Thoughts by irene

23/11/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23RD 2025

TOPIC: USING THE POWER OF GOD

MEMORISE:
“Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.” - (2 Corinthians 13:10)

BIBLE READING: LUKE 9:52-56 (KJV)

52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

MESSAGE:
Some people who have received a measure of God's power use it wrongly. For example, simply because people fall under the anointing during their ministrations, some ministers of God want to touch people just to show that they are anointed. Some even perform different acrobatics during deliverance sessions. Some of them give demon-possessed people microphones so that people can hear what the demons are saying. All of these are unnecessary and wrong. Ministers of God should simply cast demons out of people to set them free; they shouldn't embarrass the people they are trying to deliver because they want to show that they are anointed.

The power of God isn't a tool for punishment but for bringing joy to the hearts of people. When God gives you a measure of His power, it is for you to give life to dead things and bring glory to Him, not for you to show off or seek personal gain or vengeance. It is possible to destroy and kill with the power God has given to you; however, that is not what it is meant for. This is why most mature believers are usually slow to speak and try not to get angry no matter what people do to them. They don't want to ever use the power of God for evil. When God gives you a measure of His power, you are not to go around destroying people you consider to be enemies. Ephesians 6:12 says:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A vessel in satan's hands today can become a great vessel in God's hands tomorrow. If God could use Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons in her, He can use anyone who is considered evil. If Stephen had called death upon Saul as he was being executed under Saul's supervision, there would never have been an Apostle Paul. Paul said in today's memory verse that the power of God is for edification, not destruction.

In today's Bible reading, James and John wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans because they didn't receive Jesus. However, Jesus told them that He came to save, not to destroy lives. Beloved, God's will is for everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4); He doesn't want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). If He has given you a measure of His power, only use it to fulfil His will, not to destroy.

KEY POINT:
God's power is for saving people and blessing them, not for showing off or destroying lives.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 27-28

HYMNAL: 31 - YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

1 Yield not to temptation,
for yielding is sin.
Each vict'ry will help you
some other to win.
Fight valiantly onward;
dark passions subdue.
Look ever to Jesus;
He'll carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
comfort, strengthen, and keep you.
He is willing to aid you;
He will carry you through.

2 Shun evil companions;
bad language disdain.
God’s name hold in rev'rence,
nor take it in vain.
Be thoughtful and earnest,
kind-hearted and true.
Look ever to Jesus;
He'll carry you through. [Refrain]

3 To him that o’ercometh
God giveth a crown.
Through faith we will conquer,
though often cast down.
He who is our Savior
our strength will renew.
Look ever to Jesus;
He'll carry you through. [Refrain]

22/11/2025

22/11/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22ND 2025

TOPIC: REAL PROPHECY

MEMORISE:
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” - (2 Peter 1:21)

BIBLE READING: 2 KINGS 7:1-16 (KJV)

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the g*te of Samaria.

2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the g*te: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.

10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.

11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.

12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.

13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.

14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

MESSAGE:
Many self-acclaimed prophets prophesy by sight. They might look at a fellow, guess what he or she wants to hear, and say it with a serious countenance; that is guesswork, not prophecy. Some look at the sky, and when they observe that the clouds are dark, they prophesy that it will rain. Someone once prophesied that it would rain in Nigeria in June. I heard about the prophecy and thought to myself, "June is in the middle of the rainy season; if it doesn't rain in June, when else would it rain?" That was a prophecy by sight. Real prophecies are, however, not based on physical observations; they are based on what God reveals in the realm of the spirit.

Most times, when God gives a prophecy, it will not make sense to the human mind because nothing in the physical will support what God is saying. In fact, many times, the one God gives the prophecy through might be afraid to say it because of how unlikely it is - humanly speaking - for what God has said to come to pass. If God gives you a prophecy and asks you to share it, do not be afraid to speak; rest assured that whatever you say will come to pass.

In today's Bible reading, there was a severe famine in Samaria for seven years. The famine was so bad that women began to eat their children (2 Kings 6:25-30). Amid this hardship, God's word came through Elisha:
..Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the g*te of Samaria. (2 Kings 7:1)

By all economic metrics, what Elisha said sounded illogical and practically impossible. That did not matter, however, because God brought His word to pass. Isaiah 55:10-11 says:

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Beloved, do not despise prophecies from genuine ministers of God because they sound illogical or impossible. Inasmuch as the messages are from God, He will surely bring them to pass.

