What Does God Say About Guidance?

Psalm 24:4-5 (ESV)

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

    who does not lift up his soul to what is false

    and does not swear deceitfully.

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord

    and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Pretend you are in the following situations. How could a guide help you?

You get separated from your group during a hike through the Smokies.

You are visually impaired and you need to cross a street.

You are camping and it's your turn to build the campfire.

Who in your life shows you God's ways (vs. 4)? Write names of family members, teachers, or others who show God's guidance to you.

What can you read to teach you God's truths (vs. 5)? What favorite story in the Bible guides you to learn God's truths?

How can you hope in Jesus to be your Guide every day (vs. 5)? Think about where Jesus can guide you.

Dear Lord, we are glad You are our great Guide and we can count on You every day to help us make good choices. Please help us to hear Your voice, listen to Your guidance and to keep our eyes on You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Teamwork?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 

Bees fly about 55,000 miles to make just one pound of honey. That’s more than two times around the world! God created these amazing insects to be great at teamwork. As many as 80,000 bees live in a hive, and a hive can produce more than 80 pounds of honey each year. That’s a lot of honey.

The incredible part is that each individual bee makes only 1½ teaspoons of honey during its entire lifetime. But bees can make a lot of honey because they work together! Teamwork also allows people to do more together than they could on their own.

A wise king named Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

Think about the different kid of teams out there, for example sports teams or medical teams.

How do the members of this team work together?

Why is every member important?

What might happen if one or more members of the team were missing?

One of the most important teams is God’s team of believers, called the Body of Christ. What might happen if one or more members were missing?

God created us (and bees) to work together and support one another. When we do, the results are sweet!

Dear Lord, thank you for creating us to be part of a team. Thank You for giving us teammates in those around us. We pray that You would help us work together with others to do all You have for us to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Creativity?

Psalm 139:14 (ESV)

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

  

Psalm 139:14 shares a beautiful truth about how creative God is. He has made us to be creative too!

The psalmist is talking about how much he loves God: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

God wants each of us to use our unique creativity to praise Him! Playing music is one way we can show God how much we love Him. This is what David did. You can learn about his life in many books of the Bible. He was the shepherd boy who killed Goliath the giant and grew up to become king of Israel.

David was also a talented musician. He played the lyre (a small harp) and wrote many songs to God. You can read them in the Psalms. Before David became king, King Saul brought David to his palace to play for him to help him relax.

How might God want to use the special creative gifts and talents He’s given you to praise Him and help others?

Even if you don’t sing or play a musical instrument, there are many other ways to praise God through your creativity. Write down or draw a few ideas on a piece of paper.

Dear Lord, thank You for making us creative! Help us think of ways to use our creativity to serve You and others. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Your Future?

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

  

Do you remember as a kid being asked what you want to be when you grow up? Maybe you wanted to be a doctor and help people who are sick. Perhaps you wanted to be an actor and appear in movies. Or maybe you wanted to be a firefighter and protect people from harm.

The Bible says that God has plans for each of us, and He wants to give us “hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Sometimes what we think we want to be when we grow up changes. This happened to Nate Saint, a famous missionary. From the time he was a young boy, Nate wanted to be a pilot. When Nate was 14, he cut his leg while sledding and got a serious infection. He had to spend many weeks in bed. Finally the infection healed. After high school, Nate joined the Army to train to be a fighter pilot. But one day before he started pilot training, the infection in his leg returned. The Army told him he would not be able to be a fighter pilot.

At first Nate was sad. But he still wanted to fly, so he got his pilot’s license and became a missionary pilot in the country of Ecuador in the 1950s. Nate delivered food and medical supplies to missionary families and flew others into the jungle to tell people, who had never heard the gospel, about Jesus. Because of his example, Nate’s sister, Rachel, and his son, Steve, later became missionaries in Ecuador. Nate didn’t get to do exactly what he had planned, but by following God’s plan for his life, many people came to know Jesus.

Having big dreams for your future is a wonderful thing! And God’s Word says only One Person truly knows what will happen.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In your heart you plan your life. But the LORD decides where your steps will take you.”

Take some time to commit your dreams to Him today!

Dear Lord, thank You for giving use dreams and ideas for our future. We pray that You would help use walk in the steps You have planned for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Belonging?

1 Corinthians 12:20-21 (ESV)

20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

Have you ever felt left out, forgotten or unwanted? Maybe someone in your class or work had a get together and didn’t invite you. Or maybe your parents are divorced, and one parent doesn’t visit or call you. Or your children never reach out to you.

Sometimes it can feel like we just don’t belong. That’s when it’s important to remember this awesome truth: We all belong to God’s family, and our heavenly Father will never forget us! The Bible says that all the people in the world who love Jesus make up one big family called the Body of Christ.

Think about the many different body parts you have. Imagine what might happen if those parts didn’t work.

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:20-21: “As it is, there ­are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”

Just like our body parts work together to make one complete body, every person works together to make one healthy family or community at home, church, work and school.

Dear Lord, we are so glad that we are part of Your family and that we can talk to You when we are feeling bad. Please show us how to make other people feel wanted and included. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Caring for the Earth?

Psalm 24:1 (ESV)

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,

    the world and those who dwell therein.

What do you think would be the coolest job? Race car driver? Singer? Zookeeper? Adam, the first man who ever lived, had a pretty cool job. We read in Genesis all about it:

“Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.”

Wow! God let Adam name the animals. God also put Adam in charge of caring for a beautiful garden called Eden.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

The Earth belongs to God. All of the animals and people are also His. When God asked Adam to care for His creation, He was asking him to be a steward and take care of His property.

We are called to be stewards, or caretakers, of God’s creation too. For example, not everyone in the world has enough clean water to drink, but others waste water every day without even realizing it.

Did you know that if you turn off the tap water while brushing your teeth, you can save about 7 gallons of water each day? Small changes can make a big difference.

What is one thing you could do to care for the Earth God created?

How might you help others who don’t have the same resources you do?

Each of us have been entrusted with taking care of the things on the Earth, such as water, plants and animals, that belong to God. And that’s a pretty cool job.

Dear Lord, thank You for creating a beautiful world for us to live in. Thank You for trusting us to care for the Earth and the things You have created. Show us how to be a good steward. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What Does God Say About Worrying?

Matthew 6:25-27 (ESV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

The New Testament tells us that after Jesus was baptized, He began traveling around a region called Galilee healing sick people and preaching. He gathered many followers, including the men He called disciples — His friends who followed Him most closely. The book of Matthew tells us that Jesus sat down on a mountainside to teach them wise lessons. One thing He told them was that they shouldn’t worry:

Jesus said that worrying is pointless because God has everything taken care of. But most of us still worry.

What are some things you worry about?

How has God helped you during your times of worry?

Jesus wants you to share your worries with Him so He can help you through them.

Next time you see a bird in the air, remember that God knows what you need and will take care of it — just like He takes care of the bird.

Dear Lord, thank You for being our comfort and strength. Calm our mind and help us to dwell in Your safety. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.