Sunday School

CENTRAL THOUGHT Restoration of the backslidden is a challenge that demands love, patience and wisdom. HYMN:  RESCUE THE PERISHING Text: Reading Text: Jeremiah 2:1-13 Text: Jeremiah: chapters 1, 2 & 3 INTRODUCTION: To backslide is to inconsistently, unfaithfully, erringly, and selfishly follow the Lord who hath delivered us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light, Galatians 1:6; Colossians 1:13. The backslider is thus one who desists or draws back in his/her commitment to the Lord.  It could involve denying the person of knowledge of God and His Christ.  It could be for a moment or for years in which the backslidden loses relationship or fellowship with the Triune God.  It is primarily a condition of the heart.               It must be stated here that there is no Christian who is automatically backslide-proof.  So, the belief by some Christians that they cannot backslide and thereby trusting in their own ability to continue in the race is false and dangerous.  They have most often, to their dismay, found themselves erring and deviating from the truth.  So, the Word of God warns thus, “wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”, 1 Corinthians 10:12.               The Bible records many characters and people who were mightily used...

CENTRAL THOUGHT Whom God has blessed no one can curse. HYMN:  STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS! TEXT: Text: Numbers 23:1-30 INTRODUCTION: Israel fought several wars on their way from Egypt to the promised land.  God gave them victory, in all these wars including war with Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16), Amorites (Numbers 21:21-32) and several other nations.  Therefore, when the children of Israel camped in the plains of Moab, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab became afraid because Israelites were many and he had seen how they had utterly destroyed other nations.  In a desperate bid to avert the impending danger, Balak invited Balaam to curse the Israelites so that he could defeat them.  Some have argued that Balaam was a soothsayer but used by God temporarily.  Others believed that Balaam seemed to have known God considering that he inquired from God who in turn spoke to him on several occasions; he declared God’s message faithfully, made sacrifice to Him but later went into error for reward and became a soothsayer (Joshua 13:22; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14; 2 Peter 2:14-16). Whatever the position, the episode that followed the invitation extended to Balaam by Balak to curse Israel is full of diverse lessons which are the focus of this...

CENTRAL THOUGHT Rebellion is rejection of Gods authority. HYMN:  I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR TEXT: Numbers 16:1-33, 40-45, 1 Samuel 15:1-23 Reading text: 1 Samuel 15:1-23 INTRODUCTION Rebellion is standing in opposition to God and His word. In the Scriptures, the sin of rebellion is likened unto the sin of witchcraft, which is an abomination before the Lord. It manifests itself as stubbornness, wickedness and gross disobedience. Satan rebelled against the authority of God from the beginning and is actively recruiting men and women who make themselves available to do the same. Sadly, some believers have yielded themselves to the subtle allurements of Satan to rebel against God and His constituted authority on earth. Church ordinances are flagrantly disobeyed in the name of modernization; the Bible, which is God’s infallible word/constitution for mankind, is relegated to the background, among others. No generation has probably been more willing to disobey God’s word than the present, and it is a trend we must check. Rebellion incurs the wrath of God, (1 Samuel 15:23) and brings calamities/death/destruction. God expects total obedience and anything short of this is abhorrent to Him. Believers must guard against rebellion in every way and resist its manifestations. In this lies the blessing of God. LESSON OBJECTIVES It...