KEY POINT:
Real prophecies may sound impossible or illogical; however, God is committed to doing what He says.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 24-26

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 11 STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST OUR KING

1 Standing on the promises of Christ, my King!
Through eternal ages let His praises ring.
"Glory in the highest!" I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail!
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

3 Standing on the promises, I now can see
perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

4 Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s Sword,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

5 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
list'ning ev'ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

22/11/2025

21/11/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21ST 2025

TOPIC: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

MEMORISE:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”- (Hebrews 12:16)

BIBLE READING: GENESIS 25:29-34 (KJV)

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

MESSAGE:
One day in 1986, I was having a nice time in fellowship with God when He asked, "Son, what do you want for your birthday?" Ordinarily, I pay little attention to birthdays because, to me, the real birthday is the date a fellow becomes born again. However, the day you were born is also important because Psalm 90:12 says, "...teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." I replied, "I want every church member to receive a miracle." Then He said, "Call them together and let them meet with Me for one week. At the end of the week, all of them would have gotten a miracle." That one week in 1986 is one we can never forget in RCCG because God's power was so mighty in our midst that we experienced many jaw-dropping miracles which have been happening more frequently to date.

God is always asking you for what you want. Even if He does not ask you directly as He did with me, He can ask you by presenting two options before you, and your choice can determine the rest of your life. When God asks you for what you want, you will ask for material things that will fade quickly if your mind has always been on material things. In today's Bible reading, Esau did not know that God was indirectly testing him when he returned from his hunt hungry. When Jacob asked him to sell his birthright for a plate of food, he did not consider the choices before him; all he wanted was to fill his belly with food. Esau had enough energy to ask Jacob for food, and this implies that he really wasn't at the point of death, so if he had refused Jacob's offer, he would not have died. However, he accepted Jacob's offer and despised his birthright because his mind was focused on material things. In today's memory verse, he was called a fornicator and a profane person because he chose a material thing over something eternal.

Beloved, you will be faced with choices every day, and the choices you make today will determine the quality of your life tomorrow. What choices are you making today? If God gives you a blank cheque to ask for what you want, what will you ask for? Will you ask for things that fade away, like Esau, or things that are beneficial to fulfilling your glorious destiny in God? I pray that God will give you the wisdom to make the right decisions, in Jesus' name.

REFLECTION:
Are you making the right choices in your life?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 22-23

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.

20/11/2025

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20TH 2025

TOPIC: ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORISE:
"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Genesis 1:2

BIBLE READING: NUMBERS 11:10-23, 30-32

10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? And wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12 Have I conceived all this people? Have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? For they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

16 And the LORD said unto Moses, g*ther unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congreg*tion, that they may stand there with thee.

17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be g*thered together for them, to suffice them?

23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

30 And Moses g*t him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they g*thered the quails: he that g*thered least g*thered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

MESSAGE:
Today’s memory verse tells us that the Holy Spirit moved over the surface of the earth before creation began. The world that was empty and void soon became full of life after the Holy Spirit moved over it. Any area of your life, such as your career, academics, ministry, marriage, or others that you give the Holy Spirit freedom to operate in, will become full and lively.

Many Christians claim to be led by the Spirit; however, they are the ones trying to lead the Holy Spirit. They think they have the best strategies for success, and some of them even depend solely on consultants or experts to tell them what to do instead of the Holy Spirit. Many years ago, I was constantly praying about church growth and attended many conferences. I tried everything I was taught in those conferences, but nothing happened. In fact, it came to a point where we were practically begging people with food to come to church – we called it Care Fellowship. People would come, collect the food, and return to their homes, never to be seen again. Frustrated, I told God in prayer, “Lord, there must be something missing.” He replied, The Holy Ghost”.

In today’s Bible reading, the Israelites complained to Moses that they wanted meat. Moses reported the matter to God, and God said, “I will give them so much meat that they will be fed up.” The next day, the wind blew and there were quails on the floor all around the camp of the Israelites.

Sometimes, when you read about the wind in the Scriptures, it is referring to the Holy Spirit. The wind directed millions of quails to the camp of the Israelites such that all they had to do was to pick them up. When God directed me to read this passage after I asked Him about the growth of the church, I told Him, “I don’t understand. What has this got to do with church growth?” He said, “Let the Holy Spirit blow, and people will come; you wouldn’t even need to go looking for them. They will be so many that you won’t have room to contain them.” That day, I let go of all my strategies and depended solely on Him, and before long, the church started growing.

