OPEN HEAVEN FOR 2ND JUNE 2026

TOPIC: A BRAND-NEW HEART II

MEMORISE:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. — Psalm 42:1

READ: Matthew 13:3-4, 19 (KJV)

3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.

5. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

MESSAGE:

The first type of soil that Jesus mentioned in the Parable of the Sower is “the way side,” as we see in today’s Bible reading. This soil type refers to people who hear God’s word but do not understand it or act upon it.

This category of people do not study their Bibles, and even when they do, they don’t ask their pastors or Bible Study teachers any questions. They never seek to understand God’s word; they only hear His word and move on with their lives.

Many of the people in this category are ceremonial churchgoers; they are often raised in Christian homes, so it is normal for them to attend church on Sundays. I was once this type of Christian. I thought that my father, being a church volunteer, and my name being Enoch, was proof that I was a child of God. I heard God’s word several times, but I never studied it. I thank God that He gave me a new heart when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.

Beloved, are you the same way I was? Are you only reading this devotional because it is the norm in your church, family, or office to do so? Do you ever dig deeper to understand what is discussed? When you study your Bible, do you get bored after reading the second or third verse? If you answered “Yes” to these questions, you need to ask God for a new heart; a heart that yearns to know Him more.

Ask God to give you a heart that finds His word interesting and loves to spend time in His presence.

Most importantly, ensure that you take some time every day to study your Bible. You can start by reading a bit further on the topics discussed in this devotional each day, or using the Bible-in-one-year passages.

You may not understand much when you begin doing these things, but as you remain consistent and ask God to help you, the Holy Spirit will start explaining the Scriptures to you, and soon, your heart will begin to soak in God’s word and yield great fruit.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to seek to understand God’s word more each day. When you make this your priority, you will begin to experience His peace and favour in ways you have never done before. I pray that your life will indeed be a bountiful harvest of God’s goodness, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please give me a heart that yearns for your word more than anything else.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

Job 25-30

HYMN 3: ANCIENT WORDS

1. Holy words long preserved
   For our walk in this world,
   They resound with God’s own heart,
   O let the ancient words impart.

Chorus:
Ancient words, ever true,
Changing me and changing you,
We have come with open hearts,
O let the ancient words impart.

2. Words of life, words of hope
   Give us strength, help us cope,
   In this world, where e’er we roam,
   Ancient words will guide us home.

3. Holy words of our faith
   Handed down to this age,
   Came to us through sacrifice,
   O heed the faithful words of Christ.

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About RCCG and Open Heavens

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a global Pentecostal denomination founded in 1952 by Reverend Josiah Akindayomi and now led by Pastor E. A. Adeboye as General Overseer. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, RCCG has spread to over 200 countries with millions of worshippers worldwide.

Open Heavens is the daily devotional of RCCG, written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye. First published in 2003, it has become one of the most widely read daily devotionals in the world. Each edition includes a memory verse, Bible reading, message, prayer point, and hymn. The devotional is known for its practical, Bible-based teachings that address everyday Christian living, spiritual warfare, and faith.

The devotional for 2nd June 2026 continues the series “A Brand-New Heart,” focusing on the wayside heart and the need for a heart that pants after God.

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BRIEF COMMENTARY

Based on Open Heaven 2nd June 2026 – “A Brand-New Heart II”

The Wayside Heart: Hearing Without Understanding

In today’s devotional, Pastor Adeboye continues the series on the heart by examining the first type of soil in the Parable of the Sower: the wayside. This soil refers to people who hear God’s word but do not understand it or act upon it. The seed never penetrates the heart; it lies on the surface, exposed and vulnerable, and the enemy snatches it away immediately.

The memory verse from Psalm 42:1 captures the opposite of the wayside heart: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” A deer being chased by hunters runs until every fiber of its being cries out for water. The question is not whether you attend church—it is whether your soul pants for God Himself or merely tolerates religious routines.

Who Are the Wayside Hearers?

The devotional gives a penetrating description of the wayside heart. These are people who hear God’s word but do not study their Bibles. Even when they do read, they never ask questions of pastors or Bible study teachers. They never seek to understand God’s word; they only hear it and move on with their lives.

Many in this category are ceremonial churchgoers, raised in Christian homes, attending church on Sundays because it is normal. Pastor Adeboye gives a remarkably humble confession: “I was once this type of Christian. I thought that my father, being a church volunteer, and my name being Enoch, was proof that I was a child of God. I heard God’s word several times, but I never studied it.”

