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Kids Bible Blog: choices
Wisdom
TODAY’S SPECIAL: James 1:5-8TO CHEW ON: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5
wis-dom n. [ˈwɪzdəm]
1) The power of true and right discernment2) Good practical judgment; common sense.
Who wouldn’t want wisdom? We all need it for the big and little things which come up in everyday life. Which things, below, do you need wisdom for (can you think of more)?
Who wouldn’t want wisdom? We all need it for the big and little things which come up in everyday life. Which things, below, do you need wisdom for (can you think of more)?
A. How to make friends.B. How to study.C. How to introduce friends to Jesus.D. What spare-time activities to get involved in.E. What to do when teased or bullied.F. What to do when someone else is being teased or bullied.
1.)Who will give you wisdom for these things if you ask for it (James 1:5)?...
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Who’s At the Controls?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Romans 8:5-11
TO CHEW ON: The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
Most vehicles, machines and toys have controls. Can you match the object with its controls?
1. Car ____ 4. Bike ____
2. Computer ____ 5. Video Game ____
3. Canoe ____
The controls on most things are small. But the results of how those things are controlled are big. It’s the same way with our lives.
We determine who and what controls our lives in small ways. It's in the choices we make every day. We can make selfish choices and try to control our own lives. Or we can choose to let God the Holy Spirit control our lives. The consequences of both are huge....
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Tags: Saul/Paul Romans Holy Spirit God’s plan consequences choices
Too Late?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
TO CHEW ON: "Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'” Ecclesiastes 12:1
How sad it is to be too late.- You come to dinner hungry and find the food has all been eaten.
- You come to the garden wanting to harvest a crop and find all the vegetables and fruits are over-ripe and rotting.
- You come to a concert and find you are just in time for the last song.
It’s just as sad to come too God late. In today’s reading, we find out when is the best time to come to God....
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Tags: Solomon salvation God’s plan Ecclesiastes death choices
Those Sparks Called Words
TODAY’S SPECIAL: James 3:1-12
TO CHEW ON: "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:5
Which of these could start a forest fire?- a cigarette butt- a spark from a campfire- a match
If you answered, “all of them,” you’re right! When the forest is dry, the tiniest spark starts a fire which can grow to destroy miles and miles of trees, hundreds of homes, businesses, power lines, animals, and even people.
James compares the words we say (with the help of the little red, wet, wiggly thing in our mouths called a tongue) to sparks that start a forest fire. But can our words really do that much damage?...
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The Money God
TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Timothy 6:6-10
TO CHEW ON: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I Timothy 6:10a
How do you feel about money? Do you have any? How much? Do you earn money regularly? When you get it, what do you do with it? Spend it all? Save it all? Spend and save both?
It’s hard to imagine a world with no money in it. Getting money for a job we’ve done shows us our work is worthwhile. We use money to buy many things we need like food, clothes, a house, and a car. Money is not a bad thing.
But when we love money, when we feel we always need more and think being rich is the most important thing in the world, we are on a dangerous path. Very quickly money can become more important than God. It can become something we worship like a god.
PRAYER: Dear God, help me never to love money more than You. Help me to spend my money wisely and be content with what I have. Amen....
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Tags: worship Saul/Paul money consequences choices 1 Timothy
Taking Advice
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 18:13-27
TO CHEW ON: "Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said." Exodus 18:24
One day Moses got some important visitors. His father-in-law Jethro brought Moses’ wife and two sons to be with him. They had a wonderful family reunion and Moses told them the incredible story of how God brought them out of Egypt
The next day, Moses took Jethro to work with him. Continue telling the story by choosing the best ending:
1. Jethro saw that all day: (Exodus 18:13):a] Moses gathered manna.b] Moses made plans for traveling.c] Moses judged the people.
2. He said to Moses: (Exodus 18:17):a] “What you are doing is not good.”b] “The way you do this is brilliant.”c] “Why are you so lazy?”
3. Jethro had a better way for Moses to do all that judging. He told Moses, he should: (Exodus 18:20-22):a] let people decide things for themselves.b] train others to judge the easy cases and Moses would judge only the hard ones.c] scold the people for being so quarrelsome.
"Jethro and Moses" by James Tissot
4. When Moses heard Jethro’s advice he: (Exodus 18:24)a] listened to it and did what Jethro said.b] argued with Jethro about why he really needed to judge everyone.c] was...
