TOPICS:
Character Building
Payroll
Helpful Forms
Payroll
To submit payroll, you must fill out your customized ADP Timecard.
Payroll Submission Dates
| Pay Period | Submission Due | Pay Date |
| 08/15/2022-09/16/2022 | 09/11/2022 | 09/15/2022 |
| 09/19/2022-10/14/2022 | 10/11/2022 | 10/14/2022 |
| 10/17/2022-11/11/2022 | 11/11/2022 | 11/15/2022 |
| 11/14/2022-12/16/2022 | 12/12/2022 | 12/15/2022 |
| 12/19/2022-01/13/2023 | 01/10/2023 | 01/13/2023 |
| 01/16/2023-02/15/2023 | 02/10/2023 | 02/15/2023 |
| 02/16/2023-03/15/2023 | 03/10/2023 | 03/15/2023 |
| 03/16/2023-04/14/2023 | 04/11/2023 | 04/14/2023 |
| 04/17/2023-05/15/2023 | 05/11/2023 | 05/15/2023 |
Forms
Character Building 2022-2023
September
October
November/December
January
February
March (with bonus lesson)
April
May (with bonus lesson)
Key Verse for the Year: Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Key words for the year: Word, Lamp, Feet, Light, Path
September: The Word
Week of 9/12 Lesson: The Word, Written for us in the Bible
Week of 9/19 Lesson: The Word, To Noah
Week of 9/26 Lesson: The Sheep Hear His Voice
September Activities and Coloring Pages
Introduction to The Word:
Key Verse: Psalms 119:105
Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The Bible, which is the word of God, has so many purposes! It tells us who God is, how He interacts with us through his Holy Spirit, who we are in Christ, and how we can interact with God. It guides us on how to live, it tells history, it even shares stories and plays. When you put all these pieces together, you see a beautiful picture of who Jesus is. The Bible shows us who God is and helps us get to know Him more, like a puzzle. It also leads us into blessings and peace through the knowledge of Christ. It gives us directions, like a map, on how to have a wonderfully full and joyous life in Jesus Christ.
Please enjoy using these resources if you like! Each lesson is to highlight how the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path of life! My passion is to teach the truth through the Word and have others understand the value of the Word itself and also how valuable they are through the Word! Please feel free to expand on the lesson, or use something else! Thank you for your love for the hearts and souls of others!! You are amazing!
Extension Activities:
.Lesson on John 1:10-18-good for K-6th
For middle school and highschool students there are short videos explaining the Bible:
*Possibly this could be used as an end-of-year performance.
September 12th
Logos is the WRITTEN Word of God
Jesus in the Desert- Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit and he became weak, tired and hungry! He had to fast for forty days and nights. He used the written Word of God, the Logos, to overcome the temptations of the enemy that were put in front of him.
Back then, they didn’t have a full Bible like we do today, but they had the Pentateuch. This is the first five books in the traditional Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Jesus learned them, memorized them and knew them in His heart. The enemy tried to get Jesus to question His value of being the Son of God. He tried to make Him question the goodness of His Father. When he did this, Jesus responded with the word that was written in Deuteronomy 8:3-“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (NIV)
Then the enemy used scripture to try to tempt Jesus. That is why it is important for us to know the Word, not just in our minds, but with understanding in our hearts. Because Jesus knew AND understood God’s Word, He wasn’t able to be tempted.
Then Jesus was challenged to tempt God…”If you are the son of God, throw yourself down-for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” But Jesus answered back with Deuteronomy 6:16 “It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Last, Jesus was taken to see all that He could have–all the worldly, beautiful things: power, fame, prestige. To get these things, though, Jesus would bow down to the enemy instead of God. Jesus responded with the truth of the Bible instead of letting wrong thoughts get into His head!
After these struggles, both mental and physical, Jesus was EXHAUSTED. So, God’s angels went and took care of Him.
Because Jesus knew the word, which is the truth, He was able to not give into temptation even when He was weak and tired.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
This means that God knows we will be tempted to do the wrong thing: hurt others with our words, think or say mean things, to not do what our parents ask us to do. And that knowing God’s word is one of the tools we can use to help us do the right thing.
Jesus remembered and knew he could trust His Father, God. The written word kept Jesus safe, led him in peace, and made the enemy leave him alone!
The same way Jesus walked in a hard place, even when he was weak, is the same way you can walk. Jesus is our perfect example.
Discussion Questions:
How do we learn God’s word?
Have you ever been tempted to do something that you know isn’t right?
What did you do to overcome it? To not do it?
What is something you can do to make the enemy go away? What did Jesus do?
How has God shown you his goodness? What does that tell you about how God sees and loves you?
Does it help you to know that God has been faithful to you?
September 19th
God’s Word spoken to us!
God spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark to save His family and all of creation Genesis 5:32, 6:1-22, and 7, 8, 9
The story of Noah shows us that God’s word, His spoken word, is just as important as the Bible, the written word. God spoke to Noah and gave him directions of what to do and where to go. Noah was a righteous man and he had favor with God. God wanted to bless him and his family. Noah and his family were righteous because they had chosen to follow in the path of God. Righteous means to be in right standing with God. Through Jesus, we are always in right standing in God.
God spoke to Noah, because at that time, nothing was written. He spoke to Noah and told him what He was planning and then told Noah what to do so that he and his family could be saved from the flood.
God told Noah to build a huge boat. It took a lot of trust and faith on Noah’s part to obey and do what God asked! Especially since it took him 40 years to build it!! He was 600 years old when it was finished! And when the boat was finished, Noah, the animals, and Noah’s family loaded up in the boat and the whole earth was flooded.
When we are trying to understand how God’s word is a lamp to our feet and light to our path, we have to remember that He also speaks to us. Because Noah was ready and willing to listen, he heard God’s voice and obeyed His directions!
Do you know what happened at the end of the flood? God made a covenant with Noah and his family that he would never flood the Earth again! He put an symbol in the sky for them to see. The rainbow!
The rainbow is the symbol of God’s promise that He will never flood the earth again and that His grace and mercy will always be given to us.
Questions:
Do you feel safe knowing that God watches over us?
What if he asks you to do something that has never been done before? Would you respond like Noah?
What did the story of Noah and the Ark teach you about how God speaks to us?
Take a minute and listen to what God wants to tell you! Write down a word, or draw a picture of what you think he is saying to you! Put the date on it and save it! It is ok if you don’t get anything right now, He is still with you loving you.
Does knowing what Noah accomplished, encourage you to know you can accomplish what God has planned for you?
September 26th
Shepherd and Sheep Hear His Voice- John 10:1-18
Key verses: John 10:1-18, Psalms 23
We know we can hear Him through several ways: His Word, the Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and spending time in prayer.
Read John 10:1-18
Discuss and Learn:
Who or what is a shepherd? There are still shepherds today in small communities around the United States and other countries. They take care of the flocks of sheep! They protect them and lead them to places where they can eat and drink. A shepherd uses a staff to lead the sheep. The shepherds lead the flocks from the corral through the gate into open spaces for the day, and then back again into the safety of the corral at night so that outside predators don’t eat them or harm them.
What do you think happens when one sheep gets lost or forgets to go with the herd? The shepherd goes to find it and leads it back to safety. A shepherd is committed to their flock and is the one responsible for guiding the sheep, protecting them, and attending to their needs.
Think about a corral- it is made to give the sheep a safe place to roam freely within safe boundaries. Jesus, through the Word of God, gives us a corral to move about freely in safe boundaries. We don’t have to worry as long as we are with Him. That is why Jesus says that He is the gate to safety (John 10:7-8). He warns us that if someone tries to go into the corral through some other way, they are a thief, and are not good!
This video is pretty hilarious (how to herd sheep)–has a good part about how to free the unstuck sheep and how to gently get them to go where you want them to go–short and sweet and humorous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNVmP0280I4
Interesting fact:
From the mountains of the American West to the highlands of Peru and Chile, you’ll find shepherds tending flocks of thousands of sheep.
