of the kids i’ve been around rarely will one say “uh. . . I don’t care. ” when it comes to the start of school.  usually there is a pretty strong opinion whether or not the beginning of a new school year is a good or bad thing.  Some can’t wait, usually because they haven’t had a lot of contact with friends during the summer.  Others would rather be locked in their room, because school was started by Satan to torture the young. 

a few suggestions: make the time leading up to school full of down time.  say no to your kids’ ideas for stimulating time with friends so that they can process the summer (you don’t even have to suggest the processing, they do it automatically).  set the pace for a new stage in life by getting them ready by changing your schedules and activities to school-like well in advance so that they will transition into day one less likely to have a last minute issue.  They may even long to get out of the house and have some experiences with school if everything is so slow around the house.  if you can get them away from media and back into the swing of writing, reading, and maybe even coming up with a budget or something to get the math skills working everyone would benefit.  remind them of any weaknesses they’ve had at the beginning of school years past so they can come up with a new way to deal with it.  These suggestions should help with overanxious children and those gloomy about the approaching jail time.

pray about school with your kids.  they need to know that there are so many opportunities to serve God in school.  Challenge them to pray during meal time.  God wants them to interact with others of faith and others that don’t know God.  They are asked to make a difference through their example, their speach, and their love of others/ joy in life.  remind them that every year hurting kids need others to help them be proud of the way God made them, and every year hurting kids need a friend to help them have a good life.  And most importantly, every Christian child has a chance to share the love of Jesus with other children- and that is the most important thing about going to school.  Blessings on you and your family.   

Some people will require practice and preparation to change from doing as little as possible.  Satan tempts them to relax by providing job, food, entertainment, living options that help them relax.  I’ve had plenty of friends that use most of their time taking care of themselves (or their kids).  Asking them to participate in other people’s lives seems to burden them. 

God’s will for our family is that we do something amazing for Him.  And all of us must change if we are to accomplish that goal.  All of us have to stop doing things that steal time from God.  We must commit to participate with God.  If we all commit to serving God there is tremendous hope for our future.  In either case, as is with human nature we tend to take care of ourselves before giving our days to God.  The sin is in loving our life/lifestyle and putting it before the life God has called us to live.  Set aside your own personal way to live and begin to Serve God.  For some the word “God” needs to be reflected upon because they usually busy themselves with stuff not from God.  For others the word “Serve” is crucial because they don’t spend their time and energy participating in the lives of others.

Let God have your life.  Put it down.  It is not worth having.  Mine either.  Pour out pride.  Pour in love.  The Spirit will guide you into a life of giving your day to God, forgetting what others think, accomplishing amazing things that glorify our Father, hearing his voice in daily service.  Make Him proud!

February 2010- being and making disciples

Matthew 28:16-20, Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

March 2010- love Jesus in everything

John 14:23-24, Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, they will obey my teaching.  My father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Those who do not love me will not obey my teaching.  These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

April 2010- being and doing good

Philippians 4:8-9, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

May 2010- devoted to the church

Acts 2:42, All the believers devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals(including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  46-47, They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity- all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.  And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

June, July, August

Sunday at 9am will find us covering ”A Look at the Time of the New Testament” family class.  We pray that this class will help all ages grow in faith and in understanding of God’s word.  Parents with elementary children please participate on a weekly basis with your child.  Your challenge is to read through Luke/Acts as a family in three months.  A simple way to approach that task is by reading 1 chapter each weekday starting May 31st, that way you will finish both ‘books’ on August 10th.  My prayer is that the message will be clearer to you than it ever has as you listen to your child’s questions.  Write down the questions and submit them to me so we can address them.

September- pray like Jesus

Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” 

October- share your belief

1 Peter 3:15-16, In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

November- Jesus’ return

Matthew 24:36,42,44, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, or the son, but only the Father… Therefore keep watch, because you do not know what day your Lord will come… So you must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

December- bow down to Jesus

Matthew 1:20-21, After he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of david, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

January 2011- believe it, Jesus is from God

John 20:30-31, Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

February 2011- love Jesus? obey him

1 John 5:1-5, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  This is love for God: to obey his commands.  And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

March 2011- right attitude

Mark 10:43-45, “(you know. . .some excercise authority of others) Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

April 2011- be full of beautiful grace

1 Peter 4:10-11, Each one should use whatever gift they have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, they should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, they should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

“We adore you as being in control of everything” 1 Chronicles 29:11 is the central verse associated with week 1 and the curriculum primarily taught that everything is God’s.  We are allowed to use it except for 1/10^th of all we have, which must be given to the church.

