Children STS Vol 60-63

VOL 60-63
FOR
SENIOR CHILDREN
Country:_ _ _ _ _ _ _
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2
VOLUME 60
LESSON PAGES
1. SAUL CONSULTS A WITCH AT ENDOR. 7-12
2. DAVID’S VICTORY OVER THE

AMALEKITES ........................................... 13-19
3. THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SAUL ................ 20-25
4. DAVID MOURNS THE DEATH OF SAUL

AND JONATHAN ........................... 26-31
5. DAVID REIGNS OVER JUDAH AND

ISRAEL..................................................... 32-37
6. TESTIMONIAL OF THE POWER OF THE

GOSPEL ................................................... 38-43
7. EXEMPLARY CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP ........................................... 44-48
8. CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS’

SPIRITUAL GROWTH .......................... 49-54
9. CALL TO HOLINESS ........................... 55-61
10. RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS ...................... 62-67
11. LOVE AND UNITY IN THE CHURCH .... 68-71
12. SERVING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE .... 72-75
13. THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW

EARTH .............................................. 76-81
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VOLUME 61
LESSON PAGES
1. DAVID BRINGS BACK THE ARK TO

JERUSALEM 83-89
2. GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID ......... 90-96
3. DAVID EXPANDS HIS KINGDOM.......... 97-103
DAVID’S KINDNESS TO
MEPHIBOSHETH ................................ 104-109
5. DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY.............. 110-115
6. PRECEPTS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING..... 116-120
7. COMMENDATION OF THE BELIEVER

AND CONDEMNATION OF THE
UNGODLY.......................................... 121-125
8. WARNING AGAINST DECEPTION IN

THE LAST DAYS.......................... ....... 126-131
9. ADMONITION AGAINST IDLENESS....... 132-137
10. CHARGE AGAINST FALSE DOCTRINES 138-143
11. THE NEW BIRTH ................................ 144-148
12. HELL: THE DESTINY OF SINNERS ....... 149-153
13. THE URGENCY OF OUR WORK .......... 154-158
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VOLUME 62
LESSON PAGES
1. AMNON’S INCEST AND DEATH 159-166
2. ABSALOM’S REBELLION AND

TRAGIC END ..................................... 167-172
3. DAVID RESTORED TO THE THRONE .. 173-178
4. THE GIBEONITES AVENGED ............... 179-184
5. DAVID’S PSALM OF PRAISE AND

VALIANT MEN ................................... 185-190
6. CALL FOR INTERCESSION AND

CHRISTIAN MODESTY ....................... 191-196
7. QUALIFICATION FOR CHRISTIAN

LEADERSHIP ..................................... 197-202
8. WARNING AGAINST APOSTASY .......... 203-208
9. PRECEPTS FOR HANDLING ELDERS

AND WIDOWS ................................... 209-214
10. GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT ..... 215-219
11. THE HOLY BIBLE .............................. 220-225
12. QUIET TIME AND FAMILY DEVOTION .. 226-230
13. PATTERN OF SCRIPTURAL

GODLINESS ...................................... 231-235
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VOLUME 63
LESSON PAGES
1. DAVID’S SIN OF NUMBERING ISRAEL . 237-243
2. SOLOMON SUCCEEDS DAVID ............ 244-249
3. THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON .............. 250-255
4. SOLOMON BUILDS GOD’S TEMPLE .... 256-262
5. SOLOMON BUILDS HIS PALACE ......... 263-268
6. ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A CHRISTIAN

MINISTER ......................................... 269-274
7. PERSEVERANCE IN CHRISTIAN
SERVICE ........................................... 275-280
8. STANDING FOR THE TRUTH IN

PERILOUS TIMES .............................. 281-286
9. RENEWED CHARGE TO PREACH THE

GOSPEL ............................................ 287-292
10. THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH .............. 293-297
11. THE TRINITY OF THE GODHEAD ........ 298-302
12. ONE BODY, MANY MEMBERS .............. 303-307
13. FELLOWSHIP AMONG BRETHREN ...... 308-312

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LESSON 1
SAUL CONSULTS A WITCH

AT ENDOR
1 Samuel 28:1-25
Saul’s relationship with God continued to decline and

his troubles continued to multiply. The Philistines
gathered again to go to battle against Israel. Samuel,
the praying Prophet and the counselor of Israel had died.
Besides, Saul, through bitterness, envy and jealousy,
has chased David away. David fled to Achish, the son of
the king of the Philistines, and Saul lost the help and
experience of a talented and courageous warrior.
The sight of the army of the enemy frightened Saul.
At such a time, one would have expected Saul to turn to
God, who had appointed him king over his people, in
tears of sincere repentance from his sins. Instead, Saul
made a mistake again. His regrettable action is the
subject of our lesson today.
Our lesson will be considered under three sub-topics:
1. GOD’S WARNING AGAINST WITCHCRAFT:

Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Micah 5:12;
Galatians 5:19-21
God sternly warned the children of Israel never to seek

counsel from or even allow a witch or wizard to live. Saul was
aware of God’s warning against such evil practice. That was
why one of the first acts he carried out in obedience toGod, was
to drive away all the people who practised witchcraft in Israel.
7
God is not God’s likely reason for
happy with commanding His people
those who not to allow a witch or
practise wizard to live could be
witchcraft.
because:
i) Witches and wizards
are very wicked. They
use their evil power to
hurt people.
ii) The source of their
power is Satan,the
enemyof God.
i) This practice is of the
heathen, ungodly
people.
iv) They deceive people and make them to believe that they
have great power like God (Acts 8:9).
v) They are out to take the glory of God.
vi) They lead people to worship idols and not the Living God
(Leviticus 19:31).
vii) They offer ungodly counsel and cause people to rebel
against God.
It was a great sin against God that king Saul had to return
tothe thingshe had earlierdestroyed(1 Chronicles10:13).You
must never go back to the ungodly conduct you have repented
of. Such action will cause God to be very unhappy with you.
2. SAUL’S FEAR AND JOURNEY TO ENDOR:

1 Samuel 28:4-25
The Philistines gathered in Shunem ready to go to war

against Israel. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he
was afraid and trembled. He enquired from God but God did
not answer. How could he expect the same God he had been
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disobeying to answer him? God does not answer the prayer
of a sinner (Proverbs 28:9). Saul should have prayed and
turned away from his sins of disobedience, stubbornness,
malice, wickedness and envy and asked God for mercy and
forgiveness. Instead, he disguised himself and went to seek
a witch for advice. He knew his action was wrong; that’s why
he disguised himself so that he would not be recognized.
There are children who act in a similar manner. Do you
usually hide and do
bad things? God’s
Do not hide
watchful eyes are
to do bad,
everywhere. You God knows
cannot hide from Him. and sees all
Saul claimed that the th in gs.
“spirit being” he saw
was Samuel. But no
matter who it was, the
lesson you should
learn from this is, though God did not approve of Saul’s evil
methods, the message given to Saul still warned him of God’s
coming judgment. When Samuel was alive, God sent him to
warn Saul but he did not obey. Now he has received a fearful
message of his rejection, defeat and judgment. He was
sorrowful. But did this sorrow lead him to repentance? No!
The word of God that you hear should make you sorry for
your sinful actions and lead you to repentance (2 Corinthians
7:10). This is the only way out of eternal punishment in hell
fire.
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3. LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF SAUL:
1 Samuel 28:17-20; Daniel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 10:13,14
Saul did many bad things which made God unhappy
with him. He kept provoking God daily and justified and
excused his actions. Therefore, God rejected him
completely. God did not anymore answer his prayers
We learn so much from Yes! We must
the life of Saul in this remain obedient
search the scripture
and steadfast inbut passed a
lesson.
loving God and sentence of death
never go to seek and rejection on
counsel or help
him. TheBiblesays
from sinners as
in Proverbs 29:1
Saul did.
“He, that being
often reproved
hardeneth his
n eck , sh all
su d d en ly be
destroyed, and
t h at w it ho u t
remedy”. You can learn the following lessons from the
life of Saul.
i) After giving your life to Jesus, you must remain
steadfast and continue to love Him all your life
(Matthew 10:22).
ii) When you do wrong and you are corrected, quickly
pray and accept correction, repent and say sorry to
Jesus (Proverbs 29:1).
iii) Seeking help from witches, wizards, familiar spirits,
false prophets and others who are against God’s word
is an abomination unto God.
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iv) Do not ask counsel or advice from people who are
not friends of Jesus.
v) God is righteous. He will punish sinners who refuse
to repent (Isaiah 1:28).
Don’t copy and practise the ungodly behaviour of
other people nor yield to the temptations to do wrong.
Pray now and confess all your sins to Jesus. Turn away
from your evil actions. He will forgive you and help you
to please God in all your doings. If you are already a
friend of Jesus, pray that the Lord should continue to
help you to live a life pleasing to Him at all times.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did God not answer Saul when he needed
guidance on how to face the Philistines in battle?
2. Mention three reasons why God’s children should
never go to consult witches and wizards. __ __ _
3. Mention four lessons that you have learnt from the
life of Saul.
4. What should a sinful child do to be saved?
MEMORY VERSE: “Then said Saul unto his servants,

Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I
may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants
said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a
familiar spirit at Endor” (1 Samuel 28:7).
LESSON: Seeking help from Satan and his agents is an

abomination unto God.
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THOUGHT: I will seek help from God at all times and
never from Satan.
ACTIVITY: From your imagination, draw the heart of

Saul, the first king of Israel. Write as many of his sins as
you can remember in your drawing. The teacher should
score and then lead the children to pray for grace to live
righteous before God.
HOMEWORK: Write in your homework book, four

qualities of a true friend of Jesus. Pray that your life
will show forth such fruits.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 6 – YIELD NOT TO

TEMPTATION
CHORUSES: (1) I live for Jesus day after day. (2) I will
never let the devil win the battle. (3) Obedience is the
very best way to show that you believe.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY EXODUS 22:18-20

TUESDAY DEUTERONOMY 18:9-12
WEDNESDAY DEUTERONOMY 18:13-15
THURSDAY LEVITICUS 20:26,27
FRIDAY ISAIAH 8:17-22
SATURDAY MICAH 5:10-12
SUNDAY PROVERBS 15:8-11
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

Find the meaning of these words. You can use your
dictionary:1. Relationship 2. Decline 3. Consult
4. Abomination 5. Provoke.
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LESSON 2
DAVID’S VICTORY OVER

THE AMALEKITES
1 Samuel 30:1-31
Victory comes from God. God gives victory to everyone

who believes in Him and walks in His ways. Saul, the
first king in Israel disobeyed and rebelled against God.
He became self-willed and wicked. Therefore, God
rejected him and anointed David to be king in his place.
David became famous and loved by the people of
Israel when he killed Goliath an enemy of Israel. King
Saul became jealous; he therefore hated and planned to
kill David. He pursued David everywhere so that God’s
plan for his life would not be fulfilled. David therefore,
became a fugitive and a refugee fleeing from one place
to another to escape from Saul and save his life. Despite
all the attempts to kill David, Saul did not prevail.
Continue to love and serve God, live holy and be in
fellowship with God. The plan and purpose of God for
your life will definitely come to pass no matter what Satan
and his messengers do.
Our Bible passage reveals what happened when
David returned from Gath, a place where he had gone to
seek refuge in order to escape being killed by king Saul.
The message is in three parts:
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1. THE STORY OF THE AMALEKITES:
1 Samuel 30:1,2; Genesis 36:12; Exodus 17:8-16;
Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:3; 28:18;
1 Chronicles 4:43
The Amalekites were descendants of Esau. Amalek

was th e The Amalekites were descendants of
grand son of Esau and enemy to Israel.
Esau. When the
children of Israel
(Jacob – the twin
brother of Esau)
left Egypt on their
way to th e
promised land,
Can aan , th e
Amalekites were
the people that
fir st attacke d
the m. The y
became Israel’s
enemy. Therefore, God decided to wipe them out forever
(Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19). When God
asked king Saul to fight and destroy them completely,
he disobeyed and God rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15:3).
They fought with the children of Israel at some other
times and eventually God’s judgment came upon them
and they were wiped out completely (1 Chronicles 4:43).
Are you a wicked child? Do you hate or fight the
children of God? Repent now to escape the judgment of
God.
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2. THE SECRETS OF DAVID’S VICTORY:
1 Samuel 30:3-19
On his return to Ziklag from Achish, the king of the

Philistines, David and his six hundred men discovered
that the Amalekites had burnt down Ziklag and carried
away their wives and children as captives (slaves). They
wept bitterly and were sad. David therefore put his trust
in God: (i) He encouraged himself in the Lord when his
men were so grieved and threathened to stone him for
the loss of their families and properties. He had faith in
God and His promises which can never fail. Whatever
challenges that you may be facing, always remember to
trust in God who will give you the victory. (ii) He sought
God’s will, direction and guidance (1 Samuel 30: 8).
(iii) He was concerned about the physical state and
welfare of his two
hundred men who
were so faint and
feeble and could be
a hindrance on his
The secret way. H e e xcu se d
of victory in
them from going to
life is to
have the battle field. He
absolute was very caring (1
trust and Samuel 30: 9,10).
faith in (iv) H e sh owe d
God’s word.
k in d ne ss to an d
revived an Egyptian
ser van t of an
Amalekite who was sick, helpless, hopeless and dying
having been abandoned by his master without food or
water for three days (1 Samuel 30: 11,12). An adage says,
“kindness begat kindness”. The Egyptian servant then
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gave David in return useful information to locate the
camp of the enemies. This led to the total defeat of the
Amalekites and the recovery of the families and
properties of David and his men. This shows God’s
providence in paving the way for David’s victory.
In times of suffering or trouble, look away from
yourself to care for someone in a more serious situation
or need than yourself. And God will settle your own
problem.
David was fighting God’s battle. God’s original plan
was to wipe out the Amalekites and this was being
fulfilled. God had promised to give David the kingdom
of Israel and to establish it forever. Therefore, he could
not be defeated because God’s plan must be fulfilled.
God’s word is sure and must definitely come to pass as
God has spoken. David defeated and killed the
Amalekites except the four hundred that fled on horses.
David and his men recovered their missing wives with
all the families and properties. God gave him the victory.
D avid re memb er ed all th e pe ople who had
contributed secretly or publicly to his safety while
running away from king Saul. He sent presents to them
all (1 Samuel 30:26-31). What a grateful heart! Always
be thankful. It will give you joy and pave the way for
greater blessings in your life. David testified to God’s
goodness. He realized that it was God who gave them
the victory. God preserved their lives and delivered their
enemies into their hands. You must always appreciate
and thank God for He is the One who has given you all
that you have and has made you to be who you are today
(1 Corinthians 15:10). Give testimonies of God’s
faithfulness and goodness to strengthen the faith of
others in God. Do not neglect to show mercy.
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3. VICTORY FOR GOD’S CHILDREN:
Exodus 14:14; 2 Chronicles 20:20-25; 32:8
Every saved boy and girl have been set free from sin and
the captivity of Satan. Satan is now your enemy. He is
We shall remain
victorious forever.
God has
given us
victory over
Satan, our
en em y.
fighting seriously to bring you back to himself. You

cannot have victory through your effort, but by God’s
power. God will fight your battle for you. He defeated
Pharaoh and his soldiers to make the children of Israel
victorious. God did the same for David, He did not allow
king Saul to kill him and stop him from becoming the
king of Israel. God has not changed, therefore, surrender
your heart and life to Him (Romans 12:1). Pray fervently
all the time and live holy (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16).
Make friends with other children of God and provoke
one another to love and good works. Read and study
God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15). Attend fellowship regularly
(Hebrews 10:25) and preach God’s word (Mark 16:15).
Run away from sin. Sin brings defeat. If you are still
doing bad things, repent, ask for forgiveness and
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cleansing in Jesus’ blood. Invite Jesus to come into your
heart to be your Saviour and Friend. Live for Jesus, and
victory and great achievement will be yours.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did God reject king Saul?
2. State three things about the Amalekites
3. Mention some of the secrets behind David’s victory _
4. What can you learn from David’s attitude of sharing

the booties of war with other men?
5. As a child of God, what must you do to enjoy victory

from God at all times?
MEMORY VERSE: “And David enquired at the Lord,

saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I
overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for
thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail
recover all” (1 Samuel 30:8).
LESSON: Victory is for saved boys and girls who trust

and serve God faithfully.
THOUGHT: In all my trials of life, I will encourage

myself in the Lord and trust Him for victory.
ACTIVITY: With the help of your teacher, mention two

other occasions where God fought for His people and
gave them victory.
HOMEWORK: Show appreciation to some people who

have helped you. Prepare to share your testimony next
week.
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CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 97 – OFT IN DANGER,
OFT IN WOE
CHORUSES: (1) In the name of Jesus, I have the victory.

(2) Move on to victory, Jesus has conquered. (3) God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 2 CHRONICLES 20:3-7

TUESDAY 2 CHRONICLES 20:20-23
WEDNESDAY 2 CHRONICLES 32:1-4
THURSDAY 2 CHRONICLES 32:5-8
FRIDAY EPHESIANS 6:10-13
SATURDAY EPHESIANS 6:14-18
SUNDAY EXODUS 15:1-3
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Captives 2. Distressed 3. Pursue
4. Twilight 5. Booties.
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LESSON 3
THE TRAGIC DEATH OF

SAUL
1 Samuel 31:1-13
The book of 1st Samuel closes with the account of the

tragic death of Saul the first king of Israel. It is sad to
know that, though Saul started his journey well, he
ended badly. Why? Because (a) He despised and rejected
the command of God to completely destroy the
Amalekites. (b) He refused to repent and seek forgiveness
when he was corrected by Prophet Samuel. (c) He
repeatedly disobeyed and became self-willed and
wicked. (d) He fought against God’s will and plan to make
David king over Israel. (e) He sought help from a witch.
Saul’s tragic death did not just happen without
warnings from God and Prophet Samuel. It was his
refusal to take correction and repent from his sins and
disobedience that led to his death.
You must examine yourself daily. Do not harden your
heart like king Saul. Listen to the counsel of God through
His word, accept corrections and live in obedience to
God’s word. Although God is gracious and merciful, He
is also a consuming fire.
The study is in three parts:
1. THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SAUL:

1 Samuel31:1-7; 14:52; 15:16-23,35; 1 Chronicles 10:1-14
The children of Israel fought many battles with their
neighbours when they settled in Canaan. But God was
20
always with them. However, they refused to destroy these
idol worshipping nations, as God commanded them and
thus, the idol worshippers became thorns in their flesh.
Throughout the reign of king Saul, he went into battle
constantly with their arch
Saul never repented until he enemy – the Philistines.
died. You should repent now
before it is too late.
In this last battle, Saul
became terrified when
he saw the army of the
Philistines. David who
could have been a great
help to him at such a
time, had been driven
away because of Saul’s
hatred and jealousy. The
battle became very fierce
and the children of Israel fled before their enemies. Many
of them were killed including the three sons of king
Saul. The piercing power of an arrow-head wounded
Saul badly. Fearing abuse and torture from the
Philistines, Saul then asked his armour bearer to kill
him. But the armour bearer refused. Therefore, Saul
killed himself. His armour bearer also killed himself.
This was a great loss to God’s people. However, it was
God’s way of bringing judgment on a disobedient,
stubborn and wicked king. Saul’s death was tragic
because it brought sorrow and distress to the whole
nation of Israel.
Everyone will die at one time or the other, yet one
can avoid a tragic death. God is not interested in the
death of a sinner, He wants everyone to repent and be
saved. If you are still a sinner, do not remain in your
wicked ways, judgment is coming. Repent now!
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2. THE COURAGE OF THE MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD:
1 Samuel 31:11-13; 11:1-11; 1 Chronicles 10:11,12
After the death of Saul and his three sons, the
Philistines took their dead bodies and hung them in the
Yes! especially
shrine of their
We must be
wh en si nners idol. It was a
courageous to
defend the
make jest of way of
our God. disgracing the
glory of God.
child r en of
I sr ael an d
honouring
the ir d umb
idols. But there
wer e some
courageous
p eop le wh o
stood up to
defend the Name of the God of Israel. These courageous
and godly men were from Jabesh-gilead. They walked
all night for about twelve miles and took the bodies of
Saul and his sons from the house of the idols.
The men of Jabesh-gilead were motivated by
gratitude for Saul’s previous deliverance of their city after
Saul had been newly crowned king (1 Samuel 11:1-11).
They gave Saul and his sons a respectful burial and
removed the shame from Israel.
Always stand firm, be willing to risk your life to
defend God’s glory, honour and word. When ungodly
people are making jest of God’s word, do not join them
but remain steadfast and God will also honour you.
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3. ETERNAL DEATH FOR UNREPENTANT SINNERS:
1Chronicles10:13,14;Proverbs11:19;29:1;Revelation20:11-15
Death brings to an end, life here on earth. It is
appointed for everyone born into this world to die once,
and after this, there will
be judgment (Hebrews If you don’t
9:27). There are many repent from
your sin and
people who think that you die, you
death will end their will face
God’s
sorrow and suffering. judgment.
Some even decide to
commit suicide. Alas!
They will realize too
late that death is the
beginning of sorrow for
all wh o die in sin .
People like Achan, Saul, Belteshazzar, Herod, Judas
Iscariot and many others who died in their sin have
already realized that physical death is not the end of
life. It is the beginning of eternal suffering for the wicked
because they will end up in hell fire! Therefore, sinners
must make haste to repent. Ask for forgiveness and
cleansing in the blood of Jesus. Turn away from all sins
and live holy every day. Believers must examine
themselves daily, live in total obedience to the word of
God, be holy in words, thoughts and actions and expect
the coming of the Lord every day. At last, we shall be
raptured to reign with Christ and be delivered from
eternal death.
QUESTIONS:
1. Identify two reasons for Saul’s rejection and tragic
death
2. How many of his sons died with him?
23
3. What happened to the dead bodies of Saul and his
sons?
4. What did the men of Jabesh-gilead do to honour God
and remove shame from Israel? _
5. Where will unrepentant sinners and backsliders
end their journey?
6. What should (a) sinners (b) believers do to avoid
eternaldeath?
MEMORY VERSE: “So Saul died, and his three sons,

and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day
together” (1 Samuel 31:6).
LESSON: Obedience to God’s word leads to eternal life

while disobedience leads to eternal death.
THOUGHT: I will seek God with all my heart and obey

His commandments so as to have eternal life.
ACTIVITY: Children should mention two people in the

Old Testament and two people in the New Testament
whose lives were preserved and prolonged because they
were obedient to the word of God.
HOMEWORK: Children should write four things they

must do daily to help them continually obey the word of
God.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 205 – HAVE YOU

COUNTED THE COST?
24
CHORUSES: (1) Eternal, eternal life. (2) Because He lives,
I can face tomorrow. (3) Obedience is the very best way
to show that we believe.
DAILY BIBLE READING

WEDNESDAY 1 CHRONICLES 10:13,14
THURSDAY PROVERBS 29:1,2
FRIDAY PROVERBS 11:6-8
SATURDAY PROVERBS 11:17-21
SUNDAY DEUTERONOMY 30:19,20
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Eternal 2. Tragic 3. Arch-enemy
4. Terrified 5. Piercing.
25
LESSON 4
DAVID MOURNS THE

DEATH OF SAUL AND
JONATHAN
2 Samuel 1:1-27
Our study today focuses on how David mourned the

death of Saul and Jonathan his bossom friend. As we
learnt in our previous studies, Saul, the king of Israel
made himself an enemy of David. He hated David
because God had rejected him and chosen David to be
king after him.
Saul was not happy because of this and became very
jealous. He therefore sought to kill David but God did
not allow him to succeed in his evil plan. Meanwhile,
Jonathan the son of Saul was a close friend of David.
They loved one another dearly. Jonathan tried on many
occasions to stop his father from killing David.
Now both Saul and Jonathan died in battle. When
David heard of their death, he became very sorrowful,
mourned for both of them and even wrote a lengthy poetic
song in their honour.
This shows that David was a man with a loving heart.
Today many people are dead in their sins and trespasses.
As believers we must be concerned for the lost souls,
mourn for them and reach out to them with the good
news of Christ’s love.
We shall consider our topic under the following
sub-topics:
26
1. NEWS ABOUT THE DEATH OF SAUL AND
JONATHAN:
2 Samuel 1:1-10; 1 Samuel 31:3-6
David mourns the death of
Saul, the first king of Israel
Saul. died with his sons in war
against the Philistines. He was
a bitter enemy of David. He
made several attempts to kill
David but God always delivered
David. Despite all that Saul did,
David refused to kill Saul even
when he had the opportunity to
do so (1 Samuel 24:10). But at
last, Saul died in war. After he
had been wounded by an
enemy’s arrow, he took his
sword, fell upon it and died.
The Amalekite who came to
tell David about the death of Saul changed the true story
of how Saul died. He lied that he was the one who killed
Saul. He told the lie thinking that he would receive favour
from David because he knew that Saul was David’s enemy.
Instead of getting favour from David, he got death and went
to hell. All liars will be punished by God except they repent.
Never tell lies to attract favour or to please anybody or to
escape temporary punishment. Speak the truth at all times
and let the devil be ashamed.
2. DAVID MOURNS FOR SAUL AND JONATHAN:

2 Samuel 1:11,12,17-27
Despite Saul’s hatred and several attempts to kill David,

when David heard about the death of Saul and Jonathan,
he was very sad. He mourned seriously for Saul and
27
Jonathan, Saul’s son, who was David’s friend. When a
loved one dies, it is always very painful. But when an
enemy dies, many people rejoice. Some people even pray
wrongly that their enemies should die. David was never
like that. He obeyed the Lord’s command that says: “But I
say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, …” (Matthew 5:44).
There are many occasions when people mourned the
death of their loved ones in the Bible: (i) Sarah’s death -
the wife of Abraham (Genesis 23:2). (ii) Jacob’s death
(Ge n esis 50 :3). (iii)
Aaron’s death (Numbers Do not pray
20:29). (iv) Moses’ death that your
enem ies
(Deuteronomy 34:8). (v) should die
Stephen’s death (Acts but pray for
8:2). David mourned for them to
Saul very deeply and repent and
sincerely. He wept and be saved.
lamented greatly and

wished Saul had not
died. David desired that Saul would repent of his evil
ways so he could get to heaven. What is your desire for
sinners who hate and fight with you? Do you want them
to die? No, God is not interested in the death of a sinner
but that they should repent and be saved. Pray for sinners
to repent so that they will not go to hell.
3. BLESSINGS FOR THOSE WHO MOURN FOR

THEIR SINS:
Matthew 5:4; Ezra 10:6; Exodus 33:4; 1 Samuel 16:1;
1 Corinthians 5:1,2
It is not only because of death that people mourn.
When there is sin, it grieves the heart of God and He
does not expect anyone to rejoice at sin. People in Bible
28
days always felt sorry and sorrowful whenever God
pointed out their sins to them. Our Lord Jesus Christ
taught us that only those who mourn for their sins will
be comforted and forgiven. “Blessed are they that
mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Never
joke or laugh at sin because the Bible says: “Fools make
a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour”
(Proverbs 14:9).
Mourning for sin should lead a sinner to sincerely
repent and confess all his sins to God. Then pray for
forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus. Turn
away from all
Be sorry for sin s, ask in g
your sins,
turn away Jesus to be his
from them S aviou r an d
and Jesus Lor d . If you
will forgive
h ave n ot ye t
you.
tak en th ese
Lord am steps, you can
sorry for
d o so n ow.
all my
sin s, Whenever
please people mourn
forgive for their sins
me
and r e pe nt,
God’s favour,
forgiveness, joy
and peace always come into their lives. Examples of
people who mourned for their sins and received
forgiveness and favour from God are: David mourned for
his sin, Daniel for the sins of the children of Israel; those
who listened to the preaching of Peter in Acts 2:37,38
and many others in the Bible. Examine your life, repent
and be free from all sins so that you will be saved from
eternal death.
29
QUESTIONS:
1. (a) How did Saul die? (b) Who told David about the
death of Saul and what did David do to the person?
2. Why do people mourn when somebody they love dies?
3. Mention four cases in the Bible when people

mourned because somebody died.
4. Apart from death, when does God expect people to

mourn? _
5. How should a sinful child mourn for his sins?
MEMORY VERSE: “And David lamented with this

lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son”
(2 Samuel 1:17).
LESSON: Showing sympathy to an enemy is an attribute

of a good Christian.
THOUGHT: I will love my enemies and pray for their

salvation.
ACTIVITY: In the lamentation of David over Saul and

Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1:17-27, mention the good things
David said about Saul and Jonathan. For example, in
verse 19 David called Saul the beauty of Israel.
HOMEWORK: Reproduce and complete the table below

in your homework book.
30
Bible Passage Who Mourned? Reasonfor Mourning
Exodus 33:3,4
Psalm 43:1,2
Proverbs 29:2
Matthew 24:30,31
Esther 4:1-3
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 101 – MY FATHER

KNOWS
CHORUSES: (1) I will love; I will love (2ce). (2) I will never
let the devil win the battle. (3) The Lord knows the way
through the wilderness.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY GENESIS 50:7-10

TUESDAY JOEL 2:12-14
WEDNESDAY JOEL 2:15-17
THURSDAY ESTHER 4:1-3
FRIDAY ESTHER 9:20-22
SATURDAY ACTS 8:1,2
SUNDAY MATTHEW 5:3-5
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Archers 2. Mourn 3. Javelin
4. Lamentation 5. Mock.
31
LESSON 5
DAVID REIGNS OVER

JUDAH AND ISRAEL
2 Samuel 2:1-32; 3:1-39; 4:1-12; 5:1-25
David was the second king of Israel after Saul. He was a

man who loved God with all his heart. His father’s name
was Jesse. He was the youngest of his father’s eight sons.
As a shepherd boy, he showed courage in protecting his
father’s sheep by killing a lion and a bear.
God chose him to succeed Saul, and he was quietly
anointed by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:12,13). He loved and
feared God. He was appreciated by many. He was chosen
to lead the children of Israel to overcome their enemies
and to show Israel how to serve God more perfectly.
Today, God is still looking for boys and girls who will
serve Him and lead others in the way of the Lord.
1. DAVID’S JOURNEY TO THE THRONE:

1 Samuel 16:1-13; Isaiah 55:8-11; Jeremiah 29:11
David was anointed as the king of Israel while he was
a youth. Yet he did not get to the throne till about
twenty years later. The period between when he was
anointed and actual reign was a difficult and
stressful time for him. He faced a lot of challenges
especially from Saul the reigning king at that time.
It was as if the promise of God would not come to
pass in his life. Just like Joseph, although God
revealed to him that he would
32
The plan of God for David to be great in future, he was
be king was fulfilled at last.p er se cute d by his
brothers. At the end, every
reve lation he rece ived
thr ough d re ams was
eventually fulfilled.
After the death of
Saul, it was time for David
to rule and reign on the
throne which God had
prepared and anointed
him for. The experiences
of Bible characters like
Joseph and David should
inspire courage and faith
in friends of Jesus. As we go through life, we must always
remember that God has a good purpose and plan for us.
First, He wants you to be saved, become a friend of
Jesus and live for Christ every day. Do not allow
anything; either self, Satan and society to hinder this
great purpose of God for you. Second, God’s desire is to
make you prosper, great and have eternal life. Trust in
God and hold unto His word, then enjoy all the blessings
prepared for you. Third, it is God’s will and plan that
you’ll get to heaven and reign with Jesus forever and
ever. You have to strive against all odds like David did
so as to reign with Christ.
At an early age, David developed the desire for God
as his spiritual Shepherd. David’s earnest heart desire
to serve God was the primary reason God chose him as
Israel’s next king. You have no excuse not to surrender
your life to Christ even now. Trust your life into the hand
of God. In all ways let Him guide you and His plan for
you will come to pass.
33
2. DAVID’S REIGN AS KING OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL:
2 Samuel 5:1-25
After the death of Saul, the people of Judah came

together and anointed David king at Hebron. Saul’s
attempts to kill
David d id n ot Persecution Yes! David
cannot stop the eventually became
stop him from plan of God for the king over
becoming king. His children. God’s people.
It only prepared
him to be strong
and courageous
to le ad th e
people of God.
Challenges and
difficulties will
n ot k ill God’ s
children, they
will only make
them stronger
and fit for the plan or purpose of God. If you are passing
through any difficult situation, be prayerful; victory will
eventually be yours in Jesus’ Name!
David achieved a lot of things, both before and after
becoming king. (i) He killed a lion and a bear thereby
protecting his father’s sheep. (ii) He killed Goliath and
brought victory for the Israelites over the Philistines. (iii)
He led the people to worship the true God. There was no
trace of idol worship during his reign. (iv) He composed
many songs which were recorded in the book of Psalms.
(v) He fought against many nations and won the victory
for the Lord. (vi) He captured Jerusalem, built it, brought
back the ark into it and transformed the city into the
worship centre and capital of Israel. (vii) Above all, David
34
was a man of prayer. He feared God and always sought
Him for guidance on what to do.
Two of David’s greatest achievements as king are: (a)
his making of Israel into a strong nation. (b) the
establishment of Jerusalem as the true place of worship
of the living God. Spiritually, Jerusalem eventually
became the most important city on earth, the centre of
God’s redemptive plan for the human race. No wonder,
God allowed David to become the great ancestor of Jesus
Christ our Saviour.
3. JESUS – THE KING OF KINGS:

1 Timothy 6:14,15; Revelation 11:15; 17:14; 19:11-16
David reigned over Israel and Judah, but Jesus will
reign over the whole world. Like other kings, David
reigned for only some few
Give your life to Jesus so you years, but Jesus will reign
can reign with Him.
all through eternity forever
and ever. He is coming
back, not to be persecuted
and crucified again, but to
r ule an d re ign as th e
migh ty Con quer or and
King. Who are those that
will reign with Him? Boys
and girls, men and women
who have been washed with
the blood of Jesus and are
living holy lives. Not only
that, they are also busy preaching the gospel and
winning souls for Jesus.
Are you born again? Are you living holy and
righteous? Are you winning souls for Jesus? If your
answer is no, then this is the time to give your life to
35
Jesus and become born again. Realize your sinful state,
ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus.
Let Jesus be your personal Saviour, Lord and King.
Thank Him for saving you. Then you can go tell sinners
about Jesus’ love and power to save. When Jesus comes,
He will take you to heaven to enjoy with Him forever.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did God reject Saul?
2. Identify three important achievements of David as
king
3. What is the difference between David’s kingship and
Christ’s kingship?
4. Who are those that will reign with Jesus at His second
coming? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5. What must sinful boys and girls do in order to reign
with Christ?
MEMORY VERSE: “So all the elders of Israel came to

the king to Hebron; and king David made a league
with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed
David king over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:3).
LESSON: Earthly kings have only few years to reign but

Jesus shall reign forever and ever.
THOUGHT: I will give my life to Jesus and live a holy

life so that I can reign with Him.
ACTIVITY: Read Matthew 1:6-16 and prepare a

genealogical table to show that David was an ancestor
of Jesus.
36
Sample: DAVID
HOMEWORK: Write in your homework book the

difference between earthly kings and Jesus Christ the
King of kings.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 212 – JESUS SHALL

REIGN WHERE’ER THE SUN
CHORUSES: (1) Jesus shall reign forever more, He shall

reign forever. (2) Messiah is the King of kings. (3) He is
the King of kings, He is the Lord of lords, His Name is
Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 1 SAMUEL 16:1-3

TUESDAY 1 SAMUEL 16:10-13
WEDNESDAY JEREMIAH 23:5,6
THURSDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 15:23-25
FRIDAY 2 TIMOTHY 2:10-12
SATURDAY REVELATION 5:9,10
SUNDAY REVELATION 22:3-5
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Succeed 2. Throne 3. Conqueror
4. Courage 5. Achievement.
37
LESSON 6
TESTIMONIAL OF THE
POWER OF THE GOSPEL
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Testimonial simply means a written record about a

person. For example, pupils in a particular school will
receive a testimonial of their stay and activities in their
school before they can go to the next level of education.
In our text today, Paul recorded the positive changes in
the lives of Thessalonian Christians as the source of his
joy and gives thanks to God on their behalf.
We should always give thanks to God because all
the good things of life flow from Him (James 1:17). In
our text, Paul gives thanks to God for the Thessalonians
who received the gospel and have remained steadfast in
faith.
The topic is divided into three parts:
1. WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

John 3:14-18
The gospel is the good news of God’s love to all
mankind. It is the story of how God sent His only begotten
Son to the world to die and reconcile the sinful world to
God. The penalty for the sin of mankind which Adam
and Eve brought upon us at Eden is eternal separation
from God, that is, suffering in hell fire forever. But
because of God’s great love for mankind, He made a way
to bring back man to Himself. He sent Jesus, His sinless
38
and only
begotten Son
to be ar th e
punishment
which is the
price for our
sins.
Jesus was
crucified. He
suffered, she
His blood and
died on the cross but rose again. Faith in His atoning
blood cleanses us from all sins so that we can receive
forgiveness from God. However, the sinner who refuses
to repent and forsake his sins will go to hell fire when
he dies.
2. THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL:

1 Thessalonians 1:1-6; Romans 1:16
There is no doubt that the gospel of Christ is powerful.
The book of the Acts of the apostles from chapter 2 to the
end, is a record of the demonstration of the power of the
gospel in the early church. Paul describes the gospel as
the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). The Holy
Ghost power which came upon 120 believers at
Pentecost, is the source of the great things that were
recorded in the Acts of Apostles. For example:
- Conversion of sinners to saints (Acts 2:37; 9:1-6).
- Preaching with power and boldness by formerly
fearful disciples (Acts 2:14,37).
- Miracles of healing, casting out devils, raising the
dead (Acts 8:7; 9:34,37-41).
- Miraculous deliverance (Acts 12:11; 16:25-30).
- Enduring severe persecutions (Acts 7:60).
39
- Revealing the intention of the heart (Acts 5:3,4).
- Great success in ministry (Acts 8:6-8).
There is power in the word of God. However, many
Go ye into all the world, and preach the
children talk,
gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). play and even
r un ab ou t
when the word
of God is being
tau ght. A s a
r esult, th e
wor d has no
positive effect
upon their lives (Romans 10:17). They never listen to or
pay attention to the gospel.
Therefore, they keep doing bad things which they
confess every time the altar call is made. If you are one
of them, repent today and give your life to Jesus. Accept
that you are a sinner. Tell the Lord you are sorry and
promise not to do bad things again. Ask God to forgive
you and cleanse your heart with the blood of Jesus. Invite
Jesus into your heart as your Saviour and Lord. Believe
that you are saved. The power of the gospel will start to
work in your life and make you free from sin.
3. THE POW ER OF THE GO S P EL IN THE

