RCCG

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY JUNE 3RD 2025

TOPIC: PRAISE: A WEAPON OF WAR

MEMORISE:
“O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” - (Isaiah 25:1)

READ: 2 CHRONICLES 20:1-28 (KJV)

1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God's.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 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.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

MESSAGE:
Praise is a weapon that turns situations men have already tagged 'hopeless' into joyful ones. In today's Bible reading, three mighty nations came against Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah. It was a seemingly hopeless situation, but God instructed Jehoshaphat to leave every weapon behind and put the singers at the battlefront to give praises to Him. Interestingly, the enemies destroyed each other, and all the children of Judah needed to do was take away the treasures the three great armies brought along with them to the battle.

When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison unjustly, they engaged the weapon of praise. As they praised God, their chains fell off, and the prison doors opened (Acts 16:25-26). I pray in the name above every name, as you engage the weapon of praise, every situation tagged hopeless in your life will be turned around for your good. The Lord will turn your mourning into dancing and fill you with joy, in Jesus' name.

In Joshua 6:2-5, the city of Jericho was shut in as a means of protection from the Israelites, and the only available option was to mount a siege that could last for months. God, however, gave Joshua a strategy that made the wall of Jericho fall down without any physical weapon within seven days. When the people shouted loudly after the priests blew the trumpet, the wall fell down flat (Joshua 6:20). If you are faced with a challenge of any kind and you are yet to get results even after fasting and praying, then you should praise God. When everything else fails, praise will not. Praise attracts God's presence; He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). When we praise God, we transfer our battles to Him, and He arises on our behalf.

Praise creates a joyful atmosphere around us, and it is with joy that we draw solutions and answers out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). As long as the enemy can keep a fellow sorrowful, he can steal his or her miracles. As long as Hannah was in bitterness of soul, her womb remained closed. However, the moment she arose, wiped her tears, and became joyful, the Lord remembered her (1 Samuel 1:10-19).

Beloved, are you expecting anything from the Lord? Do you desire a change in your circumstances? Stop whining, complaining, and wearing a sorrowful countenance. Engage the weapon of praise, and my God will remember you and bless you, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
When everything else fails, try praise.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 31-34

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 1 - ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS'S NAME

1 All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!

2 O seed of Israel's chosen race
now ransomed from the fall,
hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all.
Hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all!

3 Let every tongue and every tribe
responsive to his call,
to him all majesty ascribe,
and crown him Lord of all.
To him all majesty ascribe,
and crown him Lord of all!

4 Oh, that with all the sacred throng
we at his feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song
and crown him Lord of all.
We'll join the everlasting song
and crown him Lord of all.

OPEN HEAVEN 31 MAY 2025 SATURDAY DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: SURRENDER ALL

MEMORISE: “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” – Matthew 19:29 (KJV)

READ: 1 Kings 19:19-21 (KJV)

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 17-20

MESSAGE
When Elijah went to Elisha’s farm and threw his mantle on him, Elisha didn’t waste time before he surrendered all to answer God’s call. Elisha seemed to be a rich fellow because Elijah met him plowing with twelve yokes of oxen when he passed by him. However, Elisha didn’t count this as anything because he returned home, killed a yoke of oxen, gave it to his people, and followed Elijah to become his servant. Within a day, the manager of an apparently thriving agricultural business became a prophet’s servant.

Elisha ministered to Elijah and was known as the one who poured water on the hands of Elijah (2 Kings 3:11). The blessings Elisha got for surrendering all in service to God are unquantifiable. He received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing (2 Kings 2:9-15), became a father to kings (2 Kings 6:21), and even after his death, his dry bones raised a dead man back to life (2 Kings 13:21). When a man surrenders all to the One who made him, he will live an impactful life.

From Elisha’s story, we see that lasting greatness begins with absolute surrender. Any seed that will count for anything, must first enter into the soil and die. It must surrender its beauty and strength so as to rot in the earth before new life can sprout from it. Jesus said:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. – John 12:24-25

Beloved, surrender all to the One who made you, and He will guide you aright. When you surrender your life to God, you are asking Him to help you because you don’t know the best way to live your life. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” Paul also knew the secret to absolute surrender, and that is why he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Those who surrender all to Jesus will gain more in the end. However, those who keep a part of their lives, like Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-2 end up losing even more than the things they are trying to keep.

PRAYER POINT
Father, please help me to surrender all to You wholeheartedly.

HYMN 7 – I Am Thine O Lord
1 l am Thine, O Lord
I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Chorus:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer bless Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3 Oh the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee,
my God
I commune as friend with friend!

4 There are depths of love
that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy
that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY MAY 30TH 2025

TOPIC: DONT LET GO

MEMORIZE:
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Luke 11:9

READ: LUKE 11:5-10

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

MESSAGE:

In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus cried continually until Jesus attended to him. If Bartimaeus had not been persistent, he may not have gotten his miracle. In Genesis 32:24-28, when the angel said to Jacob, "Let me go," he replied, "l won't let you go until you bless me."

