For 2026, we're going to make our way through the whole Bible. Here's the reading plan for the first three days. The titles on the right are the devotions that are available at https://www.forchristianhomes.com/ These are Sabbath lessons that I've done in the past. Each one will have a verse that ties back to the scriptures to be read that day. Read as many as you would like to. The Sabbath lesson will be based on a scripture taken from that Sabbath's scriptures.
-Sabbath School Memory Verses:
Sabbath, January 3rd - " . . . And the LORD shut him in." Genesis 7:16 - And God Shut Him In
Sabbath, January 10th - “ . . . Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head . . .” Genesis 28:11 - Touch of the Master's Hand
Sabbath, January 17th - “ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20 - God's Sovereignty
Sabbath, January 24th - “ . . . And his master shall bore through his ear with an awl. . .” Exodus 21:6
Sabbath, January 31st - “ . . . in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:38 - God's Still With Us
February
Sabbath, February 7th - “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Leviticus 18:25 - And the Land Vomited
Sabbath, February 14th - “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 - The Aaronic Blessing
Sabbath, February 21st - “ . . . Because you did not believe in me . .” Numbers 20:12 - Believe in God
Sabbath, February 28th - “The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another . . .” Numbers 36:7
March
🚲 Sabbath, March 7th - “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4 - God Goes With You
🚲 Sabbath, March 14th - “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty . .” Joshua 4:24 - Stones of Remembrance
🚲 Sabbath, March 21st - “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3 - Give God the Glory
🚲 Sabbath, March 28th - “ . . . Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6 - Right in Your Own Eyes
April
🐑 April 4th - “ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.” 1 Samuel 12:20 - Counting
🐑 April 11th - “ . . . And I took the crown that was on his head. . .” 2 Samuel 1:10 - Something You're Not
🐑 April 18th - “I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful . . .” - 2 Samuel 20:19 - When the Books Are Written
🐑 April 25th - “ . . . Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD. . .” 2 Kings 10:16 - Zeal
May
💕 Sabbath, May 2nd - “ . . . for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ”
2 Kings 4:43 - Multiplying the Loaves
💕 Sabbath, May 9th - “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. . .” 2 Kings 22:1a - Small Things
💕 Sabbath, May 16th - “Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29b - What Are You Wearing?
💕 Sabbath, May 23rd - “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” 2 Chronicles 9:22 - Riches and Wisdom Wasn't Enough
💕 Pentecost, May 24th - “And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel . . .” 2 Chronicles 11:16a - Set Your Heart
💕 Sabbath, May 30th - “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:13b - Then He Knew
June
🪴 Sabbath, June 6th - “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” Nehemiah 2:8b - The Good Hand of the Lord
🪴 Sabbath, June 13th - "On that night the king could not sleep.” Esther 6:1a - Sleeplessness
🪴 Sabbath, June 20th - “Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.” Job 21:5 - Words Can't Be Erased
🪴 Sabbath, June 27th - “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ ” Psalm 16:2 - The Knowledge of Good and Evil
July
🪶 Sabbath, July 4th - “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 - Trusting God
🪶 Sabbath, July 11th - “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16 (ESV) - 2 Kings 5
🪶 Sabbath, July 18th - “But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD;” Psalm 141:8 (NIV) - Fix My Eyes
🪶 Sabbath, July - “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” Proverbs 22:3 - Bursting the Balloon
August
⚽️ Sabbath, August 1st - "Learn to do good..." - Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to Do Good
⚽️ Sabbath, August 8th - “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31 - Wait Upon the LORD
⚽️ Sabbath, August 15th - “ . . . ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; . . . ” - Jeremiah 6:16
⚽️ Sabbath, August 22nd - “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
⚽️ Sabbath, August 29th - “ It is he . . . who established the world by his wisdom . . .” - Jeremiah 51:15
Sabbath, January 3, 2026
And God Shut Him In
" . . . And the LORD shut him in." Genesis 7:16
Materials needed: brambles, electrical wire, dry erase board/markers
What do people use for security?
People have watchdogs . . . or watch geese. Paddle locks or deadbolts can secure doors and gates. Doors and gates and fences and walls can keep people, animals, weather, etc. out. Castles had high towers, cliffs, and/or moats. Hedges made great barriers as far back as Biblical times (Isaiah 5:5).
Insulation on wires protects us from the negatives aspects of being shocked by electrical currents. That’s definitely a positive!! 🤣😅
So what’s the point of this discussion. Well, sometimes we only see the negative aspects of barriers. No one likes finding themselves on the wrong side of a hedge with no way to get through. We often prefer wide open spaces with no fences and walls. We look forward to the time when paddle locks are no longer necessary because there won’t be anyone who steals anything.
The reality is that we live in a dangerous world. There are lots of things out there which can hurt you. So you take precautions. You are careful. You don’t plug in an appliance which has a bad spot on the cord. You learn to appreciate the fences around playgrounds which keep your ball from rolling into a busy street.
Noah also lived in a violent and vile world. It was so bad that God sent a Flood to destroy everyone and everything on earth but Noah and his family and the animals in the Ark. Think about the faith that Noah had to have had. Not only did he spend a long time building the ark (Some say 120 years.), he also had to trust God when the animals started arriving. Lions and tigers and bears and crocodiles! There also might have been some trepidation about whether the pitch covering the Ark was going to hold and keep it waterproof for however long Noah would be inside. Noah couldn’t go out and do any patching. Where would he have gotten more material?!
So one of the most comforting scriptures in this whole section is Genesis 7:16 - “ . . . and the LORD shut him in.” Noah didn’t have to rely on his own ability to close and waterproof the door. God did it. You might say that God put His seal of approval on it. Or not. But at any rate, the implication is that God was intimately involved in getting Noah to safety in a very real way.
So what does that mean for you? First, you want to strive to have a relationship with God like Noah had - where it can be said of you, ________ found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Pleasing God comes from seeking Him, keeping His commandments, and submitting your will to His all the time. Secondly, if you have that kind of relationship with God, you can trust Him no matter what happens. As the apostle Paul said, To live is Christ, to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Regardless of what happens, you know that your life is hidden with Christ and your destiny is His kingdom. In the ultimate sense, God will have saved you. And as was said of Noah, God will have shut you in. That’s a very good thing.
Sabbath, January 10th
Touch of the Master’s Hand
Memory Verse: “Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head. . .” Genesis 28:11
Materials: toilet paper rolls, various projects created from toilet paper rolls
Over the past month, most of the ladies in our congregation have been collecting toilet paper rolls for me. I’m sure they have been wondering what in the world I was going to do with them. Well, toilet paper rolls can be used in several ways. They can be fire starters - just as they are or with dryer lints inside. They can be used as seedling starters. Put soil in a tube that has one end crimped. Put in a seed. Water. Let it grow. Once it’s ready to be put into the ground, you can put the whole thing in because the toilet paper rolls will disintegrate. Or toilet paper rolls can be made into puppets - like this elephant. Or toilet paper rolls can be made into wall decorations. Or they can be turned into colored pencil holders, like a desk caddy. Or they can be turned into 3-D snowflake decorations. It all depends on the creativity of the person who can take the toilet paper roll and turn it into something else. It kind of reminds me of a stone.
When Jacob left his parents and journeyed to his mother’s brother, Laban, to find a wife (and to get away from the wrath of his brother, Esau), he spent the night in “a certain place” (the ESV calls it in Genesis 28:11). He must have been camping because we’re told that he took a stone and used it for a pillow. That night he dreamed there was a ladder, or flight of steps, set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven. There were angels of God ascending and descending the ladder. At the top was God. God spoke to Jacob and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15) This is quite a promise! This is the covenant language God expressed to Abraham and to Isaac. Jacob reacted very strongly. He said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it. . . . How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17)
In the morning, he took the stone he’d used as a pillow. He set it up for a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He made a vow. If God would be with him and keep him, giving him food to eat and clothes to wear so that he would again come home to his father, then God would be his God and he would tithe.
And that pillar would be God’s house - which is why the city which grew up there was named Bethel - “house of God.”
It was a stone. A simple stone. Jacob used it as a pillow. Could he have chosen a different stone? Was it the stone which made all the difference? Was it the stone which caused the dream? No. The stone was just the pillow. But that stone, which Jacob used as a pillow, became a pillar - an Ebenezer - a stone of remembrance, a memorial to the dream and promise Jacob had had. Eventually, this pillar became the site of a community called Bethel! All from a simple stone.
So whether we’re talking about toilet paper rolls or stones, what does this mean to you? If you are diligently seeking God and His ways, God can use you for His glory. Like a toilet paper roll or a stone, you can be used in ways you could never have imagined. God is the Creator. Like the song “Touch of the Master’s Hand,” this world doesn’t understand “the worth of a soul and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.” I can hardly wait to see what God will do with each of you - as He uses you for His glory!
Sabbath, January 17th
God's Sovereignty
Memory Verse: “ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20
Did you know that the Slinky was invented by accident?
"During World War II, an engineer named Richard James wanted to help the troops by inventing springs that could stabilize important instruments on naval ships during times of rough seas. While working on the springs, one was knocked off a table and “walked” its way down to the floor, then re-coiled itself and stood upright. After showing this to his wife, they determined it could be sold as a children’s toy with the name “Slinky.” It was first demonstrated to customers at Gimbels Department Store in 1945, and within the first 90 minutes over 400 Slinkys had been sold." science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/15-of-the-coolest-accidental-inventions.htm
The same site talks about the invention of the potato chip: "Potato chips, America’s beloved snack of choice, were originally developed to annoy a dissatisfied diner in 1853. George Crum, a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York, served French fries to the customer, who initially complained they were too thick. Crum then made a second batch, which was thinner, but still did not appease him. So for the third batch, in an attempt to further irritate the diner, Crum made fries that were so thin they couldn’t be eaten with a fork, and over salted them for good measure. Surprisingly, the customer loved them, and potato chips were invented!”
Post-it Notes were invented by accident by 3M scientist Spencer Silver in 1968, who created a weak, reusable adhesive, and then developed into a product by fellow 3M employee Art Fry in 1974, who used it for his church hymnal bookmark, leading to a product launch in 1980 that revolutionized office organization. Silver's "solution without a problem" adhesive, made of tiny bubbles, was strong enough to stick but weak enough to peel off, a property Fry realized was perfect for temporary page markers.
Sometimes things happen in our lives that we totally didn't expect. Sometimes we call these coincidences. But what if they aren't coincidences? There's a saying: Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. So what if those "coincidences" are actually God working things out in our lives? Do you have any examples you'd like to share?
The Slinky and the potato chip are examples of accidental inventions when the inventor was trying to do something good - and some other good thing resulted. But what if the inventor meant it for evil? Sometimes things, and actions, are intended for harm. They want to hurt someone else. In the case of Joseph and his brothers, they hated him so much, they wanted to kill him. But traders going to Egypt just happened by. Since his brothers just wanted rid of him, selling Joseph would get rid of him and earn them some money. Their actions intended evil against Joseph; selling him to Egypt was likely to result in his death. But at the very end of the story, once Jacob had died and the brothers were still afraid Joseph would get his revenge on them, Joseph showed remarkable wisdom. He told his brothers that although they had meant their actions for evil (wanting rid of Joseph - even to murder!), God meant it for good. With Joseph in Egypt and because Joseph honored God with his life, God was able to use him - even to saving his entire family from the famine. God’s plans and purposes always work out. Because God is sovereign.
“ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20 This is an extremely encouraging verse to hang onto when things aren’t going well - according to your definition. Just hang on. Keep seeking and serving God with all of your heart. He is sovereign and He wants the very best in your life. He’s working things out for your good. Isn’t that what we’re told in Romans 8:28 - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Sabbath, January 31st
God’s Still With Us
Memory Verse:“ . . . in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:38
If someone were to ask you what the book of Exodus was about, what would you tell them?
If you said that it’s about the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt, you’d be right. If you cited the stubbornly rebellious hearts of these people God had rescued, you’d be right again. If you said it details the giving of the Mosaic law, the building of the tabernacle and the law of the sacrifices, you’d be right again. But the overall impression I’ve gained, as we’ve made our way through the book of Exodus, is that God was with His people - even before they realized they needed Him.
Think of how the book begins: The Hebrew people multiplied in Egypt until the Egyptians grew afraid of their numbers and decided to assimilate them into the Egyptian nation by killing all of the baby boys. God knew they were going to need to be rescued. Moses was born, was rescued by the Egyptian Princess, was raised in Pharaoh’s household, and ended up in the wilderness, tending his father-in-law’s sheep on Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. God was intimately involved in the events, preparing Moses for the time when he would need to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
I’m sure you could detail the plagues and the numerous miracles God performed as He led the people out of Egypt. But then, even more than just acting on their behalf, God gives them His law - a picture of the character of God. Furthermore, God gave minute instructions for the building of the tabernacle, the high priest’s garments, and the furnishing of the tabernacle. He gave them the privilege of having Him dwell with them. Do you fully understand how very much God was with His people?! He acted on their behalf. He dwelt in their midst. He gave them His laws so the people would act and think like God. Then to cap it all off, He gives them a physical, visual reminder that He is with them 24/7.
For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:38
So God’s presence was with them day and night throughout all of their journeys!
Do you feel a little envious of the Israelites? Do you wish that God would dwell with you, tell you how to live, and provide you a physical, visible reminder that He is with you, leading and protecting you? I have good news for you. He has - if you have the eyes to see.
What part of our lives corresponds to the tabernacle? 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we are the temple of the living God. When you are baptized and have hands laid on you for the receiving of the Holy Spirit, you become the temple, the dwelling place of God. Then His Holy Spirit (John 16:13) works in you to lead you into all truth as you read God’s written word, which contains His commandments. So you have God’s presence and God’s law with you. But what about God acting on your behalf - miracles?
