LESSON: FORTY ONE (41)
TOPIC: CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me
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: Almighty Father, please make me a shining light in the name of Jesus.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 7:21-23.
[21]Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22]Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23]And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

MEMORY VERSE: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts 11:26.

INTRODUCTION : The Christian faith is the experience of daily living in a dynamic and new personal relationship with God (Romans 10:9-10; John 1:11-13). The very term “Christian” was coined in the city of Antioch as a way to identify the first followers of Christ (Acts 11:26). The first disciples were so much like Jesus that they were called little Christs by their detractors. It is unfortunate that nowadays,some people have made Christianity represent an ideology or a social class rather than a lifestyle of obedience to God. Today, there are two shades of Christianity: Cultural Christianity and Biblical Christianity.

LESSON AIM: To study what cultural Christianity is and some of its identification marks.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES:
Through the lesson, students should be able to:
a. Understand who cultural Christians are.
b. Identify some marks of cultural Christianity.

TEACHING PLAN: To achieve the above-stated objective, the teacher could plan the lesson as follows:
a. The students should be allowed to take the opening prayer, memory verse, and Bible passage. They should participate in class activities, and do their assignments.
b. The Assistant Teacher should take the lesson introduction.
c. The Teacher should explain the lesson outline, summarize, conclude, evaluate the lesson, and give an assignment.

TEXT REVIEW: Matthew 7:21-23.
A. The teacher should identify five great works in the passage above that will attract no value before Christ and state why.
i. …………………………………………………………
ii. ………………………………………………………
iii. ………………………………………………………
iv. ………………………………………………………
v. ……….. ……………………………………………

TEACHING METHOD: The teacher should apply the lecture and discussion teaching methods.

TIME MANAGEMENT: The teacher should share the outline’s time equally between the two lesson outline.

OUTLINES:
1. CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY DESCRIBED
2. IDENTIFICATION MARKS

1. CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY DESCRIBED
Cultural Christians are nominal believers who superficially identify themselves as “Christians” but do not truly adhere to the tenets of the Christian faith (Matthew 15:8). ii. They wear the label “Christian” without personal conviction that Jesus is Lord (2 Timothy 3:5).
iii. Cultural Christianity is more social than spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:14-15).
iv. A cultural Christian identifies with certain aspects of Christianity, such as the good works of Jesus (John 6:26-27), but rejects the spiritual aspects required to be a biblically defined Christian (Romans 8:5).
v. Some people consider themselves Christians because of family background, charity giving, place of residence, Christian name or title, churchgoing or social environment.
vi. Others identify as Christians as a way of declaring a religious affiliation.
vii. Cultural Christianity is not true Christianity.
There was no such thing as cultural Christianity in the days of the early church.

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should differentiate between true Christians and cultural Christians.

2. IDENTIFICATION MARKS
The following are some identifying marks of cultural Christians:
1. They deny the inspiration of Scripture or parts of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
2. They ignore or downplay true repentance as the first step toward knowing God (Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38).
3. They focus on Jesus’ love and acceptance to the exclusion of His teaching on hell, obedience, and self-sacrifice (Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5).
4. They tolerate or even celebrate ongoing sin while claiming to know God (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).
5. They redefine scriptural truths to accommodate culture (Numbers 23:19).
6. Claiming God’s promises while ignoring the requirements included with them (Psalm 50:16).
7. They deny or minimise Jesus’ claim that He is the only way to God (John 14:6).
8. They perform enough religious activity to gain a sense of well-being without a true devotion to Jesus (Romans 8:9).
9. They see protection and blessing as goals to be achieved, rather than by-products of a love relationship with God (Mark 12:30).
10. They are lukewarm and choose the church to attend based on any or all of the above (Revelation 3:15-17).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Mention what true Christians can do to help cultural Christians.

CONCLUSION: Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:21-23 should be a wake-up call to cultural Christians.

QUESTIONS
* Describe cultural Christians in two sentences.
* Mention four ways to identify a cultural Christian.

EVALUATION: Who is a cultural Christian?

CLOSING PRAYER: Almighty Father, please heal all cultural Christians in Jesus’ name.

ASSIGNMENT: Write five differences between a true Christian and a cultural Christian. (2×5=10 marks).

LESSON FORTY ONE (41)
TOPIC: BE IN HIS PRESENCE

HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ANTHEM
1. I love this family of God,
So closely knitted into one,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

2. I bless this family of God,
So greatly prospered by the Lord,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

3. I know this family of God,
So deeply rooted in the word,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

4. I see this family of God,
So highly lifted above all,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

5. Come, join this family of God,
So highly favoured by the Lord,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family.

