CONNECT WITH YOURSELF

The relationship we have with others are largely determined by the relationshipsame we have with ourselves. If we are not accaccepting of who we are, if we are not comfortable with ourselves as people, if we don't know  our strength and weaknesses, then the attempt wmake to connect with others will misfire. How can you connect with others on common ground if you don't know and like yourself?..how can you see others clearly if you have an unclear view about yourself? once we like, know, admire, and feel comfortable with ourselves, then we are open to knowing others, liking them and feeling comfortable with them. And then we have the potentials to connect with them....

SONG DOWNLOAD: ABIMBOLA OLAOFE - GBAGBE

U. K Based gospel act has released another lovely single from her just concluded album "ase(amen)". She is a talented soul singer who ministers to the lives of many all over the world.

She says that the release of the sing "gbagbe" was as a result of happenings around her. She thus felt compelled to release something for the streets. Something every person of all categories can fit into.

The song was produced, mixed and mastered by her Ace producer, Wole Oni.

Click HERE  to download the song

DEVOTIONAL: GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT

Bible passage: 1Tim. 6:6-11


The moment a person makes up his mind to focus his passion and mind to seeking after the things of God, he becomes very content with life. There are lots of people who are not enjoying their life because they are being confused with the mundane things of this world. As a child of God, your focus and attention should centre on the word of God which will help you live life with a sense of fulfilment. It is not the abundance of what you have that determines the joy that you get in life. I have been privileged to get close to many wealthy and influential people and I have concluded that the best kind of life is a life of simplicity. There are people who focus on gaining worldly possessions but those who know the essence of life will focus on the spirit and they will not allow the lust of this world to consume their heart.

I know both how to be abased and how to abound : everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need".Phillipians. 4:12

 Paul had learnt how to be content in poverty and in wealth. This should also be the life of every child of God, because it is only in Christ that one understands the purpose of all things. Paul learnt how to be poor without complaining about his circumstances. He knows how to go about his life in situations of want knowing that God was in charge of his life. It is no news that the greatest problem of man is greed. It is also the major cause of underdevelopment in many nations, as those that have been entrusted with the resources  are continually greedily trying to acquire more money. As believers we must know how to possess money without money possessing us. We should not follow the examples of those who have allowed money to become an idol in their lives. Anytime we are in need, we should call on God: it is only Jesus who gives strength to overcome the despair and discouragement of such moments. And anytime we are in wealth, we need Christ to help us exercise full control over wealth. There is nothing we go through that we don't have the power to endure because our strength is of the Lord. We must not become  obsessed with the gains of this world at the expense of our souls,especially since it is not possession that brings happiness. Christ is there source of happiness ,therefore it is the foundation we have in him that determines the extent of contentment we have in life. We must not allow the process of getting rich deny us the ultimate joy and satisfaction in Christ Jesus.

We should not become spiritually bankrupt because we are in a quest to get rich. We should not stray away from the faith because we want money. God is more than able to supply all our needs as we put our trust in him and follow his instructions for our lives.

Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

MESSAGE DOWNLOAD: HAVE WHAT YOU WANT

Here's another life changing message from the senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Reverend Sam Adeyemi.
It talks about the power of limitless capabilities in times of hardship and pain.

Click HERE  to download the message

ARTICLE: WE ARE ALL IN IT TOGETHER

Anchor Passage: But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

-1Corinthians.9:27

Most people deceive themselves by saying that the grass is greener on the other side. They think that preachers can never be tempted with what they preach. Nothing can be further from the truth. The preacher is not superior to his hearers when it comes to temptations and desires. He also struggles more with addictions and bad habits amongst others. He is not superior to his hearers in this regard. We all have our struggles. This is why apostle Paul in Hebrews.12:1 says:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sun which do easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us".

What the anchor passage also means is that preachers can also be judged by what they preach. If a person gets a revelation from God on a matter or even a solution to a problem, this does not make him totally immune from the problem. If the person fails to apply the known antidote which is the word of God or better still flee completely from such temptation, he will fall flat. The devil chose to tempt Jesus when he was at the peak of power. He had just finished a 40-day fast and was loaded with anointing. He was practically on a spiritual high. Yet that was the best time for the devil to tempt Him. Thank God for the weapon of the Word which He used to defeat the devil.

When a preacher, irrespective of the power and anointing fails to use the weapon of the Word and body discipline, then he is susceptible to falling into sin and being judged and condemned afterwards. May this not be our portion in Jesus name.

MUSIC DOWNLOAD (with lyrics) : MIKE ABDUL -KNEEL DOWN

This is another wonderful single from the sensational musician,  Mike ABDUL. He just finished work on his "Korede" Album and is set to dazzle his fans with this brand new hit.

He features David Karnji and A'dam who spices up the work in a unique way.

Click HERE  to download

ARTICLE: WHERE ARE YOU?

"Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him "Where are you? "

                                                                                                                          - Genesis. 3:9        

A popular law in Physics states that "a body will remain in its present state of rest or uniform motion until it is acted upon by an external force." This means that an object will remain as it is unless something else affects it. God is a God of progress and growth. This explains why He was able to create the whole world in just seven days without having to carry one day's work over to another. He kept moving from one phase of creation to another and didn't stop to rest until all was completed.

