The Big Twelve

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 10:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to cure every kind of disease and sickness .... '...Freely you have received, freely give.'” - Jesus, Matthew 10:1,8

Would you say a “disciple” is:
1. someone who is a big fan of a famous person?
2. someone who accepts, follows, and imitates a teacher?
3. someone who lives by a lot of rules?

Though we don’t use the word “disciple” a lot nowadays, you probably know that when Jesus talked about disciples, He meant 2. - the people who accepted His teaching, wanted to spend time with Him, and become like Him. When Jesus began teaching and doing miracles, a lot of people wanted to be His disciples. One day, after He had spent the night praying (Luke 6:12), Jesus chose twelve men to be His closest friends, the twelve disciples.

But Jesus expected these disciples to do more than just listen to His stories and watch His miracles. One day, after giving these men special authority, He gave them a job. They were to: (cross out the one thing He did NOT tell them) Matthew 10:9-10
1. Preach.
2. Heal the sick.
3. Raise the dead.
4. Drive out demons.
5. Take a lot of money and stuff with them.
6. Cleanse the lepers.

"Jesus Sending the Apostles" - Artist unknown

Jesus chose disciples to help Him tell people about God. He also gave them authority, so that God’s power could flow through them.

Do people still need to hear about God? Does Jesus still need disciples today? How can you be His disciple?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to be Your disciple. Amen.



SUPERSIZE IT: The Big 12! - Word Search
These are the twelve disciples that Jesus chose. (There are only 11 names because there were two disciples named “James.”)

Bartholomew Peter
Thomas  Judas Iscariot*     
Thaddaeus James
Matthew  Simon
John            Philip
Andrew          James

Find each name in the word search.

(To print the word search alone, click on it, then print it from the window that opens.)

"Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com"

ANSWERS


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.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Power of Words

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 55:8-13

TO CHEW ON: "As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10,11

Words are funny little things. As marks on paper or a screen they can make us laugh or cry, tell us good news or bad, prove little things like we’ve passed the test or big things like we’re the citizens of a certain country.

Spoken words have a lot of power too. I’m sure you’ve heard the playground rhyme: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Do you believe it? I don’t! Because spoken words have the power to do a lot of things, including hurt us.

If we think human words have power, how much more God’s words. These are the thoughts and ideas that come from the creator of the universe Himself – God. They are found as words in the Bible. They tell us about creation, people and God. They give us the good news that even though we deserve to die because we have sinned, Jesus died in our place. They tell us we can be friends with God. They explain how He wants to be the loving boss of our lives. They describe how we can live so that He will be pleased.



Are you familiar with God’s words? Do you read the Bible? Do you memorize it? Do you do what it says? Make God’s powerful word a part of your life. That may mean that your life isn’t always easy - but it will be full of joy and peace.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to read, understand and obey Your word. Amen.

MORE: God’s Word Search
Bible writers describe God’s word in many ways. Here are some of their descriptions. Can you find each word in the word search?

ACTIVE  FIRE  FOREVER  GOD-BREATHED
HAMMER   HONEY  LAMP   LIGHT
LIVING   MILK   POWER   RADIANT
RIGHT    SHARP   SWEET    USEFUL

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com
To print this puzzle, click anywhere on the puzzle. It will open in another browser. Print that page.

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.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Quick to Follow

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:19-21

TO CHEW ON: "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." 1 Kings 19:20

One of the jobs God gave Elijah was to find and call the person who would be the next prophet. We don’t know how Elijah knew which person to choose. God probably told him. Neither do we know much about the person he picked – Elisha – except that he was a farmer.

Elijah found Elisha in a field. He was plowing with oxen.

Elijah called him by going up to him and throwing his prophet cloak over Elisha’s shoulders. Our Bible doesn’t tell us if Elijah explained to Elisha what he meant by this. But Elisha knew exactly what Elijah was asking.

