OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 WEDNESDAY: WISDOM OF THE ELDERS

BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE & PASTOR (MRS) FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Proverbs 1:10

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: 1 Kings 12:6-10

[6]And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

[7]And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

[8]But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:[9]And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
[10]And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

MESSAGE:
In today’s Bible reading, a young king named Rehoboam consulted the elders of the land on how to reign over the people. He got advice that would have brought about a peaceful reign and wonderful co-existence among his subjects, but he ignored the elders’ advice and accepted that of his peers, who encouraged him to make life miserable for the people so that they could respect and fear him. The consequence, however, was a total division of the kingdom of Israel.
You need to understand that the elders have wisdom you can learn from, which will take you to great heights. When my Father in the Lord was alive, he taught me many things that became my foundation in Christianity. Papa was an elder with the wisdom of 1,000 men, and if someone spent at least a year with him, I believe he or she would never be foolish. Many people talk or act foolishly today because they do not relate with godly elderly people. No matter how smart, intelligent, or technologically inclined you are, there is a superior wisdom that you can tap from. May the Lord align you with elders whose wisdom will give you wings to fly in your lifetime, in Jesus’ name

KEY POINT
You can learn valuable skills such as budgeting, cooking, home management, et cetera from an elder this year.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 28:14-30:11 Galatians 3:23-4:31

HYMN 43: LEAD US HEAVENLY FATHER, LEAD US
1. Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us
O’er The World’s Tempestuous Sea;
Guard Us, Guide Us, Keep Us, Feed Us,
For We Have No Help But Thee,
Yet Possessing Every Blessing
If Our God Our Father Be.

2. Saviour, Breathe Forgiveness O’er Us;
All Our Weakness Thou Dost Know;
Thou Didst Tread This Earth Before Us,
Thou Didst Feel Its Keenest Woe;
Lone And Dreary, Faint And Weary,
Through The Desert Thou Didst Go.

3. Spirit Of Our God, Descending,
Fill Our Hearts With Heavenly Joy,
Love With Every Passion Blending,
Pleasure That Can Never Cloy;
Thus Provided, Pardoned, Guided,
Nothing Can Our Peace Destroy.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 TUESDAY: BEYOND REDEMPTION?

BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE & PASTOR (MRS) FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Ephesians 1:7

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Ephesians 1:7-8

7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE:

When people sat that someone or something is beyond redemption, they usually mean that such people or things are so bad, and it is unlikely that anything can be done to improve them. However, I tell you that no man is beyond redemption. I used to say jokingly that if I were God, I wouldn’t have saved Adeboye because he was a really bad boy. I thank God that He alone chooses to have mercy on whom He would. I am a product of His mercy.

Are there situations that you’ve experienced or choices that you’ve made that keep haunting you and giving you sleepless nights? I want to tell you that you are not beyond redemption. Satan might be whispering to you that Jesus will never forgive you for that lie you told, the stuff you stole, or the addiction that has held you captive, but he is only lying. If Jesus could save me, then He can save you; all you need do is accept Him into your heart today, confess your sins, and promise never to go back to them again. Then, find a Bible-believing Church and constantly fellowship with the brethren so that you can grow spiritually.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY POINT

Come to Jesus with your burdens, and He will give you rest. Key Point

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 25:1-28:13 Galatians 3:10-22

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 56

NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE

1. Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer To Thee;
E’en Though It Be A Cross
That Raiseth Me,
Still All My Song Shall Be,
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer To Thee!

2. Though Like The Wanderer,
The Sun Gone Down,
Darkness Be Over Me,
My Rest A Stone,
Yet In My Dreams I’d Be
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer To Thee!

3. There Let The Way Appear
Steps Unto Heaven;
All That Thou Send’st To Me
In Mercy Given;
Angels To Beckon Me
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer To Thee!

