Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Thursday, November 15, 2018) – Glory Not In Self

1.Thank You, Father, for my yesterday, for my today, and for all that You have in store for me, tomorrow.

2.Thank You, for Your grace and mercy, and for granting me a new beginning, in all areas of my endeavours.

3.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, I receive my new dawn of joy, victory, breakthrough and a perfect walk with You, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, let every siege over my life, destiny, family, finances, business, marriage, academics, ministry and nation, be terminated today, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, please, do a new thing in my life, let it show forth, and let the whole world gather to celebrate with me, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, please remove every trace of self-glory in me, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, let all my outstanding blessings for this year, still hanging in the air, be released unto me now, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, please help me to never deceive myself into thinking and believing in a false idea of me, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, let the power of the Holy communion, bring, continued victory, favour and success, upon Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, and his entire household and ministry, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus’ name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Open Heaven 16 November 2018 Memorize: But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship their Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23

Open Heaven 16 November 2018 Bible Reading: Mathew 15:21-28 (KJV)

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Open Heaven 16 November 2018 Bible in one year: Ezekiel 8:10, Luke 22:39-62, Hymnal: sing Hymn 1

Anyone who has a revelation of what worship does to true and genuine worshippers is blessed indeed. The story in today’s Bible text reveals the practical impact of worship.

In that story, our Lord Jesus Christ was approached for help by a Syro-Phoenician woman whose daughter was grievously possessed by a demon. The Bible says He did not pay any attention to her, and so His disciples advised that He should just send her away.

However, instead of sending her away, Jesus opened the door of opportunity to dialogue with her and bring her to the saving knowledge of the God of Israel.

He said,”I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” This was the hint this woman needed to turn the situation around. On hearing this, she did something which is the focus of our reflection today. Matthew 15:25 says:

” Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.”

This action by the Syros-Phoenician woman ensured that Jesus continued to hear her. In their ensuing dialogue, she demonstrated persistent faith which the Lord’s anointing could not resist. Jesus commended her faith which was borne out of spiritual humility, saying to her:

”O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” Matthew 15:28b

There are many lessons to learn from this story, but central to these lessons is the art of worship. We should always remember that all men are the same before God, and the purpose of their existence is to worship their Maker.

Whether mankind likes it or not, a day is coming when we shall all worship before God. Speaking concerning this, Psalms 86:9 says:

”All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.”

Our memory verse reveals that the Father seeks those who worship Him. Beloved, worship does what no other thing can do in the place of prayer.

What can anyone do that could make God do what He wouldn’t have done otherwise? The answer is worship. David worshipped God and God established a dynasty for him. Also Read – Open Heaven 15 November 2018

His son worshipped God through unprecedented sacrifice and got more than he bargained for (1st Kings 3:4-13). The Gyro-Phoenician woman worshipped Jesus Christ and a dog outside the kingdom became a child of the kingdom.

As a matter of fact, some dogs worship their owners and eventually eat from their master’s table! Beloved, I want to encourage you to always engage in genuine worship, and you will be amazed by the great breakthrough you will begin to experience.

Open Heaven 16 November 2018 Prayer Point:  spend quality time worshiping God today and see how he will rise on your behalf.

Open Heaven 16 November 2018 Hymn 1

My Faith looks up to thee

Verse 1:

My faith looks up to thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine;
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine!

Verse 2:

May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

Verse 3:

While life’s dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside.

Verse 4:

When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done,
Be near to me.
Blest Savior, then, in love
Fear and distrust remove.
O bear me safe above,
Redeemed and free!

OPEN HEAVEN 15 NOVEMBER 2018 MEMORISE:
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:12

OPEN HEAVEN 15 NOVEMBER 2018 BIBLE READING: Isaiah 14:12-17, Luke 18:10-13

Isaiah 14:12-17
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Luke 18:10-13
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

To glory in self is to exalt one’s own worth above what it really is. It is the act of perceiving yourself as overly important.

A person who glories in self is a person who thinks he stands on his own merits and by his own power. This is the reason why the father of lies, Satan, was cast down from heaven.

Indeed, Satan is a classic example of someone who gloried in self. He exalted himself above what he really was, and he started to think of himself as better than everyone else, including God.