I suspect that each one of you has experienced God’s hand in your life in a powerful way. Could you prove that it was directly God’s hand? No, probably not. But just like some people try to explain away the provision of the quail as a yearly phenomena, you know that God provided them meat to eat. You know that was from God. Some people say that the people crossing the Red Sea dry shod was because there was a natural underwater land bridge. But you know that it was the power of God who dried up the sea bed for the Israelites but drowned the Egyptians as they tried to follow. In the same way, each of you has had events in your lives which you know was the hand of God. Talk about them. Remind each other of them. They are like that cloud of the LORD that was on the tabernacle by day and the fire that was in the tabernacle by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
Sabbath School, February 7, 2026
And the Land Vomited
Memory Verse: “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Leviticus 18:25
Have you ever vomited? Why do people vomit? Sometimes it’s because they have the flu (or other illness). One of the symptoms of the flu is that you are nauseous - you feel like you’re going to throw up. Sometimes people vomit because they eat too much. Their stomach literally says, “I’m so uncomfortable because you put too much in me.” Similar to this one is when you eat (or drink) something that doesn’t set well on your stomach. If you eat too much candy (sugar), you will feel awful and may even vomit. Sometimes when you get as ancient as I am, you can’t eat cucumbers or green peppers any more. They just don’t set well on your stomach. Sometimes you vomit because you’re allergic to the food that you consumed. Gluten is an allergy that is more and more common. Another reason you might vomit is because the person right next to you is vomiting. It happens with small children more than you might think.
But the verse in Leviticus 18:25 isn’t talking about a person vomiting. It says, “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Why would the land vomit? What does that even look like? Do you have an image in your mind of land roiling and pushing people out of it? That’s what it sounds like. But unless we’re talking about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes, how would the earth vomit out the people? It seems logical that it’s one of two things.
First, perhaps the people so mistreated the land that it will no longer support them. The land is no longer fruitful. Maybe the people threw their trash and waste into the rivers, expecting the rivers to carry away all the refuse. But now the water is so contaminated, you can’t eat the fish, the people downstream get sick from drinking the water, and the water can no longer be used to water crops. Maybe people put poison on the ground so that nothing will grow. Maybe people so polluted the air that birds and bees died - and other bugs, noxious, devouring ones moved in. These are just a couple examples of people violating the Dominion Mandate given by God to care for the land.
Or perhaps, it’s figurative language meaning that the people did not care for the land and didn’t follow God’s ways, and God made them leave. Maybe God used their own actions (like those above) to push them out. Maybe God sent natural disasters - drought, fire, tornadoes - to destroy what they had so they had to leave to survive. Or maybe God sent enemies against them to conquer them and drive them out of the land.
Any way that God accomplished His purpose really isn’t the point. The point of the verse is that the people were so wicked and evil, so rebellious against God and His ways, that He made them leave. Maybe He used natural consequences to their actions. Maybe He became directly involved. Regardless, the land vomited out its inhabitants. So - how seriously do you think God views obedience to Him and His ways? How important is it to YOU to figure out what God wants, what pleases Him? I suspect that, if we don’t have that relationship with God, if we don’t love and obey Him with all of our heart, we might get an up close and personal perspective on what it means when the land vomits out its inhabitants.
Sabbath, February 14th
The Aaronic Blessing
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Blessings are important! We read about them throughout the Bible. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 enumerates the blessings God’s people would receive if they were faithful to obey His commandments. We read about Jacob stealing Esau's blessing. We know that Joseph blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, adopting them as his own sons. We ask for blessings from God.
If you were asked to give someone a blessing - to speak a blessing over them - what might you say? I asked the children to bring their answers to church Sabbath and be ready to share.
As I was thinking about it, I thought of several musical blessings. “May the Good Lord bless and keep you, whether near or far away. . . May the good you wish on others shine on you today. . . May your troubles all be small ones and your fortune ten times ten. . . May there be a silver lining back of every cloud you see.” Or there’s one by Twyla Paris. “I pray the Lord will bless you with His presence every day. And I pray He will protect you every step along the way, help you love what’s right and lead you far away from wrong. I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.” Then there’s the contemporary song which probably helped you memorize your verse this sabbath, if you know it. “The Blessing” follows Numbers 6:24-26 fairly closely: “The LORD bless you and keep you, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
But for each of you here today, your parents specifically chose a blessing for you that will accompany you the rest of your life. Mitkah means “sweetness;” Shelevah means “serenity or peace;” Zevadyah means “gift of Yahweh;” Berechyah mean “Yahweh blesses;” Audrey means “noble strength;” Peter means “rock or stone, connoting reliability, resilience, and faith;” and Matthew means “gift of God.”
James 3:8-13 talks about how sometimes we bless others and sometimes we say really mean and bad things about others. We have to learn to control our tongue, to use our words constructively rather than destructively. In others words, let not only your actions be a blessing to others; let your words bless them as well.
Sabbath, February 21st
Believe in God
“ . . . Because you did not believe in me . .” Numbers 20:12
What do you think? Do you believe you can push a plastic straw through a potato? If you put your finger over the straw opening, the compressed air in the straw will help you. If you don’t put your finger over the straw opening, you’ll barely make a dent!
Do you believe you can poke a pencil into a bag full of water without any leaking out? If the bag is sealed and the pencils are very sharp, the polymers of the bag will seal around the pencil.
Do you believe you can move an empty soda can toward you without touching it? You could blow on it, of course, to move it away. But if you rub an inflated balloon over someone’s head, the resulting electricity will attract the can - making it move.
Obviously there are good, scientific explanations behind all of these science tricks. But at first blush, you might have said there’s no way I’m going to be able to push a straw through a potato, or a pencil into a bag of water, or move a soda can. You didn’t believe.
Or maybe you did. Maybe you have seen enough science experiments done during sabbath class (or at school) that you did believe. And you would have thought the Israelites had experienced God’s power enough to believe that He meant what He said. His promises would happen. His commandments had to be obeyed. And, more than the Israelites, you’d have thought Moses would have believed what God said with all of his heart. Wouldn’t you have? It was Moses who experienced the burning bush. It was Moses who interacted with Pharaoh. It was Moses who talked with God face to face so that his skin shone! And yet, here’s your memory verse: “Because you did not believe in me . . .” This was God’s reaction when Moses and Aaron struck the rock twice and said “must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Uh oh. First of all, it wasn’t Moses and Aaron’s power to bring water from the rock! And secondly, God told them to speak to the rock, not strike it. God said Moses and Aaron did not believe in Him to uphold Him as holy in the sight of the Israelites.
Do you remember the extremely detailed instructions God gave to Moses about how to construct the tabernacle? Do you think precision is important to God?! Do you think it matters to God if you mostly obey Him? Do you think it matters whether the pencil is sharp when I try to poke it through the bag? There are many, many examples of when God allowed exceptions to His commandments - but they were all for good reasons, not just because the people were too lazy to obey. Just because it wasn’t convenient was not a good reason. And neither is unbelief a good reason to disobey. God’s existence and power and majesty are on display all around us (Rom. 1:20)
Here’s the point: if you truly believe that God exists and that He’s a Rewarder of them who diligently seek Him, your actions will demonstrate that. If you truly believe that God commands Sabbath observance, you will keep the Sabbath. If you truly believe that God prohibits lying, you will tell the truth. You obey God’s laws - not because you think you’re earning salvation; you obey God’s laws because you believe that God exists and those laws are what He wants you to obey. And because you believe in God so that you obey His commandments, you uphold Him as holy in the sight of all the people around you.
Resource: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/parents/magic-science-experiments-for-kids/
Sabbath, March 7th
God Goes With You
Memory Verse: “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4
Materials Needed: chart with examples
How do you know that your car has gasoline (or diesel) in it? (You were able to get to church!)
How do I know that Molly was playing with her toy - and shouldn’t be allowed to have it any longer? (There’s a hole in it!!)
How do you know when a coyote or deer has been in your backyard? (footprints or droppings or eaten plants)
How might I prove the existence of air? (blow up a balloon and release it; weigh a balloon that is not inflated and then weigh it after it’s been inflated)
So how did God’s people know that God was with them? They should have known in a myriad of ways: the pillar of fire or of cloud; the daily manna; water from the rock; the plagues in Egypt that didn’t affect the land of Goshen; crossing the Red Sea dry shod; the mountain quaking when God spoke to them; Moses’ shining face after having been in the presence of God; the rod that budded; the earthquake that swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram - the list is long!
How do you know that God is with you? Like the examples we have cited here, there is evidence of God’s presence in your life in a plethora of ways. There’s a saying: Coincidences are those times when God chooses to remain anonymous. Do you just have really good luck - amazing coincidences in your life - or is God actively blessing you and working things out for your good? Do you have examples?
I cited the example of God giving me a strong warning about going into that cathedral basement when I was in Chicago. I heeded that warning. I took my suitcase into one of the stalls and locked myself in. When heard footsteps and saw men’s shoes come into the women’s bathroom, I was really glad I’d gone into one of the stalls. I hurriedly changed, listened for the steps to recede, and got out of there as quickly as I could. What if I hadn’t paid any attention to that warning? I could have just dismissed it was me being silly.
I have lots of stories of what an unbeliever might say is just coincidence: being missed by a train, falling off a horse, the transmission going out of the van just over the hill from the repair shop, the tree falling in Mom’s driveway, Mom receiving a push to get her back upright on the trail, God stopping the rain in Louisville, God healing Ron’s tennis elbow and his burned hand - we could talk for a very long time.
In what ways do you know that God is with you?
Could you prove that God is blessing you to an unbeliever? Probably no more effectively than Moses proving God’s presence and provision to the unbelievers among the Israelites. Hebrews 3:12 says they had an evil heart of unbelief! Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, the Israelites chose to not belief that God existed and was working for their good. They did not trust God. And because they did not trust God, they didn’t obey Him either. And that had severe consequences.
But you DO know that God is with you. You’ve seen the evidence of it in your life! What do you do with that belief? It comes out in your words and your actions. If you truly believe that God in working in your life, then you trust Him. You obey His commandments. You share the gospel in a myriad of ways with the people around you. And the people around you can see it! “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4
Sabbath, March 14th
Stones of Remembrance
“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty . . .” Joshua 4:24
Materials needed: white hearts, white crayon, dark tempera paint (Write one word - God's blessings on a white construction paper heart with a white crayon. The dark tempera paint symbolizes when trouble comes. If you have hidden God's word and His deeds in your heart, you will find faith in the midst of your trials.)
When I was in school, the kindergarten teacher would often safety pin the note she wanted to go home to the parent of a child to the child’s shirt. Why do you think she did that? 🤷♀️ Because otherwise that message might never make it home for the parents to see. Sometimes it was a bad grade on an assignment. Sometimes it was a report about misbehavior. Sometimes it conveyed the need for supplies. And occasionally it was a good report.
It’s not only 5 year-olds who have a hard time remembering to do what they’re supposed to. What are some things you have forgotten recently? Do your parents have trouble remembering things? How do you know? How do they compensate for being forgetful?
Possible solutions: lists, picture, alarm, sticky notes, journal, songs
God gave us the weekly sabbath to remind us of several things: that He is Creator; He is our Redeemer; it is in only in Him we find true rest.
God gave us the annual sabbaths to remind us of what He has done, is doing, and will do for each of us. As we celebrate the Holy Days, we are reminded to make our relationship with God the priority in our lives.
But what else can you do to remember what God has done for you? When God spoke to Joshua (recorded in Joshua 1), God told Joshua to obey His law, to not let the law depart from His mouth, and to meditate on it (Joshua 1:8-9). Joshua was to make God’s law a prominent part of what he thought, what he said, and what he did. That’s a really good model for us. Everything you think, say, and do should be done with God’s laws in mind. In other words, you hide God’s words and deeds in your heart - so that when trouble comes, you know that God’s plans will triumph in the end, that God loves you, and that you can trust Him - no matter what!
Sabbath, March 21st
Give God the Glory
Memory verse: “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3
Materials needed: bowl of water, clear cup, napkin
Do you give God the glory? What does that even mean? Is it something you should be doing? If so, what is it?
Let’s start with a science experiment. I have a napkin. Let’s say it represents something you are proud of - like passing a hard test, climbing a tree, hitting a homerun. The glass represents you. So I’m going to scrunch the napkin into the bottom of the glass. I have a bowl full of water. What happens when I turn the glass upside down and put it into the bowl of water? You’d expect the water would fill the glass and the napkin would get wet, right? What actually happens? The napkin is still dry! Why? Did the glass keep the water from getting to the napkin? That’s what it looks like; it looks like the glass is doing all the work to keep the napkin dry! But actually, the air in the glass pushed the water away. So what’s my point? When we do something amazing, people around us see the “glass” (us), but they don’t see the “Air” (God’s power). It’s very important to remember to give the credit to God for what He has done for us.
It’s your memory verse: “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3
And it’s very important. God says, “My glory I will share with no other.”
It’s really easy to take the credit. “I did really well on the test.” “I hit the homerun.” “I came up with a new idea that really worked.” But in reality, God is the One who gave us all the ability to do things and sometimes He gives us the inspiration or thought for which people commend us.
So. What do you say when people compliment you for something? Do you say “Thank you”? Or do you remember to give God the glory? What would that look like? I’ll give you a couple of examples and then we’ll see what else you can come up with.
When they say: "You're so smart!"
Kid says: "Thanks! God gave me a brain that loves to learn."
