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

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 6:12-23)

PPM-3.jpgNow for the rest of Romans 6…

Romans 6:12-23

 

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,

13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.

22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

 

We learned in Romans 6:1-11 that we were baptized into Jesus Christ, which means that…

 – when He died, we died

 – when He was buried, we were buried

 – when He was raised, we were raised

 – death is no longer master over Him 

 – sin is no longer master over us

  • and since Jesus lives to God, so should we

 

Now we are going to begin digging into Romans 6:12-23…

Read Romans 6:12. What word does it begin with?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Remember that when we see a “therefore” we need to look back at the verses before it to see what the “therefore” is there for. Read Romans 6:8-11 to find out what the “therefore” is there for.

 

Read Romans 6:12 again. What command does God give us in this verse?

Do not let __ __ __ reign in your mortal __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 6:13. What command are we given in this verse?

Do not go on presenting the members of your body to

__ __ __  as instruments of unrighteousness

 

Read Romans 6:13 again. Who and what are we to present ourselves to?

to  __ __ __  as those alive from the dead,

and your members as instruments of

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __   to God

Read Romans 6:14. How are we able to present our body to God as an instrument of righteousness? 

For __ __ __ shall __ __ __ be master over you

Read Romans 6:14 again. As a Christian, sin is no longer master over you and death is no longer master over you. So according to this verse what are we under? Circle your answer.

law               grace

 

Read Romans 6:15. If we are under grace and not law, does that mean that we can sin whenever we want to? 

May it  __ __ __ __ __  be!

 

Read Romans 6:16-22. Now that we are freed from sin, does that mean that we are slaves to noone and nothing? Read through these verses and answer the questions below.

If you have been freed from sin, what are you now a slave to? (hint:look at Romans 6:18)

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

If you have been freed from sin, Who are you now enslaved to? (hint:look at Romans 6:22)

__ __ __

When you were a slave to sin, you obeyed sin. What does the Bible tell us is the result of obeying sin? Read Romans 16:16 to find the answer. 

__ __ __ __ __

 

When you become a slave to God, you obey righteousness. What does the Bible tell us is the result of obeying righteousness? Read Romans 16:19 to find the answer. 

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

 

When we become a Christian we get a new heart and a new master. This changes the way we live and the choices we make. Have you ever seen “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”?

Type this link into your computer search bar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eulSbXIjzk and watch the video clip.

Or if you have the movie at home, why not watch it with your family.

THINK ABOUT IT…

How did the Grinch change when his heart changed? Did his actions change? Did he get strength to do the right thing?

Romans 16:16-22 explains to us the difference in obeying sin and obeying righteousness. When we obey righteousness we learned the result is our sanctification.

Sanctification is a big word! It is a big and important word. As a matter of fact it is what Romans 6 – 8 is all about. So what exactly is sanctification?

Sanctification is the purification of our heart and life. Justification is when God forgives us and declares us not guilty of sin because Jesus paid our debt for us. Sanctification is when God begins to make us look and act like His children. 

 

Read Romans 16:22 again. What is the outcome of sanctification?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __        __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 16:23. Right this verse out below. This one you need to memorize.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THINK ABOUT IT…

Did you first begin the process of sanctification (making yourself pure) by obeying righteousness (keeping the law) and then earn your justification (pardon from sin) from God and receive eternal life?

Is it even possible for us to do that?

No it’s not.

That’s why eternal life is a gift from God. 

Remember Jesus is a gift to us from God (John 3:16). Justification is a gift to us from God in Jesus (Romans 3:24). Righteousness is a gift to us from God through Jesus (Romans 4:3). Sanctification is a result of the gifts of God to Jesus (Romans 6:22).

We can’t make ourselves good enough for God… God has to do that for us. 

How about we take a moment to tell God thank you!

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

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 5:12-21)

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I just realized I never posted Romans 5:12-21 🙂

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned

13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Read Romans 5:12. Through how many men did sin enter the world? Circle your answer.

3       2       1       7

 

Read Romans 5:12 again. What entered the world through sin? 

__ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 5:12 one more time. How many men did death spread to? Circle your answer.

few       some      couple      several       all

 

Read Romans 5:13. What came first the Law or sin?

__ __ __

 

Read Romans 5:14. What reigned from Adam to Moses to prove that sin came first?