“Keep out of debt and owe no man anything” Romans 13:8 is the central verse and the teaching was that God doesn’t want us to borrow money because we no longer have control of it.  Many evil people in the world want to gather other people’s money so we must be careful to remain in control so we can give control to God.

“Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce” Proverbs 3:9 explains week three and the lesson that calls followers of Jesus to give to the poor and to ministry.  A generous heart will often be the first step in bringing others into the faith and help us be like our Father.  This money is in addition to the 1/10^th we give to the church.   

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” Genesis 2:15 reminds us that our real boss, no matter what job you take, is God.  Choosing a job that makes a difference in the world is important as is working hard in all you do and resting as we are asked.

February and March Sunday morning was taught by David and Leanne Hughes 1^st-3^rd and John Dollar and Courtney Gann 4^th-6^th. 

February began a year-long study called Growing Up in Christ and the month was “Growing in Discipleship  (lessons about discipleship from the book of Matthew)” and the aims were 1. to understand what it means to be a disciple, 2. to feel eager to follow Jesus, 3. to Demonstrate being Jesus’ disciple in order to help someone else become a disciple, and 4. we asked them to memorize Matthew 28:16-20 commonly called “the great commission.”  Ask them if they know it!  Each week we used activities and at home challenges to help us personalize the YES involved in; week 1 choosing to be a disciple and a disciple maker Matthew 4:18-22 and 9:9-13, week 2 being salt and light to those you disciple Matthew 5:13-16, week 3 Love enemies so that they can be disciples Matthew 5:38-48, and week 4 serve those you disciple Matthew 20:20-28. 

March we did “Growing in Love for Christ (lessons about loving Jesus based on Peter’s view of Jesus’ last week)”   The month’s memory verse was John 14:23-24.  They should have this memorized.  The verse made clear how there are those that are right with God and those that aren’t.  We taught that there could be so many others believing and following Jesus.  We explored serving others (John 13:1-17 and 31-38), resisting temptation (John 18:15-18 and 25-27), believing Jesus (John 20:1-9 and 19-20), and following him (John 21:3-17) through blessing the church family, friends, community (all others).  Leading a life of service to others shows how much they love, believe, and follow Jesus.     

And in April we will study “Growing in Goodness (lessons about being good and doing good from Paul’s Letters)”  The memory passage for the month is Philippians 4:8-9.  Week one we will look at Romans 12:9-21 and understand situations, make decisions, and practice doing what is good.  We’ll have a taste test to determine good food and bad food.  God is the maker of good.  Guy and girls split up and make lists of good things and a list of bad things we encounter in everyday life to hang on the wall.  Act out one good thing and one bad thing from your list.  Discuss the passage further.  Hand out goodness cards.  Challenge activity.  We take off April 18^th for W.A.T.S. day and will return for April 25^th for Galatians 5:19-25.

Please take the time to ask your child about the ACTIVITIES and help them accomplish the DO.  The wording of the lessons will always be something like: Growing in the Word (reading, hearing, and discussing or performing the month’s verse), Why grow (object lesson- why or why not follow Jesus), How to grow (discuss the weekly verse and put themselves in it), Ready to grow? (assignment to grow you in the weekly teaching), and Growing up daily (application challenge).

Hope this was helpful and informative.  Use the Sunday morning passages as at home study to foster a stronger bond between home and church.  I am praying for your families and wish you a fruitful ministry in your family and through your family to the world around you.  If you put God before all things your children will.  I challenge you to put Bible study and doing good works above the other things in your daily life.  You will stand out so brightly in culture it will be hard for many to even look at you but you will be pleasing to God which is the only real measure for life.

I haven’t had many comments about the summer calendar but so far they seem to think it is a good fit for our church family.  I’ll go ahead and print it up and include the rest of the year as well.  Let me know who among our church you think would be good at mentoring you parents.  I’ve asked many of the older couples we have to be in prayer about it and I told them I get back with them.  Just thought it would be really special if a few names came up consistently from you parents.

In Christ, John

The main character is a highschool senior with baggage.  His lifestyle was beginning to cost him, those he loved, and countless others some real pain.  After tragedy and seeing the price of sin the young man turned his life around and began freeing others from pain.  I am really looking forward to witnessing how this movie helps a lot of people.  Can’t hardly wait.  I went to see a preview of the movie and was speechless.   

