RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL – TOPIC: THIRD INTERACTIVE SECTION (SUMMARY OF LESSONS 27-38) – LESSON THIRTY-NINE – DATE: SUNDAY 30TH MAY 2023

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RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL
LESSON THIRTY-NINE
DATE: SUNDAY 30TH MAY 2023

TOPIC: THIRD INTERACTIVE SECTION (SUMMARY OF LESSONS 27-38)

LESSON: TWENTY-SEVEN

TOPIC: BREAK THE YOKE OF POVERTY

MEMORY VERSE: “All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him”. –Proverbs 19:7

BIBLE PASSAGE: PROVERBS 6:9-11

INTRODUCTION
Generally, poverty can be described as a state of being extremely poor. Poverty can take different forms: mental, spiritual, material or financial. In the context of material/financial possessions, poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs. Scriptures clearly state that even brethren of the poor hate him (Proverbs 19:7) and that poverty can destroy the poor (Proverbs 10:15). What then causes poverty and how can a believer break free from it?

LESSON OUTLINES

1. CAUSES OF POVERTY
2. BREAKING FREE FROM POVERTY

CAUSES OF POVERTY

i. The teacher should ask the students to mention the forms of poverty they are aware of.

ii. The teacher should classify and raise discussions on poverty as outlined below and allow the students to make contributions accordingly.

A. PERSONAL ATTITUDE

i. Laziness/Idleness. (Proverbs 10:4;19:15).

ii. Poor attitude to work/work ethics. (Proverbs 14:23; 2Thessalonians 3:10).

iii. Lack of self discipline. (Proverbs 12:27).

iv. Stubbornness. (Proverbs 13:18).

v. Worldliness and frivolous persuits. (Proverbs 21:17;28:19).

vi. Limitation mentality. (Proverbs 23:7a).

vii. Drunkenness and gluttony. (Proverbs 23:21).

B. NATURAL DISASTERS:

i. Famine, floods, droughts. (Genesis 12:10).

ii. Health-related challenges/epidemic. (Mark 5:25-26).

iii. Fire outbreaks. (Job 1:16).

iv. Death of a benefactor. (2Samuel 4:4).

C. OPPRESSION

i. Poor wages/Delay wages/Refusal to pay wages. (Leviticus 19:13; 1Timothy 5:18).

ii. Exorbitant interest rates on loans. (Exodus 22:25).

D. SPIRITUAL CAUSES:

i. Consequences of sin (Deuteronomy 28:15-21).

ii. Wrong belief that poverty is equal to holiness or Godliness.

BREAKING FREE FROM POVERTY

The following information could lead a person out of poverty:

i. Discover and pursue your purpose for living. (Proverbs 22:29).

ii. Improve yourself in your chosen career, vocation or trade. (Proverbs 18:15; 24:4).

iii. Create multiple streams of income (Ecclesiastes 11:2).

iv. Solve people’s problem.

v. Acquire additional knowledge through re-skill and upskill. (Proverbs 9:9; Ecclesiastes 10:10).

vi. Believe in your ability to perform. (Phil 4:13).

vii. Be a generous giver. (Proverbs 11:24).

viii. Pay your tithes, first fruit and offerings regularly. (Malachi 3:10-12; Proverbs 3:9-10).

ix. Pray and study the word of God for direction. (Psalm 37:23).

x. Don’t live on debt, borrow only to invest (Proverbs 22:7).

SUMMARY
To be free from poverty is to identify the particular root cause (s) and deal with the cause (s) in a godly way.

CONCLUSION
Poverty is not pre-destined, therefore, change your mindset towards material wealth knowing that God gives the ‘power’ to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).

LESSON: TWENTY-EIGHT

TOPIC: CHRISTIANITY AND WEALTH

MEMORY VERSE: “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all”. – 1Chronicles 29:12

BIBLE PASSAGE: LUKE 12:15-21

INTRODUCTION
Wealth is the abundance of valuable possessions or money. When we have wealth, we have more than we need to sustain a normal life. The Bible contains several examples of people blessed by God with great wealth; Abram (Gen. 13:2), Jacob (Gen. 30:43), Solomon (1Kings 10:23), Joanna (Luke 8:3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57) among others. We shall consider what the Bible says about wealth and what should be believers’ disposition towards it.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES
2. BELIEVERS’ DISPOSITION

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES

A. Students should mention some examples of wealthy people in the Bible in addition to Those indicated in the lesson introduction.

B. The teacher should direct the attention of the students to the position of the Bible on wealth as indicated below.

i. 1Chronicles 29:12: God owns wealth and honour.

ii. Deut. 28:1-5: God blesses his children with wealth and honour.

iii. Ps. 112:1-3: The houses of men and women that fear the Lord shall be filled with riches and wealth.

iv. Money is not evil after all, because:

a. Eccl. 10:19 says money answers all things.

b. Eccl. 7:12 says money is a defence.

c. Prov. 19:4 says money makes many friends.

v. Eccl. 5:19: To enjoy one’s wealth is a gift from God.

C. Arising from the above points, the teacher should ask the students to state whether wealth and riches are good for believers or not.

D. The teacher should allow students to mention those things that are not good about wealth. For instance:

i. Love of money is not good because it is the root of all evil (1Tim. 6:10).

ii. Trusting riches is not good. Rather the God of all riches should be trusted (Prov. 23:5; Luke 12:15).

iii. Getting wealth through the wrong means is not good because such wealth will diminish (Prov. 13:11).

iv. Holding wealth so dearly as if it is God, is not good because one will still die someday and leave the wealth behind (Ps. 49:10).

v. Pursuing wealth to the extreme at the expence of other core values of life is not good because wealth is also vanity and those who pursue it can never be satisfied(Eccl. 5:10a).

BELIEVERS’ DISPOSITION

A.
i. Believers should not see all wealthy people as sinners or all poor people as righteous. (Luke 16:20-23; Psa. 73:3-12)

ii. Poor people could be saint or sinners.

iii. Wealthy people too could be saint or sinners.

B. The following guidelines could help believer to develop the right attitude to wealth.

i. It is not a sin for a believer to be wealthy and enjoy riches (Eccl. 5:19; 3John 2).

ii. Wealth should be seen as God’s benevolence investment entrusted to believers. (1Chronicles 29:12).

iii. Wealth should be seen as a veritable tool to advance kingdom projects on earth. For instance:

a. Wealthy believers could promotes charities and scholarship programmes care for orphans, widows etc.

b. Wealthy believers could use their resources to minister to the need of God’s servants. (Luke 8:3; Rom. 16:3).

c. Wealthy believers should be faithful to God with their riches by supporting God’s work. (Matt. 6:19-20).

SUMMARY
God does not prohibit His children from getting wealth through righteous means.

CONCLUSION
In a bid to be wealthy, believers should always note their first care should be for God’s kingdom and his rightousness (Matt. 6:33).

LESSON: TWENTY NINE

TOPIC: FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE

MEMORY VERSE: “The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit”. –Proverb 14:8

BIBLE PASSAGE: LUKE 19:12-26

INTRODUCTION
Simple put, financial intelligence is to be financially wise. It is the knowledge and skills gained from understanding finance and accounting principles in the business world and how money is being used (Proverbs 18:15). To be highly successful, extra efforts, skills, intelligence and God’s leading will be needed. It is not only organizations and business owners that need financial intelligence. It is also needed for personal finance.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. WHAT IS PERSONAL FINANCE?
2. HOW TO BE FINANCIALLY INTELLIGENT

WHAT IS PERSONAL FINANCE?

-The teacher should test the students knowledge of what personal finance is.

-The teacher should explain personal finance under two major headings: financial intelligence and net worth.

A. FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE:

i. Personal finance is the term that covers planning (Proverbs 21:5; 30:25).

ii. It involves managing personal financial activities such as revenue generation, expenditures, budgeting, savings, investments and other financial related actions (Matthew 25:20).

iii. It is the ability to make smart decisions, plan poverty especially in the aspect of finance and live a good life (Proverbs 10:4).

B. NET WORTH:

i. Your net worth and what you are able to do with your money is considered a success (Matthew 25:22).

ii. It is not necessarily so much cash at your disposal.

iii. A personal financial statement (Assets minus Liabilities) shows the net worth of an individual.

iv. For example:

a. If all assets in possession are sold and all debts paid, and the liabilities are greater than the assets, the financial statement indicates a negative net worth.

b. If the individual has more assets than liabilities, it is positive net worth.

HOW TO BE FINANCIALLY INTELLIGENT

The tips below can assist to make a person financially intelligent if properly mixed and applied:

i. Develop a personal success- drive and be intentional about the wellbeing of your finance (1Kings 11:28).

ii. Seek knowledge and be informed (Proverbs 1:5). Invest in yourself (Proverbs 19:20), read (2Timothy 4:13), make researches (Act 17:11), ask questions, and open your ears and eyes to the happenings around you.

iii. Practice what you learn and use the knowledge gained to execute the purpose for which it was acquired (Proverbs 6:6; 10:4).

iv. Keep track of your spending. Identify where you need to make amends and where you need to intensify efforts (Proverbs 16:21a).

v. Have a proper and detailed records of your income and expenditure (2Chronicles 34:16-18).

vi. Surround yourself with the right people who share the same opinion (Proverbs 13:20; 27:17).

vii. Pray for divine wisdom and direction on what and when to invest your resources (James 1:5; Isaiah 30:21).

SUMMARY
Some of the ways to fight poverty to a stand still are through good/successful personal finance and financial intelligence.

CONCLUSION
Financial intelligence is needed in order to stay on top of your financial game because hardly would you find a financially intelligent person who is not successful.

LESSON: THIRTY

TOPIC: RENDERING HELP

MEMORY VERSE: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith”. – Galatians 6:10

BIBLE PASSAGE: ACTS 9:36-41

INTRODUCTION
Rendering help is the act of giving aid or assistance (whether materials or services) to people in need. It can be in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility or personal assistance to the less privileged. More importantly, the Bible encourages us to help members of the household of faith (Gal. 6:10).

LESSON OUTLINES

1. WHO NEEDS OUR HELP?
2. HOW SHOULD WE HELP?

WHO NEEDS OUR HELP?

A. The teacher should find out from the students how many people they helped last week.

B. The teacher should mention and explain those who need our help as indicated in the list below:

i. Our family members: immediate and extended (1Tim. 5:8).

ii. Committed brethren who are in need (Gal. 6:10).

iii. The aged/old (Lev. 19:32).

iv. The widows/widowers (Jam. 1:27)

v. The orphans, deserted/helpless (Ps. 82:3).

vi. The poor (Prov. 19:17).

vii. The physical/specially challenged (emotional, mental, etc.) – (2Sam. 9:3, 13).

viii. Body of believers (Gal. 6:10).

ix. Our community members.

x. The society at large

C. The teacher should explain that helping others could include the offering of provision/materials directly or linking the needy to the source(s) of help to access good jobs, pay hospital bills, get scholarships for children’s, school fees, etc.

D. The teacher should stress the following:

i. Rendering help should not be an excuse for some people to be lazy, indulge in begging or feel entitled.

ii. Believers should note that all our possessions come from God, which means He (God) owns everything (Ps. 68:19; 1Cor. 4:7).

iii. Believers should therefore be encouraged to give to people in need or render helpful services because these result in blessings (Prov. 22:9).

iv. Rendering help and expecting nothing back from the recipient is a great way to be Christ-life (Luke 6:34-35).

HOW SHOULD WE HELP?

A. Important things to note about helping:

i. We should help in love (1Cor. 13:3)

ii. We should rather help as service to God (2Cor. 9:8).

iii. Giving, for instance, is an outward sign of our love for others (1Jn. 3:17)

iv. We should give expected God to provide (Luke 6:38).

v. We should give to show the depth of our faith (Mal. 3:10).

vi. The state of the heart of the giver matters more than the size of the gift (Luke 21:1-4).

A. CASE STUDY: Paul’s injunction to the believers in Corinth.
He encouraged them to:

i. Give generously i.e Willingly (2Cor. 8:12).

ii. Give cheerfully with strong convictions (2Cor. 9:7).

B. No one should give under duress but giving even when you are reluctant can be a learning process especially when you do not have a surplus.

SUMMARY
Believers are admonishes to render help to the needy and this must be in line with Scriptural guidelines so as to be blessed.

CONCLUSION
God loves it when we give (2Cor. 9:7) and He will always pay back in ways we least imagine.

LESSON: THIRTY ONE

TOPIC: CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

MEMORY VERSE: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. –Matthew 5:16

BIBLE PASSAGE: LEVITICUS 19:9-10

INTRODUCTION
The God-man relationship is characterized by his holiness, justice, love and mercy among others. Our relationships with one another and society have to be patterned according to the character of God (Matthew 22:36-39). Therefore, it is our responsibility as God’s people to care for those around us (1John 3:10). The attempt of the church to show love and alleviate the sufferings of the people in her immediate environment/community is termed Christian Social Responsibility.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. MEANING AND BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES
2. BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

MEANING AND BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES

A. MEANING OF CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)

i. CSR is a faith-based obligation to meet societal needs through the demonstration of love that positively impacts communities and individuals.

ii. CSR is rooted in Christianity.

Therefore, the Church should be an example for the world to follow. (Matthew 5:16).

iii. It is an initiative to foster community relations and to partner with the government in achieving the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

iv. CSR could be in the areas of provision of basic social amenities, healthcare delivery/facilities, education, media, business support, art/entertainment, governance, sports, etc.

v. It involves strategically assessing societal challenges and developing appropriate structured programmes to cater for them.

B. BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES OF CSR

CSR is a core part of the ministry of the Church. It is not a 21st century concept; it has its origin in the Bible. For instance:

i. God instructed the harvesters at farms and those who glean to leave some harvest for the poor. (Leviticus 19:9-10)

ii. God orders reapers and gleaners to remember the poor and the strangers in their harvest. (Leviticus 23:22).

iii. The Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated Christian Social Responsibility by providing surplus food for about five thousand (5000) men without women and children. (Matthew 14:15-21).

iv. The Apostle (Early Church) used their wealth to take care of those in need (Acts 2:44-45).

v. The Church can follow the pattern of the Apostles, the Lord Jesus and the farmers/harvesters to provide for the needs of the poor and the strangers.

BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

i. It enables people to actually see and know the meaning of God’s love (1John 3:16-18).

ii. It meets the needs of the less privileged in society.

iii. It promotes evangelism and entrenches the Church of God in the hearts and minds of the people we come across (Matthew 5:16).

iv. It embraces responsibility for sustainable actions and encourages a positive impact on the environment. (Mark 12:33).

v. It compliments government’s efforts in improving and sustaining the standard of living of people in their immediate community (James 2:14-16).

vi. It will enable the Church to build a good relationship with the Community (Galatians 6:10).

vii. It helps believers to represent Jesus physically in their communities (Proverbs 13:17; 2Corinthians 5:20).

SUMMARY
CSR is rooted in the word of God and has great benefits to the world at large.

CONCLUSION
Christian Social Responsibility is not to seek commendation from men but to show the love of Christ and be a blessing to our community.

LESSON: THIRTY-TWO

TOPIC: MENTAL HEALTH

MEMORY VERSE: “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it; but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment.”. — Isaiah 1:6 (NKJV)

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1KINGS 19:1-4

The Bible does not explicitly speak on the topic of mental health. However, it does have a lot to say about the heart, mind, and the condition of the soul. Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a complete state of physical, mental, and social well being: it’s not just the absence of disease or infirmity. Mental health is important, as it affects the whole being (Prov. 4:23). This lesson addresses mental issues and possible solution.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. MENTAL HEALTH DEFINED
2. CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

MENTAL HEALTH DEFINED

i. The teacher should find out what the students understand by “being healthy” “being unhealthy” and “mental illness”

ii. The teacher should define Mental Health according to the World Health Organization (WHO) as follows:

“A state of well-being in which every individual can carry out four roles:

a. Realise his/her potentials

b. Cope with the normal stress of life

c. Work productively

d. Participate meaningfully in the community.

iii. The teacher should define mental ill-health as follows:
“A psychological disorder affecting one’s mood, thinking, and behaviour”.

v. The teacher should further state that mental ill-health includes a broad state of disorders that spans from mild depression to schizophrenia

vi. The teacher should explain the meaning of schizophrenia as a condition that impairs a person’s ability to think, feel, process, and respond, etc, to life situations in an appropriate way.

vii. The teacher should point out that mental illness can distort our view of God, others, and contribute to sinful behaviours.

viii. Teacher should cite some examples of emotional issues/mental illness in the Bible as follows:

a. Depression (1Kgs. 19:1-4; Jonah 4:3),

b. Loneliness (1Kgs. 19:10),

c. Hopelessness (1kgs. 17:9-12),

d. Suicide (Matt. 27:5),

e. Rejection (1Sam. 18:7-8),

f. Insanity (Mk. 5:1-5), etc.

CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

A. CAUSES OF MENTAL ILLNESS

• The teacher should identify the under listed items as some of the factors that can lead to Mental ill-health and comment briefly on them.

i. Child abuse (Prov. 17:22b),

ii. Trauma/neglect (2Sam. 13:19),

iii. Loneliness (1Kgs. 19:10),

iv. Discrimination/oppression (Jam. 2:6),

v. Poverty (Prov. 10:15),

vi. Death/loss of loved one (2Sam. 18:33),

vii. Debt (Prov. 22:7),

viii. Loss of courage/low self-esteem (Num.13:33),

ix. Stress/heavy workload (1Sam. 30:4,6),

x. Difficulty/Challenges (Gen. 34:30),

xi. Spiritual forces (1Sam.16:14)

B. SOLUTION TO MENTAL ILL-HEALTH

i. People should understand that failure and challenges are part of human life and should therefore prepare for them (Prov. 24:16; Rom. 8:28; Jam. 1:2-4).

ii. Investing in good social networks and godly relationships are important (2Sam. 9:1).

iii. Loneliness and isolation which are risk factors for depression and suicidal behaviour should be avoided (Prov. 17:22).

iv. Good sleep helps the brain restore itself (Lk. 8:23a).

v. Regular exercise expunges toxic chemicals from the body (1Tim 4:8).

vi. Drug abuse (Self-medication) is not an option for good health.

vii. Healthy thoughts are necessary always (Phil. 4:8).

SUMMARY
God’s desire for all His children is to be healthy, body, soul, and spirit

CONCLUSION
Good mental health is necessary for good daily living. Therefore, take care of your health (Body, soul, and spirit).

LESSON: THIRTY-THREE

TOPIC: MANAGING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

MEMORY VERSE: “It is an honour for a man to cease from strive, but every fool will be meddling”. –Proverbs 20:3.

BIBLE PASSAGE: GENESIS 13:7-11

INTRODUCTION
A difficult person may be one who is snobbish argumentative, quarrelsome, selfish, insensitive, or rude. Difficult people seem to know just how to “push one’s buttons” and stir up trouble. By difficult person, we mean people with certain personality traits or emotional characteristics that makes it difficult for you to relate with them. Difficult people can take many forms; however, it is expedient to learn how to manage them.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. IDENTIFYING DIFFICULT PEOPLE
2. HOW TO MANAGE DIFFICULT PEOPLE.

IDENTIFYING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

There are different types of difficult people.

i. The ‘Downers’: Those who always have something bad to say, complain, criticize and judge (2Samuel 6:20-21).

ii. The ‘Better Tanks’: Also known as ‘Know it all.’ They are arrogant and usually think their opinion in superior on every issue. When they are wrong, they get defensive (1Samuel 2:3).

iii. The ‘Passives’: Also are known as ‘Push-Overs.’ They do not contribute much to conversations or people around them and let other do the hard work (Luke 10:40).

iv. The ‘Snipers’: These are quick attackers; they use rude comments, biting mockery, or insults that cut people down during interactions (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:3).

v. The ‘Blame gamers’: Those who shift blames or give excuses for their wrongdoings rather than try to resolve a problem (Genesis 3:9-12).

vi. The ‘Yes People’: They agreed to every commitment, yet rarely deliver. You cannot trust them to follow through (Matthew 21:28-30).

vii. The ‘No People’: They are quick to point out why something will not work. They are inflexible (2Kings 7:1-2)

viii. The ‘Dictators’: They bully and intimidate, they are constantly demanding and brutally critical (2Chronicles 32:9-15).

ix. The ‘Grenade Person’: This person, after a brief period of calm, explodes into unfocused ranting and raving about things that have nothing to do with the present circumstances (Matthew 2:16)

x. The ‘perfectionist’: Someone who is unwilling to settle for anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.

HOW TO MANAGE DIFFICULT PEOPLE.

A. Teacher should point out that believers’ response to difficult people should model the examples provided by Jesus.
B. The teacher should explain how to manage difficult people as indicated below:

i. Be calm: Avoid losing your temper at difficult people (Proverbs 14:29).

ii. Understand the person’s intentions: Try to identify the persons trigger. Find out what is making them act difficult (1Thessalonians 5:21).

iii. Do a ‘background check’: Find out how others have been relating with the person (Ecclesiastes 1:13).

iv. Let the person know your intentions: Sometimes, people are resistance because they think you being difficult with them (Colossians 4:6).

v. Build a rapport: Try to establish a close relationship with the person and learn about their families, hobbies, important dates, etc (Proverbs 18:24a).

vi. Escalate to a higher authority for resolution: Sometimes, the way to get along with the person may be through the top-down approach (Matthew 18:15-17).

vii. Apply godly wisdom: Sometimes, wisdom demands that you learn how to avoid conflict with a difficult person or know when to walk away.

C. Teacher should caution students against becoming the ‘difficult person’ themselves (Proverbs 22:3).

SUMMARY
A wise man foresee evil and avoid being involved in it. (Prov. 22:3). To have adequate knowledge about a thing is not sufficient but to apply the knowledge appropriately.

CONCLUSION
Dealing with difficult people is an exercise in patience, love and grace.

LESSON: THIRTY-FOUR

TOPIC: RELATIONAL TRUST

MEMORY VERSE: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her; so that he shall have no need of spoil”. — Proverbs 31:11.

BIBLE PASSAGE: ACTS 6:2-7

INTRODUCTION
The five-letter “trust” occurs in 139 verses in the Bible (KJV). While there are various root words translated ” trust”, in this context, it means reliance on the integrity, strength, or ability of a person or thing. Trust can be dependent or relational. Dependent trust is between man and God in which an individual completely trusts God while relational trust deals with with human relationships and signifies the trust one reposes in another person. We shall focus on the attribute of a trustworthy person and how to be one.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. ATTRIBUTES OF A TRUSTWORTHY PERSON
2. BEING TRUSTWORTHY

ATTRIBUTES OF A TRUSTWORTHY PERSON

Teacher should explain the 10 attributes of a trustworthy person as stated below:

i. Tenacious: Trustworthy people are stubbornly unyielding to untruthfulness (Dan. 1:8).

ii. Resolute: This means they are unwavering (Ruth 1:16).

iii. Unbendable: They are always determined to do the right thing (Esth. 3:2).

iv. Steady: They are straightforward (2Chr. 24:11-12).

v. Tested: They have proved their trustworthiness through thick and thin (1Sam. 12:3).

vi. Accountable: They are always answerable for whatever task they engage in (Neh. 13:13).

vii. Wholistic: They can be wholly trusted with time, money, the opposite sex, work, etc.

viii. Reliable: They have your back and do not betray a trust or leak a secret for any reason (Prov. 14:23).

ix. Weighty: Trust is weighty but not burdensome as a result; the carrier is conscious of carrying something important and does not misbehave (Gen. 39:9).

x. Solid: They are always firm (Job 17:9).

BEING TRUSTWORTHY

The teacher should explain the following elements of being trustworthy.

i. Being trustworthy is an intentional, planned, and purposeful resolve that an individual makes (Dan. 5:17).

ii. Trust is consciously earned(Prov. 31:12). It is not entrusted to an individual

iii. There is a price tag of sacrifices to be paid by anyone who chooses to be trustworthy (Gen. 39:10).

iv. We need to ask God for help to be trustworthy

v. Trust is the bedrock of a lasting relationship.

vi. Some of the rewards of being trustworthy are peace of mind, boldness, a crown of honour etc.

vii. Some of the consequences of distrust are: shame, dishonour, and loss of opportunities. Etc.

SUMMARY
A Christian must be trustworthy

CONCLUSION
Trust is significant and essential to any relationship we may build because it is this trust in one another that forms the foundation of a strong relationship.

LESSON: THIRTY-FIVE

TOPIC:RAVISH YOUR SPOUSE

MEMORY VERSE: “Let her be loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and thou ravished always with are love”. — Proverbs 5:19.

BIBLE PASSAGE: PROVERBS 5:15-20

INTRODUCTION
To be ravished is to have a feeling of delight; being filled with wonder and enchantment. So, to ravised your spouse is to give him or her atmosphere full of passion and fascination. The husband, as well as his wife, has crucial roles to play to enjoy a romantic and successful marriage.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE
2. BENEFITS OF RAVISHING YOUR SPOUSE

ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE

A. The teacher should explain the role of a good husband in marriage as indicated below:

i. A husband who loves his wife should celebrate her always (Prov. 31:28b): be her best friend, appreciate her and share in her feelings (Gen. 26:8).

ii. A good husband should be protective and shield his wife from being disrespected by others (Ephesians 5:29).

iii. He also respects her opinions, wishes, beliefs and communicates without using abusive word (Col. 3:19; 4:6).

iv. He does not force her to give up on her dreams to follow his, rather, they talk things through to see what works for both of them (Rom. 12:10).

v. The husband should focus on the strength of his wife and talk less about her weaknesses (discuss the grey area and pray together for a change) – 1Pet. 3:7; 4:8.

vi. Do not lose the romance. (SOS. 1:2; Prov. 5:19). To be romantic, a husband should keep in mind important dates (Wedding anniversary, birthdays, etc) – Rom. 12:15.

vii. As a good husband, be humorous and know how to cheer up your wife especially when she feel low(Prov. 15:13; 17:22).

B. The teacher should explain the role of a good wife in marriage as indicated below:

i. To ravish your husband is a divine assignment given to you by God – to be your husband’s helper (Gen. 2:18; Prov. 12:4).

ii. They should be women of virtue (Prov. 12:4; 14:1).

iii. To ravish your husband, you must be submissive to him (Eph. 5:22; 1Pet. 3:1-2).

iv. As wife you should be spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and recreationally knitted with your husband (Prov. 12:25).

v. They must be caring and manage the home we’ll (Prov. 31:15).

vi. Meeting your husband’s sexual needs is vital: do not use sex as a weapon of denial (SOS. 1:13; 1Cor 7:4-5).

vii. The husband must be celebrated and honour as a king: in fact, he is your king.

BENEFITS OF RAVISHING YOUR SPOUSE

The teacher should explain that when a husband and his wife are knitted, the relationship would produce the following benefits:

i. Intimacy and mutual trust (Mark 10:8).

ii. Their love will be unquenchable (SOS. 8:7).

iii. Their home will be filled with Joy, peace and progress (Ps. 128:1-6).

iv. They will enjoy good health (Prov. 14:30).

v. God will be present in such home and prayers will be answered quickly (Matt. 18:19; 1Pet. 3:7).

SUMMARY
Love your spouse intimately

CONCLUSION
Sweeten your relationship with your spouse and the bliss will be long lasting.

LESSON: THIRTY-SIX

TOPIC: MARRIAGE INFLUENCERS

MEMORY VERSE: “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established”. – Proverbs 24:3

BIBLE PASSAGE: PROVERBS 5:3-4

INTRODUCTION
God, invented marriage for companionship, sexual intimacy, procreation and invariably fulfillment (Genesis 2:18, 21-24). However, What becomes of marriage depends primarily on the understanding of the couple on what marriage should be and the factors that positively or negatively influence such understanding (Proverbs 24:3-4). How a couple manage such influence(s) determines whether or not there will be happiness, peace, progress etc. We shall, therefore, address some of this marriage influencers in this lesson.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. NEGATIVE INFLUENCERS
2. POSITIVE INFLUENCERS

NEGATIVE INFLUENCERS

Teacher should ask students on how items 1-7 could have adverse influence on a marriage?

a. Friends in toxic relationship: Couples must protect their marriage from failure by avoiding destructive relationship patterns sponsored by third parties whose marriages seem not to be working (1Corinthians 15:33; Psalm 1:1).

b. Inordinate pursuit of money or career: Money is needed to run the affairs of the home but when it is being pursued at the expense of the marriage, it may affect the togetherness of the couple (1Timothy 6:10).

c. Undue attention to social media: Communication becomes hampered when spouses pay more attention to social media activities than to each other (Matthew 6:21). This has destructed family intimacy.

d. Character defects: One of the factors that make marriage beautiful is changed. However, when spouses refuse to admit the need for a change in a defective lifestyle, such marriage suffer needless tensions (Matthew 7:3).

e. Close relationship with Ex-lovers/opposite sex: Failure to redefine and detach fully from previous or present intimate relationship with the opposite sex can trigger unforeseen sexual immorality (Proverbs 5:3, 15,20).

f. Excessive jealousy: This happens when a partner is over possessive. This is dangerous and can lead to destructive behaviours (Proverbs 6:34).

g. Addictions: Habits like gambling, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and the like, are some moral vices that can draw the heart of either of the partners away from the marriage.

NOTE:
The discussion has taken care of the Class Activity 1

POSITIVE INFLUENCERS

The teacher should note and make necessary contributions on influencers of marriage as stated below:

i. Trust and understanding (1John 4:18; 1Peter 3:7).

ii. Selflessness and mutual support (Galatians 6:2; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

iii. Praying together and keeping Christ at the centre of the relationship (Matthew 18:19; Psalm 127:1).

iv. Building a new home and family culture together (Genesis 2:24).

v. Spending quality time together (Proverbs 31:28).

vi. Guarding and managing your thoughts (Proverbs 4:23; 23:7)

vii. Finding work-family balance (Romans 12:11; Psalm 127:2).

viii. Never go to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26)

ix. Speaking kind and uplifting words to each other (Proverbs 15:1; Colossians 4:6).

x. Do not nag (Proverbs 21:19)

xi. Being reasonable with family finance and budget (Proverbs 16:21)

NOTE:
The discussion has taken care of the second Class Activity.

SUMMARY
Negative influencers to marriage should be avoided while positive influencers should be embraced

CONCLUSION
Every marriage is a work-in-progress. Therefore, we must be intentional to make it work.

LESSON: THIRTY-SEVEN

MEMORY VERSE: “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth”. – Malachi 2:15

BIBLE PASSAGE: MALACHI 2:13-16

INTRODUCTION
Anyone considering divorce must have experienced months or year of struggle with their spouse. They are familiar with emotional distance, insecurity, fear, depression, anger, and perhaps betrayer. Life has become so difficult that divorce seem like the only part toward peace and happiness. Our high priest empathises with believers in such state (Hebrews 4:15). However, God clearly explain His reason for esteeming marriage so highly. He says it was He who “made them one” (Malachi 2:15). Marriage was God’s idea and any deviation from His design is detestable to Him. Marriage is not just a contract; it is a covenant. This is why God hates divorce and the consequences can be grievous.

LESSON OUTLINES

1. GOD HATE DIVORCE
2. DIVORCE HAS GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

GOD HATE DIVORCE

The teacher should explain the points stated below to buttress why God hates divorce

i. Marriage symbolizes the covenant which God has with his people (1Corinthians 6:17)

ii. God wants His children to understand that the marriage covenant is a very serious covenant.

iii. Any attempt by a spouse to break the marriage covenant is a deliberate attempt to mars and make a mockery of the God-created concept of covenant relationship (2Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7-9).

iv God did not intend divorce to be part of human experience and it grieves Him when we harden our hearts and break a covenant that He created (Matthew 19:4-8).

v. One major purpose why God established marriage is to produce “godly offspring” i.e God-fearing children and God’s people Malachi 2:15

vi. God’s design for the family was that one man and one woman commit themselves to each other for life and rear children that will understand the covenant as well.

vii. There is a far greater likelihood of having a successful marriage for Children reared in a healthy, two-parent home

DIVORCE HAS GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

A. Teacher should point out to the students that:

i. There is a direct correlation between the way a man treat his wife and the effectiveness of his prayers.
ii. God does not listen to the pleas for blessing from those who have broken the covenant of marriage (1Peter 3:7).

