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Kids Bible Blog: God’s help : Page P30
Jailed
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 28:11-16;30-31
TO CHEW ON: "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:31
Three months after the shipwreck Paul, his guards and companions set sail again. Soon they arrived in Rome. When they got there, the soldiers took Paul to a house.
"Arrival at Rome" by Johann C. Weigel, 1695
For two years he had to stay in that house with someone guarding him all the time.
"Paul preaches at Rome under guard" - Artist unknown
Even though he was a prisoner, Paul didn’t whine, sulk or feel sorry for himself. What did he do? (Find the words for the blanks in the word bank below - Acts 28:31)...
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Tags: problems Peter persecution Matthew Judges Jeremiah God’s presence God’s help God’s care Genesis Acts
Jail Joy
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 16:23-34
TO CHEW ON: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25
What things would fill you with joy?1. Getting a new pet.2. Winning a contest.3. Being teased about being a Christian.4. Finishing a hard job.5. Being arrested for helping someone.
My guess is you didn’t choose 3. and 5. But Paul and Silas were joyful even after helping someone and being put in jail for it.
After the Philippi officials beat them, Paul and Silas were locked in a jail cell for helping the slave girl. But they didn’t get angry, complain, whine or grumble. Instead they prayed and sang hymns.
What happened next gave them even more reason for joy. An earthquake shook the jail. Their chains came loose. The doors flew open.
"Earthquake in the prison" - Sir James Thornhill
The jailer, afraid that everyone would escape, was ready to harm himself....
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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
I’ll Do it My Way!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 16:1-13
TO CHEW ON: "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9
When Asa had been king for a long time, Baasha the King of Israel blocked the border between Israel and Judah.
1. The last time King Asa was faced with a problem (2 Chronicles 14:11) he had: (choose the correct answer):a] asked for help from Egypt.b] asked for help from God.
2. This time he (2 Chronicles 16:2):a] asked for help from Ben Hadad of Aramb] asked for help from God.
Shortly after that, the prophet Hanani came to him and asked, “Why did you make your own plan instead of asking for God’s help? Didn’t God help you in your fight against Cush? God is always looking out to help anyone who depends on Him. What you did was foolish. From now on you’ll always be at war.”
What Hanani said made Asa so angry, he put Hanani in prison.
After that Asa stubbornly refused to ask for God’s help with anything. A few years later when he got a disease in his feet, he only went to doctors. He ignored God completely....
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Tags: rebellion problems Israel God’s help God’s care faith disobedience 2 Chronicles
I need a drink
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 15:22-27
TO CHEW ON: " He said, 'If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.' ” Exodus 15:26
Think of a time you were very thirsty. What did it feel like? What did you want more than anything?
After the Egyptian army drowned in the Red Sea, Moses led the people into the desert. A desert is a dry place. It is often hot. As the people walked through the desert, they took sips from their water bottles. But soon all their water was gone. And theyfound no water for three days!
Walking anywhere for three days with little or no water is bad. But walking through the hot dry desert without water is scary. It’s no wonder when they got to a place with water, they went straight to it. A drink at last!
But no. The water tasted bitter. It probably isn’t even safe....
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Tags: water trust Moses miracles grumbling God’s help faith Exodus
God’s Graffiti
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Daniel 5:1-6
TO CHEW ON: "Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking" Daniel 5:5,6.
What is the most mysterious thing you have ever seen?
I’m sure that for King Belshazzar it was the night a body-less hand wrote on his wall.
The night started out as a fun party. To make it special, Belshazzar served wine in the gold goblets brought from the temple in Jerusalem. Everyone was having a great time eating, drinking, talking, laughing, and dancing when from nowhere a hand appeared. When Belshazzar saw it, he stared. How could this be? The longer he watched, the more scared he became. Whose hand was this? The words were in a language he couldn’t read. What did they say? What did they mean?
The queen mother saw how frightened he was. “I know who will be able to read this,” she said. Then she called for Daniel....