4. Then With My Waking Thoughts
Bright With Thy Praise,
Out Of My Stony Griefs
Bethel I’ll Raise;
So By My Woes To Be
Nearer, My God, To Thee,
Nearer To Thee!

5. Or If On Joyful Wing
Cleaving The Sky,
Sun, Moon, And Stars Forgot,
Upward I Fly,
Still All My Song Shall Be,
Nearer, My God, To Thee;
Nearer To Thee!

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Psalms 27:13-14:

¹³ I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lordin the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE

Everyone at one time or the other will be in a waiting season. Your waiting season is a period when you are waiting for something that you desire to come to you.

A secondary school student is usually waiting earnestly for when he or she will get into the university, the university student is waiting to graduate, the graduate is waiting to get a job, the single person is waiting to get married, the married person is waiting to have children, and parents are waiting for the different stages of their children’s life. The waiting goes on for different things at different times.

Waiting is inevitable for everyone, however, what you do while waiting is more important than what you are waiting for itself. When people lose their patience with God and decide to do things outside His will to stop their waiting season, they often regret it.

In 1 Samuel 13:8-14, Saul got tired of waiting for Samuel’s arrival to perform a sacrifice, so he decided to perform the sacrifice himself, which was against the will of God. That action resulted in him losing his throne.

In Genesis 16:1-3, Sarah got tired of waiting on God for a child, so she gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife. She regretted it after Hagar conceived (Genesis 16:4), and today, that action has resulted in great persecution for her descendants.

Finding alternatives to God in order to shorten a waiting season always ends in regrets. My wife and I were praying for a woman to conceive. At some point, she got tired of waiting on God and went to see a herbalist.

She got pregnant quite alright, but the pregnancy that should last for only nine months remained for years. The last time I heard about her, she still hadn’t given birth to the baby. Every alternative to God gives permission to the devil to oppress you.

The reason we have many internet fraudsters today is that many young people don’t want to go through the correct process of making money.

What they don’t know is that although they could get a lot of money quickly, what they will have to give in exchange for that money is their very soul.

Matthew 16:26 says that this is foolish because there is only loss in a fellow gaining the whole world and losing his or her soul in the process.

Don’t be foolish, wait on God, and He will surely come through for you.

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY POINT

Every alternative to God gives permission to the devil to oppress a believer.

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 47-48

OPEN HEAVEN 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 21

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Ezekiel 13:3

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Ezekiel 13:1-6:

1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord;

³ Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

⁴ O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

⁵ Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.

⁶ They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE

True prophecies come from the mind of God. A prophet hears from God and relays the message to the people.

Whenever a prophecy is given based on feelings, that prophecy is false, and the Bible describes people who do this as fools (Ezekiel 13:3). A true prophecy is an echo of what God has said.

When I was younger in ministry, I recall prophesying that a particular airline will never suffer loss because I was excited over their services to the church. I prophesied based on my feelings without hearing what God had to say.

Not long after, the airline suffered a plane crash. I should have just prayed for them and blessed them for their benevolence, rather than giving a prophecy in my excitement.

I learnt my lesson from that – if God has not spoken, I do not prophesy. Beloved, don’t be too much in a hurry to say ‘God said’ when God didn’t say anything.

Don’t allow pride to push you to prophesy; prophesy only according to the will of God. Push pride aside so that you can hear God clearly.

Long before the Nigerian elections in 2023, people were agitated as to who will become the next president. They put pressure on me to tell them what the outcome of the elections will be.

Even with all that pressure, I made sure not to say anything I had not heard God say because I knew that it would be a lie.

I told them a few weeks before the election, “God has still not spoken. Until God speaks, I won’t say anything.”

You must become comfortable with keeping quiet when God is quiet. If you are truly His mouthpiece, when His mouth is shut, yours will be also.

Prophecy must also be in line with the word of God.