     The question "where are you? " is a question of purpose. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the garden and went to sew fig leaves to cover themselves, God visited as usual and asked them that question. You should take note that we serve an all-knowing God, which means the question was not asked out of ignorance. When a fellow man asks you such, you can sure that he/she is short of information and sincerely wants to know, but God can never be ignorant. God, who is all-seeing and all-knowing already knew Adam and Eve had disobeyed. Yet, He still chose to come down in the cool of the evening and fellowship with them, asking that same question of purpose. To every reader or listener of this piece God knows your present state and isn't angry with you. He's only angry at your sins. He is ever ready to pick you up and clean you up from your mess when you recognize and surrender to Him as your Lord and saviour.

"Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like Scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool.
                                                                                                                          -Isaiah. 1:18

Man will always seek self defence and exoneration, which explains why Adam passed the blame to Eve and Eve to the serpent. They knew they had sinned and disobeyed God, but we're not ready to own up, be responsible and ask for mercy. This was probably the reason For meted out adequate punishment to each of them-Adam, Eve and the serpent.
Irrespective of who you are or what you may be doing with yourself, God is asking you that same question of purpose today, "where are you? ". Are you gonna hide and cover yourself with fig leaves of self defense or own up and surrender to God? Some people  have very justifiable reasons for committing sin. Some even turn back at His and blame Him for putting them in compromising positions, where there's no other option but to sin. The Bible in 1Corinthians. 10:13 says:

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it".

There will always be a godly way to go about every situation. God has a counsel concerning every issue of life. You just have to get familiar with His word and hear what He's saying. The sinful life is a nature we inherited from Adam and as such, runs deep. This is why we constantly need the help of the Holyspirit to put us in order. God died for us while we were yet sinners, so He knows our state of imperfect. The question is "are you ready to let God help you move forward or you still want to  keep hiding and looking for justification under trees of ignorance and self defense.
Let God help you move forward.



If you don't have a personal relationship with God, click HERE  to begin

DEVOTIONAL: NOT IMPOSSIBLE

Bible Reading: Numbers.14:6-9


One thing I have always told my children that every Christian should never forget is the fact that the Christian life is not an ordinary life, but a supernatural one. It is something superior to the ordinary natural existence. It supersedes the natural so much that it compels things to be done that would not ordinarily be done.  The supernatural can cause events contrary to natural laws to take place. Anyone operating in the realm of the supernatural therefore does what everyone else terms "impossible". It takes supernatural powers to reverse the irreversible. It also takes this power that is beyond human ability to move the immovable. This is also the kind of power that is required to win your nation for Jesus. This year, whatever is irreversible in your life will be reversed, and whatever has been immovable will be moved in your favour in Jesus name .

When you are operating in the realm of the supernatural, you face situations with the understanding that with God, nothing shall be impossible. What is that physical challenge you're having in your body? By the power of God it shall be resolved today. This year,  what everyone had deemed impossible will be possible for you. By the power of these most high, what you found most impossible to accomplish will become possible. Every chain of impossibility nagging around that situation is broken now in Jesus name. Possibilities will be your experience from now.

When some people meet with difficulties in a particular business, they abandon it for another. This may not necessarily be the best thing to do. Even when it appears hopeless, just hold on to God's word concerning the situation, obey and wait for result. To solve a particular problem or challenge, it is not necessarily the number of attempts made that matters, but who is aiding your attempts. Peter had tried so many times without a catch that night, but the only attempt he made that the backing of the Lord delivered to him a harvest beyond expectations. The major challenge which believers going through the path of hopelessness face is that, unlike Peter they lack a word from God in respect to their situations. When there is nothing from God in an issue, the state of hopelessness will be worse. But if God has spoken a word on the matter, the case is as good as closed in your favour. Are you in a hopeless situation?  Take time to read and study the Bible,asking God to give you a word for that situation. God always has something to say about your situation, but are you ready to hear it?  God is assuring you, it is not impossible. As you return to that abandoned project or failed business ,every impossibility shall become possible in the name of Jesus.


Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

PHOTOS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE ARRIVES TURKEY FOR THE FESTIVAL OF LIFE PROGRAMME

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E. A Adeboye has arrived at the nation of Turkey on tour for the festival of Life programme. The humble man of God landed at the RCCG Istanbul, Turkey Mission amidst family and friends and other well wishers.
The visit of the servant of God to Turkey can be said to be a timely one at this time as the nation of Turkey which used to be a christian country has now become a full blown Islamic nation with several cases of terrorism raging around it's borders.

    Also spotted with him on the tour was the boss of the multinational Oil corporation, Sahara Group, Mr. Tonye Cole who is also a committed worker in RCCG.

Scroll down to view pictures...

MESSAGE DOWNLOAD: WATCH YOUR EARS

This is another inspirational sermon from the senior pastor of the House on the Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin.

It offers a great insightinto the Word of Life.

Click HERE   to download

MUSIC DOWNLOAD (with lyrics) : LEGENDARY DAVID JUDAH - FEEL OKAY

There are times in life when you feel sad and downtrodden. Your reaction to such moments of your life goes a long way deciding the outcome. 
Legendary davidjudah is a rap artist who is coming with a message of encouragement and hope to everyone. He believes that whatever situation you find yourself happens "for you" and not "to you".

Click HERE  to download the song

Scroll down for the lyrics :

INTRO:

See you know sometimes you dey go through situations you dey like “God when you go show up for me nau?”