Elementary Activity Links For September:
Elementary Activity links:
Coloring Pages:
Various Activities and Color Pages for Elementary Students
- Poster/Printable: ‘God Speaks Through’ Childrens Poster • MinistryArk
- A good fill-in-the blank form to investigate how God speaks to us using Scripture: Sunday School: Hearing God’s Word: How God Speaks to Us
- Or, check out Pinterest for more inspiration: Psalm 23 Crafts
https://ministry-to-children.com/lamp-to-my-feet-bible-lesson-from-psalm-119/
October
October : Our Lamp Through Jesus Christ
Week One and Two: October 3-7, 10-14 Jesus is the Light
Week Three and Four: October 17-21, 24-28, Jesus is a Lamp
Activities
Middle/High School
Key Verse: Mark 4:21
And he was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on a lampstand?
Week One and Two:
In the parable of the lamp, Jesus tells us when we receive God’s word, and we allow it to take root in our hearts, we share the word with others, thus producing fruit.
Discussion:
When we talk about His word being a lamp and light to our feet, we are actually admitting that we are blind without Jesus and his word to guide us! Jesus is the light.
John 1 helps explain how He iis the Word, Light , Human and God all at once! The darkness of the world was so great, God knew that light once again needed to shine. Jesus came so that we could have light once again and be adopted into His family through the forgiveness of our sins.
He loves his beautiful creation, he came to redeem us and reconcile us back to himself. He needed us to see again how to love, live, and lead others into the kingdom of heaven. All nations are wanted and needed in the kingdom of heaven; not one is to be left behind. The lamp lights where our feet step so we don’t step on sharp objects or fall into a hole. The light of His word shows us the path to take, like a spotlight highlighting the right way to go.
There are many places in the Bible that show us that Jesus shows up in the midst of darkness. He shows up with His warm, loving light, and brings healing, peace, joy, and clarity through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of our sins. He puts our feet back on a solid place to stand so we don’t fall and rely fully on his grace and mercy. He is the solid rock that we can always stand on. We know He leads us by His Word and teaches us through his Holy Spirit.
Activities:
Discuss the verses, John 1: 1-19
Who and what was in the beginning? How many things were made through the Word? Who is the word that became flesh? Does darkness overcome light? Who is the light? Who is the Word? What do we receive from Jesus? How do we know what God looks like and is like?
References:
A Lamp and A Light by Paul David Tripp
Lamp to My Feet by David Lawry
Week Two:
Matthew 5: 14-16 Lamp
Jesus tells us many things about our identity in this scripture:
- We are a light to the world.
- We are like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
- We are a lamp that should not be hidden under something.
We are to shine before all people so that they may see us be like Jesus and praise God themselves! These are amazing clarifications of who God sees us to be! We are all these things because we were created in God’s image, and when we know and accept Jesus, we carry His light in us through the Holy Spirit!
His light is truth, and His truth brings freedom to people around us. The light in us creates a safe place for people to feel loved, wanted and cared for. Being a light on a hill is like a lighthouse. Even more so, to light the world.
Questions:
There are two different pictures here to show you what the Earth looks like at night from space.
What do you see? What is giving light? What do you notice about the dark places? What do you think God means when he says we are the light of the world? Are we like the moon? A reflection of God because we are made in his image? Why does he not want us to hide what is in us through Jesus? He says we give light for everyone that is in the house. Does that mean we can speak the truth and it will show people the way to go? Yes, it does!! There is only one truth, and His name is Jesus. He is the way, truth and life and he comes to give us life abundantly. The enemy lives in the darkness, trying to hide his schemes of destruction and death to steal from us. Why do you think Jesus is telling us to be the light when we know the truth?
Activity: Take a minute and pray and ask God where does he want you to shine? Your home, with friends, with the homeless, the sick, in your church? Draw a picture of your light shining for Jesus on something that is important to your heart. Or write down where you see Jesus shining through you.
Elementary Activity links:
Psalm 119:105 Bible Skill Activities
Your Word is a Lamp Bible Lesson
Coloring pages:
Light Of The World Coloring Page | Sermons4Kids
A variety of ideas on Pinterest
Light Bulb In Front Of A Globe | Kidadl
Song with video: This little light of mine
Middle School and High school:
Nineteenth century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, wrote about this verse:
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. We are walkers through the city of this world, and we are often called to go out into its darkness; let us never venture there without the light giving word, lest we slip with our feet. Each man should use the word of God personally, practically, and habitually, that he may see his way and see what lies in it. When darkness settles down upon all around me, the word of the Lord, like a flaming torch, reveals my way. Having no fixed lamps in eastern towns, in old time each passenger carried a lantern with him, that he might not fall into the open sewer, or stumble over the heaps of ordure which defiled the road. This is a true picture of our path through this dark world: we should not know the way, or how to walk in it, if Scripture, like a blazing flambeau, did not reveal it. One of the most practical benefits of Holy Writ is guidance in the acts of daily life: it is not sent to astound us with its brilliance, but to guide us by its instruction. It is true the head needs illumination, but even more the feet need direction, else head and feet may both fall into a ditch. Happy is the man who personally appropriates God’s word, and practically uses it as his comfort and counselor,—a lamp to his own feet.” (Treasury of David).
References:
Tripp, Paul David: A Lamp And A Light
November/December 2022
Lesson One
Lesson Two
Lesson Three
Lesson Four
Lesson Five
Feet walking the right way with Jesus as our guide
Introduction/Lesson One:
Key verse: John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way , and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the father but through me.
Feet:
In this season we will talk about feet! Yes, feet! Feet are actually pretty important! Who knew there were so many things we could talk about with feet! The obvious reasons for feet are to stand and walk, but there is so much more!
In Biblical times, the feet were a representation of lifestyle, promise, and honor.
We have talked about Psalm 119:105 How His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Has everyone memorized this verse yet? It is short, but this verse sums up why we need Biblical truth. It literally guides us and shows us where to go when we cannot see. That is why we are not just memorizing scripture, but learning why it is important.
Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs is known as the book of wisdom. It was written mostly by Solomon, King David’s son. He became king at a young age when his father died. When he became king, God asked what gift Solomon wanted. Solomon replied that he wanted wisdom to know how to lead and govern the people.
So God gave him wisdom that made him a fair and just king and also more wealthy than any man that has ever lived. Wisdom is the knowledge and understanding of God’s heart. This verse in Proverbs 16:9 says, “in his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”
What are some ideas you have, or desires you have in your heart? God gives us the desires of our hearts when those desires align with His plans.
So, if we plan, and God wants to answer us, what does it mean that the Lord determines our steps?
Think about a maze. Have you ever done a corn maze? Or those mazes on paper, where you have to start at one point and find the exit? Well, that is what Solomon is explaining here to his son. He is saying, “the things you long for in your heart, God planted, but how you reach them is not always going to be how you see it happening.” Leave room in your heart for God to strategize for you. He can see the obstacles on the path of tomorrow, next week, next month and for years way ahead. He can also see the smooth ways, the wide paths, and the safety zones!
Isn’t that where we want to be? He is asking us to let him lead our feet on the path of righteousness for His name sake so that our hearts desires will be fulfilled. The process is not always easy or fun, but it is about our character being developed and then leading others into the kingdom of heaven.
The path that we take matters. We always have a choice in which way to go. His word shines the way, but we have a choice to take that path or not. God does not control where you go, but instead, He points in the path of blessing and lets you decide if you want to go there. Proverbs 16:17 says, “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life.”
Maze Activity:
Take a minute with God and think of a heart desire you have. It could be anything from something you want to happen this week, or something you want in the future. Take your maze and at the end draw a picture that represents your desire. At the start, write With Jesus- and give this path to Jesus in your heart. (Please ask them to date it and keep it in a safe place) Then you can complete the maze- as you go through it, think about when you come across a blockage, and thank God for removing obstacles in your path or for leading you away from them. Notice that your path is not in a straight line and that along the way, you have to look ahead to see which way is best. God looks at your path and then shows you the best route to take!
Here are some printable mazes to use:
5/6 Middle/Highschool- Hard Mazes – Best Coloring Pages For Kids
K-4- Easy Kids Mazes | Woo! Jr. Kids Activities : Children’s Publishing
Easy Kids Mazes | Woo! Jr. Kids Activities : Children’s Publishing
Lesson Two: Feet Like Deer To Go in the High Places
Habakkuk 3:19
2 Samuel 22:34
Psalm 18:33
These 3 scriptures all say the same thing! “The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places…”
What a beautiful picture! Look at these pictures- (on the next page) God is a visual God and He uses things to explain His heart for us through things we see everyday so that we can understand what He is saying.
