[Open Heaven 23 February 2024] Topic: A Call To Diligence
Open Heaven 23 February 2024 TOPIC: A Call To Diligence
MEMORISE: “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” – Proverbs 12:24 (KJV)
READ: Acts 28:1-6 (KJV)
1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 5-8
Open Heaven 23 February 2024 MESSAGE
When I realised that if God hadn’t found me, I would have remained as a university lecturer heading towards hell, I made up my mind not to be an ordinary Christian. A mathematician who doesn’t want to be ordinary will study those who excelled and reached the top, like Pythagoras and other great mathematicians. As I didn’t want to be an ordinary Christian, I spent three years studying some people who God used mightily. One of such was Elijah. If you have listened to my series of sermons titled ‘Going Higher’ (they can be found on Dove TV’s YouTube channel) you will know that I have spent a lot of time studying Elijah. I also studied Paul because he was an academic, a professor of law that went into ministry like me and ended well. I found out that according to 2 Timothy 4:6-8, he was a diligent man.
Paul was diligent in every facet of his life. In Acts 28:1-6, when there was a shipwreck on the Island of Malta, while everyone was gathered around the fire because of the cold, it was Paul who went out to fetch firewood. In the earlier days, during the RCCG conventions, my boys and I used to fetch firewood for the conventions. We also washed plates and did other menial work with joy. Whenever it was time to wash plates and anyone wanted to collect the sponge from me, I would tell them, “Wash your own portion of plates, let me wash mine.” The hands that cannot do manual labour for the kingdom cannot heal the sick. When a programme is going on in your church, do not shy away from doing menial work. Get your hands dirty, and you will be amazed how the anointing will begin to surge through your fingers.
Many of the Assistant General Overseers in RCCG now were my boys in those days. This is because it is those you knew to be diligent when you were starting out that you can trust to remain diligent when you are successful. I have seen people advise that there are lots of people with great callings these days. They may have a calling, but have they been tested? Your calling is never enough to succeed. Can we put you in charge of something and go to sleep knowing that you will do the work as it should be done? Only those who are diligent can make full proof of their calling.
Open Heaven 23 February 2024 KEY POINT
A calling without diligence will yield no success.
Open Heaven 23 February 2024 HYMN 4 – To The Work! To The Work! We Are Servants Of God
1 To the work! to the work! we are servants of God,
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the might of His power our strength to renew,
Let us do by His grace what He calls us to do.
Work for Him by His grace;
Work thru Him for His praise;
Work with Him all the days;
And work in Him in many ways.
2 To the work! to the work! let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the thirsty be led;
In the cross and its vict’ry our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, “Salvation is free!”
3 To the work! to the work! in the strength of the Lord,
By the pow’r of His Name, with the light of His Word,
All the slaves of the darkness of Satan set free
And His riches of grace in His glory we’ll see.
Open Heavens 2024 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven for Today 2024
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