Temmy (2025)

09/01/2025

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY JANUARY 9TH 2025

TOPIC: KEEP PUSHING

MEMORISE:
“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” - (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

READ: LUKE 9:57-62 (KJV)

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

MESSAGE:
During natural childbirth, a woman is required to push the baby out. No matter how many times she pushes, until the baby comes out, she must keep pushing. The moment she gives the final push that brings the baby out, she becomes a new person - a mother.

As a Christian, you will never be done pushing until you have put on a new body in Christ. No matter how much you have achieved in the past, you must keep pushing until you see the Lord in glory (Philippians 3:13-14). Many people started out right; they achieved many great things for God, but as time went on, they stopped pushing. They stopped fasting and praying as they used to, and they missed the glory that would have been theirs.

At a time when there was serious persecution against Christians in Russia, five Christian boys were captured by Russian soldiers and thrown into a freezing pond in the middle of winter. The soldiers started a fire and said that those who would deny Jesus could come out of the pond and warm themselves by the fire. Slowly, the boys started freezing, and at a point, one of them called out t

07/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2024

THEME: SEEING BEYOND FATHERS

MEMORISE: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14:12

READ: 1 Corinthians 4:14-16
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

MESSAGE
Children often look up to their parents, and this is no different in God's kingdom. A son might strive to learn all he can from his father in the Lord and even pray to carry his spirit. However, what do fathers stand to consider gain from their children in the Lord? When you consider the fact that there was a school of prophets in Israel, where Elijah could have gotten many people to help him, you will realize that he did not really need Elisha.

The primary reason a father sticks close to his children in the Lord is usually that he wants to pass his knowledge and anointing to them. He does not want everything he has gotten from God to die with him; he wants to pass them on to people that will carry on after he is gone. Thus, it is the willingness of fathers to teach, and their children in the Lord to learn, that builds such a strong bond between them. Just as in the case of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:11, fathers will one day be taken from the earth, and their children in the Lord will be faced with the reality of carrying on to greater heights without them. How ready are you for the time you will need to carry on from your father in the Lord?

Your vision in your walk with God must go beyond your father in the Lord, otherwise, when he is gone, your walk with God may be affected. My Father in the Lord was a great man of God, He fasted and prayed more than anyone I knew at that time. He saw visions of the future, and I learnt a lot from him. However, he told me that he never fasted beyond 21 days at a stretch. Not long after he went to be with the Lord, I moved beyond that and started fasting for 40 days at a go once every year. He saw the Church spreading across the world, and that has come to pass, however, God has further expanded the vision to other areas like establishing the Redeemer's University where young people can obtain a university degree and be equipped spiritually while doing so.

If you want your father in the Lord to be proud of you. while you are learning all you can from him before he leaves the earth, you must also see beyond him in your daily walk with God.

REFLECTION
Does your vision in God extend beyond your relationship with your father in the Lord?

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 16-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 20: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus
ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner,
it must not suffer loss.
From vict'ry unto vict'ry
his army he shall lead
till ev'ry foe is vanquished
and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict
in this his glorious day.
Ye that are men now serve him
against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger
and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you,
ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor,
each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger,
be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle,
the next, the victor's song.
To him that overcometh
a crown of life shall be;
he with the King of glory
shall reign eternally.

06/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 6TH 2024

THEME: HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART

MEMORISE: I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Jeremiah 31:18

READ: Hebrews 12:5-11
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

MESSAGE
Sometimes, when you hear from God, it may be a rebuke. However, you must still open your heart to Him despite the rebuke. In any case, I would rather God rebuke me than stay silent. If a Christian only wants to hear sweet things from God but never wants to listen to His rebuke, he or she will eventually stop hearing from Him. You should be glad when God rebukes you because Hebrews 12:6 says that it is the child the father loves that he chastens. When David was rebuked in 2 Samuel 12:1-14, he did not harden his heart, rather, he repented, and God continued to walk with him.

