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Kids Bible Blog : Page P120
Round One
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 7:1-13
TO CHEW ON: “ Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” Exodus 7:4b, 5
Suppose someone told you to do something but at the same time told you that you would fail? Wouldn’t you be tempted to ask what’s the use and then not do it?
This is what happened to Moses and Aaron. When God told them about talking to Pharaoh, He said He would harden Pharaoh’s heart. At first Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron.
But God also told Moses the end of the story. In the end God would judge the Egyptians for mistreating the Israelites. The Israelites would be allowed to leave Egypt.
Many things in life are the same way. We may not have friends on the first day at a new school, but if we keep being friendly, we will make new friends. We may not understand the math lesson the first time the teacher explains it, but if we keep trying, finally...
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Repent = Change Direction
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joel 2:12-19
TO CHEW ON: "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." Joel 2:13
Suppose you did something bad like got mad at your little sister and hurt her. Now you feel really sorry. You wish you hadn’t hurt her and you’re also worried that you might get punished.
1. What thing from the list below will convince your parents you really are sorry and won’t do it again:a] you cryb] you apologize to your sisterc] you promise to never hurt your sister againd] from now on treat your sister with kindness.
Though crying, apologizing and making promises might convince your parents you’re sorry, they’ll know you’re really sorry by watching how your actions have changed.
When the people of Judah stopped following God and again worshiped idols, they were like a kid who had done something wrong. Prophet Joel told them God was going to punish them by sending locusts and drought. But there was still a way to avoid this punishment. It was by coming back to God and showing Him they were truly sorry and...
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Tags: repent judgment Judah Joel God’s character consequences
Recipe for Success
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 28:4-12
TO CHEW ON: “And you my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9
David was an old man. He had been king for forty years, but he knew he would soon die. One day he crowned his young son Solomon to rule after him. Then he called the people together to introduce them to their new king.
In front of everyone he challenged Solomon to be a good king and serve God for his whole life. His speech told Solomon how to do that. It went something like this:
“Solomon, be sure you search out all of God’s commands and obey them. Get to know God. Worship Him with a clean heart. Serve Him with a willing mind. Don’t think you can fool Him with pretending. Not only can He see what you do, He also knows your thoughts. Search for Him and He will show Himself to you.
“But if you...
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Tags: worship Solomon respect parents obedience discussion David 1 Chronicles
Reasons to Obey
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 5:1-5
TO CHEW ON: "In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." 1 John 5:3,4
Which of these people would you obey?
policeman teacher
doctor parent God
Did you choose them all? Name one reason to obey:
a policeman:a teacher:a doctor:a parent:God:
We have different reasons for obeying.
We may obey the policeman because we know if we don’t, he can fine, arrest or put us in jail. We obey out of fear....
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Ready to Lead
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 2:20-26
TO CHEW ON: "Those who cleanse themselves ... will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:21
Are you a leader? Before you quickly answer “no,” think about it. Do you have younger brothers and sister to whom you teach things? Have you ever been asked by your school teacher to show a new kid around? Perhaps you’ve been chosen by your friends to lead the project or to captain the team. You are probably much more of a leader than you know.
Though you’re young, it’s not too soon to learn how to lead well. God often calls great leaders when they’re young. Timothy was a young leader when Paul wrote him some leader instructions.
"Paul teaches Timothy" - Artist unknown
Can you find five things Paul told Timothy a leader should do and three a leader should not do? (2 Timothy 2: 22 - 25)Should do:1.2.3.4.5.
Shouldn't do:1.2.3.
These instructions are still excellent advice for leaders today - young and old....
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Read the Book!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 3:14-17
TO CHEW ON: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16
Have you ever had a toy that needed putting together, or a complicated watch or camera? It came with an instruction book, right? That book had all the information you needed to put the toy together, to set the watch, or take photos with the camera. It’s a lot easier to understand how something works by reading the book than trying to figure it out yourself.
As Christians we have an instruction book too. It’s the Bible.