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Tags: miracles God’s help Daniel consequences
God’s Battle
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Judges 7:9-16
TO CHEW ON: "When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, 'Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.' ” Judges 7:15
The first job God gave Gideon to do was to smash the Baal idols in his father’s house. The second job was to fight the Midianites. Thousands of men showed up to join Gideon’s army.
But God told Gideon, “With so many soldiers your army will take credit for winning. I want everyone to know that it’s Me, God, who is making you win, not your big army or your wise plans. Send home all the men who are afraid.”
Twenty-two thousand men left that day. Less than one thousand soldiers were left.
“This is still too many,” God said. After Gideon sent home more soldiers, only three hundred were left.
How will I ever beat the Midianites with such a small army, Gideon wondered.
That night God woke Gideon up and said to him, “If you’re scared, go the enemy’s camp and listen to what they’re saying.”
Gideon and his servant snuck into the valley. The enemy soldiers were sleeping. Then they...
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Tags: promises memory verse Judges God’s plan God’s help Gideon
God Save the (New) King
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 11:1-9
TO CHEW ON: "And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him." 1 Chronicles 11:9
Now that Saul was dead, the people of Israel needed a new king. They gathered in the city of Hebron where David was staying. David had proved himself a natural leader and a fearless warrior. They knew that God had already chosen him to be king. Now they wanted to make it official and crown him king. They did this at Hebron.
Then the Israelites went with David to the city of Jerusalem. David wanted Jerusalem to be the place from which he ruled.
Rebels who didn’t like David lived there. “You’ll never get in here!” the people of Jerusalem shouted at David from behind thick walls....
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Give Your Problems to God
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 40: 27-31
TO CHEW ON: "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:30,31
Isaiah continued to remind the people of Judah what God is like. It’s as if he has heard someone complain and say, “God doesn’t see me and my problems. He doesn’t know me or care about me. He’s ignoring me.”
To that Isaiah replied with some facts about God. Complete the things Isaiah told the people, using words from the word bank below: (Isaiah 40:28,29)1. God is _________2. He is the __________3. He doesn’t get _______ or ________4. Nobody can fathom his ___________5. Instead of getting weary, he gives ___ and ____
Word Bank
******
power tired weary
everlasting creator
strength understanding
But they may have asked – and you might too – How does God give us these things? Verse 31 has the answer. God’s strength comes to us when we hope in the...
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Tags: trust problems Judah Isaiah hope God’s help God’s care
Giant Problem
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 17:38-50
TO CHEW ON: "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands." 1 Samuel 17:47
Though Samuel had anointed David as Israel’s next king, Saul continued to rule. And Israel was still fighting their old enemy the Philistines. At one time instead of fighting with their whole army, the Philistines picked a nine-foot giant named Goliath to challenge Saul’s soldiers. “Pick one man to fight me,” he shouted. “If he wins, we’ll be your slaves. But if he loses, you’ll be our slaves.”
For forty days Goliath came out and challenged the army like this. Of course no one volunteered. Instead, each day the men grew more afraid and intimidated.
Meanwhile, David was still looking after sheep. One day his dad asked him to check on his brothers at the battlefront and take them some food. He went and had just found his brothers when Goliath came out to shout his daily challenge. “Pick a man to fight me,” he bellowed. “Why aren’t you coming? Are you chicken?”
David heard him and was shocked. “Why...
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Tags: trust Saul God’s help faith discussion David courage 1 Samuel
From Problem to Praise
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 13:6-12
TO CHEW ON: "But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith." Acts 13:8
What happens on mission trips but problems?
Barnabas and Saul (from now on called Paul - Acts 13:8), were invited by one of Cyprus’s government officials, Sergius Paulus, to talk about God. But one of the servants, Elymas who was a sorcerer told his boss not to listen to them and not to believe in God.
Then the Holy Spirit showed Paul whose side Elymas was on. So Paul went to him and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right.” To prove God’s power was behind his words, Paul told Elymas he would go blind - and he did.