1. What did Elisha do? ( 1 Kings 19:20) ________

2. Did Elijah force Elisha to come with him? ________

"And Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah" 1 Kings 19:20
Artist's name – Diana Shimon
© Copyright – HaGefen Publishing / CWI Israel (used with permission).

For some reason Elisha was ready to follow Elijah. Maybe in the days just before Elijah came, he had been feeling restless about being a farmer. Maybe he had been asking God to show him what he should do instead. Maybe he had heard of Elijah, and wanted to get to know him. Whatever the reason, Elisha was ready for Elijah’s invitation and was quick to respond.

3. His answer was so definite, he made it impossible to change his mind and go back to farming. How? (1 Kings 19:21) ____

From that day on, Elisha’s life changed. He began traveling with Elijah as his helper

4. What lesson can we learn from Elisha:
a] that farming isn’t an important job?
b] that when God calls us, we should be quick to answer ‘yes’?

PRAYER: Dear God, please show me what You want me to do, and help me be answer “Yes.” Amen.


MORE: More “Yes” people
All through the Bible God used and blessed people who answered His call with “Yes.” Below are five Bible characters who did just that. Find their names in the Word Search puzzle.

1. James and John left their jobs as fishermen and follow Jesus. (Mark 1:16-18)
2. Gideon led Israel in their fight against the Midianites (Judges 6:13,14)
3. Moses left his desert home and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10-12)
4. Abraham moved away from his home and family to a land God showed him. (Genesis 12:1)

"Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com".

(To print the word search puzzle alone, click on it, then print it from the window that opens.)


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.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

The Beginning of Solomon's End

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 11:26-40

TO CHEW ON: "Then he said to Jeroboam, 'Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God if Israel, says: "See I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hands and give you ten tribes." ’ ” 1 Kings 11:31

Solomon ruled for many years. Though God had told him that the kingdom would be taken away from his family because they worshiped idols, everything went on as usual. Perhaps Solomon thought God had forgotten what He had said and wouldn’t do it after all.

After Solomon built the temple and his palace, he built many other things. One of his best workmen was Jeroboam. When Solomon saw how well Jeroboam did his job, he made him a boss over many people.

One day when Jeroboam was on his way home, he met Ahijah the prophet. When Ahijah saw Jeroboam he did a strange thing. He took off his new cloak and tore it into twelve pieces. “Take ten of these pieces for yourself,” he said to Jeroboam. “God told me to tell you, ‘I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. I’m doing this because Solomon and his family worship idols. Only make sure that when you get to be king, you worship Me.’”


Soon word got back to Solomon that Ahijah had told Jeroboam he would be the next king. Solomon wondered, was God’s prediction about to happen? He would make sure it didn’t.

“Kill Jeroboam!” he commanded his soldiers. But before the soldiers found him, Jeroboam ran away to hide in Egypt.

PRAYER: Dear God, Your promises always come true. Help me to remember that, Amen.

MORE: Prophetic Pictures Who Am I?
God told Ahijah the prophet to tear his new robe into twelve pieces. This was a picture or object lesson of what God would do with Solomon’s kingdom.

God told other prophets to do picture-like things as well. Which prophet did God tell to do these things?

A. I was asked to give my baby a name that predicted the country would soon go to war. Who am I? _________

B. God told me to buy a clay jar and break it as a picture of how God would soon smash the country. Who am I? __________

C. God asked me to take back my wife, even though she cheated on me, to show that God loved idol-worshiping Israel. Who am I? ________________

D. God commanded I shave off my hair and beard to show that Israel would soon be punished and humbled. Who am I? _____________

1. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 19:1,10)     
2. Ezekiel (Ezekiel 5:1)  
3. Hosea (Hosea 3:1)               
4. Isaiah (Isaiah 8:2)

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.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A House For God

 TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Kings 5:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God as the Lord told my father, David, when he said, 'Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my name.'” 1 Kings 5:5


When Solomon had been king for four years, he decided it was time to keep the promise he’d made to his dad and build a house for God.

