استكشف المحتوى الجذاب ووجهات النظر المتنوعة على صفحة Discover الخاصة بنا. اكتشف أفكارًا جديدة وشارك في محادثات هادفة
OPEN HEAVENS 2025 DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WED, JUL 09, 2025
TOPIC: EAT RIGHT
MEMORISE:
“Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” - (Ecclesiastes 10:17)
READ: Leviticus 11:1-42 (KJV)
1. Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them,
2. "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth:
3. Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat.
4. Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;
5. the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;
6. the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;
7. and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.
8. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you.
9. 'These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat.
10. But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you.
11. They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination.
12. Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.
13. 'And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard,
14. the kite, and the falcon after its kind;
15. every raven after its kind,
16. the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the seagull, and the hawk after its kind;
17. the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl;
18. the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture;
19. the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20. 'All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you.
21. Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth.
22. These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.
23. But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.
24. 'By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening;
25. whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening:
26. The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean.
27. And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening.
28. Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.
29. 'These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind;
30. the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon.
31. These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.
32. Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean.
33. Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean:
34. in such a vessel any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean.
35. And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean and shall be unclean to you.
36. Nevertheless a spring or a cistern, in which there is plenty of water, shall be clean; but whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean.
37. And if a part of any such carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean.
38. But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean to you.
39. 'And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening.
40. He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.
41. 'And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten.
42. Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination.
MESSAGE:
The primary reason people eat is for them to be healthy and have the strength to do the things they need to do. This means that any food a person eats that weakens or shortens his or her life is not good for the fellow. In today's Bible reading, God gave the Israelites instructions on what to eat and what not to eat. Modern-day scientists have discovered that the foods God allowed them to eat are good for our health, while the ones He said they shouldn't eat are bad for our health. I believe this contributed to their unusual strength and vigour in the wilderness (Psalm 105:37).
God cares about your health. He doesn't want you falling sick all the time because sickness doesn't glorify Him. Don't eat junk foods that endanger your health and then run to God to seek healing when the doctor's report comes out. You should glorify Him with your body by eating only foods that will keep you healthy.
Nowadays, many crops are grown and preserved with chemicals. This is why you should have your own garden and grow some of your own food if you have the opportunity to do so. When people contract diseases, they hardly trace them to the food they eat. However, some of the foods they eat are silent killers.
As good and important as food is, it can also make a fellow weak spiritually and physically. When you see people who have become obese because they eat whatever they like whenever they like, you will notice that they are usually weak. If you notice that getting up from a seat takes longer and requires more effort than it should, you should check your diet. Besides checking what you eat, it is also important to check when you eat. You cannot eat very heavy food late in the night and expect to wake up in the middle of the night to pray. Those who eat for strength don’t just eat anything; they eat what will make them strong. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with strength, therefore you should eat a lot of them. Also, avoid eating excessive sugary foods as too much sugar, like any other thing, is harmful.
Beloved, God needs you to be fit and healthy so you can express His glory on the earth and fulfil your destiny in Him. Glorify Him with your body; eat right!
KEY POINT:
Be mindful of what, when, and how you eat.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Proverbs 30-31
HYMNAL:
HYMN 28 - GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
1. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven!
Feed me now and evermore,
Feed me now and evermore.
2. Open Thou the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar,
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer! Strong deliverer!
Be Thou still my strength and shield,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3. If I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Bear me through the swelling torrent,
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises! Song of praises!
I will ever give to Thee,
I will ever give to Thee.
4. Saviour, come! we long to see Thee,
Long to dwell with Thee above;
And to know in full communion,
All the sweetness of Thy love,
Come, Lord Jesus! Come Lord Jesus!
Take Thy waiting people home,
Take Thy waiting people home.
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY JULY 8TH 2025
TOPIC: TRUE BEAUTY
MEMORISE:
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” - (1 Peter 3:4)
READ: 1 PETER 3:3-11 (KJV)
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
MESSAGE:
It is good to pay attention to your physical appearance; however, this should not become an obsession. Many people have become so obsessed with their physical appearance that they spend lots of time and money on artificial hair, make-up, cosmetic surgery, and revealing clothes, thinking this will make them more attractive. This sort of obsession is not befitting of Christians. For example, applying heavy cosmetics and undergoing cosmetic surgery is a way of telling God that He has not created you the right way. Wearing tight and revealing clothes is also a way of saying that you're cheap and available. As a genuine Christian, your true beauty is not determined by your outward appearance but by the things that lie within you.