When they say: "Great game today; you're fast!"
Kid says: "Thank you! I'm just glad God gave me the energy to play hard today."
When they say: "That’s a beautiful drawing."
Kid says: "Thanks, I'm really thankful God gave me a love for art."
When they say: "You're such a kind person."
Kid says: "I’m trying! I’m asking God to help me love people better every day."
The "Safety" Phrase (for any compliment):
Kid says: "Thank you! Praise God for helping me with that.”
We serve the amazing God! All glory and honor and praise belongs to Him.
Sabbath, March 28th
Right in Your Own Eyes
“ . . . Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6
Materials Needed: blender, strawberries, milk, Carnation Instant Breakfast, ketchup, onions, dill pickles, cups
We just had a Bible study this past Sabbath about the calendar issue. Do you remember what Ron started with? "Yes, but." There are many conflicting views about how to apply what is written in the Bible about the calendar. There are many conflicting views about many different issues in our world today - and that's part of the reason there's so much conflict between people. I see the issue one way; you see the issue another way. Both can be right; both can be wrong; usually there's a mix of right and wrong in each viewpoint. It can come down to what you feel should have more weight - which viewpoint should be given more consideration.
When I was a teenager, I had a brother who was ten years younger than I was. We had a different perspective on almost everything! One day I looked out my bedroom window because I could hear the neighbor's geese making quite a ruckus. I soon understood why! My brother and the neighbor's three boys were kicking the geese from behind. It launched the geese in the air and made them squawk. They thought it was great fun. I was upset. I headed downstairs to deal with the boys (specifically my brother) kicking the geese. My dad saw my anger and caught me before I got outside. He wanted to know where I was going. I told him I was going to show my brother what it felt like to be kicked in the rear. And then entered the third perspective in the whole situation: Dad wouldn't let me go kick my brother. He told me I didn't have the authority to do so. In fact, I got sent back to my room. I was so angry at both Dad and my brother!
Be aware this week of conflicts that you have with your family members. How many of those conflicts are because you have a different perspective? Perhaps a different value of importance on the aspects of a situation? And we'll talk about whether it was a good thing or a bad thing for everyone to do what was right in their own eyes.
In many cases between people, it can be difficult to figure out the best course of action or the “right” way of doing something. Should we plant tomatoes in the top of the garden or in pots? Should we plant bush beans or pole beans? Should we have a picnic or go to a movie? And so when people do what is right in their own eyes (and it doesn’t contradict God’s law), you can have a huge variety of opinions on actions. But when God’s ways are involved, we should ALWAYS seek to please God, to do things His way according to His word. We can have differences of opinion on what exactly God’s will is, but our focus has to be on His agenda, not ours. Doing what’s right in your own eyes didn’t work out very well for the Israelites - and it won’t work out very well for you either.
Here’s what that would look like:
I’m going to make a smoothie. Here’s my recipe: strawberries, milk, Carnation Instant Breakfast - blend it all up. Yum. But what if I decide that there are other things I really like and I don’t really have to follow the recipe? Ketchup is red like strawberries. I like ketchup. Let’s add that. I like pickles on hamburgers. Oooh, you know what really goes well with ketchup and pickles on hamburgers? Onions. Let’s throw that in. Umm. I don’t think I followed the recipe very well, but I did what I liked. Anyone want to drink that “smoothie”?
There are things that we like that just don’t follow God’s recipe of the way life works. I don’t care how strongly you feel that it’s right, God’s way is always best.
Sabbath, April 4th
Counting
“ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.” 1 Samuel 12:20
I really appreciate what Mark Jacob has been teaching about the Ten Commandments - that they are umbrella statements, or topics. So the Fourth Commandment about keeping the Sabbath day holy is a topic statement. It’s an umbrella statement under which all of the instructions about keeping God’s Holy Days would fall.
Here’s one example of what an umbrella topic is. If your mom tells you to take a bath, that’s a topic statement. You should
Taking a bath includes washing every part of you.
If we applied this concept to the Ninth Commandment: Thou shall not bear false witness. If we apply the concept that this is a topic, then there are several categories which would fall under this umbrella: bearing false witness, out and out lying, lies of omission, partial truths, intentionally misleading others without saying the lie out loud, and little white lies.
Let’s apply it in a positive sense. The fourth commandment is “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” This would apply to the weekly sabbath - and to the annual sabbaths, like the first and last Day of Unleavened Bread. What other specific commandment does God give for keeping these Sabbath holy, set apart? He says we must eat unleavened bread every day for seven days. And right in the middle of this observance, another observance begins - which is connected to the next annual sabbath, Pentecost. What are we supposed to do to celebrate Pentecost. We’re supposed to count off fifty days from the morrow after the Sabbath. Hey! That’s tomorrow. We’re supposed to start counting tomorrow! And just in case you forgot what the commandment that is associated with Pentecost is - it’s in the name! Pentecost literally means “count fifty.”
Something that you do every day for fifty days is a little easier if you have a reminder. So I made calendars and collected stickers for you. Each day put a sticker on that day. You might even want to put it on the refrigerator in your kitchen. Keep track of the days and count - as God commanded.
Why? Because that’s part of what 1 Samuel 12:20 means when it says, “ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.”
Sabbath, April 11th
Something You’re Not
“ . . . And I took the crown that was on his head. . .” 2 Samuel 1:10
Materials needed: popcorn air popper, popcorn, container, dry erase board, markers
What did you learn from the Days of Unleavened Bread this year? Anything?
Paul exhorts the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:8) to “keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.”
Did you get that? Paul is using opposites to help define terms. Unleavened is opposite leavened. Malice and wickedness are on the leavened side. Sincerity and truth are on the unleavened side. Let’s fill this out a little.
During the Days of Unleavened Bread we get the object lesson of how pervasive leavening is in our world. It’s all around us. Malice, wickedness, insincerity and falsehood are ubiquitous in our world. As people of God, we are not to be like this!!! Ever! It’s not just what we do during the Days of Unleavened Bread; we’re supposed to love the truth and be sincere and loving and long-suffering all the time.
So why did I bring my popcorn popper today? (Popcorn is not leavened.) I have two reasons. First, the popper works because there is moisture in the kernels. When the moisture is rapidly heated, the corn pops. We as humans also have a high water content. That means when we are under pressure (aka heat is applied), sometimes we explode. The words and actions that result are often not godly. We need to guard against emotionally-laden conversations because we can cause damage in our relationships that are not easily repaired.
The second reason I brought my popper is because popped corn is puffed up. You know that because you can start with a little amount and once it’s popped, it fills the whole bowl. In other words, popped corn is full of air. There’s something substantiative missing. The example in your Bible reading this week is the Amalekite who happened on King Saul after he was already dead. And we know this because of 1 Samuel 31:5. But the Amalekite claimed to David that he (the Amalekite) had killed Saul. And here was the crown as evidence. The Amalekite thought that David would reward him. He couldn’t have been more wrong. His false claim cost him his life.
What’s my point? By claiming to be something that you are not, by not being sincere and truthful, by not learning the lessons of the Days of Unleavened Bread, you are taking your life into your own hands. Those people, who are leavened with malice and wickedness and insincerity and falsehood, show by their actions and attitudes that they don’t belong to God. Those who don’t belong to God have no hope of eternal life in God’s kingdom.
Sabbath, April 18th
When the Books Are Written
Memory Verse: “I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful . . .” - 2 Samuel 20:19
When the books are written about you, what will people say? Will they remember you as peaceable and faithful? Wild and crazy? Serious and devoted? Head-strong and rebellious? How would you like to be remembered? What can you do now to affect what people remember about you?
Your memory verse comes from a woman whose name is not even recorded, but her wisdom has been recorded for everyone to see. After King David’s son Absalom tried to stage a coup to take the kingdom from his own father and it failed, the country was in turmoil. There was a man (the ESV calls him a worthless man) name Sheba who thought he’d step into the chaos and grab the kingdom. David’s mighty men pursued him to a city named Abel of Beth-Maacah. This was a city far north in Israel which sat on the headwaters of the Jordan River, at the crossroads of ancient routes to Damascus and to Tyre. It was considered a gateway city. Joab was determined he was going to capture Sheba who had taken refuge there, even if it meant destroying the city. A woman, we don’t even know her name, intervened, asking what Joab wanted. When she found out it was Sheba, the city leaders dispatched his head to Joab rather quickly. It’s interesting because she calls herself “peaceable and faithful.” She was certainly discerning and wise - much like the poor man described in Ecclesiastes 9:14-15. Again in this case, we don’t even know his name. We just know that he didn’t have much money, but he was rich in wisdom!
So think of your favorite Bible characters. How would you describe them?
Moses: meek, humble, friend of God
Abraham: faithful, courageous, obedient
Deborah: wise, courageous, discerning
John the Baptist: blunt, courageous, faithful
Peter: outspoken, outgoing, impetuous
David: trusted God, courageous, a warrior, a leader, a musician
All of these people had their faults because they were human. And humans make mistakes. But the stories recorded about them paint a clear picture of their strengths and the way they honored God with their lives. What about you? How do you want people to remember you?
Sabbath, January 3rd - " . . . And the LORD shut him in." Genesis 7:16 - And God Shut Him In
Sabbath, January 10th - “ . . . Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head . . .” Genesis 28:11 - Touch of the Master's Hand
Sabbath, January 17th - “ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20 - God's Sovereignty
Sabbath, January 24th - “ . . . And his master shall bore through his ear with an awl. . .” Exodus 21:6
Sabbath, January 31st - “ . . . in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:38 - God's Still With Us
February
Sabbath, February 7th - “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Leviticus 18:25 - And the Land Vomited
Sabbath, February 14th - “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 - The Aaronic Blessing
Sabbath, February 21st - “ . . . Because you did not believe in me . .” Numbers 20:12 - Believe in God
Sabbath, February 28th - “The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another . . .” Numbers 36:7
March
🚲 Sabbath, March 7th - “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4 - God Goes With You
🚲 Sabbath, March 14th - “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty . .” Joshua 4:24 - Stones of Remembrance
🚲 Sabbath, March 21st - “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3 - Give God the Glory
🚲 Sabbath, March 28th - “ . . . Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6 - Right in Your Own Eyes
April
🐑 April 4th - “ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.” 1 Samuel 12:20 - Counting
🐑 April 11th - “ . . . And I took the crown that was on his head. . .” 2 Samuel 1:10 - Something You're Not
🐑 April 18th - “I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful . . .” - 2 Samuel 20:19 - When the Books Are Written
🐑 April 25th - “ . . . Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD. . .” 2 Kings 10:16 - Zeal
May
💕 Sabbath, May 2nd - “ . . . for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ”
2 Kings 4:43 - Multiplying the Loaves
💕 Sabbath, May 9th - “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. . .” 2 Kings 22:1a - Small Things
💕 Sabbath, May 16th - “Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29b - What Are You Wearing?
💕 Sabbath, May 23rd - “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” 2 Chronicles 9:22 - Riches and Wisdom Wasn't Enough
💕 Pentecost, May 24th - “And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel . . .” 2 Chronicles 11:16a - Set Your Heart
💕 Sabbath, May 30th - “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:13b - Then He Knew
June
🪴 Sabbath, June 6th - “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” Nehemiah 2:8b - The Good Hand of the Lord
🪴 Sabbath, June 13th - "On that night the king could not sleep.” Esther 6:1a - Sleeplessness
🪴 Sabbath, June 20th - “Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.” Job 21:5 - Words Can't Be Erased
🪴 Sabbath, June 27th - “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ ” Psalm 16:2 - The Knowledge of Good and Evil
July
🪶 Sabbath, July 4th - “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 - Trusting God
🪶 Sabbath, July 11th - “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16 (ESV) - 2 Kings 5
🪶 Sabbath, July 18th - “But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD;” Psalm 141:8 (NIV) - Fix My Eyes
🪶 Sabbath, July - “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” Proverbs 22:3 - Bursting the Balloon
August
⚽️ Sabbath, August 1st - "Learn to do good..." - Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to Do Good
⚽️ Sabbath, August 8th - “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31 - Wait Upon the LORD
⚽️ Sabbath, August 15th - “ . . . ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; . . . ” - Jeremiah 6:16
⚽️ Sabbath, August 22nd - “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
⚽️ Sabbath, August 29th - “ It is he . . . who established the world by his wisdom . . .” - Jeremiah 51:15
Sabbath, January 3, 2026
And God Shut Him In
" . . . And the LORD shut him in." Genesis 7:16
Materials needed: brambles, electrical wire, dry erase board/markers
What do people use for security?
People have watchdogs . . . or watch geese. Paddle locks or deadbolts can secure doors and gates. Doors and gates and fences and walls can keep people, animals, weather, etc. out. Castles had high towers, cliffs, and/or moats. Hedges made great barriers as far back as Biblical times (Isaiah 5:5).
Insulation on wires protects us from the negatives aspects of being shocked by electrical currents. That’s definitely a positive!! 🤣😅
So what’s the point of this discussion. Well, sometimes we only see the negative aspects of barriers. No one likes finding themselves on the wrong side of a hedge with no way to get through. We often prefer wide open spaces with no fences and walls. We look forward to the time when paddle locks are no longer necessary because there won’t be anyone who steals anything.
The reality is that we live in a dangerous world. There are lots of things out there which can hurt you. So you take precautions. You are careful. You don’t plug in an appliance which has a bad spot on the cord. You learn to appreciate the fences around playgrounds which keep your ball from rolling into a busy street.