OPENING PRAYER: Father, keep me always besides You in Jesus name. Amen.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: Leader should emphasize to members that the best way to restoration is turning their hearts to God first.

MEMORY VERSE: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. “Psalms 16:11

BIBLE TEXT: Psalms 27:4
[4] One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

LESSON INTRODUCTION: God’s presence is very important in our daily activities. Even the earth shakes, trembles and the heaven drops at His presence (Psalms 68:8). There is nothing hidden from God, everything is completely opened before Him. One of the blessings we enjoy in God’s presence is the fullness of Joy!

LESSON AIM: To make members understand what God’s presence offers and the dangers of losing His presence.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, members should be able to know:
* what it mean to be in God’s presence.
* the benefits and the dangers.

TEXT REVIEW: Psalms 27:4
a. The desire for everyone is to be in God’s presence.
b. God’s beauty is embedded in His presence.
c. Your relationship with God is developed with your constant dwelling in His presence.

LESSON OUTLINE ONE
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN GOD’S PRESENCE?
When we talk of being in God’s presence, it means;
* Company of angels embedded in awesome fear – Heb. 12:22.
* Glorious in holiness, fearful, undiluted praises – Exodus 15:11.
* Rejoicing whenever there is immeasurable encounter of salvation – Luke 15:10.
* Uttering words, prophecies that changes destiny.
* Divine visitation – Luke 1:28-35.
* Prayers, supplications and blessings – Acts 2:25,28.
* Standing for divine instruction and directives – Luke 1:19.
* Taking and enlarging territories – Deut. 12:20; 19:8.

LESSON OUTLINE TWO
THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN GOD’S PRESENCE AND THE DANGERS OF NOT BEING IN GOD’S PRESENCE
* Enjoying divine formation and provision – Genesis 2:21.
* Enjoying divine communion.
* Enjoying peace and rest from evil activities – Rom. 15:33; Phil. 4:9; Matt. 11:28.
* Enjoying security and protection from wiles of the devil – Prov. 18:10; Eph.6:11.
* Enjoying hope, joy and crown of rejoicing – 1 Thess. 2:19.
* Enjoying wisdom and power – Daniel 2:20.
* Mountains melt, opposition crumbles Judges 5:5; Psalms 46:6; 68:2; 97:5.
* There is beauty for ashes, oil of gladness – Isaiah 61:3.

SUMMARY: Where can we go from His presence?

CONCLUSION: Every believer should desire to be in God’s presence because according to Psalms 27:4, there is beauty in His presence and there is provision to request and ask God questions.

PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, thank You for Your unfailing presence.
2. Oh Lord, let our desires be to always abide in Your presence.
3. Lord, let all the enemies of RCCG perish at Your presence.
4. Father, as you honoured Mordecai in front of Haman his enemy, please do so for me in the presence of my enemies in Jesus name.
5. Daddy, let Your mighty presence always be with all our pastors in RCCG.
6. Father, let Your presence continue to envelope Daddy G. O. and family.

GOLDEN DIET FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY: Declare Psalms 23:6 upon you and your family.
TUESDAY: Psalms 51:11-Turn it into a prayer now.
WEDNESDAY: Psalms 95:2; 100:2.
THURSDAY: Psalms 22:3 – Praise Him to bring down His presence.
FRIDAY: Psalms 139:7
SATURDAY: Psalms 27:4
SUNDAY: Psalms 97:5

MEMORISE: Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

READ: 1 Kings 12:1-15
[1]And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
[2]And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
[3]That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
[4]Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
[5]And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
[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.
[11]And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
[12]So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
[13]And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
[14]And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
[15]Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

MESSAGE
Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon who became king after his father’s death. The story of King Rehoboam is a reminder to listen to wise counsel and avoid pride.
In today’s Bible reading, King Rehoboam was asked to lighten the heavy burden that his father had put on the people of Israel. He sought the advice of the elders who were also his father’s advisers when he reigned as king, and they told him to be compassionate with the people. Thereafter, he sought the advice of the young, inexperienced advisers, and they encouraged him to increase the burden on the people. Sadly, Rehoboam chose to listen to the young advisers and rejected the wise counsel of the elders. The stubbornness and pride of Rehoboam resulted in division and chaos, which split the kingdom in two.
Beloved, just like King Rehoboam, you have the choice to listen to wise counsel or give in to bad counsel. Beware of the pieces of advice that you listen to. Be discerning of them so that you won’t make wrong decisions in life. The best way to do this is to listen to the Holy Spirit and yield to Him completely. He is the only One who can help you screen wrong advice.

