Sunday, March 29th 2009: Extreme Faith

Lesson Topic – Extreme Faith

That’s Good to Know – Faith helps me to do great things.

Bible Lesson – Hebrews 11- Great Men and Women of Faith

Spoken Word –God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. – James 1:12

Parent Corner – “Without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that He rewards everyone who searches for Him.” This verse, Hebrews 11:6, is a basic truth or our faith- a truth that many of your kids may discover for the first time this week! As they learn that they must have faith, and that God will come through for them, they will jump to the next level in believing God.

This week’s focus, Hebrews 11, is filled with examples of great men and women who have demonstrated amazing faith. From Abraham to Moses and Esther to Daniel, the Bible is packed with examples of real people who trusted God, obeyed His Word and believed He would fulfill His promises. It is critical that your children see that these people weren’t superheroes or unreachable examples, but rather “everyday Joes” who went the distance as they trusted God.

Discuss with your children, some stories and examples of modern-day men and women who believed God and saw great results. This will help make the teaching come alive, as your kids realize that no only has God used people in the past, but He also uses people today- people like their pastors, their parents and their friends. If you have examples of kids using their faith, it will make the lesson even stronger.

The “That’s Good to Know” is Faith helps me to do great things. Remember as you teach this message that faith helps you do great things, too! Pray this week that this message reaches your children on a personal level. Trust God to give you the words to say. Above all, realize that as you teach your children this lesson, God is going to do great things through you as you believe Him. Get ready for nothing less than God’s best!

Sunday, March 22nd 2009: Straight from the Heart

Lesson Topic – Straight from the Heart

That’s Good to Know – I was made to worship God.

Bible Lesson – Psalm 63:1-8. Seeking God’s Face in Worship.

Spoken Word –You are my God, I worship you. In my heart, I long for you. -Psalm 63:1

Parent Corner – Today’s “That’s Good to Know” says it all: I was made to worship God. In Romans 12:1, Paul said it like this: “I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing.”

What does it mean for kids to worship God in this way? The word worship itself gives us an outline: Welcome, Open, Repent, Serve, Hear, Invest, Praise.

Welcome- God does not violate the will of children. Instead, they must be taught and trained to welcome His Spirit into their lives. He woos them, but they must say yes to His call. Welcoming God’s Spirit into your home should be part of your weekly devotion.

Open- Today’s Bible lesson focuses on David, who learned to open his heart to the voice of God when he was young. Your kids can follow his example.

Repent- Boys and girls need to know that they cannot cherish sin in their hearts and still worship God. But when they sincerely confess their wrongs, they can offer heartfelt praises that He will receive.

Serve- Many children have a definition of worship that is too narrow, confining it to something they do inside the church on Sundays. Genuine worshipers glorify God by serving Him in their daily lives. Your kids were made to worship God by serving Him daily.

Hear- Hearing the Lord’s voice means learning what His Word teaches, listening to Him in prayer and then doing as He instructs.

Invest- Going to church on Sunday, singing a few songs and dropping some money in the offering is only part of the investment God wants from children. Challenge them to become “living sacrifices,” investing their time, talents and treasures into His kingdom.

Praise- There is nothing more powerful than a sincere child speaking forth praise to God.

Sunday, March 8th 2009: Spirit Food

Lesson Topic – Spirit Food

That’s Good to Know – God’s Spirit helps me to be more like him.

Bible Lesson – The Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23

Spoken Word –God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled.” -Galatians 5:22-23

Parent Corner – Thomas Paine said, “Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and the angels know of us.” Dwight L. Moody added, “Character is what you are in the dark.”*

In this week’s lesson, you will be exploring the issues of character development and helping your kids to realize that they don’t have to develop their character alone. The “That’s Good to Know” says, God’s Spirit helps me to be more like Him. This week’s lesson is about how the Holy Spirit helps us develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 reiterates that “God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled.” He empowers us to be men and women, boys and girls, of character.

In fact, without the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can’t truly have character. John 15:5 says, “If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. “To have true character and reach the world with God’s love, we need Him alive and active in our lives. We need Him to guide us and to mold us, to show us how to do what’s right- simply because it’s right.

This week as you talk to your kids about the fruit of the Spirit, focus not only on the fruit itself, but also on the One who helps us develop it in our lives. Too many teenagers feel they are “alone in the crowd” when it comes to living right- and your kids need to know before they hit their teenage years that they’re not alone. They have God on their side! And with the Holy Spirit’s help, they’ll become the boys and girls of character who He has called them to be.

*3,000 Quotations on Christian Themes by Carroll E. Simcox, Baker Book House, 1975, p.70-71.