Awesome Plan for the Future

Last Lesson of Part 2.

Memory Verse
"...Because you and you only are holy,
all nations will come and worship you..."
-Revelations 15:4

Awesome Plan for the Future
a. God's plan for the future will blow your mind
b. Some may think it's a bit strange or scary
c. if we're on God's side we don't need to worry.
(place a larger/stronger helper on one side of the stage, and a small/weak helper on the other side. Get a child from the audience and ask him who he'd feel more safe with. The child will obviously choose the larger one. Use this illustration to show that we're safe with Jesus!)

1. Our future
a. Those who believe in God have nothing to fear
b. We will go to Heaven to be with Jesus

2. Others' future
a. Those who don't believe in Jesus have something to fear
b. They will reveive judgement for their sins.

3. You choose your destiny now.
a. You make the choice of where you go.
b.You must Admit you are a sinner, Believe that Jesus died and rose again for your sake, and Confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior of you life.

Altar Call
Now that they've heard maybe a little of the End Times, pray your kids for Salvation. This is the last given oppourtunity with this curriculum for salvation (unless you choose otherwise).

Awesome Plan for Me

Here we go! Lesson 2, part 2! Enjoy!

Memory Verse:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
-Jeremiah 29:11

Awesome Plan For Me
a. God is the Master Planner
b. God has a plan for you

1. Plans for Happiness!
a. God wants you to be happy
b. God would never plan for you to be upset.
c. sometimes we are unhappy, but that's not due to God's plan

2. Plans for Success!
a. God wants you to succeed.
b. God doesn't plan for your failure
c. We may lose sometimes, but, as we go with the plan, we'll win eventually.

3. Messing with the Plans
a. (pull out a blue print) Though God has a plan for us, we also make plans.
b. When our plans are different than God's we tend to do as we want. (begin to color on blue print)
c. Eventually, we get so caught up in our plans that lose sight of God's.

Altar Call
Pray with kids that they will find God's plan for their lives.

Awesome Plan (Lesson 1)

Here's lesson 1 of the 4 lessons in "Awesome Plan" (the 3rd of 3 parts in my curriculum AWESOME.)

Memory Verse:
"God is sovereign, God is fearsome— everything in the cosmos fits and works in his plan."
-Job 25:1

Awesome Plan
a. God is the Master Planner.
b. He has everything timed and lined out as it should be.
c. His plan is always perfect.

1. Awesome Plan for Me
a. God has an awesome plan for your life
b. He wants you to succeed.
c. God would never plan for you to fail.

2. Awesome Plan for Jesus
a. God had a plan for Jesus
b. Because Jesus carried out this plan you can be forgiven
c. Jesus did want out of plan but ended up true to it.

3. Awesome Plan for the Future
a. Revelation talks about the future.
b. Those who are taken in the rapture won't die!
c. The rapture is coming soon!

Altar Call
Pray with kids that they'll ask God what His plan is, learn to see His plan as perfect, and that they'll follow it to the letter.

Awesome

Taking a break from Acts. I'm in the process of writing a children's church curriculum entitled "Awesome". I have 9 lessons to write before the end of the month, so I'll post some scriptures and notes here as we discuss, for the next couple of days, our Awesome God.

This first lesson is on God's Awesome love. The verse I'm using as my basis, otherwise called the memory verse, is Ephesians 5:2... well part of it.

"Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant."

Awesome Love
a. Christ loved us very much.
b. John 3:16 says that because He loved He died for us.
c. (Read Isaiah 43:1-4) Explain that Jesus would go through all he did again even if you were the only one.
1. Wimpy Love
a. man's love doesn't come close to the love of God.
b. (Pull out balloon) man's love is like a balloon. (blow it up) It grows over time. but the slightest accident (pop balloon) can shatter it.
2. Supernatural Love
a. God's love is anything but wimpy!
b. (pull out the taped balloon) God's love is like this balloon. God was swelling with love for you before you were born. (poke the tape on the ballon, it won't pop!) But God's love doesn't end!

Altar Call
Pray with kids who need Jesus, have ever felt unloved, and kids who have trouble showing love like Jesus did.

Thanks for reading my kids sermon! The curriculum will be written before long! I might even post some videos that'll be in use with it! Next we'll Talk about God's AWESOME PLAN for Jesus!

Master Plan

Before I begin I must confess that I have been tempted to stop my studies of the Bible for mere enjoyment. I have given my time to myself instead of my God, and I'm sorry.

Imagine a blue print that spans the width and vast expanse of time, each moment drawn out for every person exactly how it needs to be. God has your life planned out. He knows what needs to happen for you. But then you come in with your red pen and begin to draw in your own schemes. Eventually, you've completely altered God's vision for your life and now you are screwed. Things always work out well when God plans, but things don't always work out right when their our plans.

Saul had a plan for his life and he was living rich and large. But what he was doing was killing people. Blood money created his fortune. Saul was screwed. His future, that he'd created for himself, was Hell. However, Jesus appeared to him, on the road to Damascus and asked him why he killed Christians. Saul was blinded by the light and his followers had neither seen nor heard a thing. so they took him home. At his house Saul met Ananias, a prophet, who laid hands on him. God healed Saul (who changed his name to Paul) and Saul went out preaching and writing letters. About 13 of his letters made it into the Bible a great example is his letter to the Romans (the book of Romans).

