YE3K.1 · Activity Page
Numbers 16:1-50
Hebrews 7:23-25
CENSER - a metal cup for burning incense
INCENSE - a combination of spices which makes a fragrant smell when burned
CONTEMPT - open disrespect
ATONEMENT - to repair the relationship between God and man
PLAGUE - in Numbers 16, God's wrath caused widespread death - the plague
INTERCESSION - to intervene between people with a view to reconciling differences
One Thursday when Mark went to school, he had a big surprise waiting for him. He wasn't going to do the things he normally did as a fourth grader. He would get to be the Chief of Police for the day. And not only that, the regular Chief of Police, Chief Miller, was going to take Mark's place. They were going to switch! Mark was sure he was going to have the best day he'd ever had!
First he watched Chief Miller ace his spelling test and 5-minute multiplication timed test. Then he had lunch with the Chief and the entire police force in the police station. At 1:00, Mark stood before a room full of police officers. He was almost ready to read the daily briefing which Chief Miller usually did. Suddenly, a policeman burst into the room. There had been a terrible traffic accident on the highway. Then a voice boomed over the loudspeaker that a downtown bank had just been robbed and the robbers were holding hostages inside the bank. Almost before anyone could speak, the front clerk, followed by a very upset mother, ran into the room asking for help to find a missing three year-old.
What had started as a neat day was suddenly a nightmare of responsibility that Mark had no way of handling. It didn't really surprise him that Chief Miller started giving orders as if Mark wasn’t there. It was Chief Miller's responsibility to try to save as many lives as possible.
One day, Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On - along with 250 community leaders came to Aaron and Moses. These men accused Moses and Aaron of thinking they were better than the rest of the Israelites and setting themselves above the people. This was similar to what Aaron and Miriam had said about Moses in Numbers 13. The leaders were jealous of Aaron and Moses. They wanted the power and the position that Moses and Aaron had.
So Moses told Korah and all his followers to take censers the next morning, fill them with incense and fire, and offer them to the LORD. God would make it very clear who was holy.
Then Dathan and Abiram accused Moses of bringing them out of a land flowing with milk and honey to die in the desert. This made Moses very angry. Because he hadn't done anything wrong, Moses asked the LORD not to accept their offering.
The next day Korah and his followers brought their censers before the LORD in front of the Tent of Meeting. The LORD told Moses and Aaron to get away from the Israelites. God was ready to destroy all of the people. Moses and Aaron fell face down before God. They asked God not to be angry with all of the people for the sins of Korah and his followers. So God told Moses and Aaron to tell the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Moses told the people if these men died as people normally do, then Moses had not been sent by God. But if they died a strange and sudden death, it would mean these men had treated God with contempt. Immediately, the ground opened and swallowed the three men, their families, and all their possessions. Then the earth closed up again.
Then God consumed with fire the 250 men who offered incense before Him. He told Moses to have Eleazar, Aaron's son and priest, hammer the bronze censers into sheets to overlay the altar because they had been presented before God and were now holy.
You might think this was the end of the grumbling. But it wasn't! The very next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying that they had killed the LORD's people! God again told Moses and Aaron to get out of the way because He was going to destroy them all - right then. Moses and Aaron again fell face down before God.
Moses told Aaron to quickly fill his censer with incense and fire from the altar, then hurry to make atonement for the community. Wrath had already gone out from God and the plague had started.
Aaron ran to do what Moses said and offered incense to God in the middle of all the people. Aaron stood between the living and the dead and the plague stopped. However, 14,700 people still died from the plague.
Moses and Aaron should have been heroes to the people. Twice in two days they saved the people from being totally destroyed.
These two heroes should remind you of another Hero. Who is it who stands between you and God the Father? Who ever lives to make intercession for us when we sin? (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Hero. Praise God He is there to save us always.
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 20 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Heroes and Their Characters Puzzle - Time: 20 mins.
Song: "Fairest Lord Jesus" - page 79 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Describing Your Heroes - Time: 20 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Authority
*Journal Jot: Korah’s Rebellion
*Word Study: Stopped - atsar
*Just Toolin’ Around: Earthquakes and Sinkholes
*Did you Know? Authority
*Stretch It Out: Swallowed
*Music Notes: God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving me a Super Hero, Jesus, to save me from my sins. Help me to remember to always be thankful and not to grumble when I don't get my own way.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Hebrews 7:23-25
Monday: Numbers 16:1-3
Tuesday: Numbers 16:4-7
Wednesday: Numbers 16:8-11
Thursday: Numbers 16:12-21
Friday: Numbers 16:22-30
Saturday: Numbers 16:31-40
Numbers 22:1-41
Numbers 25:4-9
Numbers 31:15-18
1 Corinthians 10:11-13
Hebrews 2:8-10
Hebrews 12:1-3
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 13:1-6
James 1:2-4
PROPHET - one who speaks divinely inspired words
CURSE - a prayer or saying for harm or injury to come upon a person
At a church picnic one summer, all of the children begged to wade in the lake. So one of the dads took about ten little ones to wade. Sally was seated with some of the other ladies. Suddenly the family dog, Blackie, came up to her and started barking. She told him to be quiet. When barking didn't work, Blackie took her elbow gently in his mouth and started pulling. Once Sally started following him, he led her to where all of the children were splashing and playing in the water. Blackie was very concerned about the kids in the water. He wanted to make sure they were safe.
