Will You Practice Sin or Right Living? Object Lesson for Kids by Tony Kummer
28 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Ministry To Children, Tween/Teen Tags: Christ, David, English Standard Version, God, Jesu, Psalm, Righteousness, Sin
One of my biggest frustrations is when kids know right & wrong but choose to do wrong anyway. This drives me crazy, especially when it’s just a small temptation that wins them over. So, I began to brainstorm a way to teach about the practical effects of sin even when they don’t get caught.
Watch the video below to see a demonstration featuring my son David. You can also click here to add your own thoughts or suggestions for this object lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TspPDjbSGT8&feature=player_embedded
Supplies Needed: One child to volunteer (preferably a kid who plays basketball) and a basketball.
Gospel Connection: Don’t let this object lesson come down to only behavior. This tenancy for all of us to choose sin shows us the need for Jesus. We are all born sinners and practice doing wrong all our lives. It takes the power of the Gospel to remove our guilt and change our inward desires. Then we can begin to practice right living.
Scripture Connection: This can be used with any Bible lesson about doing right or growing in God’s ways. Here are a few Bible verses that come to mind when I think of these truths.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7 ESV)
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)
http://ministry-to-children.com/will-you-practice-sin-or-right-living-object-lesson-for-kids/
Object Lessons from the Movie “Avengers” by Guest Writer Nick Diliberto
28 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Ministry To Children, Tween/Teen Tags: Avenger, Black Widow, Captain America, God, Hawkeye, Jesus, Loki, Thor
I recently took my two boys to see the movie, The Avengers. We loved it! In the movie Thor, Black Widow, the Hulk, Hawkeye, Captain America and Iron Man team up to stop the evil Loki from destroying the world. The Avengers is #1 at box office right now and you can bet that many of the preteens in your group will be going to see it. Why not use it as an opportunity to point kids to Jesus?
Here are some ideas and themes from the movie that you can use to teach preteens about God and Jesus. Use as a guide, insert into an upcoming lesson or as inspiration to write your own lesson.
BOLDNESS
The Avengers all are given special powers. The Hulk & Captain America are strong & powerful; Iron Man can fly and Hawkeye can shoot arrows that blow up things.
When it comes to following Jesus, we need power beyond ourselves. Like superheroes, we are given a special power from God. We may not be able to fly or have super human strength. But God does give us boldness to follow Jesus. Jesus calls us to forgive and forget rather than getting revenge. He wants us to invite our friends to church who aren’t Christ followers. Jesus wants us to do the right thing even when everyone around us isn’t. Living our lives the way Jesus teaches in the Bible takes boldness. And we can’t just choose to be bold. We can’t muster up courage on our own. But we can rely on God’s power to give us boldness.
SERVICE
The Avengers took risks in order to serve the human race. They risked their lives time and time again, with nothing to gain for themselves. They also served each other. Black Widow was looking out for Hawkeye when he turned evil. As a result, he had the opportunity to help defeat Loki and his Alien team. Thor was looking out for his brother Loki, trying to convince him to stop his evil plot.
We might not be superheroes, but we do have opportunities everyday to serve others. Maybe the new kid at school needs a friend or the bully needs some compassion extended to him. If we pay attention, God will show us ways to serve others in our everyday lives. As we do this, we can even imagine that we are a superhero serving mankind!
TEAMWORK
At first, The Avengers had a difficult time working together. They were arguing and fighting each other. But eventually they pulled together, therefore being more effective fighting evil. In one scene, Iron Man & Captain America helped repair the engine of a flying aircraft carrier. They needed each other, not being able to accomplish the task alone.
In life, teamwork is important. When playing baseball, basketball, football or any other sport – teamwork is the key to success. In the church, teamwork is necessary as well. God gives everyone special talents, gifts and abilities that work together to reach the world and point people to Jesus.
Nick Diliberto is the creator of PreteenMinistry.net, which provides creative curriculum and resources for preteen ministry. He is also the preteen columnist for Children’s Ministry Magazine and Children’s Pastor at Seven San Diego Church.
http://ministry-to-children.com/object-lessons-from-the-avengers-movie/
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It’s Not Fair!
20 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Heartfelt Devotional, Tween/Teen Tags: David, Evil, God, Judaism, King David, Psalm, Religion and Spirituality, World to Come
“But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” — Psalm 73:2–3
If you have ever looked around at the world and the child in you screamed “it’s not fair,” then Psalm 73 is for you! You are in good company too. Like most people do at some point in their lives, King David strives to understand why the wicked prosper while the good suffer. In this Psalm, he expresses his frustration, but also his resolution.
The psalmist gives words to the feelings so many hold inside: “This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth” (v.12). We look around and see a world in which many evil people have it so easy.
