MONTHLY ARCHIVES: August 2014

Conversation Starters: Surrender

Posted by Karah

10388572_10154260875625188_7475801803609585639_nTHE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We like the stories of individuals who started with little, and through their own discipline and determination accomplish great things. These may be good examples for sports or business, but they fall short when it comes to our personal lives. Fortunately, when facing difficulties and opposition, we are not left alone. The Bible shows us what happens when we drop the self-made approach to faith and rely on God. We can be victorious because Christ has already won the victory.

Concept: Surrender

Preschool

Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:1-5; 3:14-17

THE POINT: Paul chose a young man, Timothy, to travel with him and help teach about Jesus. Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, taught him about God. The believers thought that Timothy was special and would be able to help Paul. Later Paul wrote to Timothy. These are some of his words to Timothy: “Timothy, you are like a son to me. I pray for you constantly. I thank God for your mother and grandmother who taught you. Continue to believe everything from the Bible. Remember everything you have been taught. The Bible is from God. Follow it.”

LIVE IT OUT: If you haven’t already, begin a family devotion time. Reinforce what your child is learning. Let her see you using the Bible. Help her know that God wants her to keep learning about Jesus.

Kids

2 Timothy 1:1-5; 3:14-17

THE POINT: Paul chose a young man, Timothy, to travel with him and help teach about Jesus. Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, taught him about God. The believers thought that Timothy was special and would be able to help Paul. Later Paul wrote to Timothy. These are some of his words to Timothy: “Timothy, you are like a son to me. I pray for you constantly. I thank God for your mother and grandmother who taught you. Continue to believe everything from the Bible. Remember everything you have been taught. The Bible is from God. Follow it.”

Students

1 Peter 5:6-11

THE POINT: God will strengthen and restore me. How has God strengthened you in times of struggle? What does victory look like in relation to suffering and faith? Have a conversation around this quote:

“We are never defeated unless we give up on God.”1 —Ronald Reagan

LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities. If your student chooses to do Defense Plan:

• Encourage your student to develop his or her plan to rely on God.

• Ask your student if he or she would like for you to help create a plan.

If your student chooses to do Surrender = Victory:

• Help your student determine how surrender leads to victory.

• Pray for your student to be surrendered to Christ.

1. “Ronald Reagan Quotes,” Brainy Quote, [cited 8 November 2013]. Available from the Internet: www.brainyquote.com.

 


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Conversation Starters: Trust in God

Posted by Karah

IMG_1208THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We love our rights and we want to exercise those rights. But do our rights ever become secondary? And what do we do when those rights are trampled on? Submission is not a popular word in a culture focused on entitlement, but regardless of our circumstances our attitude should be one of submission and trust in God. Christ empowers us to make God first in our lives and experience enduring faith.

Concept: Trust in God

Preschool

Acts 14

LIFE POINT: Paul and Barnabas were missionaries. They traveled and told people about Jesus. Many of the Jews and also Greeks believed that Jesus is the Son of God. Some Jews did not believe in Jesus and wanted to hurt Paul and Barnabas. They found out and left the city. They went to Lystra and healed a man who could not walk. Some of the people thought Paul was God. Paul said, “I am only a man. God, who made heaven and earth, healed this man.” Then more people tried to hurt Paul and Barnabas. So they left Lystra. They traveled many more places. Many people believed. After a while, they returned to the church in Antioch.

LIVE IT OUT: With your child, name ways that God cares for you. Make a list of two or three things and encourage your child to draw a picture for each one. Pray daily and thank God for His care.

Kids

Acts 14

LIFE POINT: Paul and Barnabas were missionaries. They traveled and told people about Jesus. Many of the Jews and also Greeks believed that Jesus is the Son of God. Some Jews did not believe in Jesus and wanted to hurt Paul and Barnabas. They found out and left the city. They went to Lystra and healed a man who could not walk. Some of the people thought Paul was God. Paul said, “I am only a man. God, who made heaven and earth, healed this man.” Then more people tried to hurt Paul and Barnabas. So they left Lystra. They traveled many more places. Many people believed. After a while, they returned to the church in Antioch.

LIVE IT OUT: Discuss the word trust and what it means to your child. Explain that trusting God means always believing that God will help you. Help your child list some issues where he might need to trust God to help. Pray with him for these issues.

Students

1 Peter 2:13-23

THE POINT: Trust God in every circumstance. What are some difficult situations Christians face in regard to faith? How can you help each other trust God in all circumstances? Have a conversation around this quote:

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”1 —Thomas Aquinas

LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out activities.

If your student chooses to do Trust Factor:
•Help your student develop his or her list of things in life that are hard to entrust to God.
•Encourage your student to trust God in all circumstances this week.

If your student chooses to do Prayer Focus:
•Help your student identify a persecuted group to pray for.
•Join your student in praying for the group they choose

1. “Thomas Aquinas Quotes,” Brainy Quote [cited 8 November 2013]. Available from the Internet: www.brainyquote.com.