He contacted King Hiram of Tyre to get permission to cut down huge cedar and pine trees. He called up thousands of men to work. Some felled trees.


Others worked in quarries cutting boulders into square building stones. Many moved the wood and stone blocks to Jerusalem. Still others worked in Jerusalem, putting the temple together.

After the gigantic stones were in place, workmen covered the walls with wood. They made floors, so that the temple was three stories high. They made the sanctuary – the room where the ark would sit – extra special, covering all the walls and ceiling with gold. Workmen carved beautiful decorations of fruits and flowers for the temple and made fifteen-foot high angel statues to decorate the sanctuary.


After seven years the temple was finished. Solomon built God’s house exactly like his father David’s plans. It was as beautiful as he could make it.


We no longer worship God in only one place, like the temple Solomon built. Though we may go to church, the building where we worship God is not the important thing. For when we ask Jesus to forgive our sin, He comes and lives inside of us. Paul wrote this to the Christians in Corinth. He said: “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’”

Are you a pure and beautiful place for God to live?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to make myself a beautiful home for You. Amen.


MORE: Promise keepers and breakers.
Do you make promises? Do you keep them?

Solomon promised his dad he would make the temple. He kept his promise, even though his dad was no longer alive to see.

Many Bible characters made promises. Some kept their promises while others didn’t. Mark the statements below with ✔ if the promise was kept, an X if it was broken. (Look up the references if you’re not sure.)

1. ___ After the plague of hail Pharaoh promised the Israelites they could leave Egypt. (Exodus 9:28,35)

2. ___ The Jericho spies promised Rahab they would rescue her family and her family. (Joshua 6:25)

3. ___ The Israelites promised the Gibeonites they wouldn’t fight against them.(Joshua 9:26,27)

4. ___ Laban promised Jacob he could marry Rachel after working seven years for her. (Genesis 29:21-24)

5. ___ Hannah promised God to give her son Samuel to Him.(1 Samuel 1:28)

6. Who keeps all His promises? _________ (Deuteronomy 7:9)

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.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Caught

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 18:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair while the mule he was riding kept on going." 2 Samuel 18:9


David was on the run from his son Absalom. David thought of all the things Absalom had on his side – the army, many of the people, even the wisest counselor Ahithophel. “God, please spoil Ahithophel’s advice,” David prayed.

Down the road David met his friend Hushai. He was also known as a wise man. “I’m coming with you,” Hushai told David.

But seeing Hushai gave David an idea. “Why don’t you help me another way?” he said. “I’d really like it if you went to Absalom and pretended you were going to be on his side. Then when Ahithophel tells Absalom what to do, you can suggest something that isn’t as wise.”

Hushai did as David asked. When Ahithophel told Absalom he should go after David right away, Hushai said, “No, that’s not a good idea.” Then he suggested they wait till his army gathered.

When Absalom decided to follow Hushai’s advice, Hushai sent spies to David to tell him what was going on.

The delay helped David and his men get organized. Even so, Absalom’s army was soon nearby. The two sides met in a thick forest. Did they have any chance against Absalom’s army, David wondered.

Absalom rode his kingly mule into battle. When he met David’s men, his mule took off with him on it. As they passed under a tree, Absalom’s long hair got caught in the branches of an oak, while the mule ran away.


There he was, hanging from the tree by his hair!

Soon someone found him. They recognized him as Absalom and called Captain Joab, who put him to death.

Absalom’s plan to become king seemed foolproof. He had plotted and schemed to make it happen. He had won people over to his side and had an army with wise advisors. But his plan was not God’s plan. God wasn’t with him and in the end, everything fell apart.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to keep trusting You even when things look impossible Amen.

MORE: Wise Man Who Am I?
In Bible times kings relied on the advice of wise men like Ahithophel and Hushai. The Bible has stories of other wise men. Can you guess the name of each wise man by his clue? Use the Bible references if you like.

