Time-Bound Assignments - RCCG Open Heavens Devotion Saturday 13th July, 2013

TIME-BOUND ASSIGNMENTS BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Memorise:
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastics

Read:

Esther 4: 13-14

Before a decree to kill all male children born to Israelites was passed in Egypt, God had ensured that two God-fearing midwives had been planted in their midst. They were at the right place at the right time for the right reasons. The lord had known what the devil was about to do, so He had gone a step ahead.
Beloved, that place God led you to is not by accident but for a purpose. Another person that was planted to avert the evil plan of the enemy against God's people was Esther.

Just before the execution of the plot of the enemy against the Israelites, Esther rose to the occasion and it was averted. In that negative situation, God has moved a step ahead of the enemy. Before your enemies carry out their evil plot against you, the lord would have executed His plan of deliverance for you. In the name of Jesus, you shall not be a victim in the teeth of your enemies.

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith he Lord,  thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.'

The purpose of God for the midwives was a good one. He had planned that they would be His instruments of deliverance in the midst of midwives who were loyal to Pharaoh so that Moses would be saved at the time of birth. Their assignment started and ended making sure that Moses was safely and handed over to his mother. For being faithful, God rewarded them for that assignment. This tells us that that certain assignment may be very brief but time-bound. If Shiphrah and Puah were not on duty at the time Moses was born, or if they been distracted by other business affairs outside the hospital, Moses could have died.

God may want you to perform a specific but time-bound assignment: it could be to a blessing of a needy fellow or His servant. A need could suddenly arise that you would be required to meet, if you are too slow, you will loose the opportunity. Do you know that some of such opportunities may never come again? Be proactive and sensitive to the Holy Ghost. Be ready to speedily take up opportunities that God brings your way. Pray that you will be in the right place at the right time, to glorify God.

Prayer Point:
Each time you leave where God has placed you, or fail to do what you were supposed to do, the kingdom of God suffers. Father thank you for adding another year to Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye. Lord, begin a new thing in her life and make her mother of more nations.

Bible In One Year:

Jeremiah 9-12

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Recalling Better Days Has Its Mental Health Benefits - Research

Remembering the good old days has its benefits after all. I have a very deep sense of nostalgia. I often think its abnormal. Little did I know that recalling better days and its accompanying nostalgia has its mental health benefits. I wonder what better days memory you are recall as you read this article.

Nostalgia used to be thought of as a negative emotion, but new science is finding that fond recollections of the past can make your life better--and even make you a better person.

Thinking about the good old days can serve as an emotional pick-me-up when times are tough. It’s a pretty basic concept, but oddly, living in the past, or experiencing nostalgia, has been thought of as a disorder since the 17th century, according to an article by New York Times, "ever since the term was coined by a 17th-century Swiss physician who attributed soldiers’ mental and physical maladies to their longing to return home--nostos in Greek, and the accompanying pain, algos."

In the past decade, though, scientists have applied a more rigorous research method to understand the ups and downs of nostalgia, and have determined that there’s quite a few positive effects of nostalgic thinking--including feeling warmer on a chilly day when thinking about toastier days of yore.

Research Findings On Nostalgia

Research, led by Constantine Sedikides of The University of Southampton in the U.K., has shown that nostalgia can "counteract loneliness, boredom and anxiety. It makes people more generous to strangers and more tolerant of outsiders," reports the Times. "Couples feel closer and look happier when they’re sharing nostalgic memories." Researchers acknowledge that:

Nostalgia does have its painful side — it’s a bittersweet emotion — but the net effect is to make life seem more meaningful and death less frightening. When people speak wistfully of the past, they typically become more optimistic and inspired about the future.

They’ve arrived at an understanding of the positive effects of nostalgia by examining the ways that people react to sad news, like a report about a deadly disaster. Those people often became "became more likely to wax nostalgic. And the strategy worked: They subsequently felt less depressed and less lonely."

But it can be more existential than that as well. According to psychologist Clay Routledge, nostalgia "brings to mind cherished experiences that assure us we are valued people who have meaningful lives. Some of our research shows that people who regularly engage in nostalgia are better at coping with concerns about death."

So what does this all mean practically? The first is that nostalgia’s done best when it’s less about comparing the past with the present with the conclusion that the past is better. In Routledge’s words, "'[I]f they focus on the past in an existential way--‘What has my life meant?’--then they can potentially benefit.'"

Sedikides suggests using nostalgia almost like a therapy: “If you’re not neurotic or avoidant, I think you’ll benefit by nostalgizing two or maybe three times a week […] Experience it as a prized possession."

Fastcoexist

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Quote of the Day: Don't Let Momentary Lust...

Don't Let Momentary Lust/Distraction Write You A Cheque That Will Render Your Destiny Bankrupt

- Scopium Nwabuking

Momentary Lust does not only suggest pleasures of making love. It generally means any momentary thing you can do without but you let yourself involved and it gets out of control to the detriment of your future. Self control is the keyword. Always see the big picture to avoid rendering your destiny bankrupt.

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Securing Future Greatness - RCCG Open Heavens Devotion Friday 12th July, 2013

SECURING FUTURE GREATNESS BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBAYO

Memorise:
And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses. Genesis 30:43

Read:
Genesis 12:1-3

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 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Genesis 12:2 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:3 Bible in one year: Jeremiah 6-8 Message In everyone’s life, there are three stages – the past, the present and the future.

Before looking at the future, it is only wise to consider the past and the present. Why? In most cases, the past is what brought forth the present; and a combination of the past and the present will deliver the future. Behind every success recorded today and tomorrow, there is a solid covenant somewhere in the past. Take for instance the life of Jacob: He had a past, a present and a future. His past was rooted in the covenant God made with Abraham, when He promised to bless him and to make him a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3). His present was in his limited state as Jacob – supplanter, trying to make it by his own strength and effort, while his next level was as Israel – a prince of God, where he would become God’s favourite, and partake of the covenant blessings father Abraham had with God.