There is a story in the Bible about a donkey, Balaam's donkey. Her actions saved her master three times. Balaam was a prophet who was well-known all over that part of the world. So when the king of Moab, Balak, saw the Israelites defeating their enemies, he sent for Balaam to curse Israel because Balak didn't believe there was any other way to stop the Israelites. When Balaam asked God, God told him not to go to King Balak. He told Balaam not to curse Israel because they were blessed.
King Balak wasn't ready to give up. He again sent his princes to Balaam, trying to get Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam told Balak that even if he gave Balaam his palace filled with silver and gold, Balaam could only speak what God said. This time when Balaam asked God, God told him he could go, but he was to do and say only what God told him.
In the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. We don't know exactly why God was angry with Balaam, but perhaps it was because He knew that Balaam would look for an opportunity to hurt Israel. So as Balaam rode his donkey, the Angel of the Lord stood in the road. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat his donkey to get her back on the road.
Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between two vineyards that had walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the Angel, she pressed close to the wall. This crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he beat the donkey again.
Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow place where there was no room to avoid him. So the donkey lay down under Balaam. He was very angry and began beating the donkey with his staff. God opened the donkey's mouth. She asked Balaam why he beat her three times. He was still so angry that he didn't seem to notice that she'd spoken to him. He told her that if he had a sword, he would kill her right there. He thought the donkey had made him look very silly. That made him even more angry.
The donkey asked Balaam if she normally acted that way. When Balaam said no, the Lord opened his eyes to see the Angel of the Lord with the sword in his hand. The Angel asked Balaam why he had beaten his donkey three times. The Angel had been ready to kill Balaam three times, but three times the donkey moved out of the Angel's way and kept Balaam from being killed.
Balaam admitted that what he had done was wrong. He also became more willing to do only what God wanted him to do. He was willing to turn around and go home, instead of going to Balak. But God told him to go - - but to be careful only to speak what God told him.
King Balak was not happy that Balaam ended up blessing Israel three times, each blessing greater than the last. Balak didn't want Israel to be blessed. But he didn't understand that Israel was being blessed because they trusted and obeyed God. As long as they followed God and kept His commandments, things went really well.
However, when the Israelites didn't do what God commanded and turned their backs on Him, things started to go wrong. In the end we learn that the Angel of the Lord had truly seen that Balaam would do what he could to hurt Israel. How did he do it? He told the people of Moab that if they would become friends with the Israelites, let their women marry the Israelite men, and teach them to worship the Moabite gods, then the relationship with God would be broken. God became angry at the Israelites because they started worshiping other gods. He sent another plague of death and 24,000 people died (Numbers 25:4-9).
This is a good lesson for us. As long as the people trusted and obeyed God, things would work out for their good. They were blessed. But as soon as they took their eyes of God, started doing what they wanted and worshiping other gods, things went very wrong. They were cursed. No one else cursed them. They cursed themselves.
What about us? As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, our Savior, we are blessed. If we trust God and act as we know He wants us to, He will take care of us. But if we turn our backs on God and start doing things we know are displeasing to God, things will not go well. We will eventually find ourselves in a lot of trouble with no one to blame but ourselves.
So who is our Hero in this lesson? Only the best Hero, the only true Hero there is: Jesus Christ. He is the one who saves us. He is the one who really loves us. If you truly want to be blessed, remember to keep your eyes on Him!
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 20 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Puzzles and Retelling - Time: 20-45 mins.
Song: "Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart" - page 75 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Decode the Story! - Time: 15 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Blessings and Cursings
*Journal Jot: Animal Heroes
*Word Study: fix our eyes - aphoraō
*Just Toolin’ Around: Donkeys
*Did you Know? Balaam
*Stretch It Out: Story Board
*Music Notes: I Love to Tell the Story
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to always look to Jesus as my Hero. He is the only Hero who will never let me down, who will always love me, and who will save me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Hebrews 12:1-3
Monday: Numbers 25:4-9
Tuesday: Numbers 31:15-18
Wednesday: Hebrews 2:8-10
Thursday: James 1:2-4
Friday: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13
Saturday: Hebrews 13:1-6
Numbers 20:9-13
Deuteronomy 1:37-40
Deuteronomy 31-34
Daniel 2:20-23
Daniel 2:21
DEPOSE - to remove from a throne or other high position
PROSPEROUS - success or financial well-being
DISCERNING - to show understanding
TESTIFY - to bear witness, to show as evidence
Mary Ann was riding her favorite horse, Chip, when he suddenly shied at a tumbleweed. As Chip shot sideways, Mary Ann lost her balance and fell awkwardly to the ground. Pain radiated through her leg. She knew she'd probably broken a bone. She wiped the tears from her eyes and noticed Chip trotting towards home. When he showed up without her, someone would come looking for her. Hopefully soon!
Hours later, Mary Ann hobbled across the kitchen on her new crutches. There was no way she was going to be able to lead the youth hike up the mountain on Sunday. Who could take over for her? Quickly she bowed her head and prayed. "Dear Heavenly Father, I know that all things work together for the good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. I really wanted to lead the hike this Sunday. Would You please show me who will have to do it instead? Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name. Amen." Many Ann was suddenly at peace.
Hours later, Mary Ann's older brother, Greg, grumbled loudly as he stomped into the kitchen. Mary Ann asked him what was wrong. He replied, "Our canoe trip for Sunday was canceled because the twins caught the flu. Now what am I going to do with my Sunday?" Mary Ann knew. Confidently, she asked her brother, "How would you feel about leading the youth hiking trip up the mountain?" Her peace couldn't have been any deeper when Greg agreed to take her place. God had provided the perfect person to take her place.
Moses was not going to be able to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. He was 120 years old. But it wasn't that Moses was too old or too weak. Moses had disobeyed God and had not upheld God's holiness among the people at Meribah Kadesh. So God told Moses, "Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:52, NIV).