1.I was a believer in Jesus who won debates against the religious teachers of my time because I was wise. Who am I? (Acts 6:8-10)

2. I and my friends were the wisest of all the king’s servants-in-training after living on only vegetables and water. Who am I? (Daniel 1:19-20)

3. The Bible called me the wisest man who ever lived. Who am I? (1 Kings 4:29-31)

4. After I told the king the meaning of his dream, he put me in charge of the land of Egypt. Who am I? (Genesis 41:39-40)





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.

A Promise Kept

TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Samuel 1:20-29

TO CHEW ON: “I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:27,28

Have you ever made a promise that later you wished you didn’t have to keep? Perhaps you promised your brother that if he’d deliver your papers, you’d do his chores. Or you promised your parents if they gave you what you wanted, you’d never beg for things again. Or maybe you made a promise to God that if He answered your prayer, you’d do something special for Him.

Hannah had made a big promise to God. She told Him if He gave her a baby, she would give that baby back to God for his whole life.


God answered Hannah’s prayer with baby Samuel. How thrilled she was! She loved dressing him, feeding him and playing with him. But every time she looked at him, she also remembered her promise. She knew that if she kept it, she wouldn’t be keeping little Samuel. I wonder if she ever wished she could take back that promise.

The year Samuel was weaned – he was about three – Hannah and Samuel went with the family to worship in Shiloh. Hannah took little Samuel with them to the tabernacle. “Do you remember me?” she asked Eli. “I’m the one who was praying. God answered my prayer and gave me Samuel. I promised God I would give the child to him. So here he is.” Then she left little Samuel with Eli.



How Hannah must have missed Samuel those first days and weeks. I’m sure she often thought about him and wondered, what’s he doing, is he well, is he happy? How hard it must have been hard for her to keep that promise. But she did because deep down she knew her little boy was in God’s care, and that was the best place he could ever be.

PRAYER: Dear God, please teach me to trust You with the things that are the most special to me. Amen.

MORE: God’s Orphans
Samuel wasn’t the only child parents put in God’s care. Read the clues and see if you can tell who of God's orphans listed below is talking. Look up the Bible references if you need help.

Joseph (Genesis 37:23-28)
Moses (Exodus 2:1-4)
Daniel (Daniel 1:1-6)
Prince Joash (2 Kings 11:1-3)

1. I was hidden in the temple and cared for by my nurse when an evil queen tried to kill the whole royal family. Who am I? _______

2. I and my friends were captured by the king of Babylon and forced to be his servants. Who am I? _______

3. My brothers sold me to Ishmaelite traders. Who am I? _______

4. My mother put me in a basket and floated it on the Nile when Pharaoh commanded all the boy babies to be killed. Who am I? ___________

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.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Gold Frappuccino

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 32:7,8, 15-26

TO CHEW ON: "They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'.... And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made." Exodus 32:8, 35

While the people were worshiping and celebrating around the idol, God told Moses, “It’s time for you to go down. The people are doing something bad.”

So Moses went down the mountain, carrying the tablets of stone on which God had written. But even God’s warning hadn’t prepared him for the sight that met his eyes when he got back to camp. There, in the middle of everything, was the gold calf idol. Around it the people were dancing, singing and celebrating.

Moses stormed into camp. He threw down the stone pieces he was carrying and they shattered.

"Moses Breaks the Tablets of Stone" from Treasures of the Bible (Moses)

Then he tore the calf idol off its stand and heaved it into a fire. When it had melted, he ground it up to fine powder, mixed the powder with water and forced the people to drink it (YUCK!)

Then he called for Aaron. “What happened?”

“Uh... the people told me to make them a god,” Aaron said. “So I collected their jewelry, put it in the fire, and out came this calf.”