KEY POINT
Take heed to godly counsel.

HYMN 21: 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,(2ce)
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,(2ce)
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,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee

4. Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony grief
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God to thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee!

5. Or if on joyful wing
Cleaving thy sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upwards I fly
Still all my songs shall be,
Nearer my God to thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee!

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 2:1-3; 2 Acts 5:1-42
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 6 JUNE 2024
THURSDAY: BEWARE OF SPIES

MEMORISE: He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. Proverbs 18:17

READ: Micah 7:5
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

MESSAGE
Spying is a military strategy that involves understudying or monitoring someone or something to get vital information. Moses sent spies to check out the land of Canaan, and Joshua sent spies to Jericho. On both occasions, they got full reports about the cities. Sometimes, when the target is quite big and sophisticated, a spy is usually recruited from within the target’s environment. For example, Judas Iscariot was recruited by the Pharisees to spy on Jesus and sell Him out. Yoruba elders have a saying, “If the enemy within does not kill a fellow, the one outside cannot.” Hence, you need to be careful of how much information you divulge to people, even some of the people who are close to you.
I have heard and read about young girls who got raped and boys who were molested by people who had information about their movements. Some people have also lost their properties or gotten robbed after spies gave out information about them. Spies collect information from careless talk and jesting. Therefore, you need to be careful of the information that you let out in public places, especially on social media.

KEY POINT
Be careful of the things you say in public or when you are with friends.

HYMN 20 – CHRISTIAN, SEEK NOT YET REPOSE
1 Christian, seek not yet repose;
Hear thy guardian angel say,
“Thou art in the midst of foes:
Watch and pray!”

2 Principalities and powers ,
Mustering their unseen array,
Wait for thy unguarded hours:
“Watch and pray.”

3 Gird thy heavenly armour on;
Wear it every night and day
Ambush’d lies the evil one:
“Watch and pray.”

4 Hear the victors who o’ercame;
Still they mark each warrior’s way;
All with one sweet voice exclaim,
“Watch and pray!”

5 Watch, as if on that alone
Hung the issue of the day;
Pray, that help may be sent down:
Watch and pray.

6 Hear, above all, hear thy Lord,
Him thou lovest to obey;
Hide within thy heart His word
“Watch and pray!”

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Kings 1:1-53 Acts 4:1-37
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024 SUNDAY: THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024 

MEMORISE:

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Proverbs 21:21

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024 

READ: Genesis 39:6-12, Genesis 41:37-44

Genesis 39:6-12:

⁶ And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

⁷ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

⁸ But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

⁹ There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

¹⁰ And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

¹¹ And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

¹² And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Genesis 41:37-44:

³⁷ And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

³⁸ And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

³⁹ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

⁴⁰ Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

⁴¹ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

⁴² And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

⁴³ And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁴ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024 TODAY MESSAGE

Yesterday, I started a discussion on the full armour of God. Today, I will be discussing the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness is the piece of armour that protects your heart.

To be righteous is to always do the right thing according to God’s standards. When you are righteous, your heart is protected against the tricks of the devil. The moment you stop being righteous, you expose your heart to all manners of sin in the world, and this is how backsliding starts. The devil is after your heart; this is why Proverbs 4:23 says:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The devil wants to turn your heart away from God, so he suggests sin to you every now and then.

However, if your breastplate of righteousness is intact, you will not fall. The devil will present something that does not seem really bad to you.

I have always said it, if it is not really bad, it is already bad; stay away from it. If you do that which does not really seem bad, you have opened up your heart to accommodate even more sin.

Before you realise it, you will start doing things that you said you would never do again; this is how believers backslide.

Is the devil already presenting something that does not seem really bad to you, and you are already making up an excuse for yourself to do it? Desist from that thing immediately; his plan is to get you to remove your breastplate of righteousness so that your heart can become open for his attacks. If a Christian’s breastplate is off and the devil attacks his or her heart, it is instant death. Removing every form of carnality from your life is the only way to keep your breastplate of righteousness on.

Your thoughts should dwell on spiritual things (Philippians 4:8). If your mind is drawn to carnal things rather than spiritual things, you are in a dangerous state, but when your mind is drawn to spiritual things, the temptations to be unrighteous will become less effective on you. This is why Romans 8:6 says:

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Beloved, don’t let the little things of this world open you up to spiritual death. If something seems bad, stay away because it will only lead to spiritual death.

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024 KEY POINT

Guard your heart with all diligence.

