Good evening everyone,

Please see attached Bible Study Outline for this coming Sunday on the topic “Strength through Gratitude” which is part of our Quarterly Series on Strengthening Our Faith.  The main text is 1 Thessalonikians 5:16-18.  The key learning points are as follows:

1. Empowered  by the Holy Spirit it is possible to live a life of gratitude to God in all situations
2. ⁠It is God’s will that — like Christ — we live a life of gratitude and approach all circumstances with hearts of thanksgiving, always trusting Him
3. Gratitude to God is a discipline which has many benefits that make us stronger Christians 

Yours in His love and mine

Click here for online version

Good evening Brothers and Sisters,

Attached is the Bible Study Outline: “Strength through trials and persecution” which is the next in our Quarter’s series “Strengthening our faith.  The main texts are James 1:2-4 and ! Peer 3:8 -22 and the key learning points are:

1. Trials and persecutions are part of the cross that Christians are called to bear. We should not only be prepared to live for Christ, but we should also be ready to go through trials and persecutions for our faith in HIM.
2. We should count trials and persecutions ‘’pure joy’’ because, through them, God is strengthening our faith and causing us to grow and to bear the fruit of the Spirit.
3. God is faithful. He will not allow us to suffer unnecessarily. If we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified together with Christ.

Regards

Click here for online version

Brethren,

David is quite a school all by himself. And this time, he asks us another crucial question: What would you do if you found your world turned upside down – all that you and all your kinsmen might have worked for all your lives, including family scooped up by some marauders; your entire village burnt and looted? And as if that were not enough, your kinsmen turn around to blame you for their misfortune, as if you did not suffer similar misfortune as they? Would curse God? Would you look for whom to blame? What would you do? Or how does one prepare for such a calamity? David has answers for all these and more as we continue on our study series on Lessons from the Life of David – Distress and Strength 

Key Learning Points:

1. David experienced a time of intense distress, even to the point that his key men, out of grief, contemplated stoning him. Instead of being swept away by the enormity of the situation and the response of his men, David chose to strengthen himself in the Lord. And like David we too can choose to strengthen ourselves in the Lord when in distressing situations.
2. The first key step David took was to seek the face of God and ask for His directions. And when he got the direction, he followed through with obedience. In times of distress, like David, our default setting should be to anchor ourselves in God who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
3. Jesus told us that we shall experience tribulation and trials and distress and frustration in this world. It is our choice and responsibility to strengthen ourselves in God by His word, trusting His word, that He has overcome the world for us and that whatever we face does not have the power to harm us.  God’s goal is that we are increasingly conformed more and more in the likeness of Jesus. And He uses every experience and situation we encounter, good and bad, as His tools to conform us and to develop the fruit of the Spirit in us.

See outline attached for your further study and preparation. See you at 8am in Church on Sunday.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Brethren,

Good evening. Hope this email finds you well.

I am beginning to feel as if David’s is a complete school If you have been following the quarter series so far, you are likely to agree with me.

This Sunday, we approach David’s friendship with Jonathan to learn a thing or two about true and loyal friendship. And there is a lot to learn from the pair on the subject.

Key Learning points include:
1. The strength of the friendship between David and Jonathan lies in their shared faith in and fear of God. It is only when we have these ingredients in our relationships that we can have true, loyal friendships that are strong.
2. True and loyal friendships profit future generations
3. Like Jonathan, Christ willingly gave up His throne to establish a covenant friendship with every believer. So, all believers in Christ have become a covenant community, bound together by Christ’s shed blood on the cross.

See outline attached for your further reference.

Proverbs 3:3-4