Noah also lived in a violent and vile world. It was so bad that God sent a Flood to destroy everyone and everything on earth but Noah and his family and the animals in the Ark. Think about the faith that Noah had to have had. Not only did he spend a long time building the ark (Some say 120 years.), he also had to trust God when the animals started arriving. Lions and tigers and bears and crocodiles! There also might have been some trepidation about whether the pitch covering the Ark was going to hold and keep it waterproof for however long Noah would be inside. Noah couldn’t go out and do any patching. Where would he have gotten more material?!
So one of the most comforting scriptures in this whole section is Genesis 7:16 - “ . . . and the LORD shut him in.” Noah didn’t have to rely on his own ability to close and waterproof the door. God did it. You might say that God put His seal of approval on it. Or not. But at any rate, the implication is that God was intimately involved in getting Noah to safety in a very real way.
So what does that mean for you? First, you want to strive to have a relationship with God like Noah had - where it can be said of you, ________ found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Pleasing God comes from seeking Him, keeping His commandments, and submitting your will to His all the time. Secondly, if you have that kind of relationship with God, you can trust Him no matter what happens. As the apostle Paul said, To live is Christ, to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Regardless of what happens, you know that your life is hidden with Christ and your destiny is His kingdom. In the ultimate sense, God will have saved you. And as was said of Noah, God will have shut you in. That’s a very good thing.
Sabbath, January 10th
Touch of the Master’s Hand
Memory Verse: “Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head. . .” Genesis 28:11
Materials: toilet paper rolls, various projects created from toilet paper rolls
Over the past month, most of the ladies in our congregation have been collecting toilet paper rolls for me. I’m sure they have been wondering what in the world I was going to do with them. Well, toilet paper rolls can be used in several ways. They can be fire starters - just as they are or with dryer lints inside. They can be used as seedling starters. Put soil in a tube that has one end crimped. Put in a seed. Water. Let it grow. Once it’s ready to be put into the ground, you can put the whole thing in because the toilet paper rolls will disintegrate. Or toilet paper rolls can be made into puppets - like this elephant. Or toilet paper rolls can be made into wall decorations. Or they can be turned into colored pencil holders, like a desk caddy. Or they can be turned into 3-D snowflake decorations. It all depends on the creativity of the person who can take the toilet paper roll and turn it into something else. It kind of reminds me of a stone.
When Jacob left his parents and journeyed to his mother’s brother, Laban, to find a wife (and to get away from the wrath of his brother, Esau), he spent the night in “a certain place” (the ESV calls it in Genesis 28:11). He must have been camping because we’re told that he took a stone and used it for a pillow. That night he dreamed there was a ladder, or flight of steps, set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven. There were angels of God ascending and descending the ladder. At the top was God. God spoke to Jacob and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15) This is quite a promise! This is the covenant language God expressed to Abraham and to Isaac. Jacob reacted very strongly. He said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it. . . . How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17)
In the morning, he took the stone he’d used as a pillow. He set it up for a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He made a vow. If God would be with him and keep him, giving him food to eat and clothes to wear so that he would again come home to his father, then God would be his God and he would tithe.
And that pillar would be God’s house - which is why the city which grew up there was named Bethel - “house of God.”
It was a stone. A simple stone. Jacob used it as a pillow. Could he have chosen a different stone? Was it the stone which made all the difference? Was it the stone which caused the dream? No. The stone was just the pillow. But that stone, which Jacob used as a pillow, became a pillar - an Ebenezer - a stone of remembrance, a memorial to the dream and promise Jacob had had. Eventually, this pillar became the site of a community called Bethel! All from a simple stone.
So whether we’re talking about toilet paper rolls or stones, what does this mean to you? If you are diligently seeking God and His ways, God can use you for His glory. Like a toilet paper roll or a stone, you can be used in ways you could never have imagined. God is the Creator. Like the song “Touch of the Master’s Hand,” this world doesn’t understand “the worth of a soul and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.” I can hardly wait to see what God will do with each of you - as He uses you for His glory!
Sabbath, January 17th
God's Sovereignty
Memory Verse: “ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20
Did you know that the Slinky was invented by accident?
"During World War II, an engineer named Richard James wanted to help the troops by inventing springs that could stabilize important instruments on naval ships during times of rough seas. While working on the springs, one was knocked off a table and “walked” its way down to the floor, then re-coiled itself and stood upright. After showing this to his wife, they determined it could be sold as a children’s toy with the name “Slinky.” It was first demonstrated to customers at Gimbels Department Store in 1945, and within the first 90 minutes over 400 Slinkys had been sold." science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/15-of-the-coolest-accidental-inventions.htm
The same site talks about the invention of the potato chip: "Potato chips, America’s beloved snack of choice, were originally developed to annoy a dissatisfied diner in 1853. George Crum, a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York, served French fries to the customer, who initially complained they were too thick. Crum then made a second batch, which was thinner, but still did not appease him. So for the third batch, in an attempt to further irritate the diner, Crum made fries that were so thin they couldn’t be eaten with a fork, and over salted them for good measure. Surprisingly, the customer loved them, and potato chips were invented!”
Post-it Notes were invented by accident by 3M scientist Spencer Silver in 1968, who created a weak, reusable adhesive, and then developed into a product by fellow 3M employee Art Fry in 1974, who used it for his church hymnal bookmark, leading to a product launch in 1980 that revolutionized office organization. Silver's "solution without a problem" adhesive, made of tiny bubbles, was strong enough to stick but weak enough to peel off, a property Fry realized was perfect for temporary page markers.
Sometimes things happen in our lives that we totally didn't expect. Sometimes we call these coincidences. But what if they aren't coincidences? There's a saying: Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. So what if those "coincidences" are actually God working things out in our lives? Do you have any examples you'd like to share?
The Slinky and the potato chip are examples of accidental inventions when the inventor was trying to do something good - and some other good thing resulted. But what if the inventor meant it for evil? Sometimes things, and actions, are intended for harm. They want to hurt someone else. In the case of Joseph and his brothers, they hated him so much, they wanted to kill him. But traders going to Egypt just happened by. Since his brothers just wanted rid of him, selling Joseph would get rid of him and earn them some money. Their actions intended evil against Joseph; selling him to Egypt was likely to result in his death. But at the very end of the story, once Jacob had died and the brothers were still afraid Joseph would get his revenge on them, Joseph showed remarkable wisdom. He told his brothers that although they had meant their actions for evil (wanting rid of Joseph - even to murder!), God meant it for good. With Joseph in Egypt and because Joseph honored God with his life, God was able to use him - even to saving his entire family from the famine. God’s plans and purposes always work out. Because God is sovereign.
“ . . . you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good . . .” Genesis 50:20 This is an extremely encouraging verse to hang onto when things aren’t going well - according to your definition. Just hang on. Keep seeking and serving God with all of your heart. He is sovereign and He wants the very best in your life. He’s working things out for your good. Isn’t that what we’re told in Romans 8:28 - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Sabbath, January 31st
God’s Still With Us
Memory Verse:“ . . . in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:38
If someone were to ask you what the book of Exodus was about, what would you tell them?
If you said that it’s about the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt, you’d be right. If you cited the stubbornly rebellious hearts of these people God had rescued, you’d be right again. If you said it details the giving of the Mosaic law, the building of the tabernacle and the law of the sacrifices, you’d be right again. But the overall impression I’ve gained, as we’ve made our way through the book of Exodus, is that God was with His people - even before they realized they needed Him.
Think of how the book begins: The Hebrew people multiplied in Egypt until the Egyptians grew afraid of their numbers and decided to assimilate them into the Egyptian nation by killing all of the baby boys. God knew they were going to need to be rescued. Moses was born, was rescued by the Egyptian Princess, was raised in Pharaoh’s household, and ended up in the wilderness, tending his father-in-law’s sheep on Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. God was intimately involved in the events, preparing Moses for the time when he would need to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
I’m sure you could detail the plagues and the numerous miracles God performed as He led the people out of Egypt. But then, even more than just acting on their behalf, God gives them His law - a picture of the character of God. Furthermore, God gave minute instructions for the building of the tabernacle, the high priest’s garments, and the furnishing of the tabernacle. He gave them the privilege of having Him dwell with them. Do you fully understand how very much God was with His people?! He acted on their behalf. He dwelt in their midst. He gave them His laws so the people would act and think like God. Then to cap it all off, He gives them a physical, visual reminder that He is with them 24/7.
For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:38
So God’s presence was with them day and night throughout all of their journeys!
Do you feel a little envious of the Israelites? Do you wish that God would dwell with you, tell you how to live, and provide you a physical, visible reminder that He is with you, leading and protecting you? I have good news for you. He has - if you have the eyes to see.
What part of our lives corresponds to the tabernacle? 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we are the temple of the living God. When you are baptized and have hands laid on you for the receiving of the Holy Spirit, you become the temple, the dwelling place of God. Then His Holy Spirit (John 16:13) works in you to lead you into all truth as you read God’s written word, which contains His commandments. So you have God’s presence and God’s law with you. But what about God acting on your behalf - miracles?
I suspect that each one of you has experienced God’s hand in your life in a powerful way. Could you prove that it was directly God’s hand? No, probably not. But just like some people try to explain away the provision of the quail as a yearly phenomena, you know that God provided them meat to eat. You know that was from God. Some people say that the people crossing the Red Sea dry shod was because there was a natural underwater land bridge. But you know that it was the power of God who dried up the sea bed for the Israelites but drowned the Egyptians as they tried to follow. In the same way, each of you has had events in your lives which you know was the hand of God. Talk about them. Remind each other of them. They are like that cloud of the LORD that was on the tabernacle by day and the fire that was in the tabernacle by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
Sabbath School, February 7, 2026
And the Land Vomited
Memory Verse: “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Leviticus 18:25
Have you ever vomited? Why do people vomit? Sometimes it’s because they have the flu (or other illness). One of the symptoms of the flu is that you are nauseous - you feel like you’re going to throw up. Sometimes people vomit because they eat too much. Their stomach literally says, “I’m so uncomfortable because you put too much in me.” Similar to this one is when you eat (or drink) something that doesn’t set well on your stomach. If you eat too much candy (sugar), you will feel awful and may even vomit. Sometimes when you get as ancient as I am, you can’t eat cucumbers or green peppers any more. They just don’t set well on your stomach. Sometimes you vomit because you’re allergic to the food that you consumed. Gluten is an allergy that is more and more common. Another reason you might vomit is because the person right next to you is vomiting. It happens with small children more than you might think.
But the verse in Leviticus 18:25 isn’t talking about a person vomiting. It says, “ . . . and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” Why would the land vomit? What does that even look like? Do you have an image in your mind of land roiling and pushing people out of it? That’s what it sounds like. But unless we’re talking about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes, how would the earth vomit out the people? It seems logical that it’s one of two things.
First, perhaps the people so mistreated the land that it will no longer support them. The land is no longer fruitful. Maybe the people threw their trash and waste into the rivers, expecting the rivers to carry away all the refuse. But now the water is so contaminated, you can’t eat the fish, the people downstream get sick from drinking the water, and the water can no longer be used to water crops. Maybe people put poison on the ground so that nothing will grow. Maybe people so polluted the air that birds and bees died - and other bugs, noxious, devouring ones moved in. These are just a couple examples of people violating the Dominion Mandate given by God to care for the land.
Or perhaps, it’s figurative language meaning that the people did not care for the land and didn’t follow God’s ways, and God made them leave. Maybe God used their own actions (like those above) to push them out. Maybe God sent natural disasters - drought, fire, tornadoes - to destroy what they had so they had to leave to survive. Or maybe God sent enemies against them to conquer them and drive them out of the land.
Any way that God accomplished His purpose really isn’t the point. The point of the verse is that the people were so wicked and evil, so rebellious against God and His ways, that He made them leave. Maybe He used natural consequences to their actions. Maybe He became directly involved. Regardless, the land vomited out its inhabitants. So - how seriously do you think God views obedience to Him and His ways? How important is it to YOU to figure out what God wants, what pleases Him? I suspect that, if we don’t have that relationship with God, if we don’t love and obey Him with all of our heart, we might get an up close and personal perspective on what it means when the land vomits out its inhabitants.
Sabbath, February 14th
The Aaronic Blessing
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Blessings are important! We read about them throughout the Bible. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 enumerates the blessings God’s people would receive if they were faithful to obey His commandments. We read about Jacob stealing Esau's blessing. We know that Joseph blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, adopting them as his own sons. We ask for blessings from God.
If you were asked to give someone a blessing - to speak a blessing over them - what might you say? I asked the children to bring their answers to church Sabbath and be ready to share.
As I was thinking about it, I thought of several musical blessings. “May the Good Lord bless and keep you, whether near or far away. . . May the good you wish on others shine on you today. . . May your troubles all be small ones and your fortune ten times ten. . . May there be a silver lining back of every cloud you see.” Or there’s one by Twyla Paris. “I pray the Lord will bless you with His presence every day. And I pray He will protect you every step along the way, help you love what’s right and lead you far away from wrong. I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long.” Then there’s the contemporary song which probably helped you memorize your verse this sabbath, if you know it. “The Blessing” follows Numbers 6:24-26 fairly closely: “The LORD bless you and keep you, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
But for each of you here today, your parents specifically chose a blessing for you that will accompany you the rest of your life. Mitkah means “sweetness;” Shelevah means “serenity or peace;” Zevadyah means “gift of Yahweh;” Berechyah mean “Yahweh blesses;” Audrey means “noble strength;” Peter means “rock or stone, connoting reliability, resilience, and faith;” and Matthew means “gift of God.”
James 3:8-13 talks about how sometimes we bless others and sometimes we say really mean and bad things about others. We have to learn to control our tongue, to use our words constructively rather than destructively. In others words, let not only your actions be a blessing to others; let your words bless them as well.