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Psalms 28-33

OPEN HEAVEN 9 JUNE 2024

HYMN 1:

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024 MONDAY: SHOES OF THE GOSPEL

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024

MEMORISE:

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Psalms 34-37

READ: Isaiah 52:6-7

⁶ Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024 

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024 TODAY MESSAGE

In continuation of my teaching on the full armour of God, I will be discussing the third piece of armour llisted in Ephesians 6:10-17. This armour is actually called the ‘shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace’.

The first thing to note about this armour is that it implies moving around with the gospel. Your security is in your preaching of the gospel. The more unbelievers you are able to convert to Christianity, the lesser the devil’s attacks on you will be. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says that two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

When you are the only Christian in your neighbourhood or family, you are more open to attacks because everyone around you is in the opponent’s army.

However, if you win all your family members and neighbours to Christ, you will be more secure. When the enemy tries to strike, you will have soldiers around you to come together to pray and send the devil packing.

When you are feeling weak spiritually, you will have brethren to strengthen your weak hands and lift your feeble knees (Isaiah 35:3-4).

The peace element in these shoes will give you peace as you go around preaching the gospel.

The devil will come at you with all kinds of things to scare you so that you will not preach the gospel, but when you have peace, his tricks will not work on you. He is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8) that scares people but cannot bite.

That peace is necessary as you go out to preach the gospel because you will face persecution. Also, as you preach the gospel, you are to bring peace to chaotic environments.

This is why in Luke 10:5, when Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the gospel, He said that the first thing they were to say when they got to a new place is, “Peace be unto this house.” What you are spreading is peace, not chaos, and for anyone that receives the gospel, the first thing they will experience in their heart is peace.

Beloved, do you have your shoes of the gospel of peace? Do you win souls? Imagine how much peace will be in your country if one of the souls you have won becomes the president of your country tomorrow. When you preach the gospel, you are doing it for your own security

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024 ACTION POINT

Put on the shoes of the gospel of peace now; preach to at least one person daily

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

ACTION POINT

Psalms 34-37

OPEN HEAVEN 10 JUNE 2024

HYMN 20:

STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024 MEMORISE:

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;.
Philippians 1:29

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024 READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19

¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024 TODAY MESSAGE

Jesus said in Luke 9:23:

… If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

If you will truly follow Christ, you must be ready to suffer for His sake. No one follows Christ without taking up his or her cross. An evangelist might have told you to just give your life to Christ and everything will be beautiful. That is true, everything in your life will indeed be more beautiful because you have given your life to Christ. However, there will still be some suffering. Jesus Christ said that when we come to Him, He will take our heavy yokes from us, but He never said that He will leave us without a yoke. Rather, in Matthew 11:29-30, He said:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus said that He will give us His own yoke to carry.

His yoke is lighter than the one we were carrying before we got born again, but it is still a yoke.

The reason many people fall when temptations come is that they were not prepared to suffer for Christ. You must be so determined to follow Christ that you literally say, “If I perish, I perish!” (Esther

4:16). When you do this, your strength will be great, and you will not faint in the day of adversity (Proverbs 24:10). Those that do not faint in the day of adversity always enjoy great benefits when the adversity is over.

In Genesis 39, after all that Joseph had gone through in the hands of his brothers, the biggest test of his life came; the wife of his master wanted him to lay with her. He said, “How can I do this thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). He was willing to face whatever consequence will come with Him following and obeying God. He went to jail, but as soon as God saw that he carried His yoke willingly, He arranged for him to meet Pharaoh, and by the time we get to Genesis 41, he had become the Prime Minister of the greatest nation on earth at that time.

Your destiny depends on the answer to this question: are you ready to suffer for Christ?

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024 PRAYER POINT

Father, please give me the grace not to faint in the day of adversity. Let me carry your yoke until the end, in Jesus’ name

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Psalms 9-17

OPEN HEAVEN 6 JUNE 2024 HYMN 14:

What A Wonderful, Wonderful Day

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 SATURDAY: THE BELT OF TRUTH

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 

MEMORISE:

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness
Ephesians 6:14

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024

READ: Ephesians 6:10-17

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 TODAY MESSAGE

Over the next few days, I will like to discuss the importance of the full armour of God listed in Ephesians 6:10-17. The first piece of armour listed is the belt of truth because it is the most important.

John 17:17 tells us that the word of God is truth.

Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6). You are to tie the truth around your waist and have it hold everything else you wear and own together.

Those who live by the truth win the battles of life because the truth makes it impossible for them to be captives of anything the world has to offer (John 8:32).

The truth will give you a perspective far greater than that of the world (Psalms 119:100). This is why you should live your life according to God’s word.

When you do this, everyone will see you as wise because you will excel in everything that you do and be above your peers who do not know the truth.

