RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2024/2025 - AGE 9-12 TEACHER'S MANUAL - SUNDAY 5TH OF JANUARY, 2024 - LESSON NINETEEN (19) - TOPIC: REVISION /SUMMARY

RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2024/2025 – AGE 9-12 TEACHER’S MANUAL – SUNDAY 5TH OF JANUARY, 2024 – LESSON NINETEEN (19) – TOPIC: REVISION /SUMMARY

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RCCG JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2024/2025
AGE 9-12 TEACHER’S MANUAL
SUNDAY 5TH OF JANUARY, 2024
LESSON NINETEEN (19)
TOPIC: REVISION /SUMMARY

Revise the previous lesson with the children.
Ask them question to ensure lessons have been well understood.
Tell your class to review the previous lessons during the week.

SUMMARY OF LESSONS 14-18
LESSON FOURTEEN (14)
TOPIC: PURE HEART: MIND OF CHRIST
BIBLE TEXT: Psalms 24:3-4

MEMORY VERSE: Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

LESSON AIM: To let the children know that they must be clean within and out.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Having the mind of Christ is the real deal.

INTRODUCTION: What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Simply put, it means to think and act as Jesus did. It means making Christ-like decisions that determine how we are to live. And it means bringing every faculty of our mind to bear on how we actually can have the mind of Christ. When we think of purity of heart, perhaps we think of someone whose motives are pure, who possess no guile or malice. Within the context of what our Lord is saying, He is speaking about the heart of someone whose sins have been forgiven and whose heart has been made new, whose purity comes, not from themselves, but from the presence of Jesus in their lives. In today’s lesson we will discuss the meaning of having the mind of Christ and a pure heart.

STUDY GUIDE
A. MEANING OF A PURE HEART

What is holy is pure or clean. It means to be free from contamination. Paul says in 1 Tim. 5:22 to “keep yourself pure
The Greek word Jesus uses here in Matthew 5:8 is katharos. It is used 27 times in the New Testament. Fundamentally, it signifies that which is clean, or cleansed and therefore free from any contaminating substance.
A pure heart can only be achieved through God. He cleanses my conscience through the blood of Jesus.
A pure heart lives to serve God. In 2 Tim. 2:22 Paul calls on Timothy to ‘Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
The concept of purity is mentioned earlier in the bible in connection with the clean and unclean animal of Lev. 11.

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF A PURE HEART CHRISTIAN

A pure heart lives to serve God 2 Tim. 2:22
A pure heart lives for the sole purpose of God. James 3:14-16
Has Pure Desires. Ezekiel 36:26.
Loves God. Deut. 6:5
Filled with Agape love. 1Cor. 13:4-8
Filled with The Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5
Filled with Humility. Isaiah 66:2
Good to Others. Luke 6:45
Selfless. Mark 12:31
Free from Guilt. Heb. 10:22
Holy. 1Pet 1:16
Honors God. Col. 3:23
Free from Sin. Matt 5:8

C. HOW CAN YOU PURIFY YOUR HEART?
There are 7 simple ways that we can be more intentional about growing in purity.

Study the word of God: When we study his word, we are changed. The word of God is living and it breathes life into us. It allows us to see where our thought and our feelings fail to line up with God’s intention.
Spend quiet time with God: Spending quiet time with God goes hand in hand with dwelling on his word. Matt. 6:33
Examine your words to keep a clean heart: Words have power. The words we say can lift others up or can cause hearts to break Luke 6:45.
Monitoring your thought: The thoughts we allow our minds to harbor can keep us from walking out a life pursuing purity. Prov. 4:23
Consider The Influences Affecting your heart: This means that we should be conscious of who and what has our time and attention. While we are called to be a light to those who do not know the love of God. 2 Cor. 10.5
Be repentant: All of us are sinners and our very best efforts would still not be enough to remain pure in our own strength, but God. Acts 17:30
Be open to wisdom: There are times when we have blind spots, and we miss the mark. Perhaps our prayer life is lacking, God, in His Infinite wisdom, gave us fellowship with other believers. Prov. 3:13-18

CONCLUSION: The pure hearted Christian has no ulterior motives or selfish angle. He loves his brother and helps him because he seeks to please God. He gives generously because he seeks to please God; He teaches and preaches sacrifices, prays, fasts, supports his family, visits the sick, acts kindly, obeys the law-because he seeks to please God.