Before Moses died and the people crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, several things had to happen.
First, Moses told the people who God had chosen to lead them. God had chosen Joshua. Moses told the people, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Then, Moses told Joshua also to be strong and courageous. He had to lead the people to divide the land among them.
Secondly, Moses gave the law to the Levites and the elders. He wanted them to read the law to the people every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles. That way the people would hear it and learn to fear the LORD as long as they lived in the land.
Then Moses told the people it wouldn't be long before they would be so content and prosperous that they would turn from God and begin to sin against Him. So God gave Moses a song to write down and teach to all the people. It would testify against them, telling them that God knew they would turn from Him. The song would tell of the disasters that would come on them because of rejecting God.
After telling the people what they would do, Moses blessed each of the tribes. Then he climbed Mount Nebo. From there he could see the Promised Land. And there, Moses died.
The people mourned for Moses for 30 days. Then Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him (Deuteronomy 34:9). So the people listened to Joshua and did what he said.
But this is just a story about Moses' death. Right? It doesn't have anything to do with us today, does it? Well, there are at least a couple of things for us to learn.
First, just because God puts us in charge, we still have to be careful to do what He says. If we don't follow Him, He'll take us out of that leadership position. God does have other people who can be leaders, people who will follow Him.
So we need to be constantly on guard that we keep Jesus Christ first in our lives, especially when things are going well and we're on top of the world. That's when we have the greatest tendency to be careless about seeking God. When things are terrible, that's when we cry to God to help us. So, when things are good, make a special effort to read your Bible, sing hymns, pray to God, and thank Him for all of His goodness to you.
Lastly, if God wants us to go somewhere, He expects us to be strong and courageous. If He has given us a job to do, He'll be right here with us. He'll give us the tools we need to accomplish His purpose.
And, who is our Hero this week? God is. He is the One who provides leaders, gives us everything we need, and mercifully administers justice when it's for our good. Thank God we serve a good God!
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 30 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Jigsaw Puzzles
Song: "God is So Good" page 87 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Changing of the Guard
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Tell Me the Dream
*Journal Jot: Change
*Word Study: seasons - zemân
*Just Toolin’ Around: Succession of Kings
*Did you Know? Meribah
*Stretch It Out: Ceremony
*Music Notes: Surely the Presence of the Lord
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving us this example to encourage us to follow You--in good times and bad.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Daniel 2:20-23
Monday: Deuteronomy 32:48-52
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 34:1-8
Wednesday: Deuteronomy 34:9
Thursday: Deuteronomy 34:10-12
Friday: Deuteronomy 1:37-40
Saturday: Numbers 20:9-13
Exodus 4:10-15
Joshua 1:1-9
Judges 6:14-17
1 Kings 3:4-12
Proverbs 3:5-6
Ephesians 1:3
Hebrews 13:5
EQUIP - to give the necessary tools to do the job
FORSAKE - to desert or leave alone as no longer loved and cherished
COURAGEOUS - to have mental strength to do the job
REALMS - kingdoms, domains, places
'Mark" his mom called up the stairs, “I need you to watch your little brother and sister while I run next door." Mark gathered up his homework and carried it to the family room where David and Britney were watching cartoons. "I'll be gone 15 minutes. I need to help Mrs. Davis." Mrs. Davis was their elderly neighbor who needed help from time to time with little projects. Mark didn't think watching his siblings for just a couple of minutes would be any big deal.
But a couple of minutes was all it took for Britney to drop her glass of milk and for David to fall on the broken glass and get cut. Britney was crying. David was crying. Blood and milk were everywhere. And Mark knew he had to take care of it. He thought about the lesson in Sabbath School the past week --about Joshua taking over leadership from Moses. Several times Joshua was told, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).
It would be easy to be terrified about getting the glass out of David's leg and stopping the bleeding. But if Mark was strong and courageous - and if he asked for God's guidance - he knew that God would help him take care of his brother and sister until his mom could get back.
First, he calmly told Britney to get a towel to throw over the spilled milk. He carried David to the bathroom and set him on the counter. Then with Britney's help, Mark carefully washed the blood away and looked carefully to make sure no pieces of glass were still in David's leg. Then Mark carried David back to the couch and propped him up on pillows, still holding the cloth over his cut. He told Britney to stay with David and keep talking to him. Then Mark cleaned up the spilt milk and swept up the pieces of glass.
When the children's mother walked back in, she heard Mark calmly asking for God's healing on David's leg. Although she was concerned about what had happened, she could see that Mark had handled things very well.
God told Joshua to lead the Israelites after Moses had died. Joshua had a difficult assignment. Moses had been a great leader. Deuteronomy 34:10-12 says that there has never been another prophet like Moses in Israel. "And at God's command he performed amazing miracles which have never been equaled" (verse 12 TLB). Now it was Joshua’s responsibility to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River where he would divide the Promised Land, by tribes, as their promised inheritance. How in the world would he ever be able to do that?
God provided what Joshua needed to succeed. God told Joshua that He would be with him all the days of his life, that God would never leave or forsake him. What incredible encouragement! Sometimes we give up because we feel like we are all alone. What if God was telling you that He would always be with you and help you?
God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. But God also warned Joshua to obey the law, to be very careful to do exactly what the law said. Joshua was to be so familiar with the law that it would be part of his conversation and thoughts at all times. Why was the law so important to God? Because obeying the law was the way to be prosperous and successful. Things would go very well for Joshua if he would carefully follow God's ways.
