bible text today, it is dangerous to be unfruitful. You will experience all-round fruitfulness if you surrender your life to Jesus and live according to His will for the rest of your life.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please cause me to experience all-round fruitfulness, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 24-26
RCCG HYMN 30: When We Walk With The Lord
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 8 JULY 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE HOPE OF GLORY
MEMORISE: Romans 5:2 (KJV)
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
BIBLE TEXT: Romans 5:1-5
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 8 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27
The Bible says in Hebrew 11:6 that one cannot please God without faith. For anyone to have the hope of glory, the fellow must choose correctly whom he or she would serve (Joshua 24:15). It takes faith to choose rightly, according to our memory verse for today.
Through faith in the Living God, we are justified as the redeemed of the Lord – Jesus being the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He came to save us through His death, by the washing away of our sins with His blood. This is why the Bible says:
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is Christ from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 20
The Scripture above is the basis for our hope of glory. The Scripture further says, “if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). This is why as Christians, we should not despair even in tribulation because of the assurance of glory we have in Christ.
Our hope of glory is not an empty hope, according to Revelation 21:1-7, which assures us of a new heaven and a new earth where there shall be no more pain, sorrow, lack, sickness or death. Death shall be swallowed in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).
Therefore, beloved, to have this hope in you, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today. If you have accepted Christ, ensure you do not look back because Jesus said: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).
I pray the Almighty God keeps us all in Him to the end, in Jesus’ Name.
PRAYER POINT
Thank the Lord for the hope of glory and ask Him to help you remain steadfast in Him to the end.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 27-29
RCCG HYMN 6: I Am So Glad That Our Father In Heav’n
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 9 JULY 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE WISDOM OF GOD
MEMORISE: 1 Corinthians 1:25 (KJV)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 9 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the power and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). He declared in Luke 4:18:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
Luke 4:18
It then follows that anyone who embraces the gospel of Jesus Christ is wise. However, the word of God cannot be understood through logical reasoning. For instance, Jesus preached that whoever will have his life must first lose it for His sake (Mark 8:35). He also declared that for us to find rest for our souls, we must take His yoke upon us. How can yoke-carrying bring rest to the soul of the carrier?
This is why many scientists and philosophers struggle to accept and believe the word of God. For example, I was personally caught in this web in my early Christian walk concerning tithing. “How can 90% be enough when even the entire 100% was never enough for me?” I queried then. Thanks be to God that I know better now.
The good news is that Acts 10:38 testifies that Jesus Christ went about preaching and His preaching brought all forms of deliverance to those who listened and came to Him (Matthew 21:14).
Beloved, do you believe the Gospel? The Gospel is the good news of how Jesus came to this world to save all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). This is the wisdom of God hidden in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Come to Him today to receive His Wisdom and your life will not remain the same.
What are your needs? He has promised that if you seek His kingdom and righteousness first, He will add all these things you need to you (Matthew 6:33). Accept God’s wisdom, take Him at His word, and He will never let you down.
PRAYER POINT
Thank God for giving you access to His wisdom.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Proverbs 30-31
RCCG HYMN 31: Wonderful Story Of Love
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 10 JULY 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS I
MEMORISE: 1 Kings 3:13 (KJV)
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy days.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Kings 3:4-15
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 10 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
An expectation is a strong belief that something will happen, especially when all other things are equal. For example, all other things being equal, a worker will be paid his salary at the end of the month. In other words, this expectation will not be realised if that worker suddenly quits his or her job before the end of the month.
The good news is that any expectation based on the promises of the Almighty God to you shall come to pass, provided you remain steadfast in following and obeying Him.
In our memory verse of today, the Lord exceeded Solomon’s expectations. Solomon had asked for wisdom to be able to rule God’s people excellently, but to his amazement, God added some things to his expectation of wisdom.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy days.
1 Kings 3:13
I remember expecting God to give me a modest apartment to live in after I became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, but He exceeded my expectations by promising me a city. Currently, the Redemption Camp, though still expanding, is comparable to a city. To experience something exceeding your expectations, to get more than you hoped for, you must excel in your commitment to the Almighty God – the only One who can exceed your greatest expectations.
You must set yourself apart in holiness if you want to experience blessings that will exceed your expectations. For example, you may be asking for the position of a High Chief whereas God may want to make you a King. You may be seeking to be elected as a senator and end up becoming the President of your country. What can God not do? Absolutely nothing.
God can easily exceed your expectations as long as you are on His side in holiness and righteousness.