LESSON FIFTEEN (15)
TOPIC: DEDICATION
BIBLE TEXT: Colosian 3:23-24

MEMORY VERSE: Ecclesiates 9:10; Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

LESSON AIM: To let the children know that it is a good thing to work with all their heart for God.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Dedication to God services brings a great gain. INTRODUCTION: God wants dedication from all His children. As we dedicate ourselves to Him, we will make Him our Lord and Master and He will have first place in our lives. Perhaps we could say that dedication is to sign our name at the bottom of the page and allow Him to fill in what He wishes. Some people may dedicate part of their lives to God. However, God wants all of the person! No one can truly be happy until he has dedicated himself fully unto the Lord! Understanding the Blessing that is in dedicated service to God. In today’s lesson we will look at the meaning of dedication and a dedicated life to God and its features.

STUDY GUIDE
A. WHAT IS DEDICATION TO GOD?

Being dedicated to God means that, like a refiner who purifies gold of its Imperfections, God works with us in our imperfections (Malachi 3:1-4).
It means being willing to say, okay God, I have got this or that weakness and with your help, I am willing to do what is needed to get better. 3. Being dedicated to God means we are a light to the world. Psa. 32:8
When we make the conscious decision to quit trying to run our own lives and allow God to have control, we win. Psa. 1:1-6
It is the point when we stop trying to be good Christians and rather internalize the Gospel understanding our need for a Savior our utter Inability to save ourselves.
It is the point when we accept the grace of God to work in our lives so that the Holy Spirit transforms us day by day into the likeness of Christ as we submit to God. Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 1:13

B. A LIFE DEDICATED TO GOD (Psalm 63:1-11)
One sign of a genuine believer is dedication to Christ. To be devoted means to cling to Jesus and steadfastly persevere with Him. Out of love and gratitude, we express our dedication to Him through three things:

a passion to obey, John 14:15
a spirit of humility. 2 Samuel 7:18
a servant’s heart.

C. FEATURES OF ABRAHAM’S DEDICATION TO GOD

He demonstrated unconditional obedience to God (Gen. 12:1-5)
1a. He obeyed God without question
1b. He obeyed God without doubting
1c. He took God at His Word
1d. He trusted God with his life
1e. He was able to trust God with his future
1f. He was sure that God would not mismanage his life and destiny

True dedication to God says, ‘God owns me and everything that I have belongs to God”.

CONCLUSION: When we dedicate our lives to God, we see ourselves live unto God in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus means that we live a life that is in union with Christ, we see ourselves live unto God because Christ lives in us. Just as Paul said in Galatians 2:20: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Our new life in Christ transforms us out of a self-centered world into a God-centered world.

LESSON SIXTEEN (16)
TOPIC: AN EXCELLENT LIFE
BIBLE TEXT: Daniel 1:19-20

MEMORY VERSE: Daniel 6:3; Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

LESSON AIM: To let the children desire excellence in any activities they engaged in.

CENTRAL TRUTH: God demands your excellence.

INTRODUCTION: God wants you to live excellently and an excellent life for Him. And yes you can! By Jesus Christ who is the Wisdom of God; He is the power of God and The Word of God! A person who wants to develop an excellent spirit in his life is one who wants to give his life to be led by the Spirit of God. Excellence wants to please God. Are we serving God with excellence? In today’s lesson we will discuss some crucial things about excellence.

STUDY GUIDE
A. WHAT IS AN EXCELLENT LIFE?

Excellence in life begins with Spiritual excellence. To attain Spiritual excellence, you must Attend to the word of God, incline thine ear unto the sayings of the word of God and, the instruction of wisdom.
Keep the word of God, for it is life unto them that find it and keep it; and health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:22)
People of excellence do not speak like the people of the world; they are not to speak according to the wisdom of the world that comes to nothing.
From Proverbs 22 verses 20-21 we understand that it is through the word of God that you’ll receive right counsel and knowledge; knowledge that is power.
It’s through the word of God that you’ll know how to keep faith and answer them that question your belief in Christ.
An excellent life is a question of attitude, not possessions. We approach life with the right attitude and have the right attitude to everybody. The good life is not in what you possess but in your attitude. So, as a child of God, as a saint of God, as those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, we have now become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; so, we should speak the truth. We should continue to live a sanctified life, through obedience to the word of God; because the word of God is truth.

B. REASON PEOPLE FAIL TO PURSUE EXCELLENCE

We compare ourselves to others. We look at the achievements of other people and think, “I can’t do that”. And we stop trying.
We don’t believe we can. Very few people will ever attempt something they don’t feel capable of achieving.
We don’t believe we deserve to. The messages we grew up with about who we are, our station in life and what we are worthy of often place a ceiling on what we believe we deserve.
We fear it. Being excellent means standing out from the crowd and that can come with the fear of being lonely or being a target.
It’s much easier not to excel. Excellence comes at a price. It means getting out of your comfort zone and making a real effort.
We don’t know how to excel. Too few people grow up with the skills necessary for excellence.
Excellence hasn’t been modeled for us. The family and community we grow up in provides us with a model of what the norm is.

C. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

Prophet Samuel-1 Samuel 3.1-21
King David-1 Samuel 16:18
Prophet Daniel-Daniel 5:12
Queen Esther-Esther 2:15
Prime Minister Joseph-Genesis 41:39-40
King Solomon-1 Kings 10:6

D. BENEFITS OF EXCELLENT LIFE
i. Access to divine secrets (Daniel 2:10-20)
ii. Promotion (Daniel 6:1-4; Genesis 41:39-41)
iii. Honor from God (Genesis 41:39-41)
iv. Problems solver (Daniel 5:9-12)
v. Being relevant to the society (Daniel 5:1-12)

CONCLUSION: As you keep your focus on Jesus – as you follow Him and continually practice the basics of the faith you do not have to fear stumbling or falling you are secure in the present and through all eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord. To be a person of excellence we must pay attention to details. Details will let us know what we did and what can be done.

LESSON SEVENTEEN (17)
TOPIC: CAREER CHOICE
BIBLE TEXT: Jeremiah 29:11-14

MEMORY VERSE: Proverb 3:6-7; In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

LESSON AIM: To let the children understand how to choose their career.

CENTRAL TRUTH. God must be involved if you want your career to thrive.

INTRODUCTION: A career is an individual’s ‘journey’ of lifelong learning, working, extensive training and learning new skills. It can be described as employment or a vocation that generally involves some specialized training or formal study. In simple terms, a career is what you do for a living. As you gain more experience in life and in work, you are building your career. “Career” is often used to refer to a profession, occupation, trade or vocation.

STUDY GUIDE
A. GUIDES TO CHOOSE CAREER
There are some pointers to help guide you in the right direction when it comes to making good career choices.

Let your relationship with God be good. Matt 6:33, John 15:5-6
Let the job Have positive impact on your faith? Prov. 19:21, Col 3:23
Let your gifts and talents be the driver. Prov. 18:16-17
Be open to new things. Rom. 12:2
Don’t get hung up on getting it right from the start. Psalm 52:22, Psalm 37:23- 24
Wait on the Lord. Lam 3:25, Psalm 130:5-6
Talk to mentors and people in that career. Eccl. 4:9-10, Prov. 15:22

B. D-E-C-I-S-I-O-N ACRONYMS
This idea comes from a website called What Christians Want to Know.
D- “Do our best at what we are responsible for currently
You need to be doing your best at what God has you doing right now. He’s unlikely to move us if we’re not putting effort into our current situation. Ecclesiastes 9:10.

E- Enter into more quiet time with God. Psalm 119.148
Instead of asking all your friends, colleagues and parents what you should do. spend more time praying about things and meeting with God.

C- Cease anxious thoughts about our future. Matt 6:34
Focus on making sensible plans instead of fearing what might happen. That’s how we end up jumping too fast and taking the wrong job.

I – Inquire about opportunities that God opens up for us. Rev 3:7
Ask him about the opportunities he has for you. You may be feeling comfortable and loving what you do, but you also need to be open to other things.

S- Seek advice from those who are in the field we are drawn towards. Prov. 20:18 As we discussed above, talk to people who have gone before you into a career.

I- Ignore the temptation to make money the most important goal Money is nice and God blesses us with it, but money can’t be your focus. Eccl. 5:10

0- Organize your life in preparation for change. Prov. 24:27
If you sense God’s leading, start getting things ready. For example, are your finances in order? Have you spoken with your family?

N- Navigate yourself towards your God-given calling and purpose in any field of work. Prov. 20:5

C. STEPS TO HELP YOU FURTHER FIND YOUR PASSION
If you’re feeling stuck, here are six steps to discover what you really want to do with your life. Take time to work through the process and know that, no matter what, you’ll be getting closer to where you want to be.
1 Start with the right perspective. Phil. 4:6-8.
2 Think about what you’ve already enjoyed doing. Colossians 3:23.

Discern between a hobby and a profitable passion.
Break down your fears-so you can overcome them.
Find your right next step.
Explore ways to tie the things you like together.

CONCLUSION: Every one of us has a God-given calling and purpose to fulfill before we leave this earth. We must seek God’s confirmation of our gifts and lean on the Holy Spirit to direct us in the application of our spiritual gifts in our careers. All you can do is make the best career choice in the moment. If there is better choice that is revealed to you later, be open to changing course.

