OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TEENS 28 JANUARY 2019: STILL PROCRASTINATING?

MEMORISE:

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

Read: Proverbs 26:13-14

13 The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way! A lion is in the streets!

14 As the door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man [move not from his place] upon his bed.

MESSAGE:

When you push forward what you ought to do today till tomorrow, you are a procrastinator and procrastination is a thief of time. Procrastination also steals from you the opportunity to do things perfectly because when you eventually get to do things, you hurriedly do them to cover for the time wasted. For instance, when you are given an assignment in school and you procrastinate till an hour before submission, you cannot do the assignment properly and you will not get good marks on it. When you have house chores to do but you wait till your parents are almost home before you do them, you are likely to leave some out and may even be tempted to tell a lie to cover up. Many students push reading for exams till when the exam timetable is out, this is why they have less As. First class students read every day, not just when the exams are around the corner.

Have you been considering living holy? Don’t procrastinate because no one knows when their last chance will be. Is there someone that you’ve been meaning to preach to? Do so immediately because you don’t know what might happen tomorrow. Read – Open Heaven 28 January 2019

You also have to stop procrastinating when it comes to prayers and reading your Bible. Procrastination is a sign of laziness.

KEY POINT:

The solution to procrastination is to just dive into what you are meant to do.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 13-15
Matthew 19:1-15

Hymn 9

1. I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the book He has given;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see;
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Chorus
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus love me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

2. Though I forget Him and wander away,
Still He doth love me whenever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.

3. Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song in eternity be,
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me.”

Rccg Fasting Prayer Points 28 January 2019 – Prayers For Provisional Refuge

Ps 91:2. I will say of the LORD, [He
is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Ps 34:10, Phil 4:19, 3John 1:2, Ps 112:2,

1. Father, I thank you for gold and silver of the earth belong to you

2. Father! Please, hide in the refuge of abundance this year

3. Father, bless me indeed this year and enlarge my coast

4. Father, as your beloved child in RCCG, I receive bread to eat daily this year, seed to sow every
time in Jesus name

5. Father, let me be a personal evidence of your faithfulness this year in Jesus name

6. Father, let the door of my glory be opened wide for shinning this year in Jesus name

7. Father, where the enemies have cheated me and thought the game was over, recall the matter
on my favor this year in Jesus name

8. Father, in this year, let blood thirsty demons and robbers on the high ways respect my
appearance in Jesus name

9. Father, make my body and that of my relatives immune to any form of sickness in Jesus name.

10. Father, this year of glory, make me an original pattern of glory for people to copy in the name
of Jesus

11. Father, let me be maker of history and not a repeater of history this year in Jesus name

12. Father, let me experience full scale laughter on all fronts this year in the name of Jesus

Prayer Points On Today’s Open Heavens: (Monday, January 28 2019) – Are You Battle-ready?

1.Thank You Jesus, for being my Lord and Saviour.

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

3.Father, let every spirit of disobedience, rebellion, pride and arrogance, that could cost me my miracles and breakthroughs, be consumed by Your fire, in Jesus’ name.

4.Father, let every spirit of doubt and unbelief, that usually make a man to receive nothing from You, my God, be paralysed in my life, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, please, give me a willing, obedient, submissive and teachable heart, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, please, give me the grace to obey all Your commandments, that will birth miracles in my life, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, clothe me with the glory of Your Son and grant me victory over every battle of life.

8.Father, let everything that disobedience, headiness, pride and arrogance, have cost me, be divinely restored, in Jesus’ name.

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

10.Father, use Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, more, for Your glory, signs and wonders, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures; help him to overcome every challenge of getting these prayer points across to Your children timely, on daily basis, 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 HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TEENS 27 JANUARY 2019 – SENSE THE SIGNS

MEMORISE: Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. Jeremiah 8:5

Read: Matthew 5:28-30

28 But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye serves as a trap to ensnare you or is an occasion for you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be cast into hell (Gehenna).

30 And if your right hand serves as a trap to ensnare you or is an occasion for you to stumble and sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better that you lose one of your members than that your entire body should be cast into hell (Gehenna).

MESSAGE:

Nothing in this world ever happens suddenly, people only don’t sense the signs before it happens. When a Christian backslides, it is because he did not take heed when the signs were coming.

If you find that you are beginning to feel comfortable when people say dirty things around you, it is a sign that your spiritual antenna is weak, you must revive it through more Bible Study.

If you are a girl and you discover that you are feeling comfortable with a guy putting his arms around your waist, it is a sign that fornication is lurking around the corner and you must keep away from that guy while you ask God to take away the lust from your heart. Read – Open Heaven 27 January 2019

Sin usually creeps in when we spend less time with God. Do you still read your Bible like before? Have you cut back on the number of times that you go to church? When you discover that you are doing less of these things, it is a sign that sin is creeping in, so wake up and revive your fire.

