Putting God's Words First in My Life

After a half-month break from volunteer work for Sunday School, back again with the lesson about God's blessings to those who put His Words first in their lives and what will become of them compared to those who don't.

Bible Verse

Psalm 1 1 Blessed is the one who obeys the law of the Lord. 

      He doesn't follow the advice of evil people. 

   He doesn't make a habit of doing what sinners do. 

      He doesn't join those who make fun of the Lord and his law. 

 2 Instead, he takes delight in the law of the Lord. 

      He thinks about his law day and night. 

 3 He is like a tree that is planted near a stream of water. 

      It always bears its fruit at the right time. 

   Its leaves don't dry up. 

      Everything godly people do turns out well.

Psalm 1 Tagalog: Ang Dating Biblia (1905)
 1Mapalad ang tao na hindi lumalakad sa payo ng masama, ni tumatayo man sa daan ng mga makasalanan, ni nauupo man sa upuan ng mga manglilibak. 2Kundi ang kaniyang kasayahan ay nasa kautusan ng Panginoon; at sa kautusan niya nagbubulaybulay siya araw at gabi. 3At siya'y magiging parang punong kahoy na itinanim sa siping ng mga agos ng tubig, na nagbubunga sa kaniyang kapanahunan, ang kaniyang dahon nama'y hindi malalanta; at anumang kaniyang gawin ay giginhawa. 4Ang masama ay hindi gayon; kundi parang ipa na itinataboy ng hangin. 5Kaya't ang masama ay hindi tatayo sa paghatol, ni ang mga makasalanan man sa kapisanan ng mga matuwid. 6Sapagka't nalalaman ng Panginoon ang lakad ng mga matuwid: nguni't ang lakad ng masama ay mapapahamak


Message

1. God's Word is given as a direction to life, it is life's manual.
2. When we read God's Word, we should reflect about it and apply in our lives.

Lesson Introduction

Will bring extra Bibles for those who don't have and will ask them to race to Psalm 1. First to get there will get to be the class leader. What does the class tycoon do? Will ask them, whatever additions they will choose, the class tycoon will be in charge of counting all the students and watching who will not behave properly.

Lesson Time

Psalm 1 talks about a strong tree planted with a steady supply of water - healthy and fruitful. Will show them photos of the world's tallest trees, and finally the Philippines' Millenium Tree:

Photo copyright of owner from xcitefun.net

Sequoia trees in South Africa - Photo copyright of http://sequoiagardens.wordpress.com/

Philippines' Millenium Tree, a 600-year old Banyan Tree (Balete) in Aurora Province Photo copyright of Michael Sinjin Pineda

Ask the kids how these trees became as big and strong.

After acknowledging their answer, will point out that just like this tree, people also need a lot of things to be strong and healthy. Count in my hand the answers.

Go back to the word, the part that says a righteous man is like a tree. Ask what is a righteous man. Following Ministry-to-Children.com's lead, will draw a bare tree trunk and let the kids paste the leaves with the virtues of a righteous man.

Conclude that righteousness is only possible through Christ. That's why once we receive Him in our hearts, we instantly - like magic, become aright! Pray with the kids to accept Him as Lord and Savior.

Bare tree trunk copyright of craftscope.com

The Light in the Flatworld 2 - 7 to 8 year old lesson about the Bible, trivia about the Bible

Our head teacher told me last time that I am now to handle 7-8 year old class in the second service, 10am-12noon. The same topic would be discussed until April 8, Resurrection Sunday. It is my first time to handle such and am eager since these age group are more able to handle formal classroom setting. Though our class is still informal, we may hold more conversations and interactivity.

Bible verse

My two kids and I made this poster of the memory verse.

Message

1. To encourage the kids to read the Bible regularly
2. To introduce to the kids the habit of making a journal of interesting things they read on the Bible

Lesson Introduction

Since it will be my first time to teach this group of kids, an introduction about us is in order. Will be telling them who I am, what I do for a living, and why I volunteered to be part of the Sunday School ministry.

In turn, will be telling that I would love to hear about them to. If they may come in front and say their name and what they would like to become when they grow up.

Lesson Time

We will be focusing on the New Testament (Bagong Tipan). Will give a short summary of the things learned last session about the Bible - its two parts: old and new.

Will ask them if they know what testament is. Testament may mean different things:

1. Proof or evidence
2. Law
3. A covenant (agreement) between God and His people
4. Two main parts of the Bible

Then will tell them these trivia, at the same time handling out to them several Bible for them to check. Two or three kids may share with a Bible depending on the number of the kids. As I say the facts, they may verify it, or they may fill in the phrases of what I will say:

• There are 66 books in the Bible. The Bible is a library on its own.
• Its main parts are the Old and New Testament 
• Old Testament has 39 books = Old (3 letters) Testament (9 letters) = 39
• New Testament has 27 books = New (3 letters) Testament (9 letters) = 3 multiply by 9 is 27
• The New Testament has five parts which are:

1. Gospels (4 books)
2. Acts (1 book)
3. St. Paul's Letters + Hebrew - (14 books)
4. General Letters - (7 books)
5. Revelation - (1 book)

You may download the PDF file of that here.

Lastly, will show to them a sample journal. Will tell them that it may be any notebook. They may write poems they find on the Bible, verses that they like. Thoughts. Stories. 

The Light in the Flatworld

Bible Verse
Psalm 119:105 Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.

Message

1. The Bible is the most important book. It is God's message to us.
2. We should read it regularly.

Lesson Introduction

Treasure Hunt

I have created flash cards of the letters B-I-B-L-E.

Will be posting them on the wall far apart. Then will place three boxes filled with various items for the kids to check. Some items will have the stickers "Get me!" and the label of what item they are. Once they find all five items, we will form the world BIBLE.

I have chosen these five things, with the following explanations:

B - ball (the Bible starts with the letter B. In Filipino, it is Bibliya)
I - insect (insects are small and of different kind. The Bible said God made all of them.)
B - ear (My daughter loves teddy bears. She sleeps embracing her teddy bear. May the Bible be as precious to you to)
L - etter (The Bible is God's letter to us. We should read it to know his message for us)
E - egg (Like an egg that is white, the Bible tells us the things that can make us white as snow because God will clean us from our hearts)

Download PDF printable of this activity here (page 1)and here(page 2).

Lesson Time
Will be showing different types of Bibles - mine, my kids' and the one available in the Sunday School. Will explain to them that the Bible are stories and lessons from God to His children - us.

We read it everyday because we want to learn what to do. Will explain that personally, I get inspiration (songs that we know come from the Bible), enlightenment (the things we should do) as well as stories like those about Jonah, Noah, Adam and Jesus.

Will ask them these questions:

1. Who is their favorite Bible character?
2. Do they have Bibles at home?
3. Do they read it? 

Then lastly, will tell them how to take care of their Bibles.

• Hold it properly.
• Don't tear the pages.
• Put a cover.
• Don't let it get wet.

Activity Time