The devil is the father of lies (John 8:44); he will try to lie to you and twist the truth every now and then. This is why you must know the truth so you won’t fall for his tricks. In Genesis 3:5, he suggested to Eve that she was not yet like God even though Genesis 1:27 says that she was made in His image and likeness. Eve ate the forbidden fruit because she did not really know the truth.

In Matthew 4:3, the devil told Jesus to turn stone into bread if He was really the Son of God. Jesus did not fall for that because He was sure that He is the Son of God. If you don’t really know the truth, the devil will deceive you, and once he does that, your belt of truth, which holds all your other armour in place, will be gone, making you vulnerable to attacks from the enemy.

Don’t expect the devil to come with a black cloth and horns on his head; sometimes, he disguises himself like an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

He can tell you that the grace of God covers all sins and that you can keep sinning and still go to heaven. He can come up with logical reasons to tell you that God doesn’t exist or that He is wicked and doesn’t love you. These are lies that the devil has used to strip people of their belt of truth in the past. Don’t fall for his tricks.

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 KEY POINT:

The word of God is the truth, anything outside it is a lie – don’t fall for it!

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Psalms 22-27

OPEN HEAVEN 8 JUNE 2024 

HYMN 3

ANCIENT WORDS

OPEN HEAVEN 7 JUNE 2024 TODAY DEVOTIONAL

TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR YOUTHS

MEMORISE:

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

READ: Ecclesiastes 12:1-5

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

² While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

³ In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

⁴ And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

⁵ Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN 7 JUNE 2024 PRAYERS

1. Father, thank you for the youths. I am grateful for your unconditional love, blessings, and kindness to the youths.
2. Father, please increase your love in the hearts of the youths. Let them love you far more than anyone or anything in this world, in Jesus’ name.
3. Father, please guide and protect the youths from the path of destruction. Don’t let the devil deceive them into walking the wrong path in life, show them the path of life and give them the grace to walk in it.
4. Father, please frustrate every agenda of the enemy to corrupt the youths and destroy the future of the church, in Jesus’ name.
5. Father, please set the youths free from every curse or battle inherited from their parents, in Jesus’ name.
6. Father, please anoint the youths with your special anointing for exploits. Let them excel in everything that they do and stand out in their fields of practice, in Jesus’ name.
7. Father, please make all the youths productive in the society. Settle them with good jobs and thriving businesses, and make them useful to themselves and their families, in Jesus’ name.
8. Father, please give the youths the grace to live holy in this perverse world. Don’t let them fall for the tricks and temptations of the devil to sin, in Jesus’ name.
9. Father, please give the youths in the church the grace to do your work even at their young age. Let them become evangelists, pastors and ministers that will do far greater works than their fathers, in Jesus’ name.
10. Father, please answer the prayers of the youths according to your will. Encourage them to draw closer to you, in Jesus’ name.
11. Father, please don’t let the youths repeat any mistakes that their parents have made. Give them the grace to break negative generational patterns, in Jesus’ name.
12. Your personal prayer points for the youths around you.

OPEN HEAVEN 7 JUNE 2024 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Psalms 18-21

OPEN HEAVEN 7 JUNE 2024 

HYMN 1:

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 5 JUNE 2024
WEDNESDAY: ADDICTIONS THAT CONSUME

MEMORISE: A person without self- control is like a city with broken-down walls. Proverbs 25:28 (NLT)

READ: Proverbs 16:32
[32]He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

MESSAGE
The word ‘addiction’ refers to a state of being overly dependent (physically or mentally) on a particular thing. When a fellow cannot control his or her engagement with something that gives him or her pleasure, then that fellow is addicted to that thing. Addictions are dangerous because they have the ability to consume a fellow and ruin his or her life.
A teenager who cannot control his or her engagement with social media is addicted to it already. Some teenagers spend hours chatting, checking their notifications, and meeting people on social media, whereas they spend less time studying their Bibles or reading good books to develop themselves. This is one of the reasons I do not subscribe to the use of Bible apps on mobile phones during Bible study (however, you can use it at other times). This is because various phone notifications can be a distraction for young people who interact with their phones almost throughout the day.
Whatever you cannot control in your life will definitely control you. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning will determine the course of your day.

PRAYER POINT
Father, please deliver me from any addiction in my life, in Jesus’ name.

HYMN 9 – DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

CHORUS
O deeper yet I pray,
And higher ev’ry day,
And wiser, blessed, Lord,
In Thy precious, holy word.

2. Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus
And His perfect will.

3. Deeper, deeper! tho’ it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

4. Deeper, higher ev’ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqueror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Samuel 23:24-24:25 Acts 3:1-26
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE