PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY’S OPEN HEAVENS: (MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018) – LOOK UP

1.I worship You, my Father, because Your word is forever settled in heaven.

2.I glorify You, my Father, for demonstrating how important Your word is, by magnifying Your word, even, above Your name.

3.I thank You, Father, because every good and perfect gift comes from You, the Father of light.

4.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name. Open Heaven 30 October 2018

5.Father, let Your word be a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path, throughout my sojourn, here on earth, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, please, let Your word have free course and be glorified in me, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, I will not sink, no matter what comes my way, in Jesus’ Name

8.Father, Please give me the grace to always look unto You for everything I need in life.

9.Father, help me to keep my gaze fixed on Jesus, no matter what, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, please, make me to live through this day, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, let Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, remain relevant in your scheme of things, as far as Your kingdom business is concerned, 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 30 October 2018 Memorise: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Open Heaven 30 October 2018 Bible Reading: John 14:26-31(KJV)

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Open Heaven 30 October 2018 Bible in one year: Jeremiah 31, Luke 12:57-13:17, Hymnal: sing hymn 10

One of the signs by which you know that God is with you or that His presence is in whatever you are doing is when you have peace in your heart.

Peace is the state of harmony that is made available to the children of God through a right relationship with Him and a good relationship with their fellow human beings.

Peace is associated with the presence of the Prince of Peace, Jesus. His presence is made manifest in the world today by the Holy Spirit. The absence of peace in a person’s life leads to worry or anxiety.

It is not God’s plan for a child of God to possess a distressed state of mind that is filled with concern over present or future challenges. For this reason, the Holy Spirit says to us in Philippians 4:6:

”Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

God knows that the pressure of the needs we face in this world can rob us of His peace, and so He sent us these words to help us recognize the right thing to do when confronted with challenges.

Worrying about our needs or the challenges you are confronted with will not change anything; rather, it is a snare of the devil to cause sicknesses such as high blood pressure in people. I pray that you will not be a victim of hypertension, stroke or heart disease in Jesus’ Name. Read – Open Heaven 29 October 2018

The Bible reveals Jesus as the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). This means that wherever there is turmoil or crisis, once Jesus is invited into the situation and the presence of the Holy Spirit is called upon, a sense of wellbeing, contentment and wholesomeness will be restored immediately.

This is what happened in Mark 4:39, when Jesus rebuked the storm after the disciples called upon Him:

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

The Name of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit establish peace in God’s children, irrespective of the Outward circumstances around them. Read – Open Heaven 1 November 2018

True peace is therefore an indication of the presence of Jesus, made manifest by the Holy Spirit, in any given situation. I pray that the presence of God that brings lasting peace will abide with you today in Jesus’ Name.

If you are passing through a stressful and difficult time in your life, if you are going through a serious financial crisis or your marriage is in turmoil, if you are experiencing psychological or emotional trauma that defies solution, it is time to call on the Name of Jesus and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit into your life.

As you do so, God will grant you all round peace today in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heaven 30 October 2018 Action Point: Make your request known to God concerning every need that has been robbed you of His peace.

Open Heaven 30 October 2018 Hymn 10

MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

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

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!

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

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

OPEN HEAVEN 29 OCTOBER 2018 MEMORIZE: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5

Open Heaven 29 October 2018 Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJV)

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Open Heaven 29 October 2018 Bible in one year: Jeremiah 29-30, Luke 12:35-56, Hymnal: Sing hymn 2

To look Jesus means to rely on Him for help and to see Him as our example. He is our forerunner who has triumphantly gone through whatever we are passing through now.

He knew the purpose of His coming into this world, and He stayed true to that purpose till it was fulfilled. Therefore, in the midst of trials and temptations, you only need to look up to Jesus and walk in the steps that He left for us to follow.

To look to Jesus is to look away from every other thing and focus on Him alone. Naturally, when you look up, it becomes impossible to see your surroundings at the same time. For this reason, your focus shifts from your surroundings and settles on the things above alone.

So, to look up to Jesus means that no matter how fierce the storm is raging in our present situation, you must look away from it and fix your gaze only on Jesus Christ. The good thing is that it is only then that solutions will come and peace will be given to calm the raging storm.

Open Heaven 29 October 2018

If you don’t believe me, ask Peter. When he had his eyes set on Jesus, he was walking on the stormy sea, but the moment he looked at his surroundings, he began to sink (Matthew 14:28-31). Matthew 14:30 says:

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, Saying, Lord, save me.”

You will not sink in Jesus’ Name.