THESSALONIAN CHURCH:
Paul testified about the influence of the gospel
upon the Thessalonian church:(i) They heard the
gospel message, received it cheerfully, believed it
whole heartedly and obeyed it. This resulted in
their repentance and change of life style
(2 Corinthians 5:17).
40
(ii) They observed how Paul and his companions
preached and lived a holy life and thus, became their
followers (1 Thessalonians 1:6). Not only by living a
holy life but also in their willingness to endure
suffering and persecution.
(iii) Their Christian life shone so
The power of the b righ tly th at th e y be came
gospel saves from all
sins. Believe the
examples to many others who in
gospel and you will be tur n b e lie ve d the gospe l (1
sav ed. Thessalonians 1:7).
(iv) Their faith was so strong that
they turned from their idols and
gave themselves to the true and
living God an d d evote d
themselves to His service.
(v) Through their ‘labour of
love’ especially their zeal for
evangelism, many people beyond
Macedonia and Achaia believed
the gospel (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
The gospel did many great things in the lives of the
Thessalonians. How about you? Has the power of the
gospel affected your life? Are you born again and serving
the Lord Jesus? Can others see Jesus in you? The Holy
Spirit power that transformed the lives of the early
christians is still at work today. Pray that He will come
into your life and work wonders in you too. Rise up and
pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is a testimonial?
2. We should always give thanks to God. True/False?
3. The gospel is the good news of God’s love to all
mankind. True/False?
41
4. Mention 4 things that the power of the gospel can do
in people’s lives
5. Why is this power lacking in the lives of sinful

children?
6. What can sinners do to have their lives transformed?
MEMORY VERSE: “For our gospel came not unto you

in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
LESSON: Obedience to the gospel message transforms

sinners to saints.
THOUGHT: I will obey the gospel to have my life

transformed.
ACTIVITY: Mention two things that you are doing for

the Lord which show that you are now a new creature
(personal).
HOMEWORK: Search the book of Acts of the Apostles

and give one example each of occasion when these
occurred: (i) Preaching with power and boldness.
(ii) Miraculous healing (iii) Severe persecution.
Preach to a sinful child during the week.
CONGREGAT IO NAL S ONG GH S: 1 5 8 – COME

BELIEVING
42
CHORUSES: (1) I will praise God in my heart always. (2)
Jesus loves me, He died for me. (3) There is power mighty
in the blood.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY MARK 16:15-17

TUESDAY MARK 16:18-20
WEDNESDAY JOHN 12:44-46
THURSDAY JOHN 1:10-13
FRIDAY JOHN 3:12-15
SATURDAY JOHN 3:16-17
SUNDAY ROMANS 1:15-17
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Transformation 2. Persecution 3. Zeal
4. Testimonial 5. Power.
43
LESSON 7
EXEMPLARY CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP
Many people in the society think that a Christian is

someone who bears a Christian name, attends church
or comes from a ‘Christian home’.
The name you bear does not make you a Christian
and Christianity is not hereditary. A Christian is
someone who believes in Jesus Christ and has been
saved from sin and its punishment (Acts 16:30,31). A
Christian has the character of Christ. He or she lives and
behaves like Christ, and also has an exemplary life that
affects his society in a positive way.
The study is divided into three parts:
1. DESCRIPTION OF A CHRISTIAN:
Acts 11:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10
A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ the Messiah
and Saviour of the world. The New Testament believers
were first called Christians in Antioch because their
behaviour, activities and speech were Christlike. The
lifestyle and behaviour of a Christian must be Christlike.
To be like Christ, an individual must first receive Him
as Lord and Saviour. All have sinned and come short of
the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But, Christ came into
the world to take away our sins so that we can become
sinless like Him. To become like Christ, a child must:
- Realize his sinful state and his need for a Saviour
(Romans 3:23).
- Repentofallsinsand confesssuchsinstoGod(Mark1:15).
44
Christians are the followers of Jesus
Christ the Saviour of the world.
- Request for forgiveness and cleansing of his heart

with the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:8,9).
- Receive Jesus into his heart as Lord and Saviour
(Revelation 3:20).
- Rejoice that he is now a Christian and a child of God
(John 1:12).
This step marks the beginning of the Christian life.
If you have taken this step, you must continue to grow
each day as you pray, read your Bible, obey its
instructions, attend fellowship regularly, preach the
gospel to sinners and more importantly live an
exemplary life for all to see (Matthew 5:16).
2. CALL TO BE AN EXAMPLE:
Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Timothy 4:11,12; Titus 2:6-8
The world is in need of exemplary people to shine
forth the light of God in the midst of a corrupt and dark
society. The word of God commands Christians to be
good examples in everything. For the gospel that we
believe and preach to be effective, we must live out the
word for all to see. An exemplary lifestyle will qualify
you to become a leader in the church and nation. The
school authorities always consider the character of a
child before he/she is chosen to be a head boy/girl, class
captain or prefect. To lead other children in the right
way, you must be a good example.
45
Timothy was called
Timothy was an example of a Christian in
into the ministry as an
everything. God wants friends of Jesus to
be good examples.
evangelist and pastor at
a very young age. He was
an example of a believer
in word, conversation
and character. He lived
according to the word of
God which his mother
and grandmother taught
him. In order to offer
TIMOTHY acceptable service to God
and also be useful in the
society, you must possess exemplary character.
Therefore, you must strive to be a good example.
3. MARKS OF EXEMPLARY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP:

1 Thessalonians 2:1-20; 1 Timothy 3:1,2;
Colossians 3:12-17
Example means a model, an image, ideal or a pattern.
A good dressmaker will always take the measurement
of his client and build it into a pattern. Every quality he
wants to achieve in the dress is built into the design on
the pattern. After this, the pattern will be placed on the
material before cutting and sewing. The dress will then
fit perfectly on the wearer. If the dressmaker ignores any
of the details in the drafting of the pattern, he will not
be able to achieve a perfect garment.
As Christians our lives are in the hand of God the
Great Designer. If you allow Him to work on every area
of your life, you will become a perfect Christian and an
example for others to follow. The life of Paul is an example
to every Christian. Because of his pure and holy life, he
was bold to tell others to follow his example. You must
also be an example in word, conversation, character and
conduct so as to influence others for Christ.
46
Put on the following characteristics so that you can
be a good example:
Endurance, willingness to endure suffering for Christ’s
sake.
X-ray your life daily with the word of God. Let the Bible
be your mirror.
Availability for God’s service and abiding in the word.
Meekness and lowliness of Turn away from your sins and give
heart. Considering others your life to Jesus so that you can
become an example of a Christian.
first.
Perfect, holy and blameless
in character.
Lovin g, labou r in g an d
caring for others like a
nurse who cares for his/
her patient.
Encouraging and
consoling others.
Paul was a worthy example of a Christian leader. You
can become the Paul of your own generation. Be a good
example to your siblings and older ones, your peers,
classmates and fellow believers. God will bless and
promote you.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who is a Christian?
2. Christians are called to be _
3. What are the marks of an exemplary Christian leader?
4. What steps should a sinner take to become a

Christian?
MEMORY VERSE: “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how

holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves
among you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
47
LESSON: An exemplary lifestyle will always achieve
positive results.
THOUGHT: I will be a good example for others to

follow.
ACTIVITY: Search the Bible and write out the names of

two people in the Old Testament and two in the New
Testament who were exemplary leaders. Write the Bible
passages.
HOMEWORK: Be a good example in your community.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 49 – LET OTHERS

SEE JESUS IN YOU
CHORUSES: (1) I want to be a good child all the time.

(2) Give me oil in my lamp. (3) Arise and shine and give
God the glory.
DAILY BIBLE READING

MONDAY 1 TIMOTHY 4:11-13
TUESDAY MATTHEW 5:13-16
WEDNESDAY TITUS 2:1-5
THURSDAY TITUS 2:6-8
FRIDAY TITUS 2:9-12
SATURDAY 1 TIMOTHY 3:1-4
SUNDAY 1 TIMOTHY 3:8-10
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Exemplary 2. Corrupt 3. Ministry
4. Blameless 5. Model.
48
LESSON 8
CONCERN FOR
BELIEVERS’ SPIRITUAL
GROWTH
There are certain things that you could not do at all or

were not able to do well when you were a toddler, but
now that you are older you can do them very well. Things
like reading, writing, cleaning up yourself, putting on
your shoes and clothes without help, taking something
from a high shelf or the top of the refrigerator without
standing on something. This shows that you are growing.
Everybody grows physically, mentally and in many other
areas. Only true friends of Jesus can grow spiritually,
because they are born again. They are born of the Spirit
of God. After the initial physical birth from their mother’s
womb, they now have a second birth which is spiritual.
Are you born again? It is only those who are born again
that will live in heaven with Jesus (John 3:3-7).
Parents are concerned about the growth of their
children. In our text today, Paul the Apostle showed his
concern for the spiritual growth of the believers in
Thessalonica. Our heavenly Father and spiritual leaders
in the church are concerned about our spiritual growth.
What are the signs of spiritual growth and what must we
do as believers to grow spiritually?
We are looking at three points:
49
1. CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS’ SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
2 Peter 1:5-9; 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2
Believers or friends of Jesus are children who have
repented of their sinful lives and received Christ as their
personal Lord and Saviour. They are no longer living
the old life of sin: lying, stealing, abusing, cursing,
fighting, cheating etc,. However, the believer should not
stop at confessing Christ as Lord and Saviour but strive
to con tin u e to grow in
“As newborn Christian character and let
babes, desire others see his godly behaviour.
the sincere If you are saved, go ahead and
milk of the do all your restitutions, press
word, that ye on in prayer to get sanctified
may grow and baptized in the Holy Spirit.
thereby:” When you grow spiritually, the
(1 Peter 2:2) fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy,
P eace , G e ntlen e ss will b e
manifested and there will be
fruitfulness in soul winning.
2. BIBLE EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED

SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
1 Thessalonians 3:2,3; Hebrews 12:1-3
The Holy Bible has records of many people that knew
God and grew in their experience. They are examples
for us today.
i. Samuel. 1 Samuel 2:26 – He had favour with God, that
was a sign of spiritual growth. His life made God happy.
ii. John the Baptist. Luke 1:80 – He waxed strong in
spirit and was able to carry out his God-given
assignment.
iii. Paul the Apostle. Acts 9:22 – After his conversion,
50
h e incre ase d in Bible examples of spiritual
growth.
spiritual strength and *S AMUE L
was able to convince the *JOHN THE
Jews in Damascus that BAPTIST
Jesus is the Christ. *BEREAN
CHRISTIANS
iv. Berean Christians. *PETER AND
Acts 17:10-12 – They THE
DISCIPLES
were noble men and
women who heard the
gospel, believed it and
searched the scriptures
daily to know more.
v. The be lie ver s in
Thessalonica.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 –
They increased in their
love towar ds on e
another.
Peter and other disciples of Christ grew in the
knowledge of God and His word and also preached the
gospel boldly after they had been baptized with the Holy
Ghost, and many souls were won to Christ.
3. INGREDIENTS FOR BELIEVERS’ SPIRITUAL

GROWTH:
1 Thessalonians 3:6-13; 1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 1:1-3
A. The Holy Bible: The food we eat makes us to grow
physically. The food for spiritual growth is the word
of God.
i. Read the word of God daily, don’t skip your quiet
time, especially during your school examination
period.
ii. Memorize it (Psalm 119:11; Colossians 3:16a)
iii. Listen to the preaching of the word of God
51
iv. Believe the word of God
v. Obey the word of God – James 1:22
B. Prayerfulness (Psalm 5:3): Take time to pray during
your quiet time and after listening to the word of God.
It is through prayer that we receive the grace to obey
the word of God (Hebrews 4:16). Talk to God about
everything that bothers you.
C. Fellowship: Attend fellowship regularly. Be there on
time, be attentive, concentrate and participate
effectively in all the fellowship activities (Hebrews 10:25).
D. Preach the gospel in obedience to Christ’s command
(Mark 16:15). Don’t wait for a better time, it is now.
Tell others how you got saved and they too will be
saved as you lead them to Christ.
E. Keep away from bad boys and girls and make friends
of God’s children. When there is spiritual growth,
there will be love for
God, obedience to
Ingredients for the word of God
spiritual growth and holy living.
are:
There will be no
The word of backsliding; our
God, chu rch will
increase; the
Prayerfulness believe r will b e
Fellowship able to enter
heaven at last to
Evangelism. receive great
rewards. Sinners
and backsliders cannot grow spiritually and heaven is
not for them either. If you are still living in sin or have
backslidden, repent now. Confess your sins to God, ask
for cleansing in the blood of Jesus and believe that God
52
has saved you (1 John 1:9). Now, you are born spiritually
and must grow spiritually. Rise up to pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. From our text, who was concerned about the growth
of believers?
2. Who are believers?
3. Mention five ingredients necessary for spiritual
growth
4. Mention three examples of Bible saints who
experienced spiritual growth
5. Are you growing spiritually? _ _ _
MEMORY VERSE: “For now we live, if ye stand fast

in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8).
LESSON: I will read my Bible and pray every day in order

to grow spiritually.
THOUGHT: Feeding daily on God’s word is a must for

my spiritual growth.
ACTIVITY: Children are to discuss and write out five

things they must do daily in order to grow spiritually.
HOMEWORK: Examine yourself to know the area where

you are spiritually deficient. Pray for grace to grow
spiritually.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 52 – COUNT ME
CHORUSES: (1) Give me grace to follow. (2) Move on,

move on don’t be tired. (3) Give me oil in my lamp.
53
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 2 PETER 1:5-7

TUESDAY 2 PETER 1:8-10
WEDNESDAY 2 PETER 1:16-18
THURSDAY EPHESIANS 4:11-13
SATURDAY PSALM 119:9-11
SUNDAY PSALM 1:1-3
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Concern 2. Diligence 3. Virtue
4. Physical 5. Confound.
54
LESSON 9
CALL TO HOLINESS
A piece of white cloth is pure and clean, but if a drop of

oil touches it, it loses its pureness and becomes impure.
The life of a Christian is like a transparent glass before
God. If there is a ‘little sin’, God sees it and the christian
becomes unfit to stand before Him. Holiness means
having a pure and clean heart like that of Jesus. It also
means to have a heart that is completely free from sin
and be set apart for God’s use. Holiness is a gift of God
for born again children.
Other terms used for holiness in the Bible are:
sanctification, righteousness, pure heart, circumcision
of heart and perfection. A child that is holy is gentle,
truthful, and pure in heart and character. Holiness is
the nature of God and every true friend of Jesus must
possess it.
1. CALL TO HOLINESS:
1 Thessalonians 4:1-7; 1 Peter 1:15,16;
Leviticus 11:44,45
The call to be holy is a command directly from God
to His children. Right from the time of creation, God
demands that man (every human being) should be holy
as He is Holy. These are some of the reasons why all the
children of God must be holy:
55
a) Holiness is the nature and character of God, therefore
anyone who desires to serve and obey Him must be
holy (1 Thessalonians 4:7; Leviticus 11:44).
b) It is the will of God for all His children to be sanctified
and made holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
c) Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sanctification
by dying on the cross (John 17:19; Hebrews 10:10;
13:12).
d) Jesus specifically prayed for our sanctification
(John 17:17). “...Because it is written, Be ye
e) It is the only means by holy; for I am holy”
which we can b e (1 Peter 1:15,16).
qualifie d for God’ s

ser vice an d b e
prepared unto every
good work (2 Timothy
2:21).
f) Holiness makes a
believer fit for heaven
(Hebrews 12:14).
The r efore , it is
important for every saved
child to be sanctified. As
a Christian, you must
have a strong desire to be
holy. Then pray in faith for the experience and wait
patiently to receive. This is called the second work of
grace. Sanctification is not for sinful children. If you
are not yet born again, you must first repent, confess
your sins and ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the
blood of Jesus.
56
2. BIBLE EXAMPLES OF HOLY LIVING:
1 Thessalonians1:4-9;1 Peter2:21-24;1 Timothy4:12-15
There were many saints in the Bible who walked with
God in holiness and righteousness. The letters in the
word ‘HOLINESS’ clearly spell out their names.
Hezekiah – He was a king who ruled at a time when
Israel had gone into idolatry. Hezekiah
proved that it is possible to be righteous
in the midst of a corrupt society. He
removed idolatry, repaired the temple,
restored true worship and observance of
the Passover (2 Kings 18:1-3).
Obed-edom - Received the ark of God into his house.
The ark of God signified the presence of
God. He received the ark in obedience to
king David’s command. He was richly
blessed and all his household (2 Samuel
6:10-12).
Luke - He was a beloved physician (doctor) and a
loyal, committed co-worker with Apostle
Paul. He was with the apostle throughout his
imprisonment. He wrote the gospel of Luke
and Acts of the Apostles (Colossians 4:14;
Philemon verse 24; 2 Timothy 4:11).
Isaiah - Saw the glory of God, his tongue and heart
were purged with live coals from the
presence of God and he never remained
the same. He was made holy and fit to go
for the Lord (Isaiah 6:1-7).
Nehemiah - He as a captive in a strange land. His
righteous life made him to stand out. His
righteous stand and concern for God’s
57
house made him to be used by God in the
rebuilding of the temple (Nehemiah 1:1-4).
Esther - She was a These are some examples of people
young in the bible who lived holily.
girl in a Samuel Esther
strange
land and
w a s
found to
be a
virgin,
pure and
holy. She
became a
queen
and an
instrument
for the
Luke Stephen
deliverance
of her
people (Esther 2:15-18).
Stephen - A man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.
He was righteous and also a preacher of
righteousness. No wonder Christ stood up
from His throne to receive him into heaven.
Samuel - He was born at a time when there was
much moral decay in Israel. He wore a
lin en eph od signifying pu rity and
separation unto God. He served God from
his childhood till old age without involving
himself with the corruption of his days. The
children of Israel testified that Samuel was
blameless (1 Samuel 2:18,26).
58
In this end time, when These are some of the
the r e is so much characteristics of a holy life.
luk e war mn e ss, will you
stand for Christ? This is why
you are called to be holy, so
that like these saints, you
will be able to stand and
serve God acceptably.
3. CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMILITY
A HOLY LIFE: OBEDIENCE
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 LOVE
A tree is known by its INTEGRITY
fruits. A child who is holy NEW LIFE
EXEMPLARY
will show it in her speech,
SOBERNESS
action , activities,
SEPARATION FROM
association and lifestyle. THE WORLD
The characteristics of a holy
life are:
Humility and lowliness of life (James 4:10).
Obedience to God’s word, ways and will (Exodus 24:7).
Love for God, His word, fellow brethren, your neighbour,
sinners and even your enemies (Matthew 22:37-40).
Integrity and truthfulness at all times.
Newness of life that is without blemish (2 Corinthians
5:17). Exemplary behaviour
(1 Timothy 4:12).
Soberness and watchfulness.
Separation from the world and all its influences
(Romans 12:1).
Are you a holy child? If yes, these characteristics must
be found in your life. God’s express command is
that we should be holy in every aspect of our lives.
Therefore, you must be holy!
59
QUESTIONS:
1. Define holiness _
2. State three reasons for God’s call for us to be holy
3. Mention five examples from the Bible of saints who

served God in holiness
4. List 8 characteristics of holiness.
5. How can (a) a sinful child (b) a saved child - be made
holy?
MEMORY VERSE: “For God hath not called us

unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1
Thessalonians 4:7).
LESSON: The holiness experience is a must for all

heaven-bound Christians.
THOUGHT: I will live in holiness and righteousness all

the days of my life.
ACTIVITY: Read the following Bible passages. Identify the

names of the people that lived holy. Fit in those names into
the puzzles below 2 Kings 18:1-3; 2 Samuel 6:10-12; 2
Timothy 4:11; Isaiah 6:1-7; Nehemiah 1:1-4; Esther
2:15- 18; A cts 6:8 ; 1 Samu el 2:1 8 ,2 6
60
HOMEWORK: Take time to pray for the sanctification
(holiness) experience.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 190 – “CALLED UNTO

HOLINESS”
CHORUSES: (1) Holiness, holiness, the kingdom of God

is holy. (2) Lord, I want to be like Jesus inner my heart.
(3) Keep me true Lord Jesus keep me true.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY JOHN 17:14-17

TUESDAY JOHN 17:18-20
WEDNESDAY EPHESIANS 5:25-27
THURSDAY LEVITICUS 11:44,45
FRIDAY 1 PETER 1:14-16
SATURDAY 1 THESSALONIANS 5:22-24
SUNDAY HEBREWS 12:12-14
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Transparent 2. Circumcision 3. Loyal
4. Moral 5. Ephod.
61
LESSON 10
RAPTURE OF
THE SAINTS
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11
The Bible passages we are studying here contain

messages of hope and comfort for believers. During his
gospel ministry with the church at Thessalonica, Apostle
Paul had taught them about the end-time events and
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, after many
years, some of the believers died and the church was
going through serious persecution. This situation made
the believers to be sad. They thought that those who had
died have missed the Lord’s return and that the great
tribulation had started.
This was what prompted the Apostle to write this letter
to encourage the Thessalonian believers and present
day believers to prepare for the coming of the Lord. A
day in the sight of the Lord is like a thousand years and
also a thousand years is like a day (2 Peter 3:8). The
second coming of Christ is certain! Jesus can come any
moment from now. This study should make us to be
watchful and be prepared so as not to miss the rapture.
1. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS COMING:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11,12;
Acts 1:9-11
The word “rapture” means “catch away or catch up”.
This event refers to the catching up of the church (believers)
62
from the earth to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air. It will
involve only the faithful and holy friends of Jesus.
The rapture is sure and it will happen suddenly. No
one knows the time, not even the angels in heaven. It is
only God that knows when the rapture will take place.
Jesus spoke extensively about it, the apostles expected
it and taught the church to be prepared for it. There are
some events in the Bible that confirm the certainty of
the rapture of the saints.
Enoch and Elijah; two holy men of God, did not taste
death but were caught up in the air to heaven. Also, our
The rapture is the Lord Jesus Christ
catching away of
all friends of Jesus
died, was buried and
to meet Him in the resurrected the third
sky.
day. While He talked
with His disciples on
mou n t O livet, H e
asce nd e d into
h eaven and th e
cloud received Him
out of their sight. Two
angels stood by the
disciples and told
them that “this same Jesus, who is taken up from you
into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have
seen Him go into heaven”.
All the signs that Jesus told His disciples in Matthew
24 that will happen on earth shortly before His second
coming are all being fulfilled. Knowing fully well that
the rapture will take place unannounced and at any
time from now, sinful boys and girls must make haste to
repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and
Friend. Friends of Jesus should be watchful and vigilant so as
to go with Him in the rapture. To be ready we must: (i) Read,
63
meditate on and obey the word of God daily. (ii) Be separate
from the world and its attractions. (iii) Abstain from all
appearances of evil. (iv) Be sober and endure in faith till the
end. (v) Preach the gospel to sinful children around us.
2. CONCRETE EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR AT THE

RAPTURE:
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54
The following are the sequence or order of events to
herald the rapture of the saints:
i) The Lord Jesus Himself will physically descend from
heaven and appear in the sky with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trump of God.
The sounding of the trumpet is to summon or call
up the saints both dead and alive. Sinners will not
hear the trumpet sound.
ii) Those who died in Christ will rise up first – their
physical bodies will come out of the graves, seas and
wherever they were buried and be united with their
souls and spirits.
iii) At the same time, living believers will be transfigured
in a twinkle of an eye. They will receive new bodies.
iv) Both the resurrected believers and the transfigured
believers will be caught
At the
rapture, up together to meet Christ
Jesus will in the air.
appear in the
sky. The dead v) The y will all be
shall rise
again,both
united with Christ and
resurrected taken to heaven.
saints and
living
V er y soon th e
believers will trumpet shall sound, and
be caught up
to meet Jesus
friends of Jesus will be
in the sky. tak en away fr om all
distre ss, persecution,
64
oppression and from the entire realm of sin and death.
This blessed promise that our Saviour will soon return
to take us out of the world to be with Him is a blessed
hope and a major source of comfort for believers today.
Are you a believer or a sinner? Beware, lest the
coming of the Lord meet you unprepared.
3. CONSTANT PREPARATION AND READINESS FOR

CHRIST’S RETURN:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 24:42-44
The time or actual date for the coming of the Lord is
unknown. The Bible warns that the day would come just
like a thief in the night. In the light of this, it is very
important and necessary for wise children to be prepared
Lord Jesus, help me to be
and ready for His coming. Our
prayerful, watchful and preparation must not be a
obedient to your word as I
wait for the rapture...
seasonal or momentary one, it
should be constant. That is
why we are encouraged to be
watchful. A person that is
going on an important journey
will not sleep off. He will be
awake and alert if he does not
want to miss his/her flight.
The eternal flight is about to
take off; therefore, sinners
must repent, ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the
blood of Jesus, forsake all sins, strive to be holy and live
for Jesus every day so as not to miss the flight.
Secondly, saved boys and girls must stay awake and
be watchful, be sober, have self-control, separate from
worldly influence, be alert so as to hear the trumpet
sound. All these can be achieved through constant
reading and meditation on the word of God, praying
65
without ceasing, living in holiness and righteousness
every day.
As you wait for the rapture, warn sinners of the danger
of hell and comfort one another with the hope of seeing
Jesus face to face.
QUESTIONS:
1. What does rapture mean?
2. Mention three important things that will happen
during the rapture
3. The rapture will certainly take place. Yes/No?
4. Identify three events that confirm the certainty of
the rapture
5. What should (a) Sinners (b) Friends of Jesus - do to
prepare for the rapture?
MEMORY VERSE: “For the Lord himself shall descend

from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead
in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
LESSON: The rapture is certain and it will occur at an

unexpected time.
THOUGHT: I will be ready at all times in order to go

with Jesus at the rapture.
ACTIVITY: Teachers and children should spend time

to reflect on how prepared they are for the rapture. Pray
and be ready.
66
HOMEWORK: Pray every night before you sleep that
God will prepare you for the rapture.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 172 – WHEN THE

ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER
CHORUSES: (1) I’m going higher, yes I am. (2) When you
come to collect your people. (3) Will you be ready when
the Lord shall come?
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY TITUS 2:11-13

TUESDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50-52
WEDNESDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 15:53-57
THURSDAY MATTHEW 24:3-5
FRIDAY MATTHEW 24:6-8
SATURDAY ISAIAH 13:6-9
SUNDAY 2 KINGS 2:9-12
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Rapture 2. Watchful 3. Tribulation
4. Faithfulness 5. Events.
67
LESSON 11
LOVE AND UNITY IN

THE CHURCH
John 13:34,35; I John 4:7-12,16-21; Psalm 133:1-3
God is love. To truly love is to have the character and

nature of God. God wants this attribute to be in the
Church, that is, among His children. Love is kind,
caring, gentle and does not seek its own. It is this nature
of God that truly brings unity, oneness and togetherness
in the Church. Jesus said: “By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”
(John 13:35).
This study is divided into two parts.
1. LOVE AND UNITY IN THE CHURCH:

I John 4:7-12; Psalm 133:1-3
Love is the evidence of true salvation. You cannot
say that you are a friend of Jesus if the love of God is not
in you. Love is the true foundation upon which the
Church is built. It was because of the love that God has
for us that made Jesus to die on the cross to save us
from sin (John 3:16).
Love means showing deep affection to other people.
You will do unto others the way you want others to do
unto you. Unity means togetherness or oneness. It also
means doing things and fellowshipping together without
quarrelling. Love and unity are two important things
that make the Church to stand strong. Love and unity
in the Church bring the following: (1) Glory and joy to
68
God and Jesus Christ, the Head ofthe Church.
(2) Conversion of souls. (3) Quick
God is love. So if you answersto individual
say that you are a and group prayers.
friend of Jesus and the
love of God is not in (4) Signs, wonders
you, you are a liar and miracles will
(1 John 4:8,11).
be daily experienced
in the Church.
(5 ) Th e r e will be
no lack among the
members. (6) There
will be spiritual
growth. (7) Satan
will not be able to hurt members of the Church.
Jesus prayed for love and unity among His friends
before He went to heaven. As a friend of Jesus, you must
not cause division in the Church by your behaviour. If
you are one of the children misbehaving, causing quarrel
between your parents and the leaders of the Church,
Jesus is calling you to turn away from your bad ways.
Make Jesus your true Friend today. Then you will have
grace to fellowship with others in true love and unity.
2. HOW TO SHOW LOVE AND UNITY IN THE CHURCH:

I John 4:7-12,16-21
Love and unity are the foundation of the Christian
fellowship. Believers in the Church must be a united
body living together in the love of God. Friends of Jesus
can show love to one another by caring for each other,
sharing one another’s problems, showing concern to
those who are in trouble, visiting and praying for those
who are sick, and sharing with those who are in need.
Believers must be one in all things. There must not be
division or fighting among friends of Jesus. You need
69
the grace of God to live the life that brings about love
and unity. You must
Joe, I sympathise with you. b e mee k, hu mble
Jesus knows what your
My mother mummy has been doing to
and unselfish. All
beat me
because I went
you. He will change your these qualities will
mummy’s heart someday
to Church. Cheer up, because Jesus bring about unity
loves you.
and love in th e
Church. To be meek
is to put aside your
own interest in order
to h elp othe r
children.
Unity an d
love are so important
in the Church that all
boys and girls who
are born again must
do everythin g
possible to live in love and be united one with
another. QUESTIONS
1. Define ‘love’ and ‘unity’. _ ___ ___ ____ ___ __
2. Why is love important in the Church?
3. What is Jesus’ prayer for the Church?
4. Give reasons why friends of Jesus must be united. __
5. What must a child do to love others according to Jesus’

prayer?
MEMORY VERSE: “By this shall all men know that

ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”
(John 13:35).
LESSON: Jesus wants all believers to live in love and
unity.
70
THOUGHT: I will love other believers and be united with
them.
ACTIVITY: Children are to discuss the various practical

ways they can show love and unity in the Church.
HOMEWORK: Children are to search the Scriptures and

write out how the early believers showed love and unity
in the Church.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 75 -

THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION.
CHORUSES: (1) Let there be love shared among us

(2) Give me love for my brethren. (3) We are heirs of
the Father.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3

TUESDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
THURSDAY JOHN 15:12-14
FRIDAY 1 THESSALONIANS 3:11-13
SUNDAY COLOSSIANS 2:1-3
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

Find the meanings of these words. You can use your
dictionary. 1. Foundation 2. Affection 3. Unity
4. Attribute 5. Individual.
71
LESSON 12
SERVING ONE ANOTHER

IN LOVE
Romans 12:9-13; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
Jesus our perfect example lived a life of love, humility

and service to mankind. He left His throne in heaven to
die for the sins of the whole world. God gave Him to us
freely because of His perfect love for us. As disciples of
Jesus, we are expected to live a life of sacrifice, service
and love for one another, be hospitable and hardworking.
When we do these, we shall be known as true friends of
Jesusand we mayentertainangelsunawares(Hebrews13:2).
Our topic is divided into three parts:
1. JESUS’ COMMAND TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER:

Romans 12:9-13; Matthew 20:27; 23:11; Mark 10:44;
John 13:15;
It is our duty as friends of Jesus to serve one
another in love. Jesus, who is
Jesus washed His our perfect example
disciples’ feet. washed His disciples’
feet. To be like Jesus,
we need to put others
first in all that we do.
We must not b e
selfish. By doing this,
we are following the
steps of our Master
72
and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus said to His friends: “A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-
35).
2. SERVING OTHERS IN LOVE:

1 Corinthians 13:1-8; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew
19:19; Ephesians 4:1,2
We are commanded to love our neighbours as
ourselves. If we love others, they will love us as well.
Our service to one another must be loving, practical,
real, sacrificial and tender, not just in words but in
actions. O God I
pray that In Jesus’ name!
You are to you will
show love, be heal her
by the Amen
kind and give power in
freely to meet the
blood.. of
th e ne eds of Jesus.
those who do
n ot h ave ,
especially
those who are
child r en of
God. Pray for
others and do to others what you want them to do to
you.
3. BENEFITS OF SERVING OTHERS IN LOVE:

A lot of blessings await those who obey Jesus by loving
others. Jesus will be happy with you; you will live with
God in heaven and receive crowns with stars. Your
prayers will be answered and you will be successful in
73
your examinations. Many souls will be won for Christ
and we shall get to heaven and see Jesus at the end.
Before a sinful child
Come to can serve others in love:
Jesus today (i) he must first accept that
and turn
away from he is a sinner, (ii) come to
your sins. Jesus and confess his sins
Begin to of lying, stealing, fighting
serve
others in and backbiting, (iii) tell
love. Then Jesus that he is sorry for his
God will
bad behaviour, (iv) ask God
bless you.
to forgive and wash him in
the blood of Jesus. (v) Lastly invite Jesus into his heart
as Lord and Saviour.
Rise up and pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the meaning of serving one another in love?
2. Who is our Perfect Example?

3. Can a sinful child serve others in love? _
4. What must he do before he can serve others?
MEMORY VERSE: “Be kindly affectioned one to

another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one
another” (Romans 12:10).
LESSON: Serving others in love is a command from

Jesus.
THOUGHT: I will serve others in love.
ACTIVITY: Children should write ten things they will

do for others in their house fellowship.
74
HOMEWORK: Visit those who do not come to church
regularly or have stopped coming to church.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 84 – DEEPER,

DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
CHORUSES: (1) I will love, I will love. (2) God must be

honoured. (3) His banner over us is love.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY JOHN 13:34,35

TUESDAY 1 JOHN 3:13-15
WEDNESDAY 1 JOHN 3:16-18
THURSDAY PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4
FRIDAY HEBREWS 13:1-3
SATURDAY 1 JOHN 4:7-10
SUNDAY 1 JOHN 4:11-15
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Command 2. Serve 3. Love
4. Affection 5. Hospitable.
75
LESSON 13
THE NEW HEAVEN AND

THE NEW EARTH
2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1-27; 22:1-5
When God created the heaven and the earth, they were
holy, pure and clean. God had fellowship with Adam and
Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden on a regular basis.
But when sin entered into the world, it polluted and
destroyed the purity and holiness of the earth. Therefore,
God could no longer fellowship with man as He desired.
God is holy and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).
He longs to have fellowship with boys and girls. That is
the main purpose why Christ came into this cursed and
polluted world. He came, suffered and died to set us free
from sin and eternal death.
While on earth, Jesus revealed to us the plan of God
to create a new heaven and earth for those who will
believe and serve God in righteousness and holiness.
Jesus told His friends that they should believe in Him
because He was going to prepare a place for them and
come back soon to take them to possess that beautiful
place.
What a wonderful promise of hope and joy! That
‘place’ is the new heaven and earth, where all the saints
right from the beginning of creation till the time when
the world will end will live. Are you prepared to be part
of the new order? You must be ready!
Our study is divided into three parts:
76
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE
NEW EARTH:
Revelation 21:1-5; 22:1-5; Isaiah 65:17-19
Children who have never travelled outside their
country would always imagine what other cities look
like. There are millions of people who desire to get to
Heaven is a very beautiful place.
countries classified as rich and beautiful. Daily, many

of these people risk their lives travelling in rickety boats
in a bid to get to some of these ‘rich cities’. Thousands of
them have perished in the high sea because of this
dangerous journey. Those that managed to get there
soon discovered that it was not worth the risk. They were
often rejected, became refugees and deported. There is
no place in this world that can be compared to heaven.
Heaven is a beautiful place that cannot be well
described by mere words.
Apostle John saw just a glimpse of the beauty,
splendor and glory of heaven and gave a breath-taking
description as can be seen in Revelation 21 and 22. From
this description, we understand that heaven is: (a) a place
of great beauty. The city and the streets are made of pure
77
gold. It is so pure that it is transparent as glass. The
foundation and layers of the city are made of precious
stones. Everything about heaven is beautiful. (b) a place
that is shining with God’s glory. There is no sun or moon;
no need for electricity or lamp in heaven. The shining
brightness of God’s glory fills the place. (c) a perfect,
sinless home of the saints where there is peace, joy and
safety. (d) a place of pure delight. A river of water as pure
as crystal flows out from the throne of God. (e) the home
of innumerable company of angels. (f) a place where the
throne of God and Christ is. This description should
encourage everyone to desire and strive to be part of the
new heaven and earth.
2. DEMAND AND QUALIFICATION FOR ENTRY:

Isaiah 35:8-10; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Hebrews 12:14
This present heaven and earth will be done away
with when Christ comes to judge the sinners. Then a
new heaven and earth will be
created for the faithful qualified Sinners, repent from
your sins and live a holy
childr en of God . The e n tr y life so that you can
qualification into this glorious make heaven at last.
place include: (i) Born again
experience (John 3:3). Every
sinner must repent, turn from sin
and believe in Jesus as Saviour
and Lord. Then your name will
be written in the book of life.
(ii) Holiness of heart and life;
without holiness no man (child)
shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
After salvation, you must pray for
the total cleansing and removal
of the nature of sin from your
78
heart. Live in holiness and righteousness all the days of
your life. (iii) Total separation from the world and all its
attractions (1 John 2:15-17). (iv) Living in daily
expectation of the coming of Christ like the wise virgins.
Read the Bible, believe all its instructions and obey them.
Preach the gospel to warn sinners of the coming
judgment and prepare for heaven which is the home of
the redeemed.
3. DETERMINATION TO ENTER INTO THE NEW

HEAVEN AND EARTH:
Luke 13:22-30; Matthew 13:44-46; 24:43,44
After the rapture, the great tribulation will begin on
earth and will last for seven years. Then Christ will come
with His raptured saints to destroy the wicked and reign
with His friends for a thousand years. This is called the
Friends of Jesus must be millennial reign. At the
determined to make heaven by end of Christ’s millennial
daily praying , studying and reign, there will be the
obeying God’s word.
G re at White Th r on e
judgment.
Satan our enemy has
missed his ch ance of
getting to heaven and his
desire is that no one will
get there too. That is why
Jesus warned and said:
“Strive to enter in at the
strait gate ....” (Luke
13:24).
Getting to heaven is
not just a wishful thought.
It requires a delibrate
personal action of every
79
child of God to get there. You must decide and be
determined to follow Jesus till the end no matter the
trouble on the way. There must be no careless or loose
moment for sin. You must daily live in obedience to the
word of God, say NO to every temptation to sin, and
endure persecution that will come on your way to heaven.
Nothing should hinder you.
The hope of reigning with Christ in the new kingdom
should encourage all friends of Jesus to strive to make
it. Christ is coming back very soon, you must not be left
behind. Constant obedience to God’s word will prepare
you for the new heaven and earth.
QUESTIONS:
1. What will happen to this present heaven and earth?
2. In your own words, give a description of heaven_
3. When will the new heaven and earth be created?
4. What are the qualifications for entering into the new

heaven and the new earth?
5. How should (a) a sinner (b) a friend of Jesus - prepare

for the new heaven and the new earth? _
MEMORY VERSE: “Nevertheless we, according to his

promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).
LESSON: No unclean person will enter heaven.
80
THOUGHT: I will live a holy life to be with Jesus in
heaven.
ACTIVITY: Teachers should lead the children to pray;

sinful children to pray to be saved, while saved children
should pray for grace to be holy to the end.
HOMEWORK: Within the week, Children should go and

preach to sinners to repent to avoid hell fire.
CO NGREGAT IO NAL S O NG GH S : 1 3 7 – H O W
BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE
CHORUSES: (1) You can’t get to heaven without S. A. L.