If a prophecy does not echo the word of God in the Scriptures, it is false. A man came to me and said,“I heard that you are a prophet, and anything you say comes to pass. Can you tell me my future?” I responded, “That is easy. Are you born again?” He said, “No”.

“Then, your future will be terrible,” I responded. He asked, “How do you know? You’ve not even asked for my name.” I told him, “Isaiah 3:11 says, ‘Woe unto the wicked.’” Anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is condemned already (John 3:17-18).

A true prophecy comes from God and always aligns with His word in the Scriptures.

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY POINT

Any prophecy that does not echo God’s word is fake. Let it not come out of your mouth.

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 1

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

OPEN HEAVEN 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 5-9

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Psalms 38:10

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Psalms 39:4-7:

⁴ Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

⁵ Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

⁶ Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.⁷ And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE

In today’s  Bible text, David asked God to make him know how frail he really was. This was a man who witnessed how his highly-exalted king, King Saul, suddenly started acting like a mad man on several occasions and needed music from a harp to calm him down (1 Samuel 16:23).

This was a man who used an ordinary stone to bring down a giant that had terrorised his country for 40 days and nights (1 Samuel 17).

As humans, we have the tendency to believe that we are strong and that we are in control, whereas, God is the One that upholds us (Isaiah 41:8-10).

In Daniel 4:30, Nebuchadnezzar was boasting of his really great achievements, but within that same hour, he was on all fours, eating grass with the beasts of the field (Daniel 4:31-33).

He was indeed a great king, but God humbled him in an instant. No matter how great and powerful a fellow is, God can humble him or her in the twinkling of an eye.

King Herod thought that he was powerful and could capture and kill whoever he wanted to (Mark 6:16-17), but right in front of his people, he was eaten up by ordinary maggots (Acts 12:23).

When God wants to show that He is in control, He can use ants to bring down an elephant. This is why you will always see me being humble, kneeling to worship God in public, and surrendering my all to Him.

I know what I am doing because I know that without Him, I am nothing. I know that no matter how powerful people think I am, God can break me like a toothpick if I offend Him.

Beloved, always live conscious of your frailty in God’s hands; don’t ever think you are in control.

Keep it at the back of your mind at all times that God is in control. The producers of a popular television show in Nigeria would always say that we are nothing but pencils in the hand of the Creator.

If you think you are better than everyone else, know that you are just a pencil in God’s hands, and He can do with you as He pleases. Like David, ask God to always remind you of how frail you are in His hands.

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 PRAYER POINT

Father, please let me never forget how weak and helpless I am in your hands.

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 23

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

OPEN HEAVEN 17 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1-4

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 MONDAY: ATTEND TO YOUR FOUNDATION

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psalm 11:3

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Isaiah 49:24-26

[24]Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
[25]But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
[26]And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE

As beautiful as cultures and traditions are, they can limit a fellow’s destiny. From the 17th century up until the 19th century, when any woman gave birth to twins in a particular region of Nigeria, the children would be thrown into the river because the superstitious belief was that they were abnormal. If the children survived being drowned after some hours, the indigenes would believe that they were good and should be spared. Thankfully, a Christian missionary called Mary Slessor ended that barbaric tradition; today, many twins are achieving great things in their generation. Long ago, in my family, I discovered that women used to die within the first few days of putting to bed, especially when they ate any meal prepared with oil or salt. I was told that it was as a result of a curse.
So, I dug deeper into my family history, made the necessary restitution, and cancelled the curse during a fasting and prayer session. Today, my lineage is free of that curse.

Beloved, I encourage you to ask questions about your family’s culture and traditions today because of your future.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY POINT

Know the existing traditions in your family to avoid future limitations.

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 22:1-24:23; Galatians 2:17-3:9

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 40

CHRIST IS OUR CORNER-STONE

1. Christ Is Our Corner-Stone;
On Him Alone We Build;
With His True Saints Alone
The Courts Of Heaven Are Filled;
On His Great Love
Our Hopes We Place
Of Present Grace,
And Joys Above.