Do you know that God is listening intently to what you say, how you feel, and He knows how tuned in you are in your speaking and listening to Him?

Do you listen to God closely?  If not you aren’t even respecting Him.  If not you want even know the answer to questions or what to do for response to God.  If not, then why even pray because without loving him what good is it to SAY things that aren’t true or motivated by trust in God.

I’m not trying to teach a lot about prayer but just wanted this thought to get out there.

I can’t imagine praying without passion and being CONNECTED to God, expressing love for him and giving him time.  It’s his time. 

 I wouldn’t want anyone to pray that didn’t connect with God deeply and with certain belief that he is there, he cares, he has all the power, and he enjoys our time and prayers.

Wow! I really started something this week.  I created a universe.  Yep, a whole universe with stars and planets, galaxies and big black holes, lots of movable parts and colors and everything.  It’s pretty cool.  I got a little bit carried away.  I started with just little pieces:  atoms or smaller protons and electrons.  Most of you know about those.  Some of you even know about the smaller pieces called neutrinos and quarks and subquarks.  There are even smaller pieces… but you haven’t found them… yet.  You will… and you’ll be amazed!

Anyway, I took these tiny little pieces and formed space and moons and solar systems and some things that you can’t imagine abut are bigger than anything you can get your head around.  I focused a lot of My attention on this one ball of dirt and water.  I made living creatures, the sky, clouds, grass, trees, oceans, elephants, whatles, insects, amoebas, slugs, frogs, hippos, kangaroos, pandas, opossums, skunks (that was fun), and the list goes on and on.

Sorry for the long list… I get carried away every time I think of it.  It was just a great fun week.  Then toward the end of the week… I made My most astounding creation.  [It’s amazing what God can do when He mixes some dirt and water and cells and then breathes some God-life into it.]  It’s the closest thing to Me I’ve ever created.

When My first human opened his eyes and took his first breath, we just stared at each other in the face.  Then I started laughing, and he didn’t know what to do (mainly because he had never done anything before).  But as he looked at Me and saw Me smiling… it was just natural for him to smile back (that’s the way I made him).

I was so excited and elated and laughing all over! For a while al I could do was just watch him.  Then we talked… and new synapses formed in his brain (just like I made them to) and he learned… and we both had experiences that had never existed before… even for Me.  It was great, but the whole time, I knew something was missing.  He felt it too. 

What happened next almost made Me surprise Myself!  I took part of that man and formed something… some One… that made both of us step back in wonder.  When the man stepped back, he almost fell into a canyon.  When I stepped back, I almost fell off the edge of eternity (metaphorically speaking).

SHE WAS INCREDIBLE!

I laughed again, and then I cried.  The man did the same thing I did; (he’s a lot like Me). He needed a word that wasn’t there yet.  I gave it to him:   thanks!  We’d never had gratitude before.  It was exactly as I’d hoped it would be.  I said, “Your’re welcome,” and then I stepped away for a while so he could bask… and I could be alone again.  Interesting feelings for Me:  much joy… huge elation about what I had just created… but I wanted to be able to not know what was getting ready to happen.

Like I said, I really started somehting this week.  And even though I know everything that’s about to happen, I’d still have to say… it was really, really good! 

I can say that because I know me.  I know what I have to offer and I like to be self critical and say “it ain’t much.”  But even though I tell the truth in saying God does guide me or help me I also know that He likes to work another way.

God works through those that give Him the Time and Control.  I can want Him to control me but he wants to always CONTROL me.  I can give Him the time to speak through me but He wants all of my TIME.  I know my God loves me and loves those around me enough to take over my life, my tongue, my abilities, but I also know Him enough that He expects more.

God wants me to give Him chunks of my life in prayer, hours of study, days of thinking about what says to His people.  Quiet reflection, reading books from God serving people, walking through my relationships and days with Jesus at my side, and feeling God’s presence with me are the ways God works in guiding me.

Make sure to pick up the Bible more than all other books, Make sure to pray until you’ve said all you’d like to say and then pray much longer.  Make sure to keep the Evil One out of your life.  Make sure to serve God in daily duty and in sacrificial effort.  Because if you don’t then God won’t ultimately work through you in your life the way he normally ejnjoys working through His children in their life.  Let God work through you by Totally CONTROLLING you and having all of your TIME.