Sabbath, February 21st
Believe in God
“ . . . Because you did not believe in me . .” Numbers 20:12
What do you think? Do you believe you can push a plastic straw through a potato? If you put your finger over the straw opening, the compressed air in the straw will help you. If you don’t put your finger over the straw opening, you’ll barely make a dent!
Do you believe you can poke a pencil into a bag full of water without any leaking out? If the bag is sealed and the pencils are very sharp, the polymers of the bag will seal around the pencil.
Do you believe you can move an empty soda can toward you without touching it? You could blow on it, of course, to move it away. But if you rub an inflated balloon over someone’s head, the resulting electricity will attract the can - making it move.
Obviously there are good, scientific explanations behind all of these science tricks. But at first blush, you might have said there’s no way I’m going to be able to push a straw through a potato, or a pencil into a bag of water, or move a soda can. You didn’t believe.
Or maybe you did. Maybe you have seen enough science experiments done during sabbath class (or at school) that you did believe. And you would have thought the Israelites had experienced God’s power enough to believe that He meant what He said. His promises would happen. His commandments had to be obeyed. And, more than the Israelites, you’d have thought Moses would have believed what God said with all of his heart. Wouldn’t you have? It was Moses who experienced the burning bush. It was Moses who interacted with Pharaoh. It was Moses who talked with God face to face so that his skin shone! And yet, here’s your memory verse: “Because you did not believe in me . . .” This was God’s reaction when Moses and Aaron struck the rock twice and said “must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Uh oh. First of all, it wasn’t Moses and Aaron’s power to bring water from the rock! And secondly, God told them to speak to the rock, not strike it. God said Moses and Aaron did not believe in Him to uphold Him as holy in the sight of the Israelites.
Do you remember the extremely detailed instructions God gave to Moses about how to construct the tabernacle? Do you think precision is important to God?! Do you think it matters to God if you mostly obey Him? Do you think it matters whether the pencil is sharp when I try to poke it through the bag? There are many, many examples of when God allowed exceptions to His commandments - but they were all for good reasons, not just because the people were too lazy to obey. Just because it wasn’t convenient was not a good reason. And neither is unbelief a good reason to disobey. God’s existence and power and majesty are on display all around us (Rom. 1:20)
Here’s the point: if you truly believe that God exists and that He’s a Rewarder of them who diligently seek Him, your actions will demonstrate that. If you truly believe that God commands Sabbath observance, you will keep the Sabbath. If you truly believe that God prohibits lying, you will tell the truth. You obey God’s laws - not because you think you’re earning salvation; you obey God’s laws because you believe that God exists and those laws are what He wants you to obey. And because you believe in God so that you obey His commandments, you uphold Him as holy in the sight of all the people around you.
Resource: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/parents/magic-science-experiments-for-kids/
Sabbath, March 7th
God Goes With You
Memory Verse: “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4
Materials Needed: chart with examples
How do you know that your car has gasoline (or diesel) in it? (You were able to get to church!)
How do I know that Molly was playing with her toy - and shouldn’t be allowed to have it any longer? (There’s a hole in it!!)
How do you know when a coyote or deer has been in your backyard? (footprints or droppings or eaten plants)
How might I prove the existence of air? (blow up a balloon and release it; weigh a balloon that is not inflated and then weigh it after it’s been inflated)
So how did God’s people know that God was with them? They should have known in a myriad of ways: the pillar of fire or of cloud; the daily manna; water from the rock; the plagues in Egypt that didn’t affect the land of Goshen; crossing the Red Sea dry shod; the mountain quaking when God spoke to them; Moses’ shining face after having been in the presence of God; the rod that budded; the earthquake that swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram - the list is long!
How do you know that God is with you? Like the examples we have cited here, there is evidence of God’s presence in your life in a plethora of ways. There’s a saying: Coincidences are those times when God chooses to remain anonymous. Do you just have really good luck - amazing coincidences in your life - or is God actively blessing you and working things out for your good? Do you have examples?
I cited the example of God giving me a strong warning about going into that cathedral basement when I was in Chicago. I heeded that warning. I took my suitcase into one of the stalls and locked myself in. When heard footsteps and saw men’s shoes come into the women’s bathroom, I was really glad I’d gone into one of the stalls. I hurriedly changed, listened for the steps to recede, and got out of there as quickly as I could. What if I hadn’t paid any attention to that warning? I could have just dismissed it was me being silly.
I have lots of stories of what an unbeliever might say is just coincidence: being missed by a train, falling off a horse, the transmission going out of the van just over the hill from the repair shop, the tree falling in Mom’s driveway, Mom receiving a push to get her back upright on the trail, God stopping the rain in Louisville, God healing Ron’s tennis elbow and his burned hand - we could talk for a very long time.
In what ways do you know that God is with you?
Could you prove that God is blessing you to an unbeliever? Probably no more effectively than Moses proving God’s presence and provision to the unbelievers among the Israelites. Hebrews 3:12 says they had an evil heart of unbelief! Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, the Israelites chose to not belief that God existed and was working for their good. They did not trust God. And because they did not trust God, they didn’t obey Him either. And that had severe consequences.
But you DO know that God is with you. You’ve seen the evidence of it in your life! What do you do with that belief? It comes out in your words and your actions. If you truly believe that God in working in your life, then you trust Him. You obey His commandments. You share the gospel in a myriad of ways with the people around you. And the people around you can see it! “for the LORD your God is he who goes with you. . .” Deuteronomy 20:4
Sabbath, March 14th
Stones of Remembrance
“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty . . .” Joshua 4:24
Materials needed: white hearts, white crayon, dark tempera paint (Write one word - God's blessings on a white construction paper heart with a white crayon. The dark tempera paint symbolizes when trouble comes. If you have hidden God's word and His deeds in your heart, you will find faith in the midst of your trials.)
When I was in school, the kindergarten teacher would often safety pin the note she wanted to go home to the parent of a child to the child’s shirt. Why do you think she did that? 🤷♀️ Because otherwise that message might never make it home for the parents to see. Sometimes it was a bad grade on an assignment. Sometimes it was a report about misbehavior. Sometimes it conveyed the need for supplies. And occasionally it was a good report.
It’s not only 5 year-olds who have a hard time remembering to do what they’re supposed to. What are some things you have forgotten recently? Do your parents have trouble remembering things? How do you know? How do they compensate for being forgetful?
Possible solutions: lists, picture, alarm, sticky notes, journal, songs
God gave us the weekly sabbath to remind us of several things: that He is Creator; He is our Redeemer; it is in only in Him we find true rest.
God gave us the annual sabbaths to remind us of what He has done, is doing, and will do for each of us. As we celebrate the Holy Days, we are reminded to make our relationship with God the priority in our lives.
But what else can you do to remember what God has done for you? When God spoke to Joshua (recorded in Joshua 1), God told Joshua to obey His law, to not let the law depart from His mouth, and to meditate on it (Joshua 1:8-9). Joshua was to make God’s law a prominent part of what he thought, what he said, and what he did. That’s a really good model for us. Everything you think, say, and do should be done with God’s laws in mind. In other words, you hide God’s words and deeds in your heart - so that when trouble comes, you know that God’s plans will triumph in the end, that God loves you, and that you can trust Him - no matter what!
Sabbath, March 21st
Give God the Glory
Memory verse: “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3
Materials needed: bowl of water, clear cup, napkin
Do you give God the glory? What does that even mean? Is it something you should be doing? If so, what is it?
Let’s start with a science experiment. I have a napkin. Let’s say it represents something you are proud of - like passing a hard test, climbing a tree, hitting a homerun. The glass represents you. So I’m going to scrunch the napkin into the bottom of the glass. I have a bowl full of water. What happens when I turn the glass upside down and put it into the bowl of water? You’d expect the water would fill the glass and the napkin would get wet, right? What actually happens? The napkin is still dry! Why? Did the glass keep the water from getting to the napkin? That’s what it looks like; it looks like the glass is doing all the work to keep the napkin dry! But actually, the air in the glass pushed the water away. So what’s my point? When we do something amazing, people around us see the “glass” (us), but they don’t see the “Air” (God’s power). It’s very important to remember to give the credit to God for what He has done for us.
It’s your memory verse: “ . . . for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.” Joshua 23:3
And it’s very important. God says, “My glory I will share with no other.”
It’s really easy to take the credit. “I did really well on the test.” “I hit the homerun.” “I came up with a new idea that really worked.” But in reality, God is the One who gave us all the ability to do things and sometimes He gives us the inspiration or thought for which people commend us.
So. What do you say when people compliment you for something? Do you say “Thank you”? Or do you remember to give God the glory? What would that look like? I’ll give you a couple of examples and then we’ll see what else you can come up with.
When they say: "You're so smart!"
Kid says: "Thanks! God gave me a brain that loves to learn."
When they say: "Great game today; you're fast!"
Kid says: "Thank you! I'm just glad God gave me the energy to play hard today."
When they say: "That’s a beautiful drawing."
Kid says: "Thanks, I'm really thankful God gave me a love for art."
When they say: "You're such a kind person."
Kid says: "I’m trying! I’m asking God to help me love people better every day."
The "Safety" Phrase (for any compliment):
Kid says: "Thank you! Praise God for helping me with that.”
We serve the amazing God! All glory and honor and praise belongs to Him.
Sabbath, March 28th
Right in Your Own Eyes
“ . . . Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6
Materials Needed: blender, strawberries, milk, Carnation Instant Breakfast, ketchup, onions, dill pickles, cups
We just had a Bible study this past Sabbath about the calendar issue. Do you remember what Ron started with? "Yes, but." There are many conflicting views about how to apply what is written in the Bible about the calendar. There are many conflicting views about many different issues in our world today - and that's part of the reason there's so much conflict between people. I see the issue one way; you see the issue another way. Both can be right; both can be wrong; usually there's a mix of right and wrong in each viewpoint. It can come down to what you feel should have more weight - which viewpoint should be given more consideration.
When I was a teenager, I had a brother who was ten years younger than I was. We had a different perspective on almost everything! One day I looked out my bedroom window because I could hear the neighbor's geese making quite a ruckus. I soon understood why! My brother and the neighbor's three boys were kicking the geese from behind. It launched the geese in the air and made them squawk. They thought it was great fun. I was upset. I headed downstairs to deal with the boys (specifically my brother) kicking the geese. My dad saw my anger and caught me before I got outside. He wanted to know where I was going. I told him I was going to show my brother what it felt like to be kicked in the rear. And then entered the third perspective in the whole situation: Dad wouldn't let me go kick my brother. He told me I didn't have the authority to do so. In fact, I got sent back to my room. I was so angry at both Dad and my brother!
Be aware this week of conflicts that you have with your family members. How many of those conflicts are because you have a different perspective? Perhaps a different value of importance on the aspects of a situation? And we'll talk about whether it was a good thing or a bad thing for everyone to do what was right in their own eyes.
In many cases between people, it can be difficult to figure out the best course of action or the “right” way of doing something. Should we plant tomatoes in the top of the garden or in pots? Should we plant bush beans or pole beans? Should we have a picnic or go to a movie? And so when people do what is right in their own eyes (and it doesn’t contradict God’s law), you can have a huge variety of opinions on actions. But when God’s ways are involved, we should ALWAYS seek to please God, to do things His way according to His word. We can have differences of opinion on what exactly God’s will is, but our focus has to be on His agenda, not ours. Doing what’s right in your own eyes didn’t work out very well for the Israelites - and it won’t work out very well for you either.
Here’s what that would look like:
I’m going to make a smoothie. Here’s my recipe: strawberries, milk, Carnation Instant Breakfast - blend it all up. Yum. But what if I decide that there are other things I really like and I don’t really have to follow the recipe? Ketchup is red like strawberries. I like ketchup. Let’s add that. I like pickles on hamburgers. Oooh, you know what really goes well with ketchup and pickles on hamburgers? Onions. Let’s throw that in. Umm. I don’t think I followed the recipe very well, but I did what I liked. Anyone want to drink that “smoothie”?
There are things that we like that just don’t follow God’s recipe of the way life works. I don’t care how strongly you feel that it’s right, God’s way is always best.
Sabbath, April 4th
Counting
“ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.” 1 Samuel 12:20
I really appreciate what Mark Jacob has been teaching about the Ten Commandments - that they are umbrella statements, or topics. So the Fourth Commandment about keeping the Sabbath day holy is a topic statement. It’s an umbrella statement under which all of the instructions about keeping God’s Holy Days would fall.
Here’s one example of what an umbrella topic is. If your mom tells you to take a bath, that’s a topic statement. You should
- wash your face
- wash behind your ears
- wash your armpits
- wash your feet
- all of the above
Taking a bath includes washing every part of you.
If we applied this concept to the Ninth Commandment: Thou shall not bear false witness. If we apply the concept that this is a topic, then there are several categories which would fall under this umbrella: bearing false witness, out and out lying, lies of omission, partial truths, intentionally misleading others without saying the lie out loud, and little white lies.
Let’s apply it in a positive sense. The fourth commandment is “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” This would apply to the weekly sabbath - and to the annual sabbaths, like the first and last Day of Unleavened Bread. What other specific commandment does God give for keeping these Sabbath holy, set apart? He says we must eat unleavened bread every day for seven days. And right in the middle of this observance, another observance begins - which is connected to the next annual sabbath, Pentecost. What are we supposed to do to celebrate Pentecost. We’re supposed to count off fifty days from the morrow after the Sabbath. Hey! That’s tomorrow. We’re supposed to start counting tomorrow! And just in case you forgot what the commandment that is associated with Pentecost is - it’s in the name! Pentecost literally means “count fifty.”
