Eternal Life Insurance

October 9, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

THE ETERNAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, the largest, oldest, and most reliable fire and life insurance company, offers a policy which is strictly equitable; it operates all over the world (John 3:16), and its management has never changed. It insures a man for more than he is worth.

The only insurance against loss in the great Judgment Day fire (Rev 20:15).
The policy is non-forfeitable and never expires (John 10:28).
The dividends are most liberal, being 100% in this life and in the world to come life everlasting; therefore, there are immediate as well as future advantages (1 Tim 4:8).
Each member personally gets the benefits, being made immediate possessor of immense wealth and the inheritance is entered into later (1 Pet 1:4).
The distribution of profits will shortly take place and a bonus will be paid for the manner and spirit in which the instructions have been carried out, whether the person has been a long or short time insured (Rev 22:12).
Premiums are much lower than elsewhere (Isaiah 55:1). There is no extra charge for bad lives (Matt 9:13), and no reduction for good lives (Rom 3:22). This insurance is within the reach of all, as the premium has been fully paid in advance by a gracious, rich Person (2 Cor 8:9).
There is only one Medical Officer and He is continually looking out for individuals wishing to be insured. He accepts all who apply, whether healthy or sick, even the diseased and dying and those who have been refused by other companies (John 6:37). However, people who “have no souls” can not apply.

OFFICE HOURS: Today (2 Cor 6:2, Heb 3:7). Tomorrow may be too late (Prov27:1). Companies offering policies after death are not reliable (Heb 9:27).
PAID UP CAPITAL: Unsearchable riches (Eph 3:8).
REAL ESTATE: An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away (1 Pet 1:4).
ACCUMULATED FUNDS: Inexhaustible (1 Cor 2:9).
CASH IN BANK: Gold trieth in the fire (Rev 3:18).
SURPLUS: Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20).
BURIAL EXPENSES AND CARE OF DEPENDENTS: After one is gone to heaven they need not trouble anyone who is insured in this Company (Mat 6:24-34, Deut 34:6, Jer 49:11).
CONDITIONS OF POLICY: Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

All applications must be made to the President through the Adjuster (John 14:6).
President–King of Kings (1 Tim 6:15).
Adjuster–The King’s Son (John 3:35).
Solicitor–The Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
Agents are wanted. Each member is commissioned as an agent and none but members are authorized.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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Object Lessons

Pumpkin Prayer

October 8, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Large pumpkin and a carving knife.

Object Lesson on Prayer

{cut off top of pumpkin}
Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards}
Remove the things in my life that don’t please you.
Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes}
Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose}
I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth}
Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle}
Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do. Amen

By: Liz Curtis Higgs
Source: http://www.sunday-school-lessons.com/pumpkin.html

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Object Lessons

Peter Pumpkin

October 8, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Theme
When the light of Jesus, shining through us flickers and goes out because of sin in our life, Jesus’ death can restore that light.

Materials
One pumpkin, ready to carve, sharp knife, candle for inside of pumpkin, matches

Procedure
Have children offer their suggestions on how to carve a face in the pumpkin. Proceed to carve a mouth, nose, and two eyes. Insert the candle and light.

Story
“Now let’s pretend that this pumpkin is one of our friends. Let’s name him Peter Pumpkin. Pete Pumpkin is in (pick a grade or class that matches your group) like us.”

Peter woke up one morning bright and happy and ready for the day. His light was shining and he felt good. Let’s see what happens Peter’s day.

“Oh, Peter!” cried his mother, “Did you remember to brush your teeth this morning?” “Yes, Mother,” Peter lied. He really hadn’t brushed his teeth, but if he stopped to do it now, he’d be late for school! So Peter lied. Peter’s mouth wasn’t shining quite so brightly any more. (Put the mouth piece from the pumpkin back in the mouth hole)

So Peter went on his way to school. He felt kind of bad lying to his mother, but he wasn’t going to let it spoil his day. When he got to school, some of his friends were playing with the toys already. Peter went over, too, but they had already started using the ones he wanted. (you can adapt this to be art supplies or whatever matches your group) Peter wanted the toys too. When one of the boys left, to go talk to his teacher, Peter took the toy. Oops, there goes part of Peter’s happy face. (insert eye piece)

Continue with similar stories for the remaining parts of the pumpkin face, each time, inserting another piece until the whole face is back in place. Watch what happens to the light.

