Home Cell Guide (Sunday, 5th March 2017)
Greetings in the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ!!!
Your welcome to this Lent period: a time to seek God in Prayer and Fasting. The previous Sunday the preacher of the day Rev. Lydia Kitayimbwa shared on the theme “Hannah, Faith that saved a Nation.” Basing on 1 Samuel 1:1-28 & Matthew 8:1-13. Her sermon portrayed Hannah as a woman of great faith who saw the Lord’s salvation in her Life, Family and Nation. Hannah’s husband Elkanah served the Lord, was a generous giver & a great leader, who loved his wife Hannah.
Peninah was also a wife to Elkanah in the home and she bore him children: because of this, she provoked and ridiculed Hannah year after year because she was barren. Hannah was deeply distressed about the situation and had to respond in the following ways;
1. Hannah developed Holy Anger: in vs.10 her being barren made her uncomfortable about the situation at home. She wept before the Lord and gave up eating and desired to call upon the Lord in prayer. The preacher challenged the Christians today to wake up and seek the God at all times.
2. Hannah called upon the Lord in prayer: As a Christian where do you run to when you are faced with a difficult situation? – Faith that saves a nation calls for a man and a woman who are ready to focus on and seek God. Though misunderstood by Eli, Hannah pressed on. We ought to press on in prayer because the lord will surely show up. God is waiting upon each of us to call upon him and he will come to our rescue. Count it a blessing when you go through the difficult times. (1Peter 5:7)
3. Hannah demonstrated a great faith in God. She made a vow to God and had an assurance that God was going to intervene even at the blessing from Eli. (Hebrews 11:6)
4. Hannah Asked, Believed, and she Received a breakthrough. Hannah’s family and Israel received salvation at the birth of Samuel. She decided to give Samuel to the LORD in fulfillment of the vow she made to God. Samuel later became a prophet, a mediator and a King maker. (Mark 11:22-25)
In conclusion we ought to stand and demonstrate our faith in God amidst the challenges we face today. God is always waiting for us to call upon him in prayer. Concerning the Peninah, love your enemies and pray for them as Christ has commanded us.
Guiding Questions and Prayer Items
1). Share your personal testimony of how you responded to a difficult situation in your life, family or work place?
2). As a cell member study these scriptures and share the lessons learnt; Isaiah 41:10-13, James 5:13-16 and James 1:2-8.
3). As a cell, in regard to the above scriptures, prayerfully seek God concerning any difficult situation one could be facing today.
MUTABAZI ERIYA ATUKUNZIRE
HOME CELL & PASTORAL CARE CORDINATOR