Freedom Generation International

23/12/2024

07/12/2024

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS DECEMBER 7

TOPIC: KING ASA

MEMORISE: Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:21

READ: 2 Chronicles 14:2-5

2. And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

3. For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

4. And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

5. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.



MESSAGE:
After the kingdom was divided; he was known for his faithfulness to the Lord and commitment to reforming the nation.

Unlike his father, who did evil, he was known for doing what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.

Asa recognized the importance of doing God’s will; thus, he took bold steps by removing the idols and altars that led the people of Judah astray.

As a result, the kingdom experienced peace and prosperity during his reign.

Asa put his trust in the Lord, and God answered his prayer by giving him victory over the Ethiopians (2 Chronicles 14:9-12).

This is a clear demonstration of the power and faithfulness of God that endures in difficult times.

My dear child, do God’s will always, and He will grant the desires of your heart.

In addition, God will give you victory over your enemies and give you peace that surpasses all understanding

PRAYER POINT
Father, please help me to yield to your leading always, in Jesus’ name.

HYMN 50:
CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 6:1-9:17 3 John 1:1-15

06/12/2024

TOPIC: Weaknesses And Strengths (Open Heaven for Teens 6 December 2024)

MEMORISE: But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

READ: 1 Corinthians 15:9-11

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

MESSAGE:

As a child of God, you need to identify areas you are good at: your talents, skills, and strengths. Once you have identified them, ensure that you get the necessary training to develop them, as they will depreciate if they are not developed.

One lesson that you can learn from the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7 is that every individual, family, church, or nation has its strengths and weaknesses. Your strength should remind you that you are enjoying God’s grace, and this should not make you look down on people without the same skills and strengths as yours. Your weaknesses or shortcomings should also lead you to God, the only One who can give you strength. For example, if Judas had asked Jesus for help with his weaknesses, he probably would have overcome them and not ended up betraying Him.

Beloved, any weakness that is not dealt with can disgrace a fellow. Therefore, ask God to turn your areas of weaknesses into strengths today. Also, give God the glory for your gifts, skills, and strength, and He will sustain you.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please turn my weaknesses into strengths, in Jesus’ name

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Hosea 4:1-5:15, 2 John 1:1-13

HYMN 21: Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King

04/12/2024

TOPIC: The Day Of Favour (Open Heaven for Teens 4 December 2024)

MEMORISE: And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:5

READ: Esther 5:1-3

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

MESSAGE:

A story was told of a lady who Ahad been trusting God for a husband. She attended a funeral service where a bachelor who had been trusting God for a wife was also in attendance. When the man first saw her, he concluded that if the lady could look that beautiful while mourning, she would look awesome when in high spirits. There and then, he decided that he was going to ask for her hand in marriage.

Favour can locate you anywhere you are if you are in the right standing with God. Queen Esther, in today’s Bible reading, found favour before the king even in an unpleasant scenario. She went to see the king when he did not send for her, which was a disadvantaged position to be in. However, God turned that disadvantage to her advantage, and the king honoured her request.

Beloved, it does not matter how long you have desired something. When the day of favour comes, its manifestation will look like a dream. Your day of favour is here, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let your favour locate me for breakthroughs today, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Daniel 11:13; 1 John 4:1-21

HYMN 21: Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King

02/12/2024

TOPIC: King Jehoiachin (Open Heaven for Teens 2 December 2024)

MEMORISE: The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Psalm 34:16

READ: 2 Kings 24:8-17

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

MESSAGE:

Jehoiachin, also known as Jeconiah and Coniah, was only 18 years old when he became the king of Judah. He ruled for only three months before he was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

When he became king, he continued in the pagan practices of his father; instead of leading people to worship the true God, he led them in the wrong direction. God decided to send the people and Jehoiachin into captivity because of their sins. He and his household were among the 10,000 Jews who were held captive by King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. He was dethroned by Nebuchadnezzar and cursed by God in Jeremiah 22:28-30. None of his descendants was recorded to have ruled Judah because he was exiled and died in a foreign land.