KEY POINT
Only God can exceed your greatest expectations.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ecclesiastes 1-4
RCCG HYMN 21: Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 11 JULY 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS II
MEMORISE: Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
BIBLE TEXT: Ephesians 3:20-21
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 11 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
We started examining ‘Exceeding Expectations yesterday and found out that Almighty God is the only one who can truly exceed your greatest expectations.
My Daddy is All-Sufficient and limitless. He has so much that after He has blessed someone, the fellow’s cup would run over (Psalm 23:5). Today, we shall continue to look at the Almighty God exceeding our expectations beyond our human imagination.
The Bible says:
But my God shall supply all your need according in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV).
The above Scripture reveals one fact: that divine supplies are based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. The reason is that Jesus paid the price of blessing those who put their trust in Him.
The Bible says:
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9
In our text for today, we are assured that the Almighty God is more than able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we may ask or think. Hence, we must give Him the glory all the time.
Our Lord offers us a classic example of the blessing we receive when we give Him all the glory, honour and thanksgiving, through what He did before five loaves and two pieces of fish became more than enough to feed five thousand people – He gave thanks (John 6:11-14). It was indeed a clear case of exceeding the expectations of the disciples and everyone present there.
This is why Moses admonished the children of Israel to always remember the God who gave them the power to become exceedingly wealthy (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Remembering God is remembering to do according to His commandments. Beloved, if you truly believe Him, He will exceed all your expectations in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Thank God for what seems not to be enough and He will make it exceedingly more than enough.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ecclesiastes 5-8
RCCG HYMN 27: What A Friend We Have In Jesus
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 12 JULY 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: DIVINE INTERVENTION
MEMORISE: Exodus 3:10 (KJV)
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the of Israel out of Egypt.
BIBLE TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:21-24
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 12 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The accounts of Genesis reveal that at a point in time, the world was formless and chaotic; however, the reason for this is not our concern in today’s devotion. Rather, we want to see why divine intervention is necessary in the affairs of men. For example, when the children of Israel found themselves in slavery, they cried to the God of their fathers.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Exodus 3:9.
In response to their cry, there was a divine intervention which delivered them from slavery to King Pharaoh (Exodus 6:6). This type of situation is not peculiar to the children of Israel alone; people have been subjected to serious attacks, frustration and untold hardship from generation to generation.
The reason is found in the book of Revelation – how the devil came to the world in a great fury to wreak havoc on earth’s inhabitants (Revelation 12:12). Unless God intervenes as He did in Genesis, human life can be extremely miserable. In today’s text, three kings ganged up against the tribe of Judah. Jehoshaphat – the King of Judah, however, cried to the Lord for divine intervention, knowing that there was no way he could win the battle against just one of the three kings, not to mention the joint forces of all three. The Lord responded and said:
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
2 Chronicles 20:17
The Lord intervened and the battle was decided in favour of King Jehoshaphat and his people. The Lord will intervene in your situation today, in Jesus’ name. However, be ready to align yourself with God Almighty through Jesus Christ His Son. Be ready to worship God in holiness and make this your lifestyle.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please intervene in my situation today as You did for Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ecclesiastes 9-12
RCCG HYMN 14: What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 JULY 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: CARING FOR THE NEEDY
MEMORISE: Galatians 6:10 (KJV)
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
BIBLE TEXT: Matthew 25:34-40
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 13 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
It is a fact that every human being, no matter how intelligent or highly placed, would at one time or the other require assistance to deal with some circumstances. Such a situation that renders a person of great means incapacitated is usually the type that money, authority and influrnce cannot resolve. At such times, the person is left with the option of calling for divine intervention through desperate prayers to the Almighty God.
I pray that as you call on the name of the Lord in the day of trouble, He will answer you by fire, in Jesus’ name.
If you want your prayers to be answered however, you have a responsibility to the poor and needy around you. Our memory verse for today says as we have opportunity, we should be a blessing to all human beings, especially those of the household of faith.
Anyone who heartlessly disregards the needs of the weak and helpless is wicked. Such will be ignored in the day of trouble, no matter how desperately they cry for help (Proverbs 21:13).
The point of today’s devotional is that we have a responsibility to care for the needy around us. When was the last time you helped the needy around you? When was the last time you made sacrifices in order to meet the needs of other people? Remember, the Bible cited the care for others as one of the conditions for making heaven as we saw in our Bible reading today.
Our Lord Jesus described how His followers who feed the hungry, are hospitable to strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit prisoners will be blessed by God and granted eternal life. He went further to say that in as much as these good deeds are done to any of His brethren, it is considered that the acts were done to Him directly and vice versa.
All believers and the Church as a whole must not leave the poor and needy at the mercy of the government. The Body of Christ must not fail in our responsibility to care for the less privileged among us. Remember, if you know how to do good but do not do it, it would be counted unto you as a sin (James 4:20).
