GROWTH QUESTION #1
Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?
GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES
MEETING AGENDA
- OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
- GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
- ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
- TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
- GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
- CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.
GROWTH QUESTION #2
What did you learn from this week’s sermon?
GROWTH QUESTION #3
What was your most important accomplishment this week?
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
Genesis 15:8-21 (NLT)
8 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?”
9 The Lord told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. 11 Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away. 12 As the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a terrifying darkness came down over him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years. 14 But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. 15 (As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age.) 16 After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.”17 After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. 18 So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— 19 the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
Opening QUESTION
What’s a promise you’ve had to wait a long time for? How did that shape your trust in God?
TRUTH #1
A COVENANT IS A GOD-PROMISE!
- DEFINITION - Covenant (berith):
(between God and man) an alliance of friendship, a divine ordinance with signs or pledges, a promise
- God meets Abram in the language of his time, making the covenant tangible and unforgettable.
- In Abram’s time, covenants were sealed with a blood ceremony.
- Two parties walked between cut animals, saying, “May this happen to me if I break this promise.” (See Jeremiah 34:18-19)
- Unlike normal covenants, only God passes through the pieces, showing that He is binding Himself to the promise unconditionally.
Hebrews 6:13-14 (NLT) - 13 For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: 14 “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”
- When God makes a promise, He binds Himself to it, and nothing can stop Him from fulfilling it.
- Abraham took God at His word and was blessed tremendously as a result.
Romans 4:20-21 (NLT) - 20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
INTERACTIVE QUESTION
When someone makes you a promise, what helps you know you can really trust them? Do you trust God as much or more than you do anyone else?
TRUTH #2
FIGHT FOR THE PROMISE
- Sometimes we have to defend the promise from the attacks and lies of the enemy.
- Abram drives away vultures (v. 11). This shows his ability to fight off an attack.
- In the same way, must fight off distractions, doubts, and attacks that try to “steal” God’s promise.
- A “thick and dreadful darkness” falls on Abram (v. 12). Sometimes on the road to the promise you will face confusion and a challenge.
- Every promise has two sides:
After Its Fulfillment - a season of fulfillment, blessing, harvest
Galatians 6:9 (NLT) - 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
INTERACTIVE QUESTION
What “vultures” (doubts, distractions, discouragements) have tried to steal your faith while waiting on God?
TRUTH #3
GOD IS THE ULTIMATE PROMISE-KEEPER
- A smoking firepot and blazing torch pass between the pieces (v. 17). In Scripture, these physical images always represent God’s power and presence:
Fire = God’s holiness and power (Exodus 3:2; Acts 2:3).
- God is both the author and guarantor of His promise. Abram doesn’t walk through; he simply believes.
2 Corinthians 1:20 (NLT) - For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
- God’s promises are sealed by covenant, defended through perseverance, and guaranteed by His own presence.
- Our call is not to strive but to trust, not to quit but to endure, not to look at ourselves but to look to the Promiser and trust in Him.
- Just as Abram trusted God’s covenant, we now trust the new covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus, our ultimate guarantee.
INTERACTIVE QUESTION
Write down one promise of God you’re holding on to. Underneath it, note:
The “Before” season (current struggles or waiting).
The “After” season (what you believe God will fulfill).
Commit to praying this daily: “Lord, I trust YOU to bring this to pass!”
CLOSING QUESTION
What did you learn today that you can apply to your life this week?
GIVING
Good comes to the generous.
Psalm 112:5 (NLT)
Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.
PRAY
QUESTION #1
Who are you praying for to be saved?
QUESTION #2
Who can you invite to the next meeting?
QUESTION #3
What are your prayer requests?