Worship and Worry

November 17, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

“It was early in the morning in another country. Exhausted, I awoke around 3. The name of someone I loved dearly flashed into my mind. It was like an electric shock. Instantly, I was wide awake. I knew there would be no more sleep for me the rest of the night. So I lay there and prayed for the one who was trying hard to run away from God. When it is dark and the imagination runs wild, there are fears that only a mother can understand.

Suddenly the Lord said to me, ‘Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises.’ Now, God has never spoken to me audibly, but there is no mistaking when He speaks.

So I turned on the light, got my Bible, and the first verse that came to me was Philippians 4:6: ‘Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God’ (italics mine). And verse 7, ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

Suddenly I realized the missing ingredient in my prayers had been ‘with thanksgiving.’ So I put down my Bible and spent time worshiping Him for who He is and what He is. This covers more territory than any one mortal can comprehend. Even contemplating what little we do know dissolves doubts, reinforces faith and restores joy. I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in the first place. I even thanked Him for the difficult spots which taught me so much.

And you know what happened? It was as if suddenly someone turned on the lights in my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries which, like mice and cockroaches, had been nibbling away in the darkness, suddenly scuttled for cover.

That was when I learned that worship and worry cannot live in the same heart.”

Source: Ruth Bell Graham “It’s My Turn”

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 Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for a variety of familiar holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Humor

Both of Them

November 17, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the butcher is just locking up when a man begins pounding on the front door.

“Please let me in,” says the man desperately. “I forgot to buy a turkey, and my wife will kill me if I don’t come home with one.”

“Okay,” says the butcher. “Let me see what I have left.” He goes into the freezer and discovers that there’s only one scrawny turkey left. He brings it out to show the man.

“That’s one is too skinny. What else you got?” says the man.

The butcher takes the bird back into the freezer and waits a few minutes and brings the same turkey back out to the man.

“Oh, no,” says the man, “That one doesn’t look any better. You better give me both of them!”

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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Food for Thought

The Man Who Never Reads

November 16, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

“The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.”

(Charles Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries, NY: Sheldon, 1876, p. 62)

Teaching Illustrations

ABC’s of Thanksgiving

November 16, 2005 kensapp 1 Comment

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of “Camp Complaining”
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o “thank” is a command
U ntil we see Him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e’ll run the race with gratitude
eX alting God most high
Y es, there will be good times and yes some will be bad, but…
Z ion waits in glory…where none are ever sad!

Cindy Blackamore

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

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Object Lessons

Baby Pictures

November 16, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Obtain baby pictures of different people in the groups. Allow participants to attempt to identify the various people by their baby pictures.

Application
Parent’s have great expectations for their children. Every child is a bundle of potential. As they grow and mature, they discover their abilities and ultimately their place in life.

A youth group, in many ways is like a baby. It starts out small, and it doesn’t know its abilities or where it fits into God’s picture, but as it grows and matures, God has a plan for it. If it a baby did not grow and mature we would be very concerned, but we seem content that our youth group never grows.

We must realize, a youth group cannot survive separated from the family of God any more than a baby can survive separated from it’s family. And as a baby grows, it’s identity is shaped by its family.

Discussion
1. So where does the group fit into the family of God? In what ways can it grow and mature? What is it’s potential? What is God’s plan for it?”
2. How can you apply this object lesson to your personal spiritual life? In what areas have you grown a lot? In what areas is your spiritual growth been stagnant? How would you describe yourself as a Babe in Christ / Child of God?

Variation
This object lesson could be used for care groups, just substitute “care group” for “youth group.”

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
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Food for Thought

How to Observe Thanksgiving

November 15, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on Jesus instead of yourself.
Glory to His Wonderful Name!

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.” – 1 Chronicles 16:8

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

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Creative Teaching Ideas

Touch It

November 14, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
None

Activity
Call out the name of an object in the room. Youth / Children must rush to touch it. After they understand the mechanics of the game, eliminate the last person to touch the object.

