OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 SUNDAY: GROW IN GRACE

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 SUNDAY: GROW IN GRACE

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 MEMORISE: But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. – 2 Peter 3:18

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 READ: 1 PETER 2:9-12 (KJV)

9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

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RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL: RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL 19TH APRIL 2020

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 MESSAGE

The word grace connotes God’s benevolence to the undeserving. Grace empowers Christians to do both the ordinary and extraordinary (2 Corinthians 9:8).

However, if you do not grow in grace after being born again, making heaven may become increasingly difficult. This is why Peter advises Christians to grow in grace as seen in today’s memory verse.

When anyone stays at the level of salvation and fails to grow, there is a great possibility of backsliding. For this reason, Paul rebuked the church in Corinth. Despite being saved, they didn’t aspire to holy living (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

What are the effects of growing in grace?

According to today’s memory verse, steadily growing in grace helps us avoid lust and worldliness. When a Christian allows such into his/her life, there will be a gradual spiritual decline which is very dangerous.

To avoid this decline, we must follow Peter’s counsel desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2).

We must also strive to keep our salvation, working it out with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) – not in riotous or careless living, but in sobriety and modesty. When we grow in grace, it will not be difficult to live in obedience to God’s word.

“…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” – Zechariah 4:6

The benefit of godly living is further stressed in Zechariah 4:7

“Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”

A life of grace will do wonders.

Today, I adapt an Apostolic prayer for you: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Corinthians 16:23), now and forever more. Amen.

Thank you for reading today’s Open Heaven 19 April 2020 Sunday written by  Pastor E. A. Adeboye. Please, share with someone on Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram and other social media platforms using the social buttons at the beginning or scroll to the end of this post. Remain in Christ!

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 PRAYER POINT:

Father, give me a hunger for Your word. Cause me to grow in the grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

PREVIOUS DAY: OPEN HEAVENS 18 APRIL 2020

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 HYMNAL:

HYMN 12 – 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.

CHORUS:

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.

CHORUS:

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.

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.

CHORUS:

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.

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.

CHORUS:

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.

OPEN HEAVEN 19 APRIL 2020 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: PSALMS 121, 123-125, 128-130

Psalm 121 King James Version (KJV)

CHAPTER 121

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 123-125 King James Version (KJV)

CHAPTER 123

1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

CHAPTER 124

1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;

2 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

6 Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

CHAPTER 125

1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

4 Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

Psalm 128-130 King James Version (KJV)

CHAPTER 128

1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

5 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

CHAPTER 129

1 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say:

2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

4 The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth afore it groweth up:

7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.

CHAPTER 130

1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.