Something that you do every day for fifty days is a little easier if you have a reminder. So I made calendars and collected stickers for you. Each day put a sticker on that day. You might even want to put it on the refrigerator in your kitchen. Keep track of the days and count - as God commanded.
Why? Because that’s part of what 1 Samuel 12:20 means when it says, “ . . . do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.”
Sabbath, April 11th
Something You’re Not
“ . . . And I took the crown that was on his head. . .” 2 Samuel 1:10
Materials needed: popcorn air popper, popcorn, container, dry erase board, markers
What did you learn from the Days of Unleavened Bread this year? Anything?
Paul exhorts the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:8) to “keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.”
Did you get that? Paul is using opposites to help define terms. Unleavened is opposite leavened. Malice and wickedness are on the leavened side. Sincerity and truth are on the unleavened side. Let’s fill this out a little.
- What is the opposite of sincerity? Insincerity. Hmm. Does that help? Maybe not. What does it mean to be insincere? Insincerity is saying something that you don’t really mean. It’s telling someone they are your best friend (when they’re not) just so you can get something. When you are insincere, you are not honest - and that’s not a good thing.
- So then what’s the opposite of malice? Well, what is malice? Malice is having a desire to cause someone pain, harm, or distress. What makes it worse is that it’s premeditated. It’s not a thought on the spur of the moment; it’s thinking about someone and disliking them so much you want to do something bad to them. So the opposite of malice is generosity, forgiveness, agape love.
During the Days of Unleavened Bread we get the object lesson of how pervasive leavening is in our world. It’s all around us. Malice, wickedness, insincerity and falsehood are ubiquitous in our world. As people of God, we are not to be like this!!! Ever! It’s not just what we do during the Days of Unleavened Bread; we’re supposed to love the truth and be sincere and loving and long-suffering all the time.
So why did I bring my popcorn popper today? (Popcorn is not leavened.) I have two reasons. First, the popper works because there is moisture in the kernels. When the moisture is rapidly heated, the corn pops. We as humans also have a high water content. That means when we are under pressure (aka heat is applied), sometimes we explode. The words and actions that result are often not godly. We need to guard against emotionally-laden conversations because we can cause damage in our relationships that are not easily repaired.
The second reason I brought my popper is because popped corn is puffed up. You know that because you can start with a little amount and once it’s popped, it fills the whole bowl. In other words, popped corn is full of air. There’s something substantiative missing. The example in your Bible reading this week is the Amalekite who happened on King Saul after he was already dead. And we know this because of 1 Samuel 31:5. But the Amalekite claimed to David that he (the Amalekite) had killed Saul. And here was the crown as evidence. The Amalekite thought that David would reward him. He couldn’t have been more wrong. His false claim cost him his life.
What’s my point? By claiming to be something that you are not, by not being sincere and truthful, by not learning the lessons of the Days of Unleavened Bread, you are taking your life into your own hands. Those people, who are leavened with malice and wickedness and insincerity and falsehood, show by their actions and attitudes that they don’t belong to God. Those who don’t belong to God have no hope of eternal life in God’s kingdom.
Sabbath, April 18th
When the Books Are Written
Memory Verse: “I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful . . .” - 2 Samuel 20:19
When the books are written about you, what will people say? Will they remember you as peaceable and faithful? Wild and crazy? Serious and devoted? Head-strong and rebellious? How would you like to be remembered? What can you do now to affect what people remember about you?
Your memory verse comes from a woman whose name is not even recorded, but her wisdom has been recorded for everyone to see. After King David’s son Absalom tried to stage a coup to take the kingdom from his own father and it failed, the country was in turmoil. There was a man (the ESV calls him a worthless man) name Sheba who thought he’d step into the chaos and grab the kingdom. David’s mighty men pursued him to a city named Abel of Beth-Maacah. This was a city far north in Israel which sat on the headwaters of the Jordan River, at the crossroads of ancient routes to Damascus and to Tyre. It was considered a gateway city. Joab was determined he was going to capture Sheba who had taken refuge there, even if it meant destroying the city. A woman, we don’t even know her name, intervened, asking what Joab wanted. When she found out it was Sheba, the city leaders dispatched his head to Joab rather quickly. It’s interesting because she calls herself “peaceable and faithful.” She was certainly discerning and wise - much like the poor man described in Ecclesiastes 9:14-15. Again in this case, we don’t even know his name. We just know that he didn’t have much money, but he was rich in wisdom!
So think of your favorite Bible characters. How would you describe them?
Moses: meek, humble, friend of God
Abraham: faithful, courageous, obedient
Deborah: wise, courageous, discerning
John the Baptist: blunt, courageous, faithful
Peter: outspoken, outgoing, impetuous
David: trusted God, courageous, a warrior, a leader, a musician
All of these people had their faults because they were human. And humans make mistakes. But the stories recorded about them paint a clear picture of their strengths and the way they honored God with their lives. What about you? How do you want people to remember you?
Sabbath, April 25th
Zeal
Memory Verse: “ . . . Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD. . .” 2 Kings 10:16
What is zeal?
What are you zealous about?
Can you be zealous and be wrong? Can you think of an example?
Can you be zealous and be right? Can you think of an example?
Numbers 25:11-13 - Phinehas killed an Israelite and Midianite woman who brought idolatry and immorality into the camp.
2 Samuel 21:2 - Out of Saul’s zealousness for the people of Israel and Judah, he attacked the Gibeonites.
1 Kings 11:28 - Jeroboam was able and industrious and Solomon gave him charge over all of the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
1 Kings 19:10 - Elijah stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel.
John 2:17 - Jesus cleansed the temple - “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-2; Philippians 3:6; Romans 15:19 - Saul persecuted the church; Paul fervently preached the gospel of Christ.
Acts 18:25 - Apollos had a great fervor of spirit to teach about Jesus
We could talk a very long time about the zeal that was displayed by different people in the Bible. Sometimes it was very good. Sometimes it was misguided. But we know that zeal for God, if it is not misguided, is a very, very good thing. (Jesus’ clearing the temple is one example.) And we also know that God “wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” (Isaiah 59:17)
So what’s the opposite of zeal? Inaction, apathy, indifference, lethargy. I would never want any of these descriptors applied to my attitude towards God or my willingness to seek His will and serve Him. So, how would I jump start myself if I was not being active, feeling apathy, indifference, or lethargy? The first step would be to pray! Ask for God’s guidance going forward so that your zeal is not misguided. Then surround yourself with people who are zealous for God - because it’s contagious.
Just like these mousetraps (with ping pong balls on them). If one zealous person comes into a group of mousetraps who are inactive, that one can start a chain reaction of zeal. But remember to pray first, so that you don’t explode with action into a direction that is not God’s will.
Sabbath, April 25th
Zeal
Memory Verse: “ . . . Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD. . .” 2 Kings 10:16
What is zeal?
What are you zealous about?
Can you be zealous and be wrong? Can you think of an example?
Can you be zealous and be right? Can you think of an example?
Numbers 25:11-13 - Phinehas killed an Israelite and Midianite woman who brought idolatry and immorality into the camp.
2 Samuel 21:2 - Out of Saul’s zealousness for the people of Israel and Judah, he attacked the Gibeonites.
1 Kings 11:28 - Jeroboam was able and industrious and Solomon gave him charge over all of the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
1 Kings 19:10 - Elijah stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel.
John 2:17 - Jesus cleansed the temple - “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-2; Philippians 3:6; Romans 15:19 - Saul persecuted the church; Paul fervently preached the gospel of Christ.
Acts 18:25 - Apollos had a great fervor of spirit to teach about Jesus
We could talk a very long time about the zeal that was displayed by different people in the Bible. Sometimes it was very good. Sometimes it was misguided. But we know that zeal for God, if it is not misguided, is a very, very good thing. (Jesus’ clearing the temple is one example.) And we also know that God “wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” (Isaiah 59:17)
So what’s the opposite of zeal? Inaction, apathy, indifference, lethargy. I would never want any of these descriptors applied to my attitude towards God or my willingness to seek His will and serve Him. So, how would I jump start myself if I was not being active, feeling apathy, indifference, or lethargy? The first step would be to pray! Ask for God’s guidance going forward so that your zeal is not misguided. Then surround yourself with people who are zealous for God - because it’s contagious.
Just like these mousetraps (with ping pong balls on them). If one zealous person comes into a group of mousetraps who are inactive, that one can start a chain reaction of zeal. But remember to pray first, so that you don’t explode with action into a direction that is not God’s will.
Sabbath, May 2nd
Multiplying of the Loaves
“ . . . for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 2 Kings 4:43
Materials needed: small container of crackers, accordion strips of bread
If I asked you who multiplied the loaves of bread, who would you say? Most people have heard of Jesus feeding the multitudes.
the 5000: picking up 12 basketfuls afterward; 5 loaves and 2 fishes; cited in Matthew 14:17, 20; Mark 6:38, 43; Luke 9:13, 17; John 6:9, 13
and the 4000: picking up 7 basketfuls afterwards; 7 loaves and a few small fishes; cited in Matthew 15:34, 37 and Mark 8:5, 8
But before this week’s lesson did you know there was a miracle of the multiplying of the loaves in the Old Testament?
During a famine in the land, a man brought Elisha 20 loaves of barley bread and some fresh ears of grain. One hundred ate and were satisfied. There was food left over, according to the word of the LORD.
So if you had one loaf of bread, how many people do you think you could feed? [Show single drawing of loaf of bread.] It wouldn’t be enough for a huge crowd, would it. But our "not enough" is always "more than enough” when God is involved. [Show accordion-ed loaves of bread.]
Can you give me examples of when God provided exactly what was needed? How about the Israelites’ clothing and shoes not wearing out for 40 years? How about Elisha and the widow’s oil? How about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath having enough flour and oil until the rain came again (3 years later)? Sometimes we worry that we’re not going to have what we need. But we serve the awesome God, the Creator who gave us life. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need. Ask Him to provide.
Sabbath, May 9th
Small Things
Sabbath, May 9th - “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. . .” 2 Kings 22:1a
Materials needed: dry erase board, markers, holey shoes, mended jeans, bubbles, seeds, bottle of water
There are small things in our world that we sometimes dismiss just because they are small. We figure they are not very important. But some things don’t stay small. And as they grow they become a BIG problem. Can you think of examples?
weeds, holes in clothes, cavities in your teeth, komodo dragons, uncontrolled fire, tsunamis/floods, hurricanes, running bamboo, parasites, infections, infestations (termites/wood bees), water leaks
Other things which are small do grow larger and larger - and that’s a good thing. Can you think of examples?
strawberries, watermelon, blueberry bushes, blackberry bushes, businesses, a small act of kindness, an atomic habit (exercising, cleaning something every day, eating healthy, drinking water)
So what do you think about Josiah? He was only eight years old when he began to reign. He was small. Do you think he would grow to be a good king of Judah or a bad king of Judah? His father was Amon and he reigned for two years. Amon did not follow God’s ways, but neither did Amon’s father, Manasseh. Manasseh was infamous for filling the streets of Jerusalem with innocent blood. He reversed his own father’s (Hezekiah) reforms by building pagan altars and even sacrificing his own son! Manasseh was, in fact, so wicked that God allowed him to be taken captive to Babylon with hooks and chains. The Assyrians liked to humiliate conquered kings by putting rings or hooks through their lips or nose. However, Manasseh was humbled and repented. God restored him to ruling in Judah, where he rebuilt walls and strengthened Judah’s military might. Manasseh also destroyed the pagan altars and idols and restored the altar to the LORD. And Manasseh reigned for 55 years - the longest reign of any king of Israel or Judah. So . . . knowing all of this background, what do you think? Was Josiah a good king or a bad king?
Josiah was a very good king. He led one of the greatest religious reforms in Judah’s history, restoring the Temple and finding the Book of the Law. 2 Kings 23:25 says, ”Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses." (NIV)
When something is small, there’s great possibility for good or for bad: like weeds or water or people. What is a weed in my garden (like clover or vetch) is actually planted and desirable in some applications. Similarly, something we associate with being good, drinking water, can actually kill you if you drink too much too quickly (something people rarely do). And every choice you make leads you closer to God’s ways or farther from them. What choice are you going to make today?
Sabbath, May 16th
What Are You Wearing?
“Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29b
Materials needed: an assortment of hats
What are your favorite clothes to wear? Does it depend on what you are doing? Why?
I have an assortment of hats today. Each one of them plays a little different role. A ball cap does a great job of shading your eyes from the sun and protecting the top of your head from sunburn, but your ears don’t have the same protection. A cowboy hat is more breathable, keeping your head cooler and providing protection for your eyes, ears, and head. A bucket hat provides protection similar to the cowboy hat, but it doesn’t allow air flow as well. A sunbonnet is lighter, provides protection and keeps your hair out of your face, but it also traps more heat. A stocking cap has an entirely different job. It’s not so much about protecting you from the sun as keeping you warm in the winter time. Then there’s a goalie mask or karate mask. This is all about protection, but not from the sun! This one is designed to protect against blows - either from another person or a hockey stick or puck. Hats are worn based on their function.
So why are we talking about hats and clothes today? And what does 1 Chronicles 16:29b have to do with clothes?
The alternate translation of 1 Chronicles 16:29b is “Worship the LORD in holy attire.” And no, we’re not going to talk about cars and tires now. This is “attire” - what you wear. And just like hats, clothing is worn based on its appropriateness for the situation. Does God care what you wear to church? Yes, but it’s more than just what you are wearing physically; it has to do with your heart. If you realize that you are coming before the King of the Universe, the God of Creation, our Sovereign, then you give some thought to how you appear before Him. But it’s not about you; it’s about giving holy and glory to God.