If the General Overseer of RCCG once had a wayside heart, no one is exempt from this danger. Ceremonial Christianity—attending church because it is normal, reading a devotional because it is expected—is not the same as genuine, panting-after-God Christianity.

The Tragic Fate of the Wayside Seed

The devotional highlights three elements from Matthew 13:4 and 19:

1. The seed falls but does not enter. The word is heard audibly but never penetrates the understanding or conscience. It hits the ear and bounces off.

2. The fowls (Satan) come immediately. Unlike other soils where the enemy attacks later, here the theft happens instantly. The sermon ends, and the person cannot remember a single point.

3. The heart remains unchanged. Because the word never took root, no transformation occurs. The person leaves the same way they entered—unmoved, unconvicted, unchanged.

The Mask of Religious Normalcy

Wayside Christians are often indistinguishable from genuine believers on the outside. They sit in church pews every Sunday. They own and open a devotional like Open Heaven. They can quote verses and sing hymns. They were raised in Christian homes and know Christian language. But inside, the ground is hard. The soul does not pant. There is no hunger, no curiosity, no delight in God’s word.

Pastor Adeboye asks pointedly: “Are you only reading this devotional because it is the norm in your church, family, or office to do so?” This is the question that separates the wayside from the good ground.

Why Understanding Is Non-Negotiable

Understanding precedes fruitfulness. The seed produces nothing unless it is understood (Matthew 13:23 – “understands it” precedes bearing fruit). Understanding is not intellectual brilliance; it is spiritual comprehension that moves from the head to the heart to the hands. It is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God.

The role of the Holy Spirit as Teacher is essential. Pastor Adeboye encourages new readers of Scripture: “You may not understand much when you begin… as you remain consistent and ask God to help you, the Holy Spirit will start explaining the Scriptures to you.” The wayside heart never reaches this stage because it never seeks. It hears, shrugs, and walks away.

The Heart That Pants

The antidote to the wayside heart is not more information but a new inclination. Pastor Adeboye prays for readers to receive “a heart that yearns to know Him more.” A panting heart reads the Bible not out of duty but out of delight, asks questions of pastors and the Holy Spirit, gets frustrated by shallow understanding rather than bored by deep study, and stays in God’s presence not because the clock says so but because nothing else satisfies.

Practical Steps to Leave the Wayside

1. Confess the wayside condition. Admit that you have been hearing without understanding, attending without panting. Say, “Lord, I have been a wayside hearer. Forgive me.”

2. Ask for a new heart. Pastor Adeboye explicitly instructs: “Ask God to give you a heart that finds His word interesting and loves to spend time in His presence.” This is not self-improvement; it is a cry for divine replacement.

3. Start small but start consistent. Read a bit further on the topics discussed in this devotional each day, or use the Bible-in-one-year passages. Do not wait for motivation; create a habit.

4. Become a question-asker. When you read Scripture or hear a sermon, write down one question you do not understand. Then pursue the answer through prayer, study, or asking a spiritual leader.

5. Fight the birds. Recognize that Satan’s first tactic is not to make you sin but to make you forget. Immediately after hearing the word, review it. Write down one key point. Discuss it with someone. Do not let the enemy steal what was sown.

Warning: The Danger of Spiritual Assumption

Pastor Adeboye’s personal testimony is the most sobering warning. He had a Christian father (a church volunteer), a biblical name (Enoch, who walked with God), and regular exposure to God’s word. Yet he was still a wayside Christian until he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.

The lesson is clear: heritage is not salvation. Routine is not relationship. A name is not a new heart. Do not assume that because you are reading this devotional, you are automatically a fertile soil. The question is not if you are reading, but why you are reading. Is it out of panting hunger or out of ceremonial habit?

Conclusion: Your Prayer for a Panting Heart

Do not settle for the wayside. Let your soul pant until it finds its rest in Him.

Prayer Point from the Devotional:

Father, please give me a heart that yearns for your word more than anything else.

Action Steps:

1. The 7-day understanding challenge – for the next seven days, after reading your Open Heaven devotional, take one verse from the Bible reading. Write it down. Then write in your own words what it means. If you cannot explain it, ask someone or pray until you understand.

2. One question per day – commit that before you close your Bible each day, you will write down one question you have about what you read. Then pursue the answer.

3. Audit your motivation – at the end of this week, ask yourself honestly: Am I reading this devotional because I am panting after God, or because it is the norm? If it is the norm, stop and pray before you read another page.

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