“Peter’s light has gone out. His face is all dark and sad now.”
(Relate this to sin in our lives.)

“There is a way for Peter’s face to get bright and happy again. It’s the same way that our sin can get taken care of. Do you know who helps our sin?”

With the answer of “Jesus” –carve a cross into the other side of the pumpkin. Pop out the face pieces again, and light the candle.

“With Jesus in your life, your light will never go out. The Bible tells us that Jesus is our light and that when He shines through us, our sins are forgiven and His love shines through instead!”

Relate how we may still sin (at this point put the pieces back into the face, except the cross) but with Jesus, the light will not go out–He is with us always!

Use your “Christian Jack-O-Lantern” at home and shine the cross out the window on October 31st. A witness for all the passers-by!

(originally from *Karen Schuster, Redeemer Lutheran–Flint, MI)
Source: http://www.sunday-school-lessons.com/pumpkin.html

Looking for some icebreakers for your party or event? My eBook, “IceBreakers Ahead: Take It to the Next Level” found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com
not only provides 52 of the most world’s popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes life changing lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

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Children's Sermon

Perky the Orange Pumpkin

October 8, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Once upon a time, there was a little orange pumpkin named Perky. One day he looked around in the pumpkin patch and saw that all his friends were orange. He thought he would like to be some other color. So he sat up proud and said, “I’m a pumpkin round and fat, (make a round shape with hands) and I can change my color (point to self) just like that!” (on that, snap your fingers)

All of a sudden, at the snap of his fingers, he was a green pumpkin. Green as the grass. Perky went to play with the other pumpkins, but what do you think happened? His friends did not see him because he was the same color as the grass. He was disappointed. He didn’t think it was fun to be a green pumpkin. So he said, (encourage the children to join in and repeat motions as above) “I’m a pumpkin round and fat, and I can change my color just like that!”

And then what color was he? He was blue, all over! Blue like the water and blue like the sky. Perky was so proud of his pretty new color that he decided to go for a walk and let everyone admire him.

He came to a little pond of water. But do you know what happened? Perky leaned over to look at himself and kerplop! Splash, he went into the water. Poor little Perky did not know how to swim. He was scared. He called for help. He called so loudly, his friends came rolling over to help him. They looked in the water but they could not see him because he was blue like the water.

Luckily, his friend, Timothy Turtle came swimming by. He told Perky to climb on his back. Timothy Turtle gave him a safe ride back to the shore. Perky thanked his friend for helping him. Right there he decided he didn’t want to be blue anymore. So he said, “I’m a pumpkin round and fat, and I can change my color just like that!”

And what color was he then? He was yellow like the sun. He was so proud of his new color. He decided to go back to the pumpkin patch and show his friends. Well, when his friends saw him they laughed and said, “You look silly.” How do you think that made Perky feel? He felt embarrassed and sad. He decided to show them and make himself into a better color. So he said, “I’m a pumpkin, round and fat, and I can change my color, just like that!”

And what color was he then? He was red, red like an apple. He began to go back and show his friends, when he saw people coming to pick a special pumpkin to take home. He thought for sure that he would get chosen because he was such a beautiful color red. But the people walked right past him. They looked at all the others and said “This one is nice and round and fat, AND such a beautiful ORANGE color.” Many of Perky’s friends found new homes that day. But not Perky.

Perky decided he didn’t want to be a red pumpkin anymore. He decided he didn’t want to be yellow, or blue, or green either. Do you know what he thought? He thought he would just like to be himself, round and fat and a beautiful orange color – maybe he would find a nice home like his friends. So Perky said, “I’m a pumpkin round and fat, and I can change my color just like that!” And what color do you suppose he was now? A beautiful orange!

Just then a family came to the pumpkin patch. The children got out and ran to Perky. “This is the best one we’ve seen all day.” Said the little girl. “Can we take him home, please?” Said the little boy. And they scooped Perky up in their arms and took him home. Now Perky was a very happy pumpkin just being himself. Just the way God made him – an orange pumpkin.

Source: http://www.sunday-school-lessons.com/pumpkin.html

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Object Lessons

Jack O’ Lantern

October 8, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Create a Halloween lantern with stars for eyes, the Christian fish symbol for a mouth, and a cross for its nose. Then pass out the following poem (source unknown)

Jack O’ Lantern

I am a Jack O’ Lantern
My lights will shine so bright
For I’m a Christian pumpkin
My symbols tell what’s right

My nose is like the cross
On which our Savior died
To set us free from sin
We need no longer hide

My mouth is like a fish
The whole wide world to show
That Christians live in this house
And love their Savior so!