The Conversion of the Proconsul - By Raphael, 1515-1516
When Sergius Paulus saw God’s power, he believed in God. Isn’t it just like God to turn a problem into praise!
We should not be surprised if we get resistance when we’re telling people about Jesus. Satan, Jesus’ enemy and ours, doesn’t want people to know about Him or trust Him. But we don’t need to fear Satan or...
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From Bad to Good
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 8:1-8
TO CHEW ON: "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." Acts 8:4.
Have you ever had to move because it wasn’t safe for you to live in your old home any more? That’s what happened to the followers of Jesus after Stephen’s death. Everyone, from people in government to neighbors, was out to get them. They were threatened, arrested, and many more were killed.
So they moved to other places in Judea and Samaria. Now there were no more big gatherings in the Jerusalem temple court. The large praise meetings stopped. There was hardly anyone left to go to the prayer gatherings and potluck dinners. Because of persecution the Christians left Jerusalem and were scattered all around.
"Conversions of the Samaritans" - Matthias Scheits, 1972
But they didn’t stop talking about Jesus. Everywhere they went, they spread the good news. Jesus had died for sins. People could be friends with God again. Everyone could live in Holy Spirit power. People could look forward to heaven when they died....
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Tags: testing persecution good news God’s plan God’s help Acts
From Sadness to Celebration
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Esther 8:11-17
TO CHEW ON:"In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating..." Esther 8:17
Quickly things turned around in Susa. Haman was gone. When Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin, he gave Mordecai the job Haman had before. But the king’s law still stood. The Jews were still in danger.
Again Esther went to the king. “Please spare the life of my people,” she pleaded.
“My law from before can’t be overturned,” the king told her. “But you can write another one.”
So Mordecai called together the secretaries. They wrote a new command. It said that the Jewish people could now fight back to defend themselves from anyone who attacked them. Couriers on horses raced to the farthest parts of the land to post the new law....
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Tags: trust thankfulness problems praise joy God’s help Esther
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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Forgotten Dream Dilemma
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Daniel 2:14-28
TO CHEW ON:"Daniel replied, 'No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.'” Daniel 2:27, 28a
Arioch, the commander of Nebuchadnezzar’s guard had an unpleasant job. He was supposed to kill all the wise men of Babylon. This was because King Nebuchadnezzar had had a dream which he couldn't remember. When his wise men couldn't tell him what he had dreamed and what his dream meant, he ordered them all killed.
But when Arioch came to Daniel to give him the bad news, Daniel was surprised. He hadn't heard anything about Nebuchadnezzar and his dream problem. Daniel begged for more time. Then he gathered his friends and the four of them prayed that God would tell him what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and what it meant.
During the night God answered Daniel's prayer. Early the next morning he went to Arioch. “Don’t kill any of the wise men,” he said. “Instead, take me to the king. I know the dream and its meaning.”
Arioch took Daniel to the king.
Then Daniel told...
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First Things First
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Haggai 1:1-10
TO CHEW ON: "You have planted much but have harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages only to put them in a purse with holes in it." Haggai 1:6
“Pack your things, some of us are going home!” The exciting news spread amongst the exiles in Babylon. Zerubabbel, grandson of King Jehoiachin, led the happy travelers back to Judah.
But when they entered Jerusalem, what a mess they found! Houses were broken down. The streets were full of broken bricks and garbage. The temple was a heap of rubbish.
So the people got to work. They cleaned up the garbage. They made bricks and rebuilt their homes. Some started working on the temple. But they didn’t get very far. It was such a big job, they just quit in discouragement. Instead they worked in their fields, gardens and workshops to earn money to make their own houses nicer. It seemed, though, that no one was doing very well....
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Fire Test
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Daniel 3:1-18
TO CHEW ON: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:17,18
One day an urgent message was sent to all the provinces of Babylon: “Come to the plain of Dura. Nebuchadnezzar is putting on a special celebration.”
