Category Archives: Children’s Ministry

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

What the World Needs Now

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There is sticky note on my home office wall. It has been there since at least May. On this sticky note are the words “Proverbs for Chapel next year” 

The past two years I have taught on the names of God. I assumed that I would continue to do so again for this coming school year as well… but during my time with the Lord one morning, I strongly felt impressed upon my heart to lead those attending chapel at our homeschool co-op through the book of Proverbs.

I never cease to sit in awe of the Lords ability to confirm His will to those who love Him and desire to obey and follow Him.

That morning in May I stuck the yellow sticky not on my wall… then in June we hosted a parenting conference at our church. The speaker shared several times how he used the Proverbs to counsel the families and children that came to him and he also shared about how one of his most memorable studies that his own father took him through was the book of Proverbs… this was just the beginning of the confirmation.

Almost immediately after the conference my friend and co-admin came up and made a comment about teaching the kids the Proverbs and I lit up and said, it’s already on a sticky note on my office wall!

This coming Sunday my husband and I will begin leading a parent study at our church… guess what the first weeks homework is?

The first five chapters of the book of Proverbs!

Today I am currently studying through the book of Matthew in my personal study time… and would you believe that the lesson this week has me in the book of Proverbs!

As I saw this my mind began to sing the words to the song, “what the world needs now is love sweet love…”  but instead of the world needing love… our world needs WISDOM.

To know wisdom and instruction…

Proverbs 1:2

Wisdom here in the Hebrew is Chokmah and it means:

  1. wisdom
    1. skill (in war)
    2. wisdom (in administration)
    3. shrewdness, wisdom
    4. wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
    5. wisdom (ethical and religious)

Oh how we need chokmah!

We live in a day where all the knowledge of the world can be found with one little tap of our finger.

But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

Daniel 12:4

We have knowledge out the wazoo… but we have become a bunch of fools.

It is a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in this day and age. I truly almost fear for our children… but not to the point of worry… only to the point of action. The action I know is to do all that God allows me to do in order to teach them of Him because…

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.

Daniel 11:31-32

I refuse to wring my hands over the state of our nation… I refuse even to wring my hands over those who know what God requires of them and desires for them, yet they still shake their fist in His face and turn their backs to His truth… if someone can ignore the convicting Spirit of God… they most certainly are not going to listen to me. They might patronize me with their “oh I know” nods and comments, but then they will walk out the door, and live however they like, chasing their own desires… not God’s.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:6

I am sorry, perhaps I lack mercy… but all I know is that the days are evil and time is fleeting and I am not promised tomorrow, so I simply don’t have time to waste worrying about the souls of those who have no concern for their own or anyone else’s that they are effecting by their life choices. I have no doubt that God will handle them. He will eventually get their attention one way or another if they are truly His… when He does I will be there with open arms always ready to receive a new baby birthed in the kingdom or a prodigal child return home, ready to mature and become who God created and saved them to be. I will always try to be obedient to speak when He says speak, to share when He says share, to listen when He says listen… but too often our attempt to “help” delays a repentant heart and makes matters worse.

I am after the hearts of those who are seeking the kingdom of heaven.

I am after the hearts of those who have not heard… who do not know… who have not yet tasted…

For He established a testimony in Jacob
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and tell them to their children,
That they should put their confidence in God
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments,

Psalm 78:5-7

There is a reason that God let the men of Israel wander around the wilderness until they died off. They refused to listen… even though they knew and had clearly received truth. God let that generation die out and He focused is attention on the next generation. The generation that would stand and fight. The generation that would march in silent circles and then shout  a great shout… simply because GOD SAID SO and bring down the walls of a mighty Jericho.

So I am after the hearts of those who have the desire that I have… to teach of the glory of God and His holiness. To train His children to serve Him… no matter the cost. To encourage their children to trust Him… whether they understand or not.

I am not here to save the world or change the world… this world is going down. It is an undeniable fact. I have read the end of the Book… and thus far everything else has played out just like the Book said it would… so I have absolutely no reason to doubt the end.

As much as I would like to see us all hold hands and stretch across the globe and sing about teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony… it ain’t gonna happen.

So I choose to suit up in my armor of God… and get a good grip on my sword of the Spirit… and do all that God will empower me to do to train an army to stand and proclaim the coming of His kingdom with the coming of His Son! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

I am here now… I believe led by my God… to get back to the basics of faith.