The Bible is no ordinary book. Though sections of it were written hundreds of years apart, and by many different people, it fits together and never gets outdated. Each part is necessary and useful in some way....
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Tags: wisdom truth Saul/Paul God’s word God’s help death choices advice 2 Timothy
Quick to Follow
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:19-21
TO CHEW ON: "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." 1 Kings 19:20
One of the jobs God gave Elijah was to find and call the person who would be the next prophet. We don’t know how Elijah knew which person to choose. God probably told him. Neither do we know much about the person he picked – Elisha – except that he was a farmer.
Elijah found Elisha in a field. He was plowing with oxen.
Elijah called him by going up to him and throwing his prophet cloak over Elisha’s shoulders. Our Bible doesn’t tell us if Elijah explained to Elisha what he meant by this. But Elisha knew exactly what Elijah was asking.
1. What did Elisha do? ( 1 Kings 19:20) ________
2. Did Elijah force Elisha to come with him? ________
"And Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah" 1 Kings 19:20 Artist's name – Diana Shimon
For some reason Elisha was ready to follow Elijah. Maybe in the days just before Elijah came, he had been feeling restless about being a farmer. Maybe he had been asking God to show him what he should do instead. Maybe he had heard of Elijah, and wanted...
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Tags: puzzle obedience Israel God’s plan Elisha Elijah 1 Kings
Questioning God
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Habakkuk 1:1-11
TO CHEW ON: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save?" Habakkuk 1:2
Have you ever wondered whether it does any good to pray? That seems to be what the prophet Habakkuk was asking at the beginning of his short book.
Habakkuk was another prophet in Judah. He lived at the same time as Jeremiah did. Instead of God giving Habakkuk messages for the people, he talked to God for them.
He asked questions that people from all times and places have asked:- If You’re in control, God, why does evil win so often?- How can You ignore unfairness? Why do evil people get richer and more powerful?- Why do You use evil people to work Your will?
Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1976, 1992
God answered Habakkuk’s questions. Sometimes his answers were surprising. When Habakkuk complained, in today’s reading, that it seemed like God was ignoring unfairness, God replied, “You haven’t seen anything yet!” Then he explained that soon He would use the cruel nation of Babylon even more.\
But God’s answers did finally satisfy Habakkuk. And...
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Tags: trust prophecy Judah Jeremiah Habakkuk God’s plan God’s character faith
Proud Haman
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Esther 3:1-15
TO CHEW ON: "When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes." Esther 3:5,6
Haman smiled as he walked around the palace. It made him feel good when everyone knelt to him as he went by. Lately life had been altogether excellent. King Xerxes had given him a position above all the other officials. He had even passed a law that everyone should bow to him. He really was pretty special!
Just then he caught sight of someone who wasn’t kneeling. He glared at the man but still that man wouldn’t bow. This must be Mordecai, that Jew he’d been told about. He’d heard that these Jews wouldn’t bow to anyone but their God.
Haman sees Mordecai who will not bow (Artist unknown)
Now his day was wrecked. He couldn’t get that picture of Mordecai out of his head. How could he get back at him? He could have him killed. But that was too easy. Suddenly he had an...
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Tags: pride peer pressure Esther
Prophets and Plagues
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joel 1:1-4 and 10-14
TO CHEW ON: The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Joel 1:10
Which people do we go to, to find out what might happen in the future
weathermen scientists prophets
I’m sure you’d agree that in our time we may go to weathermen and scientists, but we don’t often go to prophets. Even in Bible times people sometimes made fun of what prophets predicted. Yet God chose to speak through these ordinary men who didn’t speak their own ideas but said what God told them to say.
Joel was such a prophet. He lived in Judah around the time Joash was crowned king. He had seen the way King Jehoram and Ahaziah and then Queen Athaliah had turned the people away from praying to God.
When Joash became king, Joel hoped that things would be different. And they were for a while. As long as Priest Jehoiada was alive Joash followed his advice and honored God. But after Jehoiada died, Joash stopped worshiping at the temple. He put up Asherah poles and soon the land was filled with idols again.