ACTION POINT
Join me to praise the Lord as my wife – a woman completely given to the care of the needy – marks her birthday today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Song of Solomon 1-4
RCCG HYMN 4: Be Glad In The Lord And Rejoice
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 14 JULY 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT I
MEMORISE: John 16:13 (KJV)
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
BIBLE TEXT: John 16:7-14
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 14 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
For the next three days, we shall be looking at the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. Today we will consider His role as a witness to Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
A very important role of the Holy Spirit is the conviction of sin, as we saw in today’s Bible text. It reads in part:
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
John 16:8
Unfortunately, many people choose to be just spectators and merely watch the Holy Spirit in action – doing what only He can do, but are never partakers of it. Such people seldom allow the Holy Spirit to play His primary role of bringing them to repentance as they refuse to be remorseful for their sins.
When people refuse to be convicted of their sins, they demonstrate a lack of faith in God’s word, which says all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Such people rationalize sin and call it all sorts of nice names. This is why the Bible encourages us to confess our sins, even to one another, that we may be healed (James 5:16).
The first thing Jesus takes care of in the life of whoever He wants to heal is the issue of sin, according to Mark 2:5-12. Even after Jesus had healed an individual and found him in the temple some days later, His admonition was “…sin no more, lest a thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).
Beloved, if you have not yet confessed and forsaken your sins, allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of them. Begin to pay close attention to the details of God’s requirements for holy living and you would see the Holy Spirit transforming your life far beyond all expectations.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please empower me to live holy, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Song of Solomon 5-8
RCCG HYMN 14: What A Wonderful Wonderful Day
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 15 JULY 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT II
MEMORISE: Romans 8:27 (KJV)
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will God.
BIBLE TEXT: Romans 8:26-27
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 15 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
We started to look at the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian yesterday. We discovered that the Holy Spirit convicts sinners of their sins and draws them unto repentance. Today we want to look at how the Holy Spirit helps believers pray.
When the Bible says that we should pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), how can this be possible, humanly speaking? Clearly, this can only be possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is why I pity those who deny the baptism of the Holy Spirit as promised by our Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 1:8.
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave a parable to teach us how important ceaseless prayer is to us as believers in Luke 18:1-8. However, without the help of the Holy Spirit, no one can accomplish this.
Naturally, we do not even know what to pray for but the Holy Spirit guides us and prays the will of God through us. Romans 8:26 says:
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
From the scripture above, we see that we need the Holy Spirit to help us to pray the right way.
The Holy Spirit also reminds us of the significance of giving thanks as we pray. Indeed, our thanksgiving, praise and worship should always exceed our requests. Philippians 4:6 says:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.
These indeed are keys to get our prayers answered hence all Christians must seek to be baptised in the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER POINT
Holy Spirit Divine, please come into my life and me in my prayer life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 1-3
RCCG HYMN 10: In Christ Alone
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT III
MEMORISE: Ephesians 4:30 (KJV)
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
BIBLE TEXT: Jude 21-24
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 16 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Our memory verse of today reveals another very important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer – preserving us unto the day of redemption.
‘The day of redemption’ in the memory verse is talking of the ultimate redemption when we safely arrive in the kingdom of God. The reason is that there is no eternal assurance that once you are saved, you are forever saved.
There are examples of people who started well but ended badly.
For instance, after King Saul was ordained by Samuel, he prophesied and the people asked: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 10:11). Unfortunately, after King Saul got into trouble for disobeying divine instructions, he went after a familiar spirit. 1 Samuel 28:7 says:
Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
King Saul did this despite the fact that the Bible says in Isaiah 65:24:
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
In John 16:7-14, we see that the Holy Spirit guides us into all – not some – truth. Many things we ought to know about God, our Saviour, ourselves, the written word of God, the devil, and the world in which we live and so on are explained to us by the Holy Spirit. We cannot gain an understanding of God without the Holy Spirit.
The word of God would be ordinary literature without the Holy Spirit’s illumination.
The Bible says in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come.
The spiritual decadence in the end-time Church has been foretold by the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:1-2). It is a pity, however, that some children of God are not taking advantage of the Holy Spirit’s guidance to keep us from falling.
May you not fall, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Holy Spirit Divine, please keep me to the uttermost end. Help me to finish well and strong, in the mighty name of Jesus.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 4-8
RCCG HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 17 JULY 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE STORM STILLER I
MEMORISE: John 5:8 (KJV)
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
BIBLE TEXT: Mark 4:35-41
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 17 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
What is a storm? Literally, a storm is a disturbance of the atmosphere marked by wind and some or a combination of the following: rain, snow, hail, sleet, or thunder and lightning.