Let’s approach it from a different direction. Think of someone you think is very important and special - maybe the governor, your pediatrician, the King of England or the President of the United States. Would you wear dirty, smelly, hole-y clothes to an appointment with that person? Why or not why? What if you were invited to a banquet? Would you show up in play clothes? You shouldn’t. It’s about showing them honor because of the position they hold.
There’s a passage in Matthew 22 about being invited to the wedding banquet. The hall was filled with guests. The king came to see the guests and saw someone who had not worn wedding garments. The king specifically asked him how he got in without wedding garments. (vs. 12) And the consequences were severe!
Similarly in 1 Chronicles 16:29, the admonition is given to us: Worship the LORD in holy attire. Set aside clothes that you keep for special occasions, like going to meet the King. The physical, outward appearance is indicative of the inward reality. So pay attention to your attitude. This is not a place to be casual. We’re here to worship our Sovereign God, to whom we owe everything.
Remember how Moses approached God at the burning bush? God told him to take off his shoes for he was on holy ground. What you’re wearing and how you conduct yourself matters to God.
Going one step further, what makes it possible for us to even come before God boldly is our relationship with Jesus Christ. So perhaps what this verse is really talking about is putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14) - wearing the full armor of God and displaying the fruit of the Spirit. That’s much more difficult than just putting on your best clothes - but wearing your very best to church is a good place to start.
Sabbath, May 23rd
Riches and Wisdom Wasn’t Enough
Memory Verse: “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” 2 Chronicles 9:22
Materials Needed: Glass bowl, one container labeled “riches” with coins in it; one container labeled “wisdom” with formulas and scrolls of information
Suppose you had all the money you could wish for. What would you do with it? Think of the top five priorities you might have. Do you think that could make you happy? Mark 4:19 says, “but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” Jesus has given us a caution statement about wealth - the deceitfulness of riches and the desires of other things can make you unfruitful as a Christian! [Demonstrate container of coins going to the bottom of the bowl of water.]
O.K. So if money isn’t the answer, maybe it’s knowledge and understanding and wisdom. If you had great wisdom and could solve five problems or create five inventions, what would you do? You could do some great things! But there’s a caution here too! If your wisdom isn’t tied to Godly principles, then it’s human wisdom. It will puff you up, making you proud and arrogant. God opposes the proud! (James 4:6) That’s not a good place to be - filled with knowledge, but floating without a solid anchor. [Demonstrate container of scrolls and formulas floating on top of the water.]
Your memory verse says, “Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.” (2 Chronicles 9:22) Solomon’s wealth and wisdom did not keep him close to God. In fact, 1 Kings 11:4 says, “For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of his father David had been.”
There’s something much better for you, as followers of Jesus Christ, than money and wisdom. And we’ll talk about that tomorrow.
Pentecost, May 24th
Set Your Heart
Memory Verse: “And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel . . .” 2 Chronicles 11:16a
Materials needed: Eye dropper, three jars. One jar has iodine in it, making it an amber color. The second jar is tap water. The third jar has Vitamin C dissolved in it.
So how did your countdown to Pentecost go this year? Did you do a sticker every day? Did you think about what day of the count it was? Did you learn anything new?
What is Pentecost all about? What do we know about Pentecost?
It has three names: Pentecost, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Firstfruits
Pentecost means “fiftieth”
We have a command to count 50 days from the Wave Sheaf Day.
Feast of Weeks is appropriate - how many weeks was it from the Wave Sheaf to Pentecost?
Why do you think it’s called the Feast of Firstfruits? The grain harvest began at the beginning of the count. The grain harvest is the first major harvest of the growing season. It is the first fruits of the ground, the fruit of your labor.
But I don’t know anyone around here who grows barley, oats, wheat. So does that mean I shouldn’t celebrate Pentecost? The physical harvest points to something else. Jesus was the first of the firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:20). Those of us who are God’s, who are among the first resurrection, are a kind of firstfruits (James 1:18).
But there’s something else that is associated with the Day of Pentecost. In Acts 2, we read about the giving of the Holy Spirit to those who believed. And in Galatians 5:22-23 there’s a list of the fruit of the Spirit. It isn’t a big jump in logic to see that if God has given you His Spirit, He’s expecting to see some fruit, some evidence, of the Spirit in your life.
O.K. So how does that happen? You may realize that your life is full of worldly distractions and anxiety. [Show jar with amber-colored iodine.] So you decide you’re going to go to a weekend retreat or listen to the sermon. You try to do something all at once to fix your relationship with God. [Pour tap water into the jar.] You might have heard a really good message and you may have invested a lot of emotional effort all at once, but the distractions and the anxiety is still there. One big, isolated event isn't enough to permanently transform our hearts or change our nature.
God doesn't just want our big, occasional bursts of energy. He desires daily, consistent relationship. Look what happens when we intentionally seek Him first thing every single morning. It might not look like much to the world—it just looks like a tiny, quiet habit. [Add one drop of vitamin C water to the iodine as you enumerate different atomic habits - read a chapter in the Bible one day, pray to God each morning, sing a praise song, do something kind/generous for someone else, counting each day to Pentecost, a little bit of harvest day by day.] As you make it your intentional habit to seek God, your relationship with God will grow. Suddenly, the entire environment changes. What seemed like tiny, insignificant daily drops were actually building up an invisible power inside your heart. Consistency alters our chemistry. When we daily pour God's truth into our lives, it eventually overpowers and clears out the anxiety, the worldly thinking, and the distractions - because you are intentionally allowing God’s Holy Spirit to have preeminence in your life. God’s Holy Spirit is the difference between sinking like a boatload of wealth or floating without anchor like wisdom apart from God (like we talked about on Sabbath.)
Your memory verse cites those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel. Are you one of those people?
Sabbath, May 30th
Then He Knew
“Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:13b
There’s a joke: Have you ever noticed that if someone tells you there are billions of galaxies in the universe, you will tend to believe them? But if someone tells you the park bench has wet paint, you’ll touch it to make sure.
Ronald Reagan was famous for saying, “Trust, but verify,” but he actually got it from a Russian proverb. President Reagan used it during negotiations with then Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev. When Gorbachev remarked that President Reagan said it at every meeting, Reagan said, “I like it.” It was a wise negotiating tactic to use their own proverb to ensure continued mutual verification during the arms negotiations.
Can you think of an experiment you have done just to check something out, to verify or to see if it will work? I made watermelon jelly this week - because someone told me “it tastes just like jolly ranchers.” I was skeptical, but I thought I’d try it. Innovation can be a good thing. But we often get more products from observation and by accident, like velcro, post-it notes, Scotchguard, etc.
However, like trying to count all the galaxies in the universe, there are some things you have to take on faith - because there’s just no way to verify them. Does God fit into that category in your mind? Do you know that God exists? How do you know? You can’t see him - but you can’t see gravity either, but you can see what it does. Similarly, we know God exists because we have evidence of Him all around us.
But sometimes that’s not enough for people. King Manasseh seems to have been one of those people who didn’t truly believe that God existed or perhaps that God cared about what he (Manasseh) did - in spite of all the historical evidence. King Manasseh was a wicked king. He put idols in the temple. He rebuilt the pagan altars that his father, Hezekiah, had torn down. He engaged in fortune-telling, omens, mediums, and necromancers. He shed very much innocent blood (2 Kings 21:16). He burned his sons as offerings to pagan gods. He led the people of Judah to do worse things than the nations God destroyed before the Israelites. (2 Chronicles 33:9). Finally God’s long-suffering came to an end. The Assyrians captured Manasseh, bound him with chains, and took him to Babylon. Then Manasseh humbled himself and repented. God brought him back to Judah where he resumed kingship. And here’s where your memory verse comes from! “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God” ( 2 Chronicles 33:13b). This is a curious thing! Did Manasseh not know that the LORD is God before being taken captive? Apparently not, at least, not enough for it to change his behavior.
You see, you can believe that God is real - even the demons believe that God exists. But their belief doesn’t change their conduct. Do you know that God is real? Do you believe that He has commanded you to do certain things? Do you believe it to the point that it changes what you do? It’s worth thinking about! Manasseh had to go through some really hard things before he KNEW God is God. If we can learn from Manasseh, if we will seek God now and strengthen that relationship, perhaps we won’t have to go through a really hard thing just so that we can KNOW God is God.
Sabbath, June 6th
The Good Hand of the Lord
Memory Verse: “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” Nehemiah 2:8b
If you could have any super power in the world, what would it be? Would you like instantaneous travel abilities? Would you want to be able to read people’s thoughts? Would you like “Jedi mind control” capabilities? Maybe you’d like to be able to levitate objects. Maybe you’d like to be able to travel in time. Perhaps you’d like to ensure world peace or the ability to heal individuals. What do you wish you could do?
There are a lot of people who have tried various routes to the super power they desired. They have gotten involved with fortune-telling or necromancers. They have thought to make a bargain with the devil or otherwise gotten involved with demonic activity. Some think it’s harmless to read books like the Harry Potter series that have actual spells in them. They think about magic like it’s good and something anyone would want to be a part of.
It didn’t turn out well for Kings Saul or Manasseh. God’s commandments include not consulting fortune-tellers, looking at omens, dealing with necromancers and the occult, getting involved in witchcraft. It’s evil and it’s not for God’s people.
Jesus gave us an example of staying away from these things. It’s what Satan’s temptation was all about! If Jesus would just worship Satan, Jesus would get all of these things. The crazy thing is this: as long as Jesus stayed the course and followed the Father’s will, there’s nothing Satan could give Him that could even come close to what the Father has in store.
And it’s the same for us. If we stay the course, stay away from evil, stay away from pagan practices like fortune tellers, Dungeons and Dragons, and other activities which allow Satan to be a part of your life - if we stay close to God and obey His ways, what we have in store for us is far and away better than anything Satan could give us.
And today, when it looks like there’s no way things will work out, God can turn things to our good - so much better than we could have imagined! Your employer shows you favor in granting requests. The doctors are able to successfully treat your health concerns. You are able to figure out what is wrong with the car. When God is your God, you can say, as Nehemiah did, “The God of heaven will make us prosper” (Nehemiah 2:20). It’s kind of like Nehemiah asking the king if he could go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah gives all the credit to God for the king granting Nehemiah’s request. [Recite memory verse.]
Sabbath, June 13th
Sleeplessness
Memory Verse: "On that night the king could not sleep.” Esther 6:1a
Have you ever found yourself lying awake in the middle of the night and you can’t get back to sleep? Do you know why? Was it too much rich food? Was it scary movies? Was it a bad sunburn or illness? What do you do when you can’t sleep?
Do you
- count sheep
- make yourself some warm milk
- get another blanket/kick off the blankets
- start praying
- think about what you’re going to accomplish tomorrow
- write your English essay in your head
- sing praises to God
- start reciting as many scriptures as you can think of
There are lots of different tricks people have tried over the years to go to sleep when they really need to sleep.
King Ahasuerus (aka King Xerxes) couldn’t sleep one night either. So what did he do? Here’s how the story is related in the Berean translation: “That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him. 2And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.”
This is interesting. The king wanted the record of his reign to be read to him. Was his reign that boring? Or did he think it would be comforting to hear of all his accomplishments? What was keeping him awake?
I suspect it was God keeping the king awake. For it was God’s plan that Mordecai would be honored and Haman’s plot against the Jews be foiled.
I suspect there are lots of things like that in our lives - times when we have an impulse to do something and we don’t really know why. It could be that God is motivating us to do something that will bring Him glory and honor. At least, it’s something to ponder the next time you can’t sleep.
Sabbath School, June 20th
Words Can’t Be Erased
Memory Verse: “Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.” Job 21:5
Why in the world do you think I might have chosen this particular verse? It’s a little odd, isn’t it? A verse about Job telling his friends to look at him, to be appalled and to put their hands over their mouths. What in the world does that have to do with you!!
Let’s start with the situation with Job. What’s going on? He’s lost all of his children. He’s lost a huge amount of his resources (flocks, camels). He’s been afflicted with painful boils from head to foot. His friends show up to comfort him and don’t say a word - for a week! They just sit there quietly because they see his suffering was very great (Job 2:13). Then they decide to fix him. They decide that he obviously has done something really bad for God to cause this degree of suffering. They think Job just needs to confess his guilt, repent before God, and everything will be great - because, as everyone knows, it’s only the sinner who suffers. This “help” goes on for 29 chapters before Elihu rebukes Job’s three “friends” and Job for the next six chapters. At the end of it all, God says that Job’s friends did not speak what was right about Him (Job 42:1-8); in fact, God says Job will pray for them and God will accept Job’s petition on their behalf. When it was all said and done, Job’s friends would have been much better off if they had just looked at Job, been appalled at what he was suffering and put their hand over their mouths. They were a lot more comfort to Job when they sat quietly with him. And they were much less offensive to God before they started speaking.
So what does this have to do with you? There are multiple verses which talk about limiting your words:
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
James 1:19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
There’s a poem my children learned early:
A wise old owl lived in an oak.
The more he saw, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard.
Why can’t we all be like that bird?
There are many times in life when choosing your words carefully, or even being silent, is a much better option than saying exactly what is in your head. Once the words are out there, they can’t be erased.
So why did I choose this verse for you to memorize? I want you to learn to be discerning about what you say. And sometimes that means putting your hand over your mouth to keep the words from coming out!