Daniel’s three friends Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego joined the rest of the rulers. When they got to Dura they saw a huge golden statue as high as a six-story building. An announcer was telling everyone what to do: “When you hear the music, fall down and worship the statue. Whoever doesn’t will be burned in a furnace.”
Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego didn’t want to pray to anyone but God. Yet the price of disobeying was certain death. What should they do?
Soon the music started. Immediately everyone around them fell to their knees. But Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego stayed standing. Many people saw them. Soon someone came to them and said, “Nebuchadnezzar...
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Tags: prayer God’s presence God’s help drawing Daniel courage consequences
Fire Power
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 18:25-39
TO CHEW ON: “Answer me, O Lord, answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 Kings 18:37
“You go first,” Elijah told the Baal prophets. “Prepare your sacrifice. Put it on the wood. But don’t light a fire under it. Instead, pray to Baal to send the fire.”
The four hundred prophets of Baal did as Elijah said. It was morning when they began to pray. “Oh Baal, answer us!” they shouted, over and over, louder and louder. When nothing happened, they shouted even louder and began dancing around.
When it was noon and still nothing had happened, Elijah began to tease then. “Maybe your god is meditating. He is a god, after all. Or maybe he’s busy, or traveling or sleeping.”
So the prophets yelled at the top of their voices and danced around and even cut themselves. Soon there was chaos, screaming and blood everywhere – but still no fire.
Finally Elijah said to the people watching, “Come here.”
They crowded around as he repaired the ruined altar of God that was on the mountain. Then he dug a deep trench around it. He put...
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Tags: worship miracles Israel God’s help Elijah discussion 1 Kings
Ebenezer
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 7:2-13
TO CHEW ON: "Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us.'” 1 Samuel 7:12
God’s predictions for Eli’s family soon came true. The next time the Israelites were losing against the Philistines, someone suggested they bring the ark to the battlefield to help them win. So Eli's his sons brought the ark. But the Philistines beat them anyway. On top of that they killed Eli's sons and took the ark back home with them.
The Philistines didn’t keep it long though. Because wherever they took it, sickness broke out. They soon sent it back to Israel where it was stored in a little town. But even then the Philistines didn’t stop hassling the Israelites. They were as cruel and bossy as ever.
This went on for twenty years. By now Samuel was a grown man. The people began coming to him for advice. “What can we do to defeat these Philistines?” they asked.
1. Here are some things Samuel could have told him. What did he say? (1 Samuel 7:3)A. Conscript more soldiers and build a bigger army.B. Do sword practice three hours a...
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Tags: worship trust Samuel prayer judgment idols God’s help faith craft 1 Samuel
Dressed for War
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ephesians 6:10-18
TO CHEW ON: "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." Ephesians 6:11
Why would anyone choose to wear a hot bullet-proof vest, a stiff camouflage uniform, a heavy helmet, weighty steel-toed boots, an uncomfortable gas mask and on top of all that carry a cumbersome weapon and ammunition? Only someone who needed a lot of protection - like a soldier in war.
Everything a soldier wears helps protect him from the enemy. His camouflage uniform makes it easy for him to hide. His helmet, vest and boots protect his head, chest and feet. His gas mask filters out poison or germs from the air. His weapon helps him defend himself or even take more land for his country.
Christians have to be just as prepared to fight against the devil. But what exactly are we fighting against? (Ephesians 6:12) We are not fighting against a]_____ but against the b]_____, against the c]_____ against the d]_____ and against the e]_____....
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Tags: truth Saul/Paul salvation God’s word God’s help faith Ephesians
Defiant Daniel
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Daniel 6:12-23
TO CHEW ON: “ 'My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.' ” Daniel 6:22
“Bring them in!” commanded king Darius to his servant.
The Babylon rulers smirked as they entered and bowed before the king. “We’ve found someone who broke your new law,” they said. “We caught Daniel praying to his God.”
