CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL – Topic: MEDITATING ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS – Church of God Mission International – SUNDAY 29th OCTOBER, 2023
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CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
DATE: SUNDAY 29th OCTOBER, 2023.
HYMN: S.S & S 513 “O God, Our Help In Ages Past”
CENTRAL THOUGHT:
God’s faithfulness is the foundation of the believer’s faith.
TOPIC:
MEDITATING ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
TEXT:
Heb 6:18; Deut 7:9; Psa 107:31-38; 138:1-8
INTRODUCTION:
The scriptures affirms the faithfulness of God without any contradiction. If we cannot trust what God says in the Bible, we have no reason to believe Him. If He does not keep His words, it means our salvation is shaky and our hope is empty. But if God does fulfil His promises, then our faith is meaningful and our eternal destiny is secured. The faithfulness of God is demonstrated by sacrificing His only begotten Son -Jesus Christ, for the remission of the sins of as many as would come to Him in faith for salvation. He values every living soul as worthy of being redeemed and set free from the power of sin. Psalm 119:90 says that the faithfulness of God continues through all generations. God’s word and His faithfulness will never be shaken. They are fixed and completely trustworthy. The life of faith demands that we reflect on God’s faithfulness.
However, many believers today, struggle with reflecting on God’s faithfulness because of the different challenges of life.
In this study, we shall be looking at the place of meditating on God’s faithfulness in cultivating a heart of gratitude.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are to:
- Know what it means to meditate on the faithfulness of God
- Examine some aspects of God’s faithfulness
- Understand how we should meditate on God’s faithfulness
- Appreciate the importance of meditating on God’s faithfulness and the dangers of not meditating on God’s faithfulness
- Understand what response to God’s faithfulness should be
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MEDITATE ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ?
To meditate implies focusing ones thought on, reflecting on or ponder over a matter. While faithfulness has to do with steadfastness, consistency, reliability and dependability.
When the Bible says God is faithful, it means He will not fail to bring to pass that which He has promised or declared. It also means we can trust Him, rely on Him with with the confidence that He will always fulfill His promises to us. God’s faithfulness is an expression of His eternal nature and His unchanging character. To meditate on God’s faithfulness really means taking a retrospective examination of some past events in our lives to consider what God has done for us. Whatsoever God does is a fulfillment of His promises, which confirm His faithfulness.
Also Read: Open Heaven 29 October 2023 – FASTING IS A WEAPON OF WAR
QUESTION 2. EXAMINE SOME ASPECTS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS. (PSA 138:1-8)
There are so many aspects of God’s faithfulness that we should reflect on. They include the followings:
I. HIS LOVING KINDNESS: God is love by nature. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love”(1 John 4:8). Our salvation is a demonstration of God’s love. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16). God’s loving kindness has no limit and it is without discrimination.
II. HIS TRUTHFULNESS: God is true to His words (Heb 6:18). He is committed to His promises and they are sure, reliable and trustworthy. “For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”( 2 Corinthians 1:20). We can rely on God and His words with confident assurance of performance.
III. FULFILMENT OF HIS PROMISES: He promised to answer us when we called upon Him, and He does answer (Psa 50:15)
IV. HIS MIGHTY ACTS: Our God is Almighty. With Him all things are possible. He divide the Red Sea and made a highway for the children of Israel to cross to freedom, when they were in danger of destruction by Pharaoh’s army at the bank of the Sea. (Exo 14:27-28). He raised the dead to life (Jn 11:43-44). He makes us sleep and makes us wake up. He does wonderful and mighty things that cannot be explained, even in our lives.
V. HIS MERCIES AND COMPASSION (Lam 3:22-23)
VI. CLASS TO MENTION OTHERS
QUESTION 3. HOW SHOULD WE MEDITATE ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ?
A. READING AND STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD: The word of God is a reflection of God -His nature, character and attribute are contained in His word. The Psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11) When we read and meditate on the word of God, we get to understand His person and personality. We will also understand whom He is to us and what He expects of us. As we continue to meditate on the word and endeavour to live in obedience to it’s demands/instructions, we would eventually become a reflection of God’s personality.
B. BEING CONTINUALLY GRATEFUL TO GOD: Another way we should reflect on God’s faithfulness is by recalling to mind His Acts in our lives alongside our new requests, so we will not forget to appreciate Him when they are answered.
Sometimes, pressure from life activities make us forget some of God’s intervention in our challenges in time past, but this recall of His past Acts will be a reminder for us to show gratitude to Him in acknowledgement of His faithfulness, and trust Him for answers to our prayers. (Psa 77:11; 105:5)
C. PRAYERS: When we engage ourselves in constant prayers, as admonished in the scripture – “pray without ceasing” (1Thess 5:17), we will have the opportunity to always reflect on God’s faithfulness as we praise and appreciate Him for all He has done for us.
QUESTION 4. READ LUKE 17:15-19 AND COMMENT ON;
A. IMPORTANCE OF REFLECTING ON GOD’S GOODNESS AND FAITHFULNESS. Reflecting on the goodness and faithfulness of God increases out perception of our commitment and obligation to Him. It also helps us to accord Him the reverence He deserves and express our gratitude for His goodness towards us. This is clearly shown in our scriptural reference. Out of ten lepers that were healed, only one of them returned to show his gratitude for the favour done to him. This must have come, truly, out of a reflection on his new state of health and what led to it. Like the leper did, we should always be appreciative of God’s blessings in our lives.
B. THE DANGERS OF NOT REFLECTING ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
Not reflecting on God’s faithfulness can lead one to under-mind the many blessings one had received from God. We observed that the action of the leper that was healed, moved Jesus to declare that he was made whole. Can we imagine the state of the other nine lepers who never came back to show gratitude ? Not reflecting on God’s faithfulness regularly can erase our remembrance of His past interventions in our lives and this can lead us into doubt, and fear of the unknown, which can make us lose faith in God. Sometimes, past experience determines future prospect.
QUESTION 5. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ? (Psa 107:8; 106:1-2; 1Sam 12:24)
Meditating on God’s faithfulness should not be without a purpose. The effects of this meditation should reflect in our daily activities. It should produce in us, the habit of continuous praise, thanksgiving and gratitude to God. It should increase His reverential fear in us to greater commitment and obedience in His service. It should also increase our faith, trust and reliance on Him and His word, and more importantly, be faithful in our calling, continually meditating on His love.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
As believers, can we truly say that we have seen God’s faithfulness in our lives ? Has it reshaped us to confirm to His image ? Are we faithful ? Are we experiencing growing confidence in Him and His promises. We can be certain of this because He made them on the basis of His truthful and unchanging character (Heb 6:17-18)
MEMORY VERSE:
Psalms 103:2
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”
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