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Sin Germs
TODAY'S SPECIAL: Colossians 3:1-11
TO CHEW ON: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5
Our bodies are surrounded by invisible enemies. Tiny bacteria and viruses live all around us on places like toothbrushes, doorknobs and dishcloths. They are always trying to find places to grow and multiply, and our bodies are great for that. So they sneak into our mouths when we drink, fly into our noses when we breathe, enter through the injured skin of a cut or wound when we’re hurt.
While they’re trying to get in, we’re trying to keep them out. We use antibacterial soap, disinfectant and, when germs get in us and make us sick, antibiotics to make us well again....
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Tags: temptation sin Saul/Paul obedience confession Colossians choices
Read the Book!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 3:14-17
TO CHEW ON: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16
Have you ever had a toy that needed putting together, or a complicated watch or camera? It came with an instruction book, right? That book had all the information you needed to put the toy together, to set the watch, or take photos with the camera. It’s a lot easier to understand how something works by reading the book than trying to figure it out yourself.
As Christians we have an instruction book too. It’s the Bible.
The Bible is no ordinary book. Though sections of it were written hundreds of years apart, and by many different people, it fits together and never gets outdated. Each part is necessary and useful in some way....
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Tags: wisdom truth Saul/Paul God’s word God’s help death choices advice 2 Timothy
On the Run
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 2:11-15
TO CHEW ON: "The man said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?' Then Moses was afraid and thought, What I did must have become known." Exodus 2:14
Fast forward 40 years. Moses was all grown up. Though he was raised in the palace as a prince, deep inside he loved the Hebrew people – his people.
One day he saw an Egyptian slave master beating a fellow Hebrew. He looked around to make sure no one was watching.
Moses kills the Egyptian - Artist unknown
Then he drew his sword, killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
The next day he happened to be walking by when he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He tried to break up the fight. But one of them said to him, “Who made you our boss? Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?”
Now Moses knew the news of the murder was out! The palace was no longer a safe place for him. He ran for his life. And sure enough when Pharaoh heard of the killing, he ordered Moses killed.
Moses probably lived most of his life...
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Obey Whom?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 4:13-21
TO CHEW ON: "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!'” Acts 4:18,19
After God healed the lame man through Peter, many people believed in Jesus. This made the religious leaders jealous.
"Preaching to the multitudes" - Artist unknown
First they ordered Peter and John to stop preaching. Then they grilled them with questions. Finally they told them not to speak of Jesus any more OR ELSE and let them go.
"The boldness of Peter and John" - Artist unknown
But Peter and John had no intention of obeying the leaders’ order. They knew in some things it’s more important to obey God than people....
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Tags: peer pressure obedience fear choices Acts
Mind Matter
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 1:1-6
CHEW ON: "But they (people who try to please God) take joy in doing all God wants them to. They think about God’s laws day and night. They think about ways to follow him more closely." Psalm 1:2 (The [Simplified] Living Bible)
Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible © American Bible Society 1976, 1992
Saul tried to kill David because he was jealous. He kept his envious thoughts growing by going back to them again and again. He imagined how the people were saying David should be king instead of him. He wished David weren’t around. Maybe if he killed David, the people would admire him the most again …
Our minds are always busy, thinking about something. But we don't have to let our minds go wherever they choose. We can control what we think about. If we find ourselves thinking jealous, hateful, revengeful thoughts, we can stop. We can turn our minds to other things – and think thoughts that are good, loving, wholesome and kind.
What are your favorite things to think about? What are some things you try NOT to think about?
Read Philippians 4:8, then make a list of good things to think about.
When...
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Tags: thoughts Psalms prayer God’s help drawing David choices
Is your faith alive or dead?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: James 2:14-19
TO CHEW ON: "In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17
Someone wakes you up at night yelling, “Fire!” How will you show you believe the warning? Of course you’ll get out of the house.
The sign says, “Beward - shallow Water.” What will prove you believe the sign? If you’re smart, you won’t dive!
It’s easy to connect faith and action in the physical world. But there are other things we say we believe just as much, but our actions (or lack of action) make our words a lie.
We say God loves everyone and we love them too. Yet we gossip and say mean things about others.
We say we believe God will provide for all our needs, and yet we worry, showing we don’t really trust God at all....