V. A. T. I. O. N. (2) Joy, joy, joy heaven is full of joy. (3) When
we get to heaven at the marriage supper, all saints shall
gather.
DAILY BIBLE READING

THURSDAY 2 THESSALONIANS 4:4-6
SATURDAY 2 PETER 3:14-18
SUNDAY MATTHEW 25:31-34
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Beauty 2. Perfect 3. Transparent
4. Purity 5. Polluted.
81
Volume61
VOLUME 29
FOR
SENIOR CHILDREN
LESSON 1
DAVID BRINGS BACK THE

ARK TO JERUSALEM
2 Samuel 6:1-23
The ark of covenant was made during the Israelite’s

wilderness journey. God specifically instructed Moses
on how to design and build the ark. He also told him
what to put into the ark. Moses obeyed and appointed
skilled men to build the ark. This ark became the symbol
of God’s presence in worship and token of the covenant
for Israel throughout their journey to Canaan land.
However, during the time of Eli the priest, the ark was
captured in battle by the Philistines and kept in the
house of dagon, the idol of the Philistines. When God’s
divine judgment came upon the Philistines, they
quickly sent back the ark to one of the towns in Israel.
The ark remained in the house of Abinadab for twenty
years (1 Samuel 7:1-2).
When David became king, he built Jerusalem and
mad e it the ce n tr e of wor ship . The n h e mad e
arrangement to bring the ark back to its rightful place.
He did so because of his desire to worship God in truth
and holiness.
However, David was not careful to observe the
commandment concerning the movement of the ark.
This action resulted in the death of Uzzah. The mistake
was later corrected, then the ark was finally brought to
Jerusalem with singing and praises unto God. Like
83
David, children must seek to serve God and live in
obedience to His word at all times. God is awesome and
He alone is worthy of our worship.
1. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ARK:

2 Samuel 6:1,2; Exodus 25:10-22; Hebrews 9:4
The ark is sometimes referred to as the Ark of
Covenant or Ark of Testimony. It is a wooden chest
covered both inside and outside with gold. It was used
as a container for the stone tablets on which God wrote
the Ten Commandments. These tablets represented the
heart of God’s covenant with Israel.
Other things in the ark were: (i) A pot of manna – The
manna was provided by God to feed Israel in the
wilderness for forty years, it points to Jesus as the Bread
from heaven, the Bread of life to give salvation to sinners
(John 6:31-41). (ii) The rod of Aaron that budded and
even produced almond fruits. This shows God’s
sovereignty over all things (Numbers 17:10). The ark was
placed in the most holy place of the tabernacle and
represented the throne
The Ark represents
God’s covenant and of God. God’s presence
presence with Israel. was always manifested
through the ark.
Now, God’s presence
is made manifest in
the church through the
Holy Spirit. The ark is
no longer to be taken
as the ce n tr e of
wor ship . We h ave
84
something better – the new covenant which has been
made available for us through the blood of Jesus. As a
sinner, you can go directly to God to ask for pardon and
cleansing of your sin. God is merciful, He will forgive,
pardon and cleanse you from all sins. Then you will
have access to God to pray and receive all the blessing
that you need in life.
2. BRINGING THE ARK TO JERUSALEM:

2 Samuel 6:1-17; 1 Chronicles 15:1-3
The first assignment that David undertook as king
was to build Jerusalem and bring back the ark. David’s
decision to place the ark in Jerusalem was a mark of his
desire to return the nation Israel to her original purpose,
which was to keep God and His word central to her
existence. In his zeal to achieve this good purpose, David
forgot to follow God’s David brought
command concerning back the Ark of
God to Jerusalem.
the handling of the Ark.
The Levites were the
only ones appointed to
carry the Ark at any
point in time. Also, the
Ark was not to be placed
on anything. The staves
with which to carry it
had been built into the
ark already. But David asked the sons of Abinadab who
were not priests to carry the ark and put it on a cart.
When the ark was about to fall off, Uzzah stretched his
hand forth to hold it and he died.
God is not a respecter of persons. He demands total
obedience to His word. What happened made David to
85
fear God. He could not take the ark to Jerusalem as
planned. It was taken instead to the house of Obededom
and God blessed his family for accepting the ark. God’s
ways are simple. When you disobey, then punishment
awaits you. On the other hand, if you obey, you will enjoy
His blessings.
You have to fear God because He loves orderliness.
Do not play or be careless with sacred things. Children
who run around in the place of worship or play at the
altar must repent. Respect God’s house and His servants
and God will bless and honour you. When David learnt
that God had blessed Obededom, he made another
arrangement to take the ark to Jerusalem. This time
around, he did the right thing by calling the priests to
cleanse themselves and carry the ark. This brought great
joy to the entire nation. Your service in God’s house must
be done out of a pure heart and sincere motive.
3. GREAT REJOICING IN GOD’S PRESENCE:

2 Samuel 6:15,18-23; 1 Chronicles 15:19-28
It was a moment of joy in Israel when the ark was
brought to Jerusalem. David, the king seemed to
have gathered all the musicians in Israel together for
this glorious event. It was not only a time of singing
and dancing, but also of feasting and rejoicing. David
could not hide his joy and thankfulness to God. He sang,
played with instruments and danced unto the Lord.
David’s joy could have been for the following reasons:
(i) He might have considered it a God-given privilege
for him to be the one to bring back the Ark of God that
was captured by the Philistines before the days of
Saul. (ii) He counted it a great opportunity to do
something for God’s honour and glory. (iii) It was a
time to show 86
appreciation to God who had anointed him king over
his people (2 Samuel 6:21). (iv) He considered it a time
of giving to and feasting with the children of Israel who
admired, sympathized with him and even suffered with
him in all his troubles during the time of Saul’s reign.
(v) This event was an expression of God’s acceptance of
his kingdom, His presence with him and confirmation
of God’s promise to make him king over the whole Israel.
As Israel rejoiced, Michal, Saul’s daughter made jest
of David instead of joining others to
Just like
Davi d, worship God. The punishment from God
friends of came on her (2 Samuel 6:20,23). You are
Jesus should
be happy in to respect and never ridicule or despise
doing God’s
God’s servant. It should always be a time
work.
of great joy for you whenever you have the
opp ortu nity to do somethin g lik e
sweeping and arranging the church,
singing in the choir, leading prayer
sessions, going out with others to preach
the gospel, giving for the work of God and
other things that honour and gladden
God’s heart. More so, you must make sure
that your life and all your actions will make Jesus to be
happy with you.
QUESTIONS:
1. What does the ark symbolize to the children of Israel?
2. The ark of God contains certain things, mention

them.
3. God’s presence is made manifest in the church
through
87
4. Mention two lessons that David learnt from his
mistakes when he first attempted to bring the ark
back to Jerusalem. _
5. What is the name of the man whom God blessed for
keeping the ark of God safe for three months?
6. State three reasons why David was filled with joy

when the Ark was brought back to Jerusalem.
MEMORY VERSE: “So David and all the house of Israel

brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and
with the sound of the trumpet” (2 Samuel 6:15).
LESSON: The Lord is always pleased with those who

honour Him.
THOUGHT: I will always do the things which glorifies

God.
ACTIVITY: Draw a box that represents the ark of

God with all its contents as mentioned in our lesson.
State what each item symbolizes.
HOMEWORK: Write in your church notebook, 5 ways

that you will handle your Bible in order to make it
beneficial to you.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 165 – GUIDE ME, O

THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
CHORUSES: (1) Be thou exalted O Lord above all

heaven. (2) Solomon built the temple of God. (3) I will
sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.
88
DAILY BIBLE READING

FRIDAY 1 CHRONICLES 15:17-19
SATURDAY 1 CHRONICLES 15:25-27
SUNDAY 1 CHRONICLES 16:1-4
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Skilled 2. Symbolize 3. Covenant 4. Testimony
5. Zeal.
89
LESSON 2
GOD’S COVENANT WITH

DAVID
2 Samuel 7:1-29
David courageously fought the battles of God against the

Philistines, the enemies of the children of Israel, God’s
chosen race. God gave him victory all over and Israel
dwelt in peace. He then planned to build a befitting
dwelling place for the ark of God. The ark of God
represented the presence of God to the children of Israel.
He sought the counsel of prophet Nathan who gave him
approval, but God refused the proposal.
It is important to seek God’s approval before
embarking on any project like -admission to secondary
school, choosing friends or relocating to another place.
There is nothing bad in going for counselling from your
pastor and teachers in your church but God must
confirm everything. God has His own plan for each one
of us and, for you in particular. He has set the appropriate
time and how to execute it. Don’t run ahead of Him. Only
believe and fear Him.
1. COVENANT IN THE BIBLE:

Genesis 9:8-17; Genesis 12:1-3; Jeremiah 31:33-34;
32:38-41
Dictionary defines covenant as a binding agreement
or contract. It is a bargain, a pledge between two people
or more. For example, when you are seeking admission
to a school, your parents have to agree with the proprietor
90
Abraham Moses Joshua
God made covenant with

His obedient servants.
of the school on certain terms before you are admitted.

From the time of creation, God had been making
covenant with His people. He has always kept His own
part of the covenant but man has failed repeatedly to
keep his part. We shall examine some examples of the
covenants in the Bible. (a) God made the covenant of
the rainbow with Noah after the floods. He promised that
He would never destroy the earth with floods again. So,
it is today and forever (Genesis 9:8-17). (b)Covenant
made with Abraham. (i) (Genesis 12:1-3) God promised
to make Abraham a great nation and all nations of the
earth shall be blessed by him. (Galatians 3:14) (ii) In
Genesis 17:7,10-13, God made the covenant of
circumcision with Abraham that every male child
should be circumcised on the eight day of his birth. (c)
Numbers 25:6-13 – Covenant of peace with Phinehas
who was zealous for the Lord and made atonement for
the children of Israel thereby averting God’s punishment
on them. As you surrender your life to Jesus, you must
91
also fight against evil, lawlessness and other bad things
in your school and community.(d) The new covenant
with Israel. (Jeremiah 31:33-36) God promised to write
His word in the heart of the children of Israel that they
would keep His commandments and He would be their
God.
God is faithful to all His promises and covenants.
What He has promised you, He will do (Deuteronomy
7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9). You must emulate the children
of Israel who made a covenant with God to obey Him
and enjoy His blessings during the time of Moses and
Joshua (Exodus 24:7; Joshua 24:24). God’s grace will
be sufficient for you to do His will in your life.
2. GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID:

2 Samuel 7:1-17;1 Chronicles 17:11-15;
Psalm 89:20-37
This covenant is also called “Davidic covenant”.
David decided to build a house for God. He compared
the beautiful house he was living in with the tent in
which the ark of God was placed. God refused David’s
offer to build a house for Him. Instead, God decided to
make a covenant with David to build a house for him.
What love and mercy! God had been good to David by (i)
Exalting h im from a
shepherd boy to a king (2
THE BENEFITS
OF GOD’S Samuel 7:8). (ii) Being
COVENANT with him everywhere he
WITH DAVID
INCLUDE:
wen t, de fe atin g his
EXALTATION, enemies and giving him
DIVINE victor y and peace all
PRESENCE,
GREATNESS around him. (iii) Making
AND DIVINE him great and renowned
PROTECTION.
lik e many pr omin en t
92
people in the world. (iv) Promising a secure land for the
children of Israel and protection from afflictions from
their enemies forever (verse 10).
Then God made the covenant with him that He would
give him a kingdom and build a house for him. That is,
David’s family would continue to serve God and David’s
son would build Him a house. Solomon built God’s
temple to fulfill the first part of the covenant. The
remaining part of the covenant concerns Jesus Christ.
He came into the world through the lineage of David
(Matthew 1:8-16). He is our Messiah the King of kings
and the Lord of lords.
The reign of Jesus will continue in the millennium.
He is going to rule after the millennium forever for His
kingdom has no end (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 2:31-33). David
showed his appreciation to God after receiving these
great promises from God (2 Samuel 7:18-29). He
worshipped and praised Him for being favourable to him.
There is none like God, for His greatness and in choosing
the nation of Israel to be His own. His heart was
overwhelmed with praises. What about you? Do you
praise God when He has showed you favour?
David then prayed that God should establish his
house forever and bless it so that they will continue to
serve Him forever. You must pray and claim God’s
promises that you receive when God’s word is being
preached and directly from the word of God.
3. GOD’S COVENANT WITH HIS CHILDREN:

Jeremiah 31:33,34; 32:38-40; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18;
Hebrews 8:10; 1 Peter 2:9
God in His love, mercy and faithfulness has made
various covenants with all His children. Covenant of: (i)
Pardon – 1 John 1:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34. (ii) Peace –
93
Ezekiel 34:25,26. (iii) Healing – Exodus 15:26. (iv)
Prosperity – Philippians 4:19; Psalm 112:3. (9)
Supernatural blessings of the Spirit – Ezekiel 36:25-27.
And others such as purity,
power, signs and wonders. You must
To enjoy these blessings become a
friend of
(spiritual, material, physical, Jesus before
academic and health), you you can enjoy
God’s
will first make a covenant of covenant
peace with God. All sinful blesssings.
children have come short of
God’s glory and are His enemies (Romans 3:23; James
4:4). Accept all that Jesus did for you on the cross of
Calvary by making peace between you and God. Believe
His promise of forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:7,9).
Forsake your sins. Invite Jesus to live in your heart as
your Saviour, Lord and Friend (Revelation 3:20). Then
continue to pray, read and think on God’s word (Joshua
1:8; 1 Peter 2:2), be regular at fellowship (Hebrews 10:25).
Share God’s love with others as you evangelize and shine
by your godly Christ-like character everywhere you are
(Matthew 5:16).
God will always do His part and even much more
than He did for David because of His new and everlasting
covenant through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 13:20,21).
Trust in His mercy and faithfulness.
QUESTIONS:
1. What does ‘covenant’ mean?
2. What covenant did the children of Israel make with
God in Joshua 24:24?
3. In God’s covenant with David, what three things
did He promise David? _ _ _
4. How did David show appreciation to God?
94
5. The new covenant is made by the _________________
of
6. How can sinful boys and girls make a covenant of
peace with God?
MEMORY VERSE: “And thine house and thy kingdom

shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne
shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
L ES SO N: A bid in g b y G od ’ s cove nant br ings

supernatural blessings to obedient children.
THOUGHT: I will hold unto God’s promises and prosper

in life.
ACTIVITY: Each child is to make a pledge to abide by

the covenant made with God with eternity in view in
heaven.
HOMEWORK: Write down two promises of God on

holiness. Meditate on them and ask for grace to live by
them.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 209 – I WILL NOT

FORGET THEE
CHORUSES: (1) He is a covenant keeping God. (2) He

has promised, He will never fail. (3) The God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob.
95
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY GENESIS 9:12-16
WEDNESDAY GENESIS 13:14-17
THURSDAY GENESIS 17:4-8
FRIDAY PSALM 89:20-24
SUNDAY HEBREWS 13:20,21
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Covenant 2. Tabernacle 3. Sheepcote 4. Exaltation
5. Confirm.
96
LESSON 3
DAVID EXPANDS HIS

KINGDOM
2 Samuel 8:1-18; 10:1-19
After the death of Saul, the first king of Israel, David

became the king. He first reigned over the tribe of Judah
for seven years and six months, and later reigned over
the whole tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 5:4-5). Immediately
David settled down on the throne as the king of Israel,
the first thing he did was to bring the ark of God back to
Jerusalem, the city of the king. After that, David wanted
to build a house for God where the ark of God would be
kept but God said he should not. God told David that
Solomon, the son of David would build the house of God.
Our study today focuses on how David expands his
kingdom. To expand means to increase, to enlarge or
make something bigger. It is to make progress and refuse
to stay in the same position. As a child gets promoted
from primary 1 to primary 2, to primary 3, until he/she
finishes primary school, that child keeps on expanding
and increasing his/her knowledge. Later such a child
becomes a Doctor, and Engineer, a Banker, a Pastor or a
Missionary or any other successful personality in life.
A child that is not increasing and expanding in daily
life endeavour will remain in the same position. David
was not like that. After becoming a king, David decided
to expand his kingdom. He decided to make progress.
We shall consider the study under three sub-
headings:
97
1. DAVID’S VICTORY OVER HIS ENEMIES:
2 Samuel 8:1-14; 10:1-19; Joshua 1:1-5; 1 Timothy
6:12; Ephesians 6:12
God had earlier promised Abraham that his children
shall possess the gate of their enemies and that no man
shall be able to stand before them (Genesis 22:17; Joshua
1:3-5). The Philistines, the Moabites, the king of Zobah,
the Syrians were all defeated by king David in battle.
They were strong nations who were enemies of the
children of Israel. These nations worshipped idols and
did not know the true God. David fought and defeated
them and possessed their lands. According to the promise
of God, David had dominion
over his enemies and ruled God gave David victory
over them. David showed over all the enemies of
Israel.
courage by attacking the
enemies first. He did not wait
for them to attack him first.
That was how he was able to
defeat Goliath in the past.
God does not want you to
remain on the same level or
in the same position in your
spiritual life, schooling and
service to God. Also He does
not want His children to be
defeated or ruled by their
enemies.
However, our own battle today is not physical like
that of David. We are not fighting flesh and blood (human
beings). Our battle is spiritual. The battle that friends of
Jesus fight is against sin, Satan and his agents, false
doctrine, failure, sickness, laziness etc. Whatever
challenge you are facing today in your studies, family,
98
health and in any area of your life, God wants you to
overcome all these challenges and be victorious. The
challenge God is giving you today is to “Fight the good
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou
art also called …” (1 Timothy 6:12).
2. DAVID’S FAITHFUL SERVANTS:

2 Samuel 8:15-18
No king can go to battle against the enemies all alone
by himself. Every king needs servants and other warriors
to support them. David had some faithful servants who
joined him to fight against the enemies and to rule the
nation. David’s workers were Joab who was the captain
over David’s army, Jehoshaphat who was the recorder
writing and keeping records and reports, Zadok and
Ahimelech who were the priests, and Seraiah the scribe
JOAB
David had some the
faithful and commited Captain
servants who helped
him to fight his
battles and rule Israel.
SERAIAH
the
Scribe
ZADOK & AHIMELECH
the Priests
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who usually wrote for the king, Beniah and David’s sons
who were chief rulers. All these people were faithful and
committed to their work. They did not do eye service,
they were serious with the work they were given to do
(Romans 12:11). David’s sons supported their father to
do the work of God.
For you to be successful in life, you need to be faithful
and serious in whatever work you are doing. You need
to be faithful in various spiritual assignments given to
you such as the daily Bible reading, learning the memory
verses, doing your homework, reading the Sincere Milk
for your devotion and quiet time, preaching the gospel
and visiting other children. Also, you must be faithful
and serious in your school work by reading your books,
doing your school assignments and homework. At home,
you must help your parents in doing house chores being
obedient in every other areas. This is the way to expand
and make progress in life. Do not be a lazy or an
unfaithful child. Be hard working like the servants of
David. Jesus has given also His friends the work of
preaching the gospel. You must be faithful and do it
always.
3. CALL TO EXPAND GOD’S KINDGOM:

Matthew 4:17-23; 28:18-20; Mark 3:13-15; 16:15-
20; Luke 24:46-48
David fought many battles in order to expand his
kingdom. However, after some years, all the lands that
he acquired and reigned over were no more. They had
been destroyed and completely overthrown. The
kingdom of this world is temporary and will soon come
to an end. This is why Jesus came into the world to save
sinners from perishing with the worldly kingdom. To
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carry out this unique
God wants all friends of Jesus to be
assignment, He enlisted
faithful and committed to winining
sinners by preaching the Gospel.
men and women to work
with H im an d also
con tin u e un til His
kingdom comes. Are you
saved from sin? If no,
r ep e nt now for th e
kingd om of God is at
hand. Ask for pardon and
cleansing of your heart
with the blood of Jesus, So
then you will be qualified to win others for Jesus. Jesus’
call to all His friend is that they go into all the world,
preach the gospel, expand God’s kingdom and make
disciples in every nation.
Be a part of this great army by making a commitment
to preach the gospel to sinners in your school,
communities and everywhere you go. Share gospel tracts
and materials. Contribute to mission work in your local
church. Pray for open doors and progress of the
missionary efforts of the church. Be obedient to the great
commission. There are lots of blessings for those who
obey. God will enlarge your coast, give you all round
victory and at last, you will make heaven and enjoy
eternal rewards.
QUESTIONS:
1. Mention two things that David did immediately he
became a king before he began to expand his kingdom
2. Mention the nations that David defeated in battles

as he fought to expand his kingdom.
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3. (a) Mention three of David’s servants who helped him
to fight to expand his kingdom ______ ______ ____
(b) Mention the qualities in the life of David’s servants
that made them to succeed.
4. To succeed in life mention various areas which you
must be faithfulness
5. (a) Who are those called to expand God’s kingdom?
(b) What should believers do to expand God’s

kingdom?
MEMORY VERSE: “And he put garrisons in Edom;

throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of
Edom became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved
David whithersoever he went” (2 Samuel 8:14).
LESSON: Obedience and trust in God leads to greatness

and expansion.
THOUGHT: I will trust and obey God all the days of my

life.
ACTIVITY: According to today’s study, children are to

fill the table below by writing out the various areas they
are expected to be faithful and work hard if they are to
succeed in life.
S/NO AREAS TO BE FAITHFUL

1
2
3
4
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HOMEWORK: Children are to write out the names of
the servant of David, the type of work they do and what
work they will like to do in the house of God.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 41 – ONWARD,

CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS!
CHORUSES: (1) We are able to go up and take the
country. (2) Keep me through Lord Jesus. (3) Winner o o o.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY EPHESIANS 6:10-12

TUESDAY EPHESIANS 6:13-15
WEDNESDAY EPHESIANS 6:16-18
THURSDAY ROMANS 12:11-14
FRIDAY MARK 16:15-20
SUNDAY ACTS 1:6-8
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Expansion, 2. Enlarge, 3. Focus, 4. Pursuit,
5. Progress.
103
LESSON 4
DAVID’S KINDNESS TO
MEPHIBOSHETH
2 Samuel 9:1-13
When David received the news of Saul’s death, he was

sad and sorrowful about it. He did not dance and rejoice
nor thank God that his enemy had died like some people
would have done. The Bible says, “Rejoice not when
thine enemy falleth, …” (Proverbs 24:17-18). That’s
exactly what David did. He lamented greatly and even
rained curses upon the battle field where Saul and
Jonathan had died.
After David had been anointed king, he remembered
the promise that he made to Jonathan his friend. He
sought for the family members of his late friend, found
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan and took him in, to
care for him. This shows that David was a friend indeed.
He was truly a man after God’s own heart. He was loving,
compassionate and loyal to his friend Jonathan. David
did not only admit Mephibosheth into the royal house
as his own son, but he restored the inheritance of Saul,
his grandfather unto him.
God so much honoured David because of these
unique attributes that he possessed. God expects all His
children to show kindness not only to those who love
them but to everyone, including their enemies. As you
obey, God will honour you.
We shall consider our teaching under the following
sub-topics:
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1. DAVID’S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH:
2 Samuel 9:3,7
David had finally settled on the throne to rule and
reign as king in Israel. What people normally do when
they become a ruler is that they begin to fight and destroy
their enemies and opponents. But that was not the case
with David. Although Saul persecuted him, Shimei
cursed and cast stones at him when he was running
away from Absalom who had craftily taken the throne
from him (2 Samuel 16:5-13), David did not fight back
when he became established as a king. He was so kind
that he even remembered a lame man, Mephibosheth to
do him good. Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul,
his enemy.
David would have
God wants all friends of Jesus to
n eglected th is man show love to everybody including
because (i) He was lame those who hate them.
(ii) He was the grandson

of his enemy. But David
overlooked all that and
called for Mephibosheth
to eat with him at His
table continually and
also restored the land of
Saul, his grandfather to
him. This is what God is
expecting every friend
of Jesus to do. You must
do good to everyone including your enemies.
You can do this by forgiving the people who offend
you, praying for those who persecute you, visiting the
sick and praying for them and sharing what you have
with the needy.
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2. GOD’S COMMAND TO SHOW KINDNESS:
Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12
Kindness is love in action. David showed practical
kindness to Mephibosheth. God commands His children
to be kind one to another. It is not enough for us to say
we love one another without showing it by our acts of
kindness. Children of God must be kind not only to
friends of Jesus, but those who are not friends of Jesus
as well. Jesus showed kindness to us when He came
down from heaven to this dirty world to die on the cross
of Calvary for our sins (Titus 3:3-5). Kindness is God’s
nature, so He wants His children to be kind one to
another. Our kind behaviour will encourage those who
are discouraged and also win the lost.
It is only those who are born
I am sorry again that can show genuine
for what I Sorry, Jude.
did to you. God wi ll kindness. Sinners cannot show
I need forgive and true kindness because their
salvation
heal you.
an d h heart is filled with wickedness
eali ng . Let us pray.
and evil. Before they can show
kindness they will first give their
life to J e su s b y tak ing th e
following steps: (i) Realize and
know themselves as sinners (ii)
Confess and turn away from their
sinful ways (iii) Ask God for
forgiveness and cleansing in
Jesus’ blood (iv) Ask God to give
them power to go and sin no more. Then thank God for
saving them. As friends of Jesus, you must ask for the
grace of God to show kindness to all around you.
106
3. BLESSINGS FOR
SHOWING KINDNESS:
*ANSWERS TO
2 Samuel 10:12,13; PR AYE RS
Luke 6:38
*SUCCESS
An English adage
says, “one good turn *DIVINE PROVISION
deserves another”. The *HEALING AND
goodness of Jonathan DELIVE RANCE
earned Mephibosheth a
*ETERNITY WITH
p lace in th e k in g’ s JESUS IN HEAVEN
palace. Not only that,
his grandfather’s land
was restored to him. In
the same way, God will reward all His children who are
kind to others. The following are the blessings that will
follow them: (i) Answers to prayers, (ii) Success in every
area of their lives (iii) Divine provision and favour (iv)
Healing and deliverance (v) Eternity with Jesus in
heaven.
These blessings will be yours only if you are a friend
of Jesus and you show kindness to people. But if you
are not yet born again, then you can pray to God right
now and ask for the forgiveness of your sins. Ask God to
forgive you and cleanse you with Jesus’ blood and then
give you the grace to start showing kindness to everyone
that comes your way.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is kindness?
2. What was David’s reaction when he got the news

about Saul’ death?
3. How did David show kindness to Saul’s grandson?
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4. According to the Bible, what should be your attitude
towards those who persecute you?
5. What are the blessings of showing kindness?
6. What must a sinner do before he can begin to show

kindness to others? _ _
MEMORY VERSE: “So Mephibosheth dw elt in

Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s
table; and was lame on both his feet” (2 Samuel 9:13).
LESSON: God shows kindness to those who are kind to

others.
THOUGHT: I will show kindness to people so that I can

also receive kindness from God.
ACTIVITY: Sword drill: Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:32;

Colossians 3:12; Luke 6:38; Titus 3:3. Then pray for grace
to show kindness to all.
HOMEWORK: Search the scriptures and write in your

homework book, two people in the Old Testament and
two in the New Testament that showed kindness to
people.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 122 – SOMEBODY

NEEDS YOUR LOVE
CHORUSES: (1) He brought me to His banqueting table,

and His banner over me is love. (2) He loves me I cannot
108
say why. (3) Jesus loves me, He died for me, nobody loves
me like Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 1 KINGS 17:13-16

TUESDAY 2 KINGS 4:8-11
WEDNESDAY NUMBERS 12:11-15
THURSDAY ACTS 7:58-60
FRIDAY LUKE 23:33-35
SATURDAY 2 TIMOTHY 4:16,17
SUNDAY RUTH 2:11,12
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Kindness 2. Restore 3. Persecute 4. Lament
5. Attributes.
109
LESSON 5
DAVID COMMITS
ADULTERY
2 Samuel 11:1-27; 12:1-31
David from his childhood had enjoyed special favours

from God. He had been anointed to be king even when
he was a young boy. God chose him despite the fact that
he was the youngest of his father’s sons. He won great
victory in battle through the help of God. At last, he was
crowned the king of Israel. David loved God and was
obedient to His commands. He started very well but,
because of his carelessness, he fell into sin. He
committed adultery with Uriah’s wife and also set up
her husband to be killed. He then took the man’s wife to
his palace to become his wife. It was a terrible sin. David
thought he could get away with all these evils he has
done, but God, who sees all that we do in secret, revealed
his sins and brought judgment on him.
God hates sin and will surely punish all sinners.
The consequences of the sin is not what anyone can
bear. It is better to run away from the temptation to
commit immorality like Joseph did.
1. DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY:

2 Samuel 11:1-27
Adultery is immoral and sinful relationship between
a married person with someone other than his wife or
her husband. Such sinful affair between a boy and a girl
is calle d forn ication. Th e seve nth of the Te n
110
commandments forbids adultery. It states: “Thou shalt
not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). The Bible,The
Word of God, condemns adultery and every form of
immoral b e haviou r. David was awar e of this
commandment yet, he willingly committed adultery with
Uriah’s wife because of the following:
- Neglect of his duty: 2 Samuel 11:1
David was expected to lead the battle against the
enemy nation, but he sent Joab the captain of his army
instead. If he had gone to battle, he wouldn’t have faced
the temptation to sleep with Uriah’s wife. When friends
of Jesus neglect their Christian duties, they are in the
way of temptation. The devil finds jobs for idle hands.
What are the things you prefer to do instead of studying
your books, going to fellowship or doing the chores at
home? Remember David and the tragedy that the love of
ease brought to his life and avoid it. Do not be in the
wrong place.
- Wandering eyes:
2 Samuel 11:2,3 David committed adultery with
The e yes, are th e Uriah’s wife because of idleness
and carelessness.
win d ows thr ough
which the heart sees,
h ear s an d forms
opin ion s ab out th e
outside world. Just like
Eve who thought that
the forbidden fruit was
pleasant to the eyes and
ate it, D avid saw
Bathsheba and lusted
after her. But he did not pray. Instead, he sent for her.
Little eyes, be careful what you see. Many sinful habits
111
begin with a brief look, a little taste, a little touch before
the heart is gripped and corrupted!
2. DIVINE JUDGMENT FOR IMMORAL

BEHAVIOUR:
2 Samuel 12:1-15; Deuteronomy 5:18
David’s sin in committing adultery and murder
brought God’s divine judgment on him and his family.
Prophet Nathan was sent by God to deliver a terrible
judgment on David’s house
God’s judgment came
“Now therefore the sword upon David because of his
shall never depart from sin of adultery.
thine house” (2 Samuel Now therefore the

12:10a). All these divine sword shall never
depart from thine
pronouncements came to house.
pass even in David’s life
time. There was so much
r eb e llion , immor ality,
k illin gs and oth er bad
things among the children
of David. He passed through
many difficulties. He seldom
have peace or joy.
Adultery, fornication and all immoral lifestyle are
abomination in the sight of God. Boys and girls must
resist peer pressure and temptation to commit
fornication. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man
doeth is without the body; but he that committeth
fo rn icat io n sinn et h again st h is o w n b o dy .”
(1Corinthians 6:18). Do not join bad gangs, avoid
pornography and sites on the Internet and social media
that show nude pictures. Report any enticement or
pressure to commit sin with opposite sex to your parents.
112
Do not go into dark corners with opposite sexes even
if they are your relations. Avoid immoral contacts.
Beware of the danger of yielding to temptation. Be
prayerful, watchful and determine to keep yourself pure.
3. GOD’S FORGIVENESS FOR REPENTANT

SINNERS:
2 Samuel 12:13-31; Exodus 34:6; John 3:16; Micah
7:18; Hebrews 8:12; Isaiah 55:6,7
God is full of compassion and love for all His
creatures. His ways are different from man’s ways. No
matter how terrible the sin committed, He is ready to
forgive a repentant sinner. David repented and asked
for forgiveness from God (Psalm 51).
Are you a terrible sinner, thinking that your sins
are too great to be forgiven? God has promised to forgive
no matter how great your sins are (Isaiah
1:16-18). Take the following steps today
and receive abundant pardon like David.
Know yourself as a sinner. Be sorry for God will have
your sins and confess them to God. Ask mercy on you
also if you
for forgiveness and cleansing in the turn away
blood of Jesus. Accept Jesus as Saviour from all your
and Lord and determine not to go back sins today.
to your wicked ways anymore. Believe
that you are saved and thank God for His
mercies. Continue to follow the Lord as
you read your Bible daily, meditate on it
and obey it. The word of God will keep
you from falling into sin.
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QUESTIONS:
1. (a)What is Adultery? _ _
(b) Immoral relationship with a boy and a girl is
known as
2. Mention two things that led to David’s sin of adultery
3. What was the divine judgment that came upon David?
4. God will forgive the greatest sinner if he repents.

True/False.
5. What are the steps a sinner should take to receive
forgiveness from God? _ _ _ _
MEMORY VERSE: “And it came to pass in an

eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and
walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from
the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the
woman was very beautiful to look upon” (2 Samuel
11:2).
LESSON: Immoral behaviour destroys one’s life and

relationship with God.
THOUGHT: I will never be involved in any form of

immoral behaviour.
ACTIVITY: Children should pray that God should keep

them standing till the end and not fall into temptation.
HOMEWORK: Search the scriptures and write out the

Bible passages of two instances where people were
punished for immoral behaviour. Pray that you will not
fall into the same error.
114
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 37 – WHEN I SEE
THE BLOOD
CHORUSES: (1) You cannot hide it from God. (2) Holiness,

holiness. (3) The blood of Jesus has set me free.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY MATTHEW 5:27-30

FRIDAY ROMANS 6:11-14
SATURDAY PROVERBS 6:32,33
SUNDAY ROMANS 12:1,2
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Fornication 2. Divine 3. Adultery 4. Idleness
5. Immorality.
115
LESSON 6
PRECEPTS FOR
CHRISTIAN LIVING
Precept is a rule or principle especially one governing

personal conduct. The Bible confirms the importance of
having rules to guide our conduct and interpersonal
relationships. This is why God gave us the Bible. As
believers, everything we do must conform to the
standard of God’s word. The word of God is the highest
precept given to man to guide his actions, thoughts and
general attitude to life. In our Bible passage, Christians
are given some standard principles or rules to guide their
conducts and relationship with one another. The
reasons for these principles is for Christians to take heed
and be prepared for the coming of the Lord. The Rapture
may occur any moment from now. It is only those who
are living in accordance to these precepts that will be
counted worthy to make the rapture. Are you a
Christian? Then you must live the Christian life as if
Christ will come today. If you are not a friend of Jesus
yet, do not delay your salvation. Jesus is knocking at
the door of your heart waiting to enter. Repent of your
sins, ask for forgiveness and cleansing of your heart with
the blood of Jesus. Ask Jesus to come into your heart to
be your Saviour and Lord. As you study and fellowship
with believers, seek to understand and obey His word
and be prepared for the rapture.
116
1. WATCHFULNESS OF CHRISTIANS IN THE LAST
DAYS:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 5:8
The Bible clearly warns that in the last days, the love
of many will wax cold. Many Christians will become
careless and lose their salvation. Our text tells us that
Christians must be watchful and continue in faith and
love. That is, they should trust God and show love to
others all the time. Why
Apostle Paul write to friends
of Jesus to be watchful and
must Ch ristian s b e
continue in faith watchful? It is because
they have an adversary,
the devil who is working
hard to make them fall.
Satan did that to Ananias
and Sap ph ir a (A cts
5:3,10), Judas Iscariot
(Luke 22:3-6) and also
Demas (2 Timothy 4:10a).
As a Christian, you must
watch and be prayerful.
Don’t skip your Quiet
time. This is one area
where many Christians
are careless. Spend time
alone with Jesus every day. Jesus did it (Mark 1:35). Let
us follow His example and be watchful. How do you
watch?
- Wear the whole armour of God – Ephesians 6:10-18
- Abstain from evil – 1 Thessalonians 5:22
- Tell others about Jesus – Matthew 28:19,20
- Contend for the faith – Jude 3
- Hold fast the Word of God– 2 Timothy 1:13
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2. RULES FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING:
Where there is no rule, there is no sin. But when we
have rules, they must be obeyed in order to maintain
peace, harmony and good relationship. In the school,
students who desire to succeed must live by the rules.
Disobedience to school rules will lead to punishment.
As Christians, the Bible passage we are considering has
outlined specific rules to guide our relationship with
other Christians and the society.
a. Rules for interpersonal relationship – 1 Thessalonians
5:11-15,25. Christians are to: (i) Be at peace with one
another (ii) Warn those who are misbehaving (iii) Comfort
and support those who are weak and need your help (iv)
Be patient towards all men. (v) Never retaliate (vi) Be
Prayerful and show respect to leaders; pastors,
missionaries and teachers.
b. Rules for Christian conduct – 1Thessalonians5:16-22
Christians are to: (i) Rejoice always (ii) Pray without
ceasing. (iii) Give thanks to God for everything whether
pleasant or unpleasant.
Do not
(iv) refuse to quieten the disobey the
Holy Spirit in you by your rules of the
continual disobedience. Bible
(v) Do what is right at all because they
are for our
times. (vi) Always examine benefits.
you r action s like th e
p eop le of Be re a (A cts
17:11) to be sure that what
you accept and believe is
in agreement with the
word of God. (vii) Run
away from anything that
looks like evil.
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3. PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THE CHRISTIANS:
1 Thessalonians 5:22-24,26-28
Paul the Apostle prayed that Lord, Sanctify
God would sanctify all the Christians my heart!
in the Church. Sanctification makes
us blameless, that is, pure in heart,
soul and body in readiness for the
rapture. Desire and earnestly asked
for this experience. Jesus Christ
prayed that all His friends would be
sanctified. (John 17:17). Spend time
to read and meditate on God’s word,
live in obedience to it. Have strong
d esire for the san ctification
experience.
QUESTIONS:
1. What does ‘precept’ mean? _____________
2. Give two examples of Christians who were not
watchful and the results of their carelessness _ ___
3. State (i) four ways Christians should behave towards
one another, (ii) three rules guiding Christian
conduct.
4. (a) How can a sinful child become a Christian?
(b) How can a friend of Jesus be sanctified?
MEMORY VERSE: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without

ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will
o f God in Ch r ist J esu s co n cer n in g y o u
” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
LESSON: Jesus wants all His friends to be sanctified

and always live in readiness for the rapture.
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THOUGHT: I will watch and live in holiness of life so as
to be ready for the rapture.
ACTIVITY: Read Titus 2:1-10 and write out 8 practical

things that a believer should do to show that he is a true
Christian.
HOMEWORK: Put into practice all the principles of

Christian living.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 83 Thy Word have I

hid in my Heart.
CHORUSES: (1) Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my

heart. (2) The B-I-B-L-E is good enough for me. (3)
Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.
DAILY BIBLE READING

WEDNESDAY PHILIPPIANS 4:4-6
FRIDAY. TITUS 2:1-5
SATURDAY TITUS 2:6-10
SUNDAY TITUS 2:11-15
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Watchfulness 2. Precepts 3. Christian 4. Standard
5. Rapture.
120
LESSON 7
COMMENDATION OF THE
BELIEVER AND
CONDEMNATION OF THE
UNGODLY
At the end of every school session, the students are given

examinations on all the subjects they have studied so
far. The results are given after the examinations. While
some students will receive prizes and rewards and
sometimes scholarship for their execellent performance,
others who fail will receive reproof and even shame.
There is a definite time when the good will be separated
from the bad. Not only in academics, but in our daily
relationship with God and people around us. Our Bible
passage shows clearly that there is reward for those who
believe in the Lord, and serve God faithfully.
However, those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as
Saviour and Lord will have themselves to blame. It is a
fearful thing to come under God’s condemnation and
judgment. The door of God’s mercy and grace is still open
for all who will come to Jesus. As you come, you will no
lon ger b e cond e mn e d bu t you will r ece ive
commendation from God.
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1. COMMENDATION OF BELIEVERS:
Commendation means to praise somebody or a group
of p eop le pu blicly. A postle P aul p r aised th e
Thessalonian believers
because of their strong Apostle Paul praised
faith in Christ, patience friends of Jesus.
in tribulation, their
labour of love for Christ
and the hope they had
of seeing Jesus at the
e nd . H e was also
than kfu l for th eir
salvation, service and
steadfastness.
(a) S alvation : This
church gave him
Joy because they
were saved. Your
greatest miracle is
becoming a child of God. If you are not yet saved,
repent of all your sins, forsake them and accept Christ
as your Saviour and Lord.
(b) Selfless service: As a child of God, you must serve
God with your whole heart and might and show love
and care to other friends of Jesus and sinners around
you.
(c) Steadfastness:The church remained steadfast despite
their persecution. Proclaiming the gospel to sinners
and continuing in obedience to the teachings they
recieved. You too, as a saved child, must serve God
faithfully by getting involved in preaching the gospel
and living by the instructions of the Bible.
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2. CONDEMNATION OF THE UNGODLY:
2Thessalonians1:8,9; John 3:17,18; Revelation
20:15; Psalm 9:17
Cond emnation is an e xp re ssion of ver y strong
disapproval or dislike. When a sinner repents, and
accepts Jesus as Saviour and
Only repentance from
L or d , h e is fr e e from sin and acceptance of
condemnation. Romans8:1 On Christ will free you
the other hand, the ungodly from condemnation.
who refuses to repent but
remain in sin is condemned
already. John 3:18. God is
angry with every sinner who
re fuse s to re pen t. He h as
reserved serious punishment
for them. They will have no
peace. Their prayer will not be
answer e d. Th er e is n o
protection of God upon them.
They will suffer serious afflictions. At the end they will
suffer in hell fire forever.
You have no r eason to re main un der God ’s
condemnation. He is willing to accept you if you come
to Him now. John 6:37.
3. GOD’S MERCY FOR THE REPENTANT

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, Proverbs 28:13;
Isaiah 1:16-20; John 3:16
God’s tender mercies are open to all who have sinned.
He wants you to turn from your bad ways of life and
accept Christ as your Saviour and friend. Sinners and
backsliders should not give any excuse to remain in
sin. God’s mercy will not be opened forever. To be totally
123
free from every sin, you must follow this simple steps to
salvation:
Realiz e th at you ar e a
Lord, I
sinner and that God loves
conf ess
my sins,
you. Pray and repent from all
have your ungodly acts such as
mercy on stealing, fighting, cheating,
me and lyin g and oth er sin fu l
forgive behaviour, ask Jesus for
me.
His the blood. Receive Jesus
into your heart as your Saviour and Lord. Let us rise
and pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. Explain the words commendation and condemnation
2. Mention three things which Paul praised the
Thessalonian believers for.
3. What is the end of the ungodly?
4. God will forgive every sinner that repents Yes or No?
5. What step should a sinner take to be free from
condemnation?
MEMORY VERSE: “Which is a manifest token of the

righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer”
(2 Thessalonians 1:5).
LESSON: There is reward for the righteous and

punishment for the ungodly.
THOUGHT: I will serve God with my whole heart so as

not to fall under condemnation.
124
ACTIVITY: State what you have learnt from the following
passages: (a) Psalm 1:1-3 (ii) Revelation 20:15 (iii) John
3:16 (iv) Revelation 20:7 (v) Revelation 21:8
(v) John14:3
HOMEWORK: Write in your homework book, five things

that you will do to make God happy with you.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 89 – O JESUS, I HAVE

PROMISED
CHORUSES: (1) Will you be ready when the Lord shall

come. (2) Jesus the Alpha, Alpha and Omega. (3) If you
do good there is kingdom.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY ROMANS 8:1-3

TUESDAY ROMANS 8:4-6
WEDNESDAY MATTHEW 25:31-33
FRIDAY. MATTHEW 25:41-43
SATURDAY JOHN 3:16-18
SUNDAY JOHN 3:19-21
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Privilege 2. Rebuke 3. Steadfastness 4. Selfless
5. Commendation.
125
LESSON 8
WARNING AGAINST
DECEPTION IN THE LAST
DAYS
An important word stands out clearly in our topic and

this is “DECEPTION”. The word deception means an
instance of actions put up to mislead someone into
believing a lie. It also means to hide the truth from a
person under the cover of a lie and teach the person
error.
Satan is the one behind the deception of this last
days. He uses errors and falsehood to deceive people to
walk against the will and the word of God. He deceives
sinners and backsliders to think that the bad things they
are doing are right and that God is happy with them.
The purpose of Satan is to hide the truth of the word of
God from sinners and backsliders which is able to save
their souls. This is why we need to take the warning in
the Bible very seriously so that we are not deceived.
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST DAYS:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-6; 2 Timothy 3:1-8
Whatever has a beginning must also end eventually.
Like every other thing, this world will definitely come to
an end. The Bible says so much about the end of the
time which we are now. It uses various words such as,
“The last days; ‘’the latter days’’, ‘’the latter times and
126
end time”, to describe these last days. The last days as
referred to in the Bible is the period between the time of
the first coming of Jesus Christ when He came to this
sinful world to suffer and die for our sins at Calvary and
the time He shall come again at the rapture to take His
true friends home.
As true friends of Jesus are presently waiting and
expecting the coming of the Lord, the Bible warns us to
stay clear from the bad things that will be happening in
these last days. Some of the bad things that the Bible
warns friends of Jesus to keep away from are: (i)
Stubbornness, rebellion and disobedience to the word
of God. (ii) Mockers and doubters of the word of God. (iii)
Wicked behaviour and unrighteousness. (iv) The rise of
many false miracle workers who will pretend to be true
ministers of God but are agents of Satan. They will use
signs and wonders to deceive many people. (v) The spread
of false doctrines and the rejection of the word of God in
many places (Hosea 8:12; Ephesians 4:14). (vi)
Apostle Paul talking to people

about the last days.
127
Backsliding, unbelief and falling away from the truth.
(vii) Love for self, pleasure seeking and worldliness.
These things are already happening in our time. As
a friend of Jesus, the Bible has warned you to avoid the
sinful ways of the world, fear the Lord, live a holy life
and be clean in your thoughts and behaviour. Study and
meditate on the word of God daily and be obedient to its
commandments (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:9-11). As a
sinner or backslider, the Lord is calling you to repent,
turn to Him and forsake your naughty and sinful ways
so that you will not be judged with the sinners on the
day of judgment.
2. W ARNI NG AGAI NS T DECEPT I ON I N T H ES E

LAST DAYS:
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12; Luke 21:34-36;
1 Corinthians 10:1-11
Many boys and girls do not really know about the
wicked deception of Satan in these last days. Because
of their ignorance of the word of God, they are easily
deceived into error and falsehood.
There are also those who are well Read your Bible
taught in the knowledge of the everyday so that you
word of God but are not really will not be deceived in
serious with their Christian lives these last days.
(2 Timothy 2:1,3-5; Luke 9:62).