Sabbath, June 27th
The Knowledge of Good and Evil
“I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ ” Psalm 16:2
What good things can you think of that you get from God? Food, water, air, life, family, friends. God’s blessings are all around us. Pets, safety, protection, direction. We could be here for a very long time. Health, home, wisdom, comfort. The list is endless. Vision, taste, hearing, touch, smells. Truly our God is the source of everything.
So I’ve been picking blackberries out of the garden. Would you like one? Christopher loves them. Ron, not so much. If I asked each of them, “Aren’t they good?” I would get different answers.
What about beans? Last night I was still snapping beans when Christopher arrived for supper. Without me even having to ask, he started snapping beans. Christopher’s MO for snapping beans is: snap, one for the bowl, snap, one for my mouth. What do you think? Do you like raw green beans? All three of my kids like the raw green beans.
We all have preferences. That makes life very interesting. People are all different. Some like vanilla ice cream. Some like chocolate. Some like broccoli. Some Presidents don’t. Some people prefer to travel at 35 mph down the road. Some like to travel at 70 mph.
What happens when your preferences - and what you think is good - bothers other people? I used to like to practice piano during the evening, after I had finished my homework for the day, dinner was over and dishes were done. But my older brother didn’t particularly appreciate that. He was in his bedroom, reading and doing homework, and my piano backed up to his bedroom wall. It’s one thing to hear a proficient piano player. It’s something else to hear someone working on a particularly tricky section, over and over and over ad nauseam.
When your “good” thing infringes on the life and happiness of another person, the result can be more government regulations. Put another way: when people don’t habitually consider their actions in light of how they impact others, the government steps in to administer consequences if a person goes too far out of bounds in his conduct, i.e. the woman who decided to take the Knicks trash can home with her this week. She saw a public trash can full of trash. She liked how it was painted in Knicks colors. She dumped out all the trash and carried it home with her on the subway. Supposedly, her employer canned her.
Your memory verse is from Psalm 16:2: “I say to the LORD [Yahweh], ‘You are my Lord [Master]; I have no good [pleasant thing, prosperity, bounty, happiness, welfare] apart from you.’ ” Do you believe this? That there’s no good apart from God? Do you live your life with the worldview that God is your Master? If you do, then you can go to Him for all definitions about good and evil. In the end, simple preferences about blackberries and green beans are not what we’re talking about. It’s your conduct. And, God’s standards of right and wrong, good and evil, are really the only ones that matter.
Sabbath, July 4th
Trusting God
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56: 3
Materials: water, a cup, card stock, transparency film, plastic lid, wash basin, towels
What would you say if I offered to turn a full cup of water upside down over your head? Maybe if you were outside, on a hot summer day, you might say yes. But otherwise, you’re likely to turn me down. Would you trust me if I said I could keep you from getting wet?
What if I offered to turn the full cup of water upside down over your head with a piece of card stock over the cup? Would that make any difference? Would you trust me then? Or do you think you’d get wet?
The interesting thing is that the atmospheric force should overcome the gravitational pull (but sometimes things don’t go as planned), keeping the water inside the cup - at least until the paper becomes soaked and allows air into the cup. Once air can rush in, the water will rush out all over your head.
So maybe we should use a piece of plastic. Would a piece of transparency film keep you from getting wet? It wouldn’t get soaked like the card stock. But surprisingly, it doesn’t work well at all. It looks like it would work, but it’s too flexible.
Another option, then, might be a plastic lid. If I filled the cup with water, put a plastic lid over it, and turned it upside down, would you trust me to put it over your head? Would you believe me if I said you wouldn’t get wet?
There are so many times in our lives when we’re afraid something bad might happen to us. In the analogy with the cup of water, we know we’re going to get wet. So we look around for something that can prevent the bad thing from happening. We might look to family or friends. We may look for an organization or the government. But even if they mean well, all of these people and organizations are not perfect. They can still fail at times (or all the time). They have limited power to make things right.
The only One you can trust to make everything work out for your good is God. Does that mean that nothing bad will ever happen to you? No, sometimes God does allow us to get wet. But when we trust in Him, we know it’s all going to work out for our good in the end. That means we trust that He’s working in all the good and all the bad in our lives to make sure that we are in His kingdom with Him. So in our analogy, the water falling on your head would be analogous to something negative happening, perhaps a failure on the part of another. Nevertheless, you can trust God; if you love Him and belong to Him, He will work out all things for your good.
Sabbath, July 11th
2 Kings 5
The children read the parts of the different characters of this story.
Sabbath, July 18th
Fix My Eyes
"But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge..." — Psalm 141:8 (NIV)
Materials needed: card with dark arrow, glass, water, towels
Have you ever noticed when you’re riding your bicycle that you will go wherever you are looking? If you look off to the side, pretty soon that’s where your bike goes. This is an important concept to learn before you ride a motorcycle or start driving a car! If you look directly at the rock or the curb you are trying to avoid, you will steer right into it. (This is a known phenomenon called target fixation.) To avoid the obstacle, you have to consciously force your eyes to look at the clear path ahead.
In this life, if you fix your eyes on your problems, your fears, or the obstacles around us, we will steer straight towards them. You must, instead, fix your eyes on your Sovereign LORD, our awesome God who is our refuge from problems, fears, and obstacles.
Psalm 141 brings this out if we look at verse 8 in context. David wasn’t sitting in a peaceful place when he wrote this psalm; he was in a spiritual and physical war zone. In verse 3-4, he’s asking for God to help him control his tongue and avoid the evil choices of the people around him. If you focus on your enemies or the problems, instead of looking to God, then you will tend to move closer to your enemies and their choices. So what does David do to avoid the traps around him? He acknowledges that they are real, but he chooses not to focus on them. He looks to God, the Sovereign LORD, for help.
The Hebrew text reads literally, "For to you, Yahweh, are my eyes." It is a posture of intentional, unwavering attention. It means David’s primary source of information, direction, and comfort is not his physical surroundings, but God Himself. David calls God “Sovereign LORD” - Adonai Yahweh. David, then, is acknowledging that God is both His sovereign master and His personal, covenant-keeping rescuer.
So where do our eyes want to go? If we look down, we’re focusing on our weaknesses, which can lead to self-pity and despair. If we look inward, we try to fix the problem ourselves, which can lead to pride and anxiety. If we look around us, we see our storms (problems) and enemies, which can lead to comparison and fear. (Think about what happened when Peter looked at the waves around him.) But if we look up, we’re focusing our attention on God, from Whom comes peace and rescue.
Here’s an arrow. What direction is it pointed? Even if you look at it through the “lens” of a jar, it’s still pointed left. But what if we look at our problems, weaknesses, enemies, troubles through the lens of the Holy Spirit, aka a water-filled jar? Now what direction does the arrow point? Seeing the world around us through the lens of focusing our attention on God makes all the difference. It totally changes our perspective.
Think about it:
- What are the "rocks" or "curbs" we tend to stare at until we crash into them?
- Why is it crucial to remember God's absolute sovereignty when our personal circumstances feel completely out of control?
- What is the practical difference between glancing at God versus having our eyes fixed on Him? What daily habits help us move from a glance to a fixed gaze?
This week, make a commitment that the very first thing your eyes look at in the morning—and the very last thing you look at before sleep—will not be a screen, homework, or a to-do list. Before you look at the world, fix your eyes on the Sovereign Lord in prayer or scripture, even if only for two minutes. Let Him set your gaze for the day. It will change the direction of your perspective and your life.
Sabbath, July 25th
Bursting the Balloon
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. Proverbs 22:3
Materials: balloons (Blow up a balloon until it bursts to start the lesson with a bang!)
When blowing up balloons around younger children, it’s obvious who has seen the balloon blown up too far - so that it bursts! The child will cringe or put his hands over his ears. He knows what is coming. He has become prudent when it comes to blowing up balloons.
There are many times in life when the prudent see danger coming and they take steps to avoid it. Perhaps it’s a fire on the verge of burning out of control. Perhaps it’s a car driving erratically on the highway. Perhaps it’s a slow leak on a tire. Perhaps it’s a snake or skunk or wasp nest. The prudent see the danger and do something to avoid this danger. The simple don’t - and they suffer for it.
Know anyone who has sprayed lighter fluid on a burning fire? Know anyone who has gotten too close to a skunk or a wasp nest or poison ivy? Know anyone who wasn’t paying attention to the gas gauge and ran out of gas?
So how do you become prudent? Sometimes we become prudent (aka gain wisdom) by our experiences. The young child who experienced a bursting balloon covers his ears. The person who meets a skunk and is sprayed subsequently keeps their distance from skunks. But experience can be a hard, painful teacher. So where else can you gain wisdom?
Your parents have had a few more experiences than you have. It’s a good idea to listen to them. Proverbs 4:1 says, “Children, listen to the instruction of a father, and be attentive in order to know insight.”
People who are experts have had a lot more experience in that particular area. They are a good resource. Proverbs 11:14 (WEB) says, “Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.”
God is a great source of wisdom. In fact, the Bible tells us in James 1:5 (ESV), “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” The Bible with the leading of the Holy Spirit is often how God gives us wisdom for our daily lives.
We don’t any of us (usually) intentionally choose courses of action which we know will cause us to suffer. But do you make it a priority to get wisdom so that you can be prudent?
Sabbath, August 1st
Learn to Do Good
“Learn to do good. . .” Isaiah 1:17
We talked last week about doing foolish things, aka not being wise, and you all came up with a lot of things which would not be a good thing to do. It was quite a list. But let me assure you, you did not fully plumb the depths of stupidity and foolishness.
I asked you four questions this week as your assignment to prepare for today:
- What is good?
- What behaviors are good?
- What does God consider good? How do we know this is what God wants?
We could could spend some time discussing exactly what good means and come up with a definition of good. We could come up with a list of behaviors which are good - although that might involve a lot more discussion. Here’s why:
Let’s do a couple of experiments.
- [Draw two identical circles on the board. Surround one with large circles and one with small circles. ] Which is the larger circle? (Ebbinghaus Illusion)
- [Draw two identical lines. Put inward arrows on the ends of one line. Put outward arrows on the ends of the other.] Which line is longer? Müller-Lyer illusion
- [Show the students a checker shadow illusion.] Which gray square is darker? (Adelbert Ames-style / Edward Adelson) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_shadow_illusion]
- [Show the students a gray circle on white background and a gray circle on black background.] Which gray circle is darker?
In each of these examples, the object itself never changed. The context surrounding the object modified how you judged it. That’s why our discussion about what is good and what is not will take a very long time. We make our choices based on what we feel or what we perceive. Those feelings and perceptions are based on our culture, how our parents have raised us, or what we think is good for us. We truly need an unchanging standard (God’s Word) to tell us actually what is true, not just what looks good in the moment.
But perfectly knowing what God considers good is going to take us a lifetime to understand. So where do we start?
Let’s start with the Bible - with the rest of the memory verse. Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do good,” but it doesn’t stop there. It continues, “seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” We have a responsibility to do the right thing, to help people who cannot help themselves, to reach out and serve others.
This is just one example of something God says is good. There are many, many others! The problem is that not everyone agrees with how to interpret the Bible. So we study and we think and we counsel with others. And we pray and we read the Bible.
It takes a lifetime of adjustments, small and big, to modify our understanding of God’s definition of good. But in the end, it’s worth it! Doing good is a clear command from God. It would be very good for us to obey.
Sabbath, August 8th
Wait Upon the LORD
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Materials: hair dryer, ping pong ball
Do you know how far some butterflies migrate each year? Some Monarch butterflies travel 2,000 miles!
Do you know how far some hummingbirds migrate each year? Some travel 1,300 miles - 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico in 18-22 hours!!
Some eagles migrate from Northern Canada to northern Mexico each fall. That’s about 3000 miles. A stream of migrating eagles can be 20 - 30 miles long and half a mile wide, with the birds averaging about 30 miles an hour. They can travel as much as 225 miles a day. How can they go that far? They depend on the wind. If there’s no wind, the eagles can’t soar. So when there’s no wind, eagles stay put or only travel locally. Eagles take advantage of wind currents. They find a thermal - a column of rising warm air. Once the warm air carries the eagles really high, they glide until they find another column to take them up again.
Imagine how exhausted a butterfly or a hummingbird or an eagle would be if they didn’t have the wind helping them travel!!
In a similar way, when you belong to God, He gives you the support that you need in order to endure troubles and problems. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do anything. You can’t give up when faced with difficulty. You can’t just sit back and do nothing. God expects you to stay the course, to fight the good fight, to persevere to the end. But He also promises to help you - to renew your strength, to mount up with wings like eagles, to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint.
It’s like a ping pong ball. The ping pong ball can fly through the air when hit or thrown. It can roll along the floor. It can bounce. But it cannot hope to lift itself up - not any more than you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps. But just like the air dryer can support the ping pong ball, God can give you the strength and determination, the courage and the hope to persevere in following Him and serving Him with all your heart!
Problems don’t go away, but God promises that we don’t have to go through them alone. We don’t have to find the strength on our own to endure. We can trust Him. We need to trust Him. He promises never to leave us or forsake us.
But we can lose God’s support if we decide we’re not going to walk in His ways. Here’s where the support is - in this stream of air. If we place the ball outside of that support, the ball will fall. If we try to live our lives outside of God’s support - outside of His ways, we’re going to find ourselves without the strength to persevere and succeed. Why would we want to live without God’s Spirit helping us in our lives? It would be so foolish!
So stay close to God. Read your Bible every day. Talk to God every day in prayer. Go to church. Think about God and what He wants you to do in every situation. Trust God. Wait upon Him.
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Concept from: Science and the Bible: 30 Scientific Demonstrations Illustrating Scriptural Truths, Donald B. DeYoung, “Floating on Air,” Baker Books, 1994, pg. 52-54.
