Books of the Bible

During our monthly meeting with the children's department team, we agreed to begin teaching our kids the books of the Bible. I know when I was a child, I learned the books of the Bible during vacation Bible school, and they have stuck with me all these years.

As I began to prepare the lessons, as always, I bring the theme before the Lord, and wait to hear from the Holy Spirit how to proceed. Yes, I look at Pinterest for ideas, which there are so many fun and great ideas. I saved many to my Board - Books of the Bible. You can follow my board click here to go to Pinterest.com Suzybzzthings. 

Games are so necessary to memorize the Books of the Bible. As I kept searching, and praying, just learning the Books of the Bible wasn't enough. I believe the Spirit of the Lord, was impressing us to teach the books of the Bible along with What's in the Bible.  How the Bible has effected our world we live in today.

KICK OFF
God is so awesome, we began our 1st week finding Jesus in our Bibles. I found a cute clipart picture of Jesus from Educlips.com, printed copies, and cut out, then we put Jesus in various parts of the Bible, and highlighted passages which talked about Jesus. I also printed out various pictures, such as Daniel in the Lions Den, Adam and Eve, Moses, Noah, and hid them in various Bibles, along with highlighted passages for the kids to read, or the teacher to read for our non-readers. Every week we will begin our Bible time by searching our Bibles for these hidden figures.

We then proceeded to show videos of songs of the Books of the Bible. I made Books of the Bible cards and we went over the cards, we played a game by taking the first 5 OT book cards and 5 NT book cards, scrambling them up, dividing our kids into teams, one team player at a time, hopped to the mat, choose a card, and decided if it was an OT book or a NT book, they placed their card in the box of their choice, the team with the most correct, received a high five, and everyone received a special treat.

I created, " What's in the Bible WordSearch" to finish the evening!

click here to get my What's in the Bible Worksheet

2nd Week
Our next Wednesday service, followed Columbus Day, which many of our children had a vacation day from school. I discovered some information from Columbus' memoirs, which fit perfectly with our theme. Columbus, loved the Lord, and depended on God's Word daily.

Here is an excerpt from his memoirs and how it is incorporated into our Books of the Bible lesson:
 ·         Christopher Columbus said, “People have claimed that I was a navigator. (Navigator is: a person who directs the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transportation, especially by using instruments and maps. But, I knew little about navigation. I knew much about my God.”

·         Columbus made it clear that it was God, Who put it in his heart to set out in search of the New World. But while the desire was strong, Columbus simply did not know what to do. So, he sought God’s Wisdom (His Word). During that time of seeking wisdom from God, the Holy Spirit led Columbus to the book of Proverbs chapter 8 verse 27, “When he prepared the heavens, I (Wisdom) was there, when He set a compass upon the face of the deep.”  As Columbus read that verse, the Spirit of God said to him, “It cannot be a compass unless it is round!”

·         “The Lord Jesus Christ, In His Wisdom,” Columbus later wrote, “The Holy Spirit, showed me in His Word that the world was round, and there was no way I could fail. I SET SAIL BASED ON THAT VERSE.

·         Christopher Columbus didn’t fail, he discovered the world was round, just as God’s Word had said, he sailed and discovered America, the country we live in.

I      I created a worksheet, you can click on the link below to view the lesson which includes the worksheet, and craft idea.

       Yes, our kids are learning the books of the Bible, and so much more! If you would like to receive additional Books of the Bible lessons, leave a comment with your email address and I will send you the link as the lessons are prepared and ready to download.   

What's in the Books of the Bible Lesson 2 - Christopher Columbus

  Next week's lesson is.....BUGS! of the Bible.

*** If your children's department is in need of new curriculum please check out my teacherpayteachers Suzy Bzzz store, adding new Bible lessons monthly. 

       God Bless you!

       

I

Child Evangelism

My passion is to evangelize children, for children to learn and live for Christ. I do not believe our children need a "rebellion world experience." The Bible says we are to follow Jesus, our children can follow Jesus' life example all their lives, loving their Heavenly Father, and doing exploits for the King of kings. 

Children are so important; do we really know how important and vital it is for us to share Christ with our kids.We live in an America were children are not churched, and many haven’t heard about Jesus their Savior, nor the God Who Created the earth, which they live in and enjoy.