Darius was shocked. Not Daniel! He was his favorite servant. And then he understood. The other rulers were jealous of Daniel. They wanted him gone. They knew that he prayed to his God three times a day. So that was why they had come to the king and suggested he pass the new law. It said that for thirty days it was illegal to pray to anyone but the king. Punishment for disobeying was death by hungry lions.
All day King Darius tried to get Daniel freed. But he couldn’t. “May the God whom you serve rescue you,” he said to Daniel as servants tossed him into the lions' den....
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Tags: trickery persecution miracles God’s help Daniel courage consequences
Cistern Rescue
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 38:7-13
TO CHEW ON: “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.” Jeremiah 38:9
As he sank ever deeper in the filthy mud, Jeremiah wondered, is this it? Will I die here? He had done and said what God had told him to. But his message was so unpopular, King Zedekiah’s officials had put him in prison and then thrown him into this wet cistern.
But that wasn’t the end for Jeremiah. Ebed-Melech, an official in the palace, heard what had happened. He knew that it was not fair. He went to the king about it.
“These men have been most wicked in the way they treated Jeremiah,” he said. “They’ve put him in a cistern and he’ll starve to death.”...
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Tags: trust persecution Judah Jeremiah God’s help
Changed!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 10:1-9
TO CHEW ON: “The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.” 1 Samuel 10:6,7
The next day Samuel sent Saul back home. Just before they parted, Samuel took out a bottle of oil and poured some on Saul’s head. Anointing him in this way showed that Saul was God’s choice to be Israel’s king.
1.To make sure that Saul knew this was God’s idea and not just Samuel’s, Samuel predicted some things that would happen to Saul in the next few hours. Which thing Samuel did not say: (1 Samuel 10:2-6)...
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Busy Behind the Scenes
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 2:1-14
TO CHEW ON: “'I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you." Joshua 2:9
After Moses died, Joshua became Israel’s leader. “Get the people ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I’m giving you,” God said to him. “Tell them if they do everything I say, I will help them.”
Forty years before the Israelites had been at the same place. Then they refused to trust God. What would they do this time?
“Pack up!” Joshua told the people. “We’ll be leaving soon.”
Secretly he sent two spies to look over Canaan. “Pay special attention to the city of Jericho,” he told them.
When the men got to Jericho, someone saw them and went to the king. “Get those spies!” the king commanded his servants.
The spies hid in the home of a woman named Rahab. “The people are scared to death of you,” she said.
Why? (Joshua 2:10).How do you think this made the spies feel?
Picture from CC-Art.com The spies hiding under flax on the roof of Rahab's house
Later Rahab helped the spies escape from...
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Bethlehem Food Bank
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ruth 2:1-12
TO CHEW ON: “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12
The first thing Naomi and Ruth had to do when they got back to Bethlehem was figure out where to get some food. So Naomi sent Ruth to the food bank, right? Well, not exactly. But she did send her to a place where food was free.
In those times, farmers harvesting their crops were supposed to leave a little behind for exactly this reason - to feed the poor. People who needed food were allowed to go to harvested fields and pick up what was left over. This was called gleaning.
I wonder what Ruth’s thoughts were as she went out to her first gleaning job. Perhaps she wondered if there would be any grain left to glean in the fields. Maybe she worried that people would find out she was a foreigner and make fun of her or chase her away. In spite of any anxious thoughts, Ruth went out, as Naomi asked her to.
Ruth gleaning in the field - Artist unknown
On...
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Angel Jail-break
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 12:1-12
TO CHEW ON: "So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." Acts 12:5
Peter was in big trouble. After King Herod killed James, he arrested Peter. For days Peter had been in a cramped, uncomfortable jail, chained and guarded by sixteen soldiers.
The night before Herod was going to put him on trial Peter was asleep in his cell. He was awakened by strange man shaking him. “Quick, get up and get dressed!” the man said. The cell was filled with light even though it was the middle of the night. Then his chains fell off.
