CENTRAL THOUGHTThe name of Jesus is the believer’s weapon for all purposes. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1A) HOW DID JESUS OBTAIN THIS GREAT NAME? HEB. 1:1-4, EPH. 1:20-23, MATT. 28:18-20, PHIL. 2:5-11 The Lord Jesus obtained this name: (1) By Inheritance: God the Father bequitted the name to Him as the Son of God and Heir of all things. As a Son, the name Jesus is one of the things He inherited from His Father (Luke 1:31). (2) By conquest: After Jesus rose from the dead, God made Him to sit at the right-hand side of His Majesty in Heaven, far above principalities, powers, dominion and every name in this world and in the world to come. He put all things under Him and made Him the head of the church. (3) By God’s authority: At the commissioning of His disciples to go and preach the gospel to all the nations, Jesus told them that all authority has been given to Him, (by the Father) so they should baptize those who believe in Him, in the name of the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. (4) By Humility and Obedience: Although Jesus had the freedom as God’s Son, to affirm the fulness of God, which His Father placed...
Learn MoreCENTRAL THOUGHTParents have the primary responsibility to build up the lives of their children. TEXT: PS. 78:1-7, 127:1-5 INTRODUCTION: Any child who is well trained will bring honor to the parents. We cannot expect a child who is denied any form of education throughout his life to become a renowned personality. Training develops the skill in any human being. This is why the scripture enjoins that a child should be trained in the way he should go. Every Christian parent who has found the way to eternal life should not withhold the knowledge of how to tread on this path from the children.Parents can only give out what they have. Parents should meditate on the word of God day and night so that they can have good successes even in the building up of their children’s lives (Josh 1:8). Think good, talk good, and act well so that you can give out that which is good (Phil. 4:8).In this study, we shall be discussing how and what to teach our children to make them acceptable to God and succor us in our old age. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this study are to: Understand how to prepare out children for the future Know what to teach our children Appreciate the...
Learn MoreCENTRAL THOUGHTThe child built on the foundation of the Word of God will never fall. TEXT: PSALM 78:1-7; 127:1-5 INTRODUCTION:Children are precious heritage given to families by the Lord (Ps. 127:3). From the day a child is born, parents and well-wishers start the process of caring for the present and future. Expectations are high for the healthy existence, provisions, and training of the child.Every parent’s dream is for the child to live up to their expectations for him or her. Parents must therefore start to pattern their children in a way that they will be godly enough to bring honor to them and become useful citizens. This is why the foundation towards achieving success is paramount. A building erected on a solid foundation never collapses. Only children who are built up on the foundation of Christ can stand the winds of life as the scriptures enjoins us to train up the child in the way he should go so that when he grows up he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). Parents must therefore ensure that the building up of a child involves making them stable spiritually in Christ alongside their secular trainings.When their life is in line with the principles of the Kingdom of God and its...
Learn MoreCENTRAL THOUGHTDischarge of God’s assignment demands due diligence. TEXT: 1 SAM.8:1-22. INTRODUCTION: Samuel had done everything to distinguish himself as a leader of God’s people. He served under the priest Eli and witnessed the calamity that befell that family. He saw the terror of God visited upon the Philistines when they seized the ark of God. At the height of his glory, he was well known and sought after throughout Israel. He held courts in Bethel, Gilgah and Mizpeh and had his residence in Ramah. He brought reformation and led the nation in repentance back to God. But to the dismay of this divine general, his sons failed to follow his footsteps in serving God, and rather went after the pleasures of life. This became one of the premises on which the Elder’s demand for a king. Though Samuel was not happy with the request, he was instructed by God to oblige them. Taking instructions from God, Samuel was able to anoint the first king of Israel, in the person of Saul, the son of Kish. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this lesson are to: Identify the qualities of the king chosen by the people. Explain the people’s reaction to Samuel’s warnings. Explain how Saul eventually met Samuel. Discuss Saul’s...
Learn MoreCENTRAL THOUGHTThose who rebel against God’s authority and rule are directly pledging loyalty to Satan. INTRODUCTION:The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died in the battle against the Philistines. Eli also died when the bad news of the death of his sons and the seizure of the ark by the Philistines reached him. The worship and pilgrimage to Shiloh was truncated and Israel became subservient to the Philistines. It must have been a big blow to Samuel considering how close he was to his family. This was the state when Samuel became judge in Israel.After many years of reflection, Samuel took his first major steps, which was to initiate national repentance and prayers. This action provoked the Philistines who now launched attack against Israel. The intercession of Samuel and his word of motivation gingered the people of Israel to the resounding defeat of the Philistines at Ebenezer.Samuel had a complex administrative structure that saw him create offices in Bethel, Gilgah and Mizpeh, while his home was in Ramah. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHAT WERE THE HIGH POINTS OF SAMUEL’S RULE AS A JUDGE, PROPHET, AND PRIEST IN ISRAEL? For Samuel, the transition to headship was sudden. It followed the tragic death of Eli and his sons. After twenty...
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