RCCG Solution Sanctuary Akure

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2020.

THEME: CHALLENGED, NOT DEFEATED.

MEMORISE:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Corinthians 4:17

READ: 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

MESSAGE:

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

You must be aware that the moment you say yes to Jesus, you have signed up for persecution. Buy mentioning His name alone, you could develop enemies. Yet, He doesn’t want you to worry because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). If as a Christian, you don’t go through any persecution, you may need to check your salvation. Jesus said:
“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:26

Every true Christian will face persecution: at the office, in the family, amongst friends or with strangers. What matters is how you handle it. Some go back to the world because they cannot stand while some others get stronger after going through it. Which category are you in?

Be deliberate about increasing your spiritual strength. Study your Bible more, pray more and be regular at fellowship with brethren. This is because surely, your spiritual strength will be tested someday (Proverbs 24:10). On such a day, it is how much of God that you have in you that will determine your action.

Those who pray in tongue regularly are supernaturally empowered to withstand any form of persecution. This is why Paul did not relent in preaching the gospel despite all the persecution he went through; he remained steadfast. Peter denied Jesus before he was baptized in the Holy Ghost, but as soon as the Holy Ghost came upon him, he endured persecution and described it as a good thing (Acts 5:41).

No matter how much the devil challenges you, do not yield. No matter how much you have been threatened to accept bribe to manipulate figures, stand strong. As long as you stand with Christ, you would never be defeated. He has already overcome the world.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, give me strength to withstand any persecution the devil brings my way in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 8-10.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 24: PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.
1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
o Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S MANUAL
LESSON THREE (3)
SUNDAY 20TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2020
TOPIC: THE GREAT COMMANDMENT: LOVE

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friend friendship suits me well,
Both young and will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER: Father, teach me to love like you do.

MEMORY VERSE: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned". Song of Solomon 8:7

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 22:35-40
[35]Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
[36]Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37]Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38]This is the first and great commandment.
[39]And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40]On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

*INTRODUCTION:* The bible says that "love is of God" and "God is love" (1John 4:7-8). In other words, love is a fundamental characteristics you of who God is. Everything God does is driven and influenced by His love (John 3:16). Our Lord Jesus Christ emphasised this by identifying the commandments to love God and the first and general law, after which He declared the directive to love fellow human beings as the second most important law (Matt. 22:25-40). The Holy Spirit sheds more light on the link between these two aspects of love (1John 4:20).
In Song of Solomon 8:7, love is said to be unquenchable and has more worth than all of one's possessions because it satisfies like nothing else can.

*TEXT REVIEW: Matthew 22:35-40*
*A*. A lawyer (one of the Pharisees) asked Jesus a tempting question: "Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" - vs 36.
*B*. Jesus responded by saying:
i. .....……….......…..................... vs 37-38
ii. …………….......….................... vs 39
iii. ………………...........................vs 40

*LESSON OUTLINES*
*LESSON OUTLINE 1. LOVE TOWARDS GOD*
*1. Love is reciprocal in the sense that:*
*A*. Our love for God is related to the fact that God first loved us (1 John 4:19).

*B*. It is also related to our obedience of Him (1 John 5:3; John 14:15).
*C*. God's love for us enables us to obey Him freely, without the burden or guilt or the fear of punishment (1John 4:18).

*2*. To love God requires*:
*A*. Knowing Him and that knowledge begins with His word (1 John 2:5).
*B*. Worshiping and praising Him only (Exodus 20:3).
*C*. Making Him our priority (Mark 12:30).
*D*. Desiring Him: yearning for His righteousness, His word, and His grace (Psalm 42:1).
*E* Obeying Him (John 14:15, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3). However, this is not a matter of merely following rules and registering good deeds. It is about having God's love written permanently on our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:5).

*CLASS ACTIVITY 1*: Class should discuss why people people find it difficult to reciprocate God's love.

*LESSON OUTLINE 2: LOVE TOWARDS FELLOW HUMANS*
*A*. We can express our love for God through those who are created in His image - our fellow humans (1 John 4:20; Mark 12:31).
God's kind of love is that which gives to those who did not deserve it including our enemies (Romans 5:8; Luke 6:32-35).
The bible says we are to love others the way God loves us (1 John 4:7).
We are to love the family of God (Romans 12:10).
As we show benevolent and selfless love, we reflect God's love to a lose and dying world.
*B*. One practical way to love others is to imagine ourselves in their shoes (Luke 6:31).
*C*. Loving others does not mean agreeing with everything they say or do, not does it mean acting in ways that always gain their approval.
*D*. Loving our neighborhoods means attending to their needs both physical and spiritual (Luke 10:29-37).
*E*. We love our neighborhood best when we share God's truth with them. Jesus alone can save (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), and He alone can meet people's every need.
*F*. We love our neighborhood out of an overflow of God's love for us and as a way of demonstrating our love towards God (1 John 4:7-12; Col. 4:5-6; 1 Peter 3:15-16).

*CLASS ACTIVITY 2*: Class should extract the key lesson from the biblical story of the Samaritan recorded in Luke 10:30-35.

*SUMMARY*: Love God and love your neighbour as yourself.

*CONCLUSION*: The love towards our neighbours is an evidence of love towards God. Let the love of God fill your heart. (Romans 5:5).

*EVALUATION*: Teacher should ask the students to explain how believers are expected to love one another.

*CLOSING PRAYER*: Father, let my love for You and my fellow human beings never fade away.

*ASSIGNMENT*: Mention five (5) ways believers can demonstrate love for God and their fellow humans respectively.