Glorying in self has its roots in self-deception; it starts when a man deceives himself into thinking and believing in a false idea of himself.

Glorying in self might not be obvious at first. It is a very dangerous character flaw that sometimes creep in on children of God until it leads them to doom. Also read – Open Heaven 14 November 2018

What then are the signs that a person glories in self? One indicator is when you feel the need to parade in public what should and can be done in private. This was one of the issues Jesus had with the Pharisees.

They would rather pray in public than pray behind closed doors, and when they fasted, they ensure that it showed on their faces, just so that everyone knew they were fasting.

Even today, some people ensure that every good thing they do is done from the rooftops, so that people will see and praise them. In addition, people who glory in self tend to talk about themselves a lot.

This is majorly because they feel the need to constantly list out their accomplishments and achievements.

They are always quick to say “I” even when “we” is the approximate thing to say. People who glory in self honestly feel that they are better than everyone else.

Luke 18:10-13 shows a clear difference between a self-glorying person and a humble person.

When humble people see themselves as needing God’s grace and mercy, self-glorying people think that their actions are perfect enough to dignify them before God and man.

A self-glorying person will never get anything from God. Only a person who recognises his or her need for God’s help and asks for it will get it.

Glorying in self is very dangerous because at the end if the day, every single thing that the person thinks he or she has accomplished will be taken away, and shame, disappointment and humiliation will be the portion of such a fellow.

OPEN HEAVEN 15 NOVEMBER 2018 PRAYER POINT – Father, please remove every trace of self-glory in me.

OPEN HEAVEN 15 NOVEMBER 2018 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 5-7, Luke 22:14-38
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 10: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

VERSE 1
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

VERSE 2
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

VERSE 3
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

VERSE 4
When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Wednesday, November 14 2018) – It is a New Dawn!

1.I worship You, my Father, for committing Your word, which You honoured even, above Your name into the hands of mortals, like us.

2.Thank You, Father, for sending Your son, Jesus, who is Your word that became flesh, to us, to guide and show us the way of eternal life.

3.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, give me the grace to create time for the regular study and sharing of Your word, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, thank you for a new dawn in my life, family, career, business and relationship.

6.Father, give me special insight and understanding of Your word, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, each time I study Your word, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, let me begin to see things, the way You see them, and let me become like You, in Jesus’ name.

8.I decree into your life this day, by the time the Lord accomplishes what He intends to do or you, your enemies will come begging for intercessory prayers in Jesus’ Name.

9.Father, I know that I will experience a new dawn this season in Jesus’ Name.

10.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, uphold Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, till the very end, without wrinkle or spot, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus’ name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Open Heaven 14 November 2018 Memorize: We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dick place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2nd Peter 1:19

Open Heaven 14 November 2018 Bible Reading: Exodus 12:1-11 (KJV)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,

2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

Bible in one year Ezekiel 3:4, Luke 21:29-22:13, Hymnal: sing Hymn 6

The children of is Israel experienced a new dawn when they left Egypt in circumstances that only God could have made possible. If the Lord could give a new dawn to a nation of slaves, I know that you will also experience a new dawn this season in Jesus’ Name.

The Lord told Moses and Aaron that the month at their exodus from Egypt would be the beginning of months to them. In other words, it would become the first month of a new year to them.

To someone using this open heavens devotional, regardless of the fact that we are in November, this shall be the beginning of months to you because you are entering into your new year this month.

You cannot afford to wait till the last day of this year to receive that miracle you desire so much, because the Lord is able and willing to do it now. He has done it before and He will still do it again.

We experienced this dimension of the Lord’s move in Nigeria a couple of years ago. The country was severely under the siege of a totalitarian ruler, and the children of God were seriously praying for the country’s deliverance.

During one of our monthly Holy Ghost Service meetings, the Lord suddenly spoke to me that I should instruct the congregation to greet each other ”Happy New Year”! Amazingly, this was the middle of the year. Click Here To Read – Open Heaven 13 November 2018

As usual, I obeyed my Commander-in-Chief; the brethren greeted each other “Happy New Year”, and we closed the meeting.

