Four Secrets

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 6:1-8

TO CHEW ON: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say, in a voice like thunder, 'Come!'" Revelation 6:1

If you get a letter in the mail, the untorn envelope and the stuck-tight flap tell you no one has opened the letter.

In Bible times, scroll letters were sealed with clay or wax. This clay or wax had the imprint of the sender’s seal - an impression of his ring or special stamp. This seal told the person who got the letter it was from the person who had stamped it, and it had not been opened. What was inside a letter stayed a mystery until the seal was broken and the letter was opened and read.

As John watched scenes of heaven, he saw the Lamb (Jesus) opening seven seals. Although these seals weren’t on actual letters, they were messages from God, telling John (and us) things that would happen in the future. Read about the first seals John saw. Then fill in the thing that each brought (pick the answer from the words below).


1. Seal 1 (Revelation 6:2)
A ____________ horse whose rider brings _________________.

2. Seal 2 (Revelation 6:3,4)
A ______________ horse whose rider brings ________________.

3. Seal 3 (Revelation 6:5,6)
A _____________ horse whose rider brings _________________.

4. Seal 4 (Revelation 6:7,8)
A ______________ horse whose rider brings _______________.

Death    white    pale
scales = Famine   
Conquest      black    fiery red
power to take away peace = War

War, sickness, not enough to eat (famine, pictured by the scales) and death have happened on earth for a long time. But as Jesus’ return gets closer, we will see more and more of them. We don’t need to be frightened by them. If we see these signs in our time, they tell us Jesus’ return is coming very close.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me not to be frightened by these scary things that will happen, but to see them as signs that Your return is getting closer. Amen.


MORE: Sealed Letter
Send a sealed letter of your own.

• Write a note to a friend.

• Put it in an envelope and lick the flap shut.

• Roll a piece of plasticine or re-usable wall adhesive into a ball

• Squish the ball onto the middle of the flap with your thumb to make a seal.

• Engrave your initials into the seal with the end of a pen.

(Note: Melted wax could also be used to seal the envelope, but MELT THE WAX ONLY WITH AN ADULT’S SUPERVISION.)

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.

What time is it?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Peter 3:3-13

TO CHEW ON: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 2 Peter 3:8


How long is it from one Christmas to the next? From this summer holiday to next summer holiday? From your 10th birthday to your 11th? You know it’s only a year, yet it seems like a long time.

So when we read in the Bible that a thousand years is like one day to God, we realize that He’s in a different time zone than we are altogether. The idea of a 1000-year day makes the year which feels long to us only a few minutes to God!

The people in Bible times were a lot like we are. Forty years after Jesus had gone back to heaven and still hadn’t returned, people said, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised?”

Now it’s 2000 years later and though Jesus has still not returned, we know that He will keep his promise. After all, in the way God looks at time, it hasn’t been that long at all – only two days and a few minutes!

He could return any time. Are you looking for His coming? Are you ready?

"Jesus returns" - Artist unknown

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to look forward to Your return, knowing You will keep Your promise. Amen.



MORE: Keeping Time
What are some ways people have measured and kept track of time over the centuries?


Can you think of more?

Choose one way and find out how it works.

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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.

Are You Ready?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Thessalonians 4:13-18


TO CHEW ON: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. I Thessalonians 4:16,17


Your grandma, who lives far away, is coming for a visit! You clean the house and make the guest bed. Your mom stocks the fridge with Grandma’s favorite foods. On the day she’s due to arrive, you drive to the airport and wait impatiently in the arrivals lounge. You can’t keep your eyes off the doorway through which she’ll soon appear

Someone else just as special as grandma will arrive one of these days. Jesus promised over 2000 years ago He would someday return to earth. We don’t know when He will come back and we won’t go to meet Him at an airport, bus depot or train station. But He promised someday He will appear in the sky. It could be any day. It could be today, or eleven months or fifty-three years from now.


Like we prepare for the visit of someone we love, we can also get ready for Jesus’ return. Which statements, below, do you think are made by someone who is living with Jesus’ return in mind:

• The most important thing is to have fun and be happy.
• Jesus died for my sin; He is the boss of my life.
• I’m young. I’ll have lots of time to think about Jesus when I’m old.
• The most important thing is to reach my goals.
• I live each day as if Jesus were watching me.
• Making lots of money is the most important thing in life.
• I live every day as if it could be my last.
  

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I know You could return at any time. Help me to be ready. Amen.

MORE: Heaven
When Jesus returns He will take us to heaven to live with Him. What will that be like? The Bible talks a lot about heaven. Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 21:1-8 and Revelation 22:1-5 are three such places. Which statements about heaven, below, are true (check the Bible passages, above, if you’re not sure)?

A. There will be no more death.

B. We will sit around on clouds playing harps all day.

C. There will be no sadness or crying.

D. We’ll spend time sailing on heaven’s seas.

E. People from every nation on earth will be there.

F. No sun, moon or stars are needed; God is heaven’s light.

G. There will be no sickness in heaven.

H. We’ll still get hungry and thirsty in heaven.

I. We’ll see God, Jesus and angels.

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.