We have enough games in this world…

We have enough knowledge from man (and I loosely call it knowledge).

Our kids need to know wisdom… real. true. godly. wisdom. They must… because the day is only getting darker… and the children will keep coming into this darkness… we must teach those that we have now to SHINE!

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Children's Ministry

Van Fair

Yesu-Asobola-2-e1368901845214

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

 

Yesu Asobola is currently in the process of raising funds in order to be able to purchase a van. They need this van to transport children and supplies… currently they do it this way:

 

Boda Travel

 

 

So as you can see a van would be much safer and much more practical.

You can donate today. Any amount will help them reach their goal…

To help with the van: Donate Here

 

*** Wonder why I support and encourage you to support Yesu Asobola?

This is why: Why Yesu Asobola

And this is why: Practicing What She Preaches

 

You can make a difference… it only takes one drop

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 8:9-17)

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Romans 8:9-17

9 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.

10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11 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 His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—

13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Read Romans 8:9 very carefully. This is a very important verse. We find several of our very important words in this verse. The verse is printed below. Read it and circle the words: but, in, if 

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.

 

According to the word but, is the subject (the you) of this verse in the flesh or in the Spirit? Circle your answer.

in the flesh           in the Spirit

 

According to what you learned from circling the word if, what allows a person to not be in the flesh? What or Who must they have?

the __ __ __ __ __ __  of __ __ __

 

According to what you learned from circling the word in, where does the Spirit of God need to be for you to belong to God?

__ __     __ __ __

 

 

If the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, is in you then you belong to God. Read Romans 8:10. Who else is in you if you belong to God?

__ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 8:10 again. Fill in the blanks below. Then answer the questions.

the __ __ __ __  is  __ __ __ __  because of __ __ __

the  __ __ __ __ __ __  is  __ __ __ __ __   because of __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

If Christ is in you what is dead and why?

_____________________________________________

 

If Christ is in you what is alive and why?

_____________________________________________

 

Read Romans 8:11. If the Spirit of Christ dwells in us what will God one day also give life to?

our  __ __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Go back and read Romans 6:3-6 and Romans 7:21-25 and remember what you learned from these passages to help you understand Romans 8:9-11. 

Now look at Romans 8:9-11 again. How many times did you read the words “dwells in you”.

Take a moment right now to ask God if His Spirit dwells in you.

 

Read Romans 8:12-13. If the Spirit of God and Jesus are in us, who are we obligated to listen to? Circle your answer.

our flesh/body         the Spirit of God

 

Read Romans 8:14. Who must lead you for you to belong to God as His son or daughter?

the  __ __ __ __ __ __  of  __ __ __

 

Read Romans 8:15. What kind of spirit do you no longer have if you belong to God?

a spirit of __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

According to Romans 8:15, where did this spirit of slavery lead you?

to __ __ __ __

According to Romans 8:15, if you belong to God what kind of spirit do you now have?

a spirit of  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

What does this spirit of adoption allow us to call God?

Abba! __ __ __ __ __ __!

 

Read Romans 8:16. Who testifies with our spirit to let us know that we are children of God? 

the  __ __ __ __ __  Himself

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Do you know what “testifies” means? 

Have you ever been playing at the mark and saw your mom or dad talking to someone you did not know? Then, they called you out from all the other kids and introduced you to the person they were talking to and your mom or dad said, “This one is mine.”

Well, that is kind of like what the word “testifies” in Romans 8:16 means. 

Read Romans 8:17. If you are a child of God what are you also?

__ __ __ __ __  also, __ __ __ __ __  of God and fellow __ __ __ __ __  with Christ

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

An heir is someone who is entitled by law to receive the things of another person, their house, land, and belongings. It also is a person who would be next in line to receive a certain position of authority.  

Let’s do some cross-referencing, which means let’s look at some other Scriptures to help us see what we are heir to if we are children of God.

Take a moment to look up and read John 14:1-3 and Revelation 21:1-7.

 

Read Romans 8:17 again. Find the word “if”. What must we do in order to be a child of God and be an heir with Christ?

if indeed we __ __ __ __ __ __ with Him

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

What does it mean to suffer with Him? How do we suffer with Jesus? Just think about it. We will study more later.