Each one of these people were saying that God gave them feet like deer to go in the heights because they were used to seeing deer just like these. When you see these pictures, what do you notice?
How far can they see? Are they stable in their footing even though they are up high on rocky ground? How difficult do you think it is for the deer to climb if they have the right kind of feet? If we watched them climb, it would seem they do it with ease. I am sure it isn’t always easy, but they are equipped, they have the right kind of feet for the kind of climbing they have to endure. When scriptures say he makes our feet like the feet of a deer, what do you think he is saying?
God gives us the tools we need to walk on the path that is ahead of us. He doesn’t promise it will be easy, but he will give you what you need to reach where you are going.
Who likes to go hiking? Do you like to climb trees, or mountains? When you reach the destination, how do you feel? To climb and experience the adventure is the best part of the journey. The best part is knowing that while we are on the journey, He is always with us directing us! Sometimes he will tell us to get in the water raft and float down the rapids versus just crossing the bridge! It may not seem logical to us, but God isn’t about logic, He’s about growth and having fun with us! It’s like playing those trust games with others! It builds friendship and trust in one another. The same is with God- He always wants to have friendship and build trust between us and him.
Activities:
Mountain coloring pages
Foot coloring page
Activities:
Deer Coloring page
https://www.nicepng.com/ourpic/u2t4t4r5q8t4u2e6_deer-coloring-page-drawing/
Example with scripture below
Read John 5:19 “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.” (NASB)
How can we learn from Jesus to be His feet to bring the good news?
Make a list of some of the things that you enjoy doing and how you can you share the love of Jesus with your friends as you do activities together. Something I have done is write a note sharing a scripture and how God loves them and just leave them in random places. You don’t always have to be face to face.
Lesson Three
BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET
Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15 and Ephesians 6:15
Your feet are beautiful!! Yes they are!! You bring peace wherever you go because you carry Jesus, who is peace, in you.
Isaiah 52:7 says: How delightful on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, who announces [a]peace and brings good news of [b]happiness, who announces salvation,and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!””
Do you recognize something in the scripture that we just discussed! The mountains! He gives us the feet of the deer to go upon high places!! Tidings just means news!
Romans 10:15 “But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who [abring good news of good things!”
Prior to this verse, it is asking other questions. How will people know to believe if they never hear the good news? How will they know without someone telling them? That is why you are important! Your feet carry the good news wherever they go!
Ephesians 6:15- …and your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace!
You are ready when you are equipped with Jesus to speak because you carry peace! When we know His word, and we are walking in the light, it is good news for others that we can also share our light with them so they are not lost in the dark.
Resources:
Delivering The Good News Group Group Activities | Sermo..
Hebrews 12:13
“…and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”
Remember how we have been discussing the importance of knowing The Word because it lights the way in which we should go? It enables us to make righteous choices through Christ.
The path of righteousness is not just for us, it is for others also! There is an enemy, Satan, who roams the earth, seeking out who he can devour. He seeks people out and makes them doubt who they are and who God is. He makes people question the goodness of God. That is where you come in.
When Jesus was saying to make level paths for your feet, he is instructing us to walk in a way worthy with Him, in the places He shows us to go, so that our path will be level and stable. He is the rock that we can stand on so that we don’t fall.
Did you know that others watch when we walk in the goodness of God and they wonder how they can go there too. When they see us walking on the level paths because God makes our way before us, it means that the lame are no longer lame, but healed because then they know where to walk! The way we live our lives brings healing to others!! Not only when we pray for people, but how we live!
How do we walk on level paths? We know that following God’s word is the answer. But what happens if we don’t make the right choice? God is gracious to us, and in the beginning of the chapter it talks about running the race, being disciplined by a good Father. Discipline! Ouch! Sometimes we feel like that is a dirty word! Did you know that in verse 11 it even says that discipline does not feel good sometimes? But it says afterwards that it produces a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who pay attention to it.
God will discipline us just as our parents do, because of love. Love corrects and does not just let you go off on your own without warnings and signs for protection. Love sets healthy boundaries and does not let you run into the street without warning. Remember how the shepherd keeps the sheep in a corral where they are safe? They are free to roam and enjoy the land within this space. If one gets out, the shepherd goes to look for it, but it chose to leave the safe place on its own. The danger of leaving the boundary is the wolf, the bear, the deep crevice or thorns. Level paths for our feet are made when we realize we may have made a mistake and change our minds about the choice we made. God always creates a safe place for us to be free. He sets boundaries for us, just like our parents. Sometimes we don’t think it is fair, but they are there for a reason. God forsees what can happen when we choose a wrong path and make a decision that goes against the safety boundaries. That is why knowing his word and obeying his word are so important. It creates level paths and keeps us in our safe boundaries. If we happen to go outside of those boundaries, Jesus always pursues us so we can return. It comes with renewing our mind with the scriptures.. Changing our mind is called repenting for our sins. This keeps our lives in the path of blessing and fullness of life! We get strength to choose correctly by praying and worshiping God, then as we walk, we Jesus brings healing to ourselves and others. God is sooooo good!!
Middle/Highschool: Let the students take some time and journal by themselves. Ask them to write out what this lesson meant to them. How can they apply it?
Lesson Four
Option for Elementary about Running the Race
https://sermons4kids.com/run-the-race.htm
Different Perspective and Reference:https://www.bibleref.com/Hebrews/12/Hebrews-12-13.html
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-47-perseverance-peace-and-purity-hebrews-1212-14
Ephesians 2:6
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…
You may be wondering how this scripture relates to our feet! Please take a moment and close your eyes. Picture heaven and God seated on the throne- then, picture Jesus seated next to Him on his right hand side. Then, picture another seat next to Jesus – and put yourself in it next to Him. Take a minute and look around you- ask Jesus to show you how he sees- and look where your feet are and what is under your feet- What do you see? Jesus died and rose again so that when we believe in Him, he takes us with him in our Spirits and seats us next to him, giving us the same vantage point as him. We can ask to see as Jesus sees and crush what Jesus crushes. The things of the world are under our feet. For example: the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 15:25-27- For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he has put everything under his feet. Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. The enemy of Jesus is Satan, just like he is our enemy. Jesus never puts God’s creation under his feet, he longs for us to be his friends. So, as we think about sitting next to Jesus in the heavens, which is where you sit at this very moment, you can know that all the powers of darkness are under your feet. You have the same power and authority through Jesus to overcome evil. But when we get up and walk, we can march and trample the enemy! Step on its head!!
(please refer to the resource below on keeping the enemy under your feet) it will give more insight and increase discussion or give more revelation and understanding
Resource:
What are some things that you want to pray for? Take a moment and think about things in the Earth you want to see change. Maybe they have things in their families they want to pray for. Let this be a moment where they understand they are powerful and when they pray, God hears them and answers.
Examples: poverty, hunger, anger, hatred, confusion, sickness
Write them down and pray out loud over them as a class. Your prayers are powerful! Your prayers are like stepping on the enemy’s head! Jesus is praying with you! He will answer with yes, no, or just wait on Him.
Lesson Five
Shepherd and Sheep Hear His Voice
Key verses: John 10:1-18, Psalms 23
We know we can hear Him through several ways: His Word, the Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and spending time in prayer.
- Poster/Printable: ‘God Speaks Through’ Childrens Poster • MinistryArk
- A good fill-in-the blank form to investigate how God speaks to us using Scripture: Sunday School: Hearing God’s Word: How God Speaks to Us
- Or, check out Pinterest for more inspirtation: Psalm 23 Crafts
For all ages to listen to- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viBQE_scYbE
Read John 10:1-18
Discuss and Learn:
Who or what is a shepherd? There are still shepherds today in small communities around the United States and other countries. They take care of the flocks of sheep! They protect them and lead them to places where they can eat and drink. A shepherd uses a staff to lead the sheep. The shepherds lead the flocks from the corral through the gate into open spaces for the day, and then back again into the safety of the corral at night so that outside predators don’t eat them or harm them.
What do you think happens when one sheep gets lost or forgets to go with the herd? The shepherd goes to find it and leads it back to safety. A shepherd is committed to their flock and is the one responsible for guiding the sheep, protecting them, and attending to their needs.