2. Oh, Then, With Hymns Of Praise
These Hallow’d Courts Shall Ring:
Our Voices We Will Raise,
The Three In One To Sin;
And Thus Proclaim
In Joyful Song,
Both Loud And Long,
That Glorious Name.

3. Here, Gracious God, Do Thou
For Evermore Draw Nigh;
Accept Each Faithful Vow,
And Mark Each Suppliant Sigh;
In Copious Shower
On All Who Pray,
Each Holy Day,
Thy Blessings Pour.

4. Here May We Gain From Heaven
The Grace Which We Implore,
And May That Grace, Once Given
Be With Us Evermore;
Until That Day,
When All The Blest,
To Endless Rest
Are Called Away.

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 MEMORISE: A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. Proverbs 28:20

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 READ: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10. I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 MESSAGE:

God makes everything beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The pursuit of the vanities of this world has robbed many people of far greater and better blessings from God.

It is not bad to want to achieve something great or pursue a good cause, but if you try to outrun God, you may never achieve that goal, and worse still, you may pay for it with something very precious to you.

God knows your desires; in fact, it is likely that He is the one who put them there.

He knows the best times and the best ways for those desires to be accomplished, so, don’t try to act smarter than the One who made your brain.

Years ago, I was duped by a man who promised to make me a commandant of a paramilitary group.

This man had been sending messages to me through my secretary for a while, and so, one day, I gave him audience.

He explained to me how a Boy-Scouts-like group had evolved into this new agency, and that he was sourcing for who would lead the group spiritually.

Normally, I ask God before getting involved in anything at all, but this time, my love for the military in my younger days beclouded my best instincts, and l agreed to be their head.

He told me that they needed some funding, which I gave as the prospective head.

However, I later found out that the man was a fake.

My desire to be part of a paramilitary group made me run ahead of God, but God had already purposed for Redemption City to have its own corps of chaplains as well as a local Police post.

He knew the desire of my heart, and He had planned for it to be fulfilled in His own time.

I thought that I could bring my desire to fulfilment at my own time, but I was wrong.

What I lost in that experience was money, but for someone else, it might have been their life or a loved one.

The Bible makes it clear that God delights in our well-being and prosperity (Psalm 35:27, 3 John 1:2).

Therefore, it is not wrong to desire wealth. He will definitely make you prosper, but in His own time.

Beloved, follow God’s timing; don’t try to outrun Him.

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 KEY POINT

Don’t try to outrun God so that you will not lose far more than what you set out to gain.

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 HYMN 21

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF CHRIST MY KING

1. Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail.
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

3. Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

OPEN HEAVENS 16 SEPTEMBER 2024 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel 1-3

BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE & PASTOR (MRS) FOLU ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. Genesis 7:16

READ: Genesis 7:1-16
[1]And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
[2]Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
[3]Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
[4]For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
[5]And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.
[6]And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
[7]And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
[8]Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
[9]There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
[10]And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
[11]In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
[12]And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
[13]In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
[14]They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
[15]And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
[16]And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

MESSAGE:
Noah was singled out in his generation because he found grace in God’s sight (Genesis 6:5-8). God instructed him to build an ark with accurate specifications and dimensions to accommodate thousands of people and animals that would later repopulate the world. Noah invited people to join him in the ark, but only his family members accepted his invitation. He also went into the ark with a male and female of every creature. Afterwards, God shut them in for 150 days while He sent the rain and a flood to wipe out the earth.
If Noah had not built the ark, he wouldn’t have been preserved, and if God hadn’t shut him in, perhaps he and the others with him would have attempted to step out during the flood and would have been wiped out as well. However, Noah obeyed God’s instruction to the letter.