Moses scolded Aaron for letting the people get out of control. Later, God sent a plague (sickness) that destroyed many of the rebellious Israelites.

God had commanded the people to worship only Him. They had disobeyed Him by making an idol and worshiping it. Now they had to suffer the consequences of disobedience.

Sin still has consequences. Sometimes consequences are natural – like getting suspended from school for stealing. Sometimes God Himself causes them – like the sickness from which these people died.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me remember that each thing I do (each action) has a consequence. Amen.

MORE: I told you so!

Consequences word search

Below the word search are five statements about consequences. Find each bold word in the word search.

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com

1. You don't clean your room so you can't find your ipod.
2. You tell secrets you promised to keep so your friends don't trust you.
3. You keep up with your homework so you make good marks even on surprise tests.
4. You always defend your friends so your friends are loyal to you.
5. You don't read your Bible much so you're not sure how God feels about most things.

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.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Life-saving Blood

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 12:21-28

TO CHEW ON: "When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down." Exodus 12:23

As God had told Moses, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt. Through frogs, gnats, flies, sick cattle, boils, hail, locusts and darkness, he didn’t budge. But God was not finished with him. God told Moses and Aaron what He would do next.

The first born son of every family in Egypt would die. It would happen at midnight.

But God would not kill anyone in the homes of the Israelites IF they followed His instructions. Solve the crossword using the Bible references and find out what God told each family to do.

Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com.
(Click on puzzle to enlarge and print)


- Each family was to take a (9 across - Exodus12:3).

- They were to kill it at (1 down - Exodus12:6).

- With (3 across - Exodus12:22) they were to paint the lamb’s blood on the (2 down [plural] Exodus12:22).

- Then they were to (6 across - Exodus12:9) the lamb and eat it with (10 across) and (5 down - Exodus12:8) with no yeast.

- They were to eat it in (8 across) and dressed ready to (7 down – Exodus 12:11).

- No one should leave the house until (4 across - Exodus12:22).

Painting blood on the doorframe

by James Tissot .

That night God would visit Egypt. When He saw the lamb’s blood painted on the door frames of the house, He would pass it and no one inside would die.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this story which reminds us of Jesus’ blood and how He died instead of us. Amen.

MORE: The meaning of it all.
What was this special sacrifice and meal called?

A. Notice the red boxes in the puzzle above? Write down the letters in each red box, then unscramble them to make the name God called this sacrifice and meal (Exodus 12:27)

B. Why was that a good name for it?


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.

Talking Bush

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Exodus 2:23-3:12

TO CHEW ON: "And God said, 'I will be with you.'" Exodus 3:12a

Moses got away from Pharaoh that day. He ran to the desert. There he lived with a nomad family. He lived with them for forty years. He tended sheep for the man, married one of the family’s daughters and had two sons.

I wonder what he thought about during those lonely hours when he was tending sheep. Perhaps he wished that he had the day he killed the Egyptian to live over again. Maybe he felt bad because now he was sure he would never help his people like he wanted to. He may have thought his life had been wasted.


Then one day while tending the sheep:
- What strange thing did he see? 1] (Exodus 3:2) _________________
- When he went to check it out, what did he hear? 2] (Exodus 3:4) ____________
- What did God tell him to do? 3] (Exodus 3:5) ______________
- Then what assignment did God give him? 4] (Exodus 3:10) ________
- When Moses said he couldn’t do this job, God gave him a promise. Put the words of God’s promise (below) in the right order: 5] ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

you  be  I   with   will

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that when You give us a job to do, You promise to be with us. Amen.


MORE: Is that You God?

We don't need to be in church to hear from God. He talked to people in many places. Match the person with the place they heard God speak. Check your Bible if you're not sure.


1. Abraham (Genesis 18:1)


2. Jonah (Jonah 2:10-3:1)


3. Isaiah (Isaiah 6:4,5)


4. Jacob (Genesis 28:11-17)


5. King Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1-5, 22-28)



Where has God talked to you?

