Choose one of the following icebreakers: (If you have first-time guests, begin with a round of introduction and warmly welcome the new visitors.

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Margaret Lindsey
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1 4Ws for Week 27, 2-8 Jul 2018 WELCOME (15minutes) Choose one of the following icebreakers: (If you have first-time guests, begin with a round of introduction and warmly welcome the new visitors.) 1. Break the Code A. Preparation Needed: 1. Cell leader (CL) to prepare a 3-digits combination luggage padlock. CL to set the unlocking combination code, write the 3-digits code on a piece of paper and hold on to it for easy reference. 2. A gift for the Winner B. Instructions: 1. Have everyone sit in a circle. 2. CL to start by giving the first hint of the combination. If the group size is big, CL can give a wider range of numbers. For example, CL can start by saying the code is less than 500 but more than Pass the padlock to the person on the left. 4. The one who receives the padlock can either Try to Break the Code or give a narrower range of numbers, within the range previously given, for the next person to guess. 5. To provide clues, CL can shout out that the code is Bigger or Smaller. 6. Repeat step 3 until someone successfully breaks the code and is declared the winner. 7. Those who tried unsuccessfully will be given a forfeit. 8. Use the following guide to have a processing time: CL asks everyone to share what is one lesson they have learned from this activity? Have those who made unsuccessful attempts share whether they regretted trying and what could have been done better? What were some natural responses observed when they were kept in suspense? 2. Stepping Stones Preparation: Cell leader prepares 9 paper plates and write on each plate a number from 1-9. Place the plates on the floor randomly in 3x3s CL prepares a string of numbers from 1-9 randomly and asks the group to memorize the sequence of numbers. 2. At the count of 3, the first person is to step on the plates according to the sequence of numbers given. 3. When he/she manages to step correctly, the next person follows by stepping on the right sequence of numbers 4. At any one time, if someone steps wrongly, he or she is to start from the beginning again. 1

2 5. In order to complete the game within the shortest time, team members are allowed to help each other. Aim to complete within 30 seconds per team. The team that fails to complete within the stipulated time limit will have everyone start from the beginning again. 6. Use the following guide to have a processing time: Does anyone feel like giving up? Have members share their feelings and what spurs them to keep trying? Have members who have tried unsuccessfully share their frustrations and lessons learned in the process? Transition to Worship: Ice-breaker is not a game that we play to relax or wait upon others to arrive. It is an activity for us to connect with each other as a community of God s people. As we gather to worship the Lord, let us prepare our hearts to worship God who deserves all praises, glory and honour. WORSHIP (20 minutes) You may use the following suggested worship songs: 1) Blessed Assurance (G) 2) Forever (D) 3) Forever (We Sing Hallelujah) (F) 4) Build My Life (D) Worship leader starts by encouraging everyone to pray in the Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to move freely in the cell. Be mindful to cater time to wait upon the Lord for the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Encourage the release of prophetic utterances and minister the gifts of the Spirit. Do not rush or cut short the time but linger in the presence of the Lord. Transition to Word: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the privilege of coming into Your presence to praise and bless Your name. Thank You for all the experiences in our lives that You have permitted for us to go through. Strengthen us, help us grow and teach us to be more like You. In Jesus name! Amen. WORD (45minutes) Memory verse of the week: Acts 13:38-39a (NIVUK) Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin. Sermon Title: Patience in Prayer By Rev Daniel Khong on 30 Jun 1 Jul 18 Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:8-12 New Living Translation (NLT) 8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. 11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed [a] that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man 2

3 who was as good as dead a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. Introduction Last week, Pastor Wee Long shared with us that prayer must be persistent and that persistent prayer is powerful. If we want to persist in prayer, we must be patient. We must learn to be patient in our prayer life because when we pray, we are not dealing with whatever issues we are praying over ourselves but we are committing our prayer to a higher power, that is God. Abraham and Sarah were listed in the hall of faith for having demonstrated faith and they learned what it meant to walk in patience. God called them to leave their home and promised that they will become a great nation. For 24 years Abraham waited patiently for God to fulfill His promise. However, in the midst of waiting, Abraham and Sarah grew impatient and Sarah tried to help God fulfill His promise by giving her maidservant to Abraham to bear a child. Things did not go smoothly until they learned to put their total trust in God and wait patiently upon Him to fulfill His promise. How can we have the peace to be patient in prayer? 1. (Understand that) Time is in God s Hands 2. (Trust that) You are on God s Heart Discovery and Understanding Questions: Q1. What are some lessons to learn from Abraham and Sarah as we reflect on the following statement? Quote: Do not be impatient for impatience is of the flesh. Do not try different method because they are useful solely in helping the flesh Watchman Nee A1. Impatience shows our distrust and doubt in God. When we are impatient in waiting upon the Lord, we have the tendency to act impulsively in order to satisfy our fleshly desires. And when we device ways to help God answer our prayers using our ways instead of God s, the result of our impatience can have devastating consequences. Q2. We learn from Abraham and Sarah that when they took things into their own hands, things went haywire. Why do you think God did not give up on Abraham and Sarah for the mess they created? A2. God has the best in store for Abraham and Sarah. Their destinies were very much in God s heart. Despite their failures, God still promised a hope and a future for them. His covenant with Abraham remain unchanged. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 was God s word to the Israelites when they were in exile. God s assurance is that their destiny is always on His heart and regardless how the situation may seem to be then, their future is always on His heart too. Application Questions: Break into smaller groups, share, pray and minister to one another. Q1. Are you about to make a major decision in your life? Do you struggle while waiting upon God? 3