Beloved, hold on to God until you get your miracle. He said in Isaiah 62:6-7 that you should not let Him rest until He establishes you and makes you a praise in the earth. Many people don't get their miracles because they give up too soon. However, people who know how to continually knock on heaven's doors always receive answers. Jesus told the parable of the widow who didn't stop demanding justice in Luke 18:2-5. She wouldn't let the judge rest until he attended to her matter. Although he didn't fear God or regard men, the widow's persistence pushed him to help her. In today's Bible reading, Jesus told another parable of a fellow who went to his friend's house at midnight to ask for bread to entertain a visitor. Jesus said that even though his friend might not want to respond to him because it was late, he would rise and give him as many loaves as he wanted because of his persistence.

Every problem you might experience in your life has an expiry date if you don't give up on God. If you continually knock, the door will eventually open. People who are faint-hearted or give up easily cannot get anything significant from life. Such people let go, even when they are so close to their blessing. People who don't let go are people of great determination. Some of them wrestle all night in prayer and continue knocking on heaven's door until they receive answers. Be determined; don't give up on your prayers until you receive answers like Daniel (Daniel 10:2-14), Jacob (Genesis 32:24-28), Elijah (1 Kings 18:42-45), and the widow in Jesus' parable (Luke 18:2-5).

Beloved, you can grow your strength by consuming God's word and waiting on Him in the place of prayer. Do not let the enemy cheat you by wearing you down at the edge of your breakthrough; hold on firmly to God's promises. Don't take 'no' for an answer, you will eventually receive your miracle if you persist in your prayers like the woman in Matthew 15:21-28.

Do you want a blessing like Jacob or justice like the widow in Luke 18:2-5? Don't let go. Keep knocking and pushing until your answer comes.

KEY POINT:
Those who keep knocking and asking will eventually receive their miracles.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 13-16

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS
1 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

3 Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease,
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

4 I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend,
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY MAY 29TH 2025

TOPIC: WAITING ON GOD

MEMORISE:
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” - (Psalm 27:14)

READ: PSALM 37:4-7 (KJV)

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

MESSAGE:
In Genesis 18:2-8, after Abraham set a meal before his divine visitors, he stood by them and watched them eat. Even though Abraham probably sensed that there was something divine and powerful about them, he did not begin to burden them with tales of his problems, such as his childlessness. Instead, he attended to their needs and waited on them in case they needed anything else. This is the kind of fellow that God goes all the way to provide for - someone who can truly wait on Him and is willing to attend to His needs first. God is looking for genuine worshippers who can patiently stay in His presence and fellowship with Him without being in a hurry to make demands (John 4:23-24). Are you that kind of worshipper?

In life, people wait for different things at different times, such as waiting in a doctor's office for consultations and waiting in traffic for hours. However, despite the fact that many Christians do not mind waiting for hours for these things, they are quick to hurry out of God's presence after spending just a few minutes.

In Psalm 100:4, the Bible says that you must come into God's presence with thanksgiving and praises. In other words, no matter how pressing your needs are, you must not come to God complaining about them; instead, you should give Him thanks and praise first. You must realise that the One in whose presence you are is the King of all kings; you are at His mercy and not the other way around. You must find out the things He wants and attend to them first. What does God want? He loves praises (Psalm 22:3) and thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). Also, He is looking for people who will intercede for others (Ezekiel 22:30), and He wants souls (John 15:16). When You give Him these things, He will bring laughter to your face.

Waiting on the Lord is the secret to getting instant answers and miracles. When you go to a restaurant, a good waiter doesn't give you his favourite food; rather, he waits on you to know what you want, then, he delivers it courteously as fast as he can.

Beloved, have you tried to find out what God wants? When you go to Him in prayer, are you serving Him His delicacies or just dumping your requests on Him? God seeks waiters who will do what He wants, and when He finds them, He goes all the way to satisfy them.

KEY POINT:
God goes the extra mile for those who wait on Him.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 9-12

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 18 - PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE KING OF CREATION

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,
join me in glad adoration.

2 Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

3 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriends you.

4 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him.

OPEN HEAVEN 28 MAY 2025 WEDNESDAY DAILY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN

MEMORISE: “But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” – Isaiah 49:25 (KJV)

READ: Isaiah 8:17-18 (KJV)

17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 5-8

MESSAGE
PRAYER POINTS:

Thank God for the lives of all the children around you. Thank Him for giving their parents the grace to take care of them.

Father, I commit all the children around me into Your care. Please surround them with Your angels and shield them from all dangers.

Father, please help all the children around me encounter You so they can have an intimate relationship with You as Samuel did.

Father, please bless all the children around me with the spirit of excellence as You did for Daniel, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please bless all the children around me with wisdom and the gift of discernment that is beyond their ages so they can make decisions that align with Your will.