KEY POINT:

The spiritual activities you are involved with should increase, not decrease. A decrease means danger.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 11-12
Matthew 18:21-35

Hymn 16

1. Christian, seek not yet repose
Hear thy gracious Savior say;
Thou art in the midst of foes:
Watch and pray.

2. Principalities and power
Mustering their unseen array
Wait for the unguarded hours:
Watch and pray

3. Gird the heavenly armor on,
Wear it ever night and day;
Ambushed 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. Hear, above all, hear thy Lord,
Him thou loves to obey;
Hide within thy heart His word:
Watch and pray.

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

Prayer Points On Today’s Open Heavens: (Sunday, January 27 2019) – The Mother Of Miracles

1.I worship and adore You, Lord Jesus, because You are the way, the truth and the life.

2.Thank You, Father, for the salvation and redemption of my soul from eternal destruction, in hell fire.

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

4.Father, let Your fire consume every spirit of hypocrisy and deceit, in my life and in the body of Christ, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, as Your minister and son, don’t let me ever dishonour or despise You and Your kingdom, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, empower me to maintain a righteous and holy walk and relationship, with You, for the remaining days of my life, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, please give to me the grace to obey Your commands that will birth miracles in my life, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, I receive my miracle today, in Jesus’ name.

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

10.Father, please, grant Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the grace, strength and power to finish well and strong, in Jesus’ name. Read – Open Heaven 27 January 2019

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures; help him to overcome every challenge of getting these prayer points across to Your children timely, on daily basis, 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 Fasting Prayer Points 27 January 2019 – Oh God, Hearken Unto Us

1. Let us decree peace into our countries. Psa. 23.2

2. Let us decree peace into our homes Psa. 23.2

3. Let us pray against riots and war in our countries Psa. 23.2

4. Pray for peaceful weather all over the world. Psa. 91.10-13

5. Pray for the president of your country and his/her cabinet. 1Tim. 2.1-4

6. Pray for the salvation of souls of the politicians and leaders of your country 1 Tim. 2.1-4

7. Pray for the progress of your country

8. Pray against natural disasters in your country. Psa. 91.3

9. Let us pray against road accident, plane crash and ship wreck. Psa. 91

10. Ask God to breathe the breath of life into all good efforts of the rulers in your country. Gen
2.7

11. Ask God to visit your country and reverse the irreversible. Psa. 125.3

12. Let us ask God to protect His children from sudden death. Psa. 91.7-8

13. Pray for safe arrival of all travelers throughout this year. Psa. 91.1

14. Pray against fire disaster in your homes and offices Psa. 91.

15. Pray that every evil association that is against your progress be scattered. Isa. 45.2

16. Pray that God will make a way for you where there is no way. Ex. 14.19-26

17. Pray that God will make you the head and not the tail. Deut 28.13

18. Let us ask for open heavens for all nations of the world. Deut. 28.12 Read – Open Heaven 27 January 2019

19. Let us ask God to help all the nations Presidents and their Cabinets to lead us rightly. 1 Tim
2.1-4

20. Let us pray that God will raise men of vision to move us forward in all our nations. 1 Tim
2.1-4

21. Let us ask God for His intervention in the Banking system of respective nation. Psa. 127.1

OPEN HEAVEN 27 JANUARY 2019 MEMORISE: His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. John 2:5

OPEN HEAVEN 27 JANUARY 2019 READ: Luke 5:1-6

1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Click To Read – Rccg Fasting Prayer Points 27 January 2019

Click To Read – Prayer Points For Open Heavens 27 January 2019

Click To Read – Rccg Sunday School Manual 27 January 2019

A mother is a vessel that brings forth new life. When a woman gives birth to a child, she becomes a mother.

Similarly, miracles have a mother, and the mother of miracles is Mrs. Obedience. In today’s memory verse, we are introduced to the mother that gave birth to Christ’s first miracle: obedience to simple instructions.

Obedience to simple instructions like “Only believe” can birth the healing miracle you have been expecting from God over the years, just as it happened to the ruler of the synagogue in Mark 5:36.

The prophet Elisha also told Naaman to go and wash himself in River Jordan seven times for his leprosy to disappear. He complied and his leprosy became history (2 Kings 5:10-14).

In the story of Peter’s big catch at the Lake of Gennesaret, we have another example of obedience giving birth to a miracle.

This miracle was conceived the moment Jesus commanded Peter to push his boat out a little from land so that He could preach from it, and Peter obeyed.

Thereafter, it seems that Jesus told Peter to wait with Him in the boat until He finished preaching, to which Peter might have responded “Yes Sir”. Luke 5:4 captures what happens next:

“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”

The instruction from the Lord which gave birth to Peter’s miracle of catch was a three-in-one command: launch out into the deep (not the periphery of the lake), throw in your net (for what?), and begin to draw the nets back, and they will be full of fish. Click To Read – Rccg Sunday School Manual 27 January 2019

This was all too much for an experienced fisherman like Peter to comprehend with his natural mind. Almost aborting the pregnancy of his miracle, he said to Jesus in Luke 5:5b,

“Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:”

However, the story had a happy ending because he went ahead to obey the divine instruction even though his professional mind could not comprehend it.

