RCCG HOUSE FELLOWSHIP
LEADER’S MANUAL 18TH AUGUST 2019
TOPIC: BROKEN HOMES AND THEIR ADVERSE EFFECTS
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 and 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
SUGGESTED TIME SCHEDULE
10 minutes for Opening Prayer, Praise and Worship
10 minutes for Testimonies
15 minutes for Bible Discussion
15 minutes for General Prayers
10 minutes for Questions & Answers
5 minutes for Welcoming New Members
10 minutes for Announcements,
Offering,House Fellowship Anthem & Closing Prayers.
PRAYER POINT: Father, please bind our home together for your glory.
BIBLE PASSAGE: Judges 14:1-20
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
And he came up, and told his father and his
mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
READ – OPEN HEAVEN 18TH AUGUST 2019
Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
READ – PRAYER POINTS ON OPEN HEAVENS 18TH AUGUST 2019
And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.
And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.
But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.
Judges 15:1-8
But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
INTRODUCTION:
A broken home refers to a failed marriage. The adverse effects of a broken home are never pleasant.
It provokes emotional bitterness within and hatred and internal injury nursed by one of the parties or both.
It leaves a permanent scar that may never heal. As we dig deep into this contemporary recurring issue, we pray that the Holy Spirit will resolve it for us in Jesus’ name. Amen.
MEMORY VERSE: Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion.
And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. Judges 15:6
TEXT REVIEW: Judges 14:1-20; 15:1-8.
i. Broken homes can be avoided from the decision making on who to marry.
ii. Your decision should be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
iii. Homes should not be built on deceit.
iv. Avoid third party in your home.
v. Unforgiveness is the cause of most broken homes.
LESSON OUTLINE
Adverse Effects of a Broken Home: Generally, these include:
1. Divorce is demonstration of unforgiveness and Jesus admonishes us to forgive others so that God will forgive our sins also. Matthew 6:12-15.
2. Finances: Women are the worst hit as they will have to pay their bills alone and if they have the custody of their children, it will be an additional responsibility
3. Imbalance Parenting. If children are with the man, the input of their mother will not be felt. Likewise if the woman is in the custody, she cannot successfully play the role of father and mother. Such children are emotionally disturbed and it may negatively reflect in their academic performances in School etc. They may withdraw to themselves alone, depression may set in.
4. The Society at large suffers because there will be a lot of urchins, and the homeless, etc. and if not addressed timely; safety of lives and properties may not be guaranteed.
5. A large chunk of the country’s resources will be devoted on rehabilitating destitute as may be necessary.
6. Both parties to a divorce have scars that may never heal. Sometimes feelings of anger, resentment and betrayer of trust etc will keep flashing over and over again.
Available Solutions
1. The Husband and the Wife should be genuinely born again. John 3:3-5
2. Allow God to choose your help meet for you. Gen 2:20-24.
3. Wives are to submit to their husbands. Ephesians 5:22-23.
4. Husbands are to love their wives. Ephesians 5;25.
5. Expose the Children to God’s ways early in life and train them also to serve Him and trust Him; for with God, nothing shall be impossible. Proverbs 22:6; Luke 1:37
6. Pray continuous for your family because there can only be peace in the church and society, when the family is peaceful. 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1-7.
7. Remember the adverse effects of a broken home on the children, the spouses, and the society at large; therefore both spouses should strive to make their marriage succeed. Proverbs 14:1
SUMMARY:
Ensure solving challenges in homes as quick as possible before it breaks the home.
CONCLUSION:
God is not pleased about broken marriages because of its negative consequences. In order to avoid this, the would be couples should make God, their cornerstone. He is the author of marriages and knows the end of any relationship even before it is consummated.
ASSIGNMENT: What are the causes of broken homes and what can be done to avoid it.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, please heal all broken marriages in the Church and visit their foundation.
2. Father, let your peace reign supreme in every home that is experiencing storm.
3. Father, marriages are meant to be enjoyed and not endured, therefore release joy to our homes.
4. God, please train children from broken homes yourself, so that they will fulfill their destinies.
5. Father, destroy all the activities of power of darkness causing crisis in believer’s marriages.
6. Pray for the Holistic Ministry of RCCG and its efforts in giving hope to the hopeless.
GOLDEN DIET FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY: Mark 4;37-39. Father, please
destroy every plan of the devil to destabilize our homes.
TUESDAY: Matthew 19:6 Father, please do not allow Satan to scatter our homes anymore.
WEDNESDAY: Acts 2:1-4; Psalms 131:1-2 Father, please let there be outpouring of Holy Spirit upon every husband, wife and children to foster unity amongst them.
THURSDAY: Proverbs 18:21 Father, please help every parent to use their tongues wisely on the children.
FRIDAY: Acts 1:8; 10:38 Father, please help all parents to decree good things into the lives of their Children.
SATURDAY: Jeremiah 35:8 Father, please help our children to be obedient to every instruction from their biological and spiritual fathers
SUNDAY: 1 Samuel 2:12. Father, please give our children the grace to know you Lord.