How do you react when you hear a rebuke from your pastor? Do you harden your heart, or do you make amends immediately? No matter how influential a believer is in ministry, or how gifted the fellow is in the Holy Spirit, if such a person hardens his or her heart against God's rebuke, God can reject such a believer (1 Samuel 16:1). Psalm 51:17 says:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart,O God, thou wilt not despise.

If you want God to keep walking with you and speaking to you, you need to have a broken spirit and a contrite heart. God is not moved by mere religious activity; He is most interested in a relationship with you. However, just as it is impossible to have a good relationship with someone that you cannot correct when he or she offends you, God will not dwell with hard-hearted individuals. He said in Isaiah 57:15:

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Beloved, when God rebukes you, whether through His word, a fellow believer, or directly by Himself, never harden your heart. Hardening your heart against His rebuke will only lead to destruction as we see in Proverbs 29:1:

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Do not despise rebuke from God, rather, embrace His correction as evidence of His love for you.

PRAYER POINT
Please Lord, help me to yield to Your corrections at all times.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 13-15

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD

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.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.

3. But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.

4. 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.

05/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5TH 2024

THEME: HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART I

MEMORISE: Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Psalm 95:8

READ: Hebrews 3:7-11
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

MESSAGE
God talks to His people; the only problem is that many do not listen to Him. Psalm 95:6-8 says that if you want to hear His voice, you should not harden your heart. If God has been talking to you and you have been disobedient, He will keep quiet, and you won't hear Him again.

You need to hear God so that He can guide you. The primary way to hear from God and be guided by Him is to study your Bible. However, what should you do when the situation you need guidance about is not specifically addressed by the Bible? Whenever you need to make decisions on such matters, you need to hear from God directly.

There are times when you can clearly see what God wants you to do in the Scriptures. However, you still need to hear from Him on how to go about what He wants you to do. For example, when Paul wanted to go to Asia in Acts 16:6-7, the Spirit of God forbade him. You might ask, "How can the Spirit of God stop Paul from going to preach since it is written in Matthew 28:19 that we should go into the world and teach every nation?"

Some years ago, I wanted to hold a crusade in Benin, a state capital in Southern Nigeria. We had prepared everything for the crusade, but to my surprise, when I went to ask God about it, He said that we should go to Ede, a town in South-West Nigeria instead. I told Him that we had just concluded a crusade in llesha, another town in the same state as Ede and that the inhabitants of Ede would have most likely been in attendance. However, since God is my Commander-in-chief, l obeyed Him.

During the crusade in Ede, the king was in attendance, and when he got on the stage to speak, he announced that he would be gifting the church with whatever quantity of land we desired. We initially decided to ask for 50 acres of land, however, when I went back to hear from God, He told me to ask for 500 hectares, and I obeyed. Today, that portion of land is where Redeemer's University and The Redeemed Christian School of Missions are situated. If l had hardened my heart., I wouldn't have gone to Ede, and I wouldn't have received the blessing.

Beloved, when you are dealing with God, don't harden your heart. Listen to Him with an open mind, be committed to obeying Him, and He will speak to you.

KEY POINT
If your heart is hardened, God will not speak to you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 11-12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD
1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

04/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 2024

THEME: LEARN FROM THE ELDERS

MEMORISE: With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. Job 12:12

READ: 1 Kings 12:1-19
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.

16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

MESSAGE
Elderly people carry valuable gems of wisdom. No matter how educated you are, some lessons cannot be learnt in classrooms; they are only taught in the classroom of life' and are learned by experience. Even though I have a PhD, I have learnt to defer to the wisdom of the elders from time to time. This is why you will always hear me say, "The elders have a saying," because there are valuable things that I have learnt from the elders that all of my formal education did not give me.

I was privileged to sit at the feet of my Father in the Lord, P Josiah Akindayomi. Every week, I would visit him to ask questions, and he would teach me valuable lessons. I was also privileged to learn from Pa S.G Elton. Every two weeks, I would travel to llesha to sit at his feet. He taught me many things, even though I didn't agree with some of them initially because I felt that they were incorrect.

