OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL DATE: THURSDAY JUNE 4TH 2026 THEME: A BRAND-NEW HEART IV MEMORISE: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. Revelation 3:15 READ: Matthew 13:7, 22 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. MESSAGE The third kind of soil Jesus described in His parable about the Sower, is Thorny ground. He compared this soil type to people who hear God's word but are distracted by many things that prevent the word from bearing fruit in their lives. This type of people appears to love God's word, but clearly not enough to change their ways or let go of some worldly pleasures. A male chorister in a church choir who serves God fervently but still fornicates is an example of someone with a thorny heart. Such people received the word of God at a point, but they did not allow it to change them. Some Christians argue by asking questions like, "Where is it written in the Bible that drinking alcohol is a sin?" Some others even say that listening to worldly music is not a sin as long as they do not do what the lyrics of the songs say, or that gambling is not bad so long as the Bible doesn't say so. Whenever I hear such statements, I know that they are coming from thorny hearts. They want to serve God, but they are unwilling to let go of worldly pleasures. If you find yourself trying to find loopholes through which you can serve God and still do some of the things unbelievers usually do, beware, that is a major symptom of a thorny heart. Being God's child is not about following rules and regulations; it is about being like Christ. When the Holy Spirit is truly dwelling in you, you will flee things that can hinder your relationship with God or cause unbelievers to blaspheme His name, whether they are clearly referred to as sins in the Bible or not. For instance, if a Christian man puts his hand around the waist of a woman who is not his wife, it can be argued that he didn't break his vows to his wife, but it is clearly inappropriate. Also, such an action can make unbelievers speak against the faith. Beloved, many people have lost their relationships with Christ because they do not want to change completely for Him. They want to do whatever they like and still hold on to Jesus. If you are living this way, you need to have a change of heart today because there will be no fruits to show from your walk with God. I pray that you will live a fruitful life as a Christian, in Jesus' name. REFLECTION Are you fully surrendered to God, or are you looking for loopholes in His word so you can behave like the world? BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 35-38 AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE HYMN 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, 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. 3 O 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! 4 There are depths of love that I yet may know Ere Thee face to face I see; There are heights of joy that I yet may reach Ere I rest in peace with Thee. ‎PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY, 4TH JUNE, 2026 *A BRAND NEW HEART IV* ‎ ‎✓Father, thank You for giving me ears to hear Your word, and creating in me a heart to receive the word. ‎✓Father, please help me to fully surrender to You. Help me to believe and to do Your will absolutely without looking for loopholes in Your word to behave like the world, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help me to stay away from anything that will prevent Your word from bearing fruits in my life, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help me to love Your word wholeheartedly, to change my ways and to clearly let go of all forms of worldly pleasures, in Jesus' name. ‎✓Father, please destroy every thorn in my heart and give me a new heart that is totally surrendered to doing Your will absolutely without compromise, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help me not to give room for the works of the flesh to thrive in any area of my life. Help me not to allow the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches to choke Your word in my life, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help me not to resist the prompting of the Holy Spirit in doing Your will at all times. Let my life be fruitful, bearing fruits of the spirit, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help me to flee anything and everything that will hinder my relationship with You or cause the unbelievers to blaspheme Your name in my life, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please help all Your children to desist from all actions and inappropriate behaviours that will make the unbelievers to speak against the faith, in Jesus' name. ✓Father, please help me to change completely for You so I won't lose my relationship with You. Lord Jesus, let Your will be my will and never to say NO to You again, in Jesus' name. ✓Father, please help me to live a very fruitful life, and let there be fruits to show from my walk with You, in Jesus' name. ✓Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. ‎ Let there be much more fruits to show for his walk with You till You appear in glory again, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name ‎ ‎✓Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name. ‎ ‎✓Father, please let every challenge, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name. ‎ ‎✓Your personal petitions. ‎(Philippians 4:6) ‎ ‎✓In Jesus name I pray. ‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16) ‎ #GodBlessOurNation *These prayers have no expiry date! Please join us in prayer, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus’ name.