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 8:1-8)

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Today begin reading at Romans 7:21 and read through Romans 8:1. 

What does Romans 7:25 say that we serve with our mind?

the __ __ __   of   __ __ __

What does Romans 7:25 say that we serve with our flesh?

the __ __ __  of  __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Have you ever played a game of tug-o-war? I bet you have. Have you ever played a game of tug-of-war when you were the one in the middle? 

Maybe you have had two friends before who did not get along with each other, but you wanted to be friends with both of them. How did that make you feel?

Maybe those friends did not get along because one of them wanted you to do things that you knew were wrong and the other friend simply would not do it… but you were torn between the two friends. 

This type of struggle and tug-of-war is what goes on inside of us as Christians, but Romans 8:1 is our hope!

 

Romans 8:1-8

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 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.

6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

7 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,

8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

Read Romans 8:1 again and this time read it out loud.

Where does Romans 8:1 say that you are? (Hint: find the preposition)

 

What does Romans 8:1 tell us about those who are in Christ Jesus?

now  __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Condemnation is to judge and punish. Do you remember what the wages of sin is? (Hint: read Romans 6:23)

__ __ __ __ __

Who took your punishment and judgment? 

__ __ __ __ __

Can you look back through Romans and write down the address of the verses that tell us that Jesus died for your sin? 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Read Romans 8:2. What has set you free from the law of sin and of death?

the law of the __ __ __ __ __ __  of  __ __ __ __

What is the law of the Spirit? Go back and read Romans 1:16. What is the power of salvation?

the __ __ __ __ __ __

The Gospel is the power of salvation because it is also the law of the Spirit. The law of the Spirit works with the Law of God to set you free from the law of sin and death!

 

Read Romans 8:3. Why was the Law of God not enough by itself?

because of our __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 8:3 again. What did God do for us since He knew we were unable to keep the Law of God because of our flesh?

He sent  __ __ __    __ __ __  in the likeness of sinful  __ __ __ __ __ and as an offering for sin

 

Take a moment to say John 3:16. Does this verse help you understand what Romans 8:3 says God did for us? Circle your answer.

Yes                   No               I don’t know

 

Read Romans 8:3 one more time. What does it say that Jesus did for us when He came in the flesh?

He __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ sin in the flesh.

 

Read Romans 8:4. Why did Jesus need to condemn sin in the flesh?

so that the  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  of the  __ __ __   might be __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  in us

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Sin came to punish and judge us… but Jesus came and punished and judged sin. This word for “condemned” tells us that when we are baptized in Jesus, when we believe in Him, when we died with Him, were buried with Him, and were raised with Him… He took away sins power and dominion over us. In Jesus, sin is no longer our boss. Sin can no longer condemn us. Even if it tries to kill us. Jesus will raise us from the dead because He is our boss now.

Think about the preposition “in”. When you are “in” something it gives you your position, your place. 

Romans 8:1 begins to teach us that the reason we are now from sin’s power and judgment is because of who we are IN, and now we will begin to see that we are now becoming able to obey God and His laws because of who we are in and because of who is IN us.

The word “but” is important in the Bible and so is the word “in”. They are little words with BIG meaning. When you read through the verses in the Bible it is a smart thing to pay close attention to all the buts, ins, withs, ifs, ors and ands. They will teach you a lot about God and your relationship with Him.

Read Romans 8:4 again. How do those who are in Christ walk? Circle your answer.

according to the flesh            according to the Spirit

 

Read Romans 8:5-7. There is a comparison between two minds. A mind set of the flesh and a mind set on the Spirit. Draw a line to the correct descriptions. 

mind set on flesh                              death

life

mind set on the Spirit                         peace

hostile toward God

doesn’t subject to law of God

not able to subject to law of God

 

Read Romans 8:8. Can those who are in the flesh please God? Circle your answer.

Yes                      No

Does what you learned in Romans 8:5-7 help you understand why those in the flesh cannot please God? Circle your answer.

Yes                    No

Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Absolutely Striking

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But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in Your hand;

Psalm 31:14-15

I will be attempting to break down Romans 8:28-30 for my Kindergarten through 5th graders this coming Sunday at Shiloh. Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the opportunity to teach this passage of Scripture to our kids. Excited and slightly scared to death… these are really big words with really big meanings… can such little minds grasp the truth in them?