One day...
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Prison Prayers
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 33:7-13
TO CHEW ON: "And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God." 2 Chronicles 33:13
“The Assyrians are coming!” A messenger blurted the news to King Manasseh.
Manasseh called his priests and told them to pray to the gods, check the omens, and make sacrifices. But not to the God of heaven. For Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son and Judah’s king, was not like his dad. Instead of worshiping God, he rebuilt hilltop shrines where people went to pray to statues of Chemosh and Baal.
Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1976, 1992
He sacrificed his own sons to idols, was deeply into witchcraft and even built idol altars in the temple. God had tried to talk to Manasseh and the people, but they refused to listen.
The sacrifices Manasseh made that day did no good. He was captured by the Assyrian generals, chained and taken to prison in Babylon. There, in a dungeon and all alone, he had time to think. He remembered the things his father...
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Tags: worship sin repent problems occult obedience Judah idols forgiveness consequences confession 2 Chronicles
Priestly Fashion
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 28:1-5
TO CHEW ON: "Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor." Exodus 28:2
What clothes would you choose?
Match the activity on the left to the clothes you would choose to wear for it on the right:
We dress differently for different activities and seasons. Though there are no right or wrong answers to the quiz above, if you answered honestly you probably didn’t say you would wear a swim suit to play in the snow or your formal dress clothes to go swimming.
What we wear may also depend on what we think of the people we’re with. If you were picked to meet a king or president, would you choose to wear dirty, ripped play clothes? Probably not. Because what you wear says something about you and how you feel toward the person you’re meeting. Your respect for an important person would stop you from dressing in a sloppy way.
God used this rule of personal appearance when He told Moses what the workers in the tabernacle – the priests – should wear. Again God gave detailed instructions....
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Pride Before a Fall
TODAY’S SPECIAL:2 Chronicles 26:16-22
TO CHEW ON: "But after Uzziah became powerful his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense." 2 Chronicles 26:16
Back in Judah, years had gone by since King Joash’s reign had ended. Now sixteen-year-old Uzziah, Joash’s grandson, was king. Like his grandfather Joash, Uzziah was trained by a priest. Just like Joash he started out well. He strengthened the army, defeated his Philistine enemies, built cities, and gave lots of people good jobs on his farms and in his fields. Soon he was famous in the nations all around. Best of all, during this whole time he was careful to do what pleased God.
That is, until one day when his success went to his head. That day he decided there was nothing he couldn’t do. So he went into the temple, lit the incense in the portable burner called a censer, and was about to make a sacrifice on the altar when Azariah and a crowd of priests stopped him.
“What are you doing?” Azariah asked. “This isn’t right. Only priests are allowed to go into the temple...
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Tags: worship temple Judah God’s plan God’s holiness disobedience consequences 2 Chronicles
Pray for Leaders
TODAY’S SPECIAL:1 Timothy 2:1-8
TO CHEW ON: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Timothy 2:1,2
Who is in authority over you? Do you know the name of your mayor, the people who represent you in government (member of the legislature, member of parliament, congressman, senator etc.) and your country’s head ruler (prime minister, president, king or queen)?\
If your country is a democracy, your parents may be able to vote for who governs you. You may be happy with them because they treat you fairly and rule wisely. Or you may be not like them because they are unfair, mean, unwise, and even wicked.
Whomever the people in authority over us are, and no matter how they treat us, there is one thing we must do for them. We are to talk to God about them - make requests, pray, intercede* and give thanks.
*intercede: to ask or beg on another person’s behalf
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for ___________ who is in authority over me. Please give him/her wisdom to govern well. Amen....
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Praise!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 150:1-6
TO CHEW ON: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6
To help the people celebrate, David and other song writers wrote praise psalms. One of them is Psalm 150. We learn many things about praising God from this psalm.