You dey always dey count the things when be say God never do for you but mehnn, if you dey learn how to count the things GOD don do for you omo boy I swear ehhn kai my people YOU GO FEEL OK.

Chorus:
Sometimes e get as e be mehnn
Sometimes e get as e dey
But omo no dey complain jes count your blessings you go feel OK.

Verse:
Yea you go feel OK
You go feel OK
Omo dem dey ask you kilode?
You dey hustle from sun up to sun down nothing to show for nothing to make you smile
Things go work out if you work your faith
That’s what the Pastor say that’s what the people say your help is on the way your blessings dey come you go see a new dawn
Be like you no dey believe enough
The more you try d more thing go dey rough
Lord see Chima and yemi don blow when you go do my own nau?
When u go make me shine?
When u go do my own nau?
I no dey young again nau
Listen pal he must be working on something keep your head up and never give up. Walaii

Chorus:
Sometimes e get as e be mehnn
Sometimes e get as e dey
But omo no dey complain jes count your blessings you go feel OK.

Yea you go feel OK
You go feel OK and you go throw your hands up like this allday
Yea u go feel OK
You go feel OK
You and your people get to party like this all day
It’s not too late to believe in God
It’s never too late to put your trust in God
Just stick to the word you go get reward God go show up soon He won’t be long
Remember Job or Hannah Remember Paul and Silas , Hezekiah, King David, dey hold God till e show up for them
This things dey written omo so we go learn
Na who dey feed the birds of the air?
Na who dey clothe the grass of the field?
Abi na you?
Abi no be God?
Na you dey gee d monkey banana?
Sometimes jes ask yourself, I know you wonna sitdown jes blast yourself
You no fit tell me say God never try you no fit deny datwan go be lie
I know say Oluchi don born,
I know say Nkechi don marry
Listen no be who first get dey get last God go show up soon my guy jes relax walaii

Chorus:
Sometimes e get as e be mehnn
Sometimes e get as e dey
But omo no dey complain jes count your blessings you go feel OK.

Yea You go feel okay ,
You go feel okay and you go throw your hands up like this all day
Yea you go feel okay yea you go feel okay you and your people get to party like this allday.

You be like o Lord abeg speak to me,
Time no dey again Abeg speak to me.
My faith dey fail me Abeg speak talk to me,
This things wen dem dey yan no be make believe.

[God Speaking] I AM the Lord GOD!
Is there anything too hard for me to do?
Who calls the stars by name, who made the sun to rule by day
Who showed the waters were to stay?
Who told the eagles where to play?
Why do you fear, why do you fear why do you care?
I told you cast your cares on me
I showed you you could count on me,
Yea I was there when you walk through the waters and fire who kept you, who kept you and picked u up every time that you felt life kicked you off
O boy I can set you up, your unbelief sounds so ridiculous
I can set you up amongst things set you up amongst kings if you only believe

Chorus:
Sometimes e get as e be mehnn
Sometimes e get as e dey
But omo no dey complain jes count your blessings you go feel OK.

DEVOTIONAL: CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN?

Bible reading: Revelation. 22:11-14

At the beginning of his ministry, Paul took a ride in a basket as he escaped for his life in Damascus(2Corinthians.11:32-33). But there God who delivered him from the garrison at Damascus allowed him to end up in jail at Phillipi(Acts.16). Because God answered a particular prayer yesterday does not mean he would repeat another answer in exactly the same manner.

In Acts.16:25, Paul conducted a worship service in the prison right in the midst of chains and bonds. He never complained. Paul learnt to praise God in whatever circumstances he found himself. Not many people can praise God when sent into prison for the sake of the gospel. He was prepared to undertake the worst of sufferings for the kingdom of God(Phillipians.1:20-21). He was not ashamed.  Are you ashamed to suffer minor ridicule, persecutions, denials, beatings for His name today? Paul could day we should become a living sacrifice because he was one.

In African traditional religion, when a bird or animal is brought as a sacrifice to an idol, the giver forfeits his right to that animal. It becomes the property of the idol for the rest of its life. Whether it lives or dies or is given to someone is at the discretion of the idol. That living sacrifice may be fed so well in one moment and killed the next minute. This explains the term living sacrifice. You should be so yielded to God to the extent of delivering to Him the greatest pleasure in whatever you do. If dying for the gospel will give Him that height of pleasure, you should be prepared to die like Stephen. The preparedness of Daniel to go into the Lion's den demonstrated that he was a living sacrifice. But in the end, instead if death, his faith compelled a decree to fear Daniel's God. If my death can produce a United Nations decree compelling all nations of the world to worship no other God other than my God - the true and living God, I will gladly be on my way to heaven. Are you a living sacrifice? And to what extent?


Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional.

ARTICLE: NOW'S THE TIME FOR WORK

"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw by when you say "I have no pleasure in them".
                                                                                                                               Ecclesiastes. 12:1

The youthful stage of life is the best time to serve God and get the best from the Word of life. The Bible in Matthew. 7:24 says:

Therefore whoever hears this sayings of mine and does them, I will like him to a wise man who built his house on the Rock."