Figuratively however, a storm is a set of unpleasant circumstances that could result in some loss or the other. Storms of life are in categories. They could be physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, material, political etc.
In our text, we read about the rising of a great storm that could have capsised the boat Jesus and His disciples were sailing in. The Storm Stiller however, commanded that the storm should be still and it was so.
Today, we shall look at physical storms in terms of ill-health. I pray that any storm of ill-health you may be battling is stilled now, in Jesus’ name.
In the story behind our memory verse of today, there was a man who suffered ill-health for thirty-eight years. His physical storm raged so long that he felt he was to die by the pool of Bethesda.
However, on that very day that he encountered the Storm Stiller, his story changed. Jesus Christ – the Storm Stiller asked him: “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6).
The Almighty God is asking you today, “Do you want to be healed?” If your answer is “Yes,” then you must fulfil the condition for healing.
Divine healing is the ‘food’ meant for children according to Matthew 15:26. Therefore, you must be sure you are genuinely born again because your sins must be forgiven before you can enjoy this divine blessing that will still your storm of ill-health.
When Jesus Christ wanted to still the storm of the young man that was suffering terribly from palsy. the Bible says:
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy: Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
Matthew 9:2
This implies that you should repent of your sins and seek God’s forgiveness if you want Him to still the storm of ill health in your life.
As you heed His call today, every storm of ill in your life will cease today, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, I receive my healing today, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 9-11
RCCG HYMN 25: The Great Physician Now Is Near
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 18 JULY 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE STORM STILLER II
MEMORISE: 2 Corinthians 8:9 (KJV)
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
BIBLE TEXT: Mark 4:35-41
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 18 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
A financial storm is another critical storm of life that every believer must take care of by the power in the name of Jesus Christ. The Bible says:
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
The Scripture further says: “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty” (Proverbs 10:15).
The first thing to do to still a financial storm is to work hard. The Bible says:
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Proverbs 10:4-5
The Bible further says in Proverbs 22:29:
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Thus, hard work is good.
However, hard work alone may not guarantee safety from a financial storm because the Bible says: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
Right from the fall at Eden, man has been labouring with little reward (Genesis 3:17-19). Therefore, the curse of poverty must be broken and the only One who can do this is Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Our memory verse for today shows that Jesus sacrificed everything to restore man to a life of bliss. We must invite Him into our lives so that every financial storm blowing against our lives would be stilled.
We need to cry to God in the name of Jesus Christ, who promised that whatever we ask the Father in His name shall be done for us (John 14:14).
He says also in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened”.
God will end poverty in your life today and He will use your testimony to draw many into His Kingdom, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please bless me, and still my financial storms today.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 12-14
RCCG HYMN 26: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 19 JULY 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE STORM STILLER III
MEMORISE: Luke 7:13 (KJV)
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep Not.
BIBLE TEXT: Mark 4:35-41
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 19 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
The greatest storm of life is untimely death. The good news is that the Storm Stiller has power over death. The Bible says:
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:25-26
The story behind our memory verse is a pointer to the fact that Jesus indeed is the only One who can still all storms of life, including the most devastating one – death.
There was a widow who was left with only one son. The storm of death had taken away her husband and returned to take her only son as well. As the child was being carried away for burial, the woman and the people bearing the corpse encountered the Storm Stiller. The Bible records that:
And he came and touched the bier; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Luke 7:14
Beloved, I bring good news to you today: the storm of untimely death will not rage in your family, in Jesus’ name. As Jesus stilled the storm on the sea, so shall that devastating storm of death be stilled today, in Jesus’ name.
Jesus is the only answer to the storm of death. The Bible says:
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: And deliver them who through fear of death all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Hebrews 2:14-15
Beloved, you do not need to be afraid of death because Jesus Christ has conquered death for us; because He lives, death shall have no power over us again.
You do not need to join secret societies or engage in voodoo for fear of death. Romans 6:9 assures us that death has no control over Christ; if you’re His child, death can have no control over you either.
PRAYER POINT
Father, never let me or any member of my family experience untimely death, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 15-19
RCCG HYMN 17: Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 20 JULY 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: YOU CAN BE THE BEST
MEMORISE: John 8:31 (KJV)
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.
BIBLE TEXT: Deuteronomy 28:1
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 20 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Anyone can become the best. There are however, conditions that must be fulfilled if you want to become the best. The Bible says: “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth” (Ecclesiastes 10:7).
