Lesson For The Week (Jan. 4)

Security
But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid. (Proverbs 1:33)

Getting Started
We have so many things to make us feel secure, and we are always inventing more. We have locks, alarms, security cameras, emergency phone numbers, police, firemen, security guards at banks and hospitals, passwords on our computers, streetlights, and cell phones, just to name a few. But even with all these reasons to feel safe, many of us don’t. A world-wide survey was done last January to see how safe people feel. Over 1 billion people were interviewed. Half of them said that they did not feel safe enough. Half also said they fear their children’s world will be even less secure. Where can we find true security?

* Gallup International, January 2004

Vocabulary
security (n) – safety; freedom from danger, fear and worry; having everything you need
alarm (n) – a device to protect a house or car that makes noise if someone tries to break in
guard (n) – a person hired to protect someone or something
survey (n) – an interview given to many different people to find out information
widow (n) – a woman whose husband has died
bury (v) – to place under ground

Reading God’s Word

Ruth was a young widow from a land called Moab.
Her husband had not been a Moabite. He was an Israelite who had come to
Moab with his family. When he died, everyone expected Ruth to stay in Moab
and get married again. An unmarried woman was powerless in those days.
Ruth’s sister-in-law, Orpah, was also a widow and so she faced the same problem.
But Ruth and Orpah really loved their mother-in-law, Naomi, and she wanted to
return to her own homeland.

Ruth 1:7-17

7 They started out together to go back to Judah, but on the way 8 she said to them, "Go back home and stay with your mothers. May the Lord be as good to you as you have been to me and to those who have died. 9 And may the Lord make it possible for each of you to marry again and have a home." So Naomi kissed them good-bye. But they started crying 10 and said to her, "No! We will go with you to your people." 11 "You must go back, my daughters," Naomi answered. "Why do you want to come with me? Do you think I could have sons again for you to marry? 12 Go back home, for I am too old to get married again. Even if I thought there was still hope, and so got married tonight and had sons, 13 would you wait until they had grown up? Would this keep you from marrying someone else? No, my daughters, you know that's impossible. . . 14 Again they started crying. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye and went back home, but Ruth held on to her. 15 So Naomi said to her, "Ruth, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Go back home with her." 16 But Ruth answered, "Don't ask me to leave you! Let me go with you. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and that is where I will be buried. May the Lord's worst punishment come upon me if I let anything but death separate me from you!"

Taking a Closer Look
1. What does Naomi advise Ruth and Orpah to do? (1:8)
2. What reasons does she give for telling Ruth and Orpah to leave? (1:9)
3. What does Orpah decide to do? (1:14)
4. What does Ruth decide? (1:16,17)
5. What risk is Ruth taking?
6. Where does Ruth find security? (1:16)
7. Where do you find security?

Taking Action
1. Sometimes even though we know God is taking care of us, we still worry about our security. How can we get better at putting our life in God’s hands?

2. Because Ruth felt truly secure that God would take care of her, she had the courage to take a big risk to help her mother-in-law. What risks are you willing to take to help others?

Click me for...
Chinese Translation
Past Lessons

Keven's Riddle Time (Dec. 28)

Concentrate

0

1. To supply water to farmland.

I _ _ _ _ ate
0

2. To bother someone.

I _ _ _ _ ate

0

s*The answers are in the comment section.*

Lesson For The Week (Dec. 28)

God’s Promises
49 Remember your promise to me, your servant; it has given me hope. 50 Even in my suffering I was comforted because your promise gave me life. (Psalms 119:49-50)

Getting Started
Has anyone ever broken a promise to you? Have you ever broken a promise you made to someone?

Isaiah was a person who knew a lot about promises. He lived about 2700 years ago, and he was a prophet. During Isaiah’s time, the people of God were under attack. People from other countries were trying to kill them and take their land. God promised his people, through Isaiah, that he would send a Savior. The people waited, and waited, and after awhile became angry with God. They thought he had broken his promise to them. Have you ever felt this way? God’s timing and God’s plan can be different from what we want. But God is faithful. He keeps his promises, even when people sometimes doubt him.

