X-ray Book

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Hebrews 4:12,13

TO CHEW ON: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

You have just fallen off your skate board. But even after you cleaned up your scraped arm it keeps hurting. Then it begins to swell. What do you do?
- Take a pain pill to make the pain go away?
- Wrap it in a sling and keep it very still?
- Go to the doctor for an examination and an x-ray?


You may do the first two. But chances are if the pain doesn’t go away, you’ll do the last one too. Though a pill and keeping your arm still may help make the pain less for a little while, those things don’t tell you the reason for the pain so you can fix the cause.

An x-ray picture, on the other hand, will show the doctor what happened inside your arm. If it shows your arm is broken, the doctor can move the bone pieces back together (set it), and put your arm in a cast to protect it and help it heal straight.



The Bible is a lot like an x-ray machine for our hearts. As we read it, we discover what God is like and what pleases Him. And we also see what we are like and where our thoughts and attitudes are twisted, broken and displeasing to God. Then we can ask Him to help us change so that we will be healthy on the inside.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your word which shows me what I’m like. Please help me to change my thoughts, attitudes and actions to please You. Amen



MORE: X-plain X-ray

• What are x-rays?
• How do they work?
• Have you ever had an x-ray? Why? Did it hurt?
• Are x-rays used for other things besides looking inside our bodies?

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Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Human Towers

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Genesis 11:1-9



TO CHEW ON: "Then they said, 'Come let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.'” Genesis 11:4

God was displeased with the people’s plan to build a tower. It wasn’t so much the building which displeased Him, but the attitude it showed. This tower plan showed pride. It was as if these people were saying, “Making this tower will prove we humans can do anything we are determined to do.”

God stopped the project. Which method did He use?
1. Sent an earthquake
2. Sent a plague of sickness
3. Confused the languages so people could no longer understand each other.
4. Caused the workers to go on strike.

In this way God reminded people of their human limits. We humans may be creative and ambitious and energetic and determined. But this story reminds us that God is greater than any human scheme or idea. If something is against His plan, He can shut it down in an instant.

PRAYER: Dear God, I want to honor and serve You with my life—not human pride and ambition. Amen

SECOND HELPING: Modern Babel
After years of trying, there are still some human goals people have not been able to reach. Some are:
1. Explore all of space.
2. Create life.
3. Keep people from dying.
4. Stamp out disease.

- Pick one of the human goals that interests you, above, or name another.
- Find out from books, magazines and the internet some of the steps made to reach that goal.
- What do you think—will people someday achieve it? Explain why you think as you do.

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.

Special Creation

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 1:24-2:2

TO CHEW ON: "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27)


This is a detail from a painting by Michelangelo called "The Creation of Adam." It is Michelangelo's idea of God (on the right), reaching out to touch Adam with the spark of life.

How are people different from other things God created?

1. They walk upright?
2. They talk?
3. God created them in His image?

Did you pick 3? But what does it mean to have God's image?

When God created the first humans they they were pure and sinless. That’s part of having the image of God. But even after the first man and woman sinned, God’s image was still in people. It set them apart from the rest of creation. Here are some ways:

- People have creativity. They can draw, sing, build.

- People are self-conscious. They are aware of being sad, happy, bored, excited and having many feelings.

- People have personality. Each person has a special way of thinking, feeling and acting.

- People can think about more than what they see, feel and hear (think abstractly).

- Besides having just a body (like reptiles and fish) and a also soul (which some say birds and animals also have) people have a spirit, the part that makes us want to know God.

- People can make decisions and choices. These lead to feelings, like being proud, or embarrassed or guilty.

When God put His image in people, He gave them a special place in creation. He made them responsible as rulers and caretakers of the rest of creation.

Each person is precious and valuable because of God's image in them. You are precious and valuable because God's image is in you.

PRAYER: God, thank You for Your image in me. Help me to learn what that means. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: God’s Image - What Is It?
What activities, below, can you do because God created you in His image?

1. Make rules
2. Eat
3. Die
4. Choose between right and wrong
5. Sleep
6. Want a friendship with God.

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.