As a child of God, never allow pride or worldly desires to turn you away from following the godly examples of men and women whom God has brought into your life. Also, know that your actions will directly or indirectly affect others.

KEY POINT:
Your actions will make or mar you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Daniel 9:1-11:1, 1 John 2:6

HYMN 31: Wonderful Story Of Love

01/12/2024

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 1 DECEMBER 2024 SUNDAY

TOPIC: IF ONLY YOU KNEW

MEMORISE: A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Psalm 91:7

READ: Psalms 91
1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

MESSAGE:
Long ago, God decided to give me a glimpse of the battles He fights for me that I am not aware of.
I was a lecturer at the University of Ilorin at the time, and one afternoon, I went home as usual, finished my lunch, and laid on the couch to rest.
I did not intend to sleep, but I closed my eyes because I didn’t want to be disturbed as I was already a pastor, and my sitting room was always busy.
Suddenly, I felt someone looming over me. The person held my hands and legs and drew me closer as if to kiss me.
At first, I thought it was my wife, but then it occurred to me that whoever could hold my hands and legs at the same time had to be really tall and strong.
I immediately opened my eyes and the person disappeared. After this incident, I felt a cold sensation, but I forgot about it and went for my afternoon lectures.
Afterwards, I started vomiting and stooling. I drove back home and practically had to crawl out of my car to get into the house.
I was in the toilet when I cried, “Daddy, what is this? I am your son; how can this be happening to me?” God replied, “Son, I just wanted you to have a little taste of the unseen battles I constantly fight for you.” Immediately after that, the stooling and vomiting stopped.
My dear child, there are a lot of battles God fights for you that you know nothing about.
Many such battles take place when you are sleeping, studying, travelling, or even relaxing.
Thus, you are in error if you think that you are alive by your own power. Therefore, thank God every day for all He does for you.

KEY POINT:
God is always fighting your battles.

HYMN 50:
CONQUERORS AND OVERCOMERS NOW ARE WE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 8:1-27 1 John 2:1-17

01/12/2024

Everything you could not achieve from January to November, God will deliver into your hands this December, with ease. Happy New Month.

18/11/2024

TOPIC: How Prophetic Is Your Name? (Open Heaven for Teens 18 November 2024)

MEMORISE: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

READ: Exodus 2:5-10

And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’. children.
Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water

MESSAGE:

My mother once told me that she initially intended to name me Elisha, but she forgot the name on her way to see the priest, and so she named me Enoch. I told her that I like both names and took on both: Elisha (the man with the double portion of the anointing on Elijah) and Enoch (the man who walked with God). Today, by God’s grace, the essence of my names is being fulfilled.

The name a fellow bears is very important because it is sometimes an indication of the experiences he or she may encounter in life. For example, Moses’ name meant ‘drawn from water’. No wonder he had recurring experiences with water in his life. He turned water into blood (Exodus 7:19-20), parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), and turned bitter water into sweet water (Exodus 15:24-25). In fact, what denied him access to the Promised Land was water-related (Numbers 20:7-12). Another example is Jabez; his name meant sorrow or ‘born out of pain’. Until he called on God for a change in his situation, he experienced difficulties (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). You need to be sure of the meaning of the name you are called so that you do not encounter avoidable difficulties later in future.

REFLECTION:
What is the meaning of your name?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 37:1-38:23, James 1:19-2:17

HYMN 7: I Am Thine O Lord.

17/11/2024

TOPIC: In His Name (Open Heaven for Teens 17 November 2024)

MEMORISE: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; – Philippians 2:10

READ: Philippians 2:9-11

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MESSAGE:

Today’s Bible reading tells us the efficacy of the greatest and most powerful name in history. In Acts 19:14-16, a demon told the sons of Sceva who wanted to act like true sons of God: “…Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Many years ago, during one of our special programmes, a man possessed with demons was in attendance, and he was brought to me for deliverance. I instructed him to sit, and he asked, “In whose name?” As soon as I said, “In Jesus’ name,” he immediately did as instructed. That is the power in the name of Jesus!