Friends of Jesus are warned
not to love the world. If any child
is tempted and deceived to love the
world and follow its bad ways such
a child will not be able to love and
follow Jesus (1 John 2:15-17). The
world will not allow you to obey
the word of God and to follow the
128
way of holiness, righteousness, and purity which is the
only way that leads to heaven (Hebrews 12:14). This is
why children of God on their way to heaven are
commanded to remember Lot’s wife who looked back and
became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:12-17,26). You are
warned to be watchful, prayerful and continue in
obedience to the word of God so as to be able to overcome
the deception of Satan in this last days.
3. HOW TO OVERCOME DECEPTION IN THE LAST

DAYS:
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17; Hebrews 3:12-14;
1 Timothy 6:11-14; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
It is possible for a friend of Jesus who is living a life
that pleases God to be deceived to turn back from loving
and following Jesus, if such a friend of Jesus will not
take heed to the warnings in the Bible. Satan is a liar
and a deceiver who uses false prophets, sinners,
backsliders, false teachers, and false miracle workers
to deceive prayerless and careless believers. You can
overcome the deception of Satan in this last days by
taking the following steps: (i) Turn away from your bad
ways, re pe n t and b e
These are the steps to
genuinely saved (1 John overcome deceptions in
1:5-9). (ii) Daily depend on the last days:
God for grace to live a holy
life pleasing unto God. (iii) • Repent of bad things
Be prayerful and watchful • Live a holy life
• Be prayerful and watchful
over your Christian life • Meditate daily on the word
(Matthew 24:42-44; Luke of God
• Don’t be a friend to bad
18:1) (iv) Study your Bible boys and girls
daily, meditate on and • Attend fellowship and
obey the word at all times preach the gospel
(2 Timothy 2:15; Joshua

129
1:8). (v) Keep away from bad things and live a separated
life. Don’t make friends with boys and girls who do not
love Jesus. They can be used by the devil to deceive you
to turn your heart away from Jesus (James 4:7; Romans
12:1,2). (vi) Attend fellowship regularly, preach the gospel
daily and set your heart on the things of God and not on
the perishable things of this world (Colossians 3:1-6).
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the meaning of deception?
2. Who is behind the deception of these last days?
3. Mention some characteristics of the last days
4. What should be the believer’s attitude to the bad

thin gs hap pe n in g in the se last d ays?
______________________________
5. Mention some of the warnings for believers in these
last days
6. H ow can be lie ve r s an d sin n er s/ b ackslid er s
over come the de ce ption of these last d ays?
_____________________________
MEMORY VERSE: “Let no man deceive you by any

means: for that day shall not come, except there come
a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
LESSON: Only true friends of Jesus can overcome the

deceptions of this last days.
THOUGHT: I must continue to abide in Christ to

overcome the deception of this last days.
130
ACTIVITY: Children should mention the names of at
least three people in the Bible who refused to be deceived
in their own time.
HOMEWORK: Write down five things you must do daily

in order not to fall prey to the deception of the last days.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 205: HAVE YOU

COUNTED THE COST?
CHORUSES: (1) I will never let the devil win the battle.
(2) Keep me true Lord Jesus, keep me true. (3) Jesus the
way, the truth and the life.
DAILY BIBLE READING

THURSDAY 2 PETER 3:11-13
FRIDAY 2 PETER 3:14-16
SATURDAY 2 PETER 3:17-18
SUNDAY 2 JOHN 7-10
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Deception 2. Meditate 3. Worldliness 4. Godliness
5. Falsehood.
131
LESSON 9
ADMONITION AGAINST
IDLENESS
Idleness means not engaging in any work, being lazy

and not wanting to do things for oneself or for anyone.
Paul the apostle wrote to the Thessalonian believers
(friends of Jesus living in Thessalonica) when he heard
that some of them were going from place to place
gossiping instead of engaging in work that could bring
money to them and their families. They were also not
preaching the gospel as others were doing. This was
causing a lot of problems in the church. It is still the
same today. If friends of Jesus go about gossiping, being
busybodies or talebearers that is, not minding their own
business, they will cause trouble in the church.
Paul did not overlook this ungodly practice in the
early church because he knew it would destroy
fellowship amongst them. We also must not look away
from it, we must condemn and avoid it, in order to have
sweet fellowship with one another
We shall consider our study under three sub-
headings:
1. REBUKE FOR IDLENESS:

2 Thessalonians 3:1-11; Proverbs 6:6-11; 13:4; 20:4
The Bible passage we are considering, addresses
some important subjects relating to the Christian life
132
and conduct. The chapter opens
God is not happy
with an appeal to pray for the
with idle and lazy
servants of God. Apostle Paul Christians.
realized that he was able to have
success in his work because of
the prayers of the brethren. We
need the prayers of other believers
and they need ours too. With
fervent intercessory prayers in
the churches, God’s will and
desires will be accomplished. The
Apostle went further to rebuke
those who were lazy and idle in
the church. He warns that those
who refuse to work should not eat.
He corrected the lazy attitude of friends of Jesus who
did not want to work but depend on other people to
supply their needs.
The servant that was given one pound in the parable
of Jesus was lazy and idle. He refused to work with the
money given to him by his master. For his idleness, he
was rebuked, cast into outer darkness and his portion
was given to another person (Matthew 25:24-30; Luke
19:20-24).
There is a general saying that “an idle hand/mind
is the devil’s workshop” If you do not get yourself
engaged in doing something worthwhile for God,
yourself or community, the devil will use you to do bad
things and destroy your life. Idleness is the twin brother
of laziness and it leads to poverty, unfulfilled dreams,
wastage and regret. Therefore, heed the counsel of the
Bible and shake off idleness from your life.
133
2. REPENT AND WORK HARD:
2 Thessalonians 3:12-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12;
Proverbs 12:24
Hard work pays and it is rewarding. If you have been
idle and lazy, it is time to repent. If you ask Jesus to
help you, He will gladly deliver you from idleness and
give you power to work hard. Believers should be
industrious, diligent
Hear me! Be hardworking
and faithful labourers Jesus is and don’t be lazy.
in the vineyard of the not lazy.
Lord. As a child, Jesus
was hard working, He
worked with His earthly
father in his workshop.
When He became an
adu lt, H e wen t
everywhere doing the
work of His heavenly
father. He is our perfect
example. He also commands us to occupy till He comes.
Therefore, we must engage in meaningful activities
before it becomes too late to do anything. Avoid laziness
and work while it is day, the night is coming when we
will not be able to do any work again. In every area of
your life, there is work to be done in the following areas
of life:
Spiritually. You must be up and doing in the service of
the Master. Preach the gospel with zeal. Be prayerful, do
your daily Bible reading and homework. Do not neglect
quiet time and daily study of the Bible. Contribute to
the development of the church.
Academically: Be studious. Do your assignment as and
when due. Copy all your notes well and at the right time.
Be active in class and school activities.
134
Family duties: Do your house chores without being
forced to do it. Wash plates, sweep the house and the
surroundings, run errands for your parents, take part
in meal preparations and other assignments given to
you at home. As you work hard, you will reap bountiful
harvest of blessings.
3. REWARD FOR HARDWORK:

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18; Proverbs 22:29; Luke
19:13-19
Most of the students who
made A’s in their academics If you work hard, you
will have good success
worked hard for it. Success is not and blessing from God.
for lazy or id le stu de n ts.
Hardworking children are sure to
have good success and become
ten times better than their peers.
Daniel and his three friends were
successful because they worked
hard. The servants who traded
with the ir p ou n ds re ce ive d
double portion. There will be
promotion, spiritual growth, financial blessings,
breakthrough, divine provision and help if you shun
idleness and work hard.
QUESTIONS:
1. _means being lazy/not doing any work.
2. What work did Apostle Paul do apart from preaching
the gospel?
3. Those who refuse to work shouldn’t _ _
4. What should an idle or lazy child do? _
5. Mention specific work a child must do in every area
of his life.
135
MEMORY VERSE: “For even when we were with you,
this we commanded you, that if any would not work,
neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
LESSON: Idleness leads to spiritual and physical

poverty.
THOUGHT: I will shun idleness in order to succeed in

life,
ACTIVITY: the teacher should pair the children to go

out on visitation and evangelism this week. Give
them tracts.
HOMEWORK: Children should find out how many

missionary journeys that Paul made. Read Acts 13:1-5.
How many people went on this missionary journey? Name
them.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 62 – GO LABOUR

ON. CHORUSES: (1) I will never let the devil win the
battle. (2) Obedience is the very best way. (3) Follow,
follow, I will follow Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING

MONDAY ROMANS 16:17,18
TUESDAY EPHESIANS 4:28,29
WEDNESDAY 1 THESSALONIANS 4:9-12
FRIDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 4:10-12
SUNDAY PROVERBS 19:15,16
136
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
1. Rebuke 2. Academic 3. Diligence 4. Fervent 5. Hard
work
137
LESSON 10
CHARGE AGAINST FALSE

DOCTRINES
1 Timothy 1:1-20
Righ t fr om child hood , many child re n h ave

constantly read the Bible and even memorized Bible
verses. Yet, their understanding of the word of God is
limited. For ease of understanding, people who are led
by the Holy Spirit have written ‘lessons’ that will help
children to understand the Bible better. These lessons
are known as “Doctrines”. Doctrines are the teachings
that explain the beliefs and truths of the word of God –
The Bible. These teachings help believers to develop their
faith in God and to prepare them for heaven. There are
also false teachings which friends of Jesus must avoid.
This is why Paul the Apostle wrote to Timothy to warn
him and believers today against false doctrines.
This message is divided into three sub-headings:
1. WHAT ARE FALSE DOCTRINES?:

1 Timothy 1:1-6; Colossians 2:8,16-23; Titus
1:10-14; False doctrines are teachings that do not
agree with the teachings of the Bible. It is the
teaching that takes away from and adds something to
the word of God. There are many false teachings
around us today. All false teachings are from Satan,
who seeks to deceive people and take them to hell.
Examples of false doctrines which false teachers
teach are the following:
138
(a) No hell fire and no Jesus is not happy with people
heaven, but the Bible that believe false doctrines; we
makes it clear that therefore should not believe them too.
there is hell fire (Luke
1 6:2 3,2 4 ; Mar k
9:43,44) and there is
heaven (John 14:1-3;
Revelation 21:1,2).
(b) That there is a place
calle d p u rgatory,
whe r e a sin ne r
suffers for a while for
his sins before he is
admitted into heaven.
This is false - Hebrews 9:27 tells us that man dies
once and judgment follows after death.
(c) Nobody is certain of salvation. Every friend of Jesus
knows that this is not true because we are testimony
of the power of God to save sinners (Romans 10:10-
13).
(d) Infant baptism will make a child to be saved. This is
wrong, baptism should be done after a child is born
again as it happened in Acts 2:38-41.
(e) Bowing and kneeling before statutes like the statute
of Mary, calling on angels or Mary to pray for you
and burning incense or the use of candles or other
forms of activities that are not profitable to proper
worship. We are to pray in the name of Jesus and
worship God alone (John 14:13,14; Matthew 4:9,10).
(f) That Jesus is not the only way to God. This is false.
Jesus said in John 14:6b that no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me (Acts 4:12).
(g) That it is not possible for human beings to be holy.
The Bible commands that we should be holy because
139
without holiness no one can see the Lord (1 Peter
1:15,16; Hebrews 12:14).
All forms of false doctrines are from Satan and
originate from the pit of hell. You are learning about this
so that you can guide against error and deceit even in
this evil days.
2. CHARGE AGAINST FALSE DOCTRINES:

1 Timothy 1:1-11,18-20; Acts 20:28-31
Charge according to our study means command and
warning to dissociate from something. In this case, it is
a warning to resist false doctrines and stand for the truth.
Timothy was the young pastor of the church in Ephesus.
Paul the Apostle as his spiritual father put him in charge
of the church. When Paul heard of the activities of false
teachers in the Ephesian church, he did not hesitate to
write this letter to Timothy to show him what to do.
Paul encouraged Timothy to confront the false
teachers boldly. He was not to compromise with their
false doctrines that were corrupting the true gospel and
the church of Christ. Paul charged Timothy to faithfully
fight a good fight against false teachings by proclaiming
the original faith as
taught by Christ.
Today, there are a
lot of false teachings Any one who
teaches what
around us, in the bus is not in the
stops, ove r Bible is a
lou dsp eak er s from false teacher.
some worship Centres, Don’t believe
on Television/social hi m.
med ia an d e ve n
schools. This charge or
warning has come to
140
us even as it came to young Timothy. There is damnation
and judgement for those who teach, believe in or follow
after false teachings. You must watch at all times and
be at alert so that you can recognize false teachings and
also avoid getting involved in them. Anything that is not
in the word of God is false and you must avoid it.
3. HOW TO AVOID FALSE DOCTRINES:

1 Timothy 1:12-17; Romans 16:17; Ephesians 5:6-11
Paul the Apostle testified of the grace of God that
saved him from sin. He acknowledged that he was not
worthy of being in the ministry, but God’s mercy which
is abundant and available for every sinner saved him.
He believed and accepted the pure gospel, he preached
it and was zealous in protecting it from corruption. You
can follow his example.
If you are not saved yet, you can be easily led astray
by the errors and deceit of Satan. Do not continue in
sin, repent of all your sins. Confess them to God. Ask for
pardon and cleansing of your heart with the blood of
Jesus. Ask Jesus to be your Saviour, Lord and Friend.
Continue to follow Jesus and pray to experience
sanctification of your heart and Holy Ghost baptism.
Remember, there are
You wi ll false teachers all around
avoid false
doctrines if seeking to lead people
you make into e r ror s. Th e
Jesus your following are practical
Fr iend.
steps you can take to
avoid and over come
them:
(a) Study the word of
God daily, think deeply
on its message, obey all
141
its instructions and preach the message to sinners
around you.
(b) Pray always and have faith in God.
(c) Be regular in fellowship, pay attention and ask
yourself what you gained from the word of God when
you get home.
(d) Avoid keeping sinners as your friends.
(e) Be careful of what you watch, where you go and what
you say.
(f) Make up your mind to follow Jesus to the end.
Rise up and pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. False doctrines are?
2. Who is the source of false doctrines?
3. Mention three false doctrines that are common
among people these days. _ _ _ _ _
4. What did Paul the apostle tell Timothy to do to false
teachers?
5. State three practical ways you can avoid false
doctrines. _
6. How can a sinful child be delivered from false
doctrines?
MEMORY VERSE: “As I besought thee to abide still

at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou
mightest charge some that they teach no other
doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3).
LESSON: False doctrines originates from Satan and

must be avoided.
THOUGHT: I will read the word of God and obey it daily

to avoid false doctrines.
142
ACTIVITY: Search the Bible and write out three passages
which teach us not to listen to false doctrines.
HOMEWORK: The children should write in their

homework book four things they can do to avoid false
doctrines.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 83 – THY WORD

HAVE I HID IN MY HEART
CHORUSES: (1) I have a wonderful treasure, the gift of

God without measure. We travel together, my Bible and
I. (2) Jesus the way, the truth and the life. (3) Give me
grace to follow.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY PSALM 1:1-3

TUESDAY PSALM 1:4-6
WEDNESDAY 1 TIMOTHY 6:3-5
THURSDAY 1 JOHN 4:1-3
FRIDAY DEUTERONOMY 4:1-5
SATURDAY MATTHEW 24:11-14
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary:
1. Charge 2. Purgatory 3. Doctrine 4. Proclaim
5. Damnation.
143
LESSON 11
THE NEW BIRTH

John 3:1-17
Every day, thousands of children are born into the world.
At one time or the other, we were also born into this
world. The Bible also tells us that there is a time to be
born. The birth of a new child always brings joy to the
family. In some places, a lot of celebrations will take
place which will include eating, drinking and wearing
of new clothes. This type of birth is referred to as the
‘first birth’. However, there is another birth which gives
to us a new life and make us to become members of the
family of God. This is called the new birth or being born
again (John 3:3). This is what you will be learning from
our study today. The study is in two parts:
1. STEPS TO THE NEW BIRTH:
John 3:1-17; I John 1:7-9
The steps to have the new birth are:
STEP ONE: Realize that you are a sinner: Romans
3:23; Psalm 51:5.
From the time that Adam and Eve disobeyed God, all
the children born into this world were born as sinners.
Many children try to do good works to cover up their
bad ways of life. Others attend church regularly, yet they
still live in their bad old ways of life. They steal, kill
through witchcraft, fight, lie, disobey their parents and
do other bad things. This is the old way of life as
explained in Galatians 5:19-21. Therefore, you must not
argue with God’s word. Know and accept that you are
bad and that you cannot save yourself. Therefore, you
need a Saviour.
144
These are the steps to the new birth.
STEP TWO: Confess (1 John 1:9-11)

Tell Jesus all the bad things you have done sincerely
from your heart. You must confess them to God and not
to any reverend father, for only God can forgive and save
you from sins (I John 1:9; Luke 19:5-10).
STEP THREE: Repent (Acts17:30)
Turn away from all the bad things you have been
doing. Be sorry and feel sorrowful for them. Tell Jesus
that you will not do bad things again (I Corinthians 7:10).
STEP FOUR: Ask for for givene ss (He bre ws 9:2 2;
Matthew 26:28; 1 John 1:7-9)
Ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of
Jesus. It is only the blood of Jesus that can wash away
your sins. When you ask for forgiveness, Jesus will
forgive and wash you clean. Then you will become a
145
new person. Your heart will be clean and filled with the
love of God.
STEP FIVE: Ask Jesus to come into your heart and
stay there as your Lord, Master, Saviour and Friend
(Revelation 3:20). Now that you have received Jesus
Christ, reject Satan and all his works.
When you take this step, you will become born again,
you now have the experience of the new birth. Your name
will be written in the book of life and you will become a
member of God’s family. Children, if you have not taken
these steps, do so now, for tomorrow may be too late.
2. FRUITS OF THE NEW LIFE:

Colossians 3:12-17; Galatians 5:22,23; I Corinthians
13:13
A tree is known by its fruit. When a child experiences
the new birth, there are fruits that must be seen in his
life. These include: (a) Perfect love for God, His word,
friends of Jesus and others. (b) Merciful and kind. (c)
Humility and meekness. (d) Grace to forgive those who
hurt you. (e) Peace of
God in the heart and
making peace among
brethren. (f) Absolute
or total faith in God’s
word. (g) desires and
thinks of h eave nly
things.
If all these fruits
are in your life, then
you can say that you
have experienced the
146
new birth. Pray that God will give you the grace to
continue till the end.
QUESTIONS:
1. Mention one word from verse 3 of our Bible passage
which refers to the new birth.
2. Who was Jesus speaking to in our Bible passage?
3. Every child is born a sinner. Yes/No.

4. What are the steps a sinful child must take to
experience the new birth? __ _ __ __ _ __ _
5. Mention five fruits that should be seen in the life of a

born-again child.
MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
LESSON: Only children who experience the new birth

are saved.
THOUGHT: I will be saved.
ACTIVITY: Prayer session. Sinful children should be

led to pray for salvation.
HOME WORK: Children should write five fruits that

should be seen in the life of a child that has experienced
the new birth.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 38 - HAVE YOU BEEN

TO JESUS?
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CHORUSES: (1) I wandered far away lost in the
wilderness. (2) Jesus said to Nicodemus, you must be
born again. (3) I ’m a new creature, I ’m a brand-new
child.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY ACTS 10:1-3

TUESDAY ACTS 10:4-6
WEDNESDAY ACTS 10:7-9
FRIDAY ACTS 10:37-40
SATURDAY ACTS 10:41-44
SUNDAY ACTS 10:45-48
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

Find the meanings of these words. You can use your
dictionary. 1. Sincerely 2. Experience 3. Absolute
4. Humility 5. Meekness.
148
LESSON 12
HELL: THE DESTINY OF

SINNERS
Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 20:3-15
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only

begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). This
is the central truth of the Bible. God gave His only
begotten Son, so that anyone who believes in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life. This Bible truth
shows how much God loves us and the length and
breadth of His love. As great as the love of God is to us,
He also will bring judgment and punishment to sinners
who refuse to turn away from their bad ways and accept
His love. The final judgment and destination for such
sinners is hell fire. Repent now and escape this fearful
place. The study is divided into three parts:
1. FALSE TEACHINGS ABOUT HELL:

I Timothy 4:1,2; 5:15.
Many false teachers have spread false ideas and
teachings about hell. They do this in order to draw away
children of God from believing the true word of God.
Some of the false teachings are: (a) That hell is a place
where people who die in sin will suffer for a short time
before they are qualified for heaven. This does not agree
with the word of God (Luke 16:26). (b) That sinners will
be burnt up in hell after death. They claim that the
suffering which the Bible speaks about is not real. This
149
As a child of God, you belief is not true (Mark 9:43-
must run away and not 48). (c) Some groups do not
accept false teachings.
believe that hell exists at all
because they do not believe
that there is life after death.
As a child of God, you must
not fellowship with them or
accept their false teachings by
reading any of their books (II
John 10).
2. THE BIBLE TRUTH

ABOUT HELL:
Matth e w 25 :41 ; L uk e
16:19-36; Revelation 2 0 : 3 -
13; Psalm 9:17.
Hell is real, (Luke 16:19-
31). The Bible teaches that: (a) It is a place where the
souls of those who die as a sinner will live forever. (b) It
is a place of torment and suffering for sinners. The truth
about hell is that it is (i)
Real an d ce rtain for All sinners who refuse to
repent will end up in hell fire.
sinners. (ii) Prepared for
Satan and all his friends.
(iii) A place of everlasting
punishment. (iv) Hot with
real fire. (v) A place of
torment, weeping, crying
and gnashing of teeth
(Luke 16:23,24). (vi) A
place of no return. You
must accept this Bible
truth. Hell is terrible and
150
very dangerous. Make up your mind that you will not
end up your life in hell fire.
3. GOD’S WARNING TO SINNERS:

Revelation 20:10-15; Psalm 9:17; Daniel 12:2;
Matthew 5:22,29,30; Matthew 10:28
God is not silent about hell because He loves us and
He does not want anyone to perish. The word of God
talks about hell with real serious concern. Jesus warns
and said that the fire in hell shall never be quenched
(put out) and the suffering is forever and ever. He said
that it is better to give up worldly things than to end up
in hell. Hell, will swallow up wicked boys and girls and
all the nations that forget God.
Be warned, sinners who end up in hell will
suffer, weep and gnash their teeth in regret and
repentance but it will be too late. Are you still living a
sin fu l an d bad life , lik e
“The wicked shall be
stealing, fighting, telling lies, turned into hell...”
sucking blood through evil (Psalm 9:17)
spir its an d committin g Therefore repent today.
immorality? You must repent
right now! Accept that you are
a sinner, confess and forsake
your sins, surrender totally to
Jesus. Ask God for forgiveness
and cleansing in Jesus’ blood,
accept Jesus into your heart
and let Him be your Saviour,
Lord and friend, and start
living a godly life every day.
151
QUESTIONS:
1. What will be the end of sinful boys and girls? __ ___
2. Men tion some false b e lie fs ab ou t h e ll.
3. What d oes th e Bib le say ab ou t h e ll?
4. How can sinful boys and girls escape the danger of

hell?
MEMORY VERSE: “And whosoever was not found

written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire” (Revelation 20:15).
LESSON: Sinful boys and girls who refuse to repent of

their sins will end up in hell fire.
THOUGHT: I will not go to hell.
ACTIVITY: Children are to mention what the Bible says

about hell from the following Bible passages. Luke
16:22,23; II Peter 2:4; Luke 12:5; Mark 9:42-45;
Revelation 20:12-15.
HOMEWORK: Children are to read the book of

Revelation and find out how many times the word
“forever and ever” is used to (1) Describe the torment in
hell fire. (2) Describe the period of time that sinners will
suffer in hell.
152
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 208 – THERE’S A
GREAT DAY COMING
CHORUSES: (1) I have decided to follow Jesus. (2) Jesus

shall reign forevermore. (3) One day-be-one day, the
sinner child will find himself for hell fire.
DAILY BIBLE READING

WEDNESDAY LUKE 12:4-5
THURSDAY PSALM 9:5-8
SATURDAY MARK 9:42-44
SUNDAY MARK 9:45-48
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Destination 2. Qualified
3. False teachings 4. Torment
5. Gnashing of teeth.
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LESSON 13
THE URGENCY OF OUR

WORK
Luke 13: 1-5; Ezekiel 3: 17-21; John 4: 35-38
There are many things which some children think are

important to them and therefore, must not be delayed.
For example, working hard to pass any examination and
practising hard to win a prize in a competition or during
sports. All these are good. But nothing should be more
important to you than the great work of going everywhere
to tell sinners about the good news of the story of Jesus
and His provision of salvation for all. In fact, doing the
work makes Him to be happy with us and thereafter
rewards us in a wonderful way as we faithfully do the
job without any delay.
The study is in three parts.
1. THE GREAT WORK: John 4:35-38

The great work which Jesus has given all saved
children to do is to preach the gospel to sinners and to
bring them to Jesus. It is great because it is given by the
great Lord that gave himself and died for the sin of the
world. Friends of Jesus are to warn sinners to repent of
their sinful and wicked ways before God’s judgment
comes on them. They are to turn away from their sins,
ask for forgiveness, cleansing in Jesus’ blood and accept
Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Failure to do these,
means eternity in hell fire.
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Jesus died to set you free from sin, so you
need to turn away from all your bad ways
and follow Him.
2. THE WORK NEEDS NO DELAY: Ezekiel 3:17-21;

2 Corinthians 6:2.
God warns that any child who commits sin will die
in his sin if he fails to repent (Ezekiel 18:4). If he does
not say sorry to Jesus and stop doing them he will go to
hell fire. Therefore, it is important that you go out at the
right time to warn sinners around you and tell them
about Jesus before they die in their sins. What are other
reasons why you must do this work without delay? (a)
The time is short and the end of this world is very near.
(I Corinthians 7:29); (b) You may not have the opportunity
again (Deuteronomy 32:29); (c) Sinners’ hearts are
becoming more hardened (Hebrews 3:12,13); (d) Sinners’
blood will be required at your hand (Ezekiel 3:18); (e)
Sinners are increasing every day and a time is coming
when Jesus would have to take His friends with Him to
heaven. Then it will be too late to pray and receive
155
Do not delay, preach before sinners die and go to
hell fire.
forgiveness and God will not hear when they pray. (Isaiah
55:6). It is time for you to wake up before it is too late.
Remember, God does not want any sinner to die in his
sin and go to hell fire. Jesus has already paid the price
for his sins when He shed His blood on the cross (John
3:16).
Eternity in
3. REWARDS FOR DOING heaven with Jesus
will be yours if you
THE WORK: John 4:36-38. are born again and
The Lord promises to reward preach to sinners.
you if you carry out the work of
winning others for Jesus. Some
of the rewards are: (i) There will
be joy because of souls that are
won; (ii) There will be everlasting
joy in heaven; (iii) You will live
forever with Jesus in heaven. If
you have not been winning souls
for Jesus, you can start today.
First, give your life to Jesus and
156
then pray for the grace to carry out this great and
rewarding work. Then all these blessings will be yours.
QUESTIONS
1. Which work has Jesus given to all believers?
2. Give two reasons why the work must not be delayed.
3. Mention three rewards for carrying it out.
4. Can a sinful child do this work?___________________

5. What must he do to be qualified? __ __ __ __ __
MEMORY VERSE: “Say not ye, There are yet four

months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto
you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they
are white already to harvest” (John 4:35).
LESSON: All saved children are to win other people for

Jesus without delay.
THOUGHT: I will obey Jesus and preach the gospel.
ACTIVITY: Study the circle pattern to make it easier to

find the meaning of the message. Begin by circling the
letter G and writing it on the lines provided. Skip a letter,
circle the next letter, and write it on the next line.
Continue around the circle about 1¼ times to find out
what Mark 16:15 says. Look up the verse in your Bible
(King James Version) to make sure it is correct.
_ _ _____ ____ ____ _ ____
(Mark 16:15).
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HOME WORK: Children should go out during the week
and tell sinners about Jesus’ love and bring them to
Church next Sunday.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 112 - WIN THEM ONE

BY ONE
CHORUSES: (1) Everybody ought to know.... Who Jesus

is (2) Go and tell them (3) Go tell it on the mountain.
DAILY BIBLE READING

SATURDAY ROMANS 1:14-17
SUNDAY MARK 16:14-16
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary. 1. Gang 2. Eternity 3. Opportunity
4. Hardened 5. Reward.
158
Volume62
VOLUME 29
FOR
SENIOR CHILDREN
LESSON 1
AMNON’S INCEST AND

DEATH
2 Samuel 13:1-39; 14:1-33
The stories in chapters thirteen and fourteen of second

Samuel are mainly the stories of the fulfilment of God’s
judgment passed on David. He committed adultery with
Uriah’s wife and also killed the man. For destroying the
happiness of Uriah’s family, David also could not enjoy
any happiness in his family. His children became
stubborn, wayward, disobedient and wicked. Sin is
dangerous, this is why sinners are being warned to
repent because the consequences of sin is always too
much to bear.
In our study, we shall see how Amnon raped his half
-sister. This action is known as incest. God forbids this
kind of immoral behaviour (Leviticus 18:9,11; 20:17;
Deuteronomy 27:22). Incest is sexual relationship
between two people who are related by blood/birth. For
example, a brother with his sister or a father with his
daughter. When Amnon raped his half-sister, David
became sad but he could not enforce appropriate
disciplinary action because of his own errors. There is
judgment from God for sin. Shame, suffering and death
are general consequences of sin. You must therefore
abstain from all evil. Never get involved in anything that
will bring shame, sorrow and death to your family as
Amnon and Absalom did. God will reward your
obedience.
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1. AMNON DEFILES TAMAR: 2 Samuel 3:2; 13:1-14;
1 Chronicles 3:1
Amnon was born in a royal family. He was the first
born of King David. His name means faithful. Although
he was born of an earthly king, his behaviour did not befit
Amnon lusted after his the son of a king. As a
sister and defiled her. young man, he sold his
Tamar heart to Satan who gave
him the spirit of lust
instead of gen u in e
Ch rist-lik e love. He
lusted after his sister –
Jonadab Tamar. H e also
associated with a bad
and wicked friend -
J on adab , his first
cousin who counselled
him on how to go about
Amnon his evil plot.
Who is your friend, who counsels you whenever you
are confused and don’t know what to do in difficult times?
Amnon took to Jonadab’s evil counsel, cleverly acted as
advised, deceived his father who cared for him and hid
his evil intentions in his heart (Jeremiah 17:9).
When Tamar came to care for him in obedience to
their father’s instruction, he lured her into his bedroom
and raped her, thereby committing incest with her. He
was beastly, self-willed, wicked and stiff-necked. He
did not listen to Tamar’s reasonings and passionate
cry and plea for mercy. He was bent on doing evil not
fearing God. By force he raped and defiled her, made
her dirty before God, brought her shame and ruined
her future (2 Samuel 13:10-14).
161
The question is, in what ways do you deceive your
parents? Are you messing up your life? Do you collect
money falsely or pretend to be sick to punish your
parents? Repent today to be blessed by God. Amnon did
a very wicked thing to Tamar and God was not happy
with him.
Be careful! Sin at the beginning may appear sweet
and enjoyable, but afterward, it is bitter and painful,
deadens the conscience and leads to death at last
(James 1:13-15). Flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18).
2. CONSEQUENCES OF AMNON’S WICKED

BEHAVIOUR: 2 Samuel 13:15-39; 14:1-33;
Deuteronomy 27:22; Proverbs 11:21
Amnon’s lust and rape of Tamar had grievous
consequences on the personalities involved.
Tamar – The rape and defilement by her brother on her
was a tragedy which brought her grief. She tore her royal
garment (the symbol of her virginity) and put ashes on
her head which is Absalom killed
a sign of d ee p Amnon because he
defiled Tamar.
mou r nin g. Sh e
experienced
disgrace, sorrow
and sh ame .
Because of this
she could not get
mar rie d an d
remained lonely
in her brother’s
h ou se. Y oun g
girls must be wise so as to remain pure. Satan is lurking
around the corner, to seduce and lure innocent children
to do evil. Be a prayerful child, fill your heart with the
162
word of God and He will always provide a way out of
temptation for you.
Amnon – He died shamefully and went to hell. He could
not enjoy God’s mercy, because he was not sorry for his
evil deeds. Boys and girls must fear God, be watchful
and prayerful and avoid evil influences. Obedience to
the word of God is the key to life.
David – He experienced grief, sorrow and shame in his
family because of his weakness. God is not a respecter
of persons. Whosoever disobeys His commandment will
be punished. Therefore, repent of all your bad ways.
Absalom – He was a rebellious son, and a murderer who
became a fugitive (runaway criminal). He eventually
died and perished (Genesis 4:12).
There is no excuse for wrong doings. Do not be a
rebellious child. Other people who became partakers of
their evil deeds were Joab, Jonadab, Absalom’s servant
and the wise woman from Tekoa. Children should know
that whatever they do as members of a family will affect
other people in the family. Children of God should not
be careless with their Christian faith, abstain from all
appearances of evil and run away from objects of
temptation. Do not do anything in secret and think that
your parents will not know. God sees all that we do and
will surely punish all sinners who refuse to repent. Be
an instrument of blessing to your family.
163
3. HOW TO AVOID DEFILEMENT:
1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Romans 6:12-14;
2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:22
The evil that happened in the family of king David is
also common in our present generation. Innocent
children are being molested by wicked family members,
neighbours, false teachers and wicked strangers. Some
children also engage in unholy association with the
opposite sex, even with their brothers and sisters. All
these are abominations in the sight of God. The following
guidelines will help you to avoid getting involved in
these acts of defilement:
(a) Be born again. If all the members of your family are
To avoid
friends of Jesus,
defilement, you they will never
must give your get involved in
life to Jesus,
keep yourself i m m o r a l
pure, avoid bad
fri ends, and
act iv ities.
running errands Therefore, if you
for strangers.
are still a sinner,
r ep e nt, con fess
your sins to God and
ask for
for given e ss an d
cleansing in the blood
of Jesus.
(b) Move a step further and
pray for a pure heart. God is
holy and commands that
we should be holy too.
(c) Do not en gage in
“rough play” with your
164
brother or sister. Never you play with parts of your body.
Be pure in your thoughts and actions towards your
brother and sister.
(d) Run away from anyone who tries to lure you to dark
or lonely corners. Always shout for help when you are
in danger.
(e) Avoid unnecessary errands from strangers and even
neighbours.
(f) Where possible, let your parents know the importance
of having separate rooms for boys and girls.
Be watchful and prayerful. Read the word of God,
meditate on it, hide it in your heart and use it as a weapon
against temptation from the evil ones. Trust God, He will
keep and preserve you from all the lions in the world.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is incest? _
2. What was the relationship between Amnon and
Tamar?
3. What did Amnon do to Tamar?
4. Describe the end of Amnon _
5. How can children avoid being defiled? _ _
MEMORY VERSE: “And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah

David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord
suppose that they have slain all the young men the
king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the
appointment of Absalomthis hath been determined from
the day that he forced his sister Tamar” (2 Samuel 13:32).
LESSON: Eternal death in hell fire is the punishment for

boys and girls who refuse to repent of their wicked ways.
165
THOUGHT: I will take heed to God’s word to escape God’s
judgment.
ACTIVITY: From these passages; 1 Kings 12:7; Daniel

4:27; 2 Chronicles 10:10; Matthew 27:19; Job 2:9;
Revelation 3:18, mention if it was wise or evil counsels
that were given to the people involved. Then pray to live
by the wise counsels so as to live a righteous life.
HOMEWORK: Pray for God’s grace, strength and

cou rage to b e sep ar ate d from evil an d wicke d
companions and influences at home and school.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS 6 – YIELD NOT TO

TEMPTATION
CHORUSES: (1) Thy word have I hid in my heart. (2) I will

never let the devil win the battle. (3) Peace, purity, power,
mine in the Lord.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY PROVERBS 1:8-11

TUESDAY LEVITICUS 18:5-8
WEDNESDAY LEVITICUS 18:9-11
SUNDAY PROVERBS 15:20-22
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Incest 2. Disaster 3. Grievous
4. Self-willed 5. Defile.
166
LESSON 2
ABSALOM’S REBELLION
AND TRAGIC END
2 Samuel 15:1-37; 16:1-23; 17:1-29; 18:1-33
In every society, God has ordained rulers and authorities to

govern and control the people. Fathers and mothers are to
rule over individual families with the father being the head.
In schools, we have the school prefects, headmaster,
headmistress,principaletc.to controland governeachschool.
The head of State or President rules the nation, governors
rule the states, while kings rule the towns and cities and
nations. The reason for all these categories of rulers is
because God wants peace and orderliness to be in our
societies. God gave a clear command in the Bible concerning
what should be our attitude to these constituted authorities.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are
ordainedof God.Whosoeverthereforeresisteththe power,
resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation” (Romans 13:1,2).
Our studyis on how Absalom,the sonof David,the second
king of Israel rebelled against the king (his father) and how
he died a painful death. Rebellion is total disobedience or
resistance to authority. Some children often rebel against
the authority of their parents and the school. At whatever
level, God hates rebellion and disobedience. “For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity
and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23a). Children must learn to be
obedient and not rebellious.
We shall consider our study under the following
sub-headings:
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1. ABSALOM’S REBELLION:
2 Samuel 15:1-14;13:28-30,37-39;14:28-32
Absalom was the son of king David. He was
veryhandsome and David loved him. The name Absalom
means “father of peace or father of friendship” but
Absalom’s character was completely opposite to his name. He
was not for peace and was unfriendly. He also had an
unforgiving spirit.
Some of the rebellious and wicked actions of
Absalom include: (i) He hated and killed his brother
Amnon because Amnon committed immorality with Tamar
(2 Samuel 13:22). (ii) He ran away from home for three years
(2 Samuel 13:37,38). (iii) He set Joab’s field on fire and
burnt the farm produce that Joab laboured for
(2 Samuel 14:29,30). (iv) Absalom turned away the hearts
Absalom was the son of
of the people of Israel
King David. He was very from David their king
handsome but rebellious. whom G od had
appointed over them
(2 Samuel 15:6,13).
(v) Absalom overthrew
his father from the
throne and took over
the kingship. This is
rebellion (2 Samuel
16:14,15,22). (vi) He
led the children of
Israel in war against
his father David
(2 Samuel 18:6). (vii) He led many children of Israel into
rebellion and untimely death (2 Samuel 18:7,8).
There is no gain in rebellion and disobedience. Many
children today live in disobedience to their godly
168
parents’ instructions. This is dangerous! Do not join
them.
2. ABSALOM’S TRAGIC END: 2 Samuel 18:9-16;

Jeremiah 28:16; Proverbs 29:1
The word tragic means heartbreaking, terrible or
disastrous. Absalom died a heartbreaking and terrible
death. He died suddenly. Absalom went to battle in order
to kill his father and become king but he never returned
alive. While trying to pass under an oak tree, his hair
was held by the tree, the mule he was riding ran off and
Absalom was dangling in the air. He was killed there by
Joab and his armour Absalom died a terrible death as
bearer. a result of his rebellion against
King David his father.
Some examples
of rebellious people
in the Bible and how
their lives ended up
in a tragic way are: (i)
Korah, Dathan and
Abiram who rebelled
against Moses the
ser van t of God
(Numbers 16:26-34).
The ground opened
and swallowed them alive. (ii) The 250 men who followed
Korah, Dathan and Abiram were consumed by fire
(Numbers 26:35). (iii) Hananiah, a false prophet who
opposed and confronted prophet Jeremiah. He died
suddenly (Jeremiah 28:15-17). (iv) Pharaoh rebelled
against God. He eventually perished in the red sea with
his army (Exodus 14:26-28). (v) Belshazzar the king of
the Chaldeans lifted up himself against the Lord of
heaven. He saw the finger of God, the strange writing
169
and eventually died the same night (Daniel 5:22-30). (vi)
Herod rebelled against God by persecuting the church.
He spoke proud words against God and was smitten by
an angel and eaten up by worms (Acts 12:20-23).
God does not want you to be rebellious, there is no
gain in rebellion. All over the Bible and in our present
life, nobody who lived a rebellious life died a peaceful
death. Are you rebellious? Repent and give your life to
Jesus today.
3. WARNING AGAINST REBELLION: Deuteronomy

31:25-29; 9:7-14; Ephesians 6:1-3
God hates disobedience and rebellion. Absalom had
so much privileges which could have made him great in
life. He was born by a rich and influential father, king
David. As a son of the king, he was very influential among
the people. He did not lack anything but he decided to
live a rebellious life.
Children who have Refusal to
not given their lives to give your life
Jesus are rebellious to Jesus is
rebel lion. “Ye
against God. Many must be born
children today in the again”.
church are following
the way of being rebellious. They
refuse to: (i) Surrender to Jesus
and be born again. This is a
major act of rebellion against
the word and command of
Jesus Christ, “Ye must be
born again” (John 3:7). (ii)
Pray and read the Bible every
day and live by its
instructions. (iii) Do daily Bible reading, learn memory
170
verses and assignments. This is disobedience. (iv) Obey
their parents, pastors and children teachers. They love
the world and reject the way of holiness. Repent from it.
Absalom abused and misused all the privileges he
had until it was too late. So also are the ways of many
children today. Examine your life and repent now before
it is too late. Pray that God will help you not to be like
Absalom.
QUESTIONS:
1. Mention some of the people whom God has put in
authority to maintain peace and order in our families
and nations _
2. Who was Absalom?
3. Mention four of the rebellious actions of Absalom
4. What happened to Korah and his friends who rebelled

against Moses?
5. Mention some things that children in the church do
which shows that they are rebellious
6. How can a rebellious child become a friend of Jesus?
MEMORY VERSE: “And on this manner did Absalom

to all Israel that came to the king for judgment:
so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel”
(2 Samuel 15:6).
LESSON: Rebellion leads to destruction.
THOUGHT: I will always say ‘NO’ to temptations to be

rebellious.
171
ACTIVITY: A boy and a girl should tell the story of other
rebellious people in the Bible and the consequences of
their rebellion.
HOMEWORK: Read Numbers chapter 16. Write out the

names of the people who were involved in the rebellion
and what happened to them.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 207 – THERE’S A

GREAT DAY COMING
CHORUSES: (1) Obedience is the very best way to show

that you believe. (2) Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus.
(3) I am ready to obey Thy word.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY DEUTERONOMY 1:25-27
WEDNESDAY NUMBERS 16:26-28
THURSDAY NUMBERS 16:29-32
FRIDAY NUMBERS 16:33-35
SATURDAY NUMBERS 14:1-5
SUNDAY NUMBERS 14:6-10
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Rebellion 2. Tragic 3. Stubbornness
4. Exile 5. Influence.
172
LESSON 3
DAVID RESTORED TO THE

THRONE
2 Samuel 19:1-43; 20:1-26
David committed adultery with Bathsheba and also killed

her husband in order to cover up his evil. Therefore, as
a result of God’s judgment many bad things began to
happen to him. His daughter Tamar was raped by Amnon
one of his sons who was later killed by Absalom the
brother of Tamar. Absalom then fled to Geshur but Joab
pleaded on his behalf and he was allowed to return to
Jerusalem.
However, on his return, he conspired with some men
to take his father’s throne. When David heard that some
of the people had conspired with Absalom and have made
him king in Hebron, he was afraid for his life and decided
to run away from the throne. Yet the instruction of the
Lord is “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy
days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee” (Exodus 20:12). Absalom refused to
obey this instruction of the Lord. He therefore, died a
shame fu l and u n time ly de ath . Ab salom was a
revengeful, impatient, greedy and ungodly person. Don’t
hurt your parents; neither by your words or conduct so
that it may be well with you and you may live long on
Earth. Our lesson is divided into three parts:
173
1. PREPARATION FOR DAVID’S RESTORATION:
2 Samuel 19:1-8
Absalomand his menwere defeatedin battlethus bringing
an end to the rebellious act that drove David away from the
throne. Instead of David to show gratitude to God and the
courageous men that fought for him, he was concerned only
for his rebellious son who had died. Joab the captain of the
army therefore expressed unhappiness and corrected the
action of the king. As friends of Jesus, we must not be afraid
to stand for the truth. When others are doing bad things even
if they are older than us, we must not be afraid to correct
them.
David accepted the advice of Joab and encouraged the
people that remained with him. Now it was time to call
everybodytogether tomake peace,restore the king tothe throne
David encouraged and
and unite the people
unite the people after the of God. The elders of
death of rebellious
Absalom. Israel came first
wanting to take the
king back to
Jerusalem. Because
David desired that
the people of Judah
his own tribe be
involved, He made
an appeal to them.
There was division among the people as a result of the trouble
in David’s family. Now it was time to bring everybody together
and work for the good of the kingdom.
Boys and girls must be in unity and work togetherto bring
revivalto the church.Be united in prayer, fellowship, studying
and obeying the word of God and in evangelism. The king of
Kings will soon appear, we must be prepared for His coming.
174
2. DAVID RESTORED TO THE THRONE: 2 Samuel
19:9-43; 20:1-26; Joel 2:26
In the process of trying to restore David to his throne,
a lot of problems arose. There was tension, conflict and
fighting among the tribes of Israel. A man known as Sheba
also rebelled, wanting to take away his tribe and rule
over them. Also, there was jealousy and killings among
David’s army generals. All these caused delay in the
restoration of king David back to his throne. However,
these rebellious attitudes was eventually stopped and the
quarrels settled.
This made way for David to finally return to Jerusalem
to continue to reign as king. This shows that it was not
yet time, according to the will of God for David to leave
David was the throne. For Absalom and
restored to his co-conspirators to try to
the throne
after settling remove him by force, was
all the fighting against God’s will.
conflicts.
The rebellion was very strong,
but they could not defeat the
purpose of God for David.
God has a purpose for your
life. Do not allow anything to
take you away from this
p ur p ose . No matter th e
opposition and conflict from
Satan and his agents, you
will get to where God has
prepared for you in this life. He has also promised to
restore all that we have lost. If you have gone astray and
into sin like David, repent, God will forgive and restore
you into His original plan for your life.
The enemy is fighting hard to stop us from getting to
heaven. He brings temptations, failures, set-backs,
175
lukewarmness and many other things. You must strive
to overcome all obstacles so as to get to heaven at last.
Jesus is waiting to crown you. Be watchful, prayerful
and faithful till the end.
3. LESSONS FROM DAVID’S EXPERIENCES: Proverbs

11:17-21; 19:19-21
There are many important things we can learn from
the experiences of David:
(a) Though David was a man after God’s own heart, yet
he yie lde d to
temp tation an d No one can
stop the plan
c o m m i t t e d of God for
immorality an d your life only
murder. Believers be watchful,
prayerful and
are daily faced with faithful till
the temptation to do the end.
wron g thin gs.
Remember that Jesus warns us
to watch and pray so as to
overcome every temptation.
(b) God hates sin and will
punish the sinner no matter
who he is. H e is n ot a
respecter of anyone. If you are a
friend of Jesus, you must remain
holy at all times. Flee from all appearances of evil so
that you can escape God’s punishment. (c) A person’s
misbehavior or sin can have negative effect on the entire
family or group and even the church. This is why everyone
must be obedient to the word of God so as to be good
examples to others. (d) David repented of his sins and was
restored. You must not hide your sins. Repent so that you
can receive pardon and cleansing from the Lord.
176
(e) In the course of his troubles, some people like Shimei
and Mephibosheth did wrong things to David. Instead of
retaliating, he forgave them. We must forgive those that
hurt us even as Christ forgave us.
(f) David was finally restored to his throne after all the
troubles. This should be an encouragement to all who
love the Lord. As you trust Him daily, He will bring to
pass all that He has promised you.
Remember that as children, the key to enjoying
peace, love and the blessings of God is obedience. Never
rebel against your parents and teachers. Children who
rebel against their parents are under a curse. Obedience
is what God demands from you. As you obey, you will
enjoy great blessings all through your life.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who made himself king and caused his father to run
away from the throne?
2. What happened to Absalom in battle?
3. It was necessary to unite the tribes in Israel in
preparation for David’s restoration. Yes/No
4. David was finally restored to the throne after settling
all the conflicts. Yes/No
5. State five things that you have learnt from David’s
experiences _
MEMORY VERSE: “Absalom, whom we anointed over

us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not
a word of bringing the king back”? (2 Samuel 19:10).
LESSON: God will restore all that we have lost if we love
and fear Him.
177
THOUGHT: I will love and obey God to enjoy His
blessings.
ACTIVITIES: Read the passages given below and state

four events in David’s life which proves that God was
with him: 1 Samuel 16:12,13; 17:47-57; 18:11; 2 Samuel
19:9-11
HOMEWORK: Write in your Church notebook, the
names of four people (two from each Testament) who were
persecuted by those around them and how God fought
for them.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 29 - I KNOW WHO
HOLDS TOMORROW
CHORUSES: (1) There is none holy as the Lord. (2) The
steadfast love of our God never ceaseth. (3) O God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY DEUTERONOMY 17:18-20

WEDNESDAY 2 SAMUEL 3:9,10
THURSDAY I KINGS 8:25,26
SUNDAY HEBREWS 4:14-16
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

Find the meaning of the following words. You may use
your Dictionary: 1. Conspirator 2. Rebuke
3. Restoration 4. Rebellious 5. Inheritance
178
LESSON 4
THE GIBEONITES AVENGED

2 Samuel 21:1-22
The Gibeonites were the descendants of the

Amorites, one of the idolatrous nations that God
commanded Israel to destroy as they entered and
settled in the land of Canaan. Israel was not to spare
them or make a league (covenant) with them. As the
news of the conquest of Jericho and Ai reached
Gibeon, fear drove their leaders to plan and carry
out a deception which convinced Joshua and the
Princes of Israel to spare them.
They pretended to be ambassadors from a far country
and persuaded Israel to make a league with them.
Without consulting God, Joshua and the princes
believed and swore by the Lord God of Israel to let them
live. But years later, Saul decided to wipe them out and
slew (killed) many of them thereby going against the
covenant between them and the Israelites. God is a
righteous judge and hates injustice, He is not partial.
Whosoever breaks His covenant, He will punish. He will
also fight for those who suffer wrongly. Don’t fight those
who hate you, always allow God to fight for you.
Our topic is divided into three parts for better
understanding:
1. GO D PUNI S H ES I SRAEL F O R SAUL ’S
DISOBEDIENCE: 2 Samuel 21:1-4
Disobedience brings punishment not only to the
disobedient but also to others around him as in our text for
this study.Duringthe reign of David as king, there was famine
for three years. It was a time of dryness and suffering in the
land. David then prayed, asking the Lord for the cause of the
179
famine. The Lord revealed to him that it was Saul’s
disobedience in breaking the covenant with the Gibeonites
that caused the famine. When children of God are
encountering
God punished Israel with famine because
difficulties or Saul killed the Gibeonites
troubles in their
lives, it could be
spiritual (lack of
spiritual growth,
lukewarmness, fear,
doubtetc)orphysical
(sickness, failure,
poverty etc), they
must set time aside to pray. God delight in our prayers and
He will answer us in due time.
Israel had kept the covenant to let the Gibeonites live.
However, centuries later, king Saul in his zeal to please the
Israelites destroyed many of the Gibeonites. This killing was
not recorded openlyas that ofthe priestsat Nob but God knew
it. Israel was therefore punished with three years of famine.
You cannot hide any sinful act from God.Are you a bully?
Do you delight in punishing younger, weaker and helpless
children that cannot defend themselves? Whatever you do
in secret will be punished by God in the open. Now is the
time for you to repent and escape the judgment of God.
Confess your sins to God, ask for forgiveness and cleansing
in the blood of the Lamb and accept Jesus as your Saviour
and Lord.
2. GOD AVENGES THE GIBEONITES: 2 Samuel 21:5-

14;Numbers35:33,34;Romans12:19-21
Although the evil that Saul did in killing the Gibeonites
and thereby breaking the promise made to them was done
several years back, the children of Israel began to experience
the consequence during the reign of David (2 Samuel
180
21:1,2). David enquired of the Lord and God told him that
the famine was as a result of Saul’s disobedience in slaying
the Gibeonites. David then called the Gibeonites and asked
them what he should do to appease them so that Israel could
be forgiven. They said to
God avenged the Gibeonites
when seven men of Saul’s the king “Let seven men
family were killed. of his sons be delivered
unto us, and we will hang
“For the wages them up unto the Lord
of sin is death; in Gibeah of Saul, whom
but the gift of the Lord did choose.And
God is eternal life the king said, I will give
them”
through Jesus (2 Samuel 21:6).
Christ our Lord.” Thus, the king took
(Romans 6:23) seven sons of Saul and
gave them to be killed so
that the Gibeonites could
be avenged. He however, spared Mephibosheth the son of
Jonathan because of the oath which was between them. After
the Gibeonite had been appeased, God answered their
prayers and the famine was taken away from their land.
God hates disobedience and injustice. Repent of your sins
and ask God for mercy. The sin you committed some few
years back if not sincerely repented of could bring serious
punishment on you years after the deed was done. Don’t be
rebellious, love and obey God so that your prayers will be
answered and you will be blessed. If anyone has done bad
things to you, pray and tell God about it. Do not fight back,
God who loves justice will avenge for you. As friends of Jesus,
you must make up your mind to always obey God.
181
3. THE CHRISTIANS’LIFELONGBATTLE WITH SATAN:
Isaiah 14:12; Genesis 3:13; 1 Samuel 17:4; 2 Samuel
21:15-22
The constant battles of the Philistines against Israel
appears like that of Satan against the children of God. Satan
never accepts defeat over him as final. He will always
continue to fight. The Philistines also never regarded Israel’s
victory over them from time to time as final. Israel fought
and defeated many enemies including the Philistines in
their conquest of Canaan.
However, the Philistines were the most persistent and
unyielding enemies. From the time that young David
defeated their champion Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) till his old
age as king of Israel, they never stopped fighting Israel. In
one of the battles, one of their giants almost killed David
(2 Samuel 21:15,16). God raised
great men of war to fight on the
side of David.
Keep
yourself
Their names are
holy. A life A b i s h a i ,
of holiness Sibbechai,
will give
you victory Elhan an and
over Satan. Jonathan. They
fought gallantly
and defeated all the giants –
the descendants of Goliath.
The Christians life
from birth to death is a
continuous battle with
Satan and his (angels)
demons. However, many
friends of Jesus are
either not aware of this or
do not take it seriously. Satan is the enemy of God and
God’s children. Since he lost heaven and was cast down to
182
the earth (Isaiah 14:12), he has been engaged in spiritual
warfare to take as many Christians with him to hell fire, a
place prepared for him and his angels. Adam and Eve were
his first victims in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:13).
Every temptation to steal, lie, cheat, fight, curse, abuse,
backbite etc., comes from Satan. The purpose is to make
you lose your salvation and go to hell at last. Fortunately,
temptation is not sin but yielding is. How then can you live
an overcomer’s life? You must recognize that Jesus the
captain of the army is always ready to fight for you.
Therefore, if you are not yet a friend of Jesus, you must
repent and turn from your sins without delay. You will then
be able to daily pray, read and meditate on the word of God,
tell others about the love of God, attend fellowship meetings
and other programmes of the church, daily obey God’s word
and always overcome all the temptations and trials of Satan.
As the Philistines continuously fought David so also the
devil is fighting believers today. Make up your mind to
follow Christ and you will overcome till the end.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why did the Gibeonites deceive Israel?
2. Why was there famine in the land of Israel?
3. How were the Gibeonites avenged for the evil that Saul
did to them?
4. Children of God are engaged in spiritual battles
throughout their lives. True/False.
5. What can sinners do to live victoriously?
MEMORY VERSE: “And he delivered them into the hands

of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before
the Lord: and they fell all seven together, and were put
to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the
beginning of barley harvest” (2 Samuel 21:9).
183
LESSON: God hates injustice and will always fight for the
oppressed.
THOUGHT: I will remain with the Lord so that He will fight

all my battles for me.
ACTIVITY: Discussion– Children should discuss in groups,

five things they have learnt from the study.
HOMEWORK: Pray for grace to remain faithful in obeying

God’s word.
CONGREGATIONALSONG GHS:129– GRACEGREATER

THAN OUR SIN
CHORUSES: (1) Jesus conquered the world. (2) I will never
let the devil win the battle. (3) Jesus is our mighty God.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY JOSHUA 9:1-5
TUESDAY JOSHUA 9:6-10
WEDNESDAY JOSHUA 9:11-14
THURSDAY JOSHUA 9:15-18
FRIDAY JOSHUA 9:19-23
SATURDAY JOSHUA 9:24-27
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
dictionary: 1. Conquest 2. Deception
3. Lukewarmness 4. Famine 5. Confrontation.
184
LESSON 5
DAVID’S PSALM OF PRAISE

AND VALIANT MEN
2 Samuel 22:1-51; 23:1-39
The word psalm means song. One of the good qualities in

David’s life which made God love him so much was because
he knew how to express his gratitude to God. He always
showed his gratitude to God for His kindness and mercies
toward him. He said, “I will bless the Lord at all times, His
praise shall continually be in my mouth” It is good to paise
God. Praising God is desirable and God expects children to
praise Him.
Many children are very ungrateful. They complain and
murmur for the things they are yet to receive but forget to “say
thank you” for the ones they have received. God is not happy
with such children! You must learn to “say thank you” to God
for all He has done and all He is doing for you be it small or
great. You can express your gratitude to God by praising Him
with songs. Boys and girls should look into their lives and see
great thingsGod has done for them and develop the good habit
of praising God every day.
1. DAVID’S PSALM OF PRAISE: 2 Samuel 22:1-51; Psalm

107:15,16; 89:1
David had experienced God’s goodness right from his
childhood. He realized that he could not have become who he
was without God. He always showed gratitude to God at every
given opportunity. The grateful heart is the heart that shows
gratitude to God for His kindness and mercy. It is a heart that
185
appreciates God’s love and goodness.David remembered how
Goddeliveredhimfromdeathfromthe handsofSauland how
David always showed God made him victorious on many
gratitude to God for His occasions when he fought the
love and kindness
towards him. Philistines. Thus, he sang praises
toGod andglorifiedHim.David was
a great singer and a composer of
songs. He used this talent to glorify
God by singing songs of praises to
express his gratitude to God for His
goodness. God expects friends of
Jesus to praise Him for all the good
thingsHehasdoneforthem.Praises
rejoicesthe heartof Godand moves
God to do great things in our lives.
The walls of Jericho fell down flat
whenthe childrenofIsraelsang
praises and marched round about Jericho (Joshua 6:3-
5,20,21).JehoshaphatandthepeopleofJudahconqueredtheir
enemies justby singingpraises unto God (2 Chronicles20:22-
24). Paul and Silas in the prison prayed and sang praises, the
bounds on their legs were loosed and the prisondoors opened.
Why won’t you praise God? Praise God so that He will do great
things in your life.
2. REASONSFORPRAISINGGOD:2 Samuel23:1-7;Psalm
103:1-5; 107:15,16
There are many reasons to praise God. The mere fact that
we sleepand wake-uppeacefullyis a very good reasonto praise
God. God has given His only begotten Son, Jesus to die to save
us from sin. Also, your sins have been washed with the blood
of Jesusand youare now born againand mansionsare waiting
for you in heaven. For these reasons, we must praise God at all
times.Other reasons for praisingGod are:(a) When God gives
186
you victory over your enemies, like the children of Israel when
God gave them victory over the Egyptians (Exodus 15:11). (b)
Whenyoupassyourexaminationsorachieveothergreatthings.
(c) We also praise God for long life, good health, provision,
protection, healing and deliverances. (d) Praise God for the
souls that are getting converted in our churches and for many
other blessings of God. The question is, do you have a grateful
heart, or do you take God’s goodness for granted?
If you are still a sinner, your praises will not be acceptable
to God.If you want your praises
to be acceptable unto God, you REASONS FOR
PRAISING GOD
must first surrender your life to
God by turning away from all *SALVATION OF
your sins. Ask God to wash you SOULS
and cleanse you with the blood *VICTORY OVER
of Jesus. Invite Him into your OUR ENEMIES
*SUCCESS IN
heart to be your Lord and LIFE
Saviour and begin to praise *GOOD HEALTH
God for your salvation. When *PROVISION
youpraise God on a dailybasis,
He will do great things in your life. Learn to praise God at all
times in joy or in pain. Praise God even when you are sorrowful
and He will turn your sorrows into joy. Sing and praise the
Lord at all times. Praise the Lord!
3. DAVID’S VALIANT MEN: 2 Samuel23:8-31;Ephesians

6:10-18
Valiant men are men who are strong and courageous to
fight and defend their country against the enemies’ attack.
David had such men with him who fought battles for the Lord.
They were dedicated and committed to defending the nation
of Israel. We can see the names of these valiant men in our
text. Some of them fought with the last drop of their blood to
make sure that Israel won the battle and God’s name was
187
glorified. Children of God are “not fighting against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers
…”. Then fight the good fight of faith! God is looking for
boys and girls who will fight the
battles of the Lord.
They can achieve Give your
this by living a holy life to Jesus
life, preaching the so that God
gospel and will uses
you to fight
winning souls into his battle.
the kingdom, being
uncompromising and standing
strong for the truth of God’s
word, and also by being
prayerful.Can the Lord depend
on you to fight the battle of
faith? It is a spiritual duty,
therefore, sinnersare not involved in
fighting such battles. They must first
give their lives to Jesus. The acronym ‘valiant’ best describes
the men who fought and triumphed for God.
V – Verypowerful.A – Attentive. Standingfirmlyand faithfully,
doing the will of God without compromising with the enemy.
They were attentive to God’s word. L – Loving. They loved the
Lord. I – Integrity. They made an impact in Israel which has
been recorded. A – Achievers. They achieved great things for
God. N – Not slothful. They were not lazy. T – Triumphant.
They triumphed in all their battles for the Lord.
Learn to sing praises and stand valiantly for Jesus! Then
whenthe rollis called up yonder,your name will notbe missing
among those that fought valiantlyfor the truth.
188
QUESTIONS:
1. What quality in David’s life made him a man after God’s
own heart?
2. Whydowe praiseGod?
4. What are the benefitsof praisingGod? _
5. How can sinners’ praises be acceptable to God? _
6. HowdofriendsofJesusengageinspiritualwarfare?_
MEMORY VERSE: “I will call on the Lord, who is

worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine
enemies” (2 Samuel 22:4).
LESSON: Praises attract God’s bountiful blessings into the

lives of believers.
THOUGHT: I will make Jesus my friend so that my praises

will also make God do wonders in my life.
ACTIVITY: From the following Bible passages, who were

the people that praised God, what happened before and after
they praised God? Joshua 6:20; 2 Chronicles 20:20-22;
Exodus 15:1
HOMEWORK: Write in your homework book ten (10)reasons

why you should praise God.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 50 – COUNT YOUR

BLESSINGS
189
CHORUSES: (1) I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. (2) I
have seen the Lord’s goodness, His mercies and
compassion. (3) When I think of the goodness of Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING

MONDAY PSALM 100:1-3
TUESDAY PSALM 100:4,5
WEDNESDAY PSALM 103:1-5
FRIDAY EXODUS 15:11-13
SATURDAY ACTS 16:24-26
SUNDAY EPHESIANS 5:19,20
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Gratitude 2. Appreciate
3. Innumerable 4. Composer 5. Valiant.
190
LESSON 6
CALL FOR INTERCESSION

AND CHRISTIAN MODESTY
1 Timothy 2:1-15
Sarah was a young woman who had a son called Charles.

The son was so stubborn and notorious that everyone in the
community knew him. His mother was not discouraged but
decided to set aside one hour every day to pray for him. She
believed that one day God would save her son from his bad
ways as she keeps praying for him. One day, while Charles
was playing football on the field, a child came and gave him
a children tract. He read it and was touched by the message
in the tract. He then prayed, repented of his sin and became
a friend of Jesus. Charles confessed his sins and asked for
pardon from the Lord. He became a new person. The prayers
of his mother saved him. As friends of Jesus, you are called
to pray for everyone and also live a modest life.
We divide the topic into three parts:
1. CALL FOR INTERCESSION AND INTERCESSORS:

1 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 12:12
Intercession means praying for somebody or for others,
while the person or child that prays forothers is an intercessor.
Like the young woman in our story, she was an intercessor
for her son. Many children know how to talk and gossip about
theirfriends,teachers,parents,principalsand othersbut they
don’t pray for them. In our text, Apostle Paul told Timothy a
young man and his son in the faith to pray and intercede for
others. God wants all born again boys and girls to do the
same.
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There are many examples in the Bible of heroes who
interceded for others: (i) Abraham – He prayed and
pleaded for Sodom. As a result of his prayers, Lot was
delivered from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha.
(ii) Moses – He prayed that God should not wipe out the
children of Israel who rebelled in the wilderness. God
answered his prayers and spared them (Exodus 32:10-
14). (iii) Samuel – Made intercession for Israel, God
answered his prayer by making Israel to overcome the
Philistines (1 Samuel 7:8-10). (iv) The Church prayed
for Peter, God sent an angel to deliver him from prison
(Acts 12:5-11). (v) Apostle Paul always prayed for Israel
and all his converts (Romans 10:1; Ephesians 1:16). (vi)
Daniel - He was a great intercessor for his people, Israel.
His intercession led to the restoration of the people back
Intercessors are to their land
Abraham those who pray for from e xile
others. There are
(Daniel 9:3,4).
many intercessors
in the Bible. Moreover,
Moses Jesus Christ
Daniel is the greatest
intercessor as
He is at the
right hand of
God praying
for us. We
must follow His example and enlist in the army of
intercessors.
God wants all born again boys and girls to intercede
for others (the sick, poor, sinners, presidents, governors,
pastors, teachers, those in authority, parents, family
members and everybody in general). You must pray for
everyone. God answers the prayer of children, especially
192
those who are born again. Sinful boys and girls must
first surrender to Christ before they can pray acceptably.
2. PRIORITY IN PRAYER: 1 Timothy 2:3-8

Prayer is very important. It is a good thing for friends
of Jesus to pray. God wants you to pray. Pray for peace
in our nation. Pray for your parents, pray for the
President and other leaders. Prayer is important because
(i) When we pray, sinful boys and girls will be saved like
Charles in our story. (ii) God commands us to pray
without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). (iii) When you
pray, there will be peace, provision, protection, wisdom
and knowledge.
Our heavenly Father knows the needs of every child
but He wants you to tell Him what you need through
prayer. He can do all things and He will answer all your
prayers. But your prayers will not be answered if you
pray in doubt, unforgiveness, unbelief, fear and with sin
in your heart. A sinful child should follow these steps if
he wants God to answer his prayers. A - Accept that you
are a sinner. B – When friends of Jesus pray, there
Believe that Jesus will be salvation of sinners, peace,
died to save you provision and protection
from sin s. C –
Confess all your
sins to Him. D –
Decide never to go
back to your bad
ways again. Pray,
inte rce de for
others and God
will answer you.
193
3. CALL TO MODESTY: 1 Timothy 2:9-15
It also means being moderate, simple, humble, pure
and honourable in all we do. Some children are not
moderate but very extravagant. This is because their
parents are rich, have good cars or maybe because they
are intelligent. In their dressing they want to show other
children that their parents are rich by putting on flashy
and very expensive clothes. God
is calling children to be moderate.
Everything you possess is
giventoyou byGod.So,youmust
acknowledge God in all things.
Be humble, simple
Let your life
and your and quiet in all you
appearance do. In the church,
give glory to
God.
school or at
home, you must
be modest. Don’t show off your
parent’s possessions, your
intelligence or your good
clothes. Put on dresses that
cover your nakedness.
A modest child is:
M – Meek and Mild
O – Obedient
D – Disciplined
E – Exemplary
S – Simple in lifestyle
T – Teachable.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:5 “Let your moderation
be known unto all men .….” (Philippians 4:5).
“…. whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1
Corinthians 10:31b). Some of the things listed below will
guide and help friends of Jesus to live in modesty: (i)
194
Se eking to glor ify God always (ii) Re adin g and
meditating on the word of God (iii) Not copying the bad
boys and girls of the world. (iv) Loving the things of God’s
kingdom (v) Watching and waiting for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ. (vi) Attending fellowship meetings
regularly. Let your life be a light to show others the way
to heaven. Ask God to help you to answer His call to
intercede for others and be modest in all things.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who is an intercessor? ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. All friends of Jesus are called to be
3. Mention four intercessors in the Bible. _ _ _ _ _
4. What can a sinner do before God can answer his/
her prayer?
5. From the letters of the word modest – explain the
characteristics of a modest child.
MEMORY VERSE: “I exhort therefore, that, first of

all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving
of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all
that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy
2:1-2).
LESSON: God’s call to every Christian is to intercede

for others and be modest.
THOUGHT: I will pray for others and live a holy life.
ACTIVITY: A child should be appointed to lead the

others in a short intercessory prayer.
195
HOMEWORK: Children are to write in their homework
book, the names of five people that they will intercede
for.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 169 – WHAT A

FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
CHORUSES: (1) I believe in prayer. (2) I will pray (4ce) I

will pray in the morning, I will pray in the evening, Jesus
taught me to pray, I will pray. (3) Lord, I want to be like
Jesus inner my heart.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY LUKE 11:1-4

TUESDAY LUKE 11:9-13
WEDNESDAY LUKE 18:1-5
THURSDAY DANIEL 9:1-4
SATURDAY HEBREWS 7:25-28
SUNDAY 1 PETER 3:1-4
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Intercession 2. Modesty 3. Priority
4. Intercessor 5. Aknowledge.
196
LESSON 7
QUALIFICATION FOR
CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
1 Timothy 3:1-16
There are three essential words in our topic and we need

to understand their meanings. They are - qualification,
Christian and leadership. (i) Qualification means the
ability or attribute that aids someone’s chances of
qualifying for something. (ii) A Christian is a friend of
Jesus, that is, someone who have stopped doing bad
things and have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and
Lord. He is saved from his sins and follows Jesus
steadfastly. (iii) A leader is a person that guides, directs
and leads a group of people in certain things that needs
to be done. One having authority to direct.
Jesus is the head of the church and the greatest
leader of all times. He however calls, chooses and
appoints people to carry on the work of the ministry which
involves, preaching and teaching to build and perfect
His church till He comes. Apostle Paul, a leader called
and chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ, wrote to Timothy
his son in the faith, who has now grown up to become a
young pastor having the duty to lead other friends of
Jesus. He is now a Christian leader whose duty is to
teach others the godly character and conduct of true
friends of Jesus. Do you have the desire to work for the
Lord? It is a good thing to serve God, but you must first
obey His call to be saved and be holy.
We shall consider three sub-topics:
197
1. CALLED AND CHOSEN TO BE FRIENDS OF JESUS:
Matthew 4:17-22; 22:14; 1 Timothy 1:1,2,11-16; 3:1
Jesus came into the world to save sinners from their
sins so that they can inherit God’s kingdom. In carrying
out His mission on earth, He went everywhere preaching
repentance. Multitudes heard Him and a few decided
to respond to His call. Out of those that responded to His
call, He also chose some to carry on the work He had
started. The following are examples of
The call to salvation people that God called to be leaders
goe s out to many.
Those who respond to
the call are chosen to
serve and inherit the
kingdom of heaven.
They have repented of
their sins, believed in
the Lord Jesus Christ Joseph David
and are following Him.
Positive response to
this important call to
salvation brings you
into a lovin g
r elation ship with
Christ and qualifies
you to become part of Esther Timothy
the chosen people of
God. In the Bible, God called and chose people like
Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, David,
Esther, Peter, James, John, Paul, Timothy and many
others to lead others. Therefore, for you to be one of the
chosen to do the work of God, you must answer the
Saviour’s call to repent from all your sinful ways and
accept Him as your personal Saviour, Lord and Friend.
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2. CREDENTIALS AND CHARCTER OF FAITHFUL
CHRISTIAN LEADERS: 1 Timothy 3:2-12; Titus 1:5-9
Credentials refer to the quality that makes one
suitable to do something. To do any useful work in the
kingdom of God and be a leader among the people of
God, one must possess certain essential qualities. Some
of these essential qualities include the following: The
person must:
(a) Be born again, that
To be a worker is, saved and free from sin.
in God’s
Kingdom, you (b) Be blameless. This
must be born means to be holy in heart
again, blameless
and obedient to and life. Havin g godly
God’s word. char acter an d good
behaviour that is free from
all blemishes or corruption.
(c) Understand God’s
wor d b y r e ad ing,
meditating and acting on
its instructions.
(d) Teachable and be able to teach others to obey God’s
word.
(e) Be well spoken of among the people that know him
(church, school and in the community).
(f) Be an obedient child in his own family.
(g) Be sound in faith and faithful in all things.
These are the characteristics of faithful children who
Christ can appoint to lead others in the church. They
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood called out
of this sinful world to serve God in holiness and
righteousness. Jesus is looking for children who will
faithfully serve Him in this end times. He chose Joshua
when he was still a young man, you too can work for
Christ, you are not too young to serve God.
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3. COMMITMENT AND GODLY EXAMPLE OF
CHRISTIAN LEADERS: 1 Timothy3:14-16;
1 Thessalonians 2:3-11; Philippians 2:17
Apostle Paul was a good example of a committed and
faithful church leader. He demonstrated through his
lifestyle, how to be a committed and godly leader in the
church. Paul wrote to his son in the faith who was now a
young pastor in Ephesus on how to be committed to the
call of the Master. He encouraged him to be faithful in
preaching, to seek and save lost sinners, and to be
committed to teaching the
doctrines of
Christ (2 Do not
Timothy disobey your
4:1,2) . leader; be
humble, be
Timothy
loyal and
obeyed all also pray for
t h e them.
instructions
given to him by
his leader. He also became
a faithful leader and an
example of the believer
through his words and
actions.
Christian leaders
must show godly
e xamples an d
con tin u e till
J esu s comes,
preaching and promoting the message of the gospel of
Jesus Christ as they: (i) Serve the Lord (ii) Seek the lost
(iii) Shine as light (iv) Speak for the Lord (v) Stand up for
Jesus and His word (vi) Spread the truth and (vii)
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Strengthen the people of the Lord. Jesus is calling all
boys and girls to come to Him today. He wants to save
and put you in His service. Surrender everything to Him
now. His grace is enough to keep and help you to serve
God faithfully.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who is the head and greatest leader of the church?
2. Mention four people in the Bible who were called

and chosen by God to do His work
3. was Apostle Paul’s son in the faith.
4. Mention five essential qualities required to be a
Christian leader
5. Mention six things that church leaders must be
committed to doing till Jesus comes
MEMORY VERSE: “A bishop then must be blameless,

the husbandof one wife, vigilant,sober, of goodbehaviour,
given to hospitality, apt to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2).
LESSON: God is looking for faithful boys and girls to

serve Him.
THOUGHT: I must live a holy life to be chosen to serve

God.
ACTIVITY: With the assistance of the teacher, children

should mention and write out all the good qualities of
Daniel in Daniel 1:8; 6:3,4 which made him a good
leader.
201
HOMEWORK: Write in your homework book five things
that can qualify you to be a worker in the house of God.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 54 – I AM READY

