Gospel Articles

  SINCERE MILK SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 2020 TOPIC: FIRST THINGS FIRST TEXT: MATTHEW 6:24-33 Key Verse: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).      Jesus tells us about a place that is very important in life. If you are asked to mention the places you will like to visit in this world, the places you will mention will include Paris, New York, Dubai, Canada, London, etc. You will be very happy to go there.      What could attract you to these cities may be the - beauty, security, wealth and pleasure to be derived there. How will you feel if after you have made all the necessary preparations, you are denied entry to these places? You will be sad and disappointed.      Heaven is the best place to be. If you miss it, you will cry. Therefore, the first thing for you to do is to seek to live in heaven with Jesus forever. Sinful children cannot live in heaven, they wi...

  HIGHER EVERYDAY SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 2020 TOPIC: THE PERIL OF IMPENITENCE TEXT: ROMANS 2:1-11 MEMORY VERSE: "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (ROMANS 2:5).      Various signs of backsliding began manifesting in the life of a young teenager who was truly converted and served the Lord faithfully. Several church leaders lovingly tried their very best to recover her, but she rebuffed all the attempts and eventually left the church. A few years later, this teenager reportedly contracted HIV through the immoral lifestyle she embraced after rejecting Jesus Christ, her Saviour.      Impenitence can attract personal, family and national calamities. Questioned on why God allowed certain calamities befalling America, Anne Graham replied, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of o...

DAILY MANNA SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 2020 TOPIC: NO SHADY DEALS TEXT:LUKE 16:1-18 KEY VERSE: "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (LUKE 16:11).      The following quotation was attributed to an unknown source. "Character is the one thing we make in this world and take with us into the next. The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.      "Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away. Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime. A single newspaper report gives our reputation; a life of toil gives you your character... Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what angels say about you before the throne of God."     ...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 2020 THEME: FIRE-QUENCHERS MEMORISE: 1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." READ: Matthew 5:27-30 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. MESSAGE A fire-quencher is something that reduces your zeal and heat for God. They are in three categories as listed in 1 John 2:15-17:  "Love not ...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST 2020 THEME: PLAY YOUR PART MEMORISE: Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." READ: Matthew 25:1-12 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sel...

DAILY MANNA FRIDAY AUGUST 07, 2020 TOPIC: LIFE'S DIFFERENT TWISTS TEXT:JOB 30:1-14 KEY VERSE: "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock" (JOB 30:1).      A British publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. Among the thousands of answers received were the following: "One who multiplies joys, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable." "One who understands our silence." "A volume of sympathy bound in cloth." "A watch that beats true for all time and never runs down." The winning definition reads: "A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."      From the text, Job focused our attention on his plight when all his acquaintances left him. He was a highly respected person in his day, being one of the richest persons in the region. Now that he was afflicted by this stran...

HIGHER EVERYDAY  FRIDAY AUGUST 07, 2020 TOPIC: THE MEEK MOSES TEXT:NUMBERS 12:1-9 MEMORY VERSE: "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (NUMBERS 12:3).      Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word 'meek' as "enduring injury with patience and without resentment." Meekness was obviously an indispensable requirement for anyone who could attempt the excellent job that Moses did in leading Israel out of Egyptian bondage into the land of promise.      From the stubborn-hearted Pharaoh, with his numerous provocative machinations, to the stiff-necked Israelites and their unceasing mischiefs, Moses patiently endured injury without resentment.      Only the grace of God can transform a soul and equip him/her with Christ-like character traits that overcome the world. Even the vilest sinners, who willingly repent of their sins and accept Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour, would be t...

SINCERE MILK FRIDAY AUGUST 07, 2020 TOPIC: CLEAN HANDS TEXT: PSALM 24:3-5 Key Verse: "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:4).      Health officials tell us that it is good and healthy to always wash our hands. To show how important this is, a day in the year has been declared as "Hand Washing Day".This is to emphasize the effect of clean hands to a person's wellbeing.      The Bible passage above mentions the importance of having clean hands in order to be able to see God. Clean hands, according to the word of God, refer to hands that are free from corruption and all forms of evil. These are hands that do not steal, write bad reports or draw sinful pictures, fight, kill or do evil.      Heaven is a beautiful place that God has prepared for all His children. In order to get there, God demands clean hands and pure hearts from saved boys and girls. ...