Keeping God's law is good for us today too. But in the end, the only way things will really go well for us is if we have chosen Jesus Christ as our Savior. If we have chosen God as our Master and Lord, then He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). And things will go well for us if we follow His ways. "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV.)
It is easy to imagine how Joshua might have felt taking over as leader of Israel. But God doesn't make mistakes. God gave Joshua a job to do, and He knew that Joshua had the tools to do the job well. That's a good thing to remember the next time God gives you a job to do. God isn't going to give you a job that you can't handle. Just remember to trust Him, to ask for His help, and then be courageous in doing what you need to do.
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 30 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Jigsaw Puzzles - Time: 20 mins.
Song: "Dare to be a Daniel”- page 9 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): God Equips the Called - Time: 30 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: God Equips the Called
*Journal Jot: Your Calling
*Word Study: blessing - eulogia and spiritual - pneumatikos
*Just Toolin’ Around: Neume
*Did you Know? Strong and Courageous
*Stretch It Out: Your Abilities
*Music Notes: Abide With Me
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for loving me so much that You equip me with the tools I need to serve You.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Sunday: Joshua 1:1-9
Monday: Ephesians 1:3
Tuesday: Hebrews 13:5
Wednesday: Proverbs 3:5-6
Thursday: Exodus 4:10-15
Friday: 1 Kings 3:4-12
Saturday: Judges 6:14-17
Joshua 2
Hebrews 11:1-2
Hebrews 11:4-7
Hebrews 11:31
James 2:25
COMMEND - praise
HEFFALUMP - like an elephant
FLAX - a type of plant used for making linen
Have you ever watched Pooh's "Heffalump Movie"? Early one morning in the Hundred-Acre Wood, everyone hears a heffalump trumpeting. Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, and Tigger run terrified. Roo has never heard of a heffalump and he eagerly bounces over to see what is going on. Tigger, Rabbit, Pooh, and Piglet proceed to tell Roo about the horrible heffalump with three heads, a pointy tail, and a tendency to smash everything in sight. Roo is impressed, but still eager to capture one. When Roo finally does meet up with Lumpy, a real heffalump, he is nothing like Rabbit, Tigger, Pooh, and Piglet had said.
Many times the rumors that arrive before you see someone are not accurate. They have been blown out of proportion. But that's not what happened to Rahab and the people of Jericho.
Joshua was ready to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. The first thing they would do was capture Jericho. So Joshua sent two spies to look over the land, and especially Jericho. These two spies went to the house of Rahab. The outer wall of the house was part of the wall of the city. The king of Jericho heard that the spies had come to Rahab's house. He sent a message to her to bring the men out. Instead, Rahab hid the spies on her roof under some flax. Then she told the men looking for the spies that they had gone. The king's men took off towards the Jordan River looking for the spies.
Rahab went to talk to the spies before they went to sleep for the night. She told them that she knew God had given the land to the Israelites. A great fear had fallen on the people of Jericho. They had all heard of what God had done for the Israelites - how He parted the waters of the Red Sea when they came out of Egypt and how God gave them the victory against the kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan River. In fact, the hearts of the people of Jericho melted and their courage failed. They knew that God was with the Israelites and that no one could stand against them. Then Rahab told the spies, "... for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
Then Rahab asked the spies to give her a sure sign that they would spare her life and all of her family. The spies agreed. If Rahab would help them escape, they would save the lives of everyone in the house. They told Rahab to tie a scarlet cord in the window where she let them down after the city gates were closed. The spies promised to spare everyone in the house as long as the scarlet cord was in the window, but if the scarlet cord was missing, no one would be saved. Also, only the people in the house would be saved.
Rahab told the spies to go into the hills and hide themselves for three days until the king's men had quit looking for them.Then she lowered the men out through the window and tied the scarlet cord where it could be seen.
The spies hid in the hills as Rahab suggested. Then they reported back to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”
What Rahab did is remarkable because of her faith in God. She did not have a relationship with Him, but she made a confession of faith in God, rejecting the gods of Canaan. In fact, her faith is mentioned in the faith chapter - Hebrews 11:31. Her demonstration of faith by helping to save the spies, people God had chosen as His own, is so remarkable that it is recorded as righteousness in James 2:25. In addition, she gave the spies vital military information that all of the people's hearts were melting in fear.
What about your Faith in Action? Do you believe in God so much that your actions show that to everyone around you? Would you be listed in Hebrews and James because of your faith and your actions? We want you to be able to answer YES!
Think about it! When our actions show the Lord Jesus Christ to people around us, they are able to see what God has done and is doing for us. Each of these things becomes a witness - like the witness of God parting the Red Sea, and defeating the kings of the Amorites. And who knows? Maybe seeing God's work in our lives will cause someone else to believe and to be saved. That's a powerful thought, isn't it?
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 20 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Jigsaw Puzzle - Time: 15 mins.
Song: "Jesus Bids Us Shine”- page 37 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Jericho Puzzle - Time: 10 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: God’s Deeds
*Journal Jot: Commendation
*Word Study: sure - hupostasis and certain - elegchos
*Just Toolin’ Around: Faith
*Did you Know? Rehab’s House
*Stretch It Out: Reader’s Theatre
*Music Notes: A Mighty Fortress is Our God
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to show Your love in my life to those around me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Hebrews 11:1-2
Monday: James 2:25
Tuesday: Hebrews 11:31
Wednesday: Hebrews 11:4-7
Thursday: Joshua 2:8-13
Friday: Joshua 2:14-21
Saturday: Joshua 2:22-24
Joshua 3:1-17
Joshua 4:1-24
Joshua 4:24
Malachi 3:16
CONSECRATE - to devote oneself to the worship and service of God (in this case)
DRAMATIC - in a powerful way, stirring the imagination and emotions
EXALT - to raise in rank, power, or character
COINCIDENCE - to happen just by chance
“Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Superman!" That's how the introduction went for the Superman TV show. He was truly a good superhero - one who plucked the innocent out of danger, put himself in danger to protect others, and brought the bad guys to justice. We like Superman because he did all of those things - and in such a dramatic way. Well, let me tell you about Someone who is greater than Superman. In this story, God kept His people from danger — while He stood in the place of danger until they were all safe. And God did it in a very dramatic way.