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.

Nile Rescue

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 1:22-2:10

TO CHEW ON: “...She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.” Exodus 2:5,6

Joseph and his brothers eventually died. Their children continued to live in Egypt. Their numbers grew until they were a nation. The Egyptians called them Hebrews or Israelites.

Four hundred years passed. Now a different Pharaoh ruled in Egypt. He was mean. He made the Israelites his slaves. They were forced to work for no pay. Even so, the number of Israelites kept growing.

This made Pharaoh worried. There were too many. What would he do if they decided to rebel and not to obey him any more? So he passed a new law. Every baby boy must be killed at birth.

How terrible! Instead of being happy that a new baby was about to be born, now the mothers were terrified. For it was against the law to let a baby boy live.

We know that at least one family didn’t obey this law. Use the sentence fragments and your Bible (Exodus 2:3-8) to finish the story.


(click on puzzle to enlarge and print)

In this amazing way God kept Moses alive. He grew up in a safe place—Pharaoh’s palace. And Moses’ own mother got to take care for him for a while.

Maybe you too are alive today when common sense says you should have died. Perhaps as a baby you were sick, or survived a deadly accident. You can know that just like God kept Moses alive to do a special job, He has kept you alive for the job He has just for you.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that Your plans can’t be spoiled, by cruel laws and evil rulers, accidents or sickness. Amen

Papyrus

MORE: All-purpose Papyrus

- Cyperus Papyrus was a plant that grew in shallow water along the banks of the Nile River.

- It could grow as tall as 5 meters (15 feet) and stems could be as wide as 15 cm. (6 inches).

- People used papyrus to make a lot of things like sandals, mats, baskets, fences, rope, roof material, life jackets and boats. Baby Moses' basket was made of papyrus.

- People also ate some parts of the papyrus plant and used other parts for medicine and fuel.

- Papyrus is best known for being used to make the first paper. In fact the word ‘paper’ comes from the word ‘papyrus.’

Find out more about papyrus here.

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.

Deceit and Trickery

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 27:1-41

TO CHEW ON: "But he said, 'Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.'" Genesis 27:35


Isaac was old and knew he would soon die. He asked Esau, his favorite son, to catch some wild game and make his favorite food. Then he would say a blessing over him.

Rebekah heard this. She didn’t want Isaac to bless Esau. Jacob was her favorite son. And hadn’t God said to her at the birth of Jacob and Esau, “The older will serve the younger”?

Here’s what happened next. But one of these things is not true. Which one?

1. Jacob brought Rebekah two young goats and she prepared food for Isaac.
2. Rebekah dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes and covered his hands and neck to smell and feel like Esau.
3. Jacob took Rebekah’s food to Isaac and Isaac ate it.
4. Isaac blessed Jacob after he smelled his clothes and felt his skin to make sure it was Esau.
5. Esau brought prepared food to his father.
6. Isaac told Esau he had already eaten and spoken a blessing – on someone else!
7. Esau didn’t care that Jacob had stolen his blessing.
8. Esau vowed to kill Jacob as soon as their father died.

By tricking Isaac in this way, Rebekah took matters into her own hands. She could have trusted God to see how He would make sure Jacob got the promised blessing. Instead, she did it her way and started a family fight.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to have faith in You to work things out instead of trying to do it my way. Amen.

MORE: Bible Disguises and Masquerades

Other people in the Bible put on disguises to trick people. Match the person with what they did and whom they tried to trick. Here are Bible references to help you:

• Saul - 1 Samuel 28:8

• King Jeroboam’s wife – 1 Kings 14:2

• David – 1 Samuel 21:12-13

• King of Israel – 1 Kings 22:29-30

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.

