Topic: HANDLING CHALLENGES – MOSES’ EXAMPLE [Church of God Mission International] CGMi ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL 21 November 2021
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CGMi ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
DATE SUNDAY, 21st November, 2021.
TOPIC: HANDLING CHALLENGES – MOSES’ EXAMPLE
TEXT EXODUS 14: 5-31
HYMN S. S. & S. 237 “Rock of Ages, cleft for me “
CENTRAL THOUGHT: Absolute trust in God and obedience to His word guarantees victory over all challenge
INTRODUCTION:
Challenge is a phenomenon that is
associated with human existence. It is created through human activities. It is
not limited to a particular sphere of life. It is not also limited to individual personality. Organizations, group of individuals, even Churches encounter challenges. Challenges come in diverse forms, and are capable of throwing a people into a state of anarchy.
Challenges may not be completely eliminated, but could be handled/managed to
an extent of non-recognition. Sometimes challenges arise as a result of inordinate ambition and unnecessary ego.
Although challenges are generally assumed to be hindrance to success in life,
sometimes they may be an avenue to draw our attention to God. So, challenges are not
to be feared rather they should be handled and managed with Godly wisdom in order not to miss their resultant potential benefit.
The focus of this study is to enable us derive lessons on how Israel and Moses, through God handled the challenges they faced against the Red sea and the ravaging Egyptian army on their way to the promised land.
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
To understand:
- How to handle challenges, following Moses’ example.
- what should be Christian’s attitude to life challenges.
- that God is able to handle all our challenges.
- the ultimate goal of our victories over life challenges. BIBLE TRUTH:
Q1(a). WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY HANDLING CHALLENGES-MOSES’ EXAMPLE”?
When the children of Israel left Egypt on their way to the promised land, they met the Red sea, and were faced with the challenge of how to cross the sea. As they looked back, they saw the Egyptian army pursuing after
them. They were trapped between the Red sea and the Egyptian army. The people were
consumed with fear and despair and cried unto Moses their leader.
Although the situation looked hopeless, Moses did not lose heart. He calmed the people with the assurance that God was
going to fight for them, so they should hold their peace. He then turned and cried unto God, who brought them out of the land of
Egypt with a strong hand, and God rescued them from the pending doom. This gives us the understanding that with God any
challenge faced by His children can always be handled successfully. It is when we realize our inability, and God’s ability and willingness to help us, and turn over our challenges to
Him, that we can have victory over life challenges.
Also Read: Open Heaven 21 November 2021 –Topic: THE TONGUE IS A FIRE
Q1(b). THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED THE ISRAELITES (VS 5-9)!WHAT DOES THIS TEACH US ABOUT CHRISTIAN WARFARE?
Before the children of Israel left Egypt, God afflicted the land with ten devastating plagues to the extent that every first-born child and livestock in the land of Egypt died. The King of Egypt discovered that he could no longer handle the situation, so he allowed them to go. Naturally the effect of the plagues was
enough to raise perpetual fear and dread of the God of Israel in the king of Egypt. Despite the horrible experience the king and his people had gone through, he still hardened his heart and organized his army to pursue the same people, for whose sake, he had suffered untold hardship from God. This teaches us that the Christian race is not an easy one. There is no time for relaxation or careless living because the enemy of our soul
(Satan) like Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, does not relent in his warfare against the Christian.
He is consistently seeking an opportunity to strike. We must therefore be vigilant, as
admonished by the scripture, (1 Pet. 5: 8) because he continues, on daily bases to update his strategies to attack and dissuade
the Christian from his focus so as to end up losing his salvation.
Q2. READ EXODUS 14: 10-12; 15: 22-24; 16: 1-3; 17: 1-3 AND COMMENT ON THE REACTIONS 0F THE ISRAELITES TO LIFE CHALLENGES.
Reading through the above Scriptures, we discover that the reactions of the children of
Israel towards any challenge they encountered in the wilderness, were generally
characterized by apprehension, complaining, lack of trust in God, impatience and
unwillingness to endure any hardship, no matter how minor. They had an attitude of not
considering God’s intervention during previous challenges. They exhibited lack of hope for the future. They considered
every challenge as imminent death. It is unfortunate that after seeing how God delivered them from the land of Egypt with signs and miracles, they still had no
confidence and trust in God’s ability to handle these challenges. These examples are
in the Scriptures, so we can trust God in the face of every life challenges.
Q3(a). HOW DID MOSES REACT TO THESE CHALLENGES? EXODUS 14: 13-14; 15: 25; 17: 2 &4; 14: 13-14.