Joshua was getting ready to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River. He told the people two things. First, they were to get ready to follow the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priests, but they were to keep about a thousand yards away from the Ark. Secondly, he told the people to consecrate themselves because God was going to do amazing things among them the next day.
The next day, God told Joshua that He would exalt him so that all the people would know that God was with Joshua, just as He had been with Moses. Then He directed Joshua to tell the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant and go stand in the Jordan River.
Now, this was the tenth day of the first month. That means the Jordan River would have been in flood stage. With all of the spring rains and the snow melting from Mount Hermon, it would have been a very dangerous and difficult crossing for all of the Israelites. But, when the feet of the priests carrying the Ark touched the waters of the Jordan River, a very dramatic thing happened! The water piled up in a heap — about 20 miles upstream. The people wouldn't have to cross through the flood waters! Oh, but the mud! No! God took care of that too! Joshua 3:17 says, "The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”
When all of the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River, Joshua told them to take one man from each of the 12 tribes. Each man would go back to where the priests stood with the Ark in the middle of the Jordan River, pick up a large stone from the bed of the river, and carry it back to Joshua. Joshua took the stones and set them up at Gilgal. He told the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God" (Joshua 4:21-24 NIV).
After the people crossed the Jordan River and the men had gathered the stones, God told Joshua to tell the priests to carry the Ark out of the river. No sooner had they stepped out of the river with the Ark than the Jordan River again ran at flood stage!
This is an amazing story! God showed that He was with Joshua and the Israelites. He would protect them from the dangers not only of crossing the Jordan River, but also of capturing the land that He had promised to give to them. There would be no doubt in the minds of the Israelites that it was God who had helped them cross the Jordan River. Not only did the waters stop just as the priests stepped into it, but the ground was dry! And as soon as they stepped out on the other side, the river was again very high at flood stage. That’s a very dramatic way to show that this was a miracle from God, not just a coincidence! But, God knew that people need to be reminded of His power and glory. So He told Joshua to build a pile of stones taken from the Jordan River. That way they, their children, and their grandchildren would see the pile of rocks and would remember what God had done.
It is important to remember what God has done for us. He is our great God. He is worthy of our praise and love. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in our daily lives, and to forget that our focus should be on God. As Joshua did, let's build ourselves some reminders to give God the glory. He is powerful and mighty!
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 45 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Mini Scrolls and Jigsaw Puzzles - Time: 40 mins.
Song: "My God is So Big”- page 14 of Kids Classic Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): A Stone of Remembrance - Time: 20 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Stones of Remembrance
*Journal Jot: Retelling God’s Might
*Word Study: powerful - châzâq
*Just Toolin’ Around: châzâq
*Did you Know? Jordan River
*Stretch It Out: Jordan River
*Music Notes: Eternal Father, Strong to Save
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are so great and mighty! Thank You for the wonderful things You
have done in my life. I love You.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Joshua 4:1-7
Monday: Malachi 3:16
Tuesday: Joshua 4:8-9
Wednesday: Joshua 4:10-13
Thursday: Joshua 4:14-16
Friday: Joshua 4:17-18
Saturday: Joshua 4:19-24
Joshua 1:1-12
Joshua 5:13-15
Joshua 6:1-27
Proverbs 7:1-5
Proverbs 10:5-9
Proverbs 10:20-22
Proverbs 11:1-6
2 John 1:6
RECIPE - directions, usually in cooking
CONQUER - defeat in battle
OBEDIENCE - to obey, to do what is asked or commanded
Jennifer and her mom were making chocolate chip cookies to take to church on the Sabbath. As they measured ingredients, Mrs. Redmond talked about the right way to mix the sugar and butter, the egg, then the dry ingredients. When the dough was ready, they made little round balls to space evenly on the cookie sheet. Jennifer checked the pre-heated oven. Then she slid the first sheet in the oven and set the timer. Mrs. Redmond and Jennifer cleaned up the messy kitchen together. Then Jennifer got out two glasses while Mrs. Redmond got out the milk. They were ready to sample the first warm cookies fresh out of the oven.
What if Jennifer had put too much flour in the cookie dough? What if the balls of dough were too close together on the cookie sheet? What if the oven was too hot? What if the timer was set for 15 minutes, instead of nine? If Jennifer and her mom hadn't followed the recipe exactly, the cookies would have been ruined.
Joshua led the people over the Jordan River. Now they were ready to take over the land of Canaan, driving out the people who lived there. One day when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword. Joshua asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" The man said, "Neither. But as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." God was giving Joshua the job of conquering Jericho. God was very specific about what Joshua was to do.
Day One: March around the city once. Everyone is silent. The armed guard goes ahead of the seven priests continually blowing rams' horns. The Ark comes next, followed by the rear guard.
Day Two through Day Six: Same thing!