FOR SERVICE
CHORUSES: (1) Jesus shall reign forever more. (2) Give

me oil in my lamp, keep me burning. (3) The grace of
God is sufficient unto me.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY EXODUS 18:21-23

TUESDAY EXODUS 18:24-26
WEDNESDAY NUMBERS 11:16,17
THURSDAY DEUTERONOMY 16: 18-20
FRIDAY ACTS 6:2-4
SATURDAY TITUS 1:5,6
SUNDAY TITUS 1:7-9
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Ordained 2. Credentials
3. Commitment 4. Response 5. Godly.
202
LESSON 8
WARNING AGAINST
APOSTASY
1 Timothy 4:1-16
Apostasy means falling away from the faith. It is the total

rejection of Biblical truth which a person once believed.
A person who falls away from the truth to teach error is
called an apostate. He believes and preaches false
doctrines such as - “salvation is by obeying certain
human laws and abstaining from eating certain foods”.
Apostasy is a great sin before God. He will bring
punishment on those who are guilty of it. God used
Apostle Paul to write to Timothy and warn all believers
then and now about this destructive way. Apostasy will
lead someone to hell fire if not repented of. As a true
friend of Jesus, you must be careful and abide with the
true word of God to avoid damnation in hell fire on the
last day. We must take heed to the warning from our
Saviour so as not to fall into error.
We shall consider the topic under three sub-
headings:
1. CASES OF APOSTASY AND FALSE TEACHINGS

IN THE LAST DAYS: 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:8
The opening verse of our text of study reveals that
backsliding and apostasy will be a common experience
in the latter times. The latter times is also referred to in
the word of God as the latter days or end times. This is
the period that we are living in now. Paul through the
Holy Spirit made this known to his son in the faith,
203
Timothy and all friends of Jesus who would later believe
the things that would happen in the latter times. One of
such th ings is
“Now the Spirit apostasy and false
speaketh expressly, d octrine s. A
that in the latter situ ation wh er e
times some shall p eop le wh o wer e
depart from the frie nd s of J e su s
faith, giving heed to completely go away
seducing spirits, and from the faith and
doctrines of devils;” follow afte r false
(1 Timothy 4:1) teachers, who teach
false doctrines like
forbidding marriage
and comman d in g
people to abstain from certain foods and meat.
The apostates and false teachers are hardened in
their hearts and hold stubbornly unto their evil
doctrines. They also go about seeking for those they will
deceive and corrupt with their false teachings. This is
why every child of God must be very watchful and beware,
because these evil and false teachers are very many in
the world now.
2. CAUTION AGAINST BACKSLIDING AND APOSTASY:

1 Timothy 4:7-16; 2 Timothy 3:1-8; 4:3,4; Hebrews
3:12-15
Some of the things an apostate does are: (i) He stops
following Jesus. (ii) Turns back from living a holy life
(iii) Lives in immorality and disobedience to the word of
God (iv) Speaks against God’s true ministers/friends of
Jesus. (v) Stop believing and teaching the truth of God’s
word which he once believed (Bible doctrines). (vi) Speak
evil about the word of God. (vii) Deceives others by
204
preaching error. (viii) Loves the things of the world more
than the things of God. (ix) Goes into evil practices.
The Bible clearly warns true friends of Jesus of the
danger of departing from the faith and following after the
evildoctrines of falseteachers and apostates (1 Timothy4:1-4).
Apostasy is dangerous and damning. It is like a ferocious
lion that kills without mercy which must be seriously
avoided. Lying spirit, false doctrines, deception,
disobedience, wickedness, backsliding and falling away
are some of the evil prophecies of these last days. Some of
the causes of backsliding and apostasy which friends of
Jesus must avoid are: (i) Lukewarmness and laziness in
observing daily quiet time, Bible study and prayers. (ii)
Unbelief, murmuring and complaining. (iii) Friendship
with backsliders and
apostates. (iv) Collecting
and reading materials;
book s, magaz ine s,
videos, CD, tracts from
f a l se
Avoid teachers.
apostasy; (v) G oing
it is
deadly!
from place
to place to
fe llowsh ip ,
attending miracle
services and prayer
meetings. (vi) Love
of the world and
things of the world.
G o d ’ s war
ning is very
clear concerning
the danger of
205
apostasy; “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of
you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the
living God” (Hebrews 3:12). A true friend of Jesus must
hold firmly to the doctrines of the Bible, live holy and
always watch and pray.
3. COSTLY CONSEQUENCES OF HARDNESS OF

HEART AND APOSTASY: 1 Timothy 4:1-3,7,16;
Hebrews 3:7-19; 2 Peter 3:1-6
God is so merciful and loving, He does not want anyone
to perish in hell fire. He therefore warned and He is still
warning His children to beware of the danger of becoming
hardened to the word of God and falling away from the
faith. The standard of God’s word has not changed and it
will never change. If hardness of heart and apostasy were
punished in Bible
days, it still
attracts God’s Lack of favour with
God, Unanswered
punishment prayers and
today. The eternal punish-
ment in hell fire
children of Israel are some of the
in the wilderness punishments for
those who turn
were punished away from Jesus
when they
tempted God
(Hebrews 3:8-11).
So also, any boy
or girl who rejects
or turnsback from
believing the truth of God’s word will face the wrath of God.
Some of the punishments for backsliding and falling away
from the faith are (a) Loss of God’s presence and protection.
(b) Unanswered prayers (c) Defeats and afflictions of the
206
enemy. (d) Bondage to sin and Satan (e) Lack of peace,
suffering and sorrow (f) Everlasting suffering in hell fire.
The only way of escape is: (i) Repent and return to
the truth (ii) Be diligent to obey God’s commandments.
Run away from all false teachings and their evil doctrines.
As a sinner, acknowledge your sins. (iii) Ask God to
forgive and wash your sins away with the blood of Jesus.
(iv) Invite Jesus into your heart as Saviour and Lord. (v)
Thank God for saving you, continue to follow Jesus and
hold fir mly to th e doctrine s of Ch rist and H is
righteousness and run away from the teachings and
fellowship of false prophets and teachers.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who is an apostate?
2. The apostate is still a friend of Jesus (Yes/No)
3. Mention four causes of backsliding and apostasy ___
4. Mention four punishments for backsliding and

apostasy
5. What must you do to escape the punishment for
backsliding and apostasy?
MEMORY VERSE: “Take heed unto thyself, and unto

the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this
thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear
thee” (1 Timothy 4:16).
LESSON: The apostate has no part in the kingdom of

God.
THOUGHT: I must hold firmly to the doctrines of God’s

word and be obedient to all its commandments.
207
ACTIVITY: Sword dr ill: 2 Thessalonian s 3 :6,7;
Matthew 24:11,12; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3;
Jude 3-5.
HOMEWORK: Read these Bible passages: 2 Timothy

1:13-15; 4:10a and write down the names of those who
departed from the faith.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 78 – FAITH OF OUR

FATHERS
CHORUSES: (1) I have decided to follow Jesus. (2) I will

never let the devil win the battle. (3) Follow, follow, I
will follow Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6,7
WEDNESDAY JUDE 3-5
THURSDAY 2 PETER 2:1-5
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Apostate 2. Apostasy 3. Damning
4. Heritage 5. Courage.
208
LESSON 9
PRECEPTS FOR HANDLING

ELDERS AND WIDOWS
1 Timothy 5:1-25
In our schools, there are rules to guide our relationship
with other people. These rules acts as guidelines to how
we should behave to the head teachers, teachers, non-
teaching staff, school prefects, schoolmates and class
members. Those who obey the rules and regulations of
the school and perform these duties well will enjoy their
stay in the school. On the other hand, anyone who
disobeys these rules may drop out or not come out
successful in his/her studies. Rules also are established
in our society and the church to help us to know what
we ought to do to maintain good relationship, live at
peace with one another and enjoy God’s blessings.
The church is the assembly of born again boys, girls,
youths, men and women. Each category of Christian in
the church have roles to play in order to make the church
a holy, Spirit-controlled assembly. This is why the Bible
passage for this study provides clear principles on how
members of God’s family should treat each other.
As you go through this study, you must make up your
mind to perform your duty so that the fellowship will be
what God designed it to be. Then, you will receive
abundant blessings.
1. CHRISTIAN’S DUTIES TO CHURCH ELDERS:
1 Timothy 5:1,2,17-21; Philippians 2:24-30;
Leviticus 19:32
209
The family is made up of a group of people such as
the grand-parents, parents, uncles, aunties, cousins,
brothers and sisters. To live harmoniously, everyone
must love and honour others. Also, in the church, we have
different categories of people in the family of God. The first
among these are the elders. The elders include the
overseers, missionaries, pastors, women leaders,
teachers, sectional leaders and workers.
The elders are appointed by God to preach, teach the
word of God, correct, counsel and guide us to live the
Christian life so as to be prepared for heaven. Obedience
to their godly training helps us to know and accept Christ
and become heaven-bound saints. As friends of Jesus,
you have lots of responsibilities towards the elders:
(a) Honour the elders, because the Bible commands that
we should give honour to whom honour is due
(Romans 13:7). They deserve double honour as they
are labouring to feed us with the bread of life. To
honour them,
Friends of Jesus are to follow
the godly examples of church you will show
leaders and obey them. t he m some
WELCOME TO THE r espect an d
CHILDREN CHURCH obey the word of
God they teach
you.
( b)Support the
w or k of th e
ministers
thro u g h
ma t e r i a l
contributions,
like money for the purchase of Christian tracts and
literature, church building mission work and other
needs of the church.
210
(c) Unite with elders in doing evangelism and working
for the Lord.
(d) Contribute the little you have for the care of the
ministers and their family members especially those
on the mission fields.
(e) Pray continuously for the elders.
(f) Stand firm on the word of God they are teaching you.
As you do all these and more, God will bless and
prosper you.
2. CARE OF WIDOWS AND THE NEEDY: 1 Timothy

5:3-16; Deuteronomy 10:18; James 1:27
Widows are women whose husbands have died.
There are many of such people in the church today as it
was in the early church. They need help and care from
the members of the church. Friends
Friends of Jesus can
of Jesus must take the widows as contribute in the
their mothers and their children as church or House
fellowship to care for
brothers and sisters. We must not widows, orphans and
neglect or dishonour them in any the needy.
way. God is concerne d about
widows, orphans and the needy. He
commands that we should show
love and care to them. In other to
care for the widows and needy in
the early church, the disciples had
to appoint Spirit-filled men to share
food and other things among them
(Acts 6:1-6).
Be friends with the fatherless
and orphans and share what you
have with them (clothes, shoes,
books, toys). You can appeal to your
parents to help pay the school fees
211
and provide for the needs of the fatherless. Honour and
show love to the widows. Remember to always pray for
them. As you show love and care for those who are
suffering and in need God will also care for you and
help you in time of need.
3. COVENANT BLESSINGS FOR THE OBEDIENT:

1 Timothy 5:22-25; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Matthew
5:7; 25:31-40
God cares so much and He is concerned about the
welfare of the widows, the needy, orphans and labourers
in His vineyard. Therefore, all who obey His command
and care for these sets of people will also enjoy special
care, favour, honour and blessings from the Lord.
To enjoy these blessings, you must be faithful and
perform your duties to the church elders, care for the
widows and orphans in the church. You must also be holy
and blameless, never be a partaker of other people’s wrong
doings; for your good works will never go unrewarded.
God has reserved a place for
you at His right hand in
heaven because whatever
you do to the
needy, is You wi ll
surely be
i n d i r e c t l y blessed if you
done to the obey godly
Lord. leaders,
care for wi
dow s and
orph ans.
212
QUESTIONS:
1. Christians are members of the family of God. Yes/No
2. Who are the elders in the church? __________
3. What are the duties of friends of Jesus to the elders?
4. Who are the widows and needy in the church?
5. How should we care for the widows and orphans? __
6. What are the blessings you will receive for caring

for the widows, orphans and elders in the church?
MEMORY VERSE: “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat

him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters,
with all purity” (1 Timothy 5:1-2).
LESSON: God commands believers to honour the elders

and care for the widows.
THOUGHT: I will love, care for and honour the elders,

widows and needy in the church.
ACTIVITY: Search the Bible and write in your notebook

two passages where Jesus showed love and care to the
widows and needy.
HOMEWORK: Show deed of kindness to someone in

need. Pray every day of the week for the church elders.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 117 – SHOW A LITTLE

BIT OF LOVE AND KINDNESS
213
CHORUSES: (1) Let there be love shared among us. (2) I
will love, I will love. (3) Make me a good child like
Samuel.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY LEVITICUS 19:32-34

TUESDAY I CORINTHIANS 9:13,14
WEDNESDAY 1 PETER 2:17,18
SUNDAY HEBREWS 13:1,2
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Precepts 2. Covenant 3. Category
4. Honour 5. Godly.
214
LESSON 10
GODLINESS WITH
CONTENTMENT
1 Timothy 6:1-21
A mother went to buy schoolbags for her two daughters before

they resumed school for the new session. The older daughter
was in primary six, while the younger one was in primary
two. She bought a big bag for the older daughter and a small
but stronger bag for the younger one. When the younger girl
saw her sister’s bigger bag, she flung her own bag away and
started crying for the bigger bag. Their mother explained to
her that her sister needed the bigger bag because her books
were more and she would be able to carry the load of a big
bag. She did not stop crying until she was rebuked by their
Dad and sent to stay alone in her bedroom for some minutes.
The younger girl later regretted refusing to be satisfied with
what their mother gave her. Our topic today is to teach friends
of Jesus to be satisfied with what God has provided for us
through our parents. A godly life is one that is always satisfied
with God’s provision.
Our topic is divided into three parts:
1. WHAT IS GODLINESS? 1 Timothy 6:1-5,11-16;
Psalm37:16-19
Godliness is the character of God. It is a life patterned
after Christ’ example. It involves living a holy and
blameless life. Jesus Christ went about doing good. He
healed the sick and delivered those that were oppressed of
the devil. He fed the hungry. No angry word came out of
His mouth. He preached the gospel and taught the
people the way of salvation.
215
Jesus was lowly, meek and gentle. He taught us
through livin g an
exemp lar y life and
demands that we walk
“But godliness with in His steps (Matthew
contentment is great 11:29).
gain. For we brought Godliness starts when
nothing into this a sinner repents, turns
world, and it is from his sinful ways,
certain we can carry
asks God to forgive and
nothing out. ”
cleanse him with the
(1 Timothy 6:6-7 )
blood of Jesus. He goes
further to pray for total
cleansing and removal
of the adamic nature from his life. Then he will receive grace
to live the holy life and be like the Saviour. The godly life will
also produce the fruit of righteousness such as love, faith,
goodness, humility, truthfulness, longsuffering and
contentment.
If you are not yet saved, surrender to Jesus now, so that
He can impart His godly nature to you.
2. GODLINESS AND CONTENTMENT: 1 Timothy 6:6-21;

Philippians 4:11; Hebrews 13:5,6
Contentment means to be satisfied with whatever God
has provided for your parents to give you. It is a life that is free
from anxiety, greed, selfishness and every desire to love the
world and the things in it. Contentment will make the believer
to be sober and always showing gratitude to God for His
goodness and mercy. People who are not contented with what
they have but always complain and murmur fall into the
danger of sinning against God and backsliding. Examples
are: Achan, Gehazi, Dinah, Judas Iscariot and Demas.
216
Lack of
contentment
made Achan
to take the
forbidden
things from
Jericho.
Some children, as a result of greed, have fallen victims to

kidnappers, ritual killers and rapist. Also, many teenagers
have been lured into prostitution, slavery, cultism and
witchcraft because of false promises of material things that
will soon perish. Beware! Be contented with what you have.
Whatever riches or material things we acquire will perish
here on earth. We cannot take anything with us when we
die. If you have need of anything, ask your parents. If they do
not have enough to give you, pray and be patient. God will
surely provide for the godly. If you are a real friend of Jesus,
you must be godly and be satisfied with God’s provision. There
is great gain in having faith in God, being contented and
living a godly life.
3. THE BLESSINGS OF POSSESSING GODLINESS

WITH CONTENTMENT: Psalm 37:16-19; Philippians
4:9; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Revelation 21:7
There are many blessings for children who are godly and
contented. They will:
(a) Enjoy God’s protection and provision.
(b) Have freedomfrom sorrowand trouble.
(c) Succeed in whatever they do.
(d) Receive grace to endure till the end.
(e) Get to heaven at last and inherit all things.
217
Godliness and
contentment are
Be contented
with what the nature of boys
you have and and girls who are
you will true children of
receive more
God. If you are not
blessin gs
from God. yet a friend of Jesus
and there is sin,
c o v e t o u s n-
ess ,
greediness and lack of
contentment in your life, you
should repent now and ask for
the blood of Jesus so that you
can enjoy the above blessings.
QUESTIONS
1. Who was covetous among the two girls mentioned in our
study?
2. What is godliness?
3. Explainthewordcontentment
4. Mention two people in the Bible who were covetous and
whathappened tothem
5. Mention four blessings for being godly and contented
6. How can a sinful child be godly and contented? ___
MEMORY VERSE:“But godlinesswith contentment is great

gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Timothy 6:6-7).
218
LESSON: Godliness with contentment has great gain.
THOUGHT: I will be satisfied with whatever my parents can

afford to give me.
ACTIVITY: Search the Bible and write out the names of three
people who were covetous and what became of them. Write
out the names of three other people who were godly and
contented with what they had and their achievements. Back
them up with Bible passages.
HOMEWORK: Take time to pray at home that God will make

you godly and be contented with what you have.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 244 – ALL THINGS IN

JESUS
CHORUSES: (1)CastyourburdensuponJesus.(2)Whyworry,
when you can pray. (3) I ’m satisfied in Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY PSALM 37:25,26
WEDNESDAY PROVERBS 23:5-7
FRIDAY ACTS 14:15-17
SATURDAY GALATIANS 6:6-8
SUNDAY JOB 42:12-16
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Godliness 2. Covetous 3. Contentment
4. Faith 5. Gain.
219
LESSON 11
THE HOLY BIBLE

2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Rev 22:18,19
The Holy Bible is the greatest book in the world because

it is the word of God and special revelation of God to
mankind. It is the greatest subject matter and also
greatest in influence on lives and nations. It has the
answers to all the question and needs of man. More
copies of this book have been published than any other
book in history. In fact the Bible is more than a good
book. It is the actual word of God.
History reveals the attempts by many ‘great men’ to
question the authority of the Bible. An example is a man
called Voltaire. He was a French philosopher who sat
one day to rewrite Psalm 51 in poetic form. All went well
until he came to verse 10, “Create in me a clean
heart, O God!” Voltaire, though a chief opposer of the
Bible in his day, attempted to translate this verse
into a poem. As he wrote, a sudden realization of the
terror and horror of hell came upon him. He tried to
shake off the feeling, but found himself unable to write.
He became convicted. The Bible was written under the
influence of the Holy Spirit by over 40 different
authors from all walks of life: shepherds, farmers, tent-
makers, physicians, fishermen, priests, philosophers
and kings.
The Bible is the only book in the world that is so
powerful to change life. Its human authors were from
different languages and lived at different periods, yet
they have unity in contents. Take the Bible as the
only source of life and you will have eternal life.
220
1. PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE: 2 Timothy 3:15,16; Psalm
119:11; Isaiah 55:10,11; John 5:39
Everything in God’s word is true, and it will always
be true, God’s word will never change. It has been given
to us to serve important purposes in our lives. The
purpose of the Bible is to: (i) Make us to know God, His
Son Jesus Christ and His love for mankind (John 3:16).
(ii) Guide and
The Holy Bible is the inspired word of
God. It guides and leads believers into show u s th e
the truth. r igh t way to
follow because
it is a ligh t
unto our path
( P s a l m
119:105). (iii)
Mak e wise
unto salvation
(2 Timoth y
3:15). (iv) Keep
us away from
sin and show
us th e
heavenly way (Psalm 119:11). (v) Make us to hate, avoid
sin and overcome its consequences (Romans 6:23). (vi)
Teach us things about the kingdom of God and prepare
us to finally live with God in heaven (John 14:1-3). (vii)
Help us to know about God’s promises, how to claim and
enjoy them (Joshua 1:8). (viii) Teach, correct and instruct
us so that as friends of Jesus, we can be holy, pure and
perfect before God. Do you have a copy of the complete
Bible? If yes, read it every day, meditate upon it, live
and obey all its commandments.
221
2. POWER IN THE WORD OF GOD: 2 Peter 1:16-21;
Psalm 107:20; Hebrews 4:12; Jeremiah 23:29
The word of God is eternally fixed in heaven. It is active,
very powerful and does great things. (a) The word of God
is the creative word through which the heaven and the
earth were made (Genesis 1:3,4,6,7;Psalm 33:6;Hebrews 11:3).
This creative word is Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3). (b) Everything
in the world is kept and preserved through the power of
the word of God (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).
(c) The word of God has the power to give new life (1
The word Peter 1:23). No one can
of God has the be saved from sin
power to
give new life, except through Jesus
guide friends Christ. He is the word
of Jesus and
give them
personified (Romans
victory over 10:11-13;
sin and Satan. 1 Peter 1:23). (d) The
wor d of God also
releases grace, power,
and revelation through
which believers grow in
faith and commitment
to Jesus Christ (1 Peter
2:2). (e) The word of God
is the sword that God
has give n to His
children to fight and
overcome Satan (Ephesians 6:17; Luke 4:1-13). (f) The word
of God has the power to search our hearts, correct and
put us back on the right way.
For those who ignore God’s word, it will one day bring
condemnation and judgment on them. The word of God
is powerful, you must believe it and live by it.
222
3. P RO MI SES AND PRO FI T S I N GO D’S W O RD:
2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 22:18,19
There are great and wonderful promises in the
Bible for every one of us. The promises of God cover
the different areas of our life. (i) Salvation – (John 1:12);
(ii) Sanctification – (Ezekiel 36:26); (iii) Holy Spirit
Baptism – (Luke 11:13); (iv) Prosperity – (Psalm
34:9,10); (v) Provision – Philippians 4:19; (vi) Healing
and health – (Exodus 15:26); (vii) Wisdom and guidance
– (Psalm 32:8); Proverbs 3:3-5; (viii) Peace – (Isaiah
26:3); (ix) Overcoming temptations – (1 Corinthians
10:13); (x) Deliverance, protection and preservation –
(Psalm 91:4-6); (xi) Success in all you do – (Joshua
1:8).
In order to profit from the word of the Lord, you
must accept Christ as
you r p e rsonal God never
S aviou r an d f ai ls.
L or d. You
should also
read and study
the wor d The
e v e r y d a y , promises
meditate on of God are
very sure.
the word; seek
to understand
it, hide it in your heart
and live d aily
according to the
word. Do not joke
with the contents of
the word of God.
Neve r ad d or
223
remove from the word of God. Respect and honour the
word. The above promises and many more will be fulfilled
in your life. No other book in the world can do all these
for you. Above all, you must obey its instructions, live
by it every day and preach it to sinners. If you are not
yet a friend of Jesus, open your heart now to receive His
message of love and be saved.
QUESTIONS:
1. How many human authors wrote the Bible? _
2. Mention three purposes of the Bible
3. Identify four things the Bible has been able to do in
your life
4. Mention five promises of God in the Bible _
5. What can you do to profit from the word of God?
MEMORY V ERS E: “ All scr ip t ur e is giv en b y

inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
r e p r o o f, f o r co r r ec t io n , fo r i n st r u c t i o n in
righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
LESSON: The Bible is the word of God.
THOUGHT: I will live by the word of God so as to prepare

for heaven.
ACTIVITY: Identify the promises of God for you in the

following passages.
1. Isaiah 55:12
2. Psalm 138:7
3. John 14:13,14
4. Romans 10:13
5. Jeremiah 30:17
224
HOMEWORK: Search the scriptures and write out five
passages about other promises of God for you.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 83 – THY WORD

HAVE I HID IN MY HEART
CHORUSES: (1) The B.I.B.L.E is good enough for me.

(2) I believe the Bible. (3) I have a wonderful treasure.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY PSALM 119:5-8
WEDNESDAY PSALM 119:9-11
SUNDAY PSALM 119:26-30
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Revelation 2. Translate 3. Convicted
4. Scripture 5. Influence.
225
LESSON 12
QUIET TIME AND FAMILY

DEVOTION
Genesis 19:27-29; 28:18-22; Exodus 34:2-10
Immediately a child is born into this world, he starts

breathing air (oxygen) and cries to tell the world that he
has arrived and is alive. The baby starts to take water
and milk to be able to stay alive and grow. If these things
are not sufficiently given to the child, he may not grow
well and can even die. In the same way, a born again
child needs spiritual food which is the (word of God) and
spiritual breath (prayer) to grow and live a consistent
and victorious Christian life (I Peter 2:2).
For better understanding, the topic is divided into
three parts:
Jesus woke up early in the THE MEANING OF

1.
morning and prayed.
QUIET TIME AND
FAMILY DEVOTION:
Genesis 19:27;
28:18-22; Mark 1:35;
I Peter 2:1-3
Quiet time is a time
set aside for your personal
fellowship with God. It is
a period when a believer
hears from God through
the study of the Bible and
the time he speaks to God
through prayer. While family devotion is the period
when 226
all the members of the family (father, mother, children
and others in the house) gather together to praise God,
study the Bible and pray. During family devotion, the
daddy or anyone he appoints leads the activity of
studying the word of God and praying. He uses Bible
passages to teach everyone the way of the Lord like
Abraham did (Genesis 18:19).
If your family members have not been observing
family devotion, this is the time to pray so that your
parents can start it today.
2. HOW TO DO QUIET TIME AND FAMILY DEVOTION:

Exodus 34:2-10; Psalm 55:17; 88:13; Mark 1:35;
Matthew 6:6
From the Bible passages, the best time to observe your
quiet time and family devotion is early in the morning
and in the evening before going to bed. It must be done
Family devotion is best observed early every day.
in the morning and in the evening.
We do quiet
time an d
f a m i l y
devotion at
these times
to avoid the
n oise of
neighbours
which can
distract our
attention from hearing or praying to God (Mark 1:35;
Luke 6:12).
To get the best in observing quiet time and family
devotion, you must do the following: (a) Wake up early
enough to do your quiet time before family devotion in
the morning. Immediately after family devotion in the
227
evening, do your quiet time. (b) Do not lie on the bed to
read your Bible or pray to avoid sleeping. (c) Write down
the lesson you learn from the Bible passages. (d) Think
on the lesson as it affects your life and pray on it. (e)
Participate in the Bible reading and recitation of memory
verse during family devotion. (f) Listen to the teaching
and useful questions from the subject of the Bible
passage read. (g) Join other family members in prayer.
3. THE BENEFITS OF OBSERVING QUIET TIME AND

FAMILY DEVOTION: Joshua 1:8; Matthew 7:7.
Obedience to the word of God brings blessings. Some
of the blessings you will get from God when you do your
quiet time and family devotion regularly are: (i) constant
fellowship with God, such that He will show you new and
great things you have not known before (Jeremiah 33:3).

(ii) You will feed on God’s word and grow in the faith to
live a victorious Christian life (Psalm 1:1,2; I Peter 2:2).
(iii) You will have power to conquer Satan and (iv) It
228
makes you ready for the rapture (Matthew 24:41-44). (v)
your protection for each day is guaranteed through the
blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). (vi) prosperous and
successful day. (vii) grace to overcome temptation.
All these blessings will be yours only when as a friend
of Jesus, you are diligent in daily observing your quiet
time and family devotion. If you are not yet a friend of
Jesus, repent of your sins now. Forsake them, ask for
forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Jesus. Invite
Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Saviour
(Revelation 3:20).
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the difference between quiet time and family
devotion?
2. Why is the early hours of the morning considered the
be the best time for quiet time and family devotion?
3. What should be your attitude towards family

devotion?
4. Mention some Bible examples of those who did quiet
time and family devotion.
5. How can a sinful child benefit from quiet time?
MEMORY VERSE: “And Abraham gat up early in the

morning to the place where he stood before the Lord”
(Genesis 19:27).
LESSON: Quiet time and family devotion are very

important for the spiritual growth of friends of Jesus.
THOUGHT: I must be diligent in observing quiet time

and family devotion so that I can get the benefits.
229
ACTIVITY: Write out four things you will tell a new
convert to do during his or her quiet time.
HOMEWORK: Draw your quiet time timetable, showing

the time you will start and when you will finish.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 168 – I NEED THEE

EVERY HOUR
CHORUSES: (1) In the morning, early in the morning.

(2) Read your Bible, pray every day. (3) The B-I-B-L-E is
good enough for me.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY DANIEL 9:1-3

TUESDAY DANIEL 9:4-6
WEDNESDAY EZRA 9:5-8
THURSDAY LUKE 11:1-4
FRIDAY LUKE 11:5-8
SATURDAY LUKE 11:9-11
SUNDAY LUKE 11:12,13
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Quiet time 2. Diligent
3. Devotion 4. Spiritual 5. Guaranteed.
230
LESSON 13
PATTERN OF SCRIPTURAL
GODLINESS
Titus 2:7-10
Scripture is another word for the Holy Bible. All things

that are according to the word of God (Holy Bible) are
described as scriptural. Scriptural therefore means the
kind of godliness that is in agreement or according to
the Holy scriptures (Holy Bible). The behaviour of a child
shows whether he/she is a true child of God or not.
The Lord says that by their fruits we shall know them.
The way of life, behaviour and character of a person is
the fruit of his life. And by these, we are known to be
good or bad, saints or sinners.
The scripture (Bible) clearly describes the pattern
or way of life that children of God should live as
members of God’s family. If any child is doing anything
that is against God’s word, such a child cannot be said
to be a child of God. In this study, we shall learn some
truths about how a Christian child should live to be a
shining example to the world around him.
The study is in three parts.
1. RULES FOR CHRISTIAN LIFE: Titus 2:7-10.

The Bible is the Law that guides the lives of
Christian boys and girls. It explains in details how
children of God should live to please God and be a
blessing to others.
In obeying these Bible rules, a true child of God
must (a) Be an example. (1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:7,8).
231
Some people often say, “Do as I say and not as I do.”
Such people do not know the Bible and are yet to be
saved. A Christian child must show good example in
word, character and Jesus made my life good.
general lifestyle. He Let Him come into your heart and
mu st live b y th e be your friend.
word of God. Y ou John, you

must live a pure life are always
so well
so that those who are behaved,
not saved will not kind and
have any bad thing obedient.
I want to be
to report about you. like you.
You must let your
light shine so that
others can come to
Jesus. (b) Obey your
parents, Christian
teachers and ministers of God.
(c) Be kind to others - You must be good to everybody.
This is part of the fruit of the Spirit. You must have a
good purpose in your heart as you relate with others -
(Titus 2:10).
2. BIBLE EXAMPLES OF GODLINESS: John 13:15;

Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:7.
There were many godly people in the Bible whose
lives show how a Christian child should live to please
God. (a) Abraham - He believed God and lived a righteous
life. He prayed for sinners to be saved. He was good to
all the people he met. He even entertained angels. (b)
Joseph - He was a shining example of holiness even in
a strange land. He did not pay back evil for all that his
brothers did to him. (c) Moses - He was meek and gentle.
He lived a holy life and saw God face to face. (d) Paul -
232
He was a
true man of Joseph forgave his brothers.
God. He
...God sent me before you to
preached
preserve you and to save your
the gospel
lives by a great deliverance.
and lived by
all that he
p re ache d .
He was bold
to tell his
followers to
cop y h is
e xamp le .
(e) Jesus - is our perfect Example. He is God, yet He
lived like an ordinary man on earth in order to please
His Heavenly Father. He was loving, meek and lowly.
He died to save all mankind from sin and suffering in
hell fire.
What other examples do you need? You have no
excuse, so you must follow these Bible examples and
live holy.
3. LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD: Titus 2:5,8;

Luke 1:74,75
The plan and provision of God for all His children
is that we constantly live for Him in holiness and
righeousness all the days of our lives. The life and
character of a Christian child preaches more powerfully
than when he goes about telling others to believe the
gospel with words of mouth. Every saved child must be
a book and mirror for others to see and learn from. When
you are living according to God’s word, many children
who are sinners will repent and follow your good
example as a friend of Jesus. God’s name will be
233
honoured in your I thank God for Lord Jesus, forgive
I thank my sins and let me
life. There will be giving me a new God for be like them.
p eace in you r life through
word.
His saving my
soul too.
heart. You will
excel and have
good success.
Th e r e will
also b e a
r e cor d of
good works
about you
in heaven.
To
b e co me a
Christian, a
sinner must
be sorry for all the bad things he has done. Confess his
sins to God, ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the
blood of Jesus. Stop doing bad things, and invite Jesus
into his heart to be his Saviour, Lord and Friend. Read
the Bible daily and obey all its commandments. Then,
his life will be holy and beautiful for God.
QUESTIONS:
1. The Bible is the that guides the Christian
child through the journey of life.
2. Mention three things you must do to show that you
are obeying the Bible.
3. When can a sinful child start to obey God’s word?
4. Identify and mention four people who obeyed God
in the Bible.
5. Identify two results of showing good example to
others.
234
MEMORY VERSE: “In all things shewing thyself a pattern
of goodworks:indoctrineshewinguncorruptness,gravity,
sincerity” (Titus 2:7).
LESSON: The life of a Christian child is like a book to the

unsaved.
THOUGHT: I will obey God’s word so as to be a good

example to others.
ACTIVITY: Read Titus 3:1, 2, then mention other things
that Christian boys and girls are expected to do.
HOME WORK: Children are to visit members of the church

who have not been attending fellowship regularly.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 49 - LET OTHERS SEE
JESUS IN YOU
CHORUSES: (1) Peace, purity, power. (2) I live for Jesus day
after day. (3) Give me grace to follow.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY 2 TIMOTHY 3:13-15
WEDNESDAY 2 TIMOTHY 4:1-5
THURSDAY 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-3
SATURDAY EPHESIANS 4:26-29
SUNDAY EPHESIANS 4:30-32
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
dictionary. 1. Inform 2. Character 3. Purpose
4. Godly 5. Effect.
235
Volume63
VOLUME 29
FOR
SENIOR CHILDREN
LESSON 1
DAVID’S SIN OF
NUMBERING ISRAEL
God is holy and He does not like to see iniquity in any

person, no matter how favoured or highly placed. God
hates and punishes sin severely (Habakkuk 1:13). God
had been so good to David and so delighted in him that
He called him, “a man after mine own heart” (Acts
13:22). He fought his battles for him, gave him victories
over his enemies and expanded his kingdom. Thus,
David had many loyal, faithful soldiers and people. God
really increased him and expanded his kingdom. As a
king, he had great powers and privileges conferred on
him by God. This made him to become proud and
therefore decided to number all the people of Israel (that
is taking census) from Dan to Beersheba.
1. THE MOTIVE BEHIND DAVID’S SIN:

2 Samuel 24:1-9; 1 Chronicles 21:1-6; Numbers 1:2-4;
26:1-4; Luke 2:1
The practice of counting people or taking census had
been in operation in Bible days and even till these
present days, all over the world. It is not sinful. It is
usually carried out to plan for the growth and
improvement of any nation. In Numbers 1:2-4; 26:1-4,
God commanded Moses to number the children of Israel.
He was specific in His instructions and it was duly
carried out. In Luke 2:1, Emperor Caesar Augustus
237
commanded that the census of the people in his kingdom
should be taken.
However, king David numbered the children of Israel
because of pride in his heart. God had greatly increased
and prospered him in every
King David numbered area of his life. He thought
Israel because of pride.
that he had achieved it all
through his own power and
efforts. Therefore, he did not
ask for God’s guidance but
went ahead and did as he
pleased. When a person
leaves God out of his plan,
Satan will bring evil and
wicked suggestions. It was
Satan who moved David to
number Israel from Dan to
Beersheba.
Joab, the captain of his
army, whom he appointed to
do the assignment gave him wise counsel and cautioned
him not to carry out his plan because he would displease
God (1 Chronicles 21:3). He rejected Joab’s counsel and
as a leader and ruler, he overruled everything.
As a school prefect or one in position to lead others,
do not become arrogant and take laws into your hands
to do whatever you like; because pride goes before
destruction. Humility will help you to take wise and
godly counsel even from your younger ones. As an
obedient servant, Joab after he was unable to persuade
David to change his decision to number Israel, went
ahead with some other captains in the army and spent
nine months and twenty days counting the people. He
gave king David the number of the people which were
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eight hundred thousand (800,000) valiant soldiers in
Israel and five hundred thousand (500,000) in Judah.
It is good sometimes to listen to those who are junior
to you, they may have some good counsels for you. What
is the state of your heart or your motive in doing what
you do? Is it to glorify and appreciate God or to show off
your talent and ability? Fear God and pray fervently after
you achieve success so that Satan will not take
advantage of you.
2. GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT FOR REPENTANT

DAVID:
After receiving the report of the census from Joab,
David’s heart smote him. He was sorry that he had done
foolishly and sinned against God. He genuinely repented
and asked for forgiveness. Do not cover your sins,
knowing that one day you will face the judgment and
punishment of God. It is wise to repent of your bad ways
now.
God was displeased and sad that David numbered
Israel. He therefore decided to punish David and Israel.
In H is m er cy, He sen t Prophet Gad to David to choose
for himself his punishment. Either some years of famine,
three months of war or three days of pestilence (diseases,
destruction). David knowing that God is great in mercy,
chose three days of pestilence. God then sent an angel
who went throughout Israel and killed seventy thousand
(70,000) men.
When the angel got to Jerusalem, God told the angel,
“It is enough, stay now thine hand”. He restrained the
angel from further killing. This shows that God is
merciful. The question then is why did God punish David
even when he had repented? It was to make him humble
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and not to continue in sin and also to teach others to
see the danger of sinning against God.
When David saw the angel of destruction, he was very
sad, sorrowful and passionately asked God to spare the
lives of his sheep (the people he was ruling over). He asked
God to punish him and his father’s house instead. Jesus
Christ is our great Shepherd
who is interceding for us, His
sheep, that God will save and
keep us to the end (Romans
8:34; Hebrews 7:25). The
lesson here is that we should
not blame other people for
our sins and foolishness.
If you are still doing bad
thin gs, r e pe n t of you r
ste alin g, ch eatin g, e vil
association an d all God punished David and his
people because he numbered
d isobe d ie nce . A sk for Israel.
the blood of Jesus. Invite Jesus to reign in your heart as
Saviour, Lord and King. Then surrender your life totally
to Him and continue in studying and obeying God’s
Word, praying, attending fellowship regularly and be
separated from objects of sin. You will then enjoy God’s
mercy and be free from His punishment.
3. THE CONSECRATION OF DAVID – THE

