Thursday, May 7, 2015

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL (FRIDAY 8 MAY 2015)

Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Friday May 8

PRAYING WONDER-WORKING PRAYERS

Memorise:
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Read: John 11:41-44
41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.   
42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.   
43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.   
44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.


Message
When we sing the song "Prayer is the master key", I sometimes wonder whether we really understand what we are singing about. For some people, prayer is a religious routine, but there is a type of prayer that has wonder-working powers. Our Lord Jesus Christ set a good example of this type of prayer in our Bible reading today. Let us look at His prayer in detail to better understand how to engage in prayers that produce wonders.

When Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, the first thing He did was to give thanks to His Father for two wonderful reasons: that the Father had heard Him, even before praying, and that the Father always hears Him! Moreover, Jesus Christ did not pray the "gentleman's prayer" that is common in many so-called elitist Christian organisations. The Bible in John 11:43 says:
 "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth."

I always tell my children in the Redeemed Christian Church of God that the intensity of your prayer will tell God how urgently you want your miracle. Whether you believe it or not, God will listen to the one who cries aloud to Him for help before He listens to those who whisper their requests. If you don't believe me, ask blind Bartimaeus. Among all those following Jesus on His way out of Jericho, only the one who cried out got his need met (Mark 10:47-52).

Also, in the prayer of our Lord at the tomb of Lazarus, we can see Him expressing His faith in what His Father is capable of doing. We can also perceive the cordial relationship between the Son and the Father in this prayer. This relationship gave the Son the confidence to ask the Father what He knew would glorify the Father. Jesus would not ask for anything that did not bring glory to His Father. Many times, we pray and receive no answer. Some might think that God is on holiday at such times; not at all. The Bible gives us one reason why we do not receive answers to our prayers in James 4:3:
 "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Another reason is that a life of sin robs us of the confidence we need to ask God in faith. Beloved, how is your relationship with the Almighty God? Remember, your prayer can work wonders today.

Prayer Point:
Father, grant me the grace to maintain a cordial relationship with You, so that my prayers to You may continue to produce wonders to the glory of Your Name.

Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 12-13 & Mark 5:21-6:6... Read after the cut:


1 Samuel 12-13; 

1Sa 12:1  And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 
1Sa 12:2  And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 
1Sa 12:3  Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 
1Sa 12:4  And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. 
1Sa 12:5  And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. 
1Sa 12:6  And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 
1Sa 12:7  Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 
1Sa 12:8  When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 
1Sa 12:9  And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 
1Sa 12:10  And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 
1Sa 12:11  And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. 
1Sa 12:12  And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. 
1Sa 12:13  Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 
1Sa 12:14  If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: 
1Sa 12:15  But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 
1Sa 12:16  Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 
1Sa 12:17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. 
1Sa 12:18  So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 
1Sa 12:19  And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 
1Sa 12:20  And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 
1Sa 12:21  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 
1Sa 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 
1Sa 12:23  Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: 
1Sa 12:24  Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. 
1Sa 12:25  But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 


1 Samuel 13;

1Sa 13:1  Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 
1Sa 13:2  Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 
1Sa 13:3  And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 
1Sa 13:4  And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 
1Sa 13:5  And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. 
1Sa 13:6  When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 
1Sa 13:7  And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 
1Sa 13:8  And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 
1Sa 13:9  And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 
1Sa 13:10  And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 
1Sa 13:11  And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 
1Sa 13:12  Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 
1Sa 13:13  And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 
1Sa 13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. 
1Sa 13:15  And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 
1Sa 13:16  And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 
1Sa 13:17  And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 
1Sa 13:18  And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 
1Sa 13:19  Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 
1Sa 13:20  But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 
1Sa 13:21  Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 
1Sa 13:22  So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 
1Sa 13:23  And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. 


Mark 5:21-6:6

Mar 5:21  And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 
Mar 5:22  And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 
Mar 5:23  And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 
Mar 5:24  And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 
Mar 5:25  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 
Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 
Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 
Mar 5:28  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 
Mar 5:29  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 
Mar 5:30  And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 
Mar 5:31  And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 
Mar 5:32  And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 
Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 
Mar 5:34  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 
Mar 5:35  While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 
Mar 5:36  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 
Mar 5:37  And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 
Mar 5:38  And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 
Mar 5:39  And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 
Mar 5:40  And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 
Mar 5:41  And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 
Mar 5:42  And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 
Mar 5:43  And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. 



Mark 6:6

Mar 6:1  And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 
Mar 6:2  And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 
Mar 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 
Mar 6:4  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 
Mar 6:5  And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 
Mar 6:6  And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. 

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