Father, I commit the health of all the children around me into Your hands; please give them strength in their body, mind, and spirit. Please bless them with divine health, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please surround all the children around me with good friends who will influence them to do great things that will bring glory to Your holy name.

Father, please give all the children around me the courage and strength to overcome all the challenges that come their way, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please help all the children around me to fulfil Your purpose for their lives, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please let all the children around me carry Your presence and make them a blessing to everyone around them, in Jesus’ name.

Father, please provide godly and healthy children to all the couples around me who are trusting You for the fruit of the womb. Let none be barren around me, in Jesus’ name.

Your personal prayer points for the children in your family, community, local assembly, and across the world.

HYMN 22 – Sweet Hour Of Prayer!
1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of
prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of
prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of
prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY MAY 27TH 2025

TOPIC: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR CHILDREN

MEMORISE:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” - (Proverbs 22:6)

READ: DEUTERONOMY 6:1-7 (KJV)

1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

MESSAGE:
When Pharaoh said, "I won't let the Israelites go," he wasn't talking about limiting them to a geographical location; he was talking about a different kind of bo***ge (Exodus 5:2). People who are in the kind of bo***ge that Pharaoh was referring to have no control over anything, not even their children (Exodus 1:1-22).

If a country's government says that parents cannot raise their children in the way of the Lord, they should know that there is an evil agenda behind it. That is bo***ge, and they must not allow themselves to remain under it. Parents shouldn’t depend on any government to teach their children. Rather, they should take charge and teach them God's values from His word. If a government insists that parents cannot teach their children what is right, they should move out of that place and go where they will not be under bo***ge.

Parents should check what their children are being taught in school and ensure they are not influenced to adopt a mindset that is against God's will. They should also check the games they play and the cartoons they watch because, through them, something evil can be positioned to influence their mindsets. If you take charge of the children and youths around you, it will be difficult for them to be influenced by an evil agenda. If you are a parent, you must intentionally create time to teach your children God's ways so that they will know Him for themselves as they grow. Let them spend more time with fellow believers, doing things that will make them grow up into godly adults.

When I moved to Redemption City with my family, my children were schooling far away, and they had to leave the house before 6am on school days so they wouldn't be late for school. In order to have a relationship with them, we often ate our dinner in the car together as we drove back home from their school. As they grew older, I began to take them on evangelistic outreaches. Even when they were in the university, whenever I visited them, I ensured we spent quality time together. We would take walks and discuss the Scriptures; then, I'd guide them with God's principles.

Parents, take charge of your children; don't let the enemy win them over. God will hold you accountable for the children He has given you as He did with Eli (1 Samuel 2:27-31). Rise up to the responsibility of nurturing and training them in His ways.

KEY POINT:
Don't expose your children to the enemy by submitting to societal pressures.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 1-4

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 28 - GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH

1 Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY MAY 26TH 2025

TOPIC: THE POWER OF DILIGENCE

MEMORISE:
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” - (Proverbs 10:4)

READ: MATTHEW 25:14-30 (KJV)

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

MESSAGE:
Proverbs 22:29 says, "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men." Diligence means doing the right things to achieve a goal in an excellent, timely, and consistent manner. In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus didn't only cry once; he kept crying until Jesus answered him. Likewise, the woman with the issue of blood kept pressing forward until she finally got to Jesus (Luke 8:43-48). If you want to succeed at anything in life, you must be diligent and keep persevering despite obstacles.

I once gave a project to someone at the beginning of a year, and I intended to give him another one as soon as he was done. He was meant to complete the first project within three months; however, by September, he was still struggling to complete it, and there was no way I would have given him another one. God had opened a door of financial blessings to him, but he refused to be diligent.

In today's Bible reading, Jesus told the parable of three servants who received talents from their master. Two of the servants were diligent, and they doubled what they received. When the master returned, he commended the two diligent servants and rewarded them handsomely. He said to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

In the same parable, you also see the direct consequences of laziness. The servant with one talent hid it and refused to trade with it. The consequence of not being diligent was not only the loss of his talent but also sorrow for the rest of his life. While the diligent servant who started with five ended up with eleven, the lazy servant ended up with sorrow. Jesus said, "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath" (Matthew 13:12). Anyone who has the virtue of diligence will have more, but those who lack this virtue will lose even what they have.

Beloved, diligence is powerful; it will position you for greatness and more abundance. Whatever you do according to God's will, do it diligently with all your strength. Don't delay, and don't quit because of limitations or obstacles. I pray that God will reward your diligence with His abundance, in Jesus' name.

ACTION POINT:
Be diligent in all that you do.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ESTHER 6-10

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 4 - TO THE WORK! TO THE WORK! WE ARE SERVANTS OF GOD

1 To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.
Refrain:
Toiling on, toiling on,
Toiling on, toiling on:
Let us hope, let us watch,
And labor till the Master comes.

2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]

3 To the work! to the work! there is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the name of Jehovah exalted shall be,
In the loud-swelling chorus, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]

4 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward;
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, "Salvation is free!" [Refrain]