Saturday, May 30, 2009

Faith Forward

Throughout modern history, much discussion by theologians has centered on the Book of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews and the audience for whom it was intended remain unknown. This epistle may have been intended for a mixed audience. A segment of Bible scholars has surmised that perhaps some of the recipients, reading the epistle, were "on the fence" about their beliefs. Others believe that early Christians, possibly those living in Rome, received this letter. Undoubtedly, the information contained throughout this epistle provided early Christians with the solid foundation and reinforcement they would need to carry on their work for the kingdom. To read a variety of opinions on this matter, visit Google.com and type in keyword phrase "Book of Hebrews audience".

In this epistle, early Christians are admonished not to revert back to their former beliefs and lifestyle, reminded of their responsibility to live under the New Covenant and given examples of the persecution others before them had suffered for their faith, to name a few. In fact, faith is such an important topic, it is mentioned 27 times in Hebrews 11. See biblegateway.com

Faith in Christ is also clearly defined in this chapter.

Hebrews 11
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. See biblegateway.com

As Christians, we shouldn't expect any evidence. In fact, our faith in Jesus is strengthened by exercising a continual walk with God in the absence of any concrete proof. Yet, at certain pivotal periods in our lives, when we least expect it, God can shower us with unexpected blessings.

As Christians, we need to be on guard for anything that can interfere with our walk with God. Sorrow, persecution and many other forms and expressions of negativity are placed in a Christian's path. In the book of Hebrews, we read exhortations of how to effectively deal with these obstacles.

See biblegateway.com
Hebrews 2:1 "So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it."

and

Hebrews 12:1-2: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

For me, this blog is proving to be a real blessing. I have enjoyed journaling, especially, using Beth Moore's books as a guide. However, writing new entries for this blog is adding a new dimension to my walk with God. Through this medium, I am learning more about the power of faith in my life. I can also more clearly see how God is using faith in the lives of those around me, and I am learning, too, from their experiences.

A series of lessons about some of the people mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 11 will work well for your summer lesson planning. Upper elementary, middle and high school students might enjoy a writing adventure involving two of the individuals mentioned in this chapter. For example, by comparing and contrasting how Jacob and Moses responded in faith to a series of difficult challenges, your son or daughter will delve more deeply in the Word for the information needed to write the paper.

Below, are a few links where you will find lessons, lessons plans, handouts, crafts and other resources to help students from PreK - High School learn more about Jacob and Moses.

Crafts for the Study of Jacob

Crafts for the Study of Moses

Old Testament Crafts for Children

Bible stories, lessons and craffts for the study of Jacob

Bible stories, lessons and crafts for the study of Moses

Turning Points: Confession and Reconcillation: A Bible Study of Jacob

Turning Ponts:Moses, Failture and Ever After

Bible Stories for Secondary and Post Secondary - Jacob


Bible Stories for Secondary and Post Secondary - Moses


Bible.org - Jacob


Bible.org - Moses


As Christians, we don't know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who does. Therefore, we can go forward in faith.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Object Lessons in Faith

Faith is believing in something that we can't see. As Christian believers we have never seen the face of God, yet we know that he exists.

As we approach summer, many demands are placed upon our time. You may be in the midst of assembling your faith based lesson plans for your children and searching for some lessons that infuse faith with science, social stuies, math etc. I recently discovered some well organized, integrated Christian lesson planning blogs to assist you with your quest.

Visit the link below http://objectlessons.blogspot.com/
to access the following material:


1. Creation. http://www.ms-creation.blogspot.com/
2. Christmas. http://www.ms-christmas.blogspot.com/
3. Easter. http://www.ms-easter.blogspot.com/
4. The Bible. http://www.ms-bible.blogspot.com/
5. Prayer. http://www.ms-prayer.blogspot.com/
6. Hearing from God. http://www.ms-hearing.blogspot.com/
7. The Ten Commandments. http://www.ms-tencommandments.blogspot.com/
8. John 3.16. http://www.ms-john316.blogspot.com/
9. Teaching Memory verses. http://www.ms-memoryverses.blogspot.com/
10. Gospel Illusions. http://www.ms-gospelillusions.blogspot.com/
11. Object Lessons (using natural laws). http://www.ms-objectlessons.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 22, 2009

God's Presence Revealed through Nature


Birdwatching

As Christians, we understand how God shows us what we need to know when we need to know it. His timing is so perfect.