The covenant you make with God today will not only affect your tomorrow, but also the destinies of unborn generations. God is a covenant keeping God and He looks for those who can pay the price of cutting an enduring covenant with Him. At the beginning of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, God had a covenant with our father – the founder. God asked him to do certain things and the He will begin a church through him which will go all over the world, and a church He will meet on His return to the earth. The old man kept his own side and God is still keeping His.

This covenant keeping God made Abraham great and then moved into the Isaac generation which is the now (Genesis 24:34-35). The future is the level of Jacob – who God made exceedingly great. From today, prophesy to yourself daily by saying: in the name of Jesus, I am going to be exceedingly great. That is my next level, and nothing can stop me because my father is a covenant keeper. Are you operating on a covenant with God?


Key Point:
A covenant is the foundation of relationship and blessing. Those under a divine covenant are not easily moved.

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Comedy Industry: Basketmouth And Teju baby Face Before And After Fame

Nigerian comedy industry is teeming with uncountable talents all doing their thing. But some really stand out. These few have stood the test of time and still going strong. Basketmouth and Teju Baby Face are one of those heavy weights of the Nigerian comedy industry. Above is the picture of these two when they weren't super stars and famous and below is picture of them after they have dinned with fame.

Who says money is not good? In the song of R. Kelly and Nas; "Did You Ever Think That You'll Get This Rich?" Hard work does pay. Don't despise the days of humble beginning.

Teju Baby Face still a baby face

They sure look really good!

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Do Something About That Weakness - RCCG Open Heavens Devotion Wednesday 10th July, 2013

DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WEAKNESS BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Memorise:
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 6:12

Read:
Judges 16:6-10

While fighting with the enemy, God sometimes helps us by causing the enemy to verbalise their evil intent like it happened to Samson in Judges 16:6. If your enemy tells you his plan towards you, what are you supposed to do? Sometimes, the enemy will be so full of the evil plot that he will spill it out unawares; for the mouth releases what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34).

If you share your secret with a particular friend, and you observe that your plans are repeatedly frustrated, you don't need a soothsayer to tell you to either cut off from that enemy disguised as a friend or keep your secrets to yourself afterwards. The enemy will do just about anything to know the best way to get at you. One area he will concentrate on is your weak point. He will carefully study you to know your weak point and usually, it does not take him too long to discover this.

Wisdom demands that you first identify your area of weakness before your enemy does. There is no human being without one, yet if you can prayerfully present your weakness to the Lord and follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit, over a period of time, your point of weakness can become your point of strength. If you are easily seduced into lust by looking at naked pictures of the opposite sex, do something fast about it. Avoid being exposed to any form of indecent exposure of the opposite sex - be it live or in pictures. Watch the gate of your eyes carefully.

A particular brother once discovered his weakness in this area and as part of checkmating his flesh, he made sure that whenever he was addressing a lady, he did not look at her eyes. Some people felt he was too weak but he did not mind their comments. All he was concerned about was how to ensure he did not become taken in temptation. Many Christians know their weak points yet they dare their flesh and even the devil, at the end, they become casualty of the power of darkness.

Do you know your weaknesses? What are you doing about them? Prayerfully minimise any exposure to a source of temptation. Use the word of God to renew your mind and to strengthen yourself and ask God to uphold you. You will not fail.

Action Point:
The weakness you ignore will take advantage of you. Daily ask God to turn your weakness into your power of strength.

Bible In One Year:
Jeremiah 1-2

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You Can Overtake - Open Heaven of Tuesday 9th July 2013

YOU CAN OVERTAKE BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

Memorise:

……for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:1b

Read:

1 Samuel 2:20-21
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home. 1 Samuel 2:20

And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:21

Open Heavens Message
A single contact with God can make the difference in the life of an individual. For some years, some people have laboured in ministry, business, academics and career with nothing to show for it. If you are in such situation, a contact that will usher a season of positive change is coming your way. When the hand of God was laid on Elijah in 1 Kings 18:41-46, he outran king Ahab who had earlier taken off with speed on his chariot of horses. How can ordinary legs overtake horses? When God lays His hands on you, your progress will be so rapid that none of your enemies will be able to catch up with you.

From the above scripture, we learn that when God’s hand is upon you, the time you lost that worked against you will be recovered, and will work in your favour. Ahab ran ahead of Elijah, yet the later still overtook him. Also, when God’s hand is upon you, every limitation or deficiency that should have stalled your progress will rather advance you. Imagine a man on his two feet beating a chariot of horses! This tells us that even when you lack the latest technology, you can still emerge the best if God’s hand is upon you. This season, God’s hand will rest upon you for good.

David a young shepherd boy had contact with God and he became a king (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Many people had already written off Hannah as permanently barren until she had contact with God and the result was six children including Samuel (1 Samuel 2:21). At the end, God permanently shut her mockers up as she had more children than Peninnah. Isaiah 54:1 was fulfilled in her life. The time you started having children does not necessarily determine how many you will have.

You can start early and have few children or start late and have many children. Hannah started late yet she had more children. Are you trusting God for the fruit of the womb? Have you been waiting for a long time? Are you asking when will it ever be my turn to have a baby? Your turn has just arrived. Get ready, you are about to overtake those who are years ahead of you. It is allowed.

Bible In One Year:

2 Timothy 1-4

Prayer Point
Father, lay your hand upon me and cause me to overtake all those who took advantage of me and those who have gone ahead of me.







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