__ __ __ __ __

 

Did people die before God gave Israel the Law (Ten Commandments)? Circle your answer.

Yes            No

 

Read Romans 5:15-21. These verses compare and contrast two different men and two different events. We will learn about a man named Adam and a man named Jesus. Let’s do some background work.

Who is Adam? Read Genesis 1:26-29 and Genesis 2:15-25 to find out.

Who is Jesus? Read John 1:1-5, John 1:14-18, and John 3:16 to find out.

What happened because of Adam? Read Genesis 3:1-24 to find out.

What happened because of Jesus? Read John 14:1-31 to find out.

Adam disobeyed His Father. He sinned and had to leave the garden of his Father. He was unable to return.

Jesus obeyed the Father. He never sinned and has come to take us back to the Father with Him! He is the way back to the Father’s house for all who believe.

Now let’s turn back to Romans 5:15-21 and see what else we learn about Adam and Jesus and what they mean to us.

 

Read Romans 5:15. Complete the sentence below by filling in the blanks.

But the free gift is __ __ __ like the transgression.

 

What is the free gift. Look back at Romans 3:24 to find out. Fill in the blanks with your answer.

being __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

The free gift is being justified and receiving life. It is receiving the free gift of the grace of God.

The transgression is being condemned and receiving death. It it receiving the due penalty of the wrath of God.

These are two very different things aren’t they?

 

Read Romans 5:15-17 again and answer the following questions.

 

Who is “the one” who caused “the many” to die by transgression? 

__ __ __ __

 

Who is the one who caused the grace of God to abound to “the many”?

__ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 5:18-19. Look at the chart below. I have filled in the “what” and “results” section for you. I need you to fill in the “who” section.

What Results Who
one transgression resulted condemnation to all men  
One act of righteousness resulted justification of life to all men  
one disobedience many were made sinners  
obedience of the One many will be made righteous  

 

Read Romans 5:20. Why did the Law come?

So __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  would

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Remember Romans 3:20? What comes through the Law?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of sin

 

Remember Romans 3:10-18? How many of us do good? Circle your answer.

some of us        all of us         none of us

 

Read Romans 5:20. What abounded all the more as sin increased?

__ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 5:21. Fill in the blanks below.

Sin reigned in __ __ __ __ __

Grace would reign in __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  to eternal __ __ __ __ through __ __ __ __ __

 

THINK ABOUT IT…

Are you wondering, how does the Law make sin increase and how does an increase in sin lead to more grace? Those are good questions to wonder about.

When we read the Law and the rest of God’s Word we learn about His standard and His holiness. We learn what He says is good and right. 

When we learn what He says is good and right and then we compare our actions, thoughts, and words to His we realize that we are great sinners. We realize that we disobey. We realize that we are just like Adam in the garden. 

And if we are just like Adam then we realize that we under condemnation and the wrath of God.

When we realize this we have two choices.

We can stay where we are and continue to love sin.

We can cry out to God for help and believe on Jesus and be saved. In Adam all die. In Christ all who believe live.

Let’s close our study in Romans 5 by filling in the chart below with pictures to help illustrate the difference between Adam and Jesus.

 

ADAM JESUS
   

 

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

Romans Study For Kids (Romans 6:1-11)

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I am looking for reviewers for the Romans Study For Kids. I do have it in a PDF form. If you are interested in going through it with your kids, let me know and I will email or FB message it to.

Today we begin with Romans 6:1-11.

Romans 1-5 was written so that we would know why we needed to be saved. In Romans 1-5 we can clearly see that everyone is a sinner. It doesn’t matter how good someone thinks they are, they still need Jesus. It doesn’t matter how bad someone thinks they are, Jesus still can save them.

Let’s do a quick review.

I will break down the chapters in Romans and you fill in the blanks with what you remember from the chapters.

Yes, it’s okay to go back and look over the chapters to help you 🙂

 

Romans 1:1-15

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 1:16-17, This is the key verse so write it out below.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 1:18-32

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Romans 2:1-29

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 3:1-18

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 3:19-20

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 3:21-31

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 4:1-25

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 5:1-11

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Romans 5:12-21

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

That was a great job reviewing! Romans 1-5 explains to us our need for God to save us, because we cannot save ourselves. We learn in Romans 1-5 that God gave us His Law so that we would realize we needed help. Remember the Law is good. The problem is that we just simply are not.

