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Tuesday 18:00 - 19:00 Thursday 18:00 - 19:00 Sunday 08:00 - 11:00

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RCCG Mount Carmel parish Selewu, Ikorodu, SELEWU, IKORODU, LAGOS, Lagos (2026)

28/05/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: THURSDAY MAY 28TH 2026

TOPIC: HE WILL BRING CALM

MEMORISE:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10

BIBLE READING: 1 KINGS 17:8-16

8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

MESSAGE:
In 2022, I travelled to the UK at a time when the temperature there was over 40 degrees Celsius. When I arrived there, I told my Daddy, "I have travelled to countries in winter, and you brought summer there because I asked You to. This time, it is summer, and the heat is excessive. Can you please cool the temperature down for me?" After I prayed, the temperature where I was dropped from 40 to 28 degrees before the next morning, and throughout my stay there, Daddy kept things cool. If you are experiencing unbearable heat in any area of your life, I pray that my Daddy will make things cool for you, in Jesus' name.

In 2 Kings 6:24-33, things were very heated in Samaria because an enemy king had besieged the land. Food and commodities were really expensive, and the inhabitants of the land could not leave to seek help because the enemy had surrounded them. The economy got so bad that mothers began to eat their children. When the situation got really unbearable, God released His word through Elisha to turn things around. He said that by the next day, Samaria's heated economic situation would become cool and food would become cheap. By the next day, food items that were scarce and expensive became cheap and readily available, and the inhabitants of the nation had more than enough (2 Kings 7:16-17).

The widow of Zarephath was another person who found herself in a heated situation. First of all, her husband died, and then there was a famine in the land, which made life unbearable for her and her son. Things got so bad that she had only one meal left, which she planned to eat with her son and await death. However, my Daddy, who hears the cry of the helpless and knows how to calm heated situations, sent Elijah to her. At the word of the prophet, her last meal became the first of many miraculous meals throughout the famine, as we see in today's Bible reading.
Beloved, do not be anxious or worried if you find yourself in any difficult situation. The same God who makes a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19) will bring you out of heated situations and establish calm in your life. I pray that God will turn things around for your good in any area of your life where you might have found yourself in a tight corner, in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please send help to me and turn around every heated situation in my life for good, in Jesus’ name.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOB 5-8

HYMN 29: WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER ATTENDETH

1 When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, It is well with my soul,"

Refrain
(may be sung after final stanza only):
It is well with my soul;
It is well, It is well with my soul.

2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control: that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and has shed his own blood for my soul.

3 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the Cross, and I bear it no more; praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

4 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend; even so, it is well with my soul.

27/05/2026

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: WEDNESDAY 27TH MAY 2026

THEME: PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN

MEMORISE: And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men. 1 SAMUEL 2:26

READ: PSALM 127:3-5
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

PRAYERS:

1 Father, I thank You for the gift of children in my family, local assembly, community, and indeed all over the world.

2 Father, as we celebrate Children’s Day today, let all the children have an unforgettable divine encounter that will transform their lives for good, in Jesus’ name.

3 Father, please help all the children around the world to grow in godly wisdom and stature. May they know You, love Your ways, and stay on the path of righteousness all their lives, in Jesus’ name.

4 Father, please create a longing for You in the hearts of all the children around the world. Pour out Your Spirit upon them afresh and let them love You with all their hearts, in Jesus’ name.

5 Father, please let Your favour rest on all the children around the world. Open doors of blessings and opportunities to their parents and guardians so that they will be able to provide for their needs.

6 Father, please protect all the children around me from satan’s evil plans and surround them with Your angels and a wall of fire.

7 Father, please protect all the children in the world from ungodly addictions. They will not be slaves to lustful desires, sin, or satan, in Jesus’ name.

8 Father, please let all the children around me keep godly companies in their schools, churches, and wherever they find themselves. They will not be companions of fools but will be surrounded by wise friends, teachers, and mentors, in Jesus’ name.

9 Father, please keep sicknesses and diseases far from all the children around me. May they grow old in good health and strength, in Jesus’ name.

10 Father, please position all the children around me in Your purpose at this early stage of their lives. Don’t let them wander outside Your will for them, in Jesus’ name.

11 Father, please give all the children around me hearts of obedience. May their lives be pleasing to You because they will know Your laws and obey them, in Jesus’ name.