    The solid foundation that Jesus talked about in the above scripture is built in the youthful stage. Life has its own way of bringing certain difficulties our way. Your survival during these times is dependent on how much of God's word you have stored up inside of you since the time of your youth. Everything that a man has, his time, his strength, his resources should be used to serve God. The Bible records that the glory of the youth is in their strength. This means that a man can never post of a better period of great physical strength throughout his lifetime other than during the youthful days. Just a labourer requires great strength to dig deep into the ground for a very solid foundation for a mighty building, so is great strength required to build a solid spiritual foundation that will stand the test of time when trials and tribulations arise later in life.

As a young person, what can you say about your identity in God? What exactly is God saying about your life? How much of the Word of God do you have in you? People frequently make statements like "...life is not a bed of roses", "...if wishes were horses","...all that glitters is not gold". All these axioms depict the inevitability of hardships and trials in life. So I am not being pessimistic when I talk about preparing for hurdles in life. For a believer who is heaven minded, the preparation should be more. If we waste our time during the youthful days of glory, then we will have little or nothing to still The storms of life when it arises. That the challenges of life will arise is certain but are you well kitted with the armour of God?


If you don't have a personal relationship with God, click HERE  to begin

SONG DOWNLOAD: FAVOUR FLAKES-THE WAY YOU ARE

FF is an inspirational artist and hails from Uromi in Edo state, Nigeria. He is a classically trained tenor, with many recitals performances to his credit, but has always had a creative vision to develop new sounds that infuse classical music, afro pop and indie genre into a beautiful tune.


THE WAY YOU ARE is a beautifully delivered inspirational song channelled towards the disappointments of life and how to never give up as we strive to be the best. Delivered with a nice up beat rock-like sound, with Favour Flakes showcasing his vocal capabilities. This is a song that will lift your spirit, send a message and get you head nodding.

Click HERE  to download the song.

PRAYER POINTS AT THE RCCG MAY HOLYGHOST SERVICE

1. Father, in the midst of your people single me out for healing tonight.

2. Father, please give me a major financial breakthrough.

3. Father, every enemy within that is working against my progress, deal with them in your own way.

4. Father, speak peace into my life and wipe away all tears from my eyes.

5. Father, please make me what you want me to be in life.

DEVOTIONAL: WHAT MUST I DO TO RECEIVE FROM GOD

BIble reading: Mark. 11:22-26


Children of God looking into Him for blessings should learn that God has provided the means of receiving abundant blessings from Him. God has also established a few laws  principles, rules and regulations to govern the process. For anyone to receive anything from God, the fellow must at least have a relationship with Him and must have faith in His love, mercy and power to do whatever he is hoping to get from Him.

We must be connected to God abide in Him before we can receive from Him. Wisdom for financial breakthrough teaches that although His gives seed to the sower, He also expects the sower to sow and not eat the seed.

"Now he that ministers seed to the sower also ministers bread for your food,and multiply your seed sown, and also increase the fruits of your righteousness".2Corinthians. 9:10

You must realize that there is no child of God without a seed. Now you may say "I have no money and therefore I have nothing to sow. You are wrong. If you have no money, you can have something more valuable than money. Look into your hearts, hands,intellect, talent, time, what you have in your house, your academic training, your mouth to preach an win souls, etc. There is no-one without a seed. When God provides you with a financial blessing say your wage, salary, income or profit from a business. That provision has a seed in it. If you spend everything, you will harm yourself. The book of John. 12:24 says:

"Except a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abideth alone,but when it dies, it bears much fruits".

That financial provision, salty, wage or profit increase is some kind of harvest. God expects that the harvest you take today will give you a larger harvest tomorrow. When you receive your harvest, pay your tithes, sow your seeds and spend the rest. The seed you sow in the process of time will multiply and fetch you bread. If you don't sow your seeds, they remain alone but if you do, you give them an opportunity to "thank you for parting with us". They will give you a harvest that will yet give you more seeds to sow. You can decide to keep your corn with you, eat it and starve afterwards or sow it and expect a harvest. Many believers today are poor because if greed, gluttony, impatience, ignorance and lack of faith made them eat their seeds along with their bread.
Now you know better. Simply obey and begin to enjoy increase on all sides. As you begin to follow divine principles today, you will witness an extraordinary supply of His favour and blessings in Jesus name.

Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

MUSIC DOWNLOAD: JOHNNY DRILLE- MY BEAUTIFUL LOVE

Johnny Drille is a fast rising and sensational superstar who believes in the reality of love. According to him, he visualises love everyday as shared between his mum and dad.

He has chosen to release this one as special Valentine's Day hit for all his fans.



Click HERE  to download the music

MESSAGE DOWNLOAD: PAUL ADEFARASIN - THE POWER OF CHOICE

This is a wonderful sermon clip from the the senior pastor of the House on the Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin.

The message is titled "The Power Of Choice" and it bothers round the effect of our everyday decisions.


Click HERE  to download

MUSIC DOWNLOAD: FRANK EDWARDS-GOD OVER EVERYTHING

In order to whet the appetite of his numerous fans who are eagerly awaiting the release of his latest album, Frank Edwards has released this single for bloggers to share.

The new album, titled "FRANKINCENSE" will be released from the stable of Rocktown records. It is currently being worked upon to attain perfection.

Frank, who is a multiple award-winning gospel act has promised his fans that the much awaited album will soon be out without no further delay. He has been busy working on various collaborations in order to make the production a huge success.


Click HERE  to download the song

DEVOTIONAL: A BETRAYER?