We learn that praise can sound from many places. It can come from a sanctuary or a church. It can also come from nature, like the “mighty heavens,” those beautiful stars, planets, the sun and the moon that God made. Can you think of more places?
The planets Saturn and Jupiter
We learn that we praise God for many reasons. We may praise God for His “acts of power.” These could be miracles that God has done.
People in Bible times would think of things like how God sent plagues on the Egyptians so the Israelites could go free, or dried up the Jordan River so they could cross.
We can praise God for these things too. But we can also praise God for the mighty acts that God has done for people in our time. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of how God has healed people, or helped them escape from dangerous situations, or sent someone to rescue...
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Power!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 2:1-13
TO CHEW ON: "Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, 'What does this mean?'” Acts 2:12
Picture this. A group of people have met in a house for a church service. Suddenly the house is filled with the sound of a loud wind.
"Pentecost" by Kelly Nora
Tongues that look like fire rest on each person’s head. Then these people begin to talk, but in languages they’ve never learned.
Out on the street people passing by hear sounds from inside the building. They gather to listen. These listeners have come from many places and speak different languages. Now they are hearing the people inside the house saying words they can understand. They’re talking about how wonderful God is....
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Tags: worship prayer Holy Spirit God’s presence God’s help Acts
Power Tools
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 4:1-17
TO CHEW ON: "He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if it were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it." Exodus 4:16,17
Suppose you have these jobs. Which tool(s) would you pick to do each one?
1. empty water from a boat2. plant a garden3. cut grass4. write a story5. take a picture6. cook dinner7. paint a house8. rake leaves
Obviously we need different tools for different jobs.
When God gave Moses the job of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, He gave him tools for that job. These tools may have seemed surprising to Moses....
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Power of Words
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 55:8-13
TO CHEW ON: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,and do not return to it without watering the earthand making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10,11
Words are funny little things. As marks on paper or a screen they can make us laugh or cry, tell us good news or bad, prove little things like we’ve passed the test or big things like we’re the citizens of a certain country.
Spoken words have a lot of power too. I’m sure you’ve heard the playground rhyme: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Do you believe it? I don’t! Because spoken words have the power to do a lot of things, including hurt us.
If we think human words have power, how much more God’s words. These are the thoughts and ideas...
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Tags: puzzle obedience Isaiah good news God’s word God’s plan
Perfect Timing
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 41:1-16, 39,40
TO CHEW ON: “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.’” (Genesis 41:39,40)
Two years passed after the cup bearer was set free, Joseph was still in prison.
One night Pharaoh had a dream. It scared him and he wanted to know what it meant. But when he called his wise men and magicians, they couldn’t tell him the meaning of the dream.
Then someone remembered a dream he had had, and the young Hebrew prisoner who told him what it meant. It was the cup bearer. At last he remembered Joseph!
Servants came for Joseph. They took off his prison uniform, put new clothes on him and brought him to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh told Joseph his dream – and Joseph told him the meaning! Then Pharaoh did something amazing. He made Joseph the second boss in the whole land.
I’m sure Joseph often wondered, will the cup bearer ever think of me? Will I ever get out...
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Tags: storytelling Joseph God’s timing God’s omniscience Genesis Egypt dreams
Peacemaker
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 25:14-20; 32-35
TO CHEW ON: "David said to Abigail, 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgement and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.'” 1 Samuel 25: 32,33
Many people loyal to David began to join him in the cave where he was hiding. Eventually David and his men moved from caves to the desert. While they were there, some shepherds, the servants of a man named Nabal, were herding sheep nearby. David and his men made friends with the shepherds. They protected their flocks from wild animals and bandits.
After the shepherds had taken the sheep home, David heard that Nabal was going to throw a party for his servants. This would be a good time to get a meal from Nabal in payment for protecting him, David thought. He sent one of his men to Nabal with a polite note, asking if he and his men could come to the party.
Nabal, who was very rich, but also very selfish, answered David’s servant roughly. “Why should I take the food I make...