Beloved, give the Holy Spirit complete access to every area of your life. He will remove the things that are contrary to God’s will and ensure that you walk in favour and abundance.

PRAYER POINT:
Holy Spirit, I give You complete access to every area of my life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 20-21

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 27: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!

3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge--
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.

19/11/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 19TH 2025

TOPIC: BE VULNERABLE WITH GOD

MEMORISE:
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” - (Psalm 34:18)

BIBLE READING: EXODUS 3:1-5 (KJV)

1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

MESSAGE:
Whenever I am in God's presence, I behave like a child because I recognise that I am just a baby in need of His love, comfort, mercy, and help. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus told the story of two men who went into the temple to pray. One boasted about his achievements before God but was not justified. However, the other man who went humbly before God and acknowledged his helplessness was justified. In today's world, many people approach God as 'great people of faith'. However, this is why they pray for so long without getting responses from God.

When God described the dimensions of the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant to Moses in Exodus 25:17, He specified that its length was to be 2.5 cubits and its breadth was to be 1.5 cubits. Interestingly, God didn't specify a height. This means that the mercy seat isn't something to sit on but something to lie upon. Those who will receive God's mercy must come in their lowest state. When you're in God's presence, you must be vulnerable and discuss your weaknesses, problems, feelings, and areas of confusion with Him.

There is a difference between discussing and praying. Praying is asking for assistance, while discussing is saying, "Lord, this is me. I have tried this step and that step. What do I do?" If you have this posture in prayer, He will start teaching you things others don't know. Proverbs 3:7 warns us not to be wise in our own eyes. Some people ask for counsel but have already made up their minds on what to do. Such people aren't ready to listen to any advice but are only looking to rubber-stamp their decision. People who come to God like this never get anything from Him because they act like they know more than Him. They feel too proud to lay their ideas and strategies before Him and listen to His instructions.

In today's Bible reading, when Moses encountered God in the burning bush, the first thing God asked him to do was to take off his shoes. Beloved, your shoes represent the things that might be stopping you from being vulnerable with God, such as your knowledge and achievements. Take them off before coming to your heavenly Father. He never ignores those who are vulnerable before Him, and His mercy always finds the lowly (James 4:6). I pray that God will extend His grace and help towards you as you humble yourself before Him daily, in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, I humble myself before You. Please, let Your mercy find me and speak for me, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 18-19

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 30 WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]

18/11/2025

18/11/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18TH 2025

TOPIC: GOD VALUES YOUR INPUT

MEMORISE:
“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” - (Genesis 2:19)

BIBLE READING: GENESIS 18:16-33 (KJV)

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward S***m: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of S***m and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward S***m: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26 And the LORD said, If I find in S***m fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

MESSAGE:
I have noticed in my walk with God that even though He is Almighty and Omnipotent, He always wants to do things in partnership with His children. Many times, when He wants to do something, He will ask His children to handle a part of it while He does the rest. In today's memory verse, He took the animals He had made to Adam for him to name them, and whatever Adam called them became their names. In John 6:5-7, Jesus already knew what He would do, but He still asked the disciples how they could feed over 5,000 people. Eventually, He used the lunch of a little boy that one of His disciples brought to Him to feed the crowd. As mighty as God is, He loves to have His children's input in whatever He wants to do. Unfortunately, however, not many of them are intimate enough with God for Him to ask for their input.

In Ezekiel 37:1-10, God took a man to a valley full of dry bones and asked him if the bones could live. When a Christian begins to take his or her relationship with God more seriously, the fellow will not only hear from God but he or she will also start having intimate discussions with Him. Anybody can hear from God, but only a few discuss with Him, and very few become intimate with Him enough for God to ask them, "My son, what do you think we should do in this situation?"

In today's Bible reading, we see that Abraham was so intimate with God that God could not hide His intention to destroy S***m and Gomorrah from him. If you want God to regularly ask for your input in the things that He wants to do, you must be very intimate with Him. You must become so close to Him that He will say, "I cannot hide what I am about to do from My friend." It is not enough to only attend church regularly; there is much more to God than you can get by just spending two or three hours in a church service. To be intimate with God, you need to spend time with Him in prayers and read His word daily. When you spend time with Him daily, not only will you get to know more of Him, but He will also request your input on some of the matters that are dearest to Him.

REFLECTION:
Can God seek your input in whatever He wants to do?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 16-17

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 27 WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS