Topic: The Pathway To Excellence [Open Heavens for Teens 21 July 2020]
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Memorise: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29
Read: Luke 9:57-62
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.
Bible Reading In One Year: Psalms 34-35; Acts 22:1-30
MESSAGE
It is unfortunate that these days, some teenagers don’t understand that life is not a joke, it is serious and should not be taken lightly. It was okay to joke about everything when you were much younger, but now that you are a teenager, you must realize that life is serious, and you would have to work hard for whatever it is that you want. As a child of God, excellence should be one of the things you should desire. The Bible says you are the light of the world, but your light won’t shine if you are beneath and not at the top.
However, you need to know that a lot of obstacles stand in the way of excellence. A man that will reach his goal must be prepared to climb mountains, swim across rivers and pull giants hindering his progress down. These obstacles come in various forms. So, people have unique obstacles. While yours can be laziness, the other fellows can be bad friends. Therefore, you must brace up and become a person of importance. Don’t sit on the fence and be an onlooker, you must get down and put your back to work. Don’t be deceived, it is only consistent hard work that will bring you excellence. It will really give you an edge if you start right away.
Key Point:
If you don’t work hard now, you will be forced to work hard for your mates in the future.
Hymn: I’m Pressing On The Upward Way
- I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground”.
Chorus:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on heaven’s table-land;
Where love and joy and light abound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
- My heart has no desire to stay,
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these
abound, my constant aim is higher ground. - Beyond the mist I fain would rise,
To rest beneath unclouded skies,
Above earth’s turmoil peace is found
By those who dwell on higher ground. - I long to scale the utmost height,
Though rough the way, and hard the fight,
My song while climbing shall resound
Lord lead me on to higher ground. - Lord lead me up the mountain side,
I dare not climb without my Guide;
And Heaven gained, I’ll gaze around,
With grateful heart from higher ground.
Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.
