Welcome to The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory Women's Ministries Website

Women's Ministries Programs

"God’s Promises "

Martha Davey

Western Territory

Theme:

"Memories"

April – Worship 2006

Set the Mood

As background, play a CD with the sounds of a rainstorm, a bubbling stream or other water sound. If available, table top fountains will add to the ambiance. Place stuffed animals on wooden planks or straw to create the idea of the great outdoors. An alternate idea would be to use rainbow pictures, balloons and posters.

Refreshments

An assortment of foods with bright colors will help to reinforce the theme. Jell–O in various flavors in clear plastic cups and set out as a rainbow; Skittles®, Gummi Bears® or jellybeans (also available sugar free) in bowls provide a rainbow of color for the

eyes. Cupcakes with white frosting and sprinkles could be used. For a savory alternative use corn chips of different colors along with guacamole and salsa.

Program Idea

Create a Stone of Remembrance to symbolize the promises or covenants that God has been faithful to keep. Give each woman a clean, oblong stone large enough for a five–color rainbow to be painted on it. Any brush and ready mix paint should work.

Each color can symbolize a promise: red the promise of God’s love; blue the promise of His answer to prayer; yellow the promise of the Holy Spirit; green the promise of Divine provision; purple the promise of a heavenly home.

As the women are painting, challenge them to come up with a promise that has special meaning for each color on their stone. If desired, they could share how God has kept these promises for them personally.

An alternate idea is to have everyone choose a verse from a Scripture promise box. These can be purchased at most Bible bookstores, or they can be made by typing appropriate verses on slips of paper. For a list of God’s promises check the website: www. deborahsmessianicministries.com/ Godspromiseslist.html.

If your group can afford it, purchase copies of the book Bibles Promises for Women for each member. These are available inexpensively from www.gnpcb.org/product/1581345488 or The Bible Promise Book can be purchased for

under $4.00 from www.amazon.com.

After everyone has completed their stone, ask for sentence prayers which will give the women the opportunity to thank God for keeping His covenant with them.

God’s promises in flash movies are available at www.inspiringword.net/movies. This site contains beautiful photographs, inspirational music and appropriate Scripture verses relating to God’s promises. You will need a computer with Internet access. A laptop

computer is preferred for ease in set up. So that all the women can see the presentation, use an LCD/video projector or television with a monitor function and a large screen.

Devotions

"God's Covenant"

April brings with it the promise of spring and new life. In the days of Noah, God gave a rainbow to symbolize a covenant never again to destroy the earth by flood. The rainbow reminds us of God’s faithfulness to His covenant and promises. One of the first recorded covenants God made was to Noah and his family. Read and discuss Genesis 8 through 9:17.

A covenant is defined as “the promise of God as revealed in the Scriptures, conditioned on certain terms on the part of man, as obedience, repentance, faith …” The Ten Commandments are an example of a covenant between God and man. Written on stone tablets, the Commandments outline what God expects of man and what man can

expect from God. Read and discuss Exodus 20:1–17.

The Ten Commandments are actually the introduction to a much larger covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. The Israelites followed the covenant but unfortunately it became an academic ritual. Animal sacrifices for sins, required by the covenant, became rote.

God wanted His people to embrace His divine grace in a more personal way. He would write a new covenant, not on stone, but on hearts. He would place His laws in the people’s minds. God planned to establish a new covenant. The blood of Jesus would be shed as a willing, final and lasting sacrifice for sin. Read and discuss Jeremiah 31:31–34.

God wants a relationship, an intimate walk with you and me. He does not want a robot following a prescribed list of do and don’ts. He wants a vibrant, on fire, alive woman who has embraced the gift of His second covenant, because it has been placed in her mind and written on her heart. God longs for women who share a relationship with Him on a daily basis. He wants them to know the sacrificial blood of Jesus was shed in confirmation of a divine covenant between them and God.

Do you have a personal covenant with God? How can you grow in your relationship with Him? Can you think of something you can do to develop into the person God wants you to become? Perhaps we can make a covenant to spend five or ten minutes more in prayer or Bible study each day or to witness to a friend about God’s love. Write your covenant on a card and place it under your stone to remind you of your covenant relationship with God.