I am currently reading the all-in-one book and journal entitled Jesus authored by Beth Moore. Recently, I was able to set aside time to do some extra reading, writing and journaling


As I sat there reading Beth's book, the Holy Spirit pointed out a simplistic yet beautiful truth. I could hear some baby birds struggling to voice their needs. I was unable to pinpoint where the sound was coming from, as the area is lush with many trees. Suddenly, a brief memory of the summer of 2003 emerged, and I recalled that several families of birds had nested in my own backyard. I settled in and continued reading my book and was amazed at what I saw staring me in the face.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father."
Matthew 10:29


Beth, from time to time, looks outside her kitchen window and sees sparrows grace her backyard. Seeing the sparrows and remembering the scripture from Matthew 10:29, helps her put things into proper perspective.

Beth commented that the sparrows certainly aren't the most attractive birds she sees in her backyard. Yet, God takes care of them, and this Bible verse serves as a reminder that he will take care of her needs as well.

Sometimes, we need to be reminded of these basic truths. I feel that the Holy Spirit used the setting where I was reading, Beth's comments and the Bible verse to help me remember what transpired in my life back during the summer of 2003.

From May until August of that year our family went through a period of realizing that a member of our family may not survive a very serious surgery. At the time I didn't realize the full impact of what God was trying to show me.

We had four families of morning doves successively build nests in the backyard. We could actually see the nesting process from the kitchen window. Back then, I didn't realize that God was attempting to provide a lesson of reassurance. He was trying to show me just how precious these families were to Him. He wanted me to see that he was taking care of each of these little families and he wanted me to know that he was walking with my family as well. He wanted me to trust him.

Late in July of 2003, the last pair of mourning doves to nest returned to our backyard. They sat together beneath the tree where the empty nest was located. All of their babies had flown away about two weeks or so earlier. The pair stayed there perched on the rock for about an hour or so and actually allowed members of my family and I to walk very close to them. I remember returning to a room in our house, grabbing my digital camera and returning to take a picture of these morning doves. Although it may difficult to see, the actual mourning doves appear perched on the rock in the photo above. If you click on the picture above, the picture will enlarge, and you can more clearly see the mourning doves.


Our family felt that there was something spiritual about the occurrence, but we didn’t fully understand the message. Today, after reading Beth Moore’s commentary and listening to the birds in the trees, I now finally understand that if I had been more in the Word, I would have remembered Matthew 10:29, and our family would have been more comforted by this scripture.

I am hoping that God is blessing you and your family in some special way this spring and summer.

Why not take a moment to visit the following website that I recently discovered.

Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures Plus -
Doves and Pigeons

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. (Psa 55:6)

I feel that whether you are homeschooling or a parent looking for some supplemental summer lesson planning involving the study of birds, you will be truly blessed by the wealth of information found on the Birds of the Bible website.

The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly

The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly - Our New Life in Christ

I was a guest at another church this past December, and was intently listening as the minister spoke about Mary, the mother of Jesus. He reminded the congregation of the sense of wonder Mary must have felt, when she received a visit from Gabriel and was told that she would be the mother of the Son of God. The minister then recounted how he has often seen that same sense of amazement expressed by his grandchildren. He recalled that recently, on one particular evening, he was holding his small grandchild, and she was gazing up toward the sky, her eyes filled with wonder.

Spring and summer provide an opportunity to really look at the beauty of nature. God’s world, once again, is brimming with color, aroma and the feeling of new beginnings. Children are full of curiosity, and through them, we can revisit the majesty of each season. By listening and learning with them, we can reestablish our own sense of wonder. Below, is just an example of a lesson idea that you may want to consider using.

The metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly is applicable to one who accepts Jesus as his or her Savior. Before making that important decision to follow Jesus, we, too, are similar to caterpillars. We are incomplete.

Before the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it must go through a series of life stages. You can read about these changes by visiting Butterflybushes.com The most dramatic stages of the metamorphism occur and culminate in the chrysalis. As you read about all of the life stages of a butterfly, by clicking on the link above, think back to your own Christian journey. As you have discovered, we, too, made many transformations before we decided to follow Christ.

Eventually, what emerges from the chrysalis is a beautiful butterfly that spreads its wings and begins a new life. As Christians, we, too, are encouraged to spread our wings and live a new life in Christ by glorifying God with all of our being.

Once the caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly, its transformation ends. Conversely, a Christian’s transformation continues to deepen and expand, as we study the Word, fellowship with other Christians and generously use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ.

The metamorphosis of a butterfly is a particularly engaging topic for children. A butterfly unit study, in conjunction with Biblical lessons about being born again, can serve as a powerful witness to just what God can do. By visiting Butterflies you will locate some aids to help you as you prepare your lesson.


Visit the links listed below, for more butterfly related lesson planning:


Bible Butterfly Crafts



Butterfly Activities



Butterfly Vocabulary



Butterfly Activities for PreK – Grade 2



Butterfly Activities for Grades 3 – 6



Butterfly Fun Facts



Butterfly Pictures and Activities for Matching Card Exercises



Create Your Own Butterfly or Other Nature Related Reading Books

and

Create Your Own Butterfly or Other Nature Related Reading Books



Periodically, Sharon Jeffus provides art related workshops for children and teens. One of workshops includes lessons from Animals in the Garden. Lessons Five - Artsy Animals in the Garden .

“Children learn about insects like butterflies and bees that you could find in a garden. We look at master artists Monet, Hagemeister, and Renoir. We make a garden picture and learn about radial lines, patterns, and symmetry.”

Visit the Visual Manna website for more information.

The following Bible memory verse for children, pictured with a colorful picture of butterflies, is from Bible Memory Verses

Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
~II Corinthians 5:17

Some Biblical Expressions of Faith

Faith

References to “faith” in the New Testament of the Bible come from the Greek word pistis. Some "faith” references in the Old Testament include the Hebrew words Aman, Mibtah, Hasah, Galal, Mahseh and Batah. These words for “faith” are used interchangeably with “trust”.


Let’s look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, for a moment. Mary's life, up until Gabriel's visit, exemplified her trust and submission to God. However, imagine how Mary must have felt when she heard the news that she would be the mother of the Son of God. She must have felt overwhelmed to say the least. Yet, we see in the first chapter of Luke that Mary clearly expressed her faith and belief that she was part of God's plan. Although Mary may have felt confused, she set her feelings aside and continued to trust God.

Take a minute or two to read Luke 1:26-56. If you don’t have a Bible handy, visit Biblegateway.com and read the Bible text online. At the end of this text we see Mary’s final response.

“I am the servant of God,” said Mary. “Let everything happen just as you have said.”

This statement alone, from Luke 1:26, truly demonstrates the degree of faith that Mary possessed.

Likewise, David, with an armor of faith, confronted Goliath in a way that stunned onlookers. As you will recall, David challenged Goliath, the powerful Philistine giant. Because Goliath was confidant that he couldn’t be defeated, he issued an invitation to the ranks of Israel. He asserted that if any of these men could defeat him, the Philistines would be servants to the Israelites. However, if Goliath were the victor, the Israelites would submit themselves and be servants of the Philistines. The standoff ensued for a time. Finally, David, the young shepherd, left his flock to bring food to his brothers who were serving in the army.

David was there to observe the unfolding events; however, it wasn't long before he became proactive. David was rebuked by his oldest brother and warned by Saul that he should not confront Goliath. However, David was livid with the manner in which this giant was treating the soldiers of the living God.

