GOFAMINT Daily Devotions and Sunday Bible School - Lesson 5 - PERFORM YOUR DUTIES

The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT)

GOFAMINT Daily Devotional Reading covered Monday 25/3/2019 - Sunday 31/3/2019

Lesson 5 31/3/2019, Topic: PERFORM YOUR DUTIES

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 209, 352

Devotional Reading: 1 Pet. 3:1-12

Topic For Adults: Duties of Parents

Topic For Youths: The Useful Youth In A Christian Home

Topic For Intermediates: Why Must I Obey?

Lesson Scriptures: Eph. 5:25-33; 1 Tim. 5:8, Eccl. 9:7-9; Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Pet. 3;1-6; Tit. 2:3-

7; Prov. 30:17; Eph. 6:1-3

MEMORY VERSE: 

But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8) NKJV

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Mon. 25/3/2019 - Parents; Teach Your Children Deut. 6:4-9

The spiritual welfare of our children is one of the concerns of parents. This is one key way

to express genuine love for God. It is expected that parents should endeavour to bring their

children up to have faithful relationship with God. God wants His people to have intimate

fellowship with Him. He gave a command “And thou shall love the LORD thy God with

all thine heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy might”. This will make God’s people

to know Him deeply and enjoy His covenant relationship. Believers must give their children

God centred education in order to instil in them the fear of the Lord.

Point of Emphasis: Parental instruction to teach their children is to make them continue to

have good relationship with God.

Prayer Point: Dear Lord, help parents to educate their children to love God. Lord, let our

children take to godly teaching.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 36-38

Tue. 26/3/2019 - Parents; Train Your Children Isa. 38:18-19

It is not optional for parents to teach our children the vitality of praising God. A trained

child is an asset to the family. Such children ensure continuity. ‘The dead cannot praise

God’. Since it is the living that can praise the Lord, Christian parents should make

necessary effort to produce children who will continue to praise God uncompromisingly. It

is expected that our children will succeed us. In view of this, we should train them to be the

future generation that will continue to praise God.

Point of Emphasis: The Living shall continue to praise God.

Prayer Point: By the grace of God, Christian parent will not cease to train their children to

be the future generation that will praise God.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 39-41

Wed. 27/3/2019:  Seek Healing For Our Children Mk. 5:35-42

Parents must seek the physical and spiritual wholeness of their children even when the situation is seemingly hopeless. The effort made by the ruler of the Synagogue to seek the healing or restoration of his daughter is commendable. The daughter had died (verse 35) yet he did not give up on her. He took a step of faith to come to Jesus. Though hope seemed to be lost, he was encouraged in faith by the response of Jesus. “Be not afraid, only believe”.

Don’t give up on that sick child. God will give you needed faith and your child will be delivered. All you need is to have the will and determination that your child will be well.

Miracle is coming your way (Amen)

Point of Emphasis: 

If you have the will, miraculous healing of your child will be a reality in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, let it be to me according to my faith over my children.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 42-44

Thur. 28/3/2019:  Live Joyfully With Your Wife Eccl. 9:7-9

Husbands are commanded to live joyfully with the wives whom they love all the days of their lives. It is the responsibility of Christian husband to live with joy and love their wives throughout their lifetime. Men should note that all activities in life bring lasting joy and happiness when one has personal relationship with God. Only God enables one to find enjoyment in life. Instead of re-acting negatively as a result of unpleasant behaviour from your spouse, please take your case to God. He will intervene, He knows what do in order to turn the situation in your favour.

Point of Emphasis: 

It is the husband’s duty to live joyfully with his wife forever.
Prayer Point: 

Father, grant all Christian husbands the grace to live joyfully with their wives.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 45-47

Fri. 29/3/2019: Wives Display True Beauty 1 Pet. 3:1-6

Wives in Christian families should be submissive to their husbands and recognise them as the head of the family irrespective of their temperament and financial status. Mother in the house should make effort to win the husband and the children’s love to herself by her behaviour. Though the outward adornment appear attractive to some men, but none despises the inner beauty of the heart. The inner and enduring charm of a meek and quiet spirit brings the best out of a godly husband. It is also precious to God. Christian wives complete loyalty to God in this materialistic and manipulative world is by displaying true beauty of the inner heart.

Point of Emphasis: True beauty is a matter of character not decoration.

Prayer Point: Holy Spirit, help our mummies in the house to adorn themselves with inner beauty.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 48-50

Sat. 30/3/2019: Perform Your God-given Task Prov. 31:10-31

The Bible passage read this morning rolled out the description and role of an ideal Christian wife. Most vital among them are: She has compassion for those in need (verses 19-20) shows her faithfulness and love towards her family (verse 27) loves and fears the Lord (verse 30).

 All the ideas mentioned may seem not unattainable by those that are self-willed. 

Those who are ready to yield to God’s appointed task of submitting to their husband and God will make conscious effort to obey. Every member of the family should know that it is God-given task for everybody to submit to God. It is a general spiritual principle to be applied by all Christians. We must have mutual submission for each other. It must be the characteristics of each one of us.

Point of Emphasis: Make conscious effort to posses the good virtues of a good woman to carry out God-given tasks.

Prayer Point: Holy Spirit help us to have mutual submission and respect for one another in our family.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 51-53

Sun. 31/3/2019:  Children! Don’t Mock Your Parents Prov. 30:12-17

God’s commandment for children to honour their father and mother must not be handled with levity. Honouring our parents entails that we should give them all necessary supports and obey their instructions. God enacted death penalty in the Old Testament for anyone who cursed his or her parent. Children must not speak abusive word against their parents.

There is no reason why you should be at longer-head with your parents. They gave birth to you. There is nothing you can attain in life that is greater than this. If you have been aborted in pregnancy, you will not be alive. God expects you to respect and obey your parents.

Don’t abandon them for any reason, no matter how reasonable it may seem to you. Those who mock and abandon their parents will bring God’s curse on themselves (Prov. 30:17)

Point of Emphasis: Don’t mock your parents, it brings God’s curse.

Prayer Point: Lord God Almighty, grant unto our children grace to heed to God’s instruction concerning their parents.

Reading the Bible through in a Year: Isa. 54-56

BACKGROUND

God the Father, the Originator of family spelt out the duties which each member of

the family should carry for the smooth running of the family. This week’s lesson focuses on

the roles of each family member. Progress in our families depend on the father, mother and

children’s response to their duties.

NOTES ON THE TEXT

PART 1: HUSBAND; EXERCISE YOUR HEADSHIP ROLE – EPH. 5:25-33; 1 TIM.

5:8; ECCL. 9:7-9
God appointed the husband as the head of the family. The husband must exercise his role in love, gentleness and consideration to his wife and children. When there is problem with the head, there is nothing that the righteous can do. For your family to meet up with what God designed for it, you must not neglect your responsibilities which include:

 Love your wife and children as Christ loves the church that He gave Himself for her. Husbands’ love towards their wives should be above erotic one. It should be agape in nature (Eph. 5:25-27). In view of this, make every effort to make your wife and children to be fulfilled in life.

 Seek for the general welfare of your family by providing for the needs of the family (1 Tim. 5:8)

 See to the spiritual development of members of your family.

 Dwell with your family with understanding. Pursue things that make your wife and children happy. Don’t provoke them (Eph. 6:4)

 Honour your wife and children always (1 Pet. 3:7)

 Be a good mentor that leads in the way of righteousness, lead all your family members to Christ and be a role model to them (Deut. 6:6-9)

 To enjoy and have true happiness, live joyfully with your wife with joy.

 Wholeheartedly love her throughout your life.

PART 2: WIFE; STRENGHTEN YOUR FAMILY WITH INNER BEAUTY – EPH. 5:22-24; 1 PET. 3:1-6; TIT. 2:3-7

The wife should know that God expects her to help her husband. God created her to be a help-meet and nothing less. She must be submissive to her husband. There are other God-given assignment that she is expected to carry out in order to make the family function and succeed. These other functions include:

 She must develop a quiet and gentle spirit to exhibit a tender care for the family (1 Pet. 3:4)

 She must be a good wife and mother to the husband and children respectively (Tit. 2:4)

 She must help her husband to bring up the children to develop godly way by training the children in godly character and practical life skills. Children must be given home training.

 She must desire to possess the traits of a virtuous woman (Deut. 31:10-31)

 She must adorn herself with inner beauty of heart. These qualities will make her to have godly character that will make her to be meek, quiet and gentle spirit (1 Pet. 3:3-4)

 She must be a good keeper of her home. She must wade away danger and vices that can affect the family negatively.

 She must be able to take care of her husband and children. She must be able to translate the materials provided by the husband into product that gives comfort to the family.

 She must be prayerful, a good planner and administrator.

 She must not allow her secular job prevent her from performing her matrimonial duties.

The duties of a wife in the family is a challenging one but by relying on God’s grace, Christian wives will perform and succeed exceptionally.


PART 3: CHILDREN; MAKE YOUR PARENTS PROUD – PROV. 30:17; EPH. 6:1-3

Christian children remain under their parental guidance until they grow up and are eligible to form their own family. Children need to be taught to obey and honour their parents.

With the backing of God, our children will display whatever training their parents inculcate into them. Children of believers must obey their parent in the Lord, honour them as well (Eph. 6:1-2a)

 Love your parents. Delight to be in their company. Remember that you came to life through them. There is no gift or help that can be commensurate with the birth given you.

Older children should show love to their parents and honour them. They must respect their parents. Don’t call them ‘old schools’. What makes their eyes deep is life experience. You may benefit from their wealth of experience.

 Honour them in their old age through care and financial support.

 God requires children to honour and obey their fathers and mothers to receive God’s blessings. Don’t mock them because mocking brings curse (Prov. 30:17)

 Don’t compare your parents with others. Don’t rebel against them. God ordained you to come through them. Resist youthful exuberance that can cause you to do contrary to God’s will.

 Follow their good examples. Don’t bring shame to your family.

 Do your duties as regarding keeping the house functioning to glorify God.

Blessed are you if you do what God expects you to do as duties in your family.

CONCLUSION

There is no duty of any family member that is not important for the well-being of the family. In view of this, each member should perform his or her roles in order to avoid lapses. Performing our duties will make our family to function and be fruitful.

QUESTIONS

1. How should the husband exercise his headship role?

2. Why should the husband provide for his family?

3. Mention some duties that wives should perform in the families.

4. Explain what it means for women to adorn themselves with inner beauty of the heart.

5. What are the duties of children in the family?