Day Seven: March around the city seven times. Everyone is silent. The armed guard goes ahead of the seven priests continually blowing rams' horns. The Ark of the Covenant comes next, followed by the rear guard. At the end of the seventh trip around, the priests blow a long blast on the trumpet. Everyone shouts. Take the city. Save the silver, gold, bronze, and iron for God’s treasury.
Joshua did exactly as God commanded. Every day for six days they marched once around the city - silently. The seventh day they marched around seven times. When the priests blew the long blast on the trumpets, the people shouted. Then the walls of Jericho fell down flat. The Israelites ran in, captured the city and destroyed everything - all the people and all the animals.
Well, they destroyed almost all of the people. Do you remember when Rahab saved the two spies? She kept her part of the deal. So Joshua told the two spies to go get her and whoever was in the house with her. Rahab, her parents, brothers, and all who belonged to her were safely taken from Jericho. Then the Israelites burned the city.
What if Joshua hadn't directed the people to walk around the city once a day for six days? What if they hadn't walked around seven times before they shouted on the seventh day? What if they hadn't blown the trumpets? What if they hadn't shouted? What if they had just tried to take Jericho in their own way?
How does this story affect you? Just as the chocolate chip cookie recipe must be followed to make good cookies, just as Joshua had to follow God's directions for capturing Jericho, you have to follow God's recipe for salvation. What is the recipe that will get you into God’s Kingdom? Jesus Christ is the Way - the only way. He is the gate, the narrow path, the only means to salvation. Nothing else will get you into God's kingdom. Only God's way - Jesus Christ - is the recipe for success.
Notes: Archaeologists have made some fascinating discoveries where Jericho once stood. Jericho had a double wall, a water source inside the walls, and had just finished bringing in the harvest. Without God's intervention, the city would have been nearly impossible to conquer and especially in seven days. However, archaeologists have found that the lower walls fell outward flat - creating a ramp so that the Israelites could walk up the fallen bricks and over the walls into the city.
Also very interesting, you will remember Rahab's house was part of the city walls. Why didn't her house fall when the walls came down? A German excavation in 1907-1909 found a short stretch of the lower city walls on the north side of Jericho that did not fall with houses built against the wall. The north side of the city was closest to the hills where the two spies would have hidden after Rahab lowered them from the window of her house.
As the Answers in Genesis website states, "Jericho is a wonderful spiritual lesson for God's people yet today. There are times when we find ourselves facing enormous ‘walls' that are impossible to break down by human strength. If we put our faith in God and follow His commandments, He will perform 'great and mighty things’ (Jeremiah 33:3) and give us the victory."
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 45 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Jigsaw Puzzle - Time: 15 mins.
Song: "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho”- page 7 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Following Directions - Time: 20 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Theophany
*Journal Jot: Following Orders
*Word Study: commands - entolas
*Just Toolin’ Around: Jericho
*Did you Know? The Curse of Jericho
*Stretch It Out: Jericho and Trumpets
*Music Notes: Battle Hymn of the Republic
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me follow Jesus Christ and to know that He is the only way to salvation.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Joshua 1:1-5
Monday: Joshua 1:6-9
Tuesday: Joshua 1:10-12
Wednesday: Proverbs 7:1-5
Thursday: Proverbs 10:20-22
Friday: Proverbs 10:5-9
Saturday: Proverbs 11:1-6
Judges 6:1-40
Judges 7:1-25
Proverbs 10:11-14
Proverbs 13:24-25
Proverbs 15:1-2
Proverbs 15:22
Proverbs 15:18-23
VICIOUS CYCLE - when the same events continue to repeat
FLEECE - the wool from a sheep
COUNSEL - advice
THRESH - to separate seed from a harvested plant
Audrey rode her horse slowly along the fence, looking for holes. Their small herd of eight cows kept getting into the neighbor's pasture somehow. It was Audrey's job to figure out how they were doing it. She knew the fence wasn't completely down, but there must be some small hole or something. So she was looking for a sign, any sign that would show her how the cows kept crawling through the fence. Suddenly, there it was: a few tufts of bright red hair on the barbed wire! She dismounted to get a closer look at the section of fence. It looked solid. But when Audrey grabbed the fence post, the mystery was solved. The fence post had rotted off at the ground. It still looked like it would hold the cows, but one push would allow the cows to pretty much walk through the fence before it bounced back into place. Audrey took off her scarf and tied it to the fence so it would be easy to find again. Then she rode back to the house to get the post hole digger, a new post, and the pick-up.
After Joshua died, the Israelites began a vicious cycle of turning their backs on God and following other gods. God would allow their enemies to defeat them. Life would get very bad and the Israelites would call out to God for help. So God would send a judge to save the people again. When we pick up the story in Judges 6, the Israelites had done evil in God's sight. He allowed the Midianites to oppress the Israelites — for seven years. Things were so bad, the people hid in mountain clefts and caves. They planted their crops and the Midianites came and destroyed everything. As Israel became poorer and poorer, they cried to God for help.
The Angel of the Lord came to Gideon. Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. The Angel said to Gideon, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." Gideon wanted to know why all these bad things were happening to the Israelites if God was with them. So God told Gideon, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Then, Gideon asked God how he could do that. He belonged to the weakest clan in Manasseh, and Gideon was the least in his family. But God replied, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”
But Gideon was still not convinced that God really wanted him to do this. He asked for a sign, but first he wanted to prepare a gift for the Lord. Soon he brought back unleavened bread, some meat from a young goat and its broth. The Angel of God told him to put the offering on the rock and to pour out the broth. Then the Angel touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. Gideon was very afraid that he would die because he then understood he'd seen the Angel of God.