I believe yes, they very well can…

My prayer is that God would grant me the ability to teach these little ones in a way that they have such a solid foundation of truth now, that when their bodies catch up to their minds they are in full action… My desire is to train the minds of spiritual warriors, so that when they are of an age to go therefore and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) they do.

I want them to realize they have a purpose and they need to own it. 

Romans 8:28-30 lays all that out in an absolutely beautifully striking way!

And I get to teach that!

There is nothing more humbling to me…

God, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe, lets me attempt to explain His message…

I shake my head in disbelief that He trusts me with His Words. This Alabama girl, this housewife, this homeschool mom, this non-theologically degreed female who just loves His Son more than she can adequately express… He lets me open my mouth and speak and teach His Word.

I mean… really?

But He does… It’s my purpose… and no matter where I go, no matter what I do, no matter how tired I may think I am, no matter how ignorant or unprepared I feel, no matter who or what hurts me in the process, regardless of who listens… I can’t help but do it… my love for Him controls me.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 8:28-30

As I opened up Romans 8:28-30 and began to dig into these big words that it shares I first went to their Greek definitions. I did this for each individual word and I grew in my excitement with each word study… and then I came to the word conformed

Conformed is summorphos in the Greek and it means having the same form as another, similar, conformed to…

Summorphos comes from two Greek words, one is sun, or with, which is a primary preposition denoting union… the other is morfe, and it means (oh, and this is where it gets good!)

  1. the form by which a person or thing strikes the vision
  2. external appearance

…which perhaps comes from the base word meros that means

  1. a part
    1. a part due or assigned to one
    2. lot, destiny
  2. one of the constituent parts of a whole
    1. in part, partly, in a measure, to some degree, as respects a part, severally, individually
    2. any particular, in regard to this, in this respect

 

Do you see what I mean!

…He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,

Romans 8:29

Oh precious one, if you are indeed in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) then God already has a vision, a purpose, for you… and He is in the process of bringing you to the point where you strike that vision!

If you are indeed in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:3-11) then God has already changed you from the inside… and now He is in the process of making your external appearance similar to His Son!

You are now a part of His body and within His body you have a lot… you have a destiny… you have a portion… you have an inheritance (Acts 26:18).

The question dear one… will you stand up and claim what is yours… or will you let the things of this world keep you too preoccupied. Will you miss what your Father has for you because living up to His requirements (Romans 8:4) is too much for you? Will you miss it because suffering for His sake (Romans 8:22-25) is too hard for you?

Let us never forget precious one, that it is even He who supplies us with the ability to claim our inheritance…

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

*********************************

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful,putting me into service…

1 Timothy 1:12

Don’t put it off another moment dear one… your inheritance is ready… you are meant to begin claiming it now. The pledge (2 Corinthians 1:22) has been placed within you… Don’t delay. Today is the day to become absolutely striking!

Your times are in His hand. You are alive today in this place in time for a purpose… discover it and live it.

Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

The Three P’s of Children’s Ministry

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I sit here this morning reflecting on my current place in service to the Lord… after being asked several times again, “but when do you have time to… ” All I know that I can answer that question with is that God is the author of time… and somehow I manage to have enough time to accomplish everything He calls me to do and if it doesn’t get done that day… it always seems to work out. Usually because He had someone else called to do it and because there was a reason for the delay… so I just live and obey and trust God to deal with the whole time thing. If I ever get focused on the time constraint of 24 hour days I end up in an anxiety attack… so I choose to practice the three P’s of children’s ministry…

And no the three P’s are not puke, pee, and poop…

I have come to realize that Children’s Ministry is a whole new ball game of emotions. It is for me anyway… but I am learning it is indeed also for many others. Which in learning so, it helps me keep things in perspective. Perspective is powerful thing. Perspective and perseverance and patience…

these are the 3 P’s of children’s ministry.

The absolute only way that we can keep things in the right perspective is to stay in the Word of God. The absolute only way we can maintain perseverance in the ministry of the gospel is to stay in the Word of God. The absolute only way we can maintain and continue to learn and practice patience is to stay in the Word of God.

If I didn’t… I just flat out would not be a very nice person at all.

I must stay in the Word of God and pray without ceasing (I suppose I misnamed this post, it should be “the four P’s”) to maintain those three P’s of children’s ministry… and sadly its not usually because of the kids. It actually is only occasionally the kids… and usually when its the kids, its because I am already upset over something that happened previously.