You should only give moderate time and attention to your looks. If a believer spends three hours dressing up every morning, I wonder if he or she has a quiet time with God at all. Colossians 3:2 says that your primary focus should be on things above, not things on the earth. Matthew 6:21 also says that where your treasure is, there will your heart be. If you are spending so much resources on your outward appearance, it shows where your heart actually is and what you are really focused on. Some Christians go as far as getting cosmetic surgery to enhance certain parts of their body. Some of them cannot sacrifice their comfort for the sake of the gospel, but they are willing to risk their lives to enhance their appearance.
It is good to look good, but please pay more attention to looking more beautiful on the inside than you are on the outside. What makes a person really beautiful is his or her character and good deeds. Dorcas was full of good works and generosity. She was vibrant in her relationship with God and fervent in her love for humanity. When she died, the people in her community refused to let her go. They sent for Peter to come and wake her up because her impact was truly powerful (Acts 9:36-42). If all she was known for were her face and body structure, nobody would have gone the extra mile to get Peter to wake her from the dead.
Beloved, when you live for God, your life will be truly beautiful, and long after you have crossed over to eternity, people will still be blessed by your impact. Focus on reflecting true beauty, not just your outward appearance.
KEY POINT:
True beauty is in being a person of excellent character, virtues, and impact.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PROVERBS 27-29
AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 7 - I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine. [Refrain]
3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend! [Refrain]
4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee. [Refrain]
OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: TUESDAY JULY 8TH 2025
TOPIC: TRUE BEAUTY
MEMORISE:
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” - (1 Peter 3:4)
READ: 1 PETER 3:3-11 (KJV)
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
MESSAGE:
It is good to pay attention to your physical appearance; however, this should not become an obsession. Many people have become so obsessed with their physical appearance that they spend lots of time and money on artificial hair, make-up, cosmetic surgery, and revealing clothes, thinking this will make them more attractive. This sort of obsession is not befitting of Christians. For example, applying heavy cosmetics and undergoing cosmetic surgery is a way of telling God that He has not created you the right way. Wearing tight and revealing clothes is also a way of saying that you're cheap and available. As a genuine Christian, your true beauty is not determined by your outward appearance but by the things that lie within you.
You should only give moderate time and attention to your looks. If a believer spends three hours dressing up every morning, I wonder if he or she has a quiet time with God at all. Colossians 3:2 says that your primary focus should be on things above, not things on the earth. Matthew 6:21 also says that where your treasure is, there will your heart be. If you are spending so much resources on your outward appearance, it shows where your heart actually is and what you are really focused on. Some Christians go as far as getting cosmetic surgery to enhance certain parts of their body. Some of them cannot sacrifice their comfort for the sake of the gospel, but they are willing to risk their lives to enhance their appearance.
It is good to look good, but please pay more attention to looking more beautiful on the inside than you are on the outside. What makes a person really beautiful is his or her character and good deeds. Dorcas was full of good works and generosity. She was vibrant in her relationship with God and fervent in her love for humanity. When she died, the people in her community refused to let her go. They sent for Peter to come and wake her up because her impact was truly powerful (Acts 9:36-42). If all she was known for were her face and body structure, nobody would have gone the extra mile to get Peter to wake her from the dead.
Beloved, when you live for God, your life will be truly beautiful, and long after you have crossed over to eternity, people will still be blessed by your impact. Focus on reflecting true beauty, not just your outward appearance.
KEY POINT:
True beauty is in being a person of excellent character, virtues, and impact.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PROVERBS 27-29
AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE
HYMNAL: 7 - I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine. [Refrain]
3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend! [Refrain]
4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee. [Refrain]
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has urged Christians youth to show love to their neighbours always in order to promote national development.
Tinubu also advised the youth to avoid judging others on the basis of religious beliefs.