SINCERE MILK WEDNESDAY AUGUST 05, 2020 TOPIC: THE HOUSE OF PRAYER TEXT: MATTHEW 21:12-13 Key Verse: "And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13).      Jesus clearly states the purpose of God's House. Some children go to Church to cause trouble and fight. Some go there to steal and sleep. Others go there to hear the word of God and pray. Which group do you belong to?      The church of God is a 'House of Prayer'. Any place where two or three people gather every time, in the name of Jesus to pray, is a 'House of Prayer'. Jesus is present there with His power and blessings.      Satan does not want you to pray. Do you notice that you can talk, play and chat till late in the night, but when it is time to pray, you suddenly begin to feel tired, drowsy and restless?      Remember that Prayer is the Master Key to open any closed door...

HIGHER EVERYDAY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 05, 2020 TOPIC: THE LOVE OF THE LORD TEXT: ROMANS 5:1-10 MEMORY VERSE: "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste" (SONG OF SOLOMON 2:3).      Tim & Beverly Lahaye wrote, "Love is like electricity - you can't see it, but you recognize the results of it." The actions of love prove love. There is a true love and selfish love (lust). Christians should manifest true love, the God-kind of love (agape love) to all. God loves without conditions: He cares for and saves the vilest sinners.      The entire book of Song of Solomon in the Bible is an allegory, a love story featuring two symbolic figures, a man and a woman. These symbolic figures represent Jesus Christ, The Groom, and His bride, the congregation of Blood-washed saints, the Church!      In our study, the bride extols her ...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST 2020 THEME: EXALT NOT THYSELF MEMORISE: Luke 14:11 "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." READ: Luke 14:7-11, Proverbs 16:18 Luke 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 14:8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 14:9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. P...

DAILY MANNA WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 05, 2020 TOPIC: DON'T LOOK FOR FAULTS TEXT: Luke 14:1-11 KEY VERSE: “And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.” - (Luke 14:1) It was said that when the British and the French were fighting in Canada in the 1750s, Admiral Phillips, commander of the British fleet, was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive and then support them when they attacked the city of Quebec. But as the Admiral waited, he grew annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned a nearby cathedral. So he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ship’s canons. When the land forces eventually arrived and the signal was given to attack, the Admiral was of no help because he had used up all his canons shooting at the “saints.” Religious leaders in Christ’s day spent most of their time criticising Him without making any meaningful impact in their own service. The P...

HIGHER EVERYDAY  MONDAY AUGUST 03, 2020 TOPIC: THE EXAMPLE OF ENOCH TEXT: PSALM 15:1-5 MEMORY VERSE: "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (GENESIS 5:24).      When heated to the boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius, water transits from its original liquid state into gas. The molecules that first reach that point would evaporate, leaving behind those molecules that are yet to attain similar status.      Similarly, holiness lifts a child of God out of the influence of sin and Satan, into the glorious image and likeness of God. This is the status that Enoch attained, and so, God "took him." Thus, the boiling point of a liquid is comparable to the threshold in spirituality which a person attains and his/her will perfectly merges with God's.      The first step in this transformational direction is repentance for sin, which brings salvation through Jesus Christ. Relating closely with God from this point le...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST 2020 THEME: REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE II MEMORISE: Proverbs 10:14 "Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." READ: Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. MESSAGE It is wise to learn from the experience of others, but sometimes, we ourselves have experiences we ought to learn from. Nebuchadnezzar was a man who learnt from his personal experience. God had warned him in a dream and also arranged for Daniel not only to interpret the dream to him, but also to counsel him on how to escape the wrath of God. Unfortunately, he did not heed the warning and for seven years, he ate grass like an animal (Daniel 4). Thank God he got a second chance. By the time he came back to his senses, he had learnt his lessons and recognised Jehovah as the real King. Nobody needed to teach him that again; his experience had done enough. Daniel 4:34 says: ...