Then God told Gideon to cut down his father Asherah's pole and tear down his altar to Baal. Then he was to sacrifice a bull on an altar made to God. Gideon did this, but at night, because he was afraid of his family and the people of the town.
Then Gideon blew a trumpet, calling people of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to fight against the Midianites. But still, Gideon asked God for another sign that He would save Israel through Gideon. So Gideon put out a fleece on the threshing floor. In the morning, if the fleece was wet and the ground dry, Gideon would know that God would do as He had said. The next morning, the fleece was wet and the ground was dry. But then Gideon again asked God to give him a sign. If he put out the fleece and this time the fleece was dry but the ground was wet, then Gideon would know for sure. God honored the request.
But now, God told Gideon that he had too many men to fight against the Midianites. God sent 31,700 men home. Gideon only had 300 men to fight against the Midianites. "The LORD said to Gideon, 'With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.' So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others" (Judges 7:6-7, NIV).
In the middle of the night, God told Gideon to take his servant Purah to the Midianite camp to hear what they were saying. One Midianite man was telling another his dream. The friend told him, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon . . . God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands" (Verse 14).
When Gideon got back to his camp, he called the three hundred men to get up because God had given the Midianites into their hands. Gideon divided the people into three groups, with trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside each jar.
In the middle of the night watch, Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and broke their jars, showing the Midianite camp surrounded. Then they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon." The Midianites turned on each other with their swords. Then Gideon chased them all the way to the Jordan.
How curious it was that Gideon had to have so many signs from God! He just wasn't sure he was supposed to do what God wanted him to. What about us? Should we "put out the fleece” to figure out what God wants us to do? We don’t need to “put out the fleece” because God has given us different ways of choosing the right way to go. The Bible is a wonderful guide to our steps. Other good resources are our parents or pastor. Ask for advice from people you know who love and serve God. They can give you the sign — the direction — you need when you have to make a decision about what to do. Then, once you are convicted of what you should do, do it!
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 30 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Signing the Way & Jigsaw Puzzle - Time: 40 mins.
Song: "One Door, and Only One" - page 44 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): A Treasure Chest of Wisdom - Time: 20 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Armed for Battle
*Journal Jot: A Sword for the LORD and for Gideon
*Word Study: advisors - yâ’ats
*Just Toolin’ Around: Signs
*Did you Know? The Middle Watch
*Stretch It Out: Gideon
*Music Notes: Hark, the Sound of Holy Voices
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to find the right counsel when I need to make a decision.
Please give me Your wisdom.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Proverbs 15:1-2
Monday: Proverbs 13:24-25
Tuesday: Proverbs 10:11-14
Wednesday: Proverbs 15:18-23
Thursday: Judges 6:11-18
Friday: Judges 6:19-24
Saturday: Judges 7:1-7
Genesis 11:30
Genesis 16:1
Genesis 17:15-21
Judges 13:1-25
1 Samuel 1:2-20
Psalm 127:1-5
Proverbs 8:6-8
Luke 1:7
Luke 1:11-20
John 15:18-25
1 Peter 2:3-8
1 Peter 2:9
CHOSEN - to be picked, or selected, for a job or position
DEDICATED - set apart for a certain job or purpose
NAZARITE VOW - a promise to God to be dedicated to His purpose, during which time the person would not drink wine or strong drink, eat anything from a grape, or cut his or her hair
Mary was about to become a big sister. Her mother would have a new baby any day now. Mary was so excited! A baby to hold and watch grow! She could hardly wait! The whole family was very happy, excited, and eager to meet the new arrival. Just the night before, Mary's dad had read Psalm 127:3 to the family: "Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.”
One day an Angel of God appeared to Manoah's wife, who had not been able to have children. The Angel told her that she was going to have a child, but she needed to be very careful not to drink any wine or fermented drink, or to eat anything unclean. Also, they should never cut the baby's hair because he would be devoted to God from birth. He was to be a Nazarite - which means dedicated to God or separated for God's purpose. This dedication would be for his whole life.
Manoah listened to his wife telling him what the angel had said. Then he prayed, "O Lord, please let the man from God come back to us again and give us more instructions about the child you are going to give us" (Judges 13:8 TLB). Manoah's wife was sitting in the field alone and the Angel once again came to her. She ran quickly to find Manoah and tell him the Angel had returned. She found him and they ran back to where the Angel was. Manoah asked if he was the same man who talked to his wife before. He said he was. So Manoah asked the Angel to give him special instructions on how to raise this child God was giving them.
Then Manoah wanted to prepare a young goat for the Angel. But the Angel said he would not eat the food. They should prepare a burnt offering and offer it to God. So Manoah prepared the goat and grain offering and offered it to God on a rock. Then, as they watched, a flame blazed up from the rock toward heaven, and the Angel ascended in the flame.
Then Manoah realized they had been talking with the Angel of the Lord. He was afraid that they would die. But his wife told him that the Lord would not kill them. He had accepted the offering and had told them about the child to be born.
When the baby was born, they named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him. You see, God had chosen Samson for a very special purpose. Samson would begin the fight against the Philistines, who had been oppressing Israel for 40 years.
The Bible has several examples of babies who were born under special circumstances. They were chosen by God to perform a special purpose. Hannah, Sarah, Rebekah, and Elizabeth were all unable to have children. God heard each of their prayers for a baby, and the babies born to them had an incredible effect on God's people. Hannah had Samuel, who was dedicated to God his whole life and led Israel until they demanded a physical king. Sarah had Isaac, who was the child of promise. Rebekah had Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. Elizabeth had John the Baptist, whose job was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. John the Baptist would also serve God his whole life. All four men were major characters in the history of God's people. All four men began as babies whose mothers were told especially how incredible these men would be for God.