Barely 48 hours afterwards, the siege over the nation lifted. Announce to yourself or to those around you that it is a new dawn, and so shall it be in Jesus’ Name.

After declaring a new dawn for the Israelite’s, God dealt with the enemies that held them bound, so much so that their king called for Moses and Aaron in the middle of the night, begging them to lead the Israelite’s out of his land.

These were the same people he had held in captivity for years (Exodus 12:31-33). Beloved, Psalm 126:1 says:

“When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion; we were like them that dream.”

When the Lord brings you to a new dawn, even your neighbors may not easily recognize you, because your level would have changed drastically. Can you believe that Pharaoh even asked Moses to pray for him!

I decree into your life this day, by the time the Lord accomplishes what He intends to do or you, your enemies will come begging for intercessory prayers in Jesus’ Name.

Beloved, l announce to you today, it is a new dawn. All that is required of you is to keep to the precepts of God’s word, and don’t ever let it cross your mind to go back to the Egypt of sin again.

Open Heaven 14 November 2018 Prayer point: Father, I receive my new dawn of joy, victory, breakthrough and a perfect walk with You in Jesus’Name.

Open Heaven 14 November 2018 Hymn 6

A NEW THING

(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

We will soon shout Halleluiah
Because God will do new things
Sinners will be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:
Shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Hallelujah to our king.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be faithful soon
Failure will be forgotten.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayer answered fully.

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousand

We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Hallelujah to our King

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Tuesday, November 13, 2018) – This Book Of The Law

1.Thank You, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for the gift of Your heritages, placed under my care.

2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

3.Father, empower me and my entire household, to trust only in You, and never to lean on our own understanding, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, teach me to use Your manual properly and effectively, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, give me greater knowledge of Your word, even as I engage into it, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, possess all Your heritages in my care, with Your Holy Spirit; teach them in Your ways, and when they grow up, let them not depart from it, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, help me to always have the book of the law in all my communications and never allow it to depart from my mouth, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, let me and my entire household always find favour and good understanding in Your sight and in the sight of men, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, empower me and the children You have kept in my care, to always acknowledge You, in all our ways, and as we do, please, direct our paths in life, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, grant Pastor E.A. Adeboye, divine health, long life and peace of mind over all his children, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus’ name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Open Heaven 13 November 2018 Memorize: But whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1: 25

Open Heaven 13 November 2018 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 30:10-14 (KJV)

10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Bible in one year: Ezekiel 1:2 Luke 21:5-28, Hymnal: sing Hymn 2

The Bible is indeed a book of law. It is a user’s manual that gives instructions on how best to live our lives successfully. imagine buying a device you have never used before, only to discover later that its user’s manual is missing!

You will either go back to the manufacturer for the manual or try to figure your way around using it. If you go with the latter option, you will have no idea of what you are doing, and if you chance you get the gadget working after playing around with it, you will never fully understand it in its entirety, and so you will not be able to fully optimize its use.

That is how it is with our lives. Our lives are like the gadget, and the Bible is the manual meant to give us a step by step guide on how to live our lives. Click Here To Read – Open Heaven 12 November 2018 (Keep Your Children Alive)

Unlike earthly manuals that you can master within a short time and discard eventually, the Bible is a manual that you will need till you breathe your last breath.

As Christians, our physical and spiritual lives are not meant to be average. God expects us to live life at its best, and He has given us the Bible to instruct us on how to achieve this successfully (2nd Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible is our book of solutions, containing answers to every problem we may face in this world. At a point in time, I was having issues solving a mathematical problem.

I was on the right track, but I had so many equations and it was difficult finding a way to solve them all. I decided to take a break and read my Bible. The portion of the Bible I read was where Moses parted the Red Sea.

There and then, God told me that I should solve the problem just as the Red Sea was parted in two. He opened my eyes to see that all the equations could be divided into two categories based on certain qualities.

Going by this inspiration, I placed some of the equations on the left and some on the right, and having grouped them this way, the problem was easier to work out.

I solved those on the left and those on the right independently, and then I brought them back together again, just as the Red Sea came back together. That was how I solved the difficult problem and got the correct answer.

The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit and can only be understood by His help (2nd Corinthians 3:6). The more you chew on the word, the more you will see things like God and become like Him.

