HOUSE FELLOWSHIP ANTHEM

1. I love this family of God,

So closely knitted into one,

They have taken me into their arms

And am so glad to be

A part of this great family

2. I bless this family of God,

So greatly prospered by the Lord,

They have taken me into their arms

And am so glad to be

A part of this great family

3. I know this family of God,

So deeply rooted in the word,

They have taken me into their arms

And am so glad to be

A part of this great family

4. I see this family of God,

So highly lifted above all,

They have taken me into their arms

And am so glad to be

A part of this great family

5. Come, join this family of God,

So highly favoured by the Lord,

They have taken me into their arms

And am so glad to be

A part of this great family.

OPENING PRAYER: Lord, please build me up to be a faithful friend in all ways.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: Leader should remind members of the fact that the God we serve is able to save His own to the uttermost.

MEMORY VERSE: “And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. “Ruth 1:16

BIBLE TEXT: John 15:14-16

[14]Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

[15]Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

[16]Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

LESSON INTRODUCTION: A faithful friend is someone who is unwavering in his relationship with a person, an organisation or ideals, whose activity remains firm in the belief or support for them. He is a person you know quite well and you like a lot, but not a member of your family. He is loyal, steadfast in affection or allegiance and consistently reliable. Let us consider some biblical examples of faithful friends.

LESSON AIM: To make members understand who a faithful friend is.

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, members should be able to know:

* the spiritual character of a faithful friend.

* the human character of a faithful friend.

TEXT REVIEW: John 15:14-16

a. You are God’s friend if you keep His commandment.

b. You are no more God’s servant, for servants do not know what their Lord does.

c. You will hear from God as a friend without an intermediary.

LESSON OUTLINE ONE

HUMAN CHARACTER (MAN TO MAN RELATIONSHIP)

i. Hushai displayed loyalty to his friend David – II Sam. 16:15-19; 17:5-16.

ii. Abraham displayed love to Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah – Gen. 18.

iii. Elisha displayed love to the case of the Shunammite woman – II Kings 4:32-37.

iv. Ruth cleaved faithfully to Naomi even in adversity, she showed affection.

V. Jonathan loved David as his own soul, he defended David – II Sam. 19:1-7.

LESSON OUTLINE TWO

SPIRITUAL CHARACTER

I. Elisha stuck firmly to Elijah and received double portion – II Kings 2:1-15.

ii. Timothy received an encounter by following Apostle Paul – II Tim. 2:1-5.

iii. Jesus loves His chosen friends (Disciple/believers) – John 15:13-15.

iv. Holy Spirit, through the outpouring of His gifts, reshapes us so we can be friends of God – Romans 5:1-5.

ACTIVITY: Mention characters in the Bible who ruined partnership and its benefits.

SUMMARY: Faithfulness and loyalty can never go unrewarded.

CONCLUSION: As a faithful friend of Christ, our loyalty. allegiance, steadfast affection and proven reliability to the Lord, men and the society at large should be unflinching in order to bear fruits and be successful as God’s children.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Father, please have mercy and forgive us of any unfaithfulness.

2. Father, please help us to remain faithful to every relationship you have committed unto us in Your kingdom and the society at large.

3. Father, please grant us faithful friends who will help us to fulfil destiny and every assignment You have given to us.

4. Lord, give us the grace to be faithful to You till the end, so that we will not lose our rewards.

5. Father, continue to place faithful friends around Daddy G.O. and his family.

6. Personal request.

GOLDEN DIET FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY: Matthew 7:15-Beware!

TUESDAY: Exodus 33:11b-He can speak to you face to face, be His friend.

WEDNESDAY: A godly friend will remember you at all times – I Sam. 30:26.

THURSDAY: A faithful friend will defend his friend’s throne – II Sam. 17:5-14.

FRIDAY: Proverbs 18:24.

SATURDAY: Evil friends scorn but God is a faithful shoulder to His crying friends. Job 16:20.

SUNDAY: Proverbs 14:20.