Peter's miraculous escape from prison - Artist unknown
I must be dreaming Peter thought as he pulled on his clothes, wrapped his cloak around him, and followed the man out of the prison. It was not until he had walked a block or two and his companion disappeared that Peter realized - I’m not dreaming. This is real. I was just set free by an angel....
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Tags: prayer Peter persecution God’s help angels Acts
Amazing Escape
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 14:15-31TO CHEW ON: "And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." Exodus 14:31Even after God spoke to him, Moses kept crying to God for help. Finally God interrupted Moses’ frantic prayer. “Stop praying,” God said. “Get busy. Here’s my plan.”
The waters are divided by James Tissot
Read the story in Exodus 14:15-31, then cross out the three things, below, that did not happen:
1. Moses stretched out his staff toward the sea.2. The cloud came between the Israelites and the Egyptian army.3. The Egyptians bothered the Israelites all night.4. An east wind turned the sea into dry land.5. The Israelites waded through the sea in waist-deep water.6. The Israelites walked across the sea on dry ground.7. The Egyptian army followed the Israelites into the sea.8. The Egyptian army became confused.9. When Moses gave the signal, the sea rushed back into place.10. Some of the Egyptians got across in canoes.11. The whole Egyptian army drowned in the sea that day....
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Tags: obedience Moses miracles God’s timing God’s help faith Exodus Egypt
All Better!
TODAY’S SPECIAL: John 4: 46-54
TO CHEW ON: "The royal official said, 'Sir, come down before my child dies.' 'Go,' Jesus replied, 'your son will live.' ” (John 4:49,50)
The royal official had tried everything to cure his son. Doctors, special baths, medicines – nothing had worked. Then he heard that Jesus was back in Cana. This was the Jesus that had made water into wine. It gave him an idea!
As fast as he could, he traveled the 30 kilometers (about 15 miles) from his home in Capernaum to Cana. Jesus was easy to find - in the middle of the biggest crowd.
"Nobleman asks Jesus to heal his son" - Artist unknown
But when the official asked Jesus to come home with him, Jesus didn’t go. Instead He sent the man home by himself with a promise: “You may go, your son will live.”
Would his son really get better without Jesus there, the official wondered. Before he reached home, an excited servant came out to meet him....
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Afraid
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 23:20-33
TO CHEW ON: " Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." Exodus 23:25,26
What things scare you:- Walking alone in the dark?- Changing schools?- Trying something for the first time (diving, horseback riding, snowboarding)?- _____________________________
It’s easy to be frightened when we don’t feel safe, or when we don’t know anyone, or when we’re trying something for the first time, or a lot of other reasons.
The Israelites had every reason to be afraid. They had gone from living in one spot to moving nearly every day. They went from being safe in Egypt to being easy prey to fierce desert tribes. They went from always knowing where they would find their next drink and meal to having to trust God for all these things.
A. God saw the fear inside them. He answered it with a whole lot of promises. Cross out the one thing, below, that He didn’t promise in TODAY'S SPECIAL reading.God said he would:1. send His angel to show them the way to...
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Tags: promises memory verse God’s help fear Exodus
A Letter and a Prayer
TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 32:6-15 & 20,21
TO CHEW ON: “'Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.' And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said." 2 Chronicles 32:7,8
Sennarcherib the fierce king of Assyria had already defeated Israel. Now he had his eye on Judah. He invaded the country with his powerful army. When soldiers surrounded the walled cities near Jerusalem, Hezekiah knew that he would soon be there.
Hezekiah did all he could to get ready. He cut off the water supply to the outside the walls of Jerusalem. He made the walls stronger. But most of all, he encouraged the people. “Don’t look at Sennarcherib’s strong army,” he said to them. “Instead, look at our big God.”
One day a messenger arrived with a letter. It was from Sennarcherib. “What are you trusting in?” the letter asked. “If Hezekiah is telling you that God will save you...
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Tags: trust problems prayer miracles Isaiah God’s help angels 2 Chronicles
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