You need to note however that it is not just about reading the Bible, but also about understanding it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Whenever you want to study the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it, and before long, you will have deep insights and see things that no one else has seen.

You also need to live by God’s Instructions in the Bible, for it is only then that the anointing of good success can be activated in your life (Joshua 1:8).

Open Heaven 13 November 2018 Key point: This book of the law should never depart out of your mouth: is it part of your daily communication?

Open Heaven 13 November 2018 Hymn 2

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

Verse 1:
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Verse 2:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Verse 3:
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens: (Monday, November 12, 2018) . Keep Your Children Alive!

1.Thank You, Father, for the salvation of my soul and for the gift of Your heritages, placed under my care.

2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

3.Father, empower me and my entire household, to trust only in You, and never to lean on our own understanding, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, help me to nurture the children You have given me, with the spiritual nourishment in Your word, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, give the children You have placed under my watch, ears to hear You, and hearts that obey You, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, possess all Your heritages in my care, with Your Holy Spirit; teach them in Your ways, and when they grow up, let them not depart from it, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, instill Your fear in the hearts of all my children; let me never fail in all my responsibilities over them, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, let me and my entire household always find favour and good understanding in Your sight and in the sight of men, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, empower me and the children You have kept in my care, to always acknowledge You, in all our ways, and as we do, please, direct our paths in life, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, grant Pastor E.A. Adeboye, divine health, long life and peace of mind over all his children, in Jesus’ name.

12.Your Personal petitions.
( Philippians 4:6)
13.In Jesus’ name I pray.
(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
14.Thank you Father for answered prayers.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS MANUAL LESSON ELEVEN 11 NOVEMBER 2018 – A MODEL FOR TODAY

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 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?

MEMORY VERSE : “And they continue steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

BIBLE PASSAGE : Acts 2:42-44

42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

INTRODUCTION : A close study of the daily life of the first apostolic church reveals certain peculiarities worthy of note. This seems to run contrary to some trends noticed in some churches today.

We need to examine what the early church looked like and practiced in order to realign ourselves with the will of God for His Church .

OUTLINES
1. SOME SHORT-COMINGS OF THE PRESENT – DAY CHURCH
2.THE QUALITIES OF THE EARLY CHURCH.

1. SOME SHORT-COMINGS OF THE PRESENT – DAY CHURCH: In many of the Churches of today,human philosophies and motivational talks have replaced sound doctrines (1 Corinthians 2:4; Colossians 2:4,8). Rather than rendering selfless services. People now seek for immediate reward /compensations (Acts 20:35, Galatians 6:9).

True love, as well as genuine fellowship (I. E. Inter-personal relationship) is not just missing among members but has been replaced with suspicions (1John 3:18, Hebrew 10:25). There is also the lack of sacrificial giving and commitment to kingdom projects (Acts 2:45, Psalm 69:9).

Pride, egoistic tendencies and unhealthy rivalry among leaders and followers are quite noticeable (2 Corinthians 10:12, Philippines 2:5). Some members even engage in a life of suspicion, envy and strife (James 3:14,16).

There are also gimmicks in some churches today resulting in exploitations, intimidations, faking of miracles, lies and deceptions in the name of packaging ; etc (1Timothy 6:3-7; Ephesians 4:14, 2 Corinthians 12:16-17).

THE QUALITIES OF THE EARLY CHURCH :
The early church was characterized by steadfastness in ‘apostolic’ doctrines, fellowship, prayer and breaking of bread from house to house (Acts 2:42-46,12:5). The early Church featured warm, truthful and loving fellowship (2 Corinthians 2:13, Philippines 4:10). Real signs and wonders took place in the Church (Acts 2:43, 4:14, Mark 16:20).

They were united with brotherly love and had all things in common (Acts 2:44, John 17:21). The members of the early Church were also generous (Acts 2:5, Acts 4:34-37) and enjoyed Favour (Acts 2:47). The church had tremendous numeric growth on daily basis (Act 2:41, Acts 4:4, Acts 5:14).

CONCLUSION
While we cannot rule out the need for innovations and creativity that make the Church of God lively today, the present day Church must be modeled after the early Church.
QUESTIONS
1. Mention at least 4 short – comings of the present – day Church.
2. What are the qualities of the early church?