The first lady gave the advice on Monday when she received in audience the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) and hosted it to an Easter Brunch at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu said she was encouraged by the group’s visit and show of love, adding that it takes sacrificial love and compassion to change the world.
She called on young people to be at the forefront of promoting gender equity, pointing out that there is room for women who are willing, to thrive in the country.
The National Chairman of YOWICAN, Mr Belusochukwu Enwerem, on behalf of the group, expressed appreciation to the first lady for her interventions.
He said the association was prepared to run with the vision of President Bola Tinubu and the first lady of promoting peace and development by sustaining engagement with Muslims to foster religious harmony in the country.
To further demonstrate the support of the association to her Renewed Hope Initiative, the YOWICAN National Chairman announced the launch of the ‘Renewed Hope Neighbour2Neighbour Movement’ and decorated the First Lady as the Grand Patron of the group.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit was the second Easter homage by the YOWICAN to the first lady.
The visit afforded members of the group the opportunity to share Easter felicitations with their patron and dine with her.
Mrs Tinubu announced the donation of seven 14-seater CNG-powered buses to support the evangelical work of YOWICAN across the country. (NAN)
As ssen on News Agency of Nigeria. Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
Sowore under fire over attacks on Christian leaders in Nigeria
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) has issued a stern warning against Omoyele Sowore over his recent derogatory remarks about Christian leaders in Nigeria.
Describing his comments as offensive, baseless, and unacceptable, the forum declared that it will no longer tolerate any further attacks on the Christian faith or its revered leaders.
CCYF, in a statement signed by its Convener, Adama Paul James, emphasized that labeling respected Fathers of Faith as failures, uneducated, or jobless is not only false but also a deliberate attempt to demean the contributions of these esteemed spiritual and intellectual figures.
The group cautioned that Sowore’s reckless statements could incite religious unrest, calling on the government to take necessary action to prevent any potential crisis.
The statement reads below:
“We, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum, have recently learned of the disrespectful and abusive comments made by Omoyele Sowore against Christian leaders in general. This behavior is completely unacceptable.
“To label our Fathers of Faith and Pastors as failures, uneducated, or jobless is preposterous, egregiously disrespectful, and therefore unacceptable. The time has come to put an end to Sowore’s incessant attacks on the Christian Faith and her reputable leaders.
“It is a shame that he, Sowore, has chosen to denigrate the accomplishments and contributions of some of the most revered Fathers of our Faith and Pastors in our country, each of whom has achieved remarkable success in their respective fields.
“Bishop Francis Wale Oke, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor D.K. Olukoya, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Apostle Johnson Suleman, Pastor Poju Oyemade, Apostle Joshua Selman, Pastor Jerry Eze, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, Pastor Godman Akinlabi, Pastor Emmanuel Iren, Pastor Korede Komaiya, and many others—too numerous to mention—possess impressive academic achievements, not to mention their years of service and devotion to their faith.
“Sowore should reflect on the fact that these individuals are not only spiritual leaders but also intellectual heavyweights who have earned the respect and admiration of millions of believers around the world. Academically, Sowore is a dwarf where most of these men are standing. How can a sane man refer to a First-Class graduate of Mathematics or a Professor of Mathematics as uneducated?
“It is apparent that Sowore’s insults are not grounded in reality but rather in ignorance and hate. His insults further confirm that he is an uncouth, uncultured, and unlearned man who is desperately seeking attention and relevance.
“We urge him to rethink his approach and refrain from further attacks against Christianity and her leaders. The Concerned Christian Youth Forum will not stand idly by and watch our Faith and leaders disrespected and maligned by Sowore.
“This is to serve as a strong note of warning to Omoyele Sowore and his ilk that any further attacks on Christianity or Christian leaders will be met with a stronger response. Sowore should be mindful that his misguided words and actions have far-reaching consequences, even capable of causing a breakdown of law and order. He should be held accountable for his reckless, rascally, and ignoble role in inciting social and religious disturbance in a volatile society such as ours.
“We, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum, stand in solidarity with our Christian Leaders and our Faith. We will not tolerate any further attacks against them, and we will continue to defend their honor and integrity. We wish to draw the attention of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the potential danger of Sowore’s rascality, especially as it borders on religious sensitivity and its implications for national peace and security.”