It is God’s desire that all His children should be able to cast out demons. The power to deliver is not for a selected few; however, to be able to conduct deliverance, a fellow must have an intimate knowledge of the Great Deliverer – the Lord Jesus Christ. No one casts out demons in his or her name; demons only bow to the name of Jesus. Do you know the power in that name?

KEY POINT: You can only cast out demons in the name of Jesus.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 35:1-36:38, James 1:1-18

HYMN 41, JESUS, MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL

16/11/2024

TOPIC: Preach The Gospel (Open Heaven for Teens 16 November 2024)

MEMORISE: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

READ: Matthew 10:5-7

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

MESSAGE:

“Preach the gospel to the nations” is God’s commission to His children. A fellow must be saved before he or she can preach the gospel. This is because it is impossible to preach what you do not know.

You do not have to be a pastor or have a large audience to preach the gospel. You can start by sharing the word with your mates from your neighbourhood or school, in your classroom, playground, cafeteria, and via your social media platforms. You can share the word of God through any of these mediums and tell people that God loves them.

There are many benefits of preaching the gospel. When you preach the gospel, you will depopulate the kingdom of darkness. You will win souls and be counted as wise (Proverbs 11:30), and you will also get a beautiful crown in heaven

ACTION POINT: Preach about Jesus on your social media platforms throughout this week.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Ezekiel 33:1-34:31, Hebrews 13:1-25

HYMN 57: Must I Go And Empty Handed?

15/11/2024

Open Heaven For Teens 15 November 2024

Topic – Ask For Permission

MEMORISE: Thou shalt not steal. Exodus 20:15

READ: Genesis 31:30-34

And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’. tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.

Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

MESSAGE:

To steal is to take another person’s property without their approval, particularly with the intention of not returning it. If a growing child or teenager takes his or her parent’s money without their consent, such a fellow has stolen. Some children say, “Whatever belongs to my father belongs to me. I should be free to take any of his things whenever I like.” No! Your parents have plans for all that they have. Taking their things without permission can disrupt some of those plans.

An example of someone who took from her father without his consent was Rachel from our Bible reading today. She stole her father’s gods and even denied taking them, and the repercussion was premature death (Genesis 35:17-19) because her husband, while trying to defend himself from her father’s accusation, pronounced a curse on anyone who stole the images. Beloved, there is a curse on children who steal from their parents. If you are guilty of this, restitute your ways and desist from stealing henceforth.

ACTION POINT:
If you have stolen anything from your parents, return it today and ask for their forgiveness.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29

HYMN 41: Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All

14/11/2024

TOPIC: Apply His Word (Open Heaven for Teens 14 November 2024)

MEMORISE: I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. – Psalm 138:2

READ: Psalms 138:1-3 (KJV)

1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

MESSAGE:

Knowing God’s word is not the same as applying it, just as having knowledge is not the same as wisdom. For instance, a doctor who knows that smoking is injurious to his or her health might be a chain smoker. Such a doctor has knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking, but he or she refuses to apply it.

My dear child, you should note that knowing God’s word is as important as applying it to situations. Many believers try to emotionally blackmail God when faced with challenges instead of using His word. God is only moved by the correct application of His word. He is a God of principles; no wonder a mathematician like me finds it easy to enjoy Him because emotions do not often move me. I know that 2+2=4, so crying for the answer to be 6 is futile because it will always remain the same. As a child of God, now that you know that God is not moved by emotions but by His word, wisdom demands that you apply His word often.

Today’s memory verse says that He honours His word above His name; therefore, I implore you to confront issues with His word and not your tears.