Are you in a situation where you feel restricted by God? Do you have spiritual gifts that you want to express to the world, but God is telling you to wait while He works on you? My dear child, God makes everything beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11), and you will achieve everything He has purposed for your life. Be patient and keep fellowshipping with Him

KEY POINT
God will showcase you to the world at the appointed time.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 19:1-21:17 Galatians 2:1-16

HYMN 35: ‘TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS
1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

4. I’m so glad I learn’d to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend,
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

LESSON THREE (03)
TOPIC: SIN IS SIN

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 friendship suits me well,
Both young and old 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?

BIBLE PASSAGE: I John 3:4-10 NKJV
[4] Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
[5] And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. [6] Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
[7] Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
[8] He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
[9] Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
[10] In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

MEMORY VERSE: “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” 1 John 3:6 (NKJV).

INTRODUCTION: Various names have been given to sin. Some call it a mistake or failure while some call it a weakness. Whatever name you want to call it, sin is sin. Sin means disobedience to the Almighty God. It is the violation of the perfect holiness of God (1 John 3:4). Sin in the Hebrew tongue is chatta’ah (khat-taw-aw’) meaning habitual offence.

OUTLINES:
1. The Genesis Of Sin
2. Results Of Sin And Way Out

1. THE GENESIS OF SIN
Sin started with Satan (Isaiah 14:12-14). It then entered the world through Adam and Eve because they listened to Satan and thereafter disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-8). The word sin was first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 4:7 (KJV). The scripture classified the following as sin. All unrighteousness (1 John 5:17a; Romans 1:29-31), lawlessness (1 John 3:4; 1 Timothy 1:9-11) disobedience/rebellion (1 Samuel 15:22-23a; Colossians 3:5-8).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Teachers should allow the students to discuss how sin originated from Satan.

2. RESULTS OF SIN AND WAY OUT
Sin is dangerous and should be avoided. Some of its grievous consequences are:
1. Separation from God: The sinner will be separated from God (Isaiah 59:2).
2. Exposure to attacks: Sinners have no divine covering, hence, they are susceptible to different attacks (Ecclesiastes 10:8b).
3. Eternal punishment: sinners will be punished on earth and in eternity (Matthew 25:46).
4. Death: Sinners will experience spiritual death (Romans 6:23a).
5. Hell: This is the final abode of sinners. (Matthew 25:41).
Sinners cannot hide their sins from God (Jeremiah 2:22). The joy however, is that they can be free from sin by acknowledging that they are sinners who cannot help themselves. They need to accept the saving grace of God (Ephesians 2:4-5) through the confession of their sin to Him (1 John 1:9) and accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). Sinners must repent and forsake their evil ways (Proverbs 28:13; Acts 2:37-38) and ask Jesus to cleanse their sins with His powerful blood (Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Do you have an unconfessed sin? Ensure you settle with your Creator today.

CONCLUSION God can pardon any sin if we repent of it (Isaiah 55:7).

QUESTIONS:
* Describe sin and its origin.
* What are the results of sin?

FURTHER READING: SUN: Matt.25:46; MON: 1John 5:17b; TUE: Isa.14:12-14; WED: 1Cor. 6:9-10; THUR: 1Tim. 1:9-11; FRI: Col. 3:5-8; SAT: Rom.6:23.

ASSIGNMENT: Write out five (5) ways to live above sin and its results (2X5=10 Marks).

LESSON THREE (03)
TOPIC: SIN IS SIN

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 friendship suits me well,
Both young and old 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, expose every hidden sin to me through this lesson in the mighty name of Jesus.

BIBLE PASSAGE: I John 3:4-10 NKJV
[4] Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
[5] And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. [6] Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
[7] Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
[8] He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
[9] Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
[10] In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

MEMORY VERSE: “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” 1 John 3:6 (NKJV).

INTRODUCTION: Various names have been given to sin. Some call it a mistake or failure while some call it a weakness. Whatever name you want to call it, sin is sin. Sin means disobedience to the Almighty God. It is the violation of the perfect holiness of God (1 John 3:4). Sin in the Hebrew tongue is chatta’ah (khat-taw-aw’) meaning habitual offence.