12 Your personal prayer points for children all over the world.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
JOB 1-4

HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER

1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!

26/05/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY MAY 26TH 2026

THEME: STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH II

MEMORISE: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
Psalm 84:4

READ: Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

MESSAGE
Yesterday, we saw how Peter fell into temptation because he couldn't keep watch in prayer (Matthew 26:40-43). Prayerlessness is one of the signs that a believer is relying on his or her own strength.

Unlike Peter, however, David kept watch day and night in the place of prayer (Psalm 55:17). He often stayed awake at night, spending time with God and meditating on His word (Psalm 63:6, Psalm 119:148). He was so aware of the limitations of his strength that on many occasions in the Bible, he enquired of the Lord to know what He wanted him to do (1 Samuel 23:1-5, 1 Samuel 30:8-9).

However, in 2 Samuel 11, where he obviously didn't enquire of the Lord but rather gave in to lust, he got into a predicament that negatively impacted his lineage (2 Samuel 12:9-12).

Daniel also knew the importance of prayer. He knew how much he needed God in the strange land of Babylon, and the Bible tells us that he prayed thrice daily (Daniel 6:10). Even when a decree was made that nobody should pray to anyone except the king, he was too aware of the limitations of his strength that his first reaction was to open his windows and pray as usual. His response to everything was prayer.

Prayer is so important that the Bible urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The moment you don't feel like praying or see the need to pray is actually the time to pray more intently because prayerlessness can leave a believer in a weak state and cause such a believer to lose his or her spiritual vitality. Once the devil douses a believer's spiritual fire, he can ruin him or her. Praying puts us in a posture of humility before God, where we acknowledge that we cannot do anything without Him, it keeps our hearts tender and reminds us of the limitations of our physical strength. When we cultivate a lifestyle of waiting on God in prayer, we renew our strength daily (Isaiah 40:31) and are able to overcome the devil's temptations (Matthew 2 6:41).

Beloved, how do you respond to life's challenges? Do you always try to solve them with your wisdom and strength first? Do you only run to God when everything you've tried fails? Do not make God a spare wheel in your life; rather, He should always be your first resort.
Cultivate the habit of praying without ceasing, and you will live victoriously all the days of your life, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:

When you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, you will tap into the Lord's strength daily.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 6-10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father's throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

25/05/2026

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: MONDAY MAY 25TH 2026

THEME: STRENGTH IS NOT ENOUGH I

MEMORISE: Thus, saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and wh ose heart departeth from the LORD. Jeremiah 17:5

READ: Matthew 26:31-35, 74-75
31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the c**k crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Matthew 26:74-75

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the c**k crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the c**k crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

MESSAGE
In Luke 5:1-10, Peter did not fail because he wasn't diligent, hardworking, or skillful. He had those characteristics, yet he failed. However, when help came from God, he succeeded. Your strength, skills, connections, and diligence are good, but if the Lord is not supporting you, they cannot make you successful.

Psalm 127:1 says:
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Except the Lord guides and directs a fellow in his or her decisions, his or her labour will be in vain. Without God's support, a person will look like a fool who doesn't know how to get to the city (Ecclesiastes 10:15). Some young people try to do many things because they think they have the strength to do them. However, the Bible makes us understand that although the glory of the youth is their strength (Proverbs 20:29), they will faint and be weary and utterly fall (Isaiah 40:30). This means that while the strength of the youths can help them achieve some things, it is not enough. It can fail them at some point, but if they wait on the Almighty God, they will be able to soar like eagles.

In today's Bible reading, Peter felt he was strong enough to withstand temptations, yet he failed. His physical strength was not sufficient to sustain him in the day of adversity. His overconfidence in himself showed when he was sleeping instead of praying (Matthew 26:40-43).

Believers who rely on their strength in the face of temptation will fail. Many have fallen because they felt they were too prayerful to fall into sin. They believed they were too wise and strong to fall into temptation, but eventually, they let their guard down.

1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us never to think that we can stand without God's help. People who think in such a manner eventually fall. Today's memory verse tells us that a person who puts his confidence in flesh is cursed. Samson didn't fall the day Delilah called a man to cut off his hair; rather, he started falling the moment he began to trust in his strength. The day a person stops trusting in God is the day his or her downfall begins. I pray that you will never come to a point where you feel you are strong enough to do without God, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:

Put all your trust in God alone.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 1-5

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR
1 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Ev'ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

2 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r
When Thou art nigh.