Indeed, David's lips overflowed with faith as he spoke to Goliath, and as we know, he hit Goliath in the head with a stone from his sling, and Goliath was ultimately killed. Read
1 Samuel 17 (New International Version) Again, you can easily view the text online by visiting http://www.biblegateway.com


An army of men, trembling with fear, couldn’t do what this young, inexperienced boy did. By reading this chapter in its entirety, we see David’s faith in action.

Children and teens respond to these Biblical faith based models. In subsequent posts, I hope to spend more time discussing faith that was demonstrated by specific men and women of the Bible.

Below, are some websites you may want to visit for David and Goliath lesson plans. Tuck these links away for future reference. Some of the information may be applicable for independent study, VBS, Sunday School, etc.


David and Goliath

Lessons for Kids
and
Lessons for Teens and Adults


Discussion Questions About Mary

(Save this link and use next year with lesson plans involving Mother’s Day)


Children’s Sunday School - (Gabriel Visits Mary)

Excellent Discussion Questions

Introduction

The idea of writing a Christian blog first occurred to me about a year ago when a fellow Christian gave me one of the most precious birthday gifts that I had ever received. I was given a copy of the book, David. This all-in-one book and journal, written by Christian author Beth Moore, chronicles the struggles and triumphs of King David. By using Beth Moore’s book and studying 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, I clearly learned how God often used discipline and pruning in an effort to help David literally see the Light. By studying the life of David, I was forced to revisit some of my own difficult struggles.

I found the journaling to be very cathartic, as I reviewed what spiritual progress I had made since December 2006. Each day as I wrote down my entry into the journal, I became increasingly aware of some areas in my life that needed more attention. Each day, I could feel myself growing, again, as a Christian.

A family member experienced a stroke occurring just days after my own serious accident. The surgeon informed me that my right hand would not ever look normal if I declined a complex surgical procedure. Furthermore, he believed that I would lose a great deal of movement and function in the affected hand if I elected not to have professionals to perform the healing.

Because of some serious medical conditions, I was advised by a cardiologist not to have the surgery. I was told that there was a chance that I could suffer ill effects or even death. Since I was not dealing with a life threatening injury, I was allowed the time to pray for a few days about the situation. Ultimately, I trusted God that he would see me through and I would accept the outcome. I fully realized that I could be left with a deformed, partially functioning hand. However, I was willing to accept the outcome.

Miraculously, with the help of a caring, brilliant orthopedic surgeon and an equally gifted, compassionate rehabilitation hand therapist, the affected hand, today, is extremely functional without any marked deformity. The hand therapist told me at one point that I must have had angels watching over me, as she had never seen such a miraculous healing occur, given the severity of the injury.

I knew, at the time, that my family and friends were praying for me. Indeed, I was blessed to have some special friends, and a caring pastor, who helped me through that period. I also know that God placed each of the special health professionals in my path. God was and is the master healer, and he used the prayers and selected professionals to perform the healing. As we know, after everything is said and done, God is always in control.

Up until 2006, my walk with Jesus was good, but not great. I had been a Christian years before 2006. However the series of events that occurred from early December 2006 through January 2007 literally transformed my spiritual relationship with God. Christ’s presence in my life became all encompassing.

In March 2007, I knew that I could no longer sit on the sidelines. The time had come for me to truly reach out and use whatever spiritual gifts God had given to me for the benefit of God’s kingdom. I was overwhelmed with the healing that God had performed in my life and the healing that was taking place with a member of my family.

I knew that I had to recommit myself to Christ. My next step was to take a spiritual inventory to learn what gifts I could give. In the Spring of 2007 after taking these steps, I began to reach out and be used in different ways. Mainly, God has used me behind the scenes in teaching settings. At times I have been used as a catalyst. I have also been given opportunities to share my faith, but God has chosen the time and the people.

My hope is that the information provided here will be helpful to parents and teachers who are searching for ways to inject their Christian faith into the reading, social studies, science, literature, art music and other curriculum for children.