Bible Reading: Luke.22:19-23

A betrayer is a covenant breaker and there is a danger in being a covenant breaker. (Romans. 1:31). A betrayer is someone who knows the secret of the strong and/or the weakpoint of an individual through an intimate relationship and leaks or exposes it to that individual's opponent. A typical example of a betrayer is Judas Iscariot. Reading the story of the betrayal of Jesus Christ will teach us many lessons. Firstly, the fact that someone is close to you does not mean that he/she cannot betray you. As a matter of fact, it is the closeness that fosters the idea of betrayal. Hardly could a casual acquaintance be guilty of betrayal because there is hardly any secret to divulge. Secondly,  a betrayer is a killer and so a betrayer is murderous.

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, Ye do always resist the holyghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your father persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the just one. Of which year have been now the betrayers and murderers. "Acts 7:51-52

The Bible describes a betrayer as someone who rivals secrets (Prov. 11:13). The words of a talebearer are like wounds that go down to the innermost parts of the body.  Betrayal is not a Christian virtue. Before the almighty God, it attracts "a capital punishment". As it is written:

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea . Wow unto the world's because of offences: for it must needs be that offences come, but woe  unto the man by whom the offences cometh".Matthew. 18:6-7

Beloved of God, let us not be caught up with the spirit of the end time as predicted by apostle Paul in his writings about the characteristics of the perilous times, when there will be blasphemers,boasters,trucebreakers, flash accusers, despisers of godliness, traitors and lovers of pleasures than lovers of God. I pray that as many as have been caught up in these deadly habits shall receive deliverance today in Jesus name.

Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

ARTICLE: SETTING PRIORITIES BY PASTOR NIKE ADEYEMI

Pastor Nike Adeyemi is president and founder of the Real Woman Foundation. She is the wife of the famous Success coach, Reverend Sam Adeyemi of the Daystar Christian Centre.
Being a woman of so much insight and compassion, she twitted these facts concerning priorities some weeks ago, and I thought it a good pic for my readers' consumption.

Here are some of the points she noted:


 1. A priority is something that you think is more important than others and should be dealt with first.

2. Your priorities reflect your values and what matters the most to you.

3. Your relationship with God should come first because it is foundational for everything you need to do in life.

4. Every other area of your life that seems to be out of place would to take shape once you get it right with God.

5. Don’t be too busy that you relegate God to the bottom of the list or not remember him all through the day.

 6. After God, you need to prioritize your relationships. Don’t put your life out of balance.

7. Prioritize your life partner, children and family because they need you.

8. Your relationship with your boss should also be a priority because they depend on you at work .

9. When you spend and invest time in your relationships, it helps you to break the hold of self centeredness.

DEVOTIONAL: THE SOVEREIGN GOD

Bible Reading: Daniel. 5:20-21

After King Nebuchadnezzar was deposed from his kingly throne, his glory was taken away from him and he was disgraced to the point of eating grass like oxen, he came back to his senses to realize that the Mosthigh God is the ultimate ruler in the kingdom of men.  The problem with the king was that he got carried away with his achievements, thinking that they were the byproducts of his wisdom and physical power. This is the problem with many people Like him through the ages. Any achievement that would not lead us back to the very Achiever could be very deadly. Jesus Christ spoke of a very rich farmer who was boasting of his achievements in agriculture, only for his life to be taken byaway from him that same night.

"And I will say to my soul,  "Soul,  thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat,  drink and be merry, but God said to him "Thou fool, this night your soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?
Luke.12:19-20

Apostle James warned against being boastful without giving consideration to the sovereignty of God in James.4:13-15:

"Go to now, yeah that say "today or tomorrow, we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell,  and yet gain: whereas yeah know not what is in the morrow, for what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeared for a little time, and then vanish away. For that ye ought to say "If the Lord will,  we shall do this or that".

It is presumptuous for someone who does not know of he will survive the next day to commence planning for a programme that will take place in six months time. It is only the Almighty God that has the power to will and to do. One can see the cause of the calamity that befell kings Pharaoh and Herod. In the case of king Herod,  he took not only the glory that belonged to God,  but God's sovereignty. The consequence was fatal and he was eaten up by worms immediately.

"And upon a set day,  Herod who was
 Arrayed in royal apparel sat on his throne and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout saying "it is the voice if a god and not a man.
Acts.19:22-23

May the sovereignty of God be made positively manifest in our lives, so that we can live in the supernatural from now on in Jesus  name. Amen.

Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional.

ARTICLE : FIVE STAGES OF RECOVERY BY BISHOP T. D JAKES

Bishop T.D Jake's is the presiding pastor of The Pottershouse Church and he has revealed five things we need to do to recover from anything you are going through quick and easily. Listed below are the stages or levels of recovery :

1. Have something to reach for:
          My past can't kill me if I have something to fight for. Sometimes you need to come out of your shell and break new boundaries to move ahead.

2. Stretch yourself:
            It is generally said that "comfort  is an enemy of progress ". As long as you remain comfortable in your present situation you may remain there for long.

3. Confrontation :
            You have to go back to the source. Conquests without confronting your issues gives false sense of security. There is an "inner-me" enemy. You can't recover fully if you keep confronting yourself. To not confront isn't healthy, it makes the situation worse.

4. Honesty :

          Every person remember things well,  especially wrongs done to them. People will always give the version of their story to their advantage.

5. Conquering :
         Anything you cannot confront, you cannot conquer. Real victory requires sensitivity. It's not just ordinary intellect  it's instinct.