3 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4 I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.

23/05/2026

RCCG HOUSE FELLOWSHIP LEADERS' MANUAL

DATE: SUNDAY MAY 24TH 2026

LESSON THIRTY SEVEN (38)

TOPIC: RETURN ON INVESTMENT

HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ANTHEM

1. I love this family of God,
So closely knitted into one,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

2. I bless this family of God,
So greatly prospered by the Lord,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

3. I know this family of God,
So deeply rooted in the word,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

4. I see this family of God,
So highly lifted above all,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family

5. Come, join this family of God,
So highly favored by the Lord,
They have taken me into their arms
And am so glad to be
A part of this great family.

OPENING PRAYER:
Father, please do not allow me to disappoint you in fulfilling your plans for my life.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:
The leaders should remind the members on discussion on dangers of making costly mistakes and various examples enumerated from the bible.

MEMORY VERSE: "Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents?" Matthew 25:28

BIBLE TEXT: GALATIANS 6:7-9

[7]Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
[8]For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
[9]And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

MATTHEW 25:26-30

[26]His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
[27]Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
[28]Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
[29]For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
[30]And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

LESSON INTRODUCTION: God demands return on His investment on every of His creation, idleness, lack of diligence to God's purpose and agenda may incur His wrath, that is why bible says a diligent man will sit with kings and not ordinary people. God's input in His children must be rewarded with great harvest, a careless child of God, not ready to put the talents into use will secure great punishment from the Most High

LESSON AIM: To reveal to members benefits of bringing return on divine investment and dangers of faulting it.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, members should know:
- God's expectation on His investment in us.
- Man's expectation of God's investment in us.

TEXT REVIEW: Matthew 25:26-30
- For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more.
- Unfaithful servant will lose what he has to the faithful one.

LESSON OUTLINE ONE:
GOD'S EXPECTATION ON HIS INVESTMENT.
1. Use your talents to increase His kingdom.
2. Defend His right in the midst of wolves and the ungodly.
3. Activate divine response through positive declaration when facing difficult situation.
4. Let your ways please God, so that your enemies will be at peace with you.
5. God's plan is for us to wisely save and invest for the future while also being rich toward God.
6. Little gathering in God will increase but wealth gained hastily will dwindle. Proverbs 21:20.

LESSON OUTLINE TWO:
MAN'S EXPECTATION OF GOD'S INVESTMENT IN US.
In Romans 8:19, bible says that the creation waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known to be revealed. In 1 Samuel 17, for 40 days, Israelites were waiting for solution to Goliath's threat, in Exodus 14 same Israelites were waiting for redemption from Egyptians following them and Red Sea impeding their progress, so men have always being depending on God's children for solution to their problems and in offering that solution, God is glorified and also receives His returns on investing in His children.
Some biblical examples of man's expectations of God's investment in His children.
a. Debo Deborah and Balak were God's investment to deliver children of Israel from hands of king Jabin & Sisera. Judges 4:4-24.
b. Moses rescued Israelites from the Egyptians.
c. Joshua brought down wall of Jericho to Israelite's heritage.
d. Peter brought salvation to the family of Gentile, Cornelius. Acts 10.
e. Elijah stopped the ravaging curse placed on the land by Joshua. Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings 16:34

SUMMARY: The purpose of every child of God is to make profit on God's investment on him, when you are not attaining that goal, there is provision for punishment.

CONCLUSION: And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:12.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY: Biblical examples of those that reaped bad and good investments.

PRAYER POINTS.
1. Father, please never withdrawal your hand of defense from me.
2. Father, please activate divine response to difficult situation in my life.
3. Father, let my ways please You, so that my enemies will be at peace with me
4. Father, teach every believer to wisely save and invest to their future.
5. Father, please help me to use my talents to increase Your kingdom.

GOLDEN DIET FOR THE WEEK.
MONDAY: Make yourself God's investment to deliver the world from hands of wicked ones.
TUESDAY: Devise plan as believer who is on rescue mission from the Egyptians.
WEDNESDAY: Work on bringing down wall of Jericho that can hinder your access to divine heritage.
THURSDAY: Salvation of your family members and others must be your priority.
FRIDAY: Stop the ravaging curse placed on your nation like Elisha did. Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings 16:34.
SATURDAY: Sowing to please your wrong desires will lead to sorrowful ending.
SUNDAY: Write down those investment plans of yours to grow God's kingdom.