“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence” (v.13). And then there are the good people, and even saintly people, whose lives bring them one struggle after the next. So what’s it worth? All the prayer, the good deeds, and all the faith in the world – and still they have it tough. Is it all in vain, as the psalmist suggests? Is there no divine justice in the world? Even King David had to ask.
“When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (vv.16–17). Once the psalmist looked at life from a godly perspective, he understood this deeply troubling issue. From our limited human perspective we experience life as physical beings that, on occasion, have spiritual experiences. But the truth is that we are spiritual beings, and for a limited amount of time, we are having a physical experience. We did not come from this planet, and we won’t be staying here forever. We are on a trip until the day we arrive home.
From this perspective we can understand that we don’t see the whole story down here. The “final destiny” of the wicked – and of the righteous – will be decided up there. Our existence in this world is so very limited. However, life in the world to come is for eternity. It’s not easy to suffer in this world, but deep down we all know that it’s our final destiny that matters most.
Next time you find yourself frustrated with the cards you were dealt, remember to S-T-O-P: Stop what you are doing. Take a deep breath. Observe the true reality and shift your Perspective. Then, like the psalmist, you also will be able to find comfort and say “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (v.26).
http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/its-not-fair
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Kidz Topic: GRATITUDE
16 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Tween/Teen
Kidz Topic: GRATITUDE
I will be sharing a variety of thoughts, scripture verses, and “sparkle” ideas
just for kids. Feel free to pass them on to your children, grandchildren, or any
other young people that God has put in your life.
KIDZ ☮ PEACE… I once
read that the biggest difference between people who are happy and people who are
not is that happy people focus on, think about, talk about, and give thanks for
what is good in their lives. Unhappy people don’t. Sound simple? It is!
1. Do you have an ATTITUDE OF
GRATITUDE? When we become “thankful” our attitude changes … Did you
know that it is impossible to have a bad attitude when we thank God in ALL
things – our joys, unexpected blessings, miracles, the small things, and even
the hardships, disappointments, and challenges?
I know it might sound a bit strange but
yes, we can find blessings in all things. Even when we are having troubled
times, we can be thankful in knowing that God is always with us and that He is
in control.
Do you know people who go through life
mad or frustrated about what they do not have? They spend all of their time
complaining and never realize how blessed they are. Sometimes It’s okay to be a
“NOT” person, but only if you consider it a true blessing (see the 4th comment
in the list below).
Here
are a few things to remember about giving thanks…
• Gratitude has to do with our heart
and not how much we have or don’t have.
• When we are happy on the outside it
is based on our circumstances, but when we have joy on the inside it is based on
our attitude.
•
God is the source of every good thing in our life, AND our strength and hope
whenever we face the “not so good” things.
• Concentrating on the “NOTS” can
enable us to see thankfulness from a different perspective (Examples: I am not
homeless, I am not blind, I am not hungry, I am not stupid, I am not alone).
2. What does God’s Word tell
us? When we go to God in prayer and read our Bible we can find words
that instruct us on how to be thankful. Check out these verses: Psalm 69:30, Colossians 4:2, Psalm 136:1, Colossians
3:15, Psalm 100:4.
3. What are you thankful
for? Here are two ideas to help you recognize all of the things that
you are thankful for.
• Gratitude List: Find
a small notebook or journal and try writing down 3 things that you are thankful
for every day. As you write them down, give thanks to God for your blessings.
• Not
Box: Find a box about the size of a school pencil box or shoebox, and
place it somewhere you will see it every day. Anytime you think of a “NOT” that
you are thankful for, write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the box.
Pick one of your “NOT” slips at night and use it as something to pray about. One
example would be: “Dear God, I am thankful that I am NOT
sick.”
Kidz Thought for the Week: God gave you a
gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?” – from
William A. Ward
Keeping you in my prayers. ’til next
week … be thankful in ALL things!
God’s Peace, Donna
KIDNAPPED CHILD FROM KANSAS CITY, MO
06 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Pro-Life, This N That, Tween/Teen
CyberBullying: What Parents Need to Know by Tor Constantino
06 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in Childrens Corner, This N That, Tween/Teen
 |
| Texting is an emerging form of bullying for teens |
As an adult, you’ve no
doubt experienced a “flaming” email where a friend or colleague lashed out at
you or someone you know electronically. What if several people were cc: on that
email as well??
That’s no fun and can be very hurtful to
anyone.
Imagine the impact of that type of electronic humiliation on the
immature psyche of a pre-teenager who’s struggling to fit in? That’s the context
for what sociologists call “cyberbullying”
Cyberbullying, instead of
happening face-to-face bullying, happens through the use of technology such as
computers, cell phones and other devices. Child development experts state that
this type of e-bullying tends to peak around the end of middle school and the
beginning of high school.
