Topic: Your Location Matters — Sunday 31, December 2017

Memorise: He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. – Proverbs 10:5

Read: Genesis 3:7-10 (KJV)

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Bible in One Year: Song of Solomon 4-8, Malachi 3:16-4:6, Hymn: Sing Hymn 9: On The Hill Far Away

MESSAGE:

Although God is much very willing to help you, before you can receive help from Him, you have to first settle the issue of your spiritual location. In today’s Bible reading, when God came visiting Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and He did not find them where he expected them to be, He made a passionate call to them saying: “Adam, where are you?” If God will help you, He needs to know where you are. Do you want God’s help today? If yes, where are you standing presently? Are you where you were at the beginning of the year? Are you stagnant, unproductive, unprofitable, and not making progress? In the parable of the talents, the fellow who received one talent proved to be unproductive (Matthew 25:24-30). That is however not God’s expectation of you. Some people are unproductive because they do the right thing at the wrong time. Proverbs 10:5 says,

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.”

There is a time for everything. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Rest follows work and not the other way round. Today, quite a number of people unfortunately go on vacations even though they have not worked. Rest is earned. If you rest without deserving it, you will be showing to the whole world how unwise you really are. When many children of affluent people, who never worked one day to earn an income, are bequeathed with great wealth, the next thing they think of doing is how to go on a spending spree of the funds they never worked for.

Beloved, where is your present location? If you are located in laziness, disobedience, self-will or unforgiveness, receiving help from God may be a mirage. If you are sleeping when you should be actively engaged for the Master, you are a shame to the Body of Christ. The harvest of this world is already ripe and gradually becoming overripe. This is harvest time. How many souls did you personally win to Christ this year? Is there any significant improvement to your life compared to last year or have you lost further grounds to laziness, procrastination and idleness? Can you say you are experiencing progress? Movement can be sideways, forward or backward. May you never go backward in Jesus’ Name! Consider your location and take appropriate steps so that you can receive God’s help this season.

Action Point: Before asking God for anything make sure you are not located in disobedience or unbelief.

Hymn 9: On The Hill Far Away

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain:

3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain:

4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain:

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

TOPIC — THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: MEEKNESS AND TEMPERANCE [SUNDAY, 31ST DECEMBER 2017]

OPENING PRAYER:

Father, help me to bring forth the fruit of meekness and temperance in the Holy Spirit in Jesus name.

MEMORY VERSE: What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? 1 Cor. 4:21

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27

9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

INTRODUCTION:

Meekness connotes a calm temper of mind, not easily provoked (James 3:13). The word meekness does not connote weakness. Rather, it involves humility and thankfulness toward God, and polite, restrained behavior toward others. The opposites of meekness are anger, a desire for revenge, and self-aggrandizement. Temperance means properly, self-control, continence. Meekness and temperance shall be studied extensively, as parts of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, in this lesson.

TEXT REVIEW: 1 Cor 9:24 -27

Some words were used in today’s bible passage to depict the attribute of sportsmanship. Such words are: ‘run’, ‘prize’, ‘strive’, ‘mastery’, ‘crown’ (medal), and ‘fight’. 1 Cor. 9:24-26. As you will agree, it is easy to run to win a prize. Physically, a lot of preparations go into it. For, instance, the sports man must subject himself to rigorous and constant exercises, must monitor/regulate his dietary system, and he must know the rule of the game and abide by it. He must follow the instruction of the referee/instructor as and when due. He must be ready to do it better than opponents or competitors, etc.

Apostle Paul used the following words to summarise it. “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” 1 Cor. 9:25a. Temperance in this scripture is the key issue. It means habitual moderation, passion, restraint, absitinence, patience, calmness and so on. A man that would obtain prize in a competition must be ready to pay the price of temperance. Similarly a man that will run the spiritual race to Heaven must be ready to pay all the attributes of temperance and keep his body under and bring it unto subjection always. 1 Cor. 9:26-27

Thank God, Holy Spirit has the fruit of temperance. Gal. 5:23

LESSON OUTLINES

LESSON OUTLINE 1: MEEKNESS

Question:

What is meekness?

Answer:

i. It is restraining of ones might and power.

ii. It is display of humility and grace.

iii. It is a constraint on the power of words and actions.

iv. It is handing over of might/ strength to God’s guidance.

v. It is acceptance of God’s view on all matters including thought. Isa. 55:9

Question:

What are the benefits of meekness?

Answer:

i. Through meekness, erring fellows can be corrected and restored.

ii. Forgiveness of others is easy. Matt. 18:23-35.

iii. Completions and sectarianism will disappear. Phil. 15:18

iv. Believers will complement one another in the ministry.

v. God will pay attention to the fellow ad make him inherit His blessing (the earth) Matt. 5:; Isa. 66:2

Question:

Did God give specific directive on meekness?

Answer:

i. Yes.

ii. God commanded believers to put on meekness. Col. 3:12

iii. God commanded believers to follow after meekness. 1 Tim. 6:11.

iv. God commanded believers to seek meekness. Zep. 2:3.

Question:

Are there examples of the meek in the bible?

Answer:

Yes, Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, etc. 1 Cor. 9:19; Num. 12:3; 2 Sam. 16:10, 12 etc.

Class Activity 1:

Using the above stated definitions of meekness, identify people who are meek in our contemporary society.

LESSON OUTLINE 2: TEMPERANCE

Question:

What is temperance?

i. It is ability to exercise self-control.

ii. It is demonstration of moderatioin and constraints against earthly and fleshy desires and lusts. Rom. 7:21-25

iii. It is believers’s decision not to use his God given freedom to commit sin. Gal. 5:1; Rom. 6:6

iv. It is perseverance. 2 Pet. 1:6

v. It is continence, chastity, self-government and moderation over evil tendencies.

Question:

What are the benefits of temperance?

Answer:

i. It frees believers from guiltyconscience which springs from sin or recklessness toward sin. 2 Cor. 4:2

ii. It helps us find liberty to love and live as God desires.

iii. It helps believers to run the race to win prizes. 1 Cor. 9:24; Gal. 5:13

Question:

What does the Holy Spirit do with temperance to believers?

Answer:

The Holy Spirit helps the believers through the fruit of temperance to exercise self-control, restraint and maintain a focus despite all odds and distractions.

Class Activity 2:

Examine why a non-temperate person cannot win a prize in the holy race.

SUMMARY:

Believers must be meek and temperate in all things and situations.

CONCLUSION:

Believers must bear fruit of meekness and temperance.

EVALUATION:

What is the fruit of goodness and faithfulness?

CLOSING PRAYER:

Father, give me strength to be meek and temperate.

ASSIGNMENT:

Mention 5 attributes each of an in temperate and aggressive person.