RCCG LOWER JUNIOR ZEAL FOR AGE 13-19 TEACHER’S MANUAL, 4TH OF FEBRUARY, 2024

BIBLE TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:15-22

[15]And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

[16]To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

[17]Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

[18]And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

[19]And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

[20]And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

[21]And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

[22]And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

MEMORY VERSE: Psalm 22:3- “But thou art holy, a thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel

LESSON AIM: Teenagers should learn that God delights in a grateful heart.

CENTRAL TRUTH: God enjoys His children showing gratitude to Him.

INTRODUCTION: If people are so particular about those they have helped or provided for showing gratitude to them, how much more our Maker. We see our parents telling us from time to time to learn to say thank you for any little thing done or given to us and we see they are especially happy when we do this without being told or reminded. In fact, they sometimes give us more or express their joy when we show our gratitude without being told. In like manner, God likes it when His children acknowledge what He has done in their lives. As we acknowledge it through gratitude, God is moved to do much more than we think.

STUDY GUIDE:

A) HOW CAN I HAVE A GRATEFUL HEART THAT GOD DELIGHTS IN?

* Be born again.

* Decide that in all situations you will be joyful – Ps. 34:1.

* Focus your heart on the goodness of God – Ps. 136:1.

* Acknowledge God in all you do.

B. BENEFITS OF HAVING A GRATEFUL HEART THAT GOD DELIGHTS IN

1. He opens more doors of victory unto you – Ps. 149:4.

2. He releases blessings that you won’t have enough room to contain – Mal. 3:10.

3. He gives you things you didn’t ask for – 1 Sam 2:20-21.

4. The Lord fights your battles for you – 2 Chro, 20:21-25.

C. EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO EXPRESSED A GRATEFUL HEART THAT GOD THE FATHER DELIGHTS IN

1. Noah Gen. 8: 20-21

2. Hannah – 1Sam. 2:1-10

3. Solomon – IKings 3:3-5

4. Jesus-John 11:41-45

LIFE APPLICATION: For God to delight in us, we must determine to always be grateful for everything He has done in our lives. When we delight in God and the things of God, He also delights in us.

CONCLUSION: The more your heart fills with gratitude towards God, the more He delights in us and releases blessings upon us. Express your gratitude to God.

TODAY’S LESSON REFLECTION:

* What truth have you learnt in today’s lesson?

* Write down one way in which you are going to apply what you now know.