B. Teacher should explain the seven consequences of divorce as indicated below:

i. Divorce is a death of a union, and therefore the death of a dream, a promise and a family unit. Everyone involved -even a perpetrator- will feel grief and loss during a divorce. If there are children involved, they will experience severe grief over the loss of being with both parents together and living under the same roof.

ii. Divorce marks a pivotal moment in a person’s life, especially for children; life as they know It changes forever and they become different versions of themselves, adapting to new routines and new versions of their parents (who have also changed).

iii. Children of divorced parents are more likely to experience poverty, educational failure, early and risky sexual activities, non-marital childbirth, early marriage, cohabitation, marital discord and divorce.

iv. Following a divorce, parents and children often experience emotional and psychological problems that can last for years even for the rest of their lives. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, fear of abandonment, distrust, insecurity, lack of intimacy, confusion over sexuality and/or gender, guilt, faithlessness, loneliness, bitterness, and rebellion manifest themselves in children who have lived through divorce of their parents.

v. Divorce matters can lead to a poor sense of judgement especially on marital issues, increase in crime, drug/alcohol addiction and even suicide attempt.

vi. The productivity of divorcee/divorced men may reduce at work and even in their service to God.

vii. There is a chance of another divorce. Research shows that about 60% of divorcee/divorced men who remarry will divorce again. realistically, most people carry the unresolved issue from their last failed marriage into the next marriage

SUMMARY
God hates divorce because it’s carries grave consequences

CONCLUSION
If God hates, divorce believers should do everything possible, including consulting with the author of marriage – God, to make the marriage work

LESSON: THIRTY-EIGHT

TOPIC: CHILD ABUSE

MEMORY VERSE: “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea”. – Matthew 18:6

BIBLE PASSAGE: MARK 10:13-16

INTRODUCTION
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a child is “a young person especially between infancy and youth”. Child abuse is any maltreatments of a child which causes him/her harm. Such action can also take the form of a child neglect or failure to protect a child from danger especially by a parent or other caregivers. The Bible tells us that whosoever harms a child is asking for God’s anger (Mark 9:42)

LESSON OUTLINES

1. FORMS OF CHILD ABUSE
2. SIGNS AND PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE

FORMS OF CHILD ABUSE

Teacher should group child abuse into three broad categories as follows:

i. Physical abuse
ii. Sexual abuse
iii. Emotional abuse
The teacher should allot each element of the child abuse under each category to students to discuss. The forms and elements of Child abuse are stated below:

Physical abuse:

i. Excessive beating of a child
ii. Throwing objects at child, poisoning, child labour e.g. trafficking, Hawking
iii. Neglecting to give the child basic necessities of life like food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare, etc.
iv. Use of drugs, alcohol or any substance that will cause the child distress

The teacher should use1Kings 3:19; 25-26 and Mark 9:42 to buttress the points.

II. Sexual abuse:
The teacher should identify the following elements of sexual abuse and call students to discuss their impacts on the affected child

i. Fondling of a child’s sexual organs,
ii. Pornography
iii. Rape
iv. Defilement of a child
The teacher should use (2Samuel 13:10-15) to buttress the points.

III. Emotional/Psychological abuse:
a. Teasing, bullying
b. Threat
c. Verbal abuse/cursing
d. Belittling
e. Blaming/finding fault.

The teacher should use 1Samuel 17:26-28 to buttress the points.

SIGNS AND PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE

A. Teacher should explain the following signs of Child abuse to the students.

i. Aggressive behaviour,
ii. Low self-esteem,
iii. Sleeping difficulties,
iv. Unexplained bruises, burns or swellings,
v. Lack of concentration
vi. Inclination to crime
vii. Deformation or death.

B. Teacher should allow students to discuss how the following items stated below can prevent child abuse:

1. Early education, identification and intervention.
2. Break The silence I e. reporting abuse appropriately.

c. Train a child in a godly ways (Proverbs 22:6)

d. Correction to wrong doing should be directed towards healing and reforming and not destroying. (Teacher should explain).

SUMMARY
No child abuse of any form is allowed.

CONCLUSION
Child abuse is a menace that must be dealt with holistically and in the fear of God.

Open Heavens 2021 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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