I take nothing more personal than an adult that tells me or my staff they are “not called” to serve or interact with our children. Please understand that I know not everyone is called to teach children on a regular basis, that is indeed a calling, but to be unwilling to serve them for an hour, a few times a year… when the only requirement is to just love on them?

Yes I take that personally… and I think God does as well.

Then He will answer them,

‘Truly I say to you,

to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these,

you did not do it to Me.’

Matthew 25:45

 

I take it personally for more reason than one…

The ministry to children, especially the extended care ministry in some way or another blesses every single member of your church family simply by its existence. Whatever amount of time a person sacrifices to serve in this rotation makes an eternal impact.

How you ask?

There is an eternal soul in the body of that little one. An eternal soul that needs Jesus. An eternal soul that needs to see and experience some Jesus with skin on… and there is an eternal soul in there that needs to understand the value of their life and the life of others…

I wonder sometimes if we do not think we will stand before Jesus and give an account for what we did not do?

We spend a lot of time worrying about getting credit and forgiveness for what we did do and have done when we might need to be spending a little more realizing all the opportunities to serve our Savior that we just walked by… ignoring them because well… we did not want to do that.

How else is service to our children an eternal impact?

That eternal soul in that little body, will one day be an eternal soul in a big body… a big body that will most likely be making decisions one day that will affect you and your children and your children’s children greatly. An eternal soul in a big body that will be leading and teaching and running your kids, your grandkids, church, school, business, country…

How else… ?

Think about how many young couples have joined your church, or answered the call of salvation, and made that walk up the center isle, because in that hour they were able to be still and hear God’s voice because they knew their children were being well cared for by someone in extended care… in that very hour.

This girl knows…

How thankful I am as a mother myself… who made that walk over 11 years ago, while my daughter was being taken care of in Extended Teaching Care! Imagine had I had to leave early to change a diaper, or if I had of been distracted with passing out coloring pages, or even worse been embarrassed by my child’s inability to sit still and just left and never came back!

Where would I be today?

God would have still saved me… I have no doubt about that… but would I be serving Him at Shiloh Baptist Church?

So yes, I take it personally. I take it very personally. My GOD is a personal God. Children’s Ministry, every single part of it, is personal and every single person involved is important, from those who serve 4 hours a year, or once a year in VBS, or those who serve every day of their life… this ministry is indeed important and vital to the growth of the Kingdom of God and the church and our nation.

So when things get taken personal… I have to pull out my three P’s of children’s ministry.

My perspective:

For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

2 Chronicels 16:9

But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

Luke 24:16

Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

John 9:15

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

God is the one who makes blind eyes see… I am not going to beg for servants. Jesus didn’t beg. He simply said “Follow Me”. He didn’t chide the nine lepers that walked away with their healing, He simply blessed the One that turned back to Him to serve.
God is the One who knows whose heart is His… He will provide for that positions… my eyes are simply to stay on Christ… He’s the One who is in control… and whatever frustration I am experiencing at the moment is nothing compared to what He went through for me. Perspective!

The joy that I receive from loving these kids and investing in their eternal souls… it’s all worth it. Perseverance!

God is teaching me through all this as well and preparing me and training me and so I will work to take deep breathes and smile… trusting Him with each day to accomplish His work… because it’s all His anyway. Patience!

I am also learning that it is not me that has been rejected. It’s not the children. It’s Him. So I am learning that it is not anger or frustration that is rising up in me… it is sadness… just flat out sadness.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me…

1 Samuel 8:7

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 7:14-25)

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This post will almost conclude our study in Romans 7… we will have to step back into Romans 7 to set our context for our study in Romans 8 🙂

Yesterday we learned that the Law of God is good, righteous, and holy. We learned that the Law helps us see how very sinful our sin really is. Without the Law we would convince ourselves that our sin was really not that bad. Especially when we compared our sin to others. We can always find someone whose sin we think is worse than ours. However, what we learn from the Bible is that all of us are equally judged by the Law of God and none of us can keep it. That is why we need Jesus.

Today we are picking up our study in Romans in Romans 7:14-25. Today we will see that even after we are saved we are still at war with sin.