But God loves us anyway!

How awesome is that!

He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us… even though we were helpless, ungodly, sinners, who were, at the time, His enemy. 

We have a very good God!

I think we should thank Him right now. Let’s take a moment to pray or sing a song… How about singing “Jesus Loves Me” because He does, and the book of Romans shows us just how much He does.

I’ll start. Ready! Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…

 

Now, let’s start digging into Romans 6. We will begin with reading through and studying Romans 6:1-11. 

 

Romans 6:1-11 

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 

Romans 6 begins with a question. Read Romans 6:1, what is the question? Circle your answer.

a) are we to have eggs and bacon or pancakes and sausage?

b) are we to use a purple crayon or go with the blue one?

c) are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

d) are we to keep on this trail or take another one?

 

Romans 6:2 answers the question in Romans 6:1. Fill in the blanks with the answer.

May it  __ __ __ __ __    __ __ !

 

Look at Romans 6:2 again. Why should we not keep on sinning? 

We have  __ __ __ __  to sin

 

Read Romans 6:3. How did we die to sin?

all of us who have been __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ into Christ Jesus have been __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ , into His __ __ __ __ __

 

Let’s look at the word baptized in this verse. This word is “baptizo” in the Greek and it means to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk), to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe, to overwhelm. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. 

 

pickle-pickles-27629021-1500-1340

Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ or baptized(bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change.

 

The word “baptized” in Romans 6 is the one that makes the cucumber into a pickle.

 

Now let me ask you… Can that pickle ever become a cucumber again? Circle your answer.

Yes            No

Read Romans 6:4-6. Below is a storyboard. Draw out what each verse says happened to you if you were baptized into Christ.

_________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Romans 6:7. If we have died what are we free from?

__ __ __

 

What was our relationship to sin before we died with Jesus (was baptized into Christ). Read Romans 6:6 to find the answer.

We were  __ __ __ __ __ __ to sin

 

Does a slave have any control over their own life? 

Yes            No

 

If we have died with Christ and are now freed from sin, does that mean that we now have control over our own life? 

Yes           No

 

Can sin still tell us what to do and make us do it?

Yes          No

 

Does sin ever try to make us its slave again?

Yes          No

 

Read Romans 6:8. If we have died with Christ what will we also do with Him?

__ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 6:9. What do we know now that Christ has risen from the dead? Will He ever die again?

Yes           No

 

How can we know He will never die again? What is no longer master over Him? Unscramble the letters to find your answer.

HEDAT   __ __ __ __ __

 

Read Romans 6:10. How many times did Jesus have to die to sin? Circle your answer.

Several         Couple        Once        Over and Over

 

How does Jesus live the life that He lives?

to  __ __ __

 

Read Romans 6:11. How does this verse begin? Fill in the blanks.

E __ v __           s __

 

This phrase in the Greek is kai houto and it means and also in this manner. 

Read Romans 6:11 again. What are we to consider ourselves to be? Draw a picture of yourself under the correct answer.

alive to sin, but dead to God           dead to sin, but alive to God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The word “consider” in Romans 6:11 is in present tense and is in a command form, so it means to “keep on considering”.  God wants us to remember every day that we are to be dead to sin and alive to Him in Jesus. How about you right Romans 6:11 on a card, and put it on your bathroom mirror and read it every morning for at least this next week 🙂

 

 

Proven Path Ministries

A Lesson From Tonto

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For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 91:11

A couple of days ago my husband and I went to the movies to see The Lone Ranger, yes, hi-o silver away. We rarely go to the movies… I think, maybe, we don’t even run out of fingers when we begin to count the one’s we have been to since we met. But, The Lone Ranger, in it’s nostalgia, we thought we would take a stab at it… and well it was good, but we left thinking we probably would have been just as fine to wait until it came out on DVD.

However, there was a lesson from Tonto… although Tonto probably had no clue what he was talking about, nor, most likely, did the Hollywood person that wrote out the script… but there was indeed a lesson shared all the same.

The fact is, whether we like it or not, whether we will admit it or not, whether we will recognize and acknowledge it or not… the truth of the Word of God is everywhere. EVERYWHERE . And in everything… a thread of truth runs…  those that choose to grab that thread and hold on to it and follow it will always find themselves face to face with a Living God.