NEWS: ADRIENNE BAILLON OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS SHE'S DATING ISRAEL HOUGHTON

         Israel Houghton who recently  announced his divorce to his wife Meleasa after 20 years of marriage has confirmed he is now dating Adrienne Bailon who is one of the hosts on a T. V broadcast called ‘The Real’. according to Israel, “I met Adrienne Bailon a bit over 2 years ago, we worked together & became friends… Our circles connected & we remained good friends. From a friendship, as two single adults we have very recently begun to explore a dating relationship. As I previously wrote in a statement I released a while back, My marriage had been over for quite some time before going public with my divorce announcement.

          In the other hand, as a co-host on “The Real” Adrienne has confirmed that she is indeed dating the Grammy Award–winning Christian music artist after a year of being single. Her co-hosts were on-hand to help her spread the rumours.

There were also reports that Israel was suspended from Joel Osteen’s Lakewood church following the divorce.

MUSIC DOWNLOAD: JOSHUA MIKE-BAMILOYE -GENERATION NEXT (full album)

"The taste of the pudding is in eating" so goes the adage. The music of Joshua Mike-Bamiloye is one with a difference. There couldn't have been a better array of gospel songs with such spirit-lifting lyrics. The sound quality and sweet melody of each of the tracks buttresses the fact that "Jaymikee" has come to stay.

The songs were produced, mixed and mastered at the Mountzion Studios.

Click HERE to download the full album.

DEVOTIONAL: DEMON-INVITING HABIT

Bible Reading :Proverbs. 23:29-35

There are many avenues through which demons can possess an individual. One of them is alcoholism. Alcoholism is a subtle habit that introduces a man to demon possession and /by or introduce demons to the alcoholic. It is a volatile avenue, a broad avenue open to many categories of demons, pride, sexual immorality, violence,folly, to mention a few. It is unfortunate that some believers are beginning to consider "moderation" in the consumption of alcohol. It is this liberal approach to the handling of the issue of alcohol consumption that is increasing demonic operations in lives that are supposed to be Holyspirit filled. This is why Ephesians 5:18 says:

And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit.

How does alcoholism invite demons? Our Bible text today answers that in part:one of the symptoms of demonic possession is sorrow and the texts asks "who hath sorrow? " and answers straight away "they that go to seek mixed wine ". The scripture goes ahead to warn "look not thou upon the wine when it is red,  when it gives his color in the cup, when it move the itself aright .The demon of sorrow is put in motion to possess an alcoholic and this confirmed by the infallible word of God. In addition, out text says "thine eyes shall behold strange women... " here the demon of  sexual immorality is set in motion by alcoholism. A married man does not remember his marriage vows when put under the influence of alcohol. An alcoholic can sleep with the worst psychiatric patient. Alcohol promotes the sexual immorality of incest.

"And firstborn said unto the younger, "our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of  all the earth, :come let us make our father drink. Wine and we will lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father and he perceived. Not when she lay down or when she arose.

Gen.. 19:31-33

The products of this incestuous acts were the hateful Moabites and the children of  Ammo who latter became sworn enemies with the children of Israel. (2Chronicles. 20:1)...and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Alcoholism turn you into a talkative or a blasphemer. Those who naturally may not speak perverse things momentarily become outspoken under the influence of alcohol. Beloved, if you have not considered alcohol as a medium of  demon-possession till date,  I advice you to give it a second thought. Be faithful to yourself and abstain forthwith. Most of the woes that any people face can be traced to the demon of alcohol. The word if God is forever settled: the earlier we live by its precepts,  the better for us.


Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

EVENT : HOUSE ON THE ROCK CHURCH HOLDS WORD CONFERENCE

Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock Church invites you to this year's edition of her  Word conference...

See more details on the photo above.

ARTICLE: THE ESSENCE OF RENEWAL.

One of God's utmost desire for mankind  is that they are transformed by renewing their minds. Romans 12:2. We are in this world but not of this world. Just like Jesus when he was on earth. There'd have been no need for the mind renewal if not for contamination from our past, old life. Jesus already knew the truth about his life assignment and destiny  from birth, so He was careful enough not to allow any form of contamination into His life,  thus no need for mind renewal.  The way Jesus walked through this world with so much influence and glory, yet with His mind in heavenly things, God the father expects same from us.

When we bear children, it is good to expose them to the truth of God's Word. This gives them a lesser chance of being polluted by the world. When Jesus was in the world it was typical of Him to leave the crowd and isolate Himself with God alone somewhere. This is a pointer to where His mind was. Despite the fame and power that was wrought in His lifetime, He chose the simple and humble path of a sinless life. Of course, it's only a person like Him that could have changed the world the way He did. He had a selfless and sacrificial mindset which culminated in His shameful death on the cross. The most important thing to Him is that the will of the father is done here on earth .

There can only be one thing your love is centered on. It is either on the father or on this world. 1Jn. 2:15.What your love is centered on best describes how you live your life. That's what determines your values and priorities, what you invest your time and money on. As earlier stated, the expectation of God for every of His children is that we renew our minds by constant exposure to the Word of God. It is also expected that we censor everything that enters our minds through our "eye-gates" and "ear-gates".

And if you don't have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His son, click HERE  to begin.