Christmas is about Santa Claus, Jesus isn’t even in the equation of the season. Most children do not know the fundamentals of Christianity. They don’t know about a Savior who came to earth as a child, grew up, and died for them on a cross. Nor do they know about a Creator, Who made this world in 7 days. They don’t know about heaven nor hell. They are taught to say “no” to drugs, not because it is sin, but because it’s bad for their bodies and life. Without Jesus, their life is already headed in the wrong direction.

IF WE DON'T EVANGELIZE OUR KIDS SOMEONE WILL!

The world is doing a great job of evangelizing our children to the world’s standards. We must do a better job of evangelizing our children to the standard of God’s Word.

I pray God gives you such a fire to reach children with His love, Word, and power. We need to fight for our children, and NOW is the TIME! Let’s be like David and remove God’s lambs from the mouth of the lion and the bear!

STEPPING OUT OF THE BOAT

5 years ago my church moved from our previous location of 10 years. Our pastors and congregation thought we would be in our new building within 6 months at the most, so we met in a hotel, 6 months turned into 2 years. During our pack up, we also packed up the entire inventory of curriculum. We discovered our children's church would be held in one room at the hotel, with ages varying from 2 months to 10 years of age. We were met with various challenges every service, but God was faithful.

HOW DO YOU TEACH A LARGE AGE GAP

How do you minister to such a large age gap and feed these little lambs effectively? ANSWER: With much prayer, listening to the Holy Spirit, preparation, creativity, and direction from the Lord. And building a unity and commitment in your teaching staff, more about this on a future post.

During our time in the hotel my pastor, Kenny Gatlin, published and released his book, Staying Power. As I read the book which is filled with so much TRUTH, my spirit began stirring and my mind was going. Every page my mind kept saying, our kids need to know these truths. 

I have been in children's ministry close to 35 years, and have seen precious children who raised their hands and praised God, who knew their memory verses, wouldn't miss a Sunday or a Wednesday, grow cold to the things of God. They didn't have staying power, they left their first love, for the pleasures of this life. It has always broken my heart when I see one of "my kids" walk away from God. 

As I read this book Staying Power, I just was so impressed to begin to write Sunday lessons, based on the various chapters of this book. Pastor Kenny, likes Nascar and he references this in his book, so in my mind I saw the Sunday lessons with a race car theme.  I opened my Bible and began to study and write notes. I took my notes and began dividing the sections into lessons, games, crafts, a take home page, and so much more.

Each lesson has been kid tested and pastor approved. I believe everyone should read Pastor Kenny Gatlin's book, and especially those who minister to children. I believe if you are like me your desire is for your kids to follow Jesus all their days, with the Truth of the Word of God in their heart, and in their mouth. I believe they need to be taught ad encouraged to have STAYING POWER! There is a Champion in each one of them. 

WE HAVE A SUCCESS RATE
It has been 4 years since we have moved into our new building. I have seen "my kids" go from children's church, and graduate into the main service, they are not ashamed of Jesus. They serve as greeters, and ushers, during praise and worship they are at the altar raising their hands, and kneeling before their Savior. Honoring Him with their life. 

Staying Power! That is what the world needs now! 

After our time in the hotel, I have continued to write the curriculum for Oasis Kids. I believe with all my heart I am to step into the water and offer these lessons to churches, parents, grandparents. Maybe your child doesn't attend a Christian school and you want to give them Jesus every day, these lessons are for you. 

click to go to TPT suzybzzthings.com

Are you a home school parent who needs to insert Bible time into your children's learning?  The lessons are geared for 3 years old to 10 year old. Each lesson is broken up into age groups: 3-5, 6-10. Along with memory verses, crafts, and games appropriate for each age group.

Each lesson contains the full gospel of Jesus Christ. I have developed many Bible themed lessons: Camp Abraham, Noah, 12 Disciples, Samuel, Saul, David, Friendship, Stephen, Armor of God, Fruit of the Spirit, and VBS - Growing Your Light, and so much more.

You can check out my Teacher pay Teacher site 

I am in the process of tweeking the themed lessons for purchase. Available now is Noah and Staying Power Volume #1,  Camp Abraham.

If you would like to be notified of added curriculum, please  leave your email in the comment area and I will add you to my emailing list. I hope you will visit my site, and download the other resources I have available. 

There are freebies also at my Suzybzzthings, such as a monthly Bible Reading Calendar. Every month I add a Bible reading calendar to get our kids into making a habit of reading the Bible everyday.  Check it out!

Let's evangelize our children together, it is our mandate from the Lord to preach the gospel, and that includes children!