The Big Test

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 22:1-19

TO CHEW ON: “...and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:18

Imagine Abraham’s horror the day God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Perhaps he had some of these questions and thoughts:

- Did I hear God right?
- Why would God make me wait all these years to have a son, only to ask me to kill him?
- Didn’t God forbid human sacrifice?
- God can do anything. Maybe He is planning to raise Isaac from the dead.

Whatever Abraham was thinking, he didn’t argue with God. Instead, he took Isaac, the stuff they needed for the sacrifice and they went to the place God told him.

Using Genesis 22:9-12 as a guide, put the rest of the story in order.

An angel stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac - Artist unknown

Abraham’s faith was tested to see what he believed in. God was testing him to see whether he believed in what his mind told him God would do, or whether he believed in God, even though he didn’t understand. Abraham’s actions showed he believed in God. He passed the test!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to pass the faith tests I face. Amen.

MORE: A Father who really did sacrifice His Son

This story of Abraham and Isaac reminds us of a story that happened hundreds of years later. Another Father watched as His Son was sacrificed–not on an altar, but on a cross. Read about it in Mark 15:33-41.

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.

Promises, promises

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 21:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him." Genesis 21:2

I’ll play with you after school today.

Never tell a soul– promise?

Wait till summer; then I’ll take you fishing.

We’ll go to Disneyland next year - it’s a promise!


Our lives are full of promises. Do we keep all the promises we make? Do others keep their promises to us? Probably not.

But there is Someone Who does keep every promise He makes. God promised Abraham and Sarah they would have a son. In fact He said it over and over. Now at last, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 years old, the baby was born.

1. What did Sarah do? (Genesis 21:6)

2. Abraham and Sarah named the baby Isaac. What does the name "Isaac" mean?

God kept His promise. What a happy time!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the joy of kept promises. Amen.

MORE: God's promises to you

The Bible is full of God's promises to you. Read the following promises and solve the crossword puzzle below.

1. Eternal life: (John 11:25) "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will (1 DOWN) even though he dies.'"

2. Rewards: (Ephesians 6:8) "Because you know that the Lord will (2 DOWN) everyone for whatever good he does whether he is slave or free."

3. Forgiveness: (1 John 1:9) "If we confess our sin he is faithful and just and will (3 ACROSS) us our sins."

4. Guidance: (Psalm 25:9) "He (4 DOWN) the humble in what is right and teaches them his way."

5. Protection: (Psalm 125:2) "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord (5 ACROSS) his people both now and forevermore.




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.

More than a Promise

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 17:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations." Genesis 17:4

Twenty four years after God said to Abram “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you,” Abram still didn’t have even one son, let alone a nation of sons. By the time he was 99 years old, can we blame him for thinking God had forgotten His promise?

Abram listening to God - Artist unknown

But now God came to Abram again and told him, “I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.... You will be the father of many nations.”

God gave Abram more than a promise. He called it a covenant. It is the strongest promise anyone can make.

Circle the things a covenant IS (look it up in the dictionary if you need to).

promise         wish        contract        lie         

dream         pledge

To prove Abram and Sarai He really would do what He said, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah.

PRAYER: Dear God, I trust to keep Your promises even if it takes a long time. Amen.

MORE: Changing names

In Bible times, the meaning of a person’s name was important. Names told about people – what they did for a living and what they were like. Sometimes when a person’s life changed, their name was changed too.

Here are some Bible characters who were given new names. Match their old names with the new:

Look up the Bible references if you need help:
Abram – Genesis 17:5 | Sarai – Genesis 17:15 | Jacob – Genesis 32:28 |
Gideon – Judges 6:32 | Solomon – 2 Samuel 12:25 | Saul – Acts 13:9.


What’s your name?
What does it mean?
Does the meaning describe you?
I'm sure you like your name. But if you were to change it, what new name would you choose?
Why?

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.