PRAYERPOINTS AT THE RCCG APRIL HOLYGHOST SERVICE (specially for children and teenagers)

1. Father, from tonight let your light rule absolutely in my life.

2. Father,  from tonight  anywhere my children go,  let their lights shine.

3. Father, let my light begin to grow rapidly.

4. Father,  whatever is your purpose for my children, let them be fulfilled.

5. Father,  let all efforts to put out my light fail.

6. Father, cut any hand that tries to touch my children for evil.

7. Father,  scatter any group gathering against my family.

8. Father,  from now on, let there be no cry of pain,  sorrow or loss from my family ever again.

9. Father let every member of my family become a vessel unto honor in your hands.

HIS BIRTH OR DEATH... Which is of more importance?

In our society there are two great religious holidays-Christmas and Easter. Most of us are of the opinion that Christmas is the bigger and greater season of the year. It's the time of year when we gather with family and friends to sing carols, decorate the tree, and exchange gifts. Christmas, as we all know is the climax of the whole year. Easter?...Well, for most people it's just another long weekend, another chance to get away for a few days.

Even Christians and believers alike view Easter as a second-rate holiday!
Very few people feel that unusual sacrifice our Savior made on the Cross. 

Somehow we've gotten our thinking badly mixed up. If Easter had not happened, Christmas would have no meaning. If the tomb is not empty, the cradle makes no difference. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then he really is just a misguided Jewish rabbi with delusions of grandeur. If Easter is not true, then Christmas is only the story of an obscure baby born in a forgotten manger of an out-of-the-way village in a forgotten land 2000 years ago. It is Easter that gives Christmas its meaning.

Here's proof? In all the major doctrinal point is ever built upon the the virgin birth of Christ. Not one. It's true. It happened. But it's never discussed or mentioned. In fact, two gospels don't even say anything about it.

But the resurrection? That's a different story. In every part of the New Testament, it comes up again and again. The Bible in Acts. 4:2 says

"Being vexed and indignant through and through because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of resurrection from the dead".

       When the first Christians preached, they didn't mention Bethlehem; they talked about the empty tomb. They never got over the fact that on Easter Sunday when they went to the tomb, Jesus was gone. The Bible in Matthew. 28:6 says:
"He is not here, He is risen as He has said( He would do). Come see the place where his body lay. 

ARTICLE: HE ROSE!!!, AGAINST ALL ODDS.

^"But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead.  He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again." (1Corinthians .15:20)

     Its amazing how some antagonists carry a false idea of Jesus swooning on the Cross and being nursed back to life. Of course, we all know that nothing can be further from the truth.

         What sets the Christian faith apart from all other beliefs and religious systems in this world is that it's a religion with a strong evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. God took his time to prove to the world beyond all reasonable doubts that Jesus is risen to Heaven. Most times when the venue of an event is changed without prior announcement, a person or placard is situated at the old venue to redirect guests to the new venue. This was the role of the angels at the tomb of Jesus when He resurrected. They were there to give accurate authentic information about the resurrected Jesus to anyone who cares to listen. Go did this to silent some antagonists who may later go around lieing to people to people that Jesus didn't resurrect. To anyone  It might come down to this: If you go to the tombs of any of the prophets on which other world religions have been founded, you will find them occupied.  But if you go to the tomb of Jesus Christ, you will find it empty, because He is alive.  We serve a living Savior.!Hallelujah!!!

       This is why the resurrection of Jesus is such an important message and also why it has been opposed so much throughout history.  The devil knows that the Resurrection spells his defeat.  He also knows that if you believe this great truth that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again from the dead, it can change your life.

Not only can it change your life, but putting your faith in Him also means that you will have a new, resurrected body someday.  As believers, we have this great hope that we, too, will live again.


And if you don't have a relationship with Jesus, click HERE  to begin. 

DEVOTIONAL: LIVING IN THE SPIRIT

Bible Reading: Gal. 5:22-26

When you do not live in the Spirit, you will suffer spiritual famine. You will become a victim of the works of the flesh such as fornication, adultery, uncleanliness, idolatry, witchcraft, heresies etc. But when you allow your life to be directed  by the Spirit, you will be able to express the fruit of the Spirit  such as love,joy,peace,longsuffering, meekness, patience, etc. Those who walk in the Spirit cannot make wrong decisions and even when they have decided to make a move, their move will always lead to the right destination because they are guided by God. This is why it is important to allow God to speak to you so that you can hear His voice and find rest for your souls.  When you live in the Spirit, you will not grope around as someone in darkness. There are many people who have lost the energy required for the Christian race because they have allowed their hearts to be taken over by the mundane things of this world. Don't be a carnal christian. A carnal Christian enjoys what the world can offer as long as it satisfies his ego. A carnal Christian is always a victim of sin because the body has not been trained to be disciplined. If you live in the Spirit you will no longer have to compete with the world in fashion. If you are walking in the Spirit, you will not be comfortable exposing your body to cause others to fall into lust. You must make up your mind to break away from every act of carnality,so that the peace of God can rest in you.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans. 8:7

Do not be consumed any longer with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of this life. Make up your mind to be ruled and governed by the Spirit of God. Our hearts, deeds and the fruits we bear must be patterned to please God. One of the ways to ensure we live in the Spirit is to continue to  fellowship with Him. Those who find it difficult to come to the presence of God and fellowship cannot experience the power of the Spirit. You are supposed to value the presence of God more than anything in this life. You may be denied every other thing in life, but not the presence of God. Also to grow in the Spirit we must create time for the study of the word of God. Make the study of the word of God important in your agenda. The moment you begin to have excuses for not attending fellowship and studying God's word,you can be sure that the devil I'd already causing you to experience a spiritual famine and at the end there will be a manifestation of the flesh. Some who are no longer walking in the Spirit have given themselves over to false doctrine  blowing across the world. If you are in this category you have to cry to God to help you so that you will not be victim of heresy. The flesh is always programmed to yield to sin. Ask God to deliver you from the desires of your flesh so that you will no longer live to gratify it's dictates.


Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional. 

NEWS: SINGER NOMORELOSS IS DEAD!!!

      The handsome and gifted singer "nomoreloss" whose real names are Olumuyiwa Osinuga has been reported dead this morning.  The gifted musician who also doubles as a comedian has been bedridden since January this year. His sister Damilola Osinuga called this morning to announce his death.

This is indeed a big loss as he is still in his late thirties and survived by a wife and two kids.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.  AMEN.

ARTICLE: THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP

Glorifying the Lord is not limited to worshipping in church. In fact, praise ought to permeate the believer’s life and be seen in everything he does. 

One obvious way that we praise the Lord is with our voice. We can either speak or sing in worship. True worship flows from the mouths of believers who are focused upon God’s attributes. Those who have an indepth understanding of His abilities.  They desire to honor Him because of who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised for the future.

Human beings are naturally wired to worship. There is a hidden desire to worship in every person born. This explains why some people decide to worship graven images and ascribe God's glory to them. 

Even the children of Israel in the wilderness erected a golden calf to worship when they noticed that Moses was staying too long on Mount Sinai. They begged Aaron to look for an alternative for them because they couldn't focus on the true God to worship. 

      Genuine worship allows the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with His presence. But praising the Lord with wrong motives is an empty act. For example, if we’re lifting our hands and singing loud only because doing so feels good, then what we’re after is an emotional high. That kind of selfish praise falls far short of heaven.

Our God is praised when we serve Him. People are created for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to His name. Therefore, nothing should limit our willingness to work for the King, particularly when we have a chance to share Him with others. This is one other major way of glorifying God. Christ is honored when His followers speak boldly about His grace and His work—believers’ testimonies are an amazing form of praise that magnifies God’s name. More so, testifying of the goodness of God in our lives is a good way of sealing up our miracles and fortunes. 

       Jesus Christ is worth more than any treasure this world offers. Loving Him and understanding what He’s done for you should be all the motivation you need to praise Him with your life. You don't necessarily  need musical instruments for this kind of worship because your heart is connected to your creator.  Don’t just sing; serve His kingdom and share the gospel. Help to make God arise from His throne and dwell in the praises of His people indeed. 

And if you don't have a personal relationship with God, click HERE to begin.

PHOTO: SEE PICTURE OF KIRK FRANKLIN AND HIS CUTE SON

The RCA inspiration boss who just bagged an award at the Grammy's also has a cute son who is a lookalike.


Scroll down to view pictures.....

DEVOTIONAL : ARE YOU IN CHRIST?

Bible reading: John. 3:1-5

"Are you in Christ?" could mean all the following: Are you dwelling in the love of Christ? Are you filled with God's spirit? Do you love Jesus more than the mundane things of the world? Are you thirsty for the love and righteousness of Christ? Are you faithful and obedient to God's word? When you ate in Christ, there should be evidences of new things in your life. Those who don't have Jesus in their lives are always empty,but when you are in Christ, you become full. Those who do not have Jesus are always poor but the moment you allow Jesus into your life, you become a possessor of riches that only God can provide. Being rich is not just about driving the best of cars and living in mansions or jetting across the world on a daily basis. There are people who can afford all theses but are not happy. However, when you abide in Christ the kind of wealth you get from God is without sorrow. It is called true riches. Just look around you and see how the devil is tormenting the livesbof many people simply because they have not come to the knowledge of the truth. Before I met the Lord, I was a victim of the devil's torment. With all my qualifications, I was consistently in one problem or the other until I graciously met with the lover of my soul, Jesus Christ. The moment I met the Lord, I shut myself off from the rest of the world and clung to Him alone and I began to enjoy victory in all the areas I had suffered defeat. There is someone reading this devotional, I decree in the name that I'd above all names, you will never know shame and defeat again in Jesus name.

When you come to Christ, it doesn't matter how bad your past is. He will bring you out of the horrible pit you are in and clean you up.

Those who abide in Christ always have new songs to sing and the Lord is committed to establishing their steps due to their trust in him. I want you to make up your mind to settle for Jesus. He is the anchor of all creation. He's the focal point of global history. He's the reference point in world dates. He's the master of all situations and circumstances. Jesus is the solution to all problems and the answer to every question in your heart. Are you tired and weary? Have you been struggling alone? Is your case and report becoming hopeless? I want to assure you that with Jesus Christ, everything will have a new beginning. There is no discrimination against anyone who embraces a new beginning in Christ. It is the beginning of a glorious future and the opening of a new chapter. This is why anyone who wants to enjoy all these will have to deny himself of those weights that distracts and follow Jesus all the way. It is a lie of the devil to think that God created some people to obey Him and others to disobey Him.

Culled from the RCCG Open heavens devotional.