Vocabulary
prophet (n) – someone given a special message or vision from God to communicate to others
harvest (v) – to pick grain or fruit
yoke (n) – a wooden bar that chains two animals together, or chains a heavy load to an animal
oppress (v) – to mistreat; to keep under control
exploit (v) – to use someone or something in an unfair way
counselor (n) – someone who gives advice
successor (n) – someone who comes after or takes the place of someone else

Reading God’s Word

Isaiah 9:2-7

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of shadows, but now light is shining on them. 3 You have given them great joy, Lord; you have made them happy. They rejoice in what you have done, as people rejoice when they harvest grain or when they divide captured wealth. 4 For you have broken the yoke that burdened them and the rod that beat their shoulders. You have defeated the nation that oppressed and exploited your people. . . 6 A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, "Wonderful Counselor," "Mighty God," "Eternal Father," "Prince of Peace." 7 His royal power will continue to grow; his kingdom will always be at peace. He will rule as King David's successor, basing his power on right and justice, from now until the end of time. The Lord Almighty is determined to do all this.

At the time this was written, these things hadn’t happened yet. In fact, it would be another 700 years before these things would take place!

John 3:16
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.

John 14:2-32

There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. 3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am.

Taking a Closer Look
1. Jesus is the “great light” shining on the people of God. Why call Jesus a “great light”? (Isaiah 9:2)
2. Why do the people of God rejoice? (Isaiah 9:4)
3. Who is the child that will be born? What will he be called? (Isaiah 9:6)
4. Jesus wasn’t rich, or powerful, or famous. Why call him these things?
5. Do you think the people of God had faith that these things would come true? Why or why not?
6. What does God promise for those who believe in Him? (John 3:16) Do you have faith to accept this promise for yourself?
7. What promise does Jesus make to his followers? (John 14:2-3) Do you have faith that this is true?

Taking Action
1. Sometimes it’s hard to accept God’s timing. God tells us to wait, but we want things to happen RIGHT AWAY! How can we learn to be more patient?
2. The people of God thought Jesus would come as a mighty king, but he came as a poor and humble man. Sometimes God’s promises come true in a different way than we imagined. How should we react when this happens? What can we learn from this?

Click me for...
Chinese Translation
Past Lessons

Keven's Riddle Time (Dec. 14)

Graziness

0

1. When you are not feeling relaxed. ( _ _ _ _ _ness )0000

0

2. When it feels as if the room is going round and round. ( _ _ _ _ _ness )

0

3. This is very important when you buy a salad. ( _ _ _ _ _ness )h

0

s*The answers are in the comment section.*

Lessons for the Week (Dec. 14)

Generosity
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing. (Proverbs 28:27)

Getting Started
Most people enjoy being generous. To give someone a small amount of money, time, or help makes us feel good. But most of us reach a point where we say, “Okay, I’ve given enough. I have to take care of myself now.” However, there are some people whose generosity is amazing. It seems to have no limits. What do you think about people like this? Many of us admire these people, but not many of us would want to have their lifestyle of sacrifice. What is the secret of being whole-heartedly generous all the time?

Vocabulary
generosity (n) – willingness to give something away, money, help, time, etc.
reach a point (v phr) – to come to a certain state or condition
to have no limits (v phr) – never stops or lessens
sacrifice (v) – to give up something you love
widow (n) – a woman whose husband has died
measure (n) – an amount of something

Reading God’s Word

Acts 9:36-42

36 In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning "a deer.") She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor. 37 At that time she got sick and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs. 38 Joppa was not very far from Lydda, and when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him with the message, "Please hurry and come to us." 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, he was taken to the room upstairs, where all the widows crowded around him, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was alive. 40 Peter put them all out of the room, and knelt down and prayed; then he turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them. 42 The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Luke 6:38
38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands — all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.