Think about a corral- it is made to give the sheep a safe place to roam freely within safe boundaries. Jesus, through the Word of God, gives us a corral to move about freely in safe boundaries. We don’t have to worry as long as we are with Him. That is why Jesus says that He is the gate to safety (John 10:7-8). He warns us that if someone tries to go into the corral through some other way, they are a thief, and are only there to harm us. It is important to know that the enemy always only comes to kill, steal and destroy you, but Jesus came so that we may have life and have it in full. (Vs. 10)
This video is pretty hilarious (how to herd sheep)–has a good part about how to free the unstuck sheep and how to gently get them to go where you want them to go–short and sweet and humorous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNVmP0280I4
Interesting fact:
From the mountains of the American West to the highlands of Peru and Chile, you’ll find shepherds tending flocks of thousands of sheep.
January: Light Causes Darkness to Flee
Light
Key verses:
Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world, A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.
John 8:12 “I am the light of the world: he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Genesis 1:1-5 ; 2 Corinthians 4:6
Does water separate from oil? How do you know? Can you see the difference? Hold on to those thoughts and let’s look at Genesis 1:1-5. It is probably a familiar passage to you, but we are going to discuss it a little further than maybe you have heard before.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day (NASB)
When we hear this verse, we think, “oh yeah, this is God creating the Earth!” It seems basic enough! But, if we think about it, God actually brought light into the darkness and then it says he separated the light from the darkness. He made a clear distinction between the two. The very first thing he did before anything else, was show us that there is a big difference between dark and light, and night and day.
Now let’s look at 2 Corinthians 4:6
6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (NASB)
The same light that he spoke into being in the beginning, to separate the light from darkness, is the same light he put in us. He filled us with the Holy Spirit to separate us from darkness!
1Thessalonians 5:5 says, “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness…”. When we choose to believe in Jesus, He delivers us from the darkness and sets us apart! This light gives us His knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to know that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
It is what makes us different from the world. We live in the world, but we are not of this world! We are lights in a dark place, made to shine and show the difference! Our knowledge and understanding of the light of Jesus and the light within us is what gives us firm footholds in places where it could be easy to slip!
Jesus holds a standard. Today, a flag is raised to show what a country or organization stands for. We hold Jesus as our standard and because of it, all the world knows that when you walk into a room, wherever there is darkness, you bring light!
The light of Jesus, which destroys the darkness, shines through us when we walk and talk like Jesus. The more we seek Jesus and long to live the same way he did, the more opportunities we have to bring light to people who are in darkness.
What is Jesus’ standard for us?
What is the light that God put in us when we chose to believe in Jesus? The fruit of the Spirit. They are already in us- what are they?
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Activity:
Design a flag that shows what you stand for! Do you stand for peace? For gentleness? For self-control?
White Flag Emoji coloring page
Triangular Flag Emoji coloring page | Free Printable Coloring Pages
Resources:
God Separated the Light from the Darkness – From These Shores
Science activity to demonstrate light and darkness:
Light and Darkness Experiment | GCED | Object Lesson
Picture of a green pasture:
Can you picture yourself here, with a picnic blanket and some food? It is quiet, peaceful and you can hear the water running and the birds singing. The provision of peace. We are going to talk more about the path later and what that looks like. But for now, we know that a path of righteousness is a place of peace and provision.
Discussion: Rod and Staff
Let’s talk about the rod and the staff. How in the world are a rod and staff supposed to comfort us!?
We have also been talking about how Jesus is our shepherd. He is good, kind, loving, comforting, and He is The Light.
The staff has many purposes! It is a big stick. The shepherd could rest on it, as sheepherding requires lots of walking and standing. . Similarly, Jesus is our staff:we can always lean on Him for support and He will hold us up. When we are tired or weary, sad, or lonely, He is there to rest on. His truth strengthens us from becoming hopeless.
The staff is also used to pull the sheep from harm’s way. If a sheep gets stuck, he can use the crook of it to help them be free and lead them back to the herd. The staff is not a tool for harm, or control, but for resting, protection and for leading the sheep.
The shepherds gently nudge the sheep back on the path if they start to wonder. God is so good that He will always be gentle with us. He is not an ogre waiting for us to mess up, He already knows we will. Remember, we live in a fallen world, but He sent Jesus so that we can always have light in the dark, through grace and repentance back to him.
The rod sounds like something we should be afraid of, but it is used for love and protection. Sometimes it is used to protect the sheep from danger,like a baseball bat!! If a predator comes to try to harm a sheep, the shepherd would use the rod to hit the predator, and defend the sheep. Amazing!!
It can also be used to count the sheep: as the sheep walk under it, the shepherd keeps track of them. Jesus is the same!! He is our good shepherd. His staff is his word- it leads us and guides us. It will always pull us away from harm and it keeps us on track, on the path of righteousness.
Picture of Rod and Staff:
Resource for Rod and Staff
Understanding Psalm 23: What Do the Staff and Rod Actually Mean? | by Steppes of Faith
K-2- Video- Ewe know- How the Shepherd protects when you are afraid- 25 mins
EWE KNOW: Are Ewe Afraid? (Full Episode)
Jesus is the light lesson plan – Elementary age
https://ministry-to-children.com/jesus-is-the-light-lesson/
Sermon on the Mount:
DLTK’s Bible Activities for Kids Sermon on the Mount Games and Puzzles
Treasures in Heaven Coloring PDF
February – The Path Right and Wrong
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Bonus February (for the extra days in the month)
Week One: Salt
Key verse: Matthew 5: 13-16
Salt and Light
Quick lesson science lesson on salt if you want to use it:
19 Amazing Benefits of Sea Salt | Organic Facts
Salt is used for preserving foods, like meat and other items, adding flavor, and for healing! When Jesus said we are the salt of the Earth, he meant it to mean more than just adding flavor to the world. Our bodies need salt to properly balance sodium and potassium. Our hearts will not work if they do not have the proper balance.
Christians can preserve life by speaking and telling the gospel; they can promote and give nutrients through wisdom that God has given them, and they bring healing to hearts, souls, minds, and bodies through telling the truth of Jesus.
It is very important to note that not all salt is the same. Have you ever heard of iodized salt and sea salt? Iodized salt starts as sea salt, but it gets processed, and bleached, and has iodine added to it.
It does not have all the same qualities as pure sea salt. Both pure sea salt and iodized (table) salt have health benefits for our bodies! It preserves our health and can bring healing in many different ways! Sea salt can come in a variety of colors also, depending on where it is made in the ocean and what minerals it has most.
Table salt has iodine added to it which helps people with their thyroids and has helped decrease babies being born with hyperthyroidism, which can cause serious health problems. In the early 1900’s, iodine deficiency was a huge problem, so they used salt to deliver more of those nutrients as it was a low-cost way to help people.
The benefits of sea salt are a bit more different: Sea salt is obtained directly through the evaporation of seawater. It is usually not processed, or undergoes minimal processing, and therefore retains trace levels of minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium and other nutrients.
Each of our experiences when partnered with Jesus are like the different colored sea salts! Depending on our life experiences, we see different ways to bless others: to add flavor to their lives and help preserve (take care of) each other.
Jesus wants us to be like salt, pure in heart and bringing his word to the nations!
Salt also flavors some of our most favorite foods like French fries, popcorn, steak, and even watermelon! Did you know that salt also brings out the sweet flavor when you are cooking? Try salted caramel or salted chocolate! Do you like french fries without salt? They become bland without seasoning!
Jesus wants us to bring flavor to life! Our lives are so much better when we bring the word of Jesus with us because following Jesus makes for a great adventure! There is nothing boring with Jesus! Jesus through his death on the cross puts new life in people!
Activity (Plan in advance)
Using Colossians 2:8 to explain what it means to lose your saltiness, bring the different salts for the students to look at. Study the salts in water and see the differences. How does it relate to how we can be like Jesus?
Video: Elementary, but it has great demonstrations in it
SALT OBJECT LESSON – You are the Salt of the Earth – Matthew 5:13 eo:
Activities:
Salt Of The Earth Group Group Activities | Sermons4Kids
Bible lesson for elementary age
Key verse: Psalm 23:5 My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Week Two: My cup overflows
Have you ever overfilled a cup while pouring a drink? It just goes everywhere right!? We think it is a mess, but when God overflows us, we don’t create a mess, we bring blessing!