TEACHER’S DIARY
LESSON AIM: To emphasise that sin is sin.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: Through this study, students are expected to:
a. Know what sin is. b. Discover how it started. c. Identify its consequences. d. Understand the way out.

TEXT REVIEW: 1 John.3:4-10.
The Apostle John uncovers sin in the above passage:
A. Everyone who sins breaks the law. In fact breaking of law is sin, V4.
B. But Christ came to take our sins away and no one who is joined to him can keep sinning.
C. Similarly, anyone, who keeps sinning neither sees nor knows Him, V5 & 6.
D. He admonishes his children in faith (believers) to shun deceit and face the truth:
i. …………………………………..V7.
ii. ………………………………… ..V8.

E. He further stresses that:
i. …………………………………………V9a.
ii. …………..……………………………V9b.
iii…………………………………………V9c.

F. Additionally, he highlights two ways of distinguishing between the children of God and the devil:
i. …………………………………………V10a.
ii. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, V10b.

TEACHING METHOD: The Question and Answer Teaching Methods.
OUTLINES:
1. The Genesis Of Sin
2. Results Of Sin And Way Out

1. THE GENESIS OF SIN
Teachers are to ask the following questions and explain the answers below to the students expounding on the scriptures provided.
i. Question: How did sin start?
Answer: Sin started with Satan (Isaiah 14:12-14).
ii. Question: How did man become involved?
Answer: Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve because they listened to Satan and thereafter disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-8).
iii. Question: Where in the Bible was sin first mentioned?
Answer: The word sin was first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 4:7 (KJV).
iv. Question: What are the scriptural classifications of sin?
Answer: The scripture classified the following as sin:
i. All unrighteousness (1 John 5:17a; Romans 1:29-31).
ii. Lawlessness (1 John 3:4; 1 Timothy 1:9-11).
iii. Disobedience/rebellion (1 Samuel 15:22-23a; Colossians 3:5-8).
CLASS ACTIVITY 1:
Teachers should allow the students to discuss how sin originated from Satan.

2. RESULTS OF SIN AND WAY OUT
Sin is dangerous and should be avoided.
A. Question: What are the consequences of sin?
Answer: Some of its grievous consequences are:
i. Separation from God: The sinner will be separated from God (Isaiah 59:2).
ii. Exposure to attacks: Sinners have no divine covering, hence, they are susceptible to different attacks (Ecclesiastes 10:8b).
iii. Eternal punishment: sinners will be punished on earth and in eternity (Matthew 25:46).
iv. Death: Sinners will experience spiritual death (Romans 6:23a).
v. Hell: This is the final abode of sinners. (Matthew 25:41).

B. Question: Can sinners hide their sins from God?
Answer: Sinners cannot hide their sins from God (Jeremiah 2:22).

C. Question: Can sinners be free from their sin?
Answer: The joy is that sinners can be free from sin by acknowledging that they are sinners who cannot help themselves.

D. Question: What can sinners do to be free from their sin?
Answer:
i. They need to accept the saving grace of God (Ephesians 2:4-5) through the confession of their sin to Him (1 John 1:9).
ii. Accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Romans 10:9-10).
iii. Sinners must repent and forsake their evil ways (Proverbs 28:13; Acts 2:37-38).
iv. Ask Jesus to cleanse their sins with His powerful blood (Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Do you have an unconfessed sin? Ensure you settle with your Creator today.

CONCLUSION: God can pardon any sin if we repent of it (Isaiah 55:7).

EVALUATION: Teachers should ask the students to list the steps in coming out of sin.

CLOSING PRAYER: Father, I am joined to You, Your seed is in me, deaden any desire for sin left in me in Jesus’ name.

ASSIGNMENT: Write out five (5) ways to live above sin and its results (2X5=10 Marks).