Remember, the algorithms that power social media platforms can influence what you see.

They often prioritize content that aligns with your existing beliefs and interests, creating an echo chamber effect.

For instance, if you frequently click on pornographic content, the algorithm will likely suggest more similar content.

If you hover over business-related posts, you'll see more business-focused recommendations. And if you search for a specific music genre or artist, the platform will tailor its suggestions accordingly.

What you see online may not reflect the full complexity of the world but more of a reflection of what you do in private. Be mindful of this as you consume information.

Ceah©

#algorithm #algorithminsights #itakun #socialmedia

Reflecting on the past... Today 9/11 marks the anniversary of the North African revolution reaching Egypt, where I found myself in the midst of history at Tahir Square in Cairo.

I still remember my wise taxi driver's instincts: "My friend, this doesn't feel right. Let's leave." His words stuck with me as I witnessed the unfolding events while sipping away my Turkish Coffee at the Corner Shop.

In hindsight, revolution has rarely been the solution to societal problems. Egypt's experience is a stark reminder of this.

As I reminisce about my travels, I'm reminded of the thrill of exploration. It's time to dust off my traveling shoes and embark on new adventures but my projects...hmnnn! The world is full of wonders waiting to be discovered. #travel #reflection #history #adventure @highlight

Ceah©

I was just thinking about this whole price hike and inflation thing....

The silent victims are mostly employees. Unlike entrepreneurs and business owners who can adjust prices to keep up with inflation, employees are often left without a corresponding pay increase.

They have limited bargaining power to demand higher wages, making them disproportionately affected by the rising cost of living.

Unfortunately, they constitute the larger percentage of the work force of the nation.

If by chance they get any increment at all, it must be from a generous and thoughtful employer. This reality warrants deeper reflection and consideration.

Ceah©

#PriceHike #inflation #nnpc

*📖📖OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*

*DATE: THURSDAY JULY 25TH, 2024*

*THEME: GOOD FOLLOWERSHIP -1*

MEMORISE:
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” - (1 Corinthians 11:1)

READ: 1 KINGS 19:19-21, 2 KINGS 3:11 (KJV)

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

2 KINGS 3:11 (KJV); But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

MESSAGE:
Many people talk about leadership, but you hardly hear them talk about followership. The truth is, no leader can succeed without good followers. Leaders are raised from amongst the followers, so the better the followers, the better the quality of leaders.

Submission is one of the greatest attributes that a follower can have. It is different from cooperation.

You cooperate when you agree with a leader’s instructions, but you are submissive when you obey, whether you agree with the instruction or not.

Not being submissive indicates that a follower is acting in his or her own interest rather than the interest of the entire group that the leader represents.

Some followers steal because they are ready to sacrifice the interest of the entire group to satisfy their personal interests.

If this behaviour continues unchecked and the follower eventually becomes a leader, he or she will only care about himself or herself.

Gehazi showed this in (2 Kings 5:20-27). Elisha had collected nothing from Naaman for curing his leprosy, but Gehazi was after his personal interest as opposed to that of the Lord, which his master represented.

He proceeded to collect gifts from Naaman and was immediately struck with leprosy. Judas Iscariot was also recorded to have been stealing from the ministry’s purse (John 12:6).

This is why he could not be amongst the apostles to carry the gospel around the world after Jesus left. Such a person will never make a good leader because his or her personal interest will be more important than common interests.

Some people may say, “I don’t steal, I just disobey my leader because I don’t like him.” This is, however, just as bad as stealing.

In Matthew 25:24-30, the servant who was given one talent to trade with did not steal the talent, he hid it rather than trade with it as instructed because he did not like his master’s leadership style.

The master wasn’t annoyed that he did not trade with it as instructed, but that he could have at least put it in the bank to yield some interest.

Putting it in the bank would have shown that even though he did not like his master, he was interested in the company’s prosperity.

This made his master call him an unfaithful servant. He was more particular about himself, which is a bad trait for any follower or leader.

Beloved, if you want to be a good leader, you must first be a good follower by obeying your leader and putting common interests above yours.

REFLECTION:
Am I a good follower?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 41-43

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 30 - WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.

[Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY JULY 14TH2024

TOPIC: THE LAW OF ASSOCIATION

MEMORISE:
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” - (1 Corinthians 15:33)

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18 (KJV)

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

MESSAGE:

The law of association is a very powerful law that every human being on earth must understand and apply correctly. This law is subtle in its operation, and many people don’t realise when it is working on them. They don’t realise that the people they often speak to, greatly influence the way they think and act. This law states that an individual becomes like the people he or she associates with. In other words, if a fellow associates with wise people, he or she will become wise. Likewise, if the fellow associates with foolish people, he or she will become foolish. It is stated clearly in Proverbs 13:20:

He that walks with the wise shall be wise but the companion of fools shall be destroyed.

The elders in Yorubaland usually say, “When a leaf stays long with a soap, it will also become a soap.” You must carefully choose the people you associate with. If your friend is not someone you admire and want to be like, you should unfriend that fellow immediately. Be friends with wise people that can challenge you, people you can discuss great ideas with. Don’t be friends with people who gossip and are only interested in entertainment when you are together.

Another form of association is with the media. Some people spend a lot of time watching television and scrolling through social media. Whatever you read or watch has a great influence on who you become. If you read and watch inspiring things, they will inspire you to become great. Anyone who reads and watches immoral content will eventually become corrupt, as we can see in our memory verse for today.