However, as I grew older, I began to realize that he was correct. One of the things he taught me was that I should always remember that I am not God, irrespective of the level of the anointing that I operate in. He also taught me that God does whatever He pleases, and all that I have to do is to take my burdens to Him in prayer and go to bed. This is why, if you ask those close to me, they will tell you that I have no difficulty sleeping. No matter how big the problem is, once I have prayed, I go to sleep.

Beloved, even if your parents and the elders around you are not as educated or sophisticated as you are, listen to them. Whatever things you disagree with or that seem hard for you to understand, keep them in your memory regardless. One day, when you are wiser, you will likely refer to them. Do not joke with the moments you have to spend with elders, whether they are related to you or not. Tell them to teach you some of the things they know and do. There are some natural remedies to sicknesses that died with some elders because the generation after them did not learn about them when they had the opportunity. Some important principles of life have also been lost in this manner.

Learn all you can from the elderly ones, especially the Christian elders that you still have around you, before they go to be with the Lord.

KEY POINT
Spend quality time with the elders around you; there is a lot of wisdom to gain from them.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 9-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 28: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2. Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

03/11/2024

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3RD 2024

TOPIC: JESUS' LAST WORDS

MEMORISE:
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” - (John 17:11)

READ: JOHN 17:9-26 (KJV)

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

MESSAGE:
The last words of a dying man are usually very important and must be given the utmost attention. More importantly, we should pay extra attention to the last words of Jesus before He left the earth because they are extremely important. When my Father in the Lord was about to leave the earth, he sent for me, but unfortunately, I had gone to Akure, a state capital in Western Nigeria, to preach. Up until today, I still wish that I was there to hear what he wanted to tell me at that crucial moment in his life.

In John 3:16, Jesus said that God loves the whole world and sent Him to die for everyone, but when He was saying His last prayers in John 17:9, He said, “I’m not praying for the world, I’m only praying for these people that You have given me.” This means that if a fellow is not born again, he or she cannot experience certain benefits of God’s love. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ said that He will deny such a fellow before His Father on the day of judgement (Matthew 10:32-33).

Those of us that are truly born again must also pay close attention to Jesus’ last words before His crucifixion and death. In His final prayer before His arrest and crucifixion, He said:

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. - (John 17:20-21)

It is very important to Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, that believers are united. God’s glory can only be seen upon the church when there is unity and when Christians are of the same mind. In Psalm 133, the Bible tells us that God’s anointing and blessings will flow freely within His church when we are united as brethren. You should not hold grudges or keep malice with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Even though a Christian belongs to another denomination and you have a disagreement, bear in mind that you both belong to God, and all Christians are His children.

Beloved, ensure that you always show love to the Christians around you in spite of your differences. Make up your mind to honour the last words of your Lord and Saviour by striving for unity with other believers (Ephesians 4:1-3).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to honour Your last words by loving all Christians across the world in spite of our differences.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOHN 7-8

AUTHOR PASTOR E A ADEBOYE

HYMNAL: 3 - ANCIENT WORDS

1 Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God's own heart;
Oh, let the ancient words impart.

2 Words of life, words of hope
give us strength, help us cope;
In this world where'er we roam
ancient words will guide us home.

Chorus:
Ancient words ever true,
changing me and changing you;
We have come with open hearts,
oh let the ancient words impart.

3 Holy words of our faith
handed down to this age,
Came to us through sacrifice;
Oh, heed the faithful words of Christ. (chorus)

4 Martyr's blood stains each page,
they have died for this faith;
Hear them cry through the years;
Heed these words and hold them dear. (chorus)

02/11/2024

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL

Y.A.Y.A. EDITION

LESSON: TEN (10)

DATE: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3RD 2024

TOPIC: DIVINE RESISTANCE

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER
Father, teach me humility in love.

MEMORY VERSE: "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Humility Cures Worldliness". – James 4:6 (NKJV)

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 PETER 5:5-7.

