OPEN HEAVENS FOR 4TH JUNE 2026

TOPIC: 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 (KJV)

7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them.

8. 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 appear 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

HYMN 39: 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.

Chorus:
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 power 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 cannot know
   Till I cross the narrow sea;
   There are heights of joy that I may not reach
   Till I rest in peace with Thee.

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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 4th June 2026 continues the series “A Brand-New Heart,” focusing on the thorny ground heart and the danger of divided loyalties that choke spiritual fruitfulness.

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BRIEF COMMENTARY

Based on Open Heavens 4th June 2026 – “A Brand-New Heart IV”

The Thorny Heart: Divided Loyalties, Zero Fruit

In today’s devotional, Pastor Adeboye examines the third soil type in the Parable of the Sower: the thorny ground. This soil refers to people who hear God’s word but are distracted by many things that prevent the word from bearing fruit in their lives.

Unlike the wayside (where the seed never entered) and the stony ground (where the seed sprouted but withered under persecution), the thorny ground presents a different tragedy: the seed grows, but so do the thorns. The word is received and begins to take root, but competing loves slowly strangle it. The result is not death by persecution but death by distraction. The thorny believer remains alive but utterly unfruitful.

The memory verse from Revelation 3:15 is the Risen Christ’s indictment against the Laodicean church—a church that made Him nauseous. The thorny heart is the ultimate expression of lukewarm Christianity, wanting enough of God to feel spiritual but not enough to surrender completely. Jesus says this condition makes Him want to vomit.

The Profile of a Thorny Heart Believer

Pastor Adeboye gives a startlingly specific and uncomfortable description of thorny ground Christians. They are not atheists, backsliders who left the church, or people who deny Christ. They are active, serving, singing, and seemingly committed believers whose hearts are secretly choked.

A male chorister in a church choir who serves God fervently but still fornicates is given as an example of someone with a thorny heart. This is a piercing diagnosis. The thorny heart person is not the one who stopped coming to church. It is the one who is still on the choir stand, still raising holy hands, still singing about the blood of Jesus—while living in secret sin. The thorns have not killed them; the thorns have choked them. They are alive but unproductive.

The Three Thorns Jesus Identified

Jesus identified three specific thorns that choke the word:

1. The care of this world – anxiety, worry, and consuming concern with earthly matters such as obsession with career, money, reputation, or social media approval.

2. The deceitfulness of riches – the false promise that wealth brings security and happiness, leading to greed, exploitation, loving money, and trusting in bank accounts more than God.

3. Pleasure-seeking – the pursuit of sensual or worldly enjoyment as life’s priority, including nightclubs, inappropriate entertainment, and indulgence in fleshly desires.

These thorns do not usually arrive as dramatic temptations to renounce Christ. They grow slowly, subtly, and respectably. A little more work. A little more money. A little more comfort. A little more entertainment. Before long, the word of God is still present—but it is dwarfed, starved of sunlight, and utterly fruitless.

The Loophole Mentality: A Major Symptom

Pastor Adeboye exposes a telltale sign of the thorny heart: the desperate search for biblical loopholes. Some Christians argue, “Where is it written in the Bible that drinking alcohol is a sin?” Others say listening to worldly music is not a sin as long as they do not do what the lyrics say, or that gambling is not bad so long as the Bible doesn’t say so.

The thorny heart wants a list of rules so they can calculate how close to the edge they can walk without falling. The question is not “What can I get away with?” but “What honors Christ?”

The fatal flaw in the loophole argument is that being God’s child is not about following rules and regulations; it is about being like Christ. A son does not ask his father, “How close can I get to the fire without being burned?” A son who loves his father stays away from the fire entirely because he does not want to grieve his father’s heart.

The Inappropriateness Test

Pastor Adeboye gives a concrete example that cuts through the loophole mentality. 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. Such an action can make unbelievers speak against the faith.

Here is the standard for the Spirit-filled believer:

The thorny heart searches Scripture for permission to indulge. The fruitful heart searches Scripture for direction on how to please God.

Why Thorns Are More Dangerous Than Stones

The stony ground believer falls away dramatically under persecution and is clearly lost. The thorny ground believer, however, remains in church, remains active, remains vocal—but remains unfruitful. They are harder to identify and therefore more dangerous to themselves.

A fruitless Christian is a contradiction in terms. Jesus said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away” (John 15:2). The thorny heart believer may argue theology, sing in the choir, and give offerings—but if there is no fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and no winning of souls (Proverbs 11:30), they are in grave danger.

How to Identify and Remove the Thorns

1. Stop asking loophole questions. The moment you find yourself asking, “Is this really a sin?” recognize it as a thorny heart symptom. Instead ask, “Does this help me love God more?”

2. Apply the inappropriateness test. Before any action, ask: Is this clearly appropriate for a child of God? Would I be embarrassed if Jesus returned right now? Could this cause an unbeliever to mock the faith?

3. Identify your specific thorns. Be honest. Is it the care of this world (anxiety, overwork), the deceitfulness of riches (greed, envy), or pleasure-seeking (entertainment addiction, sexual sin)?

4. Practice radical amputation (Matthew 5:29-30). If a specific pleasure is choking your spiritual life, cut it off. Delete the app. End the relationship. Change the route that passes the nightclub.

5. Pray for a change of heart. If you are living this way, you need a change of heart today. Not tomorrow. Not next month. Today.

Warning: Lukewarm Is Not Safe; It Is Nauseating

The Laodicean church said, “I am rich, increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). They were active, prosperous, and comfortable. But Jesus said they were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

The thorny heart believer often feels fine. They are not tormented by guilt like a backslider. They are not cold like an atheist. They are warm enough to feel religious but cold enough to remain worldly. Jesus says this mixture makes Him sick. He would rather they be ice-cold (honest rejection) than lukewarm (pretending to love Him while choking on thorns).

Conclusion: Your Prayer for a Thorn-Free Heart

Do not let the thorns win. Today is the day for radical weeding.

Reflection from the Devotional:

Are you fully surrendered to God, or are you looking for loopholes in His word so you can behave like the world?

Prayer Point (implied from the message):

Father, remove every thorn of worldly care, deceitful riches, and pleasure-seeking from my heart, and make me fruitful for Your kingdom.

Action Steps:

1. The loophole audit – write down the top three questions you have asked or heard others ask about what is “permissible.” For each one, stop asking, “Is it a sin?” and instead ask, “Does it honor Christ?”

2. The appropriateness test for one week – for seven days, before any questionable action, ask: “Is this clearly appropriate for a child of God?” If you hesitate, do not do it.

3. One thorn uprooted – identify one specific thorn that has been choking your spiritual life. Remove it completely for 30 days and replace it with prayer or Scripture memorization.