Anyone can alter God's plans, but God can correct anyone's alterations.

Miracles!

At the time of Acts 8, Paul (then called Saul) was slaughtering Christians and so all the Jesus-followers were running for their lives. As they ran the ministered reaching as many as God provided for them. This may be why God allowed Saul to kill so many christians, because in running they got to spread the Word.

Phillip, on his fleet, rode in a chariot with an eunuch... don't ask... He was reading form Isaiah and had some questions and

The Messenger

"I wandered through the voices, the shouting, the screaming. They rose up like trees in a forest. I could barely tell where I was, much less where I was going. Then the trees parted and I saw my Target. I had a message for Him and He had one for me. I was all too excited to deliver it when I stole a peek at what it was."

Stephen was was in deep trouble after spreading the Word of God. Many people gathered against him and decided to stone him. Stephen didn't let their threats get him down or stop him. In the midst of them stoning him, he prayed for Jesus to take his life. Stephen got a reply: a vision. He saw Jesus, siting at God's right hand.

In the short story above, the messenger is Stephen's prayer. I used the story to help you see an interesting way of prayer. God comes to help us in our times of need. God loves us and hears us, finding our prayers through the cocophony of our world's insane ideas and beliefs.

Don't feel as though God won't hear you. Don't feel as though God wont come when you call. Stephen, though he died, was an example of an answered prayer.

To read the whole thing, go check out Acts chapter 7 at www.ibs.org.

Brace Up!

If you've heard of the band 21:03, then this song (Brace Up) will be ringing through your head all day. If you haven't go to iTunes and check it out.

In Acts 6, The people got to pick 7 people to be the leaders/teachers of the Greek-speaking believers. So they picked seven people who were "full of the Holy Spirit and good sense". One of which was Steven (the first martyr!).

Peter and the other disciples laid hands on the seven and asked God's blessings on their lives and ministries. And so the seven went out and ministered, doing really well.

I've already expressed to you the importance of being a campus missionary, now I'm telling to brace up! You have to be spiritually prepared for the attaks of the enemy. Satan doesn't want you to succeed, but his power is nothing compared to God's! When you ask God to prepare and help you as you minister you can be sure that he will.

Steven was brought into trial, falsely accused by bribed-actors, and yet the council couldn't pass judgement on him nor take their eyes off of him. Steven's face shone like an angel's because he was in God's hands of protection.

You can go out into the world knowing that you are protected because God is with you. Jesus loves you and holds you very dear to his heart. God wants you to minister, to show others His love, to help others in need. Don't be afraid but minister in love and compassion for the name of Jesus.

Just One Touch... if that....

I began reading reading Acts 5 and was happily surprised to find that it began with the story of Annanias and Saphira. I love that story because when I was in Elementary school, I saw a puppet show that portrayed it in a very funny way. But that's not what I wanted to talk about... sorry....

In Acts, chapter 5, Peter is ministering and reaching the masses. The power of God flowed through him and people desperatly sook his teachings. The bible says (In Acts) that people would gather on the streets hoping that Peter's shadow would touch them. Just Peter's shadow brought blessings and healing from God.

It's like this. If God blessed a blanket, people would gather beneath that thing and wear it out, deperate for the blessings. If God blessed a well, people would drink it dry. People want God's blessings.

BUT! Later on in the chapter, Peter was being arrested by the chief and his goons in the temple. There's no doubt that many who'd gathered beneath Peter's shadow were there. What did they do? Nothing. No, wait, they probably ran.

What I'm saying is that how can we ask God to stand up for us and help us out when we won't stand up for Him?

Great Wolf Lodge!

Sorry there's no spiritual teaching today. :( But I'm in the Gr8 Space arcade at Great Wolf Lodge. As the name suggests it's great! Internet access, Rock Band, and Madden 09 all in one room! Plus the secular music blasting through the sweet surround sound (I'm trying not to learn the lyrics tho). Overall, this is really awesome.

If you ever get the chance, check out Great Wolf Lodge in TX! It has a sweet indor water-park! It has a Pizza hut! It also has multiple activties, like an average arcade, a vitrual Magician game/movie-thingy, and a spa.

... anyways....

I'm having a blast celebrating my friend Evan's birthday and the deep spiritually moving lessons will return Monday! Have a great weekend, I will be!!!

the big Four-Oh!

No life lessons today or tomorrow due to lack of time and vacation. But I figured it would be cool to note that this post is my 40th post on blogger! I'm so happy! Thanks for reading my blog! New posts begin Monday!

Bold Colors

Have you ever walked into a room and the room was painted in the brightest, weirdest colors available at Lowes. Then on one wall is the word "COLOR". In black.

This person is making a statement, in a very odd way. But it is definitely bold. Very bold.

Christians need to be bolder; maybe not as bold as this color lover, but still bold enough to be called extreme, weird, or different.
We shouldn’t be afraid of being called different or ashamed of the truth that we are. We should shine a light knowing that others need to know Christ like we do.

So go ahead and make a statement! Be different! Be weird! Be extreme! Be Bold! God will help you out and strengthen you and you will be able to stand up and stand out. Take Peter as an example. He prayed, in Acts 4:31, for help and got it:

“While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.”
-Acts 4:31 (theMESSAGE)

-PS: sorry I didn’t post yesterday, my teacher cut me off from the web! Haha! Oh well check out the new Verse of the Week!