That’s why God gave us armor. Before we study today take a moment to go read Ephesians 6:10-18. Let’s put our armor on and pray that God would help us understand His Word and help us obey it. 

Now let us begin today’s study with reading Romans 7:14-25.

 

Romans 7:14-25

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.

17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

 

 

Read Romans 7:14. 

What do we learn about the Law?

It is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

What do we learn about ourselves?

I am of __ __ __ __ __, sold into __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:15 very slowly. Fill in the blanks below to complete the verse.

For what I am doing,

__   __ __   __ __ __   __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but

__  __ __  __ __ __ __ __ the very thing I __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Have you ever felt like Paul in Romans 7:15? Have you ever wanted to do the right thing, because you knew it was right, but instead you did something that knew was wrong? Maybe you told your mom or dad or brother or sister or even your best friend that you hated them, when you know you don’t, but when your feeling were hurt or you were angry it just came out. Then you felt really bad for saying it… and feeling it.

Read Romans 7:16. What does it show about us, when we know that something we did was wrong and we really hate that we did it?

it shows we  __ __ __ __ __  with the  __ __ __ ,

confessing that the  __ __ __  is  __ __ __ __

 

Now if we confess that the Law is good and the problem is us, not the Law of God. And, if we have confessed Jesus as Lord and we have been united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection (remember Romans 6:3-4). Why do we still sin?

Let’s read Romans 7:17-19 very slowly to find out. Fill in the blanks below to complete the verses as you read.

So now, no longer am __  the __ __ __ doing __ __, but __ __ __ which __ __ __ __ __ __ in __ __

For I know that __ __ __ __ __ __ __  __ __ __ __  dwells in __ __, that is __ __   __ __ __ __ __

for the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ is present in __ __, but the __ __ __ __ __  of the __ __ __ __ is __ __ __

For the __ __ __ __ that I __ __ __ __, I do  __ __ __  do, but I __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ the very __ __ __ __ that I  __ __   __ __ __  want

 

Read Romans 7:20. What is the cause of all this struggle inside of us? 

the __ __ __ which __ __ __ __ __ __ in me

 

THINK ABOUT IT… 

Do you know any Christians who got a new body after they were saved? No? Me either. I still have my old one too. When we become Christians and Jesus comes to live in us, our sin is still in us too. The difference is that now that sin is no longer our boss. Jesus is. So now we have Jesus to help us fight sin and to help us not sin. When before we were Christians, we had no power over sin. We may not even have recognized that some things were a sin. So now as Christian, we have a struggle with this flesh of ours that still wants to do bad things sometimes, and our hearts that want us to do the good and right things that please God. 

Go to a computer and put this link in your search bar, it’s a video from Candace that kind of helps you see this struggle in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iq6Cbd5YxA


Read Romans 7:21. What does this struggle reveal to us? 

  1. __ __ __ __  is present in me
  2. but I want to  __ __     __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:22. Where do we joyfully concur (or agree) with the law of God?

in the __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:23. Where do we see the different law (the law of sin)?

in the members of my __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:23 again. What is happening between the different law at work in the members of our body and  the law of our mind that knows God’s law is good?

they are at  __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Do you think that even as a Christian you could go a whole week and never sin?

Read Romans 7:24. What conclusion do we come to when we try not to sin and to keep the Law of God? 

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ man that I am!

 

Do you know what “wretched” means? It means poor, miserable, despicable, absolutely pitiful! 

The harder we try to keep God’s law on our own, the more we realize we can’t. 

 

Read Romans 7:24 again. What question is asked?

__ __ __  will set me  __ __ __ __  from the body of this  __ __ __ __ __?

 

Read Romans 7:25. Who is the “Who” that will set us free?

__ __ __ __ __

 

WOW! Jesus saves us today from the power of sin and the effects of sin, and one day He will save us from this body of sin as well. We will learn more about this in Romans 8. Right now let’s just stop here for the day and spend some time thanking God for Jesus. Why not sing the first part of Amazing Grace as a praise to God right now.

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Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 7:7-13)

PPM-3.jpgNow we will be digging into Romans 7:7-13…

Romans 7:7-13

7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.

9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;

10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;

11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

 

Romans 7:7 begins with more questions. What are they?

  1. What shall we say then?
  2. __ __   the  __ __ __    __ __ __?

 

Read Romans 7:7 again. What is Paul’s answer to these questions?