It all depends on the readiness to pay the price. In our Bible text, we read the promises of God that assure us of being the best. However, in the same text, we read the conditions to fulfil – hearkening to the voice of the Lord, observing and doing all His commandments.
How many of us are ready to hearken to the voice of the Lord today? I have taught my ministers what it means to hearken, which is different from listening. To hearken is not just to listen but to pay very close attention to the details of the voice and commandment of the Lord.
Only then can you fulfil the details of God’s instructions. The Bible says that faith can only come by hearing, and hearing by the word of God and not the word of men or the voice of our carnal body (Romans 10:17).
For example, if you want to be the best financially, you must pay close attention to Malachi 3:10, which says:
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
A closer look at the passage above will reveal why some people have been paying their tithes but have not received the promise of super-abundance.
“Bring all the tithes” the Bible says – not some. “Bring it” not “Send it” – meaning that God cherishes our presence before Him more than our gift. He wants our fellowship. He is not a beggar; we must come with fear and trembling, praying that He would even accept our tithes and offerings.
Another example is when we want God to perform miracles through us. The Bible says that some results cannot be achieved without prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21), even though some translations have removed fasting for reasons best known to them.
Beloved, you can be the best if you will pay the price of surrendering your life to Christ and living according to His will.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please give me the best and make me the best, in Jesus’ name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 20-24
RCCG HYMN 21: Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 JULY 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: LOVE AND GODLINESS I
MEMORISE: 1 John 4:7 (KJV)
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
BIBLE TEXT: 1 John 4:7-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 21 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
One great proof of godliness is seen in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life for us in love. He expressly commands us to love, according to John 13:34-35:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
By the rate at which hatred is growing among some self-professing believers, we can ask, “Where is the fulfilment of this commandment?”
There could be many reasons for this unpleasant development in the Body of Christ. One is the loss of focus on heaven – where we all aspire to spend eternity.
Related to that is the love for this present age. When a person begins to feel jealousy towards another, hatred develops and before long, godliness is thrown to the wind.
In our memory verse taken from the main text, John- the Apostle of love, wrote:
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1John4:7.
The above Scripture shows the importance of love among brethren. Beloved, are you living in love? Remember, if you are not living in love, you are in death, according to 1 John 3:14, which says:
We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:4-6:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth
Be sure to remove hatred from your heart today. if you do not want all your Christian service to be in vain on the last day. There’s no godliness without love.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please rekindle Your love in me towards my brethren and let this same love propel me to go out in of sinners, for their salvation.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 25-28
RCCG HYMN 31: Wonderful Story Of Love
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 22 JULY 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: LOVE AND GODLINESS II
MEMORISE: 1 John 4:8 (KJV)
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love
BIBLE TEXT: 1 John 4:7-10
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 22 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Verse 8 of our text which is our memory verse, says: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8).
This Scripture implies that not all people we find in Church know God or can be trusted. The early Church leaders did not take the issue of love lightly because they knew godliness is tested by the amount of love a believer possesses.
Paul the Apostle prayed thus:
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
It takes love to be godly because God is love. This love made Him give up His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for us so that we would not perish (John 3:16 and 1 John 4:9). This is the standard that the Almighty God has set for those who claim to be His children.
Love makes people go the extra mile in helping others. Jesus commended the good Samaritan in Luke 10:33-37 because the proof of God in us is doing good.
Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated this as recorded in Acts 10:38:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
James the Apostle described love in practical terms when he wrote: “Yea, a man may say Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
The proof of godliness is service to humanity, according to 2 Timothy 2:21. John also says:
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
It is a divine commandment for all children of God to continue in His love. Are you living in the love of Christ?
PRAYER POINT
Father, please fill me with every good work and let me reflect Your love to the world.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 29-31
RCCG HYMN 13: Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 23 JULY 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD STILL SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE I
MEMORISE: 1 Kings 3:5 (KJV)
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shallgive thee.
BIBLE TEXT: Genesis 12:1-4
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 23 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God still speaks to this day, but unfortunately, many people do not Him because they are too busy with the affairs of life.
The painful thing is that people do not know what they are missing by not listening to their Maker. In today’s text, we read about Abraham’s encounter with the Almighty God.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.
Genesis 12:1
There are some lessons we can learn from this singular encounter that changed Abraham’s life.
One, God discovered the love and sincerity of Abraham so He revealed Himself to him. This love for God was demonstrated in his positive and prompt response to God’s command to leave his father’s house.
Another lesson is that the dialogue between God and Abraham did not contain commands alone; it was backed by eternal blessings. The Bible says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Abraham became the father of faith because the word of God penetrated his heart.