Every baby is special. Although the Bible tells of some miraculous births and some babies for whom God had a special purpose, every baby is a gift from Him. You are special and if you love God now, you are extra special to Him. With your parents' help, you can learn more about God and His ways. But more important, you can develop a relationship with God yourself. That's the goal. You don't just want to know about God. You want to know God. As you read your Bible and pray to Him, learn to choose God's way of living instead of your ways or the world's ways. In a sense, when you choose God, you are making a Nazarite vow: you are dedicating yourself to God for your whole life. You will stay away from things that are bad for you, mentally, physically, and spiritually. You will choose God's way and His will over your own. Choosing God's way gives you incredible strength (the Holy Spirit) to defeat your enemies when all is said and done — much like Samson's great strength against the Philistines.
And really, if you are seeking God's way, it is because He has already chosen you. John 15:19 (NIV) says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." If God has chosen you to give His truth, His understanding, and His Son, you are indeed very special. You have been given the job of telling everyone about the love of Jesus Christ and the glory of God. That's pretty awesome.
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 20 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Sword Drill and Jigsaw Puzzle - Time: 20 mins.
Song: “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" - page 21 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Remarkable Women and Chosen Babies - Time: 15 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Remarkable Women and Chosen Babies
*Journal Jot: Samson
*Word Study: declare - exaggellō
*Just Toolin’ Around: Map It
*Did you Know? Who Were the Philistines?
*Stretch It Out: Jeopardy
*Music Notes: Revive Us Again
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for choosing me to serve You. Show me what You want me to do.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Sunday: John 15:18-25
Monday: 1 Peter 2:3-9
Tuesday: Psalm 127:1-5
Wednesday: Luke 1:11-17
Thursday: Luke 1:18-20
Friday: Judges 13:2-5
Saturday: Proverbs 8:6-8
Ruth 1:1-22
Ruth 2:1-23
Ruth 3:1-18
Ruth 4:1-22
Matthew 4:18-21
Luke 14:31-33
John 8:12
Romans 8:5-7
2 Corinthians 10:1-6
DEVOTION - the act of belonging completely
FAMINE - no food to eat
BARLEY - a kind of grain, the first grain to be harvested each spring
REAPERS - people to harvest the grain
ANCESTOR - someone in your family who lived before you; i.e., parents, grandparents, etc.
Have you seen the movie The Incredible Journey? It's based on the true story of three pets that travel alone through a wilderness to get back home to their owners. The distance and the dangers they faced made their success absolutely incredible! Why would two dogs and a cat work together to get back home? Because their owners loved them and the pets knew it. Home is where they wanted to be. The pets were completely devoted to their owners.
Sandwiched between Judges and 1 Samuel is a four-chapter book telling another story of devotion. Famine had driven Naomi and her family to leave Israel. When the famine was over, Naomi's husband and two sons were dead. So Naomi decided to go home. She told her daughters-in-law to go back to their own homes too. Ruth refused. Ruth said, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me" (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV).
Ruth returned to Bethlehem with Naomi as the barley harvest was beginning. Naomi sent Ruth to gather barley that the reapers had left along the edges of the fields. Because Ruth followed Naomi's directions, Ruth met Boaz, who was related to Naomi. Eventually, Boaz married Ruth. Ruth's story had a very happy ending.
But that really isn't the end of the story. Because Ruth was so devoted to Naomi, God blessed her. Not only did she marry Boaz, but Ruth became the great-grandmother of David which means she was one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ.
Do you remember when Jesus called the first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James, and John? “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4: 19 NIV). These four fishermen immediately left their nets to follow Christ.
That's the kind of reaction our Heavenly Father wants from us when He calls to us. We must be willing to immediately leave everything to follow Him, to do His will. Our devotion to God must be like the devotion that Ruth showed Naomi. In our hearts we should say to God, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay." Like the pets in The Incredible Journey, we shouldn't be at peace until we are with God.
That doesn't sound too hard, does it? Well, let me ask you a question: The last time your mom asked you to come to her, did you drop everything immediately to see what she wanted? The last time she wanted to take you someplace, did you say, "Where you go I will go"? Do you choose talking with your parents about God over watching videos or playing basketball with your friends?
Now, there's nothing wrong with playing video games or basketball, but your relationship with your mom and dad can be a good indicator of your relationship with your Heavenly Parent. And your Heavenly Father wants your complete devotion. Jesus said in Luke 14:33 NIV, .". any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." What kind of stuff do you have to give up? God doesn't want your phone or TV. He wants you. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:5b NIV, "and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Turning your will over to Jesus is not a bad thing. Just as Ruth's devotion to Naomi brought great rewards to her life, your devotion to God and His ways will bring blessings to your life. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12, NIV). I don't know about you, but I hate stumbling in the dark. I want the Light of the world.
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 45 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Ten-Week Challenge Games, Memory Work, Jigsaw Puzzles - 45 mins.
Song: "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" - page 23 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Light of the World Maze - Time: 12 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Light
*Journal Jot: Devoted
*Word Study: follow - akoloutheō
*Just Toolin’ Around: Moab
*Did you Know? Bethlehem
*Stretch It Out: Acting It Out
*Music Notes: His Way With Thee
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving me Light. Help me to use that Light to help me see in this darkened world.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sunday: Ruth 1:16-17
Monday: Matthew 4:18-21
Tuesday: Luke 14:31-33
Wednesday: John 8:12
Thursday: Ruth 4:13-17
Friday: 2 Corinthians 10:1-6
Saturday: Romans 8:5-7