23/05/2026

RCCG ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT'S MANUAL

DATE: SUNDAY, MAY 24TH 2026

LESSON THIRTY-EIGHT (38)

TOPIC: WIDOWHOOD AND SINGLE PARENTHOOD

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER: Father, please help me to know my responsibility to widows and single parents.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 21:9-19 - KJV
[9]And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
[10]Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
[11]And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
[12]And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
[13]And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
[14]And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
[15]And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
[16]And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
[17]And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
[18]Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
[19]And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
RCCG ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S MANUAL
SUNDAY, MAY 24TH, 2026
LESSON THIRTY-EIGHT (38)
TOPIC: WIDOWHOOD AND SINGLE PARENTHOOD

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

MEMORY VERSE: "A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habita-tion." Psalm 68:5.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 21:9-19.
[9]And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
[10]Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
[11]And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
[12]And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
[13]And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
[14]And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
[15]And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
[16]And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
[17]And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
[18]Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
[19]And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

INTRODUCTION: A single parent is a parent without a marriage partner, widowed, separated, de-serted, divorced or never married; one who is in charge of his or her household. The reason for becoming a single parent is diverse. For some, it is a deliberate desire/preference while other situations such as single-person adoption, unwanted pregnancy, r**e, etc. force others into it. Widowhood is the state of a man or a woman whose spouse is dead. On some occasions, the experiences of both single parents and widows/widowers are quite similar. God, therefore, commands us to protect these people in our churches and communities (Exodus 22:22).

OUTLINE
1. GOD'S DISPOSITION
2. OUR RESPONSIBILITY

GOD'S DISPOSITION
God is highly concerned about single parents and widows/widowers. He is the Father to the fatherless and the protector of widows (Psalm 68:5). God does not want them to be afflicted or treated badly. He hears them when they cry. God save anyone who maltreats them may invite His wrath (Exodus 22:22-24). To maltreat could be to ne-glect, abuse or take advantage of. God wants us to defend them (Isaiah 1:17). He sustains and relieves widows (Psalm 146:9). God makes provi-sions for them in His law (Deuteronomy 10:18; 26:12-13). He preserves the fatherless children and expects widows to trust Him (Jeremiah 49:11).

OUR RESPONSIBILITY
Irrespective of the cause, single parents and widows/widowers should be treated with love and acceptance. Provision of a support system such as financing the repair of properties/belongings, giving scholarships for the children's education, welfare support, etc. will go a long way in helping widows and/or single par-ents live a better life. Sharing words of encour-agement via text messages or phone calls will provide emotional stability.

Encourage single parents and the widowed to discover/fulfil their purpose from God's view-point. Provide an environment for single parents and the widowed to learn skills that can help them sustain and provide for themselves and their children. Help them to develop a close relationship with God who can heal them from wounds, bitterness and resentment they might be experiencing. Family members are enjoined to take care of them so that they will not suffer. This is seen as proof of commitment to God (Matthew 25:34-40). The widowed and children of single parents should not be abused, stigmatised or en-slaved but should be helped (James 1:27. Galatians 6:10).

CONCLUSION: The church should be a family of faith, a real community where burdens are shared, friendships are formed and support is given as we journey in faith together.

QUESTIONS
1. What are the likely causes of single-parenthood?

2. Mention five responsibilities of believers to sin-gle parents, widows and widowers around them.

FURTHER READINGS:
SUN: Jeremiah 49:11.
MON: Psalm 68:5.
TUE: Isaiah 1:17.
WED: James 1:26-27.
THUR: 1Timothy 5:14.
FRI: Galatians 6:10.
SAT: Psalm146:9.

ASSIGNMENT: 1. Project: Sunday school classes at the Parish level should contribute money or materials (as the Lord provides) to support the widows, widowers, single parents and their chil-dren. Those who contribute should be prayed for by the Pastor.

2. Mention ten (10) things you can give to sup-port widows, widowers, single parents and their children. (1x10=10 Marks)

RCCG Mount Carmel parish Selewu, Ikorodu

28/05/2026

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

25/05/2026

23/05/2026

23/05/2026

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Tuesday	18:00 - 19:00
Thursday	18:00 - 19:00
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