For Further Reading : Acts 17:10, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Acts 2:17, Psalm 103:1, Acts 10:35, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Acts 4:4.

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’ MANUAL LESSON ELEVEN SUNDAY 11TH NOVEMBER, 2018 – THE EARLY CHURCH: A MODEL FOR TODAY

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 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, let me serve You steadfastly.

BIBLE PASSAGE : Acts 2:42-44
42. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

MEMORY VERSE: “And they continue steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

LESSON INTRODUCTION: INTRODUCTION : A close study of the daily life of the first apostolic church reveals certain peculiarities worthy of note. This seems to run contrary to some trends noticed in some churches today. We need to examine what the early church looked like and practiced in order to realign ourselves with the will of God for His Church .

TEXT REVIEW : ACTS 2: 42-44
The believers in the early church were steadfast in the following Christian virtues and activities after they were baptized:
i. Doctrine – Apostles’ doctrines and teaching. Vs 42a
ii. Fellowship – Warm and healthy horizontal relationship with one another and vertical relationship with the Almighty God. Vs. 42b.
iii. Breaking of bread – Holy Communion and sharing. Vs 42c
iv. Prayers – Be it in supplication, thanksgiving, petitions. Vs 42d
v. Miracles – Many wonders and signs were performed through them. Vs 43b
vi. Fear upon soul right reverence was attributed to the Almighty God. Vs 43a
vii. Bonded – Oneness and unity. Vs 44a
viii. Had all things in common, similar behaviour, bowel of mercy and rendering support. Vs 45.
ix. Hospitality – Sharing from house to house. Vs 46
x. Appreciation -0Thanksgiving to God. Vs 47.

LESSON OUTLINE 1: SOME SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PRESENT – DAY .
i. Human philosophies and motivational talks have replaced the Apostles’ doctrines. 1 Cor. 2:4, Col. 2: 4,8.
ii. Monetary rewards and other forms of compensations have replaced selfless services. Acts 20: 35, Gal. 6:9
iii. True, genuine and agape love has been replaced by suspicion. 1 John. 3:18, Heb. 10:25.
iv. Sacrificial giving is gradually fading away. Acts 2:45, Psalms 69: 9.
v. Pride, competition, egoistic tendencies, rivalry among leaders and followers have replaced complementary and true submission to one another and God. 2 Cor. 10:1, Phil. 2:5
vi. Envy and strife, suspicion and hatred have found their ways to the church. James 3:14, 16.
vii. Gimmicks resulting in fake miracles, lies, exploitation, intimidation, evil packaging, deception etc. 1 Tim. 6:3-7;Eph.4:14; 2 Cor. 12:16-17.

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Class to identify the effects of the above stated work of the flesh and the devil in addition to secular-like songs and indecent dressing to the church.

LESSON OUTLINE 2 : THE QUALITIES OF THE EARLY CHURCH :
i. Steadfastness in Apostles’ doctrines, fellowship, prayers and breaking of bread from house to house. Acts 2: 42-44.
ii. Warm, truthful and loving fellowship.
2 Cor. 2:13; Phil. 4:10.
iii. True signs and wonders were common in the early church. Acts 243, 4:14; Mark 16:20.
iv. Unity in love and togetherness. Acts 2:44; John 17: 21.
v. The early church members were generous. Acts 2:45; 4:34-37
vi. The early church enjoyed favour with all people. Acts 2:44.
vii. The early church experienced tremendous growth on daily basis. Acts 2:41; 4:4, 5:14.

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: How can the above-stated qualities of the early church return fully into the modern-day church?

SUMMARY : Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever. Heb.13;8. The standard of the church MUST NOT CHANGE.

CONCLUSION : While we cannot rule out the need for innovations and creativities that make the church of God lively today, the present day church must be modelled after the early church.

EVALUATION : Mention four(4) shortcomings of the modern-days church and four (4) qualities of the early- Christian church.

CLOSING PRAYER : Father, let the five(5) of the early-Christians church return to our present day church.

ASSIGNMENT : Students should find ten(10) qualities of the early -church from Acts 2:41-47.