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Conversation Starters: Be Holy

Posted by Karah

a282cebe-d914-4b41-84a0-68751aeabfecTHE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: We all want to be accepted by others. This explains our tendency to follow trends and what’s “in” at the moment. While many of these trends are neither good nor bad in a spiritual, moral, or ethical sense, the human desire to be like everyone else can lead us to compromise or to lose our distinctiveness as followers of Christ. God calls us to holiness—to live separate and distinctive lives—and the Holy Spirit empowers us to do so.

Concept: Be Holy

Preschool

Acts 13

LIVE IT OUT: Help your child think of one person she could tell about Jesus. Pray together for that person. Help your child remember to tell the person about Jesus.

In a church in Antioch, there were men who were teachers and prophets for the Lord. They taught that Jesus was the Son of God. Paul and Barnabas were two of these men. God spoke to the men, “Paul and Barnabas are special. I want them to go many places and tell about Jesus.” The men prayed for Paul and Barnabas and sent them off. Paul and Barnabas traveled to Cyprus and taught about Jesus. A Roman soldier believed in Jesus after Paul and Barnabas talked to him. They continued to travel and teach about Jesus. People listened and believed. Some people listened but did not believe.

Kids

Acts 13

LIVE IT OUT: Christian suffering is a fact of life. Find some stories about Christian martyrs that you feel comfortable sharing with your child. Comment that God did not promise we would not suffer, but He did promise He would always be with us.

God’s Holy Spirit told the church in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul. God was sending them to faraway places to tell people about Jesus. The believers placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul and asked God to bless and protect their two friends. Barnabas and Saul sailed from Antioch to the island of Cyprus. A Roman soldier believed in Jesus after Paul and Barnabas talked to him. They continued to travel and teach about Jesus. People listened and believed. Some people listened but did not believe. They forced Paul and Barnabas to leave town. They traveled to a new town to tell about Jesus.

Students

1 Peter 1:14-19, 22-25

THE POINT: Live a life that is set apart for God.

•Why do you consider some things sacred or holy?

•How can you pursue holiness?

Have a conversation around this quote:

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”1 —Augustine

LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out.

If your student chooses to do Holy Words:
•Encourage your student to read some Scriptures on holiness.
•Pray for your student to apply what they read.

If your student chooses to do Memorize:
•Ask your student if they would like you to memorize 1 Peter 1:14-15 with them this week.
•Encourage your student as they memorize 1 Peter 1:14-15.
1. “Saint Augustine Quotes,” Brainy Quote, [cited 8 November 2013]. Available from the Internet: www.brainyquote.com.


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Conversation Starters: Generosity

Posted by Karah

584ef004-b6bf-4a69-b920-18e58539baa6THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: God is a generous God who gives good things to His children. While some are blessed with more wealth than others, all Christians are called to be generous with what we have been given. When we understand that everything we have is a gift from our generous God, we’ll desire to reflect that generosity with our own giving.

Concept: Generosity

Preschool

Exodus 36-39

LIFE POINT: Moses called craftsmen and the other workers to get everything the people had brought for the tabernacle. The people continued to bring offerings. The men said to Moses, “The people are bringing too much. We have enough to build the tabernacle.” So Moses told the people to stop bringing offerings. The craftsmen and workers began to build. They made 10 curtains from linen with blue, purple, and red yarn. They joined animal skins together with clasps of bronze. They used planks of wood joined together with pegs. One man built the ark of the covenant. The craftsmen built tables, altars, lamps, and utensils. They made special clothes for the priests who would work in the tabernacle. They used everything the people had brought.

LIVE IT OUT: Build an indoor tent together in your home. Encourage your child to bring in special items to decorate the tent. Have your family devotion inside the tent and talk about how the people worked together to build the tabernacle.

Kids

Exodus 39:32-40:38

LIFE POINT: The people had everything made: the curtains, the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the priests’ clothes. They made each thing just as God commanded. Moses used the tent, the curtains, and the poles to set up the tabernacle. He put the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the altar in the correct places. Aaron and his sons put on the priests’ clothes. A cloud covered the tabernacle. The glory of God filled the tabernacle. Whenever the people saw God’s cloud over the tabernacle, they did not move their camp. If the cloud lifted from the tabernacle, they broke camp and moved until the cloud stopped again.

LIVE IT OUT: Research to discover the history of your church’s facilities. When was it built? Who actually built the structures? What church members contributed to actually building the facilities? Thank God for those who worked together to construct your church.

THE POINT: We should reflect God’s generosity. Have a discussion with your student
about everything God has blessed you with. Have a conversation around this quote:

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”1 —John Bunyan

LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both Live It Out
activities.
If your student chooses to do God Gives:
• Determine to read through the Scripture daily with your student.

• Ask your student what he or she has learned through reading these passages of Scripture this week.

If your student chooses to do Generosity:
• Help your student determine what generosity looks like in areas other than finances.

• Pray your student will develop a generous heart.

 

1. “John Bunyan Quotes,” Goodreads, [cited 19 July 2013]. Available from the Internet: http://www.goodreads.com.

 


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