LESSON EIGHTEEN (18)
TOPIC: HOME TRAINING: MANNERS AND SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
BIBLE TEXT: Deuteronomy 32:46-47

MEMORY VERSE: Proverb 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”

LESSON AIM: To let the children know how important is home training.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Godly manners are about courtesy, politeness, etiquette, customs, correctness, respectability and a more excellent way of life.

INTRODUCTION: Etiquette is the customary code (specific rules) of polite behaviour within a culture, society or professional group. It makes one behave in a socially responsible way distinct from animals. When a child knows and follows respected rules for behaviour, we say that child has good etiquette or manners. The Bible equally advises us as believers to apply decency and orderliness in whatever we do (1Corinthians 14:40). Hence, it is necessary for children to be guided in their dealings and interactions with others. In recent years many people have criticized the decline of etiquette and manners in our world. To many, it seems that society has grown accustomed to things that would have been considered incredibly rude only a decade or so before. Our manners express our personality, especially as they portray humility, courtesy, or gentleness. Now we must display the work of salvation, involving the etiquette and courtesy shown in the behavior of our Savior. Today we are going to look at the social etiquette in our children and how to build our children in the right way that God will be pleased.

STUDY GUIDE
A. WHAT ARE ETIQUETTE?
Having good etiquette shows respect for others and their cultures, values, and beliefs. By being mindful of others’ feelings, beliefs, and expectations, we can create more positive and harmonious relationships.

Here are 10 etiquette rules that everyone should master:

Use Proper Greetings: Always greet people with a smile and a hello.
Say “Please” And “Thank You”: These are basic manners that show gratitude and respect. Always say “please” when making a request and “thank you” when receiving help from others.
Practice Good Table Manners: This includes using utensilis property. keeping your elbow’s off the table, and chewing with your mouth closed
4 Be Mindful Of Your Language: Avoid using foul language, especially in public places or around children. Use polite and respectful tanguage at all times
Respect Personal Space: Don’t stand too close to people, and always ask before touching someone. Be aware of your surroundings and respect people’s privacy.
Dress Appropriately: Dress appropriately for the occasion and location, taking into account the dress code and cultural norms.
Be A Good Listener: Pay attention to what people are saying and show interest in their opinions. Avoid interrupting or dominating the conversation.
Put Your Phone Away: Avoid using your phone or other electronic devices when in the presence of others, especially during a conversation or meeting
Practice Good Communication: Be clear and concise when communicating with others. Avoid using slang or jargon that may be unfamiliar to the other person.
Be Punctual: Show respect for other people’s time by being punctual for appointments and meetings. If you’re running late, let the other person know as soon as possible.

Examples of Bad Manners

Disrespecting older people. Leviticus 19:32
Complaining, and saying evil things about parents. Exodus 21:17
Not being cheerful or smiling while witnessing or talking to people. Prov. 15:13; Prov. 18:24
Not appreciating what others do for you Colossians 3:15
Taking, using, or demanding things, instead of asking Luke 11:9-10.
Always being late; not Being on Time.
Allowing children to interrupt events (meals, praying, worship, etc.)

B. THE NEED FOR ETIQUETTE

People around us must not feel embarrassed by our behavior. One should not behave irrationally or illogically in public.
Without etiquette, members of society would be impatient and disrespect one another (1 Peter 3:8).
Etiquette makes you a cultured individual who leaves his mark wherever he goes
It teaches you the way to eat, talk, walk and most importantly behave in the society (Proverbs 23.1-2. Colossians 4:5-6. Titus 3:2)
It is essential for an everlasting first impression (Philippians 4:5a). The way you interact with your superiors, parents, fellow workers, friends speak a lot about your personality and up-bringing (Proverbs 18:24)
Etiquette enables the individuals to eam respect and appreciation in the society (Luke 6:31)
It inculcate a feeling of trust and loyalty in the individuals. One becomes more responsible and mature. Etiquette helps individuals to value relationship (Proverbs 25:17)
It is a way to remove social barriers and created connection with people who needs to hear the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:22: 10:31, 1Peter 3:15)

CONCLUSION: We are not advocating the above as new rules, laws, or commandments. As Christians, we understand that we should be a light to shine in this dark world, good manners help promote peace and give believers a chance to be a true light and draw attention to Christ (Matthew 5:14-16), for “God is not the author of confusion (disorder) but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14.33).

Open Heavens 2025 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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

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