4 Q2. Share a situation in your life where you wrote yourself off because of age (you think you are too old, your prime is gone, or even think that you will never have children or be in a relationship). What is your response after hearing this message on Patience in Prayer? Family Altar Time (F.A.T.) (Cell Leader: Encourage your members to be faithful in keeping the weekly F.A.T. and refer them to this segment of the 4Ws for suggestions for their F.A.T. A possible time for the F.A.T. is after a meal together, say during the weekend.) Use either of the two icebreakers in the WELCOME segment above and select worship songs that are meaningful to your family. If they re old enough, ask your children to select the songs and lead worship, and take the opportunity to teach them skills in waiting on God, praying, and leading with a servant s heart and as a willing vessel for God. After worship, you may wish to: 1. Discuss last Sunday s Family Bible Study in the Living Life journal, or 2. Review your children s take-home materials from GKidz ( or 3. Review and discuss this week s memory verse, or 4. Have one person read Genesis 21:1-3, another read Hebrews 11:8-12, and another, Philippians 4:6,7 and Ephesians 2:10. Question: What was the longest period of time that you have ever prayed for something? How did that make you feel? [Let your family members share freely. Then tell them the story of Abram and Sarai, and of God s promise to them of descendants, and how God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, and how they eventually had Isaac (c.f., Genesis 12:1-5; 17:1-22; 18:1-10; 21:1-7). Share with them that while some prayers are answered immediately, e.g., healings that we read about in the New Testament, many prayers are not answered immediately, e.g., God s promise to Abraham. However, God promises to give us peace while we pray and wait.] Question: Why does God want us to have patience in prayer? Did Abraham and Sarah exercise patience in prayer? [Let your family members share freely. Explain that waiting for a prayer to be answered tests our faith it requires faith to wait patiently for God to move, and not to take things into our own hands (Hebrews 11:8-12). Discuss what Abraham and Sarah did while they were waiting for God to give them a son and the consequences of their taking things into their own hands instead of waiting patiently (Genesis 16).] Question: How do you develop patience in prayer? [Let your family members share freely. Explain that we need to keep on praying until we experience peace in our heart. This peace will enable us to keep on waiting (Philippians 4:6,7). We will have this peace when we know two truths firmly in our hearts that time is in God s hands, and that we are on God s heart (Ephesians 2:10 teaches that God treasures us as His workmanship/masterpiece). God s answers come at the perfect time, and during the difficult season of waiting, God is having us on His heart. It helps to share testimonies of yourselves or of others praying persistently over a long period of time before receiving the answer(s) to prayer.] 4

5 End by praying for each other, that we would develop the deep conviction that God holds time in His hands, and He has us on His heart. Pray also for the salvation of pre-believing family members, relatives and friends. Transition to Works: As we learned the need to be patient in our prayer and persist in praying, let us not be weary and give up but to continue to labour in our works for our God who rewards us in due time. Meanwhile make plans to attend the 40 Days of Solemn Assemblies as a family. WORKS (15minutes) Day 2018 Prayer and Fasting and Solemn Assemblies Discuss with Cell Members on 40 Day 2018 Prayer and Fasting and encourage everyone to seek the Lord in prayer and fasting. Encourage all members to attend Solemn Assemblies across Singapore from 1 Jul to 8 Aug. FCBC is hosting Solemn Assemblies from 8-14 Jul at Touch Centre from 8 10 pm. 2. 3x3 Prayer Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the strongholds that bind the people. Ask Him to set divine appointments for us to minister His power over them (words of knowledge, healing, helps, etc.). Pray for one another for boldness, courage and obedience to follow through. 3. Inviting Friends to our Services Continue to encourage one another to invite pre-believing friends to our weekend Services. Make time to listen to The Voice of God for prophetic utterances that speak to our prebelieving friends circumstances as a prelude to inviting them. In addition, take some time to discuss, plan an activity and pray toward achieving the goal you have set as a cell. 4. Consolidation of New Converts Consolidate those who have accepted Christ - contact them via phone calls; meet up with them over a meal; make house visits; introduce them to members of the cell and invite them to fellowship with the faith community during cell meetings and celebration Services. Make them feel belonged. Introduce them to LifeClass. LifeClass is an exciting package of equipping that guides new believers through the foundations of their faith and leads them into a life-transforming encounter with Jesus. It does this through nine weeks of personal study, combined with fun and interactive classroom sessions of Bible teaching and an Encounter Weekend. It replaces the former Pre-Encounter Class, Encounter Weekend and Post Encounter. Please check out the Equipping page at our website or Mobile App. Visit for more details. Announcements: Please visit or our FCBC app for more details. 5

Choose one of the following icebreakers: (If you have first-time guests, begin with a round of introduction and warmly welcome the new visitors.

4Ws for Week 53, 31 Dec - 6 Jan 2019 WELCOME (15minutes) Choose one of the following icebreakers: (If you have first-time guests, begin with a round of introduction and warmly welcome the new visitors.)