5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

INTRODUCTION
Despite the magnitude of God's creations (Psalm 8:3-4), God still humbles Himself to behold the activities of man on earth (Psalm 113:5-6). A proud person is therefore repulsive to Him and He resists such an individual. Lucifer was cast out of Heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-14). The Ancient Greek word for 'pride' is 'Hubris': it describes a personality of dangerous overconfidence, synonymous with arrogance. God intentionally builds a wall of resistance against the proud.

TEXT REVIEW: 1 PETER 5:5-7.

A. The Apostle Peter, admonishing on pride and its attendant consequence, says to the brethren:

i. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elder, ............... V5a.

ii. All of you ...................... V5b.

B. This is because God resists the proud, ................. V5c.

C. ............................... V6.

D. ................................. V7.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. BIBLICAL INSTANCES AND CONSEQUENCES
2. BE HUMBLE

BIBLICAL INSTANCES AND CONSEQUENCES

A. The Bible gives records of some characters that were filled with 'hubris' and their ends. These include:

i. King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30).

ii. King Belshazzar (Daniel 5:22-23)

iii. Goliath (1 Samuel 17:41-44).

iv. The rich fool in Jesus parable (Luke 12:16-19).

v. King Herod (Acts 12:21-23a).

B. These men where resisted and judged by God for their sin of pride (Ezekiel 28:17; Jeremiah 13:15-16).

i. King Nebuchadnezzar was brought low and he ate grass (Daniel 4:31-32).

ii. King Belshazzar was slain (Daniel 5:30).

iii. Goliath and the rich fool in Jesus parable died (1 Samuel 17:50; Luke 12:20).

iv. Herod was eaten by worms and he died (Acts 12:23b).

C. Pride is rebellion against God and a bid to share in His glory.

D. Furthermore, God reserves the following punishment for the proud.

i. He cuts them off by silencing them (Psalm 12:3).

ii. They are known at a distance and kept in derision (Psalm 138:6).

iii. He will destroy their house (Proverbs 15:25).

iv. He will bring them down (Isaiah 2:12).

v. He will cause their arrogance to cease (Isaiah 13:11).

vi. He is against them and will make them stumble (Jeremiah 50:31-32).

vii. He will demean them (Daniel 4:37).

viii. They shall be wasted like debris and straw (Malachi 4:1).

ix. God sets Himself in battle array against the proud (Obadiah 1:2-4).

x. He repels those who live in pride and self sufficiency by trusting in themselves and despising others.

xi. Pride is sin (Proverbs 21:4), and thus, the proud is abomination to God (Proverbs 16:5a).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1
Have you ever been taken by pride? Share the consequences with the class.

BE HUMBLE

A. Humility is the antidote for pride and a requirement to walk with God (Micah 6:8).

i. To be humble is simply a lack of pride, a state marked by meekness or modesty without any iota of arrogance (Colossians 3:12).

ii. It is the attitude of having no special importance that makes you better than others (Philippians 2:5-8).

iii. Unlike pride which puts a barrier (a wall of resistance) between man and God, humble people receive grace from God (1 Peter 5:5b).

iv. He forgives their sins and heals their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

v. He hears when they call (2 Chronicles 34:27; Psalm 9:12).

vi. God will save them (Job 22:29).

vii. He guides and teaches them His way (Psalm 25:9).

viii. Humility comes before honour (Proverbs 18:12; Philippians 2:7-11) and it brings riches and life (Proverbs 22:4).

B. However, being humble must be a conscious and deliberate resolve;

i. Jesus says whoever humbles Himself as a little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4).

ii. Humility must be worn like a garment every day (1 Peter 5:5b).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2
Why do some believers embrace pride despite its serious consequences?

CONCLUSION
Pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Be humble.

CLOSING PRAYER
Father, I receive the grace to be humble in the mighty name of Jesus

ASSIGNMENT
Give five (5) differences between being confident and being proud. (2×5=10 Marks).

Temmy

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