Standing on God's Promises

Revised Edition 2019

We often take God's promise "I will answer you" to mean that God will say "yes" to our request. However, as we pointed out and have always acknowledged, His answer may not always be what we ask. Clearly, God's answer through Jeremiah to the Israelites was not what they wanted to hear! Job was frustrated by the fact that despite his clean conscience towards God, God was not answering him in his travails. If only God had said something like "Be patient, Job", he would have felt much better. But God said nothing. At the height of his suffering, his wife suggested to him to "curse God and die" - see Job 2:9. His friends put pressure on him to admit that he was not as righteous as he believed. When God eventually answered him, it was in a barrage of questions of rebuke - rebuking Job for demanding an explanation for his suffering. All four chapters from Job 38 to 41 are loaded with God's questions for Job. The sum total of God's questions was this: "Even when you don't hear from me in your difficulty, you must keep trusting that I Am good."

Throughout the world, Christian groups meet regularly for bible studies, often within tight time constraints. Such meetings include what we call the Sunday School - typically before a Church worship service. A major challenge of these fellowships is the need to have a study that can be completed within the tight schedule, and yet leave participants with learning that they can apply to their daily lives. The Danite Group Bible Study (DGBS) series is a response to this challenge.

The series have two objectives: First, they must lead to practical applications of bible principles to the lives of participants and to their environment. Secondly, each study material must be of the right length for a meaningful one-hour group study.

Each edition of DBGS is based on a theme intended for a quarter of a year (3 months) and comprises twelve studies. The intent is that the group takes a one-hour study each week on the quarterly theme.

To get the most out of each study, it is important that the study be participatory. Reading of the main texts should be shared among participants, after which all should read the key verse together. The paragraphs in the study, written in a teaching style, are read by individuals nominated by the leader while the questions that follow stimulate discussion. At the end of each study, a few bullet-point lessons are suggested. The study leaders should highlight these points as well as additional learning that may emerge from the discussions.

While the materials are aimed at group bible studies, individuals should also find them helpful in personal studies. Whichever way you use them, I pray that the Holy Spirit will enrich your life through them.

Raphael Sunday Awoseyin