David is saying that not only has God given him power by anointing him, but we have also been given more than enough for everything He is doing and going to do!
The same is true for you! God doesn’t just give enough, just the right amount! No! He gives more than enough!
The story of Jesus giving fish and loaves is a great example. There were over 15,000 people to feed, including the women and children, listening to Jesus speak. Many people forgot to plan and they didn’t bring food. They were so excited about listening to Jesus that they lost track of time. However, a boy was there with food. But he only had a little. He gave what he had to Jesus. His heart was to serve and share- and what did Jesus do? He thanked God for what was given, and then it multiplied!
It didn’t just grow to give everyone there just 1 fish and a piece of bread, it multiplied so much that there was food left over! 12 whole baskets full of food! That is more than enough and everyone got to eat until they were satisfied!
Jesus wants you to have more than what you need because it is never just about us as individuals, it is always about being a blessing by sharing so that others can experience the love of God!
When God pours into us- we must pour out and give what we have or we cannot receive more! We can become stagnant in how we think, or what we do. It is important to give, because it is always better to give than to receive! As we give, more just keeps coming! David was telling us that God is a provider of blessings for himself and others!!
Coloring:
Free Printable Psalm 23 Coloring Pages for Kids – ConnectUS
Activities:
An Overflowing Cup – Creative Youth Ideas
🐑 FREE Printable Psalm 23 Bingo
How can you let your cup overflow and let your light shine? What has God given you to pour out to people around you? Make a list of things you can do to bless others and try them this week!
Week Three: Path
Proverbs 3:5-6 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.
Have you ever gone hiking? Or horseback riding? Skiing? Anywhere that has signs saying “stay on the path”? Why do you think those signs are there?
Usually the path has been tried and tested by people who have knowledge of the landscape. They have put safety measures in place so that you can have the freedom to enjoy your walk, bike ride, or skiing. You know that you will not run off the edge, or go into poison ivy, or any other unsafe matter. Wisdom says to stay on the path marked out.
There is an understanding to trust what has been laid out before you and acknowledge the right way to go is the way you should stay. When we put our trust in Jesus, and follow what he says is the right way to live, then we stay on course because He has gone before us removing the obstacles and making it fun and safe! No one ever came back from getting poison ivy, or a broken arm and said it was a great decision and fun to adventure out of the path.
What does it look like to stay on the path? What does that mean?
If we acknowledge how Jesus teaches us in the Bible, and we are not just hearers of the word but doers, then we will stay on the path marked out for us. For example, let’s go back to one of our previous lessons in Matthew 6. Where should we store up our treasures? Do we choose to love money or God? You can only serve one. The love of money is the root of all evil, but the love of God will give you eternal life, immortality. Which one sounds better!? How do we choose to love God? By serving others, taking care of our temple, which is our body, loving our enemies, giving to others, keeping our thoughts on things above. Do you remember Philippians 4:8? All of these things are called being planted on the solid rock of Jesus. When we do what is right in the eyes of God, and not man, then we stay on the right path. When we read Proverbs 4:26-27: Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are true. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. It helps us to understand not to go off the path marked out for us. If we do, it’s only one step back to Christ in repentance.
What happens when we decide to go off the path? Why would you want to go off the path? Curiosity, peer pressure, rebellion or not caring about the path, thinking you know better (pride) Think about skiing, or going past a fence line on a cliff? Or maybe not so drastic, but just off the path in a forest? What are some of the things that can happen?
List: get lost, fall off the cliff, break bones, die, get bit by a snake, run into a bear, or run into wolves.
These are the things that don’t sound fun. Do those things make you think twice about going off the path? If we do go off the path, we can get hurt. But Jesus! That is what makes the path of righteousness a place of freedom in safety! Jesus came so there is grace and forgiveness. Repentance is a word that means to change our mind. If we have chosen to go off the path marked out for us, all we have to do is acknowledge that we made a mistake, and ask Jesus to forgive us, then turn our direction in our hearts and thoughts back towards Jesus! The best part is that Jesus doesn’t make us go back through the dark places or scary parts of the unmarked path, he just puts us back on the right path automatically. Then as we give our hurts and pains to Jesus, that is when he fills those places with his liquid gold love! Just like the jars we saw pictures of! Jesus is so good! Proverbs 16:20- Whoever pays attention to instruction, prospers; blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQTPVPhbG_A
Activity: Play a trust game- have a blindfold- and let someone lead you- make an obstacle course
This can be used for all ages- but is geared for 4th and 5th
Sunday School lesson with Activity of obstacle course
Different perspective on Proverbs 3:5-6
Coloring pages and Maze
Proverbs 3:5-6 Bible Verse Maze Activity Printable
Bonus Lesson: Lesson on trusting Jesus- 6 Minutes
PING PONG BALL OBJECT LESSON about TRUST – Proverbs 3:5-6
Scriptural Word Searches:
March: God is our way-maker
Week One: What is the Path of Righteousness Like?
Proverbs 4:18-19
The path of righteousness is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble.
The dawn is the first appearance of light before the sunrise. The light that glows in the sky just before you can see the sun. If you get up early, like at 5:30 or 6:00a.m., sometimes you can see this.
This light doesn’t hurt your eyes, it is just enough to make out the trees, the walkways, the direction you are standing! Isn’t it beautiful? This is when you can begin to hear the birds sing! They say “Wake up everyone! It is going to be a beautiful day!”.
His mercies are new every morning and you are a new creation in Christ! Let’s go and bring peace and life to everyone around us!
In Biblical times there was no electricity! So their night times were very dark–they didn’t have the city or street lights making it brighter, they only had the moon when it was out!
They were relieved when morning came with the first glimpse of light because it meant they could fully see again! They could see inside their rooms and they could see how to go about their day! We know that as the day goes on, it gets brighter and brighter. That is what this verse is saying.
As we walk on the path of righteousness, our lives get brighter and brighter, more blessed, more revelation and understanding and more full of peace.
That is how it is with God! God is showing us that when we walk on the path of righteousness, there is light for us to see. We can see what is ahead, what is around us and we can ask God to lead us and see the way!
The next part of the Scripture talks about the darkness of the wicked ways. Those are the ways of the world, the ways that seem right, but are not, and the things that God says to stay away from.
What is wickedness? Wickedness is defined as: “evil or morally wrong, intended to hurt someone or something, extremely unpleasant”.
What does it say about wickedness and wicked ways? They are in deep darkness. They cannot see what makes them stumble. The world does not understand the ways of God. They do not see it as light or freedom, but they think it is better to choose their own way. They do not understand that if they stay on the true path of life, there is freedom, fun, and safety.
The enemy lies to them, the same way he lied to Adam and Eve in the garden. He made them question God’s word, that they are better off making their own decisions apart from God and they are wiser on their own. We all know how that ended for Adam and Eve!
Remember that when we have Jesus in us, we are light, and God’s word is light to us. We can show those in darkness where the light is through love by speaking and living in truth!
Today, let’s remember this: God wants us to stay connected with Him so that His light can grow around us. We grow in wisdom and understanding and we flourish in brighter light as we walk on the path of righteousness!
Activity: Paint, draw, color the dawn or a sunrise
Coloring pages:
I AM the Light Coloring Page – Flanders Family Homelife
Mountain Landscape Coloring Book Adult Kids Stock Vector (Royalty Free) 1663099327 | Shutterstock
Landscape and Nature Coloring Pages-Print or download for free – Razukraski.com
Hymn by Charles Wesley for Proverbs 4:18
Christ, whose glory fills the skies
Week Two: Saul’s Conversion/ Transformation
Acts 9
We have read the letters of Paul and even memorized one of the ones he wrote in Philippians last year, Phillippians. 4:8. He was a man of great wisdom and love for God, but this was not always so.
God has always been in the business of redeeming His creation and pulling them out of pits, and Paul was one of them. He wasn’t always Paul. At first, he was Saul.
Not the Saul in the Old Testament that chased David, this Saul was just as bad, if not worse. He was Saul, a religious man, and he thought that killing people who preached about Jesus was what he was supposed to do. Then one day Jesus appeared to him on the path he was walking on and transformed him.
Read the story of the conversion of Saul- Acts 9:1-18
Discuss:
Paul was on a journey, on a path. He was going to Damascus, and was planning on arresting people who believed in Jesus.