To look up to any man is a fruitless effort. A person can only raise you as far as his or her hands can reach, and each person’s reach is limited. Also, someone can be in a position of authority today and be out of it tomorrow, and so what happens to you if you have been looking up to that person?

In the little time i have spent on earth, I have come to discover that the only person you can trust totally is God. He is the one who never fails, has no limits and can never be dethroned.

Finally, to look up to Jesus is to focus on our destination and our reward. We are sojourners here on earth, only passing through on our way to our eternal home.

If Heaven is your final destination, then it is only wise that you focus on The Way to that destination. The Bible says that He sits at the right hand of God’s throne. That is our finish line, and that is where your gaze should be permanently fixed.

Open Heaven 29 October 2018 Action point: Keep your gazed fixed on Jesus, no matter what.

Open Heaven 29 October 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.

Open Heaven 1 November 2018 Memorise: The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

Open Heaven 1 November 2018 Bible Reading: Job 38:1-11

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

Open Heaven 1 November 2018 Bible Reading in One Year: Jeremiah 33-34 and Luke 14:7-24. Hymn 2

Adonai’ is one of our Heavenly father’s numerous names, and it means Master and Owner. This name encapsulates the sovereignty of our God.

Indeed, our God is sovereign, because He owns everything and He’s in absolute control of the entire universe. He holds all the power in heaven and on earth in His hands. He is totally unlimited! Every other thing was created, but He alone was self-existing.

Because of this, He is not limited by resources, time, space or any other thing; whereas all other things, including the contraptions of men’s hearts called gods, are limited by the laws He has installed in His sovereignty to govern the universe. He has the power to do whatever He likes, however He likes and whenever He likes. What a great God He is! Open Heaven 28 October 2018

It is easy for man to think that life is all about him, and that God exists for his benefit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything God has done or has given to you is for His glory alone. For this reason, in Revelation 4:11, the twenty-four elders in heaven adore Him saying:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Open Heaven 1 November 2018

He made everything for His pleasure, even you. My advice to you is that you willingly put yourself under His lordship and leadership; if anything at all, learn from Pharaoh.

Pharaoh resisted God, and so God decided to use Him to show how much of a consuming fire He can be (Exodus 5:2, Exodus 14:4). A Christian is called unto submission to our heavenly Father’s will. When you submit to His will, He will ensure that everything else submits to you.

If the sovereign God is your friend, you are immensely blessed, because He can overrule sickness, debts, curses, negative prophecies and even death!

However, when this God is angry with anyone, that person is finished. In Acts 12:33, King Herod was eaten by worms because God was angry with Him. God is angry with the wicked everyday (Psalm 7:11)!

The wicked is anyone who continues to live in sin and disobedience. Proverbs 29:1 says that anyone who refuses to change in spite of being corrected over and over again will be destroyed suddenly.

If you have never given your life to Jesus or if you have claim to have given your life to Him but still live in sin, repent now! When the sovereign God is angry with you, nobody can defend you.

Sin makes you an enemy of God (James 4:4). You have to wholly yield yourself to Him, inviting Him to take over. He is always ready to take responsibility for your life; all He is waiting for is your invitation. Are you willing to invite Him today?

Open Heaven 1 November 2018 Action Point: Ask the Adonai to override every limiting factor in your life by his sovereign power.

Open Heaven 1 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: (Sunday, October 28, 2018) RELEVANT FOREVER?

1.I worship You, my Father, because Your word is forever settled in heaven.

2.I glorify You, my Father, for demonstrating how important Your word is, by magnifying Your word, even, above Your name.

3.I thank You, Father, because every good and perfect gift comes from You, the Father of light.

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

5.Father, let Your word be a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path, throughout my sojourn, here on earth, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, please, let Your word have free course and be glorified in me, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, make me not only the hearer of Your word, but also the doer, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, please help me through your Holy Spirit to obey Your word, and make me relevant in Your kingdom, forever, in Jesus’ Name.

9.Father, let Your word be the final counsel upon which any decision in my life is based, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father, please, make me to live through this day, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, let Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, remain relevant in your scheme of things, as far as Your kingdom business is concerned, 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 TEACHERS MANUAL LESSON NINE 28TH OCTOBER 2018 – INTENTIONAL DISCIPLE-MAKING

OPENING PRAYER: Father as I grow in you, help me to consciously make disciples for your kingdom.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
Teacher should allow the Assistant Teacher to review the previous week’s lesson.

BIBLE PASSAGE : 2 TIMOTHY 3:10-15.

MEMORY VERSE :
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also”. 2 Timothy 2:2.

LESSON INTRODUCTION Discipleship process requires a teacher-student relationship.