What kind of content do you constantly consume? Whose content are you consuming on social media? Whose music do you listen to? These things are a pointer to who you are becoming. When you want to change something about yourself, change the people you associate with. If you want to get better with your academics, keep company with brilliant people and learn from those who have excelled academically, and you will see your grades get better. If you want to be more fervent in your Christian life, find friends who read their Bibles, and pray regularly. Soon, you will also be doing the same.

Examine the kind of friends you keep and the kinds of content you consume. Are they a reflection of who you want to become? If they are not, change them now.

KEY POINT:
Who and what you associate with will greatly influence your life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ISAIAH 1-3

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 28 - GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH

1 Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2024
DATE: WEDNESDAY JUNE 26TH 2024

TOPIC: GOD WILL EMPOWER YOU

MEMORISE: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” - (2 Peter 1:3)

READ: ISAIAH 41:10-13 (KJV)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

MESSAGE:
In John 20:21, Jesus Christ said, “...as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” In Matthew 10:40, He said, “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” The work of ministry is an assignment from the Father, so when you are called to do something, you can be sure that God Himself is backing you up.

In John 5:30, Jesus said, “I can of my own self do nothing: ...” This is good because whatever you are to do for God, you cannot do it by yourself, but the Father who sent you will back you up. It is good news because all you have to do is tell Him, “I can’t do it Lord, but I know you can do it through me.” There is something called ‘the God Factor’. Let God do it; however, He can only do it if you are willing to cooperate. If you believe He can do it, He will do it. If you believe that He can use you to heal the sick, you will have to pay the price, and then, He will produce the results. Whatever assignment God gives you that seems impossible, talk to Him, do your part, and He will yield results through you.

In Yorubaland, one of the names we call God is Oronmonise faya ti. It means the one who sends a child on an assignment and backs the child up. When God sends you on an assignment, He stays with you and empowers you to ensure that you fulfil the assignment. Many people don’t fulfil their assignments because they hardly go to God for instructions. They start the work quite alright, but they hardly pray for direction, whereas it is in the place of prayers that God will give them instructions on each step to take. They keep doing everything to make the work succeed, but when it is time to make decisions, they don’t ask God for the best decisions to make. After a while, when they realise that they are not fulfilling the assignment, they accuse Him of helping others and not helping them.

Beloved, you cannot do anything by yourself (John 15:5). The work God has given you to do cannot be done by your power or might but by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). If you really want to fulfil destiny, don’t lean on your understanding; lean on God.

REFLECTION:
Are you depending totally on God to help you fulfil your destiny?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALMS 120-133

AUTHOR: PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL 28 - GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH

1 Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

*📖📖OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*

*DATE: MONDAY JUNE 17TH 2024*

*THEME: SPEND TIME WITH THEM -1*

MEMORISE:
“Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” - (Proverbs 17:6)

READ: DEUTERONOMY 11:19-21 (KJV)

19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

MESSAGE:
A major danger in this generation is that parents are so busy with work that they neglect their children. It is absolutely wrong for domestic helps or nannies to spend more time with children than their parents. (1 Corinthians 15:33) says that evil communication corrupts good manners.

Whomever children communicate with the most is whom they learn from the most. If you are a parent, you owe it to God to raise the children He has given you and not hand that responsibility over to someone else.
Nowadays, it is almost as if couples are competing with each other on who makes the most money.

So, while men are out working, women are also working, leaving children without proper care. Fathers and mothers must both be available to raise the children that God has given to them.

Psalm 127:3 says that children are God’s heritage; in other words, when you leave this world, what God expects you to leave behind for Him are the children that He has brought under your care, and this is not limited to your biological children. Parents are only caretakers, and if they damage what has been placed under their care, they will pay dearly for it.

There were times I wanted to play football with my peers as a little boy, but thank God my mother was always home to send me inside the house to study my books. I thought she was being mean, but she built in me the ability to ignore distractions and focus on my goals. The fear of my father’s punishments also put me in check while growing up.

My elder brother was quite strong, but the day I saw him crying when my father disciplined him, I determined never to do anything that will make my father discipline me.
Some children develop bad habits right under their parents’ roof.

However, the parents only get to find out several years later, and at that time, it takes only the grace of God for them to change. If you are a parent, don’t be too busy to train the children that God has given you. When you leave this world, the cars you drove and houses you bought will not matter; what will matter are the children you left behind.


There is an African adage that says, ‘If you refuse to build your child because you are building a house, the child you did not build will sell the house you built.’ As a parent, the children God has given to you must be your priority, not material possessions.

REFLECTION:
How much time do you spend with your children every day?

HYMNAL: 13 - JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW
1 Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong.

Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

2 Jesus loves me he who died
heaven's gate to open wide.
He will wash away my sin,
let his little child come in.

3 Jesus loves me, this I know,
as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee,
saying, "Let them come to me."

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALMS 73-77

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

If the love of ephemeral things like clothes, cars, houses, etc, makes you feel superior to your neighbours rather than for personal satisfaction, then you are possibly empty deep inside.

People are quick to say don't judge the book by the cover, especially when they are guilty. Most times, it's the ingenuity of the genius who wrote the book that reflects on the cover. Your outlook is often a reflection of your true inner self. Who are you ?

Dreams often reveal feelings that we have repressed, because dreams are a reflection of our subconscious mind, our emotional truth.

If the love of ephemeral things like clothes, cars, houses, etc, makes you feel superior to your neighbours rather than for personal satisfaction, then you are possibly empty deep inside.

People are quick to say dont judge the book by the cover, especially when they are guilty. Most times, it's the ingenuity of the genuis who wrote the book that reflects on the cover. Your outlook is often a reflection of your true inner self. Who are you ?

Ceah