ACTION POINT:
Remind God of His word concerning your challenges today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13

HYMN 21: Standing On The Promises Of Christ My King

13/11/2024

TOPIC: Mourning For Souls

Open Heaven for Teens 13 November 2024

MEMORISE: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

READ: Amos 6:1

1.⁠ ⁠Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

MESSAGE:

To mourn is to be grieved by an occurrence or to be so concerned about something that it deeply affects your emotions. According to today’s memory verse, people who mourn, especially for souls or the bad state of the world, will be comforted, and they will experience God’s blessings. The present world has become so bad that wrong conduct is being permitted, encouraged, and, in some places, legalised. For example, a young person who insults an elderly man in public and gets his friends to post the incident on social media for fun is worth mourning because he and his friends probably do not know the ordeal of the 42 unruly children who made jest of Prophet Elijah in 2 Kings 2:23-24.

In the world today, the influence of social media has made some teenagers become deeply involved in immoral s*xual activities and all sorts of perversions. This is worth mourning over as well because the coming of the Lord is very close. Unfortunately, many people are not looking forward to it at all, including many people in the church. Do you mourn for the thousands who die daily without knowing Jesus? My dear child, don’t just abstain from sin; mourn for sinners and travail for them in the place of prayer because God is not interested in the death of any sinner (Ezekiel 18:32).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please deliver my generation from eternal damnation, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, Hebrews 11:17-31

HYMN 58: My Hope Is Built On Nothing Else

10/11/2024

Open Heaven Devotional for Teens 10 November 2024

TOPIC: End Time Reformer

MEMORISE: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Mark 1:3

READ: Isaiah 60:1-2

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

MESSAGE:

A reformer is a person whom God ordains to carry out changes in order to rectify or correct ungodly practices. In the Bible, God raised reformers at different times to start revivals whenever His people appear to have lost their sense of spiritual direction and consecration.

Today, God needs reformers and endtime revivalists who would turn the hearts of people back to Him. This is because some Christians accepted Jesus at the peak of their challenges and abandoned Him after receiving their miracles. Some who pledged allegiance to God have started living contrary to His word and their declaration of faith. Thus, God needs you to rise and shine as a reformer in the midst of the darkness of this world. He needs you to do the right thing no matter the cost. He also requires you to sacrifice your convenience just to see that righteousness is restored to the world. You can do this by seizing every opportunity to preach the gospel.

PRAYER POINT

Father, please ignite the fire of revival in me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
EZEKIEL 21:1-22:31, HEBREWS 10:1-17

HYMN 51: Breathe On Me, Breath Of God

09/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS FOR TEENS 9 NOVEMBER 2024 SATURDAY

TOPIC: BLOCK THAT CHANNEL

MEMORISE: And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:30

READ: Matthew 5:28-30
28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.



MESSAGE:

When the devil sees a Christian who is determined not to commit sin, he will put strategies in place to ensure that the believer falls by identifying his or her weaknesses and exploiting them repeatedly so that he can bring the fellow down.

For instance, he discovered that Moses’ weakness was anger, so he found ways to get him angry through the Israelites until he missed the Promised Land.
If you fall in love too easily with people of the opposite s*x, you need to be careful and become accountable to people who can monitor you.

When seductive pictures pop up on your phone while browsing, block the channel immediately because satan can introduce more pictures from different sites to plant and nurture the seed of lust in your heart.

If your friend tries to lure you into cyber fraud, block him or her instantly. If the smile of someone of the opposite s*x always brings lustful thoughts into your mind, avoid looking at their face often.
It’s time to work on your temperament, attitude, and character so that you won’t miss the Promised Land.

KEY POINT:
Don’t be a victim of the devil; block those channels of temptation now.

HYMN 55
CHRISTIAN, SEEK NOT YET REPOSE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EZEKIEL 20:1-49 HEBREWS 9:9:11-28

08/11/2024

DON'T GIVE UP!
GOD IS CLOSE, YOU WILL SURELY SMILE FOR JOY!
Congratulations 💐😊