Reasons to Obey

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 5:1-5

TO CHEW ON: "In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." 1 John 5:3,4


Which of these people would you obey?

policeman    teacher       

doctor       parent        God

Did you choose them all? Name one reason to obey:

• a policeman:
• a teacher:
• a doctor:
• a parent:
• God:
  

We have different reasons for obeying.

We may obey the policeman because we know if we don’t, he can fine, arrest or put us in jail. We obey out of fear.

We may obey the doctor, even though we don’t like the taste of the medicine he gives us, because we want to feel better. We obey because it will help us.

We may obey parents and teachers because we want to please them. We obey out of love.

We probably obey God in all these ways. Before we know Him well, we may obey Him because we’re afraid of Him. Then we may obey Him because we think doing what He asks will help us. But the best reason to obey God is because we love and trust Him and want to please Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to obey You out of love, knowing You always want the best for me. Amen.


MORE: Obedience School
Have you ever trained an animal to obey you or to do tricks?

• How did you use fear and punishment?
• How did you use treats and rewards?
• How did you use love?
  

Which worked best?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 

Family Matters

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 3:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

What is the stand-out thing about your family? Is it the way many of you look alike? Maybe it’s a special talent, like being a good athlete, actor or musician. Or perhaps it’s the way your family celebrates Christmas and birthdays in its own special way.

What is special about your family?

We probably resemble our physical parents - even though we may not know them. And the way we act is always affected by the personalities and habits of the families we belong to and live with.

There’s another family we belong to, not by birth, but by special invitation. When we ask Jesus into our lives, we become part of God’s family.

Just like people who are part of a human family resemble each other, people who are part of God’s family look and act like God’s children. Which things below describe how members of this family will look and act?

1. have obedient feet.
2. are often angry and go into temper tantrums.
3. are known for a gossiping mouth.
4. can be depended on to tell the truth.
5. swear a lot and use dirty language.
6. have kind eyes.
7. are known for their selfishness.
8. are known for how they love other family members.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for including me in Your family. Help me to act like Your child. Amen.



MORE: One-of-a-kind Family
Write a list of things that make your human family special.

Some ideas: - favorite family meal, memory, holiday, hobby, talent, way to celebrate birthdays, Christmas etc.


ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Darkness or light?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 1:5-10

TO CHEW ON: "But if we walk in the light, as he (God) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7


Your living room is a dim comfortable place where you spend a lot of time. Then one day someone pulls open the curtains and light shines in.


Suddenly you see the dust balls in the corners and the smudges all over the TV screen. Piles of books, CDs, and DVDs litter the floor. The coffee table is cluttered with dirty dishes and half-full glasses of pop. What looked like a comfy room in the darkness is quite a mess in the light!

God is the one who lights up the room of our lives. As we get to know Him, talk to Him in prayer and spend time reading the Bible, His light floods in. When that happens we see things that never bothered us before. What are some things God’s light might show us?

1. 1 John 2:9-11 __________________
2. Psalm 90:8 ____________________
3. Job 24:16 _____________________
4. 1 Thesalonians 5:7 ______________

When God’s light uncovers bad things (sins) we’ve done in the dark, what can we do about it?
5. 1 John 1:9 ____________________


PRAYER: Dear God, I have done some things in the dark. They are __________ From now on please help me to live in Your light. Amen.


MORE: Living in light
Below are some things you could do. Which things would you do in front of God? Which things you would be ashamed to do in front of God?

1. Pay a friend to do your homework for you.

2. Make jokes about the kid everybody in your class picks on.

3. Spend time playing with your little brother.

4. Watch movies or TV shows with your friends that your parents wouldn't allow you to watch.

5. Ask permission before getting spare change from Mom’s drawer.

6. Walk to school with the kid nobody likes.

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.