Beloved, if you urgently need a miracle, you need to have the mother that gives birth to it. Obedience to the word of God is the mother of miracles. Click To Read – Rccg House Fellowship 27 January 2019

Having faith in God and believing His word are two ingredients that produce obedience in a person. No wonder Jesus said to Martha in John 11:40:

“…Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

As you believe His word today, I decree, receive your miracle now in Jesus’ Name.

OPEN HEAVEN 27 JANUARY 2019 PRAYER POINT: Father, please give to me the grace to obey Your commands that will birth miracles in my life.

Open Heaven 27 January 2019 is written by pastor E A Adeboye. We sincerely hope you’ve been blessed by today’s devotional message. Click the WhatsApp or Facebook button below the Hymn to share with your friends, families and colleagues.

OPEN HEAVEN 27 JANUARY 2019 HYMN 3

TRUST AND OBEY

1. When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey

Chorus:
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do
Where He sends we will go
Never fear, only trust and obey.

OPEN HEAVEN 27 JANUARY 2019 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 6 and Isaiah 26:1-19

Luke 6 King James Version (KJV)

6 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,

16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Isaiah 26:1-19 King James Version (KJV)

26 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

11 Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

12 Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

16 Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL 27 JANUARY 2019 – CHRISTIAN COUPLES AND IN- LAWS

*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

MEMORY VERSE: “And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore”. Ruth 2:11.

BIBLE PASSAGE: RUTH 1:1-18

Ruth:1.1
Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
Ruth:1.2
The name of the man [was] Elimelech, the name of his wife [was] Naomi, and the names of his two sons [were] Mahlon and Chilion — Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.
Ruth:1.3
Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
Ruth:1.4
Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one [was] Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.
Ruth:1.5
Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.
Ruth:1.6
Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread.
Ruth:1.7
Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
Ruth:1.8
And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.
Ruth:1.9
“The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.
Ruth:1.10
And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”
Ruth:1.11
But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? [Are] there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
Ruth:1.12
“Turn back, my daughters, go — for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, [if] I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,
Ruth:1.13
“would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!”
Ruth:1.14
Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
Ruth:1.15
And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
Ruth:1.16
But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, [Or to] turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people [shall be] my people, And your God, my God.
Ruth:1.17
Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If [anything but] death parts you and me.”
Ruth:1.18
When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

INTRODUCTION:

Christian couples are expected to live according to the dictates of God’s word. For instance, the bible tells us that a man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife. Gen. 2:24.

This shows that a line must be drawn between the families from which both parents originated and the new family the couple is building.

However, bible admonishes us to honour our parents. Exodus 20:12; Deut.5:16 and do good to all men especially the members of our household. Gal.6:10.

It should be noted that in-laws are people related to us by marriage and we should deal with them with godly wisdom. James 3:17.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. Build a cordial relationship

2. The thin line

BUILD A CORDIAL
RELATIONSHIP

Let us learn from Ruth’s relationship with her mother in-law. She placed her in the position of her own biological mother. We must treat our in-laws like our own blood relations. In relating with in-laws, Christian couples should therefore:

1. Avoid preconceptions: Do relate with your in-laws from a biased perspective. Be open in your dealings with them. Rom. 12:10,16; 1Peter 3:8

2. Avoid acting like strangers: Do well to let your in-laws see you as another child of theirs and not a stranger. Prov.18:24; John 15:15.

3. Avoid damaging rules: Make sure you avoid rules that can destroy the relationship with your in-laws. (1Tim. 5:1-2). Be wise in all decisions relating to your in-laws especially in speech. Psalm 34:13; Col. 4:6.

4. Treat in-laws as important people and avoid strife.( Phil. 2:3). Exhibit maturity and patience with in-laws. 2Cor. 6:4.

5. Remain humble and encourage mutual submission. 1Pet. 5:5; Eph. 5:21.
Always seek peace and pursue it
Psalms 34:14; Rom.12:18

THE THIN LINE

While it is important to establish a cordial relationship with in-laws, it is equally important that in-laws give some breathing space to their married sons and daughters to build a godly home.

There should be little or no external interference (Colossians 3:21; Matthew 19:4-6). Read – Open Heaven 27 January 2019

In-laws, especially parents of the couple, can counsel (Proverbs 11:14; 19:20-21) and prayerfully support their children in marriage without necessarily imposing their views (Ephesians 6:4). The married couple should be allowed to make their own decisions.

CONCLUSION

Christian couples must relate with their in-laws in love and as light/salt of the world( Matt. 5:13-14).
Live at peace and remain humble at all times Heb. 12:14.

QUESTIONS

1. Mention 4 ways couples can build cordial relationship with their in-laws.

2. What roles should in-laws play in maintaining the thin line with their married sons or daughter