Taking a Closer Look
1. From this story, what do we know about the kind of person Dorcas was?
2. Why do you think the believers in Joppa wanted Peter to come to them? (Acts 9:38)
3. What did the widows show Peter when he arrived in the room upstairs? (Acts 9:39) How did these ladies feel about Dorcas?
4. What did Peter do after the others left the room? (Acts 9:40)
5. Who heard about this news? What was their response? (9:42)
6. What are some benefits of being generous? (Luke 6:38)

Taking Action
1. One of the keys to being generous is really paying attention to other people’s needs — not just seeing them and forgetting about them. Think of some people you see every day. What are their needs? How can you be more generous to them?
2. It is hard to be generous if we are worried about not having enough for ourselves. How can we stop worrying? How can we remind ourselves that God will take care of our needs?

Click me for...
Chinese Translation
Past Lessons

Lessons for the Week (Dec. 7)

Finding Joy
You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever. (Psalm 16:11)

Getting Started
What gives you joy? Do you often feel joyful?

Many people think joy is a reaction or response to something. They think we feel joyful when something good happens. But with Christ in your life, it is possible to have joy no matter what is happening. Joy can be an ongoing emotion, something we have in good times and bad. The Bible tells us to, “rejoice in the Lord always.” (Philippians 4:4) This doesn’t mean we should not feel sad when painful things happen. But even when we feel pain, we can still rejoice in God’s great love for us, knowing that God is working in us, and making us stronger, better people.

Vocabulary
produce (v) – to make or create something
humility (n) – not arrogant or proud
duty (n) – a job or responsibility
honor (n) – respect, esteem, praise
union (n) – a result of bringing or joining together people or things

Reading God’s Word

John 15:9-11

Jesus teaches his disciples about living close to him.
9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, and self-control.

Paul wrote the following passages in Philippians while he was in prison.
Philippians 1:18-21
18 And I will continue to be happy, 19 because I know that by means of your prayers and the help which comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ, I shall be set free. 20 My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! 5 Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. 6 Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. 7 And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.

Taking a Closer Look
1. How can we remain in Jesus’ love? What will this give us? (John 15:9-11)
2. If we have the Spirit of God in our lives, what qualities will grow in us? (Galatians 5:22-23)
3. What is Paul’s deep desire and hope? (Philippians 1:20)
4. What is the most important thing to Paul? (Philippians 1:21) How do you think this might make it easier for him to have joy, even though he is in prison?
5. Why don’t we have to worry about anything? How should we ask God for things? (Philippians 4:6)
6. Have you ever experienced the “peace which is far beyond human understanding”? Describe the situation. (Philippians 4:7)
7. Do you think you can build joy in your life, the way Paul did? How?

Taking Action
If you want to have more joy in your life, here are some ways to help you increase it.
1. Remember to thank God for what he has given you. Even in terrible situations, there are always blessings to thank him for. Focusing on what you have, instead of what you don’t have, will help bring you joy.
2. Remember that God has a plan to use every painful experience you go through. Paul knew that God was using his pain in prison to encourage other people. You can find joy in knowing that God will use your pain to make you a stronger, more caring person. (James 1:2-9)
3. Review the promises God makes to us in the Bible. We know these promises will come true, and this brings joy.
* God will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5)
* He hears our prayers. (Psalm 116:1-2)
* He will provide for our needs. (Matthew 6:33)

Click me for...
Chinese Translation
Past Lessons

Keven's Riddle Time (Nov. 30)

A Word to the Wise (1)

0

1. Don't wait for the post to arrive. Do something else.

A watched _ _ _ never boils.

00000

0

2. You should get professional advice before going to court. A man who is his own _ _ _ _ _ _ has a fool for a client.

h

0

s*The answers are in the comment section.*