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Payback
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 9:1-13
TO CHEW ON: "You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel." 2 Kings 9:7
One day after Ahab had died and his son Joram was king, Elisha sent one of the prophets on a special errand. “Take a bottle of oil and go to Ramoth Gilead,” he said. “Find Captain Jehu and secretly anoint him king.”
When the prophet found Jehu at the army barracks he said, “I have a message for you.” They went into the house so they could talk privately. There the prophet poured oil on Jehu’s head and said, “I anoint you king over Israel. You are to destroy all the family of Ahab. This is because Ahab and Jezebel destroyed God’s servants the prophets.” When he was done, the prophet opened the door and ran....
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Paul’s First Mission Trip
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 13:1-5
TO CHEW ON: "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'” Acts 13:2.
While Herod was persecuting the believers in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Saul were teaching in Antioch. It was here that those who believed in Jesus were first called Christians.
One day during a prayer meeting in Antioch, God the Holy Spirit told the Antioch Christians to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a special job. They were to go on a mission trip. They would travel to places where no one knew about Jesus and tell about Him.
Paul begins his first missionary journey - Artist unknown
Have you ever been on a mission trip? If you have, you’ll know that preparing for such a trip is lots of work. You have to raise money for the plane or bus fare and for expenses along the way. If you’re going out of your country you need to get travel papers (like passports, visas and travel insurance). You may need shots to protect you against foreign diseases. You need foreign money. You need to prepare for what you’re going to...
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Tags: Saul/Paul Holy Spirit God’s plan Acts
Pass or Fail?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 44:1-13,33-34
TO CHEW ON: “’Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.’” (Genesis 44:33,34)
Joseph’s brothers went back to their father with food. They told him about the mean Egyptian prince who said they must bring Benjamin with them next time. But Jacob said he would never let Benjamin go.
Soon the grain was gone and the family was desperate for food again. The brothers begged Jacob to let Benjamin go with them. Finally Benjamin’s older brother Judah promised that if the Egyptian prince threatened any harm to Benjamin, he would take his place.
When the brothers got to Egypt, the prince did a strange thing. He invited them to his home and served them a banquet. He even seated them in order of age from oldest to youngest. Then he gave Benjamin five times more food than everyone else. Finally he sent them on their way with the supplies they needed.
No sooner had they...
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Tags: memory verse love Joseph Genesis Egypt
Parent Problems
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:19-25
TO CHEW ON: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old." Proverbs 23:22
Have you ever had thoughts like this:- My parents are too serious. They just want me to work and not have any fun.- My parents are old fashioned. They don’t understand me and my friends.- My parents don’t let me do anything. All my friends are allowed to do it, why can’t I?
Kids getting along with parents, and parents getting along with kids has been a big deal since kids and parents were invented. In our Bible reading today, Solomon gives advice to kids on how to handle all the do's and don’t's that parents give.
Which things he does not say Proverbs 23:19-25 :1. Don’t join those who overeat and drink a lot of wine.2. As long as there’s an adult to supervise, you can go.3. Be disciplined.4. Make a project out of becoming wise and getting understanding.5. You become like the people with whom you hang out.6. It isn’t a big deal to your parents whether or not you obey them.7. When you show yourself a wise, good person, you’ll make your parents proud...
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Panic or Pray?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 14:1-12
TO CHEW ON: "Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, 'Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.'” 2 Chronicles 14:11
Judah’s king Asa (King Rehoboam, then Abijah, then Asa) put a lot of energy into pleasing God. He started out by smashing the idols and cutting down the Asherah poles all through Judah. Then he built walls around the cities to protect them. During most of his reign there was peace.
But one day a Cushite chieftain named Zerah threatened him. Asa and his army marched to the valley where Zerah was camped. When they looked down on the huge fighting force in front of them, they had good reason to be terrified. This army was way bigger with better weapons than theirs.
But Asa didn’t panic. Instead, he went right to God. He prayed the prayer above (2 Chronicles 14:11), telling God that He was the only one who could defeat Zerah’s army and...