Hence, there is no discipleship where the convert is not taken through a definite process of intentional learning. The goal of discipleship is to produce an individual who has come to the realization of living on daily basis with Christ and experiencing consistent growth through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Open Heaven 28 October

TEACHER’S DIARY LESSON AIM :

To study the reasons and the process involved in intentional discipleship.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES : Through the lesson, students should be able to:

(i) Understand the reasons for intentional discipleship.

(ii) Discover how to disciple others.

TEACHING PLAN :
To achieve the above-stated objectives, teachers should:

(i) Allow students to review the previous week’s lesson, encourage the students to participate and make useful contributions to the discussion, recite memory verse, take the opening prayer, do class activities and assignment.

(ii) Allow Assistant teacher to conduct the class, grade the student’s performance and mark the attendance and close the class session with the closing prayer.

(iii) Teach the lesson outlines, administer the two (2) class activities, summarize, conclude, evaluate the lesson and give assignment.

TEXT REVIEW : 2TIMOTHY 3:10-15 –

“MASTER AND HIS STUDENT”.

(i) The following phrases point to the fact that a master-student relationship existed between Apostle Paul and Timothy:
“thou hast fully known my doctrine” (verse 10).
“knowing of whom thou hast learned them” (verse 15) and
“from whom hast thou learned them” (verse 15).

(ii) Apostle Paul must have spent quality time with Timothy before Timothy could master the nine (9) “faith courses” in three (3) different countries of Antioch, lconium and at Lystra. Verses 10-11

(iii) These courses were: doctrines, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions and afflictions. Verses 10-11.

(iv) These scripture-based subjects, Apostle Paul declared, were able to make the learners, Timothy,wise and produce good workieffect. Verses 14-16.

(v) The Apostle delivered the final key note instruction to Timothy (in verse 14) when he said,
“continue thou in the things which thou has learned and has been assured of …”
He stated that doing this, Timothy would become perfect and thoroughly furnished unto ALL good work. Verse 17.
The above illustration demonstrates

DELIBERATE/CONSCIOUS EFFORT of a master to produce quality and approved student, in this case a disciple proven and tested

TEACHING METHOD : Teacher should use lecture teaching method.

TIME MANAGEMENT : Teacher should apply the time allocated for two (2) lesson outlines.

LESSON OUTLINE 1: REASONS FOR INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP

(i) Intentional discipleship is a conscious, deliberate and purposeful effort of the teacher to reproduce himself/herself in the student

(ii) The Lord Jesus commended it. Matt. 28:18-20.

(iii) Intentional discipleship will ensure the continuity of the gospel. Acts 2:42.

(iv) It will enable the disciple to do a greater work in the ministry. John 14:12.

(v) It will eradicate the sacred/secular dichotomy in which the church-life and work-life of the disciples are different (being holy only in the church and becoming the opposite outside the church) 2Cor. 5:20.

(vi) It will help to raise new generations of kingdom believers and world-changers. 2 Tim. 1:5.

CLASS ACTIVITY 1 : Mention those activities of a teacher to produce a student like himself/
herself.

LESSON OUTLINE 2 : HOW TO DISCIPLE OTHERS

(i) The Lord Jesus recruited, reshaped and renewed his disciples to change the world through the gospel. The Lord also did the following:

(ii) Living an exemplary life. 1 Cor. 11:1; Titus 2:7; 1Tim. 4:12.

(iii) Spiritual parenting. 1 Tim. 1:2; 6:20; Gal. 4:19.

(iv) Giving of instruction. Matt. 28:20; 1 Tim. 1:1-19.

(v) Letting your disciples observe what you do. Luke 11:1 and committing them to do what you would have done. 2 Tim. 2:2.

(vi) Giving allowance for mistakes and correction. Matt. 16:22- 24; 2Tim. 4:2.

(vii) Giving room for progress report/feedback. Luke 10:17.

(viii) Making recommendation for subsequent endeavours. Matt. 17:19-21 and being able to recommend such individual to others. Romans 16:1-2; Phil. 4:3.

CLASS ACTIVITY 2 : Teacher to discuss how to strengthen the teacher-students relationship

SUMMARY :
Disciples are made not born.

CONCLUSION :
You are not successful until your successor has succeeded. Intentional discipleship does not just prepare the disciples for heaven but makes them relevant on earth. Therefore, make conscious effort to disciple others for Christ.

EVALUATION :
What benefits does intentional discipleship propose to achieve?

CLOSING PRAYER : Father, help all pastors, teachers and students to engage in intentional discipleship.

ASSIGNMENT : Identify and explain five (5) errors which could hinder intentional discipleship. 2 marks for each point.