__ __ __    __ __   __ __ __ __ __   __ __!

 

What does Paul say that he would not have come to know had it not been for the Law?

__ __ __

THINK ABOUT IT…

How does knowing the Ten Commandments help you know when you are sinning? When you tell a lie, take something that is not yours, disobey your parents, or even want something that belongs to someone else… are you reminded of what God says about that by the Ten Commandments and other verses you have learned from the Bible?

 

Read Romans 7:8-11. This might be hard to understand as you read it. So go ahead and read it two times.

Now maybe what Romans 7:8-11 is saying is that, before you knew God’s Law, you probably thought you were pretty good. When you heard God’s Law the first time, you might even have thought you could do a pretty good job of keeping it. 

Look up and read Matthew 19:16-22. You will read about a man who thought he could keep all the commandments too.

According to Matthew 19:21 what did Jesus say that the young man still needed to do?

__ __ __ __ all his __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and come,  __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __

 

What commandment or commandments do you think the young man was unable to keep? Write your answer below.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THINK ABOUT IT…

As you read Romans 7:7-11 and you read about the young man in Matthew 19:16-22 do you think that the Law is bad since it was because of the Law that sin was woken up in you? 

Go back and read Romans 1:18-20, Romans 2:12-16, and Romans 3:19-20.

What did these verse teach us about the Law of God? 

So is the Law good or is the Law bad? Explain your answer to the adult that is helping you with this study.

 

Read Romans 7:12. What does this verse tell us about the Law of God? Fill in the blanks below with the answer.

the Law is __ __ __ __

the commandment is __ __ __ __

and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

and __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:13. How does this verse begin? Unscramble the letters to get your answer.

HTREEFROE     __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Remember when there is a “therefore” we need to find out what the “therefore” is there for. This “therefore” is referring back to what we just learned, that the Law is good.

Read Romans 7:13 again. 

What is Paul’s question?

did that which is good become a cause of __ __ __ __ __ for __ __?

What is the answer to this question?

__ __ __    __ __    __ __ __ __ __    __ __!

 

Read Romans 7:13 again. What is it that causes death in us. Circle your answer.

Law                    sin

 

Read Romans 7:13 one more time. What good thing does the Law do for us?

it makes sin __ __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Whew! That was a lot! We will stop here and think about all that we have learned. Let’s end today’s study with talking to our God. Let’s thank Him that we are saved by faith in Jesus and not our ability to keep the Law.

 

 

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries, The Romans Study For Kids

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 7:1-6)

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It’s time to begin digging into Romans 7…

 

Romans 7:1-6

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?

2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.

3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

 

Read Romans 7:1. How does it begin?

__ __ do you not know,

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

How many complete thought sentences do you know that begin with the word “or”? “Or” is a conjunction word. This means it joins together two sentences, or two thoughts by either comparing, contrasting, or conjoining them. If Romans 7 begins with the word “or” then we need to find out what two sentences or thoughts are being joined together. So let’s go back and begin reading at Romans 6:20.

 

Read Romans 6:20-7:1. How long does the law have jurisdiction over a person?

__ __    __ __ __ __    __ __    __ __    __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:2-3. What example does Paul give us to explain how the law was over us? Unscramble the words to get your answer.

MIRAREGA      __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Have you ever been to a wedding? When the couple getting married says their wedding vows, or wedding promises to one another, that promise ends with “until death do us part”

The husband and wife are supposed to keep these promises to one another and make them with no one else. These promises to one another are for life.

But if one of them dies, then the promises are able to be made to someone else.

Paul is trying to show us here that we are bound to the law until we die in Christ like we learned happens Romans 6. 

It’s kind of like we are married to the law. But when we die in Christ, the law does not matter anymore, because we are now free to be married to Jesus. 

 

Read Romans 7:4. What usually happens when people get married? Look at the picture below to get your answer.

babies1

They have __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:4 again. If we have died to the law and have been married to Christ what should we be doing for God?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __     __ __ __ __ __

 

Remember what we learned in our Romans Part One Study?

Go back and read Matthew 7:16-20 and John 15:1-8. Then answer the question below.

How do we know if we belong to God?

We should bear  __ __ __ __   fruit for __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:5. When we were in the flesh what did our bodies bear fruit for? 

__ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 7:6. When we were bound to the Law we served in the oldness of the letter. No matter how hard we tried to keep the Law, we just couldn’t. Now in Jesus we are dead to the Law. How do we serve now?

in the __ __ __ __ __ __ __  of the __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Galatians 5:22-23. This passage describes to us what our fruit should be when we serve in the Spirit. Fill the tree below with the fruit of the Spirit. 

tree-of-life-with-empty-circles-for-species-request1

 

 

 

Children's Ministry, Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Kids Mess Rooms Adults Mess Hearts

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Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap

Luke 21:34

Kids are messy. Anyone who has them knows this is true. The room will be spotless but then they enter it… and it explodes!

I used to keep a spotless house. I mean eat off the floor spotless. I thought that it was really important for me to be a good housekeeper… but then I realized that in order to keep it spotless I had to constantly be on my kids, pick this up, put that back, did you not see I just washed that, I just mopped this floor, look at this mess, did you not see I just finished vacuuming, etc. 

I was always either harping on them or trailing right behind them like a hoover vac picking up as fast as they messed up and when they asked me to play along, I was sure to let them know that I couldn’t because I was too busy going behind them cleaning up their mess.

Then one day I realized I was busy cleaning the wrong things…

I realized that the kids were messing up rooms, but I was messing up hearts.

I had these children looking to me to help them keep a clean heart and I was too busy worried about keeping a clean house to see it. I was more worried about the splatter marks on the bathroom mirror to see the splatter marks of sin that were on our hearts.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

Psalm 51:10

Today I see that kids mess rooms, but adults mess hearts.

These children entered this world as little sinners. Yes, their little hearts are slap full of the seeds of sin… yet their hearts carry no worries, no dissipation, no drunkenness . They have hearts full of the seeds of sin, but they are not yet weighted down.

I realized that I was the one that was weighting down their hearts with all that stuff…

I was just taking my weighted down heart and dumping it on over onto theirs…

…I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children. I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.

2 Corinthians 12:14-15 (NLT)

Is it possible that many times we as parents look at the carefreeness of our children and are jealous of it and so seek to destroy it by “bringing them to reality”? We look at them and wonder how they do not see all the things in the floor we are tripping all over, the mess in the floorboard of the car we are shoving over, the crumbs on the counter, the dirty clothes covering the floor, or the pizza smeared all over their face clear up to their forehead…

So we decide it is our responsibility as parents to make sure they do see them…

The funny thing is that we provide them with all this stuff, then we get upset when we are tripping all over it.

Kids can’t have a floor full of toys for us to trip over unless we have allowed them in the house or purchased them for them. They can’t have a floor full of dirty clothes without first having received a closet full of clean ones, that once again we allowed or provided. They wouldn’t leave crumbs all over the counter and food smeared all over their face if it were not for the abundance of food that we have allowed and provided for them. I mean, really, there is no need to worry about consuming crumbs when a brand new feast is coming in just a few hours.

This is parenting in most of America.

We weigh our kids hearts down with worries and we don’t even realize it… because we call it “giving them the things we never had”. We load them up and then we fuss at them for not being able to handle it all.

Our job as parents is not to burden our children down, but to build them up. If we are going to provide them with all this stuff, we must be careful to not put too much stock in the stuff… We must be purposeful to keep all things in perspective.

In this day of America, if we are not careful we will end up training our children to be very good at white washing tombs.

We may keep the house clean, but how much filth have we shoved into the closet of our kids heart in order to do so?

How many opportunities to clean out the hearts of our children did we pass over in favor of cleaning out the garage or filling up the garage with more stuff…

I am returning to this post after about a month… after I read this article, I Wonder If Sunday School Is Destroying Our Kids, and reading this quote in it, “So why do we burden our children with the unbearable load of “being good little boys and girls like the heroes in the Bible”? We wouldn’t load a pack mule with the burdens we place on our children.”

Have you ever really stopped and thought of the burdens of no eternal value we place on our children?

While all the while we completely ignore the things that are eternal in them… like their souls.

Take a moment and walk through your home and look over your calendar… how much time have you spent training your child up in the things of God… in discussing with them the fears of their hearts… as compared with training them to catch a baseball and/or “discussing” with them the importance  of the fears of surprise company coming over and the house being a wreck?

Are you busy white washing tombs and teaching your children how to do it as well?