Applications
The world often pursues after objects and material things. As soon we get the latest fad, the world calls out something new as the object of our pursuits.
1. What are some of the things the world considers important pursuits today?
2. What are the top pursuits in your life?
3. Matthew 6:33 – The things of God must be our primary pursuits in life.
4. Deuteronomy 4:29 – Seek God himself
5. Psalm 27:4 – Seek to be in the presence of God
6. Psalm 34:10 – We will not lack anything when we seek God.
7. Matthew 6:19-21 – Store up your treasures in heaven
8. Luke 12:15-21 – Parable of Jesus regarding earthly pursuits.

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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Teaching Illustrations

Memo from God

November 14, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

– Author Unknown

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

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Devotional

Autumn Season of Life

November 13, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

At the root of God’s agenda is this promise. Think of it as a guarantee. The One who started ‘the good work within you’ won’t leave the task unfinished. At the end of the course, God won’t get an ‘incomplete.’ For sure, He won’t fail! Remember, it takes four seasons to make a year.

The autumn season of your life may be uncomfortable. Unemployment might be your lot. Or a broken romance. Perhaps you are grieving over a recent loss. Maybe you’re lonely. Or hungry. Or cold. You feel anxious about those ugly clouds on the horizon that indicate an ominous tomorrow. The winds of adversity are picking up and you feel afraid…

‘The roots grow deep when the winds are strong.’ If autumn, the season of reflection, has come, expect your roots to deepen. Count on it. Yet, be assured of this, the Lord God specializes in roots. He plans to deepen you and strengthen you. But He won’t overdo it. He is sovereignly and compassionately at work. We are more impressed with fruit. Not God–He’s watching over the roots. We like the product, He emphasizes the process. And painful though it may be, ‘He who… began…will keep right on…until His work…is finished.’

So we can boldly declare, ‘Come wind, come weather, welcome autumn!’

Source: Charles R. Swindoll
“Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life”

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Object Lessons

Briefcases

November 13, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
1. As many smart-looking black executive brief-cases as you can borrow; inside each one place a clear plastic bag with something unsavoury in it, such as a squashed tomato, an old sandwich or a broken biscuit; molded bread, curdled milk.
2. A well-worn, old-fashioned brief-case; inside this case put a wallet or some cash. Alternatively you can use a wallets or purses.

Object Lesson
1. Talk about executive brief cases and the image that they convey, pretending that you have always wanted one. Compare the smartness of the cases you have borrowed and take a walk with each one, looking very important and pleased with yourself. Make fun of the old briefcase.

2. Open each nice executive briefcase and express horror as you reveal the contents.

3. Pick up the old-fashioned brief-case and discuss how this old thing could not possibly contain anything interesting or worthwhile. Open it and take out the money with complete amazement. Who would have thought? Something valuable inside an old case like this?

Applications
1. I sam 16 – God does not judge by appearances, what is on the outside, but by the heart – what is on the inside.

2. 2 Kings – In the Northern Kingdom, God was concerned with the internal disobedience of the Isrealites. He was concerned with the fact that they did not put away their idols. For Isreal, their new golden calves were like the executive briefcase- Looks great, but they led to the decay of Israel. They left corruption and disobedience in their hearts. Their faith had become old, seemingly forgotten and they did not believe they could find anything worthwhile in it.

3. Many of todays youth view Christianity in the same way as the old briefcase. They are raised in a high tech, ever changing world. Whatever is new, sleek, and attractive is in. Whatever is old is out. For many of them, their faith has become like the old ragged briefcase. They do not believe that anything worthwhile can be found in it. Yet if they were willing to really look into it they would discover that inside it lies the greatest treasures. Just because something is old doesn’t mean it isn’t of great worth. Like Israel many of today’s youth run after every new fad and exciting new discovery only to realize later that they were hollow if not destructive.

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