CONCERNED SHEPHERD:
After David interceded for his sheep (Israel) God
Himself commanded him to raise up an altar in the
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threshing floor of Araunah, king of the Jebusite (Jebusite
was later named Jerusalem). David promptly obeyed.
When he got to Araunah, he told him that he had come
to buy the place and sacrifice to God so that the plague
would stop. Araunah then volunteered to give the place
free and also add some oxen and other instruments that
were needed. David refused the offer and said that he
would surely buy them at a price for “neither will I offer
burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which
doth cost me nothing...”. So, he bought the floor for fifty
shekels of silver.
As a friend of Jesus, what are you willing to give to
Him? Brother Femi is a very good artist. He uses his
talent to draw and paint inspiring pictures for the
church. Sister Vero is also a good chorister. She
consecrates her voice to sing inspiringly for sinners to
be convicted of their sins and believers to be edified and
Repent and turn away
lifted up in their faith. Are you
from your bad ways. hiding your talents? Rise up to
God will forgive and challenge and provoke others to
accept your offering.
good work in the way you use your
God-given talents. Your service to
God will include giving your time,
money and intellect. You may even
be ridiculed and rejected by loved
ones, be determined and never go
back from serving the Lord.
God answered and accepted
David’s offering by sending fire
from heaven upon the altar. The
plague then stopped. David made peace with God
and reconciled with Him. You must also do likewise
241
(1 Chronicles 21:26). Remember, God is angry with the
wicked everyday (Psalm 7:11). However, He is merciful
unto all who will not take His mercy for granted and
would repent of their evil ways.
As David and Araunah agreed together for the plague
to stop, you must be united in prayer and faith with other
believers that sinners will repent of their sins to escape
God’s judgment. Be an intercessor and soul-winner. Rise
up and consecrate your life to Jesus Christ.
QUESTIONS:
1. What name did God call David to show that He
delighted in him?
2. God was displeased with Israel because David
committed sin of
3. What was God’s punishment upon Israel as a result
of David’s sin?
4. Say in your own words how God showed mercy to
Israel.
5. What was David’s reply to Araunah that shows his
consecration to God?
6. Mention what a sinful child must do for his or her
offerings to be accepted by God. _ ___ ___ __ __
MEMORY VERSE: “And Satan stood up against Israel,

and provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1).
LESSON: The mercy and pardon of God are for the sinful
child who genuinely repents from his heart.
THOUGHT: I will have godly sorrow for my sins so that I

can receive God’s pardon.
242
ACTIVITY: With the help of your teacher, mention some
men and women who had godly sorrow for their sins
and were forgiven.
HOMEWORK: Read Psalm 51:1-12. Then sincerely pray

until you have the assurance that your sins have been
forgiven.
CO NGREGAT IO NAL S O NG GH S : 1 3 1 – IN
TENDERNESS HE SOUGHT ME
CHORUSES: (1) Satan can never, never conquer me

when I pray to God in faith. (2) I will sing of the mercies
of the Lord forever. (3) I surrender all, I surrender all.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY GENESIS 3;1-5

TUESDAY DANIEL 4:30-33
THURSDAY LUKE 18:9-14
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Provoke 2. Judgment 3. Pestilence
4. Mercy 5. Consecration.
243
LESSON 2
SOLOMON SUCCEEDS
DAVID
1 Kings 1:1-53; 2:1-46
God made a promise to David that if his children obey

Him and walk in His way, there will not fail a man from
the family of David to sit on the throne of Israel. After
some years, David became old and was not as strong as
he used to be. Some of his children struggled to ascend
the throne by force, yet God who is the impartial
Kingmaker, knew who amongst the children of David
would suit His plan and purpose. The choice of God was
clear and it was time for Solomon to become king. God
fulfilled His promise in making Solomon to become king.
David his father instructed him on the importance of
obedience to God’s commandment in order to enjoy His
blessings.
The lesson is divided to three parts:
1. THE STRUGGLE FOR THE THRONE:

2 Samuel 15:6-14; 1 Kings 1:1-31
The reign of David, Israel’s greatest king was coming
to an end, he had reigned for forty years. Now he was old
and weak, he could not perform his duties as king. He
now needed to be taken care of. Therefore, Adonijah,
David’s fourth son took advantage of his father’s condition
and sought to make himself king. David’s older sons,
Amnon, Absalom and Chileab were already dead. Now
as the eldest, he thought he was entitled to the throne.
Therefore, Adonijah took laws into his hands. He
244
conspired with Joab, his father’s military commander
and Abiathar the priest to make him king. In a way
similar to Absalom, who caused his father to run away
from the throne, Adonijah assumed he would be king
When David was old and and he called for a great
about to die, his children celebration.
struggled for His throne. Like his elder brother
Absalom, Adonijah’s action
n eithe r r e ceived th e
approval of his father nor
the blessings of God. For
this reason, he excluded
people he knew would not
support his grab for the
crown. He failed woefully
in his attempt to take by
force, what did not belong
to him.
Children who always want to grab position or
something that is not meant for them will always meet
with disappointment. Do not make yourself a leader over
other children in the family, school, church, fellowship,
Bible club or other places when you are not chosen to
do so. Always wait for God’s will to be done in your life.
Also, do not conspire with anyone to do evil like Joab
and Abiathar did. Though Joab had served David
faithfully and Abiathar too had been a good priest, yet
towards the end of their service, they failed.
Friends of Jesus must not compromise their faith but
rather strive to walk with Christ in holiness and
righteousness every day of their lives.
2. SOLOMON SUCCEEDS DAVID:

1 Kings 1:32-53; 1 Chronicles 29:23
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When Nathan, the prophet and David’s faithful
adviser, learned of Adonijah’s conspiracy, he organised
a plan to preserve what God had revealed years earlier
regarding the next king that would reign after David.
Nathan, Bathsheba the mother of Solomon met with David
to plan how to put an end to Adonijah’s rebellion.
Following Nathan’s intervention, David acted quickly.
He commanded that Solomon be anointed king. To
accomplish this, Solomon was (a) Made to ride on the
king’s mule (donkey). (b) Anointed by Zadok the priest
in the presence of a joyous David chose Solomon to
crowd (c) Blessed by the be anointed king in his
people. David bowed himself place.
on the bed signifying his
recognition of Solomon as
the new king.
The lesson for us here is
to know that God reigns and
rules in the affairs of men. He
is the one that enthrones and
de th rone s at His will (i)
Whatever God has purposed
for His children or people will
surely come to pass. (ii) No
one can conspire against God’s plan and succeed.
Rather, the individual will have regret and shame. God
has purposed that you will succeed in every area of your
life (3 John 2). The only person who can hinder such a
plan is you. You must be focused and wise so that you
can become the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy
28:13). Whatever is in your life that can hinder God’s
plan (sin, laziness, unholy association, selfishness etc.)
must be dealt with without delay.
246
3. DAVID’S CHARGE TO SOLOMON:
1 Kings 2:1-46; 1 Chronicles 28:9
David was now very old and about to die. He made
Solomon king over Israel. David had learned from God’s
dealings with him that God is no respecter of persons.
He knew that this same Solomon whom God loved and
appointed king over His people Israel, would be rejected
and punished if he turned from doing what was right
before God. He called Solomon his son and warned him
on how he should behave towards God.
He gave him important instructions that will help
him to do well as king over God’s people. The first
instruction was for Solomon to be strong by depending
on the Lord and His Word (Deuteronomy 31:7,23). He
was also to obey the law
I am ready to of God as he walk in
obey the
command of God’s ways and keep His
Jesus my statutes. It is only then
Saviour at all that all th e p romise s
times.
con cer n in g D avid’ s
family would be fulfilled.
David further counselled
Solomon to deal with all
the evil people that may
want to destroy the plan
of G od for him. A fter
giving ou t th ese
instructions, David died peacefully. Solomon at the
beginning, obeyed his father’s instruction and put away
all the conspirators but later rebelled and was punished.
Jesus loves you and has made you king and priest
to God (Revelation 1:5,6). Yet, He will not spare you from
rebuke and punishment, if you return to sin or continue
in your bad ways. Pray and turn away from all sins and
247
foolish ambitions and ask God to keep you from all evil
and use you for His glory.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who made himself k ing against his fathe r’s
permission in our text and why was he rejected? _ _
2. What is the name of the prophet who met with

Bathsheba and King David to plan how to make
Solomon king?
3. Why did God choose Solomon to be king?
4. Identify three things that David instructed Solomon
to do as the new king
5. Mention three lessons that you have learnt from the
rise of Solomon to the throne
MEMORY VERSE: “Then sat Solomon upon the throne

of David his father; and his kingdom was established
greatly” (1 Kings 2:12).
LESSON: God is the great Kingmaker.
THOUGHT: I must love and obey God always for His will
to be fulfilled in my life.
ACTIVITY: Read Deuteronomy 17:15-17 and write in

your church notebook seven instructions that God
commands every king in Israel to obey.
HOMEWORK: Read through the counsel that David gave

Solomon as he was about to die. See 1 Kings 2:2-4; 1
Chronicles 28:9. Write in your church notebook three
things that you learned from the passage.
248
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 15 – O WORSHIP THE
KING
CHORUSES: (1) Solomon built the temple of God. (2) Lift

up Jesus, He is King of kings. (3) Jesus shall reign forever
more.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY DEUTERONOMY 17:14-17

TUESDAY GENESIS 35:10,11
SATURDAY REVELATION 1:5-8
SUNDAY REVELATION 5:9,10
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Impartial 2. Approval 3. Minister
4. Futile 5. Dealings.
249
LESSON 3
THE WISDOM OF
SOLOMON
1 Kings 3:1-28; 4:1-34; 2 Chronicles 1:1-17
God revealed the special love He had for Solomon when

he was born. He sent Nathan the prophet to name him
Jedidiah – beloved of God (2 Samuel 12:24-28) at his
birth. 1 Kings 3:3 states that Solomon also loved the Lord.
He demonstrated this by following the footsteps of his
father David who walked uprightly and righteously
before God. David commanded Solomon to obey and
walk in the commandment, statutes and laws of the Lord
so that his reign would be peaceful and prosperous.
Solomon also showed his appreciation of God’s
goodness and mercy to the house of David and his being
chosen as successor to the throne despite the presence
of his older brothers in the family. This appreciation
resulted in his great sacrifice to honour God at Gibeon.
We shall consider our topic under the following sub-
headings:
1. SOLOMON’S DREAM:
1 Kings 3:1-15; 1 Chronicles 1:1-12
God visited Solomon in his dream at Gibeon and told
him to ask anything he desired. In his answer, Solomon
humbly acknowledged God’s favour for the house of
David and his own insufficiency for the job of governing
Israel, God’s great people. He therefore asked God for
wisdom to rule the nation as effective as his father had
done before him.
250
Solomon’s choice showed that he desired to be a good
person than to be great and to seek God’s honour more
than his own. Choosing wisdom instead of material
things to satisfy the flesh pleased God so much that He
added many more things that Solomon did not ask for –
riches, wealth, fame, an
God visited Solomon in u nd e rstan d ing he art,
the dream And he asked greatness, honour, long life
God for wisdom. etc. This is a fulfilment of
God’s promise in Matthew
6:33 that if we seek first the
kingdom of God and His
righteousness, other things
that we need to live a holy
and victorious life will be
added unto us. Are you a
frien d of Je su s? Th en ,
follow Solomon’s example
and ask for salvation of souls and purity of life so that
God will be happy with you and add to you other good
things generously?
2. THE MANIFESTATIONS OF SOLOMON’S WISDOM:

1 Kings 3:16-28; 4:1-34; 2 Chronicles 9:1-8
Solomon demonstrated the great wisdom of God in:
(a) administration (b) faultless judgment and (c) extra-
ordinary knowledge of the world.
(a) Administration: Solomon chose governors and
ministers of high integrity to manage the affairs of his
kingdom. Everyone knew his place and work so that this
great kingdom was maintained without any strife or
confusion. People from all over the world visited
Solomon to hear and learn from his wisdom (1 King 4:34).
To entertain them and attend to other important official
251
(state) matters that needed prudent management of
resources. Therefore, every month of the year, a governor
was responsible for the provision of food, drinks and other
needs of the kingdom.
Solomon ensured that all his kingdom benefited
financially by providing what was available in their
locality. The national wealth was thereby circulated and
evenly distributed even to the remotest areas. There was
e vide n ce of
God gave King Solomon great wisdom
to rule and lead the people of Israel.
p le n ty, p e ace
and satisfaction
in every part of
the coun tr y
throughout
Solomon’s reign.
(b)Fau ltle ss
judgment: Soon
after his dream,
two women came
to Solomon for
judgment, each
claiming to be the mother of the living child and rejecting
the dead one. His discernment of the true mother of the
living child brought him great fame and respect
throughout his kingdom and beyond. The people feared
to do anything unjust because they knew if it ever came
before King Solomon, he would certainly discover the
truth.
(c) Extraordinary knowledge of the world - In 1 Kings 4:
29-33, there were some famous men in Solomon’s time
but the Bible records that he excelled and confounded
them all in wisdom (1 Kings 10:23). Despite his great
wealth and the large country he ruled over, he still had
time to study the word of God. He wrote the books of
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Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Songs of Solomon from
which generations unborn will continue to benefit.
In addition, Solomon was gifted in the knowledge of
knowing things about distant countries, birds, fishes,
animals and trees of the world in his time.
3. GODLY EXAMPLES TO EMULATE IN SOLOMON’S

LIFE:
1 Kings 3:1-15; Proverbs 1:1-9; 10:1
There are many good things to emulate in the life of
Solomon. (a) From his early childhood, Solomon was
conscious of God’s love for him. Do you know that God
loves you and even knew you before you were even
conceived? Therefore, appreciate His love for you by
obeying Him and living a godly life. You will be blessed
with great wisdom.
(b) He was humble and
ack n owled ged his
inability to rule God’s I desire to
have God’s
people without adequate wisdom to
wisdom fr om God. Be serve and
please God
h umb le in you r in all I do.
relationship with your
p ar e nts and oth er s
arou nd you . G od will
surely exalt you in due
time.
(c) He preferred the wisdom of God to material wealth.
God therefore loaded him with both spiritual and material
gifts. Also let your heart desire be to seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness.
(d) His fame and greatness did not make him proud.
Whatever talents you have or achievements in life, you
must give all the glory to God.
253
(e) He used every available opportunity to serve his
nation and ensure that all the people enjoyed peace and
great prosperity throughout his reign. God has called
us to preach the gospel to every creature, use your God
given talent to achieve this.
(f) As a good son, he spoke honourably of his father’s
uprightness before God. He never mentioned his father’s
faults (1 Kings 3:6). If you honour your parents, you will
live long. Therefore, respect and obey them.
Solomon’s secret of a successful life was his love for
and obedience to God and his godly father. You too can
have good success in life if you give your life to Jesus
today. Rise up and pray.
QUESTIONS:
1. Solomon showed his love for God through ___ and __
2. Solomon was wiser than all men. Yes/No?
3. Mention three areas where he demonstrated his
wisdom.
4. Solomon’s success depended upon his relationship
with God. Yes/No?
5. What are the lessons you learnt from the life of
Solomon in this study?
MEMORY VERSE: “Behold, I have done according to

thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an
understanding heart; so that there was none like thee
before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto
thee” (1 Kings 3:12).
LESSON: Living to please God instead of self makes God

happy.
254
THOUGHT: I will please God to make Him happy with
me.
ACTIVITY: Mention one quality that you like in

Solomon’s life and pray that God will impact it in your
life.
HOMEWORK: Draw a picture of King Solomon sitting

on his throne with his crown on his head.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 34 – CONSTANTLY

ABIDING
CHORUSES: (1) God is good. (2) Blessings and honour

and glory and praise. (3) Obedience is the very best way.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY PROVERBS 8:10-13

TUESDAY PROVERBS 9:9-11
THURSDAY PROVERBS 4:4-7
SUNDAY JAMES 1:5-8
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Uprightly 2. Statutes 3. Appreciation
4. Fame 5. Manifestation.
255
LESSON 4
SOLOMON BUILDS GOD’S

TEMPLE
1 Kings 5:1-18; 6:1-38; 2 Chronicles 2:1-18; 3:1-17;
4:1-22
Solomon was the wise son of David and the king of Israel.
The name Solomon means “Peace”. The period when
Solomon reigned over Israel was a time of peace because
God loved him and allowed peace to reign during his
time so that he could build a house for Him. You too can
enjoy the peace of God only if you give your heart to
Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Romans 5:1).
David, the father of King Solomon loved God so much.
He was a man after God’s heart who feared God, obeyed
God’s words and strongly desired to build a house (a
temple) for God. But God did not allow David to build a
house for Him because David had been a man of war
who had shed much blood in fighting the battles of the
Lord against the enemies of Israel. God told David that
Solomon, his son would build the house of God which
David desired to build (1 Kings 8:17-19).
For many years after leaving Egypt, the children of Israel
worshipped God in tents and tabernacles (2 Samuel 7:6).
Therefore, David wanted to build a house for God, but God
told him not to, that it was Solomon his son that would
build the house (2 Samuel 7:12,13). However, the
preparation to build the temple of God started before the
death of David (2 Chronicles 29:2). According to the word
and the promise of God, it was Solomon, the son of David
that built the first temple for the God of Israel. This temple
256
was a place of worship and fellowshipping with God.
Today, God still desires to fellowship with us not only
in buildings made with hand but in your body which is
the temple of God. You must surrender everything to
Him.
We shall consider our study under the following
sub-headings:
1. SOLOMON’S PREPARATIONS TO BUILD GOD’S

TEMPLE:
In preparation to build the temple, Solomon made
an elaborate plan. Planning is very necessary in every
step that we take in life. A person that fails to plan has
King Solomon planned to build already planned to fail.
God’s temple The su cce ss of an y
project depends on our
adequate preparation. In
the area of choice of
sub je cts, sch ool to
*PROVISION attend, career to pursue,
OF ALL
NECESSARY
where to live, church to
BUILDING attend etc, there is need
MATERIALS.
*TRAINING for proper planning.
OF
SKILLED
Solomon’s planning
WORKERS. involved: (i) Provision of
all necessary building
materials. He ordered for
and got the best materials (wood, iron, brass, precious
stones, silver, gold etc) that was available. (ii) Mobilization
and training of skilled workers. Solomon sought for highly
skilled and technically sound workers. He looked out
for the best both within and outside his kingdom. He
trained all the workers and divided them according to
257
their skills. This is called division of labour. Everyone
has one work or the other to do.
We learn from Solomon that we should always make
proper preparation and give the best service to our God.
As children choir members, prayer warriors, artists, those
cleaning the church and in whatever area you are
serving the Lord, always give your best to Jesus.
2. SOLOMON BUILDS GOD’S TEMPLE:

1 Kings 6:1-38; 2 Chronicles 3:1-17; 4:1-22
After a proper preparation, “Then Solomon began to
build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount
Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his
father, in the place that David had prepared in the
threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite” (2 Chronicles 3:1).
The actual building of the temple started in the 480th
year after the children of Israel left Egypt. This was the
4th year of Solomon’s reign. Solomon finished the building
of the temple in the 11th year of his reign. That means, it
took 7 years to build God’s temple (1 Kings 6:1,38).
The major things to note and lessons to learn in the
building of the temple are:
(i) All the stones used in building the house were cut
into right sizes before they were brought into the temple.
There was no sound of hammer, axe or any tool of iron
heard in the temple during the building. This was to
preserve holiness at the temple site and minimize noise.
Children should learn from this, that our worship of God
must be solemn and holy. Rowdiness, climbing up to
the altar, unnecessary noise making and running
around should be avoided in the church during worship
(1 Kings 6:7).
(ii) 70,000 men were bearer of burdens who cut and
transported the huge stones for building, 80,000 men
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were quarry men, and 3,300 men were overseers who
supervised the work (1 Kings 5:15,16). This means that
every child is expected to be involved in the work of God
such as evangelism, visitation, church building,
cleaning the church, singing in the choir etc. The
workers cannot be too many and no one should be idle.
(iii)The king commanded that they use great stones,
costly stones, and hewed stones to lay the foundation of
the h ouse
(1Kings 5:17). King
We mu st not Solomon
offer cheap or built God’s
inferior service temple in 7
years.
to God . Th e
best materials
and time
should be used
in the service of
God.
(iv) Specialists
and e xpe rts
were hired to do the work (2 Chronicles 2:14). Every child
must use his/her talent and skill for the work of God.
You can play musical instruments, sing in the choir,
draw beautiful pictures, recite and meditate on the word
of God and use your talents to please Him.
(v) The temple was beautified with flowers and palm
trees, bronze materials and a great bronze basin for
washing. The inside was overlaid with pure gold. All
these shows us that heaven is a beautiful place where
every child should desire to be. Will you be there?
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3. GOD’S TEMPLE TODAY:
1 Corinthians 3:9-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18;
Revelation 3:20
When a child repents of his bad ways and gives his
heart to Jesus, such a child becomes a child of God and
the temple of God. God, through the Holy Spirit begins to
live inside such a child as it is written “And what
agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are
the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will
dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16).
Solomon built a physical temple, but our Lord Jesus
Christ has made all born again boys and girls the temple
You must give your life
of the living God – a spiritual
to Jesus so that your temple. To become a temple of
body will be the temple God, you must open the door of
of the Holy Spirit.
your heart for Jesus Christ to come
in. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand
at the door, and knock: if any
man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with
me” (Revelation 3:20). As the
temple of God, you must make a
clean break from every sinful
desire of the body and live in
holiness and righteousness all the
days of your life. At the end, you will get to heaven, and
live in a beautiful mansion and worship in temples not
made with hand. You must prepare now to get there!
QUESTIONS:
1. Why was Solomon able to settle down to build God’s
temple?
260
2. a) When did the preparations for the building of God’s
temple begin?
b) When did the actual building of the temple begin?
3. Mention two things Solomon did in preparation for
the building of God’s temple.
4. Mention three things you learnt from the things
Solomon did when building the temple. __ __ __
5. a) Who is God’s temple today?
b) How can a sinful child become God’s temple? _
MEMORY VERSE: “And it came to pass in the four

hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel
were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year
of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which
is the second month, that he began to build the house
of the LORD” (1 Kings 6:1).
LESSON: Solomon faithfully followed the pattern given

to him in building the house of God.
THOUGHT: I offer my body to Christ as His temple so He

can live in me forever.
ACTIVITY: Read the following passages in the book of

Revelation and write out what the Bible says in each
passage about the temple of God.
S/N Passage What it says about the believer and the temple of God
1. Revelation 3:12
2. Revelation 3:15
3. Revelation 11:1
4. Revelation 11:19
5. Revelation 11:2
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HOMEWORK: From your imagination, draw the temple
that Solomon built. Make it beautiful and hang it in your
church.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 85 – GIVE OF YOUR

BEST TO THE MASTER
CHORUSES: (1) Solomon built the temple of God. (2) My

body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (3) My God is big,
bigger than mountain.
DAILY BIBLE READING

WEDNESDAY 2 SAMUEL 7:11-14
THURSDAY 2 SAMUEL 7:24-26
SATURDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16,17
SUNDAY 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16-18
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Temple 2. Solemn 3. Preserve
4. Minimize 5. Altar.
262
LESSON 5
SOLOMON BUILDS HIS

PALACE
Solomon was David’s son who became king after him.

His mother’s name was Bathsheba. At the time he was to
become king, there were oppositions. Adonijah and his
supporters tried their best to take over the throne but
God did not allow him because he was not God’s choice.
No enemy will take away the blessings of God from you
in Jesus’ Name. When Solomon became king, he prayed
to God to give him wisdom to rule his people. God
answered his prayers and gave him the greatest wisdom
that man ever had.
After this, the first assignment that was before
Solomon was to build a magnificent temple for the
worship of God. He chose to build God’s house first
because he acknowledged that God is awesome and
deserves the best and first place in our lives. In our
study, we shall see how Solomon set out to build his
own palace after building the temple of God. It was not a
place for self-recognition but one that befits Israel, the
chosen people of God.
1. SOLOMON BUILDS HIS PALACE:

Palace means, ‘House of a king’. Solomon had earlier
built the house of God. It took seven years to finish the
building. His father David had provided most of the
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materials needed before he died. Solomon did not think
of building his palace first before building God’s house.
He first built God’s house, a temple of worship. He
decorated it with beautiful materials. This teaches us
that we must not be selfish in paying our tithes and
offering. Also, you must do God’s work first before you
do your own. If you
can do this in every
area of your life, God King Solomon built a
beautiful palace for himself.
will b le ss you
mightily.
A fte r S olomon
comp le te d G od’ s
house, he then started
building his palace.
But wh y was it
comp ulsory for
Solomon to build his
own palace? It was for
him to carry out the
wor k of r uling and
judging the people more perfectly. It took thirteen years
for the building to be completed. It was a magnificent
building, well decorated with precious and costly
materials. Whenever you make up your mind to do
something for God, do not stop half-way. You must ensure
that you finish like Solomon who built for thirteen years
and he finished it (1 Kings 7:1).
Give your life to Jesus today and determine to do
something (any available work in the church) to the glory
of God and continue till the end.
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2. HOW TO MAKE YOUR HEART GOD’S PALACE:
John 3:3,7; Revelation 3:20
“The best offering you can give to God is your heart.
The Bible says, “My son give me your heart”. Jesus is
the King of kings and Lord of lords. His desire is to rule
and reign in the heart of boys and girls. Jesus says,
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation
3:20). But if your heart is
You must d efile d b e cause of sin –
become a friend of fighting, stealing, telling lies,
Jesus to make your keeping malice and other bad
heart God’s palace...
things, then God cannot dwell
in your heart.
To prepare your heart for
God to rule and reign demands
that you surrender your life to
Jesus by taking the following
steps: (i) Realize that you are a
sinner (ii) Confess and forsake
your sins (iii) Ask God to
forgive you and cleanse you
with the blood of Jesus. (iv) Ask Him to give you power to
go and sin no more. (v) Invite Him to come into your
heart to be your Saviour, Lord and King. Nobody can do
this for you, you must do it yourself. If you don’t, it means
that you have permitted Satan to dwell in your heart. He
will use you to do his work and at the end, you will suffer
with him in hell fire.
But if you become born again, your heart will become
the palace where Jesus reigns as Lord and King. At the
end when He shall come in His glory, you will be
265
qualified to go with Him to inherit a mansion better than
the palace of Solomon.
3. HEAVENLY MANSIONS FOR THE FAITHFUL:

John 14:1-3; 12:26
After building the temple, Solomon moved on to the
next part of his building programme. This was the
building of a magnificent palace that took thirteen years
to complete. The palace was built with expensive
materials. It was magnificent in size and beauty.
The process of building it was also very elaborate that
he had to put both material and human resource together
in large numbers to accomplish the task. God backed
him up according to His promises. At the latter end,
Solomon forsook the Lord to serve
Lord Jesus, idols. Th is act le d to th e
please forgive me
for all my bad disintegration of the kingdom and its
doings. Make me eventual fall. The temple and the
your friend so palace were destroyed and became a
that I will live
with you in ruin. It is only through archeological
heaven. study that the ruins of Solomon’s
palace can be identified. This is to
show us that material wealth and
earthly riches have no eternal value.
It is only those that build their
tre asu r es in h e ave n thr ough
salvation, holy living and service to
God that can inherit eternal life. Are
you born again an d livin g holy
e ve r yd ay? I f yes, th en re joice ,
because Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a mansion
for you. They are mansions that are not built by hands
neither with corruptible materials. They are beautiful
266
mansions that are greater than anything you have ever
seen in this world.
If you are a friend of Jesus, then continue to follow
and serve Him till you get to heaven where you will
inherit your own mansion. But, if you are still a sinner,
repent now and allow Jesus to rule and reign in your
life. This is the only way to be qualified for the heavenly
mansion.
QUESTIONS:
1. Solomon became the king of Israel despite all
oppositions. Yes/No?
2. Why was it compulsory for Solomon to build his
palace?
3. How can you make your heart God’s palace?
4. What happened to Solomon’s palace at the latter end?
5. What did Jesus promise to give His friends when He

comes back to take them home?
MEMORY VERSE: “But Solomon was building his own

house thirteen years, and he finished all his house”
(1 Kings 7:1).
LESSON: God cannot live in the heart of sinful children.
THOUGHT: I will give my life to Jesus and live holy so

that God can rule and reign in my heart.
ACTIVITY: Draw your heart with Jesus sitting in the

centre. Write your name under and reconsecrate your
life to God.
267
HOMEWORK: The children should imagine Solomon’s
palace as described in our Bible passage. Then draw
it and make it beautiful.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 87 – TAKE MY

LIFE
CHORUSES: (1) My body is the temple of the Holy

Spirit. (2) Lord prepare me, a sanctuary. (3) In my
Father’s house, there are many mansions there.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY 1 KINGS 9:1-3

TUESDAY 1 KINGS 9:4-7
WEDNESDAY 1 KINGS 9:8,9
THURSDAY 1 KINGS 9:10-13
FRIDAY 1 KINGS 9:14-17
SATURDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16,17
SUNDAY 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19,20
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Palace 2. Mansion 3. Magnificent
4. Habitation 5. Reconsecrate.
268
LESSON 6
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A
CHRISTIAN MINISTER
2 Timothy 1:1-18
Apostle Paul was a great teacher, missionary and

preacher of the gospel. He went through the then known
world in pursuit of his mandate which is to spread the
good news of Christ’s love to all sinners. In the course of
carrying out this sacred duty, he encountered a lot of
oppositions, persecution, suffering and imprisonment.
This second letter to Timothy was written during his
last imprisonment before his death.
Historians describe Rome’s prison where Apostle
Paul was detained as a dungeon that was about twelve
(12) feet below the ground. It was a place where prisoners
condemned to die were kept. The Apostle spent his last
days in this place before he was killed for the gospel’s
sake. In those final days, Paul wrote his second letter to
Timothy, his dear son in the faith. Paul knew his life
was coming to an end (2 Timothy 4:6) and he had no
regrets (2 Timothy 4:7). Despite the suffering and
loneliness he experienced, he was only concerned about
the progress of the gospel. He encouraged himself with
the word of God and also sent this letter to encourage
the young pastor that he put in charge of the churches.
Apostle Paul did not run away or deny the gospel
because of suffering. H e knew that a crown of
righteousness was awaiting him. This should be the hope
of all friends of Jesus even now that we are approaching
the end of the world. Jesus will soon appear to take us
269
home. Believers must persevere, preach the gospel,
defend the faith, stand for the truth and wait patiently
for the coming of our Saviour. This is the whole counsel
of the Apostle to Timothy and to all Christians.
1. GREETINGS TO A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE:

2 Timothy 1:1-5; 1 Timothy 1:2; Acts 16:1-5
Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy is a personal
communication from his heart to a beloved son, co-
labourer and dependable minister. Though, Timothy was
young, yet Paul saw
Apostle Paul writes a letter to
Timothy because he was faithful to in him the potential
God. As friends of Jesus, we must or quality of an
also be found faithful. apostle. This young
pastorhad a deep understanding of the
word of God through the diligent
teaching and influence of his mother
an d gr and moth er. He was a
teachable and submissive child.
Do you have such a testimony?
Many children are born into
Christian families. They
learn the word of God from
their infancy, yet as they
grow, they turn asid e
and ar e
influ e nce d by bad
association. This should not be your story. Be an
example of a believer as you obey the word of life that
you are being taught by your godly parents and teachers.
Having known that his time on earth was about to
end, Apostle Paul desired once again to have an
intimate fellowship with his close friends. He recalled
270
Timothy’s faithfulness and also encouraged him to
remain steadfast in the faith. Friends of Jesus are
encouraged to guard against errors in the last days and
stand firm on the word of God.
2. ENCOURAGEMENT TO REMAIN STRONG:

2 Timothy 1:6-14; 2:14-26; 1 Timothy 4:6-10
The prison is the last place wherein someone can
send a letter of encouragement to others, but that was
where Paul’s second letter to Timothy originated. He
assured Timothy of his continuing love and prayers. He
also reminded him of his spiritual upbringing and
responsibilities. Paul knew that Timothy was going to
face oppositions and persecution just like he did, yet he
e ncour age d h im on th e n ee d to
per seve re and
remain strong.
Be strong,
In encouraging
courageous and
Timo thy,
steadfast. Do not
A postle P au l allow anything to
p ointe d ou t make you depart
that: (i) H e from the truth.
should not fear,
because God has
given him the spirit of power, of
love and of a sound mind. (ii) He
should not be ashamed of the gospel. (iii) He must be
ready to suffer for the gospel’s sake. (iv) As a minister,
he is expected to hold fast the truth committed into his
hands and teach others to do the same. He must never
depart from the truth or compromise his faith even if he
had to suffer, be rejected or disgraced.
271
Today, a lot of false teachers are all over the place
teaching errors. Christian boys and girls are encouraged
to guard against error, stand and defend the truth and
preach the gospel without fear. You can achieve this
through daily devotion to God as you pray and read your
Bible. Believe the word of God, obey its instruction and
teach others. Also, you must fellowship with other
believers regularly so as to learn more about the truth
in God’s Word.
3. ETERNAL REWARDS FOR FAITHFUL MINISTERS:

2 Timothy 1:15-18; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 2 Timothy 4:6-8
While some workers especially Phygellus and Hermogenes
failed to continue in God’s service,others held on to the work.
Apostle Paul identified one of such faithful worker as
Onesiphorus.He contributeda great deal to the welfare of the
ministry and care of God’s servant. The apostle then prayed
for him to receive mercy from God.
A faithful minister of God
is one who serves God in
truth and holiness all the
days of his life. He is not
moved by persecution and
tribulations. His heart
is fixe d on
the heavenly God will reward you
c r o w n with promotion,
provision, success,
waiting for
crowns with stars in
h im. P au l heaven if you remain
himself was faithful till the end.
an example
of a faithful minister, he saw these rewards laid down
for him even before he died.
272
If you make up your mind and serve the Lord like
Paul and Timothy, then you are sure of enjoying both
physical and eternal rewards. These include: promotion,
provision, protection, fulfilment of God’s promises and
crowns with stars. Be encouraged to serve Christ till the
end. There are great rewards awaiting you.
QUESTIONS:
1. wrote the second letter to Timothy from
2. Timothy was a dependable
3. Timothy was taught the word of God by his __ and __
4. Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy and other believers
to
5. What are the rewards for faithful service?
MEMORY VERSE: “Hold fast the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is
in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).
LESSON: God is always by His children to strengthen

them in time of discouragement.
THOUGHT: I will hold fast unto the word of God to receive

grace to stand till the end.
ACTIVITY: Prayer session: for every minister of the

gospel, missionaries, children and youths.
HOMEWORK: Pray for revival.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 72 – THE SOLID

ROCK
273
CHORUSES: (1) Give me oil in my lamp. (2) Give me
grace to follow. (3) Move on, move on don’t be tired.
DAILY BIBLE READING

THURSDAY EPHESIANS 4:14-16
SUNDAY PSALM 119:9-11
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Apostle 2. Encouragement
3. Eternal 4. Persecution 5. Persevere.
274
LESSON 7
PERSEVERANCE IN
CHRISTIAN SERVICE
2 Timothy 2:1-26
Paul the Apostle wrote to Timothy his beloved son in the

Lord, to remind him of the need to continue or persevere
while serving Christ. The teaching today is to encourage
born again boys and girls to persevere while serving God.
Perseverance means to continue to do something until
you achieve a desired result despite difficulties. It means
enduring hard times. In serving God, there are always
times of difficulties but you must continue until you
get to heaven. Paul encouraged Timothy and all friends
of Jesus to maintain their faith in God and continue to
serve Him till the end even while they face hard times.
We are saved to serve God in bringing sinners into
the kingdom of God. This is the major reason why we
are still living. Our service must be whole hearted and
according to the teaching of Christ, so we can be
rewarded. Those who serve God with a perfect heart will
be rewarded here on earth and in heaven. While serving,
you may be ridiculed, laughed at or even suffer like
Paul, Stephen and others in the Bible, but continue in
preaching the gospel and in His service (Acts 8:4).
We shall divide the message into three parts:
1. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE:

2 Timothy 2:19-26; John 3:3-5; Romans 12:11
Every school or organization has conditions to be met
before pupils are enrolled. To be a pupil in a school, you
must attain the right age or meet other enrolment
conditions. So it is in Christian service. Before a boy or
275
girl can be engaged in Christian service, the following
qualifications are required:
(i) Salvation: This is the most important requirement
for a child who desires to serve God. As a sinner, you
must first repent of your sins, ask for forgiveness and
cleansing in the blood of Jesus. Then ask Jesus to be
your Saviour, Lord, Friend and Master (John3:3-5).
(ii) Sanctification (holiness) Experience: It is a very
necessary qualification to be able to serve God with a
pure heart and endure hardship. To be sanctified, the
Qualifications for
Christian service:
Salvation ,
Sanctification,
Holy Ghost Baptism,
Gentleness, Faith,
Patience and
Longsuffering.
saved child will thirst for the experience and pray in

faith to receive. Sanctification will make you to be holy
and pure in your heart (Ezekiel 36:25,26).
(iii) Holy Ghost Baptism: The sanctified child needs to
be anointed for service so as to do the work of God
fearlessly and courageously. He must therefore earnestly
pray until he is baptized in the Holy Ghost.
Other virtues that should manifest in the life of a child
willing to serve God are meekness, peace, love, faith,
276
patience, longsuffering, truthfulness and gentleness.
Service to God also requires that you are watchful and
prayerful (Ephesians 6:18), separated from worldly
influences (1 John 2:15-17), and be totally consecrated
to God’s work especially evangelism. True friends of
Jesus must have the above qualities in order to be able
to serve God acceptably. Like Paul the apostle, we must
be courageous in order to be able to face and overcome
p r e se n t d ay ch al le n ge s th a t can h in d e r th e
commitment we are called to give in service. Our
service must not be offered grudgingly, but cheerfully
even when there is persecution.
2. PERSEVERANCE IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE:

2 Timothy 2:1-18; Romans 8:35-39; 2 Corinthians
12:10
S oldier s in th e war front en du re hard sh ip ,
difficulties, pain and sometimes death while serving
their nation, but they persevere and continue to fight
the battle. Therefore, Christians as soldiers of Christ,
must be willing to endure difficulties, pains, suffering
for the sake of Christ and fight the good fight of faith
wholeheartedly. You must persevere and endure all the
hardship that comes your way while in the Christian
service. 2 Timothy 2:3 says “Thou therefore endure
hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”.
Our labour in God’s service is not in vain as we
persevere and endure any problem that comes our way.
In any area that God calls you to work for Him, you
must not be tired. You must continue and God will see
you through. Friends of Jesus must not be idle, but
work for God while it is day and are still alive. Jesus
worked while on earth (John 9:4). We must also do the
same. God has called us to work for Him in different
277
areas like singing in the choir, joining the prayer team,
playing organ or any other instruments, visiting others,
cleaning the chairs in the church, giving to the less
priviledged and more importantly preaching the gospel
to sinners.
Whichever one that
God calls you to do,
You must you must endure any
endure and challenge, problem
fight the that might come your
good fight way. Be willing to
of faith. sacrifice your time
and talent for God.
Forsake anything that might
hinder you from persevering in
Christian service. You will be
rewarded if you persevere till the
end.
3. REWARDS FOR PERSEVERING IN CHRISTIAN