Was his path in the path of righteousness or wickedness? Did he walk in the light or the darkness?
The best thing about Jesus is that while we are still in the dark, still sinning, He will show up with His light and show us a better way! While Saul was walking, Jesus showed up! In the Bible it tells us all that happened, but today, what we need to grasp are a few things:
- While we are in the middle of our sin and heading to do more, Jesus is pursuing us and will show up
- No one has done too much sin that can stop Jesus from forgiving, and leading them onto the path of righteousness
- Jesus doesn’t stop loving us when we are sinning
We can look at Saul and see ourselves. Sometimes we don’t know we are sinning, we think we are doing the right thing. But then Jesus shows up and gives us revelation and understanding that what we believe or are doing is wrong.
He transforms us from old thoughts and old ways to new one! When God shows up, the Holy Spirit is always with Him and He whispers to our hearts and minds and says, “Don’t do that anymore”, or “Don’t go there anymore”. We feel convicted.
Conviction is of God, but condemnation is not. Condemnation makes us feel embarrassed or ashamed or guilty. Romans 8:1 says “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. We are free in Him. When we choose to repent, it is like we come out of the chrysalis and become a beautiful butterfly!
Did Saul do too much sin? He murdered innocent people and looked for people to kill. We would think that is just too much sin. But Jesus came so that all would have the opportunity to know Him and go to heaven because He does not want anyone to be separated from Him. So we can learn from Saul, that there is no sin, no wrong doing, that is too great for Jesus to forgive and give someone another chance to live on the path of righteousness.
Jesus never stops loving us when we sin or make mistakes. Some sin, like Saul did, is not known to us or understood, because we are blinded and don’t know the truth. We don’t understand that what we are thinking or doing is actually hurting us and hurting God.
Even when we are doing things on purpose and make decisions to purposely sin, like lie, or hurt someone, Jesus, God the Father, and Holy Spirit, all still love us. They love us so much they do everything to give us the opportunity to see them. But, just like Saul, if we don’t see them, then Jesus will show up with all his light! He will call to us and remind us who we are and who we came from. Remember the Lord said that Saul was his chosen instrument to carry his name to the Gentiles and their kings! He was telling the people around Saul who Saul was. He was chosen. So are you. You are God’s chosen one, the one he loves.
Last, but not least. God put a passion and a fire in his heart for living with conviction of his truth. He wanted people to live the way he thought was right. The problem was that Saul was believing the wrong thing. As soon as Saul had the scales fall off his eyes and he could see clearly, his passion for living right lined up with God’s perfect idea of how to live!
Then, Paul used his passion to tell others about Jesus so that others could also see the light and see clearly!! God never wastes anything. In Romans 8:28 it says that God works ALL things out for those that know him, love him and are called according to his purpose and plan! Guess what? That is you!
The story of Saul shows us the power of Jesus and the amount of love He has for each one of us even when we sin. He makes us victorious over the sin and puts us back on the right path so that we can be blessed and bless others with His light! God is so good!!
Are there sins in your life that you need to lay down at the feet of Jesus? If there are, tell your teacher or write them down and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Then thank Jesus for taking your sins on the cross with him and for setting you free. Tell Him you don’t want to do that anymore. He loves you so much!
Activity: Use the life cycle of a butterfly and label the eggs as God’s plan: to grow and to become more like Him as He changes us, forgives us, and renews our minds!
Coloring pages
WILL UPLOAD PDF OF SAUL IF WE USE THIS
Butterfly and Caterpillar | crayola.com
Let Your Imagination Fly Away With 25 Free Printable Butterfly Coloring Pages
Butterfly Life Cycle Paper Plate Craft – Buggy and Buddy
Lesson References:
Jesus Transforms Saul’s Life (Paul’s Conversion) Ministry-To-Children Bible Lesson Plans for Kids
Saul’s Conversion (Elementary Lesson) – Ministry Spark
Key verses – Exodus 13: 17-22, 14:13-31
Week Three: Smoke and Fire (after Spring Break)
In our last lesson we discussed how God separated the darkness from the light on Earth and how He separated us from the world because we are the light! Today we are going to learn about how God used smoke and fire to light the way for the Israelites to be safe and also how it separated them from the Egyptians that were running after them!
In the time of the Old Testament, the Isrealites were slaves to the Egpytians and God didn’t like it. He told Moses to tell the Pharaoh to let His people go. So he gave the pharaoh 10 opportunities to let God’s people go. Pharoah didn’t obey until the very end.
God led Moses and the Isrealites around by the desert road toward the Red Sea to protect them from war. As they were traveling vs 21 says:
“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people!
That is amazing! God knew the people were afraid and didn’t know where they were going, so He remained with them the whole time, revealing the way to go by day and night. God is good to us. He never leaves us or betrays us, and He is always guiding us by the day and by the night.
As they were escaping Pharoah and his army, the Isrealites came to the Red Sea, Moses lifted his staff, and God separated the waters. He sucked up all the water from the sea so they could walk on dry ground. It says there was a wall of water on both sides of them as they passed through.
Right before they crossed, Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.”
As they walked through, God knew the Egyptians would follow after them. The angel that was in front of the Isrealites went behind them and the pillar of cloud also moved behind them, which went between the armies of Egypt and the Isrealites.
Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near each other all night! When all the Isrealites were safe on the other side, God had Moses stretch his staff over the sea and all the armies of Egypt were swallowed up by the water and drowned.
That is an amazing testament to our God! From the very beginning God made it so we would be separated from the darkness and have light to see who he is, where is and where he is taking us! Just like the Israelites, we also can watch God fight for us. He will keep us in the shadow of His wings like it says in Psalm 91 and protect us from the enemy while at the same time, leading us with light to where we have peace, joy, and an abundant life in Jesus Christ!
Song: Based on Exodus 15:21
Upper Elementary and Middle and Highschool- it has a video- it might be ok for the younger grades- but you decide
The Horse And Rider (I Will Sing unto the Lord) Exodus 15
Elementary Activities:Each of these have different activities from different ministries
God Led His People Through Moses Bible Activities | Sunday School Zone
Exodus Pillar Of Cloud | Kidadl
Exodus Lesson 3 | Christian Faith Art Journaling and Bible Study
April – Firm Foundation
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week One: Jars of Clay Covered in Grace
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Romans 3:22-24
Teachers- you may want to bring some jars or vases, different containers as a visual- I am including pictures.
We have spoken of how God has filled us with His light, that He lights a way for us, that a lamp is not to be hidden but seen, and that God fights for us.
Let’s talk a little bit about how God sees us as jars of clay. We know that Adam was made from dirt of the Earth, and so we are also made from the Earth. Even females that came from Adam’s rib, because his rib came from dirt.
When God made Adam, He formed him, and He made him into the shape of the vessel he saw fit. Then He filled him with the breath of God, life. In case you do not know, a vessel in this sense is a container.
Look at yourself and say “I am a vessel made by God.” If we are made in His image, we are perfectly made vessels.
Which brings us to 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 Jars of clay
Remember how God said before let His light shine out of darkness, and He shone His light into our hearts to give us the light of His knowledge? Well, that treasure is in jars of clay, us.
It says, “But we have this treasure in earthen containers [jars of clay], so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed;
The answer to all these things is found in Romans 5:1-5. When we are feeling hard pressed or confused, Paul tells us that those things produce perseverance, then character, then hope. Hope does not disappoint us because God poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. He has filled us with His Spirit, His life, His wisdom, His truth, His strength, knowledge, and His creativity.
All of these things are what He poured into us.
When you think of ceramic, clay pots, what comes to mind? A potter? God is our potter. He has a wheel in front of Him and designs us as the perfect vessels for each season in our lives! Sometimes the potter has to squeeze the clay, or flatten the clay, or carve on the clay for design.
God fashions us for our purpose! But sometimes, we get hurt, chipped, or cracked, or we make mistakes and it feels like we are broken and there is no hope. With Jesus, there is always hope.
He is the one that came to restore, redeem, reconcile, recompense. He came to fix it all and make beauty from broken things and ashes. He came to heal those hurt places.
There is a pottery in Japan called Kintsugi that represents this very well. I believe God gave someone a gift to see this and show us in our natural world what He does in the spirit world for us!