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In Love
TODAY’S SPECIAL:2 John 1-13
TO CHEW ON: "I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." 2 John 5-6
To “walk in love” means different things to different people. To some it means having a crush on a special person. To others it means having a best friend who is always there for you. To still others it means constant reminders of someone’s love in the form of gifts and nice things.
But really loving each other is not nearly as soft and fuzzy as the things above would make us think. It’s all about choices. It’s about not doing the unloving thing and doing the loving thing. It’s about actions. It's about loving things that we do whether or not we feel loving.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 tells us some of the difficult things a person who lives a loving life does or doesn’t do. Which ways to “walk in love,” below, are hard for you?
Being patientNot being rudeBeing kindNot getting angryNot boastingProtecting othersNot being proudTrusting othersNot looking after my own interests firstBeing hopeful (positive)Not remembering bad things done...
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Tags: obedience love God’s help God’s character choices 2 John
Hidden But Not Secret
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 7:10-25
TO CHEW ON: “Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.” Joshua 7:11
Have you ever done something sneaky – stolen something, told a lie, or cheated on an exam? Achan did such a thing when he went into Jericho. He had heard Joshua’s command about what to do with the loot. But when he saw a beautiful robe, some silver coins, and a wedge of gold, he sneaked these things home, dug a hole inside his tent and hid them in the ground.
A few days later Joshua sent scouts to Ai, the next city. “It’s a small town,” the scouts reported when they got back. “We’ll only need part of the army to capture it.”
But the people of Ai chased the Israelites from their city, beat them and killed many soldiers.
Joshua and the people were stunned. Joshua fell on his face before God and asked, “Why didn’t you help us?”
“Get up!” God told him. “There’s sin in the camp. Someone has stolen and lied. You need to deal with...
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Tags: trickery sin memory verse Joshua disobedience consequences choices
Frogs, Gnats, Flies and a Hard Heart
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 2:20-32
TO CHEW ON: " And the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go." Exodus 8:31,32
Have you ever been caught in a plague of creatures or insects? Maybe the trees in your town were attacked by tent caterpillars. Or your home was invaded by ants. I heard of a city in India that was overrun with monkeys.
What was your plague?How long did it last?How did it end?
This is what happened to the Egyptians when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt.
Nile river is turned to blood - by James Tissot
First Moses turned the Nile River into blood. Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go.
Then came the plague of frogs. Imagine frogs everywhere, jumping onto your bed, into your glass of milk, up your pant leg. Still Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go....
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Evil Haman
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Esther 7:1-10
TO CHEW ON: "King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, 'Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?' Esther said, 'An adversary and enem! This vile Haman!' Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen." Esther 7:5,6
The food was delicious. The wine put everyone in a good mood. Now Esther waited for just the right moment to tell the king what she wanted.
Then he said, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Esther took a deep breath and began, “O king, if I have found favor with you, please spare my life. For I and my people are about to be slaughtered and wiped out.”
Xerxes’ eyes got wide with surprise. “Who would do such a thing?” he demanded.
“The enemy is this vile Haman!” Esther said.
The king looked in horror at Haman. Then he left the room, too angry to speak.
Haman, who minutes before had been talking and laughing was now shaking and pale. He staggered over to where Esther lay on her couch, fell on his knees and begged for his life. That’s how the king saw him when he came back into the room...
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David’s Secret
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:1-10
TO CHEW ON: “Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in His sight?” 2 Samuel 12:9
David was now a successful and loved king. One day when he was relaxing on the palace roof, he caught sight of a beautiful woman taking a bath. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. So he told his servant to bring her to the palace.
She came and David found out her name was Bathsheba. She was married to Uriah, one of David’s soldiers. But that didn’t stop David from taking her to his room and making love to her. Then he sent her back home. A short time later, Bathsheba sent word to David that she was pregnant.
Now this was a problem, because her husband wasn’t home. He was on the battlefield. People would ask, “Who is the father of this baby?” Maybe David would be found out. So David sent for Uriah to come back from the war. David thought Uriah would welcome the chance to be with his wife. Then he would think the baby was his.
But when Uriah came home, he refused to go home to Bathsheba. “Why should...