In the Scripture from where we took the memory verse, we read of the encounter of Solomon with the Almighty God. During that divine encounter, God gave Solomon a blank cheque and this is a typical privilege enjoyed by those who have such dialogues with God.
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1 Kings 3:5
To be genuine children of God, we must surrender completely to all His commandments. This is where many people often miss it – they are not ready to obey God fully.
They want freedom from His commandments; they want to take over the affairs of this life without any recourse to God Almighty.
I encourage you to give your life to Jesus Christ today. Seek His face without ceasing – not just what He has to give and you will receive great revelations from Him that will transform your life for good.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please speak to me today and always.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 32-34
RCCG HYMN 3: Ancient Words
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 24 JULY 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD STILL SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE II
MEMORISE: Hebrews 1:1 (KJV)
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.
BIBLE TEXT: Isaiah 35-37
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 24 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Yesterday, we started discussing the reality of God still speaking to His people, even to this present moment.
In today’s text, we read that though spoke to His people through His prophets, now He speaks through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is made possible through the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to the Church right from the day of Pentecost. He promised:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26
God still speaks to His people; no doubt about that. We must however, pay close attention to the later part of the sentence – “to His people.” In other words, God speaks only to His people.
Why only His people? It is because it is His people who hearken and act on His words. God has no time to waste talking to those who will not do His bidding. This is why Jesus Christ was fond of speaking to His disciples, whom He knew would abide by His words. He said further:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:21
Beloved, there are a lot of blessings for those who hear from God. One of these blessings is that such people would avoid mistakes.
For example, the word of God to the people in Cornelius’ household was based on Peter’s ability to hear from God and his obedience to the instructions given to him (Acts 10).
In the same vein, Philip’s ability to hear from God took him to the Gazan desert where he gained the soul of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39).
For example, hearing from God can reveal the type of business you can do to prosper. It can also help you know where to go, live, or what type of friends you should keep.
If you desire to hear from God directly, you must give your life to Christ and live wholly for Him.
REFLECTION
Have you been hearkening and living according to His word?
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 35-37
RCCG HYMN 23: Take My Life And Let It Be
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 25 JULY 2023 TUESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FEAR GOD I
MEMORISE: Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)
Memorise: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 34:1-11
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 25 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Today’s memory verse clearly establishes the need to fear the Lord if we would be wise and gain and understanding of Life.
The Lord asks: “A son honoureth his Father and a servant his master: if then i be a father, where is my honor?” (Malachi 1:6).
How do we fear God? today’s Bible reading gives us ideas on how we fear the most high God.
Firstly, we must magnify the Lord for who He is. It takes the appreciation of God to fear Him. The Psalmist says:
Oh Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the Earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens… when i consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
Psalms 8:1,3.
Secondly, we must put our total trust in him. Lack of trust in God may cause us to disobey him like Adam and Eve did. They repeated what God had told them but the serpent countered it, thereby calling God a liar.
Genesis 3:4-5 says, “And the Serpent said unto the Woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
If Adam and Eve had the fear of God in them, the devil would not have had his way in their lives. Here we can see that, indeed, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)
Joseph is a classic example of someone who demonstrated the fear of God. Due his fear of the Lord, he refuse to take advantage of the adulterous offer of his master’s wife. He refuse to commit sexual immorality and told Potiphar’s wife:
There is none greater in thus house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art this wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Genesis 39:9
Fear the Lord and keep his commandments. When you do, the type of blessing that came upon Joseph(Genesis 41:14) will also be your portion
PRAYER POINT
Father, please help me to fear You indeed and fill me with Your wisdom, in Jesus’ name
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 38-40
RCCG HYMN 1: All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 26 JULY 2023 WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: FEAR GOD II
MEMORISE: Psalm 33:18 (KJV)
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 96:1-9
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 26 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
We started discussing the fear of the Lord yesterday and today we will look at some of the blessings that come to those who fear Him. Our memory verse says:
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
Psalm 33:18
The Scripture above reveals a very huge blessing that comes from fearing God. The blessing is that the eye of the Lord will be upon everyone that fears God.
This revelation implies several great things amongst which is that when the eye of the Lord is upon an individual, safety is guaranteed.
Hebrews 11:6 says that God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The Bible further says: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).
In other words, the eye of the Lord sees everything – even the plans and moves of the wicked who want to harm you and He knows how to deal with them.
In today’s Bible text we are enjoined to fear the Lord above all gods because they are ordinary works of men (Psalm 96:4-5).
We should also note that some people have made human beings their gods – probably for fear of what these people could do to them.
Psalm 56:11 however, says: “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me”. Psalm 118:6 says also, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to fear God and not man (Matthew 10:28).