SERVICE:
2 Timothy 2:11-13,19-21; 1 Corinthians 15:58
After we must have laboured and persevered in
serving God and doing what pleases Him, we will be
rewarded. In the Bible, those who persevered and
continued in serving God were rewarded. Some of the
examples were Stephen – Jesus received him into heaven
(Acts 7:55,56). Joseph – was promoted in a strange land and
honoured with long life (Genesis 50:22). Abel – his sacrifice
was accepted by God (Genesis 4:4). Enoch – he did not see
death, God took him to heaven alive (Genesis 5:23,24). Paul
– received crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7,8). All
these people and many others did not give up during
hard times. They persevered because they knew that God
278
is faithful to fulfil all His promises. He cannot forget
your labour of love in
God will reward all boys and His service. Some
girls who persevere to the end.
of the rewards are:
(i) Blessing in all you do. He blessed
Abraham with many cattle, land and
multip lie d h is see d . (ii) Answers
to your prayers.
(iii) Reigning with Jesus in
heaven. (iv) Crown of life
in heaven for boys and
girls who labour and
endure till the end.
While here on earth,
God will reward you.
When you finally strive, endure and persevere till the
end, you will also receive a crown of life.
QUESTIONS:
1. Perseverance means _
2. What are some of the things you may pass through
while serving the Lord?
3. Can a sinner serve God?
4. What are the qualifications for Christian service?
5. What are the rewards you will receive when you
persevere till the end? ___________
MEMORY VERSE: “Thou therefore endure hardness,

as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).
LESSON: It pays to serve Jesus and persevere till the

end.
279
THOUGHT: I will serve Jesus and persevere till I see
Him face to face.
ACTIVITY: Teachers should discuss with children

various ways through which they can serve God.
HOMEWORK: After today’s study, write down what you

plan to do for Jesus this week (show your teacher) .
Come and give an account to your teacher next week
Sunday on what you did.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 62 – GO, LABOUR

ON
CHORUSES: (1) I live for Jesus. (2) Follow, follow, I

will follow Jesus. (3) I have decided to follow Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY PHILIPPIANS 1:12-14

TUESDAY PHILIPPIANS 1:21-23
WEDNESDAY PHILIPPIANS 1:24-27
SUNDAY 1 THESSALONIANS 2:9-12
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Persevere 2. Courage 3. Endurance
4. Warfare 5. Sacrificial.
280
LESSON 8
STANDING FOR THE

TRUTH IN PERILOUS
TIMES
2 Timothy 3:1-17
Perilous times refers to the end time period when bad

things keep multiplying every day. These bad things
come like the wind and try to blow many children away
from following the truth.
The truth is the totality of all that is in the Bible. The
Bible is the revealed truth from God to man. Believing
and obeying the word of God is the foundation of our
relationship with God, the Author of the Bible. The truth
has been revealed from the beginning of the world and
all who believe will have eternal life. Those who reject
the truth will suffer in hell fire. If you believe and accept
the truth, then you must hold firmly unto it.
Do not allow anyone to confuse you with another
doctrine. The present evil world is doing everything
possible to change the truth. This is why the Bible warns
us about the danger of turning away from the truth to
errors. If you heed the warning and stand on the truth,
you will be saved, but if you forsake the truth and come
under the influence of this perilous, turbulent times,
then you will have yourself to blame. Therefore, you must
do all you can to hear the truth, believe it, meditate upon
it, digest it in your heart, obey it, stand firmly on it and
preach it. In this way, you will not be corrupted by the
negative influences of the world.
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1. DESCRIPTION OF PERILOUS TIMES:

2 Timothy 3:1-9;Isaiah 59:1-4,7,8,12-15; Romans 1:28-32
Perilous times as shown in the Bible is the period
between the time of grace, when the door of salvation is
wide open and
the time of Perious times are dangerous
rapture when times of trouble and suffering
Chr ist will
come again to
take the true believers
home to heaven.
The Bible describes
this period as perilous
times because it is a
time when: (i) Some
friends of Jesus will
no longer love Jesus
and be obedient to His
Wor d. (ii) Some
childr e n will show
hatred towards God and
His Word. (iii) False prophets and teachers shall increase
and many careless boys and girls shall be deceived (2 Peter
2:1-3). (iv) Most people will think too highly of themselves
and thus will not have natural love and affection for one
another (2 Timothy 3:2,3). (v) There will be increase in
wickedness, pride, immorality, disobedience to parents,
stubbornness,beingrebellious against authority, the love of
the world, kidnapping and ritual killings (Romans 1:28-32).
At such a time as this, true friends of Jesus need to
be very sure and convinced of what they believe. This
will help them not to develop an evil heart of unbelief
282
that may lead to forsaking the Lord and the way of
righteousness (1 Corinthians 10:12).
2. CERTAINTY OF SUFFERING FOR CHRIST IN

PERILOUS TIMES:
2 Timothy 3:10-13
Apostle Paul describes the type of suffering he went
through in the hands of wicked men. He suffered a lot
for the sake of the gospel. He also warns believers that
there will be persecution for all that will live godly.
Persecution is sure and certain to come for all who truly
love the
Cheer-up, it is
Lord,
My father refused to certain that we will
suffer for Christ’s especially
give me food today
because I did not help sake. But don’t be in these
him buy cigarette. discouraged, Jesus perilous
has promised to be t i m e s
with you.
wh en
e vil men ar e
waxing stronger in
their evil ways.
Loyalty to Christ, His
tru th and His
righteous standard
involves a constant
determination not to
compromise our faith or
give in to the different
vices calling us to
conform to the world
and to lay aside scriptural truth. Because of their godly
standard, the faithful Christian will be deprived of
certain privileges and will be ridiculed.
283
As Paul testified that in all his troubles, the Lord
delivered him. So also, we must have faith in God. Jesus
promised that though we will face tribulations, but we
should be of good cheer because He has overcome the
world. Though the world may be corrupt and wicked,
you must determine to stand with Jesus, so you would
not be swallowed up in these evil and perilous times.
Victory awaits you as you stand on the truth.
3. DETERMINATION TO STAND FOR CHRIST IN

PERILOUS TIMES:
2 Timothy 3:14-17; 4:3-5; 1 Timothy 4:11-16
Believers are strangers and heavenly citizens on
earth. We are pilgrims on our way to heaven. God has
given us His Word to guide and direct our steps as we
journey towards
h eaven . This It takes
world is not our determination
home, it is only to stand for
when we obey Christ in this
the word of God perilous time.
Be strong and
and follow pledge to be a
Christ till the friend of Jesus
end that we can till the end.
get to heaven at
last (Hebrews 11:13-16).
Jesus, because of His love
for us, has given us His word
in the Bible to h elp u s
overcome the temptations and
challenges of these perilous times. Therefore, as a friend
of Jesus: (i) Do not love the bad ways of the world but
live a separated life unto God (1 John 2:15-17; James
4:4). (ii) Live in holiness and righteousness all the days
284
of your life. Hold on to the word of God and be obedient
to the teachings of the word that you hear from your
Christian leaders and teachers (Hebrews 13:7,17). (iii)
Do not be influenced by the ways of the world and the
bad examples of other children around you. (iv) Let the
Bible be your standard and guide in all your ways
(Joshua 1:8). (v) Have a strong desire and unwavering
determination in your heart to follow Jesus and be His
friend to the end (Daniel 1:8). (vi) Do not collect or read
any material from false prophets (2 John 7-11). Do not
be a secret friend of Jesus, preach the gospel at all times
to your friends and to other children around you
(Matthew 28:18-20). (vii) Study and read the Bible always.
Have regular quiet time and always participate in family
devotion and prayers (2 Timothy 2:15; Luke 18:1).
QUESTIONS:
1. Perilous times mean?
2. What is the truth?
3. Explain three ways the Bible describes perilous times.
4. Mention three things a Christian must do in order

to be able to stand firm on the truth.
5. How can a sinner know the truth?
MEMORY VERSE: “But continue thou in the things which

thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of
whom thou hast learned them” (2 Timothy 3:14).
LESSON: The word of God is the truth that saves and

preserves in turbulent times.
THOUGHT: I will obey the word of God so as to be able to

stand in these perilous times.
285
ACTIVITY: Children are to mention five things that
friends of Jesus must do daily to be able to stand for the
truth.
HOMEWORK: Children are to write in their homework

book, five things that a sinful child must do in order to
be saved.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 21 – WILL YOUR

ANCHOR HOLD?
CHORUSES: (1) I have decided to follow Jesus. (2) I stand

upon the word of God. (3) It is Thy word that sets me free.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY JUDE 3-6

TUESDAY JUDE 13-15
WEDNESDAY JUDE 16-18
THURSDAY JUDE 19-21
FRIDAY JUDE 22-25
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1.Perilous 2. Truth 3. Doctrine
4. Meditate 5. Challenges.
286
LESSON 9
RENEWED CHARGE TO
PREACH THE GOSPEL
2 Timothy 4:1-6
The word ‘charge’ has diverse meanings. In our Bible

passage, it is used to give an instruction or a command
to do something. When our Lord Jesus Christ was
ascending to heaven, He commanded believers to go into
the world to preach the gospel and continue the work of
winning souls till He comes. Since that time till these
present days, believers have continued to preach the
gospel. However, Paul in our Bible passage renews the
command for believers to preach the gospel because he
knew that in the last days, many will no longer be
interested in the word of God and because of this, many
believers will be discouraged and would no longer be
fervent in preaching the gospel.
Evil and sinful activities are increasing in these last
days. Many are wicked and disobedient to God’s Word.
Sinful children are dying and going to hell, believers
are backsliding and false teachers have filled the world
with their evil messages. This is why friends of Jesus
must arise and obey the charge to go out and preach the
gospel.
287
1. CHRIST’S COMMAND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL:
2 Timothy 4:1-5; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20;
Acts 1:1-8
The greatest work that Jesus has commanded His
friends to do is to preach the gospel. Our message should
lead to bringing others to Christ through repentance from
sin and to help the new converts to grow in the faith.
The first disciples that Jesus called were asked to
become fishers of men. At the end of His mission on earth,
Christ also gave the commandment that we should go
everywhere and
Jesus commands all His friends to go preach the gospel
and preach the gospel to everyone. to every creature.
This is a
command that we must obey. This is
the Great Commission. Friends of Jesus
must use their gifts, talents, time and
money to preach the gospel and win
sinners for Christ.
However, if you are a
sinner, the command
is not for you. It is for
childr en wh o ar e saved .
Therefore, a sinner must first of all
realize he is a sinner, be sorry and
repent of all sins; confess those sins to
Jesus and ask for forgiveness and cleansing in His blood.
He is to invite Jesus to come into his heart to be his
personal Saviour and Lord. Thank God for saving him.
Then join other saved children to preach the good news
to sinners around him.
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2. RENEWED CHARGE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL:
2 Timothy 4:1-6; Luke 25:46,47; Mark 16:15-20
Re newed charge to p reach the gosp el is an
instruction to friends of Jesus to increase their efforts
with greater zeal and strength to preach the gospel more
than before. The second coming of our Saviour and Lord
Jesus Christ is very near. Therefore, friends of Jesus
need to give more time and use all profitable methods to
e van ge lise an d
Use different
reach as many
methods to
child r en as
preach the possible.
gospel. It is a Some of the
command methods we can
from God. use in reaching
out to mor e
children with the word of God are:
(i) Sharing oftracts in schools,market
places, in buses, house to house and
on the playground. (ii) Person to
person evangelism (iii) Group rally or
crusade. (iv) Writing letters to
individuals and qu oting Bible
passages that will lead to the
salvation of souls. (v) Use of
telephone calls and sending text
messages. (vi) Using the social
media like Facebook, Instagram,
WhatsApp etc. (vii) Inviting children to special church
programmes such as: retreats, crusades and House
Caring Fellowship meetings. (viii) Personal and
corporate prayers for sinners to be saved.
Friends of Jesus must continue to obey and put in
more effort to preach the gospel without getting tired or
289
discouraged even when there are difficulties or
persecutions. The spirit of the last day is here! Many
believers are backslidden, some have become lukewarm
and others are changing the truth of God’s Word to suit
th eir pu rpose. Wicke dne ss, oppr ession , d eath,
kidnappings, killings, rape, immorality, theft, and many
other bad things are on the increase. Therefore, friends
of Jesus must renew their commitment to preach the
gospel.
3. CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEYING THE CHARGE

TO PREACH THE GOSPEL:
2 Timothy 4:3,4; Ezekiel 33:1-6; 3:18
Whenever a child disobeys his parents, that child will
be duly punished. So also, if we disobey the command
of our Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel, He will
not be happy with us. Disobedience to the command to
preach the gospel has many consequences: (a) Sinners
will die in their sins. (b) Backsliders
will p e r ish in th e ir
backslidden
If you are a
state if not
friend of Jesus
warned. and you don’t
(c) F alse preach the
teachers gospel, God will
will fill the not be happy
with you.
world with
the ir false
teachings and lead many
astray. (d) The church will
decrease.
(e) The blood of sinners will be required from us. (f)
We will have no rewards in heaven. But if we obey the
Lord; sinners and
290
backsliders will be saved, we will have joy in our hearts,
the church will grow and we will receive rewards with
stars on our crowns when we get to heaven.
Disobedience to the charge to preach the gospel and
watching sinners die in their sins is a wicked act. No
one can claim to be a true friend of Jesus if he/she does
not preach the gospel. Know that Jesus bled and died
for all (Isaiah 53:1-5). Determine today to obey the Lord
and preach the gospel, and God will bless you
abundantly.
QUESTIONS:
1. The word charge means
2. Why did Apostle Paul renew the charge for believers
to preach the gospel?
3. List five methods of preaching the gospel _
4. What must a sinful child do before he can preach
the gospel?
5. What are the consequences for not preaching the
gospel?
MEMORY VERSE: “Preach the word; be instant in

season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2).
LESSON: Many souls will be converted when we preach

the gospel.
THOUGHT: I will put more effort to preach the gospel

and convert more children to Christ.
291
ACTIVITY: The teacher should tell the children to write
in their notebook, seven practical ways of doing
evangelism.
HOMEWORK: The teacher should pair up the children

to do house to house evangelism. Instruct them to write
the names of the children they preach to with their
addresses and phone numbers.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 112 – WIN THEM ONE

BY ONE
CHORUSES: (1) Go and tell them (2ce) Jesus died for

sinful men. (2) Go, tell it on the mountain. (3) Isaiah
heard the voice of the Lord.
DAILY BIBLE READING

TUESDAY MARK 3:13-15
FRIDAY MARK 16:15-20
SATURDAY ACTS 1:5-8
SUNDAY LUKE 24:45-48
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Renew 2. Charge 3. Consequences
4. Diverse 5. Determine.
292
LESSON 10
THE GOOD FIGHT OF

FAITH
2 Timothy 4:7-22
Soldiers are trained to fight. Every nation trains its army

to fight battles against enemy nations. Their fight is not
for personal gain, it is to defend the nation and its people.
No nation will be careless as to send out soldiers that
cannot fight in battle. The children of Israel were
engaged in war throughout their wilderness journey
until they possessed the promised land.
Believers are soldiers of Christ called to fight the good
fight of faith in their journey to heaven. They are to
persevere and remain conquerors till they possess the
heavenly Canaan land. The great Apostle Paul was a good
fighter, who surrendered all for the sake of the gospel.
Towards the end, Paul reviews his life and ministry for
God, knowing that his death was near. He describes his
Christian life as a good fight, the only fight worth
fighting. He fought against Satan, evil spirit, pagan vices,
religion, idolatry, backsliders, false teachers, worldliness
and sin. He saw himself finishing a race that he had
begun, having remained faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ
amid many trials and temptations throughout his life.
He also testified that he had kept the faith inspite of
times of severe testing, great discouragement and
trouble. He never compromised the gospel or the
revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ that he had been
given. He fought the good fight till the end and received
the crown of life. If you fight the good fight of faith till
the end, you too will inherit all things and receive the
crown of life.
293
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH:
2 Timothy 4:6,7; Philippians 3:12-14; Hebrews 12:1;
Jude 3
‘Fighting’ has both negative and positive meaning.
The negative is what sinful children engage in when
they quarrel, beat and injure one another. Anything
you do to hurt another person is sinful.
The positive fight is what the Bible defines as the good
fight of faith. It describes the
Apostle Paul fought the str u ggle a Chr istian is
good fight. He fought
against Satan, sin and engaged in against sin, self,
false teachers. Friends of S atan, un se e n for ces,
Jesus should emulate the worldliness, false teachers,
good fight. temptations and everything
that is against G od’ s
righteous standard. Fighting
involves contending for the
truth. It is the defence of a
worthy course. The gospel of
faith and righteousness is a
worthy course that believers
should fight for. No one is
exempted, the fight involves
everyone that desires to be a conqueror and make it to
heaven at last.
2. DEMANDS OF THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH:

2 Timothy 4:9-16; Ephesians 3:16-19; 5:8-10;
Colossians 3:12-17
How do we get involved in the good fight of faith?
You must have the required qualification. A soldier is
required to be physically and mentally fit to be enlisted
into the army. Soldiers of Christ must possess certain
important credentials in order to be able to fight the good
fight of faith. (i) Born again (John 3:3,7) - This is the frist
experience required to be enlisted as soldiers of Christ
who are called unto the battle for the truth. (ii) Holiness
of life – (2 Timothy 2:19-21). Born again Christian must
294
desire and pray to be sanctified. This
is very important because the
enemy of Christ cannot stand
before the holy child of God. (iii)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit – (Acts
1:8). It is with the power
of God that the believer To fight the good
fight of faith you
can overcome all themust be: born again,
powersof the enemy. (iv) holy, filled with the
Holy Spirit, put on
Possession of the fruit the whole armour of
of the Spirit – love, God, prayerful and
separate from the
joy, p eace , world.
longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance
(Galatians 5:22,23). (v) Put on the whole armour of God
like a garment. These include: Truth, righteousness,
gospel of peace, faith, salvation, sword of the Spirit
(Ephesians 6:10-17). (vi) A prayerful life style –
(Ephesians 6:18). (vii) Separation from the world – (2
Timothy 2:4).
If you are not a friend of Jesus, then you are in the
camp of the enemy. You have to repent now, believe the
gospel, ask for forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of
Jesus so that you can be delivered and become a
conqueror.
3. VICTORY AND REWARD FOR THE FAITHFUL:

2 Timothy 4:8; 4:17-22; Psalm 121:1-8
There is deliverance and victory for children of God
who persevere and fight the good fight of faith. There were
people mentioned in our Bible passage who could not
continue in the faith, such as - Crescens and Demas.
They forsook the apostle and followed the way of the
world. However, there were others mentioned who stood
with the apostle to fight for the gospel of Christ, he prayed
for them. Because Apostle Paul himself remained faithful
till the end, to his Lord and the gospel, the Spirit
witnessed to him that God’s loving approval and the
295
“crown of righteousness was awaiting him
in heaven”. Paul
e xp e rie n ce d at Jesus has
different times the prayed for those
Lor d ’s spe cial who would fight
pre sence as He the good fight of
stood by him and faith. Claim it
and remain
strengthened him. victorious.
Like wise , Je su s
interceeds and stands with us in
times of trouble. Jesus thereby
enables us to become victors and not victims.
God has reserved rewards in heaven for all who
remain loyal, faithful and committed to the good fight of
faith. Will you be one of them? Pray for grace to remain
with Jesus till the end.
QUESTIONS:
1. Believers are called to
2. Who said, “I have fought a good fight”?
3. Describe the good fight of faith.
4. Enumerate the demands of the good fight.
5. There is __ _ __ _ _ __ _ for faithful fighters.
MEMORY VERSE: “I have fought a good fight, I have

finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
LESSON: Christians are soldiers of Christ called to fight

the good fight of faith.
THOUGHT: I will fight the good fight of faith and be a

conqueror.
ACTIVITY: Look at the Christian soldier and clothe him

with the whole armour of God.
296
HOMEWORK: Spend time to pray for grace to conquer
and remain a conqueror.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 99 – THERE IS

VICTORY WITHIN MY SOUL
CHORUSES: (1) I am victorious, yes, I am victorious glory

be to God who gave me the victory. (2) Victory, victory,
halleluyah Jesus conquers the devil patapata. (3) I
believe yes Lord I believe, it is well with me.
DAILY BIBLE READING

MONDAY EPHESIANS 6:10-12
TUESDAY PHILIPPIANS 3:17-19
WEDNESDAY PHILIPPIANS 3:20,21
THURSDAY HEBREWS 12:1-4
FRIDAY 1 JOHN 5:19-21
SUNDAY 1 JOHN 2:28,29
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1 Conquerors 2. Compromised
3. Righteous 4. Standard 5. Enlist.
297
LESSON 11
THE TRINITY OF THE

GODHEAD
Matthew 3:1-17
Human beings are made up of three entities, namely

the soul, the spirit, and the body. It is not possible to
separate one from the others and still have a living being.
The three parts make one person and work together in
unity to form the character of each person.
From this example, you can understand that the
teaching of the Godhead is true. It does not mean that
there are three Gods as some religious people use to
teach. But it simply means three different Persons
perfectly united and working in unity as one same God.
The word “Tri” means three while the word “nity” means
unity. Therefore, Trinity means the unity of three
Persons in one God.
1. THE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD:

Matthew 3:16,17
The persons that make up the Godhead are God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are
One in unity, that means they work together as one same
Godhead. They are not merely three names of one person
(Matthew 3:16,17). God the Father – He is God (1
Corinthians 8:6). “There is but one God the Father”.
He is the Father of our Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:3).
God the Son (John 1:14). Jesus Christ is the only
begotten Son of the Father. He was made flesh, this
298
means that He was born as a man. His name is
Emmanuel meaning God with us. He shed His blood to
take away our sins, He is alive today, sitting at the right
hand side of the throne of God and praying for all His
friends. All power in heaven and on earth is given to
Him and at the mention of His name every knee must
bow.
God the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,26). He comes from
God the Father and God the Son. He is the Comforter.
He lives in the
GOD THE SON
GOD GOD heart of friends
of Je sus,
THE teaching them
THE and gu id in g
HOLY them into all
tru ths. H ave
FATHER SPIRIT you allowe d
God to cleanse
your heart with the blood of Jesus through the power of
the Holy Spirit? This is another opportunity for you today.
Throw away that little power that Satan has given to you;
surrender to Jesus now, so that this wonderful Name of
Jesus at which every knee bows, will become powerful
in your life today.
2. THE WORKS AND UNITY OF THE GODHEAD:

Genesis 1:26; John 1:3; 1 John 5:7
The three Persons of the Godhead work together in:
(i) Creation. When the Bible says, “Let us make man…”
(Genesis 1:26). This means that the three Persons in the
Godhead were united together in creating boys and girls.
(ii) Salvation (John 3:3-5). A sinner is saved by God
through the blood of Jesus Christ by the power of the
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart to make
299
you sorry for the bad things that you have done. God the
Father forgives the sinner because of the sacrifice of God
the Son on the cross. He then washes the sinner with
the blood of His Son. (iii) Baptism (Matthew 28:19). A
b e li e v e r i s
God the
...Let us make baptiz ed in
Father, God
the Son and man in our own the name of
God the Holy image... t h e F at h e r
Spirit created
all things. and the Son
and the Holy
Ghost. That
means by
the authority
o f al l th e
t h r e e
Persons. (iv) Prayer (Romans 8:26) We pray to God the
Father in the name of Jesus while the Holy Spirit helps
us to pray aright.
Jesus prayed that all His friends should work
together in unity (John 17:21). Are you working hard
together with friends of Jesus or are you folding your
hands thinking that you cannot do much? Wake up
today! Do something for Jesus now; pray for sinners,
preach to them, do some work in the children church.
Do not quarrel with other friends of Jesus, work with
them to bring sinners to Jesus. Idleness leads to
backsliding. Delay can be dangerous.
3. OUR DUTIES TO THE GODHEAD:

Matthew 3:13-17
Our duties to the Godhead are to believe, obey and
honour them. As a sinner, you cannot go to God the
Father without coming to Jesus for forgiveness and
cleansing of your sins. Confess and forsake all your sins,
300
ask for forgiveness God gives us So, the persons in the
salvation through Godhead are perfectly
and cle an sin g in united and working for
Jesus and the
Jesu s’ blood an d Holy Spirit gives our blessings.
believe on the Lord us assurace...
Jesus. As a friend of
Jesus, you must daily
live in obedience to
our Lord and Saviour
Jesus. And also pray
so that the works and
will of the Godhead
will be done in you
and through you.
QUESTIONS:
1. Trinity means
2. Who are the three Persons who make up the
Godhead?
3. The three Persons in the Godhead are one. Yes/No?
4. Mention four ways in which the Godhead work
together in unity.
5. How can a sinful child benefit from the unity of the
Godhead?
6. What must a friend of Jesus do today in answer to
the call of the Godhead?
MEMORY VERSE: “And Jesus, when he was baptized,

went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the
heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him”
(Matthew 3:16).
LESSON: Jesus wants His friends to work together like

the Godhead.
301
THOUGHT: I must be in unity with other friends of
Jesus.
ACTIVITY: Children should read 1 Corinthians

12:12- 27. Then answer these questions: (i) Who
are the members of the body? (ii) Which body is the
passage talking about? (iii) How can a child become a
member of the body? (iv) What is expected of all the
members of the body according to verse 25?
HOMEWORK: Pray earnestly for one of your neighbours

or someone in your class. Preach to him so that he can
experience the power of the Godhead in his/her life.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 11 – HOLY, HOLY,

HOLY
CHORUSES: (1) God is my Father. (2) It is a great

thing
to serve the Lord. (3) The fullness of the Godhead
bodily dwelleth in my heart.
DAILY BIBLE READING
TUESDAY GENESIS 11:5-8
FRIDAY JOHN 14:16,17,20
SATURDAY 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11-14
SUNDAY GALATIANS 4:4-6
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Trinity 2. Surrender 3. Creation
4. Sacrifice 5. Authority.
302
LESSON 12
ONE BODY, MANY

MEMBERS
Every human being has only one body. In that body,

there are many parts. No matter how little or small or
seemly unimportant a part of the body may look like, it
is very useful. Without it, the body cannot be comfortable
or work perfectly. Every part of the body, (head, nose,
mouth, eyes heart, stomach, intestine, kidney etc.) has
its own function. One part cannot do the work of another
part. If one part of the body is affected by sickness, the
other part cannot remain in a healthy state. All parts
work together in unity to give the body a healthy life.
This is what we are looking at in our study as we relate
the parts of the human body to the Church which is the
body of Jesus.
1. ONE BODY BUT MANY MEMBERS:

1 Corinthians12:12-14
The Church is referred to as the body of Christ. Jesus
Christ is the Head of the Church. People including boys
and girls who are truly born again are the members of
this body seen as the Church. As members or parts of
your physical body are different, like the eyes, hands,
legs, ears, heart and kidney and all these do different
things but still work together, so in the church, there
are pastors, coordinators, ushers, prayer warriors,
cleaners, writers, singers, artists and etc. who do
303
different things in the church
Jesus is the but work together to make the
Head of the church to grow.
Church. They all need one another.
The pastors need the prayer
warrior to pray, ushers to
con trol an d main tain
orderliness, cleaners to keep
the place clean and singers to
prepare the hearts of the people
ready for the word of God. The
pastor cannot do all the work
in the church. All members in the church, the children,
the youths and the adults, whether poor or rich, educated
or illiterate are to come together as a team to work. This
will give us victory over Satan and all his agents.
2. CAUSES AND RESULTS OF PROBLEMS IN THE

CHURCH:
All members of the body, the church are to live in
peace and in agreement with one another. There should
be no division or quarrelling (Acts 2:42). But today, there
are problems in the church. What are the causes of these
problems? (i) Disobedience to the word of God and
prayerlessness (ii) Worldliness – Dressing like the
children of the world, speaking the language of children
who are not friends of Jesus, playing worldly games,
boasting about parents’ cars and riches. (iii) Refusing
other children from sitting near you and pushing one
another. (iv) Disobedience to church leaders and parents.
(v) Struggling for position to become members of the choir
when not qualified. (vi) Refusal to keep to simple rules
and regulations in the church, exercising pride and
304
s e l f. (v ii ) N ot atten d in g Oh Lord, we pray that Your
fellowships regularly and not power and presence will be
taking part in the activities of in our Church. Let there be
love, unity, peace, salvation
the church. (viii) Jealousy and of sinners and holiness of
envy. All these are evil. life in our church in Jesus’
name.
The effects of these problems
on the church are: (i) Lack of
p eace and u n ity amon g
members. (ii) No love for one
another. (iii) Inability of the
church in fighting sin and
taking authority over Satan
and his work. (iv) Makes the
church to become powerless
and lukewarm. (v) Hinders the
power of God from moving in a
big way. (vi) Affects the home
that there will be no true
fellowship and peace. (vii) Hinders growth in the
church. (viii) Backsliding and defeat by the enemy.
3. GOD’SSTANDARDFOR MEMBERSIN THE CHURCH:

1 Corinthians 12:25-31; Hebrews 12:14
God’s unchanging standard is holiness without which
no child shall see God. The church is to be like Jesus in
love, unity, humility, obedience to God the Father and
His Word and enduring suffering. God has organized
and arranged the church as He wills. He expects every
member to obey His Word and do His will by using gifts
and talents to care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:24-27).
God expects you to promote unity, love and progress
in the church. You are to love the brethren, accept your
teachers and obey them because they are chosen by God.
You must never look down on anyone or disrespect your
305
As friends of Jesus, we teacher. God has set us in the
are to promote love, church as it pleases Him to work
unity and progress in the in unity and to love one another.
church and obey God’s
Word coming from our He gave different gifts and talents
teachers and leaders. to every member of the church so
that together we all can benefit
and care for the Church which is
the body of Christ.
However, it is only boys and
girls who have given their lives to
Jesus that can be a blessing to the
chu r ch an d k ee p to G od’ s
standard. So, if you are still a
sinful child repent today, ask for
f orgiveness and cleansin g in
Jesus’ blood.
QUESTIONS:
1. How does God expects us to work as members of the
church?
2. What are some of the problems the church is facing?
3. What are the effects of these problems on the

church?
4. What is God’s standard for the church?
5. What are the blessings in obeying and keeping

God’s standard?
Memory Verse: For as the body is one, and hath
many members, and all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
I Cor 12:12
306
LESSON: God expects the church to work in unity with
one another and live in holiness.
THOUGHT: I will be in agreement with other members

of the church.
ACTIVITY: Children are to pray for the church and the

House Caring Fellowship.
HOMEWORK: List five ways you can work with the

church in unity. Pray these into your life.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 75 – THE CHURCH’S

ONE FOUNDATION
CHORUSES: (1) My head, my shoulder. (2) The church

is matching on. (3) With a comprehensive faith in the
blood of Jesus.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY GALATIANS 3:26-28

TUESDAY COLOSSIANS 3:12-14
WEDNESDAY COLOSSIANS 3:15-17
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1. Worldliness 2. Authority 3. Pride
4. Holiness 5. Standard.
307
LESSON 13
FELLOWSHIP AMONG
BRETHREN
1 John 1:1-7; Psalm 133:1-3
Fellowship means the coming together of two or more

people who have the same purpose, plan and interest.
In the church, fellowship refers to the closeness and
friendship among believers. In the early church,
believers came together to worship God and shared His
Word with one another. Their coming together is referred
to as fellowship. Brothers, sisters, boys and girls who are
friends of Jesus are called brethren. Are you a member
of the believers’ fellowship? If not, be one today!
1. PURPOSE OF FELLOWSHIP:
Psalm 133:1-3
There is always a reason or purpose when people
gather together. Teachers and pupils gather together in
schools to teach and to learn. In the society, some people
gather together for a lot of worldly activities. In the
Christian fellowship, the purpose is quite different. Jesus
commands that His followers should always fellowship
together for the following purposes: (a) Worship – One of
the most important reasons for gathering together for
fellowship is to worship God in truth and in holiness.
Whenever friends of Jesus gather together, God is always
present to fellowship with them. During the time of
worship, friends of Jesus should sing praises to God, read
His Word and pray (1 John 1:3). (b) Teaching and
308
preaching – The time
Fellowship is a time of gathering
together to worship God, listen of fellowship is a time of
to His Word, pray to Him and teaching and learning
care for one another.
the word of God. This is
why we h ave Bible
stu dy, se ar ch th e
scripture classes and
others. We listen to
God’s word from His
anointed servants (Acts
2:41,42). We think on
the word and live by what we have learnt. (c) Caring and
sharing – The early Christians were so united in
fellowship that they did all things in common. They
shared their problems and rejoiced together when God
answered their prayers. There was no lack among them
because those who had, shared food and material things
with those who did not have. This is true fellowship (Acts
2:44,45). (d) Love and unity – True fellowship among
friends of Jesus will bring them together in love and
unity. The three Persons in the Godhead are united in
everything. This also is expected among saved children.
There should be real love among members of the
fellowship. It is true love that will bring sinners to the
fellowship where they can be saved (1 John 3:16).
2. PATTERN OF FELLOWSHIP:
1 John 1:1-4; Luke 24:53; Acts 2:46
The pattern of fellowship of the early church should
still be the same in the church today. Jesus clearly states
that where two or three people are gathered together in
His name, He will be there in their midst. There are
different types of fellowships held among friends of Jesus.
309
It can be in a small group known as House Caring
Fellowship, Bible clubs
Where two or three of you and school outreaches.
are gathered together in My
name I will be there in your
It can be in a large
midst. gathering as we have in
the church, just like the
early Christians gathered
in the temple. It can also
be in a larger group as we
h ave in cru sad es,
retreats,holiday
p rogr ammes, su ccess
camps and other special
programmes. There is also
fellowship of brethren or
family fellowship where all the members live in love,
unity and obedience to the word of God. God expects all
saved children to be members of a true fellowship
gathering. By this, we shall all be blessed.
3. THE PEOPLE IN TRUE FELLOWSHIP:

1 John 1:5-7; Acts 2:41,47
It is very common these days to hear people say, “I
am going to the fellowship”. It is not all gathering that
are true fellowships. A true fellowship is made up of
people who have been washed clean by the blood of
Jesus. It consists of children who are saved and are living
holy, waiting and watching in expectation of the coming
of Jesus Christ. Sinful boys and girls who have been
attending fellowship for a long time, yet they continue
doing bad things are not true members of the fellowship.
Jesus does not know them. Their names may be in the
church fellowship register here on earth, but their names
are not in God’s book of life in heaven.
310
However, there is still Pray to God to forgive your sins
hope for such children. To and write your name in His
be a member of a true register in heaven.
fellowship , you must
repent and ask God for
forgiveness for all the bad
things th at you h ave
done. Pray for cleansing
in the blood of Jesus.
Then ask Jesus to be your
Saviour and Friend. It is
only then that you can
become a true member of
the fellowship.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the meaning of fellowship? _
2. Mention three purposes of fellowship.
3. Name three types of fellowship we have in the church.
4. Who are the true members of the fellowship?

5. How can a sinful child become a true member of the
fellowship?
MEMORY VERSE: “But if we walk in the light, as he

is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
LESSON: All saved boys and girls are to be united in

worship and other services of the church.
311
THOUGHT: I will be in true fellowship with other friends
of Jesus.
ACTIVITY: Use these vowels to complete this passage

in the Bible – A E I O U.
H r by p rc v w th l v f G d, b c
s__ H l __d d wn H s l__f f r __s __nd w
__ __ght t__ l__y d__wn __ __r l__v__s f__r th__
br__thr__n (1 J__hn 3:__ __).
HOMEWORK: Write down in your homework book, three

things you can find in a true fellowship.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG GHS: 68 – SAVIOUR, LIKE

A SHEPHERD LEAD US
CHORUSES: (1) We are heirs of the Father. (2) Dwelling

together. (3) We are happy children, praise the Lord.
DAILY BIBLE READING
MONDAY ACTS 2:41-44

TUESDAY 1 JOHN 2:7-9
WEDNESDAY 1 JOHN 2:10-12
THURSDAY 1 JOHN 3:13-15
FRIDAY 1 JOHN 3:16-19
SUNDAY 1 JOHN 4:11-16
BIBLE WORD SEARCH

dictionary: 1.Purpose 2. Interest 3. Unity
4. Fellowship 5. Expectation.
312

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VOL 60-63

1. SAUL CONSULTS A WITCH AT ENDOR. 7-12

2. DAVID’S VICTORY OVER THE

3. THE TRAGIC DEATH OF SAUL ................ 20-25

4. DAVID MOURNS THE DEATH OF SAUL

5. DAVID REIGNS OVER JUDAH AND

6. TESTIMONIAL OF THE POWER OF THE

8. CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS’

9. CALL TO HOLINESS ........................... 55-61

10. RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS ...................... 62-67

11. LOVE AND UNITY IN THE CHURCH .... 68-71

12. SERVING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE .... 72-75

13. THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW

1. DAVID BRINGS BACK THE ARK TO

2. GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID ......... 90-96

3. DAVID EXPANDS HIS KINGDOM.......... 97-103

5. DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY.............. 110-115

6. PRECEPTS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING..... 116-120

7. COMMENDATION OF THE BELIEVER

8. WARNING AGAINST DECEPTION IN

9. ADMONITION AGAINST IDLENESS....... 132-137

10. CHARGE AGAINST FALSE DOCTRINES 138-143

11. THE NEW BIRTH ................................ 144-148

12. HELL: THE DESTINY OF SINNERS ....... 149-153

13. THE URGENCY OF OUR WORK .......... 154-158

1. AMNON’S INCEST AND DEATH 159-166

2. ABSALOM’S REBELLION AND

3. DAVID RESTORED TO THE THRONE .. 173-178

4. THE GIBEONITES AVENGED ............... 179-184

5. DAVID’S PSALM OF PRAISE AND

6. CALL FOR INTERCESSION AND

7. QUALIFICATION FOR CHRISTIAN

8. WARNING AGAINST APOSTASY .......... 203-208

9. PRECEPTS FOR HANDLING ELDERS

10. GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT ..... 215-219

11. THE HOLY BIBLE .............................. 220-225

12. QUIET TIME AND FAMILY DEVOTION .. 226-230

13. PATTERN OF SCRIPTURAL

1. DAVID’S SIN OF NUMBERING ISRAEL . 237-243

2. SOLOMON SUCCEEDS DAVID ............ 244-249

3. THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON .............. 250-255

4. SOLOMON BUILDS GOD’S TEMPLE .... 256-262

5. SOLOMON BUILDS HIS PALACE ......... 263-268

6. ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A CHRISTIAN

8. STANDING FOR THE TRUTH IN

9. RENEWED CHARGE TO PREACH THE

10. THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH .............. 293-297

11. THE TRINITY OF THE GODHEAD ........ 298-302

12. ONE BODY, MANY MEMBERS .............. 303-307

13. FELLOWSHIP AMONG BRETHREN ...... 308-312

SAUL CONSULTS A WITCH

Saul’s relationship with God continued to decline and

1. GOD’S WARNING AGAINST WITCHCRAFT:

God sternly warned the children of Israel never to seek

2. SAUL’S FEAR AND JOURNEY TO ENDOR:

The Philistines gathered in Shunem ready to go to war

MEMORY VERSE: “Then said Saul unto his servants,