When God made us and created each one of us for the time we are alive, He knew there were going to be bumps, and rough places, and that we would all fall short of the glory of God. He knew that after the fall, we would never be perfect until we met Jesus in heaven, so through Jesus we have grace.
Grace is when we don’t deserve to be forgiven or given a gift but we are favored and loved and so we get it anyway! When we make a mistake, it puts cracks in our hearts. It can be a big crack, or a hole or a small fracture, but when we let Jesus come in, He pours His love into those places and He heals them. Then, we are stronger than before and those are some of the places that shine the brightest!
In order to be moldable clay for God to work in us and through us, we have to stay humble in our hearts and trust that God is good. When we hear His voice, or see the good things He is doing for us, and we obey, it causes us to walk in the path of righteousness. Even when we fall down or get hurt, if we give that to Jesus, He will heal us so that we can keep going.
The important lesson is to remember that you are created and fashioned exactly how God’s creative mind saw you, as a beautiful, purposed vessel to pour out all He pours into you! When you feel weak, He is strong and if you let Him,, He will fill the weak places with His love.
All ages
Activity: Use clay pot template or let them design their own. Have them color it and thank God for how He created them to be a vessel to pour out God’s love. If they have hurts in their hearts, have them draw cracks or chips on their pot and give them time to spend with Jesus so that He can heal their hearts. Ask them to give those places to Jesus and then color in the cracks and chips with gold crayon, paint, or markers.
There are pictures below of examples for the discussion
Video of Potter and Wheel:Jeremiah 18:1-4
The Potters Wheel | Jeremiah 18:1-4
Video of a Potter making a pot
Making / Throwing a Spherical shaped Pottery vase on the wheel
Coloring pages: Pot Templates
Large Clay Water Pots Colouring Pages Clipart – Free to use Clip
Printable art templates, Flower pots, Flower crafts
Week Two: Level Pathways
Psalm 119:105 The word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
We have been learning how knowing the truth in God’s word, the Bible, leads us in the light on the path of righteousness.
In Psalms 143:10 is a prayer that we can always pray: “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness.”
When we pray and ask God for this, He will always give us understanding and direction so that we can accomplish his will.
The best thing about asking God to teach us and make level ground for us to walk on is that He answers us! Do you remember the story of the Isrealites being freed from Egypt? God made a way for them to walk on level ground! Not even just level ground, but dry level ground!! He did the same again when they had to cross the Jordan River. He held the river back and they walked across dry, level ground again!
In Isaiah 26:7, it says, “The path of the righteous is level, You, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth”.
God makes it smooth for us. He not only lights our way to show the direction to go, but He will make it smooth and remove the obstacles for us! When we choose to want to walk in the path of righteousness, then God will help us have a peaceful life.
It won’t always be easy and He doesn’t promise we won’t face problems, but He does always remind us that He has overcome the world and we don’t have to be afraid.
He will make a way for us! Remember, we have to trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on our own understanding! (Proverbs 3:5-6) When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will make our path straight and smooth for us!
Maybe the path we are on is a very tall, rough mountain, but what God does is make it smooth and more like rolling hills.
Kind of like learning to ride a bike. At first it is difficult, but you get help. Maybe your mom or dad helps hold the bike on the side or from the back because you can’t balance yet. But since they are holding you up, you begin to learn how to balance and then sooner than later, you are riding on your own.
That is like the paths we walk on. Sometimes what seems real hard or impossible in our own mind or in our own strength, God says, “Here, let me help”. He then gives us understanding or we meet people that can help us. He will always help you reach your destination!
What about running long distances? Can you just start running marathons without training? No! The thought at the beginning seems like you are climbing a huge mountain that you will never make it to the top! But, as you train, little by little, the mountain becomes a smooth, level road because you are preparing yourself over a period of time. God always makes a way for us even when we think there is no way!
It is difficult when we try to do things on our own strength. If you just keep trying to learn how to ride the bike alone, without help, sure, you may learn, but it will be more difficult. Possibly you will fall and hurt yourself or decide to give up.
God is our strength and our helper. When we keep ourselves humble and ask God to help, He will help, then the path doesn’t have to be so hard.
Activity:
Think about something you would like to do that is difficult for you right now. Write that down or draw a picture.
Then, write Isaiah 143:10 on it and give it to God:
“Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level [a]ground.”
Ask Him to help you accomplish it. Ask Him to make a smooth path for you to do what is difficult in your own strength and tell Him you want His strength.
Week Three: When God Called Abram
Genesis 12:1-9, 22:15-18
Have you ever had to do something new that was kind of scary? Like move to somewhere new? A new house? School? City? State? Has anyone moved from a different country?
The story of Abram is just about that! This is a story of God calling someone into something new so they could be blessed and bless others!
In Genesis Chapter 12, it says the Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
Can you imagine being told to leave everything you ever knew and were comfortable with to go somewhere new without where you were going? That is what God did to Abram! But God also told Abram what He was going to do for Him if chose to obey and listen.
God gave Abram 7 promises:
- I will make you into a great nation and
- I will bless you.
- I will make your name great, and
- You will be a blessing.
- I will bless those who bless you, and
- Whoever curses you I will curse; and
- All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
What do you think about those promises? Those are an amazing gift don’t you think? What if God asked you to go somewhere or do something you didn’t know but He told you He would give an incredible gift when you went? Wouldn’t it make you want to go!?
It took a lot of faith and trust in God for Abram to obey. Abram knew God was the same God of Noah! What do you think he learned from Noah about God? That if God says to do something, even if it looks ridiculous, or people make fun of you, or it just doesn’t make sense, you do it!
I am sure Abram had the thought that like Noah, “If I obey, I will get what God has for me. He is faithful to provide, and bless. He loves me the same way He loved Noah.”
Later on in Genesis, after Abram becomes Abraham, God tells Him another promise! Abraham was tested in his faith with his son Isaac. When Abraham proved that he trusted God, God sent an angel to tell him this:
“By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:16-18, NASB).
Take a minute and think about the galaxies the Hubble telescope. Think about the amazing photos taken with the James Webb Telescope. How many stars do you think are in these galaxies?
Now think about the beaches- and how much sand is on the seashores? More than we can imagine!
This is what God promised Abraham because he was obedient to take and walk the path God asked him to take! God is faithful and He never leaves us and He always does what He says He will do!
As we have been talking about the path of righteousness, we have discussed many different kinds of paths. Sometimes God gives us a path that we are not knowledgeable in or it may look a little scary when we think about going on it. For each path God asks us to go on, we can always know there are promises of blessings for us when we go!
Now that you know the promise God gave Abraham, I want you to know that you are one of the promises given to Abraham! You are one of the stars God was talking about! When God told him his descendants would be blessed and numerous, He meant you! You are one of Abraham’s descendants, one of hisvfamily members.!
Today, let’s make a decision in our hearts that when God asks us to go on a path, even if it is hard or scary, that we will go because we know that God is good and faithful and always blesses us with more than we can imagine!
Activity: On the Activities, have the student write that I am a promise
16 Cool Galaxy Crafts for Kids of All Ages
FREE! – Galaxy Colouring Sheet
Letter P for Promise coloring page:
Letter P Coloring Pages Printable
Song: I am a Promise- Veggie Tales
Week Four: Lifts Us Up
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Sometimes we get tired. You know when we are walking on the path of righteousness, sometimes it can be difficult. It is difficult sometimes to remember to make the right choices and to stay on the right course. At times we may just want to give up, or maybe the enemy says it would be more fun to get off the marked out path.
Sometimes we are angry or frustrated!
That is when God comes in and lifts us up! Yes, he lifts us up over the problems, over the hard places and helps us fly! Not usually, literally, but He always wants to support us. He never gets tired so He can always help us when we are tired!
Read Isaiah 40:28-31.
What does this scripture say God does for us? It says when we have our hope in the Lord, He renews our strength, and then we will soar like eagles! We will run and walk and not get weary or faint!
What does that mean? What does renew mean?
Renew means to make new spiritually, by the renewal of our mind reading his truth in the scriptures, God’s word.
That is what God does! He encourages us, and reminds us of the promises He has given to us! He exchanges our weakness for His strength and brings our hope alive again!
Remember Abraham? He had a long journey, and I am sure he grew very tired and maybe at times he wanted to turn around, but God reminded him of His promises. What did God tell Abraham to look at to remember His promises? The stars!