Another demonstration of the fear of the Lord is in verse nine of our text: “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.”
There is no true worship of God without holiness. This is where those who overstretch grace miss it.
Obedience is synonymous with holiness and the Scripture says to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Therefore, we must watch out for our worship – whether it is premised on the fear of the Lord or mere hypocrisy.
As you commit to fear the Lord at all times, His presence will never depart from you, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please put Your fear in me and let me receive the blessings for it, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 41-43
RCCG HYMN 18: Praise To The Lord The Almighty
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 27 JULY 2023 THURSDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD SEEKERS I
MEMORISE: Psalm 42:1 (KJV)
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
BIBLE TEXT: Psalm 42:1-5
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 27 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
God seekers are those who are comfortable with His commandments. People do not seek God today – not because they are ignorant of what they stand to gain seeking the One from whom all blessings flow.
Rather, they are not comfortable with His demands on what they consider as their right to decide how to live their lives.
The elders say, “A child born yesterday who threatens not to play with us should be asked, ‘Do you think we were lonely before your birth?”
In other words, if we do not seek God’s face, its to our disadvantage and not God’s.
David, in our Bible reading, gave his reason for seeking God when he said: “For I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” He said further, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).
Beloved, it pays to seek the Lord. Isaiah 55:6 encourages us to do so when He may be found and before it is too late. This means there would come a time when man may seek God and He may not be found.
For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
Psalm 32:6
How do we seek God? God can be sought from His revealed truth, as written in the Holy Scriptures. When we study the word of God consistently, we are seeking God because Jesus is the Word of God and He is God (John 1:1).
We must also seek God with all of our hearts if we would find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
We also seek God out for how to please Him. Jesus said we are His disciples indeed if we do that which He commanded us to. How many self-professing Christians are doing God’s will?
God has promised that if you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. Commit to seeking God with all your heart today and you will find Him.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please reveal Yourself to me as I seek to know you more and more.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 44-46
RCCG HYMN 19: Rock Of Ages, Cleft For Me
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 28 JULY 2023 FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: GOD SEEKERS II
MEMORISE: Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
BIBLE TEXT: John 12:20-22
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 28 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Yesterday, we discussed three ways we can seek God, namely through His word, with all of our hearts and by obeying His will.
Today, we shall continue to look at how we can seek God and the blessings that come to those who seek Him.
We can effectively seek and find God by faith. Hebrews 11:6 says:
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
It takes faith to find God because He is a Spirit. He is invisible to the physical eyes and can only be worshipped genuinely in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).
The Bible something very profound about the life of the children of Israel – “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel” (Psalm 103:7).
The implication of this is that while Moses knew the ways of God, the children of Israel went along with Him through the miracles they saw God performing.
Therefore, Moses was deep in God, but the children of Israel were shallow and easily tossed here and there by the challenges they faced on their way to the promised land.
Moses believed in God and took Him by His word; the children of Israel lived by what they saw. This is why they responded negatively to situations they encountered in the wilderness.
They refused to see God in all those experiences. Moreover, seekers of God go the extra mile to get to Him.
In our Bible text for today, we read about the Greeks who believed in the Messianic message. They came to see and have an encounter with Jesus.
Beloved, who are you seeking in the Church – the Pastor, the choristers, who? I congratulate you if you are a seeker of God through Jesus Christ.
God seekers are never put to shame.
The Bible speaks of those who seek God as being protected from shame. “They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied” (Psalms 37:19).
As we navigate through this second half of year 2023, seek the Lord earnestly and you shall find Him mighty to save, mighty to bless and mighty to keep you alive.
PRAYER POINT
Father, I thank you for revealing Yourself to me. May sin not hide me from You anymore, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 47-49
RCCG HYMN 29: When Peace Like A River Attendeth My Way
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 29 JULY 2023 SATURDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: THE SACREDNESS OF THE BLOOD
MEMORISE: Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
BIBLE TEXT: Hebrews 12:22-24
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 29 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Blood is not just important in the life of man, but also very sacred in the sight of our creator – the Almighty God.
It is so sacred that the Bible says anyone who shed blood will have his or her blood shed also (Genesis 9:6).
The first place where we saw God being angry with someone who shed the blood of another fellow is in Genesis 4, in the case of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain.
The Almighty God said:
What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.
Genesis 4:10-11
The sacredness of blood can be further seen in our memory verse. The life of the flesh is in blood and that is why the blood of Jesus can make atonement for our sins and redeem us from eternal damnation that awaits all sinners.
Many people have however, shown complete disregard for the sacredness of blood. Many engage in or encourage abortion of unwanted pregnancies, ritual killings, cannibalism and so on.