Be blessed,

Susie

Fill My Cup Devotional

FILL MY CUP

I am again reading Romans during my Bible time and these verses are just as powerful today as they were 4 1/2 years ago. 

October 4, 2017

Today during my prayer time what came into my spirit was a song, fill me up, I began to sing in the spirit Lord fill me up, fill my cup to overflowing, fill me up, fill my cup and make me whole. As I prayed and continued to sing these words I had my Bible open and I turned to:

1.       Romans 8:8-9: and those who are in the flesh cannot please God, v9: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

I backed up to vs 5-8: For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is l Death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.

Lately during my prayer time, I have allowed my mind to dictate my day and time spent in the Lord’s presence. Allowing all the many things of this life to cut short my time with the Lord. I would begin to pray and then after 10 to 15 minutes, my mind would begin to go down the list of all the things I could or should do today. I would pray for a few minutes longer and then go and do. My spirit was grieving from this. The Spirit of God does dwell in me, I am a child of God, but I was allowing my mind, set on the flesh to be in control, instead of the Spirit controlling me. 

When I read these verses, “that the mind is hostile towards God, it is even unable to subject itself to the law of God.” I repented and turned from this course of allowing my mind to direct me.  

As I continued to read and I reached v11: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who indwells you.

I love that verse, but today I saw it in a new light. Right now, as I am writing this when I wrote “saw in a new light.” I thought about the Seraphim, who fly around the throne of God, and as they look on Him they cry out Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord.” I have heard it said they continually cry out because they see something new and marvelous, holy, and magnificent each time, they can’t help but cry out how magnificent God is. Could this be the same for the Word of God? Each time we look at a familiar verse, and we see something we didn't see before, and cannot but cry out, how wonderful, holy, magnificent the Word of God is.

This time I saw in this verse, if I set my mind on the flesh even though I am not of the flesh but of the Spirit, I quench the Spirit of Him to raise up my mortal body through the Spirit that indwells me.

I repented, and declared verses 6-11 like this:

For my mind is not set on the flesh, but my mind is set on the Spirit of life and peace.

My mind is not set on the flesh, but is subject to God and the law of God

I am not in the flesh, I please God.

I am in the Spirit.

The Spirit of God indwells me

I have the Spirit of Christ and I belong to Him.

Christ is in me

Though my body is dead because of sin

Yet my spirit is alive because of righteousness

The Spirit of Him who raise Jesus from the dead

Dwells in me

He who raise Christ Jesus from the dead

Will also give life to my mortal body

Through the Spirit who indwells me.

I began to pray in the Spirit, my mind was going, but I continued to pray in the Spirit not even allowing my thoughts to direct or dictate me.

I turned to Romans 5:5: “and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Hope: I have a faith project that I have been waiting on, and I need hope to continue to wait in faith.

Hope does not disappoint – I began to sing again about filling my cup, fill it up and make me whole. And then I began to thank and pray to the Lord for filling me with His love that has been poured out into my heart through the Holy Spirit. I continued to repeat, thank you Lord for filling my cup with your love by the Holy Spirit, thank you for filling me up with Your love poured out into my heart, by your Holy Spirit.

I just meditated on that thought for a bit, then I was led to:

Romans 15:13: “Now may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God is the God of Hope

He fills me with hope

That I may abound in hope

By the Power of the Holy Spirit.

This hope is not a wishing thing, although in the flesh it would be.

But this God given hope

Comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I began to pray in the spirit and then I saw that My God, the Holy Spirit was filling my cup with HOPE! A powerful hope, God given hope.

So now here’s my cup, fill me up and make me whole: My cup is filled by the Holy Spirit with God’s love, abounding with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, filled with joy, peace, and faith (believe = faith).

God is so wonderful, there is nothing that can compare to Him. 

He never leaves us where He finds us.

 I am His, and He came for me and corrected me, but so loving and so compassionate. 

He corrected my thinking and then He filled me up. 

He placed in my heart a song, for Him, to fill my cup, to fill me up, and make me whole. 

Then He led me to the verses of correction, how my mind and my flesh were keeping me from being filled up. 

Then after I repented, He filled my cup with His love, His hope, He filled me with Himself, because God IS love, God OF Hope, peace, joy, faith. 

How much I have missed and could continue to miss if I allowed my mind to be in control and resist and quench the precious and great Holy Spirit.

Be blessed today,

Suzy Bee