God gave Abraham something to remember His promises–they were front and center even during the day when they weren’t visible!
God did the same thing with Noah. The rainbow was the sign that God gave Noah, and us, that God promised to never flood the whole earth again. It was a promise proving that God understood the pain and loss the earth had experienced and that He loved its inhabitants.
What about you? Remember that thing you wrote down or drew a picture of that you prayed over and asked God to help you so you didn’t do it in your own strength? Have you been working on it? If not, that’s ok, but God wants to encourage you in it!
As we are faithful to continue to work on what He has given to us, He is also faithful to help it come about! The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness.
Let’s talk about the eagle in the verse, Isaiah 40: 28-31. God speaks of the eagle quite a bit in the Bible. God protects us like a mother eagle protects her baby chics. But He also says that we are like eagles: swift, strong, powerful, and able to fly above the storms.
When a storm comes, the eagle will go to a high place, wait for the wind, and catch a ride above the storm because they know that is where the peace is. God is always calling us higher so we can see how He sees things. He is calling us higher so we can have peace.
Think about a thunderstorm or a hurricane: outside is not too peaceful. However, above the clouds, there is peace and sunny skies! The eagle doesn’t get to escape the storm, but they use the winds of the storm to rise up above it. Their position and view changes. They still see the storm, but they have a different perspective.
It is the same for us. When trouble comes or things are not going so well, if we ask God to raise us up, He will help us see a different perspective.
Maybe a friend is hurting our feelings and we need God to show us how to love them so that both of you can find healing. Maybe a parent is having a hard time because they need a new job?
You can ask God to take you and your family higher so that you can see where God is taking you and so that you can have peace as you wait to see what He has in store for you.
Sometimes God will take us higher to shake us up so we can see differently. Sometimes we can’t see past where we are comfortable. Sometimes our emotions are in the way.
You know when you get angry or sad or frustrated? Those are human storms. And human storms, human emotions, are totally okay! God created us to have all the emotions–even the hard ones! But God also wants to be present with us when we have those feelings. God lifts us up when our paths are tiring and we forget sometimes who we are. God is the everlasting God that never grows tired or weary and He is always fighting for us!
Hero 6 new perspective video:
Tadashi: “I’am not giving up on you”
Song: Raise Me Up
you raise me up – josh groban with lyrics
Everlasting God – Isaiah 40:28-31
Lincoln Brewster – Everlasting God
Activity:
Make a kite
3rd-6th and higher
Easy Pop Up Kite Craft For Kids
Eagle crafts and coloring pages:
Handprint Bald Eagle Craft For Kids [Free Template]
Pom Pom Bald Eagle Craft for Kids – The Soccer Mom Blog
Bald Eagle 1 Coloring Page – Free Printable Coloring Pages for Kids
Back to the beginning of April
May: God is Faithful
Week One: Promises of God: He is faithful to His word
Key verse: 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”
Key verse: Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Key verse: John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Key verse: Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you: I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
We have learned over the school year that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path. We have also learned some of God’s promises to us. God makes 7,487 promises to humankind in the Bible!
Remember how God speaks to you because His sheep hear His voice? When He speaks to you, there is also the promise to you that He is faithful to complete what He has promised. The more you read the Bible, the more you will see and understand how much God loves you, leads you, longs to be your friend, and is the truth.
God’s promises always point to His identity and tell us who we are in Him. He is always reminding us who He is and who we are in HIm. If we know God’s promises over us, then it makes a pretty big, hard shield around us!
Let’s review the promises that we have learned so far:
- The peace of God guards our hearts.
- We are light
- God determines our perfect path
- He equips us
- He gives us what we need
- He takes us higher than the storms
- We carry peace through his Holy Spirit
- Following God gives us spiritual health
- The enemy is under our feet
- We sit with Jesus in the heavenlies
- God speaks today through his HolySpirit and reading the scriptures
- We are children of the light and the day
- He is our waymaker
- He makes beauty from ashes
- The Word of God is our lamp
- He transforms us and makes us new creations by the forgiveness of our sins
- The light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it
- He never leaves us
- Man doesn’t live on bread alone, but by the word of God
- He strengthens us
- God is faithful
- We hear his voice
- He is our shepherd
- He is our provider
- He gives us peace
- We have nothing to fear
- He protects us
- He has a place for us
- We are a royal priesthood
- He multiplies what we give
- He always pursues us
This is 31 total–can you think of any more promises we learned about?
Week Two: His Promises Build Our Foundation
Have you ever watched a building or a home being built?
It is a long process, but the most important part of the building process is the foundation. Why do you think that is? It must be able to hold up everything that is going to be built on top of it without cracking and without crumbling.
Today, we build houses a little differently than they did during Jesus’ time. Back then, they built them brick by brick and stone by stone. They each had to fit just right in order for the next one to be stable.
The first stone laid was a cornerstone. It was to measure out the distance of how large the house would be, but more importantly, it marked the geographical location by orienting a building in a specific direction. In other words, the cornerstone was the determining factor for how that house would stand and which way it would face. Sounds interesting right!?
That means that it determined which way the owner would walk in and out of their door and what they could see from their windows. Sounds like it marks out the path for the owner right? That’s what Jesus is for us! He is our cornerstone.
There are several scriptures that tell us about our cornerstone:
Start with Ephesians 2: 19-20 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the [a]saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone…”
Then, Acts 4:11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone.”
Here, we see that Jesus is named the cornerstone.
Knowing Jesus and His ways is our cornerstone. When we believe that Jesus was and is the Son of God and He died for our sins and rose again, that is the beginning of our foundation. It sets a mark for us to know which way to face and walk.
Jesus is the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. The Rock of Ages!
When we fix our eyes on Him, He leads us in the right direction on the path of righteousness. As we learn His truths, repent, and accept the promises of God as truth for us, each one becomes a stone of faith that builds our character to become more and more like Jesus!
God’s promise to us in John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (NASB)
He promises us that just by believing in Jesus, you and I set our course for everlasting life through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. That is our promise and our cornerstone! That means when our bodies get old and don’t work anymore, we meet Jesus in heaven and He gives us new ones! We live forever with Jesus! I think that is amazing! If you have accepted Jesus in your heart and believe what John 3:16 says, then you are headed in the right direction and you are being built with truth!
Song: Cornerstone
Cornerstone – Cornerstone – Hillsong Live 2012 – (HD) (With Lyrics)
Firm Foundation
Cody Carnes – Firm Foundation (He Won’t) (Official Lyric Video)
Activities:
Have a rock the students could decorate that says Jesus on one side and cornerstone on the other
Construction VBS Cornerstone Sign Craft Kit – Makes 12 | Oriental Trading
Pin on Sunday School lessons and crafts
Coloring pages:
Bonus–Promise: All I Need
2 Peter 1:3-4, “…for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.” (NASB)
God has given us everything we need! There is nothing lacking in you. We just have to obey what Jesus says to do!
That is a long scripture, so let’s break it down a little bit:
First, by knowing God and Jesus, by learning through His written and spoken word, we have everything we need to have life and godliness. Godliness in this scripture means power and authority over the enemy to live how God has called His followers to live. Then it says we have these things because we are made in His image of glory and goodness.
Then, through our knowledge of Him and being created in Him, He gave us His precious promises. We have discussed some of His promises! Through knowing and believing these promises, we can partner with God in bringing His goodness to the world around us. This scripture is a promise to us that He has given us everything we need and that we can trust God and know He is faithful to do what He says He will do!
Let your light shine! You are created in God’s image, and you sit with Jesus in heavenly places! You have power and authority in Jesus Christ to make the darkness disappear and by knowing Jesus you will walk on the path of righteousness! The path of righteousness will lead you into all the promises that God has for you in your life and you will live a blessed and abundant life, the one Jesus died for! You are loved and highly favored! Be blessed!
Song: Toby Mac
TobyMac, Blessing Offor – The Goodness (Lyric Video)
The Blessing by Kari Jobe
Elevation Worship – The Blessing (Lyrics) ft. Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes
Salvation Prayer:
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10, NIV)
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Now, help me to live for you the rest of this life.
In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
Please be sure if a student gives their life to Jesus that all the others are ready to celebrate with them! It is a joyous occasion and all the angels throw a party for new believers!!