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Tags: thoughts temptation sin David consequences choices 2 Samuel
Centurion Summons Simon
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 10:1-8
TO CHEW ON: "At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion...” Acts 10:1
Cornelius was not a Jew but a Gentile. It wasn’t only his race that made the Jewish people want to avoid him. His job was a problem too. He was a centurion (centurion = captain) in the Roman army. Roman soldiers often mistreated the Jews. Jewish people were suspicious and afraid of Cornelius.
But Cornelius had some surprising beliefs for a Roman soldier. Unscramble the words below that tell about him (Acts 10:2):He (dreefa)________ (dgo)________.He (vgae)___________ to those in need.He (yrdepa) __________ to God regularly.
One afternoon an angel talked to him in a vision. The angel told him God had noticed his prayers and gifts. He was to send someone to Joppa, find Simon Peter and bring him to his house in Caesarea. God looked past Cornelius’s race and job, into his heart. He knew Cornelius wanted to know Him better. Peter (who was a Jew) would help with that – or would he?
"Cornelius is confronted by the angel" by Caspar Luiken, 1672-1708
Do you ever jump to conclusions about what a person is like because of their skin color, the fact that they are...
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Tags: Peter obedience love God’s plan friendship choices Acts
Banned
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 14:1-12, 20-23
TO CHEW ON: "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." Numbers 14:23
When the twelve spies came back from Canaan, only two thought they could conquer the people and move in. The ten others saw only walled cities and fierce, tall people. They were afraid and refused to trust God and Moses.
When the people in the camp heard their report, they started to grumble and cried, “We don’t want to die in a war. We want to go back to Egypt. We want a new leader.”
Joshua and Caleb tried to change the peoples’ minds. “The land is wonderful,” they said. “God isn’t afraid of those people. If He is with us, those people should be afraid.”
But the people wouldn’t change their minds. Instead they ganged up on Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. “Let’s kill them!” they shouted, and began picking up stones....
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Tags: rebellion Numbers Moses leaders grumbling fear faith consequences choices
A Solid House
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 6:46-49
TO CHEW ON: "As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock." Luke 6:47-48a
Which part of a house is built first:
- the walls?- the roof?- the rooms?- the front porch?- the foundation?- the basement?
You probably know that the foundation of a house is the very first thing a builder makes. He usually starts building that foundation by digging a hole. If he can dig down to bedrock and fasten the house’s foundation onto rock, the house will be almost immovable. But if a house’s foundation rests on earth or sand, it can be swept away by floods, toppled by earthquakes and smashed by storms.
One day Jesus told a story of one man who built his house on a rock. Another man built his house on sand. When the storm came, which house stayed standing?
"The house upon the rock and the house upon the sand" by William James Webb
Jesus explained the story. He said those houses on their different foundations are like our lives. When...
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Now - or Later?
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 25:19-34
TO CHEW ON: "Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.''Look, I am about to die,' Esau said. 'What good is the birthright to me?'" Genesis 25:31-32
Though Jacob and Esau (sons of Isaac and Rebekah) were twins, they were far from identical. What things do we know about them that show how different they were? (Genesis 25:27-28)
Esau1.2.3.
Jacob1.2.3.
One day when Esau came back from hunting, Jacob was making stew. When hungry Esau asked Jacob for some stew to eat, Jacob used his cleverness to get Esau to promise him the birthright in exchange for a pot of stew.
A birthright was a big deal. It was what the oldest son in a family inherited. As firstborn of the twins and the oldest son, Esau’s inheritance was twice as big as Jacob’s. The birthright also brought with it the job of being the family leader next to Isaac.
But in one reckless moment, Esau said, “What good is a birthright to me if I die by hunger anyway?” Then he promised Jacob his birthright if he would give him a bowl of stew. Later he regretted this decision with all his heart.
PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to make decisions based on wisdom,...
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Tags: wisdom Rebekah patience Jacob Isaac impatience Genesis Esau choices
Choices
TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 4:1-12
Detail from "Cain and Abel Offering Their Sacrifices" by Gustave Doré
TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.'” (Genesis 4:6,7)
God told Cain and Abel to sacrifice animals to Him. Cain and Abel both worshiped God by making sacrifices. But Cain disobeyed and offered fruit from the plants he had harvested. Abel obeyed and offered animals from his flock.
God was pleased with the animal sacrifice. He didn’t accept the plant sacrifice. He had told Cain what He wanted. Here are some things Cain could have done. Which one did he choose to do?...
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Tags: sin sacrifice obedience Genesis disobedience discussion choices
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