RCCG Open Heaven Daily Devotional 23 Feb 2024
TOPIC: A Call To Diligence
BIBLE READING: Acts 28:1-6
28 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 READING IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 5-8
MEMORIZE
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
Proverbs 12:24
Open Heaven Devotional 23 Feb 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 l have spent a lot of time studying Elijah.
READ Open Heaven Daily Devotional 22 February 2024 – Where Will You End Up?
I also studied Paul because he was an academic, a professor of law who 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 l 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.
KEY POINTS: A calling without diligence will yield no success.
RCCG HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME
1 All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all!
2 Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
3 Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
4 Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
5 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all!
6 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.
7 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
8 Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall,
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
And shout in universal song,
and crown him Lord of all.