DAILY MANNA  TUESDAY AUGUST 04, 2020 TOPIC: LESSONS FROM MISFORTUNES TEXT: Luke 13:1-10 KEY VERSE: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” - (Luke 13:3) Our newsstands are daily filled with tragic incidences occurring in different parts of the world with rising death tolls. Fire outbreaks, cyclones, hurricanes, tornadoes, road and boat crashes, etc., are happening almost on a daily basis. Many alive one moment, are swept into eternity the very next. All these are causing serious concerns in different quarters and are reasons for us to pause and learn. In our text, some people had gone to Jesus to complain of the evil deeds of Governor Pilate who had killed some worshippers and mingled their blood with their sacrifices. Christ’s response was both surprising and revealing. They might not have been the worst sinners in Galilee to have suffered such things. Also, the eighteen on which the tower of Siloam fell and killed might not necessarily ...

HIGHER EVERYDAY TUESDAY AUGUST 04, 2020 TOPIC: THE JUST JOSEPH TEXT:GENESIS 39:1-9 MEMORY VERSE: "But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison" (GENESIS 39:21).      In his book, _Salvation, Health and Prosperity,_ Dr. David Yonggi Cho said, "The Roman Empire declined in spite of her splendid civilization, as a result of moral laxity and the pursuit of pleasure. Today, a large number of people seek moments of pleasure in sex, alcohol and drugs, but all they get for their efforts is extreme emotional instability and a state of stupor."      Joseph was, reportedly, a teenager when he was sold into slavery in Egypt. Confronted with incredible pressure from amorous Potiphar's wife to commit fornication, Joseph "refused, and said...how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:8, 9).      Can your life match Joseph's faithfulness to God? Immoral...

SINCERE MILK TUESDAY AUGUST 04, 2020 TOPIC: LIVE IN PEACE TEXT: HEBREWS 12:12-14 Key Verse: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).      Jato became a problem to everybody. Everyone hated his company. Even the school authority was planning to dismiss him from school. He was regarded as a troublemaker.      The atmosphere of rancour and trouble is hated by any peace-loving person. No meaningful progress can be made where peace and patience are absent. You wouldn't enjoy a home where mum and dad, brothers and sisters are always quarrelling with one another. Homes are broken because of lack of peace.      There is always violence and bloodshed when two communities cannot live together in peace. Even government projects are hindered and resources are wasted where there is no peace. Peace is necessary for the overall wellbeing of everyone. Spiritual and physical progress is en...

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: MONDAY 3RD AUGUST 2020 THEME: REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE I MEMORISE: Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife." READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fe...

DAILY MANNA MONDAY AUGUST 03, 2020 TOPIC: RELIEVING THE OPPRESSED TEXT:JOB 26:1-14 KEY VERSE: "But Job answered and said, How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?" (JOB 26:1, 2).      A brother was preparing for marriage, and many unsavoury things just kept on happening to him. He lost his job and his attempt to get accommodation was like a camel passing through the eye of a needle. After some protracted struggles, he managed to raise some money for the marriage.      On the set date, as he was going for the ceremony, he was attacked and stripped of all the cash he was going with. He came back with tales of woes and most of the brethren concluded that he must have been living in secret sin to have experienced such calamities which is not befitting of a true child of God.      This is similar to the experience of Job. His three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, who came initi...

SINCERE MILK  MONDAY AUGUST 03, 2020 TOPIC: OBEDIENCE FIRST TEXT: COLOSSIANS 3:20-25 Key Verse: "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord" (Colossians 3:20).      It is good and safe to obey your parents, in the Lord, always. When obedience becomes your habit, you will be successful in whatever you do. Not only that, you will also be able to avoid trouble and rebuke.      A boy named Paul made it a habit to obey his father all the time. One day, Paul was playing under a big mango tree in the backyard of his father's house. His father was reading newspapers upstairs.      After some time, Paul's father suddenly shouted, "Don't talk where you are Paul, lie down on your stomach and start to crawl back to the house and do not stand up."      When Paul had crawled into the house, his father asked him to look up at the top of the mango tree, and behold, a big cobra snake was ...