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Only the Best
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 25:23-40
TO CHEW ON: "A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories." Exodus 25:39
Next God gave Moses instructions to make more things for the tent church. He was to make a table and carrying poles out of the same special wood as the ark (acacia wood). He was to cover these things with pure gold.
Then he was to make plates, dishes, pitchers and bowls as well as a decorated lamp stand and all the tools for tending the lamps. These things were also to be made of pure gold. God told Moses to use a whole talent (75 pounds or 34 kilograms) of gold for these things.
Models of the ark accessories - Graphics from CC-Art.com
Why do you suppose God chose gold?
Some reasons might be:1. Gold was the easiest metal to shape into designs.2. Gold was long-lasting. It was unaffected by air, heat, moisture, and was hard to dissolve.3. Gold was beautiful, with its bright yellow color and shine.4. Gold decorations and jewelry showed royal power and honor.5. God was rare, much wanted, and expensive.
In other words, gold was the best!...
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Tags: worship tabernacle research Moses Exodus
Only a Child
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 1:1-10
TO CHEW ON: "But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord." Jeremiah 1:7,8
Do you have any idea what you’d like to do when you grow up? Have you ever thought that God may have a special job for your life?
God talked to Jeremiah when he was just a child. He told him what his job would be. He would be a (Jeremiah 1:5) 1. _____.
Jeremiah argued back. What two reasons did he give for why he couldn’t do what God asked (Jeremiah 1:6) 2. _____ 3. _____.
But God didn’t buy Jeremiah’s arguments. For He had chosen Jeremiah before he was born. Now God touched his mouth and said, “I have put my words in your mouth.”
Jeremiah’s words would be not only to his nation Judah, but to the nations all around. They would have much power – power to uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow, build and plant.
Have you ever asked God if He has a special job...
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Tags: true/false prophecy Judah Jeremiah God’s plan God’s omniscience
On the Run
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 2:11-15
TO CHEW ON: "The man said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?' Then Moses was afraid and thought, What I did must have become known." Exodus 2:14
Fast forward 40 years. Moses was all grown up. Though he was raised in the palace as a prince, deep inside he loved the Hebrew people – his people.
One day he saw an Egyptian slave master beating a fellow Hebrew. He looked around to make sure no one was watching.
Moses kills the Egyptian - Artist unknown
Then he drew his sword, killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
The next day he happened to be walking by when he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He tried to break up the fight. But one of them said to him, “Who made you our boss? Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?”
Now Moses knew the news of the murder was out! The palace was no longer a safe place for him. He ran for his life. And sure enough when Pharaoh heard of the killing, he ordered Moses killed.
Moses probably lived most of his life...
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Obey Whom?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 4:13-21
TO CHEW ON: "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!'” Acts 4:18,19
After God healed the lame man through Peter, many people believed in Jesus. This made the religious leaders jealous.
"Preaching to the multitudes" - Artist unknown
First they ordered Peter and John to stop preaching. Then they grilled them with questions. Finally they told them not to speak of Jesus any more OR ELSE and let them go.
"The boldness of Peter and John" - Artist unknown
But Peter and John had no intention of obeying the leaders’ order. They knew in some things it’s more important to obey God than people....
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Tags: peer pressure obedience fear choices Acts
Obedience + Persecution = Joy
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 13:42-52
TO CHEW ON: "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." Acts 13:52
Barnabas and Paul traveled to Perga and then to Psidian Antioch. When they preached in the church (synagogue), many people listened and believed. In fact at one meeting almost the whole town came out to listen.
"Through this man (Jesus) is preached the forgiveness of sins" - Artist unknown
But the Jewish leaders didn’t like Paul and Barnabas because they said the good news about Jesus was for non-Jews (Gentiles). When more and more people believed, the Jewish leaders got jealous. They gossiped and lied about Paul and Barnabas and turned the city’s important people against them. Soon persecution started again. Barnabas and Paul had to leave town....
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Tags: Saul/Paul persecution obedience joy Acts
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