The story starts at Christmas
My eyes are like the star
That shone on Baby Jesus
And wise men saw from far

My color, it is orange
Just like the big bright sun
That rose on Easter Day
Along with God’s own Son

And so on Halloween
Let’s set our pumpkins out
And tell the trick or treaters
What God’s love is all about!

Looking for some icebreakers for your party or event? My eBook, “IceBreakers Ahead: Take It to the Next Level” found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com
not only provides 52 of the most world’s popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes life changing lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Object Lessons

Connecting with Friends

October 8, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Obtain a ball of string or yarn.

Description
In this creative learning activity, the string or yarn serves as an object lesson illustrating the relationships and friendships we have with each other.

Activity

Sit the group on the floor in a circle.
Holding firmly to the string, toss it to a person in the circle.
The person receiving the string must name a quality (of the person who tossed it to him/her) that makes them a good friend.
The person receiving the string, holds firmly onto the string and tosses the ball on to another person. The string should be held above the ground.
Continue until everyone has received the string at least once and said at least one quality of a friend that the person who tosses it to them possesses.
You will have a spiderweb representing our relationships.

Discussion
What makes a friend is the connections we make, the events and experiences we share, the discussions we share. Eventually, if we fail to share with each other or if we do things that “break” the relationship the friendship begins to fall apart.

“What do you do to be a friend and to have friends?”
What kinds of relationships do we make?
Using a poster board or whiteboard, make a list of the qualities your group mentions.

Application
This list will probably include: time spent together; listening to each other’s problems, sharing joys and sorrows, and sticking together no matter what happens. Most things we include on “how to be a friend” can be an essential part of a developing relationship with Jesus Christ. He’s not just a band-aid for the rough times, but wants to be with us always.

For a variation of this activity see “Hold All Things Together”

Devotional

A Happy Heart

October 7, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

The Bible says,
“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” -Proverbs 15:13

A cheerful heart is good medicine. Laughter, as an expression of joy, is essential to our physical and emotional well-being. Dr. Hendrie Weisinger’s manual on anger management, “Dr. Weisinger’s Anger Work-Out Book”, warns that if our daily total is less than fifteen laughs, including three belly laughs, we are under-laughed.

Laughter and humor are essential for coping with life, for relieving tension, and for keeping things in perspective. A noted theologian wrote that we resolve the ambiguities of life with faith and humor. When it comes to daily living, around the office or the home or the classroom, we need a combination of faith and laughter in abundance!

Followers of Christ know full well that some days do not bring much happiness. But we experience joy that no circumstance can touch. In an increasingly despondent world, believers can lead lives of joy mixed with laughter. As Grady Nutt said, “Laughter is God’s hand on the shoulder of a troubled world.”

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Food for Thought

Honey from a Thorn

October 6, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

Bernard Malamud wrote “Life is a tragedy full of joy.” Later, Josh Billing agreed and wrote, “Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends upon what you are made of.” Then, Louis Ginsberg wrote: “Life is ever since man was born – Licking honey from a thorn.”

How do we make a life worth living?
Fear less, eat more …
eat less, chew more …
Whine less, smile more …
talk less, say more …
Hate less, love more …
and “take along a little bit of honey!”

Mentoring Youth

A Mentor is like a Conductor

October 4, 2006 kensapp Leave a comment

A mentor helps the protégé to find his own unique voice, and freedom to sing that melody in his heart. He sees each life as an instrument and within each heart a potential melody. Each life “is rich with its own musical notes, rhythms and themes.” The mentor helps the protégé to discover the sweet harmonies and to discard the dissonance. He helps the protégé overcome the times of deafness and compose a grand symphony of the soul. He helps him to release the waiting song within. Each life is a new song on which he uses notes, rhythms, harmonies, and melodies in combinations that have never been used before. Ultimately, the job of a mentor is to help bring out what in already there. .

Sometimes their moving melodies diverge and at other times they are again rejoined in harmony. Sometimes the timing is out of sync and the notes are flat. There may be moments of discord, but the music continues and, with it, others draw near to listen. In time, as each plays his part, the Composer’s manuscript will be heard as he intended–as a grand symphony of life.

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