Job's very bad, terrible, no good day

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Job 1:6-22



TO CHEW ON: "At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: '. . . The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'” Job 1:20,21

Sometime after the flood, a man named job and his family lived in the land of Uz. Job was a happy man. He had a wife and a large, healthy family. He was also rich with donkeys, sheep, oxen, camels, and servants. Then one day his good life fell apart. Match Job’s possessions with what happened to them: (Job 1:13-18)


What a horrible day for Job! One after the other, his servants came to him with news of robbers, fire, wind, calamity and death.

It wouldn’t surprise us to see Job feel sorry for himself, or full of fear, or angry enough with God to curse Him. But though Job was shocked and grieved (and did show his feelings by tearing his clothes and shaving his head - like the people of his time did), he didn’t curse God for his troubles. What did he say instead (Job1:21)?

PRAYER: Dear God, help me praise You when bad things happen, just like Job did. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Behind the Scenes

Before any of this happened to Job, we get a peek at a heavenly meeting (Job 1:6-12).
Draw the two characters who said the things in the speech bubbles.






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.

Hiding

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 3:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)

Up till now Adam, Eve and God had been friends. When God was in the garden, Adam and Eve hurried to meet Him, eager to tell Him about their day. But this day was different.

This day Adam and Eve broke God’s rule by eating the fruit from the only tree that God had forbidden. Now they felt guilty. Instead of hurrying to meet God, they hid from Him.


Do you ever feel like hiding–yourself or something you’ve done. When that happens ask yourself, why? Have I done something that’s wrong, so I feel guilty? If you have, tell God you're sorry. Make it right with any people you have wronged. Then come out and live in the light.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to be open with You and with others. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Sneaking Around
Many Bible characters hid things. Match the Bible character to what he or she hid, and then to where they hid it.

Check the Bible reference if you don’t know the answer: 1. Joshua 7:20-21; 2. 2 Kings 5:19-24; 3. Exodus 2:11-12; 4. Genesis 31:34




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.

Consequences

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 2:15-17

TO CHEW ON: “...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:17)

Match the action on the left with what will probably happen on the right:


We know what will happen if we do the everyday things above. When we lose our grip while we're in a tree we’re not surprised that we fall down towards earth, rather than up towards the sky. Neither is it a shock that we hit the ground hard enough to break a bone. We know about earth’s gravity. It helps us make a rule (Don’t jump from a high place) or there will be consequences (or you’ll hurt yourself). It's something we expect.

God gave Adam and Eve one rule when He put them in the garden. The rule was: Don’t eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Then God told them what would happen if they broke that rule. What was it? (Genesis 2:17).

We may not like rules but most of them are made for our good. They protect us from getting hurt or hurting others. Do you obey your parent's rules? the rules at school? God's rules?



PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to learn Your rules and to live by them. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Broken Rules
Think of a time you broke a rule.

1. What rule did you break?

2. How did you break it?

3. What was the consequence?

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.

From Moons to Mollusks

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read: Genesis 1:14-34

TO CHEW ON: "...And God saw that it was good.... And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:18 & 21)

Not only can God make something out of nothing. He is also full of original and interesting ideas. There is variety in the planets, stars, galaxies, moons and meteors of space. Think about the assortment of birds and animals that live on land. And then there’s the teeming life in the sea. Can you name these fishy creatures? (Use the pictures below)

plankton






whale

starfish

squid

shark

clownfish

seahorse

coral

anemone

Answers

God loves variety. When He looked at what He had made, He said, “This is good!”

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for creating so many different and interesting creatures. Amen.

SECOND HELPING: Different and Alike
1. Pick a sea animal and a bird which interest you.

2. From what you know, or from what you can find out in books or on the internet:
a] How does the sea animal breathe? How does the bird breathe?
b] Where does the sea animal live? Where does the bird live?
c] What does the sea animal eat? What does the bird eat?
d] What sound does the sea animal make? What sound does the bird make?
e] How does the sea animal reproduce? How does the bird reproduce.

3. In what ways are the sea animal and the bird alike? In what ways are they different?

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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.