Examples of cyberbullying include:
- Sending hurtful, rude, or mean text messages to others
- Spreading rumors or lies about others by e-mail or on social networks
- Creating websites, videos or social media profiles that embarrass,
humiliate, or make fun of others
Bullying online is very different
from face-to-face bullying because messages and images can be:
- Sent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- Shared be shared to a very wide audience
- Sent anonymously
Research on cyberbullying has found that
students involved are more likely to:
- Be unwilling to attend school
- Receive poor grades
- Have lower self-esteem
- Have more health problems
- Use alcohol and drugs
- Skip school
- Experience in-person bullying or victimization
kids deal with this emergent form of techno-bullying:
- Communicate with your
children. Set up a daily time to check in with your son or daughter, and listen
to any concerns about online activities that they are involved in. - Talk specifically
about cyberbullying and encourage your children to tell you immediately if they
see or experience cyberbullying. - Be aware of where
your children go online. Familiarize yourself with the technology they are
using. - Work together and
come to a clear understanding about when, where, and for what purpose phones and
computers can be used. - Develop clear rules
about what is and what is not appropriate online, and decide on fair
consequences when those rules are not followed.
Question: Has your
pre-teen experienced cyberbullying? How did you help them handle
it?
http://torconsblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/cyberbullying-what-parents-need-to-know.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpACgP+%28Comments+and+Questions+of+Faith%2C+Family%2C+Fitness+and+Finance%29
Do You Know What the Constitution Really Says?
15 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, TownHall.com, Tween/Teen
When it comes to the U.S. Constitution, there’s good news and bad news. (And then some really good news!)
Good news first: As the political debates have sharpened over the past few years—since the rise of the Tea Partymovement—more and more Americans are interested in the Constitution. While academics and some limited political circles have always discussed the Constitution and its meaning, it’s striking to see so many ordinary Americans having these conversations—and embracing the ideals of our Founding Fathersand the Constitution itself.
Now the bad news: while interest in the Constitution is growing, few Americans actually know much about what it says. And that has serious downsides. It means that many Americans don’t really understand the rights the Constitution protects or the powers it grants.
For example, in 2009, Oklahoma tested its high school studentson their knowledge of civics—including basic ideas about the U.S. Constitution. They failed miserably. Only 28%knew that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and just 26%identified the Bill of Rights correctly. More than two out of threedid not know that the President heads the executive branch of government and just one in tencorrectly identified the length of a Senator’s term. (This is the fruit of school years spent studying social studies, diversity, and world cultures to the neglect of American history and government.)
American adults—including those serving in politics—fare no better when it comes to their knowledge of the Constitution. In early 2011, the Intercollegiate Studies Institutesurveyedadults and college students to assess their civic knowledge. They discovered that ordinary Americans actually scored higher on their knowledge of the Constitution than the elected officials surveyed. For example, fewer than half of the politicians surveyed (46%)“knew that Congress, not the president, has the power to declare war.” Fifty-four percent of ordinary Americans correctly placed the war power in Congress’ hands. The origin of the famous phrase, a “wall of separation” between Church and state, was more frequently misidentified by politicians than by the public: only 15% of politicians knew that the phrase appeared not in the Constitution but in Thomas Jefferson’s letters, while 19% of regular folks did.
So many citizens are unaware not only of the genius at the heart of the American form of governance but also of its specifics. And that’s a dangerous place for our country to be in. Citizens who do not understand their rights—or the limitations of government—can neither defend those rights nor participate meaningfully in the political process. When the Constitutional Convention ended in 1787, someone asked Benjamin Franklinwhether the young country would be a monarchy or a republic. Franklin gave the famous reply, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
His words hold true today. America is a republic—but all of us must work to keep it that way. How? First, by knowing what the Constitution actually says.
How to Save Your Family: Read the Constitution!
That leads me to the really good news….I’m happy to help Hillsdale in spreading the word that on September 15th, in honor of Constitution Day and our founders’ great wisdom, Hillsdale Collegeis offering a fantastic, free, and easy way for every family to become more familiar with our Constitution: a series of short, but powerful, webcasts called “Introduction to the Constitution.” Simply register at
http://constitution.hillsdale.edu/(or, for an address that’s easier to remember you can log onto www.Hillsdale.eduand look for the promotion) and you’re on the road to informed citizenship.
The Constitution is an amazing document! Your children need to understand this great treasure too—so make sure they watch the Hillsdale series with you (once you sign up you can watch each lecture at your leisure). Another great resource for kids is ConstitutionFacts.com where you’ll find games and children’s activities, and free copies of the Constitution (pay only shipping and handling).
Family by family, let’s cherish our Constitution so that we may continue to enjoy the freedoms that flourish because of it.
Rebecca Hagelin
Rebecca Hagelin is a public speaker on the family and culture and the author of the new best seller, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family.
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The Daily Spurgeon: If our children lose the crown
14 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Charles Spurgeon, Childrens Corner, TownHall.com
The Daily Spurgeon: If our children lose the crown.
Lord, Help me to always pray, and lead my children to that everlasting crown.