Some have told lies that led to others losing their lives. Some embezzled funds that should have been used to build roads or hospitals thereby causing fatal road accidents and loss of lives due to poor medical services as a result of inadequate funding.
Criminals shed blood with impunity without considering the position of the Almighty God concerning such acts.
Beloved, are you blood-guilty? You must repent today because blood is very sacred and God will not spare unrepentant sinners who are caught in the guilt of blood-letting.
The good news is that Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, has paid for all our sins, including blood-guiltiness, as we find in our Bible reading of today.
The moment a person acknowledges that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose that we may have eternal life, that fellow is saved from every sin, including blood-guiltiness of the past.
Accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, and your sins will be completely forgiven.
ACTION POINT
Pray that God will cleanse you from all sins, including that of blood-guiltiness.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 50-52
RCCG HYMN 28: What Can Wash Away My Stain
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 30 JULY 2023 SUNDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: LUST VERSUS TEMPTATION
MEMORISE: James 1:15 (KJV)
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
BIBLE TEXT: James 1:12-15
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 30 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Temptation is the pressure to yield to influences that can lead people away from God and into sin.
The Bible makes it clear that all human beings are subject to temptation, but the outcome often depends on the person’s state of mind and loyalty to God.
On the other hand, lust is an inordinate and compulsive desire for sex, food, riches or power.
Lust is natural to unbelievers (2 Peter 2:14-18) but Christians must fight against it by showing self-control (Galatians 5:16-21).
The Bible condemns lust and describes it as an abomination to God. A classic example of an inappropriate desire is one that led Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6).
Lust and temptation are like tag team champions – they work together so well that it is often difficult to differentiate them.
The desire for position or superiority, if not moderated by the Holy Spirit, may translate to an inappropriate quest for power, which has turned some to murderers.
Some politicians do this with impunity and when the judgment of God later descends on them, they would say it is the handiwork of the devil.
At first, David only desired to have a taste of Bathsheba – the wife of Uriah, but it ended up in the murder of her husband, which then brought a divine curse on David’s lineage.
Beloved, what are you lusting after? Repent today because it would have a sour and bitter end – sin and death.
James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
The above Bible passage reveals fundamental truths about lust and temptation. God is not responsible for human temptation.
Temptation becomes activated in an individual when he or she is drawn by an inner lust and thus becomes enticed. Thereafter, lust would produce sin, which eventually leads to death.
I pray for you today: you will not become an abandoned project or die before your time, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please deliver me from the power of lust and temptation, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 53-56
RCCG HYMN 8: I Need Thee Every Hour
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 31 JULY 2023 MONDAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: OVERCOMING LUSTS AND TEMPTATIONS
MEMORISE: 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)
Abstain from all appearance of evil
BIBLE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 10:13
RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 31 JULY 2023 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
What is leading you in life? Is it your flesh or the Spirit of God? Whenever you allow the flesh to give you direction, it will always end in regret, but when you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in all things, you can be sure that all will be well.
The first step to overcoming lusts and temptations is submission to God, which supplies the power you need to resist the devil, and he will flee from you according to James 4:7.
Moreover, the good news is that the faithfulness of God will not allow His children to be tempted above their ability, without making a way of escape for them.
In our Bible reading today, we saw that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and He will always make a way of escape for us.
That is so reassuring.
It is for this reason that James 1:2-4, and James 1:12, admonishes us to count it as joy and a blessing, when we are going through diverse temptations. This is because God uses it to perfect the patience of His children, and also as promotion exams for them to receive the crown of life.
In spite of the assurance above however, if for example, your eyes are always glued to seductive images on the television, the internet, and your surroundings, you are merely feeding the lust in your flesh and such will lead you to hell.
Don’t fall into it.
If you still tolerate ungodly desires to dwell and grow in your heart, heavenly thoughts, divine visions and inspirations cannot find expression in you.
All believers are required to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Your body is the temple of God, not a showpiece for people.
If you choose to dress in a way to stir lust from the opposite sex, you can no longer claim to be a child of God, but an instrument in the hand of the devil. Whoever you honour with your appearances, determines who you truly serve.
God has provided us with everything we need to overcome lusts and temptations through Jesus Christ, all we need is to follow His example.
Hebrews 4:15 says Jesus our High Priest was in all points tempted, but He scaled over them all without a sin.
He has given us the power to resist the devil and to live above lusts and temptations. Hallelujah!
PRAYER POINT
Father, please empower me to overcome lust and temptations, in Jesus name.
RCCG BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 57-59
RCCG HYMN 23: Take My Life And Let It Be
Download RCCG Open Heaven July 2023 Devotional PDF