The challenge here was real, and dreadful enough to cause despair as it appeared that would end their existence. So, the Israelites
were hostile to Moses and complained bitterly. In spite of the hostility and tense situation, Moses reacted positively and built up their faith by calming and encouraging them not to fret, rather they should stand still and see how God was going to rescue
them. Recalling his past experience with God in the land of Egypt, Moses called on God
for help, and He immediately delivered them miraculously.15:25.
This time the Israelites faced the challenge of lack of drinking water, because the available
water was bitter. Again, they turned to Moses and complained bitterly. Instead of reacting
negatively because of the people’s lack of faith and unbelief, Moses calmly turned to God and cried for help and God instructed him on what to do. He humbly obeyed God and
the bitter water was made sweet, so the people had enough water to drink. 17:2&4.
On another occasion, as they journeyed, they camped in a place where there was no water
at all, and the people again complained against Moses almost ready to stone him.
Although Moses appeared bored and discouraged by the people’s unwillingness to
believe and exercise faith in God, he still turned to Him for solution. In all, we see Moses as a man rich in humility, with
absolute trust and confidence in God, always demonstrating faithfulness and obedience to
His instructions. No wonder God rated him the meekest man on earth. This should be the character every believer must desire to possess.
Q3(b). WHAT THEN SHOULD BE THE PROPER CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE TO CHALLENGES? Ps.37: 5; 1Pet. 5: 7; Phil. 4: 6.
In all the challenges encountered by the children of Israel, Moses approached the
issues with positive attitude. This
demonstrated his trust and reliability in God. This should be the attitude of Christians towards life challenges. The scripture
encourages us to cast all our cares on Christ because He cares for us (1Pet. 5: 7). Do you know that God cares about you? Brethren, knowledge is very important in walking with the Lord. Do we really know God –
whom He is, what He can do and His willingness to do whatsoever we ask of Him in faith? We struggle with our worries daily
because we fail to understand that the God we are walking with, is well able to handle all our challenges if we hand them over to Him in trust and faith.
Q4. THE LORD OPENED A DRY PATH THROUGH THE SEA AND PROVIDED WATER FROM THE ROCK (EXOD. 14: 21; 17: 6). WHAT COMFORT DOES THIS OFFER AS WE FACE LIFE CHALLENGES?
These are occurrences that man can never attempt. That God was able to bring these things to be, confirms to us that there is
nothing that God cannot handle. The scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He has never
and will never change. We can therefore be comforted that our God is Almighty, and He has the ability and capability to handle
all our life challenges if only we will trust Him enough to allow Him handle them for us, just as Moses did.
Q5(a). DISCUSS HOW GOD FINALLY DELIVERED ISRAEL FROM THE HANDS OF THE EGYPTIANS. EXOD. 14:21.
After God led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt by signs and miracles, they
embarked on their journey to the promised land. The challenge posed by the Red sea and the ravaging Egyptian army was
overwhelming, but Moses cried unto God for deliverance. God relocated the pillar of cloud that was leading the Israelites to stand behind between them and the Egyptian army. He ordered Moses to stretch his rod over the sea, Moses did and God parted the sea for the children of Israel to walk through, and
created obstacles for the Egyptian army, to ensure that they were unable to meet up
with the Israelites. God ordered Moses to stretch his rod over the sea again, immediately he did that, the waters of the sea
returned and drowned the entire Egyptian army and their chariots. The children of Israel
were completely delivered from the hands of the Egyptians.
5(b). WHAT SHOULD BE THE RESULT OF OUR LIFE CHALLENGES? EXOD. 14: 17-18 &31;JOHN 11:4&14.
There are two main reasons why
God allows challenges in the life of Christian.
The first is to manifest His glory among men,
so they can see His wonderful
works, fear Him and glorify His Holy name.
The second reason is to make His
people believe in Him, demonstrate absolute trust and confidence in Him, and in His
word. We also notice that at the end of the victory at the other side of the Red sea, the Israelites gathered together, sang songs
and praised God in these words:
“I will sing unto the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my
strength and my song; and He has become my salvation: He is my God I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God and I
will exalt Him” (Exo. 15: 1-2
(KJV).
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
Our God is whom He says He is. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and
forever if only we can believe Him and trust in His ability and willingness to fulfil His
promises, we would have no reason to fret or despair about any challenge we may
encounter in our life time.
Dear believers, let us wholeheartedly trust God, He is the only one who can help us in
all our life struggles. He is ever mindful of His covenant (Ps. 111:5). He is also mindful of us
(Ps 115: 12).
MEMORY VERSE
(EXODUS14: 13)
“And Moses said unto the people fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord,
which He will show to you today! For the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them no more forever”