If you have seen the movie… you know that supposedly The Lone Ranger is the chosen one by the spirit horse. Tonto believes that he has been brought back from death to help defeat the evil men that killed his family for the wealth of silver…

The-Lone-Ranger

Tonto encourages the Lone Ranger to take risk because anyone who has been to the “other side” and returned could not be killed in battle. There was one scene where the Lone Ranger takes an arrow to the shoulder and he yells in pain at Tonto and says, “You said I couldn’t get shot!” To which Tonto replies, “No, I said you could not be defeated in battle.“

So what’s the lesson from Tonto…

Simply this.

Are you a blood bought, born again, believer?

Then you, precious one, have been to the “other side”

 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:3-11

You precious one are no longer of flesh, but of spirit… eternally alive and death  has no claim on you… you have already died and been raised… and the gates of hell cannot prevail against you.

You may get wounded in the battle, but you will never be defeated.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 

2 Corinthians 4:7-9

So you, child of God… are indeed a Spirit walker, a real Spirit-walker…  you are called to walk by the Spirit!

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24-26

It’s time to be bold. It’s time to stand up. It’s time to be strong… knowing that as long as we walk in truth, as long as we walk in the Spirit, as long as we are following our God… WE CANNOT BE DEFEATED!

We cannot be defeated in battle because we do not battle alone…

God has promised to send angelic assistance when we face attacks from supernatural realms. It makes sense. Satan and the demons are supernatural beings—so are angels. We need supernatural help when dealing with supernatural enemies. In verses 11-13, the composer describes three specific activities of the angels on our behalf. 

1. Angels are given “charge” of us (91:11). The term “charge” is from the Hebrew tzawa, which means “to appoint, install, give command of.” Other passages of Scripture suggest that the Lord has actually appointed angels—heavenly guardians—to give us aid when attacked by supernatural forces (Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15).

2. Angels “guard” us in all our ways (91:11). The Hebrew word shamar means “to keep, watch over, observe, preserve, take care of.” Angels are overseers of God’s people. Like silent sentries, they stand guard over those who seek refuge in the Lord, preserving our steps.

3. Angels “bear you up” in their hands (91:12). The verb nasah actually means “to lift, to carry, take up.” When used figuratively in reference to a person, it means “to support, sustain.” In the context of Psalm 91, the angels see to your mental, emotional, and spiritual needs so that you will not be overwhelmed by the deception of the devil and his minions.

~ Swindoll

 

One of my favorite stories in the Scriptures can be found in 2 Kings 6…

Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:15-17

When the battle rages, remember that the armies of heaven are there… remember you have already been to the other side, Christ has already defeated death on your behalf, you are a Spirit-walker! And precious one, never forget that you never ever fight alone, God is with us, and if God is with us, if God be for us, who can stand against us?

Proven Path Ministries

Nesting…

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I spent the day today at my church… our youth were there today cleaning for their week of community world changers, one of my daughters being included with them. As they cleaned I put them to work in the children’s area as well. I had them move some things, take down some things, clean some things, throw away some things… and I picked up my paint brush and rollers and started back on the doors of the children’s wings.

As I painted… I listened to the kids running around asking what else could they do? Not once did I hear, when are we done… I only heard I’m done here, is there something else I can do?

As I continued to run my roller of paint over the old wood paneled doors I pondered all that was going on in our church… there were men there working on a bathroom remodel… youth there cleaning out closets and hallways and stairwells, parents there scrubbing the cabinets in the kitchen, the night before I had parents cleaning out the craft storage room, and I have teachers initiating there own remodels in their classrooms… and I was there putting fresh paint on the walls and new paint on old doors…

As I thought on all of this my mind went to what we women do right before we are about to give birth… we “nest”. We begin to clean out the house and rearrange things to make room for the new life that is about to enter this world…

Then my mind went to a Scripture…

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Could it possibly be that we at Shiloh are “nesting”?

Could it possibly be that we are preparing to celebrate  a feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth?

Could it possibly be that God is getting us ready to give birth to what many of us have felt stirring in our hearts for years now?

You know, we don’t usually do a complete over-hall in the nesting stage… because we are extremely sentimental as well during this time. It’s not about getting rid of the old… its about fixing what is broken, restoring what is rusted, recovering, reusing, repurposing…  making the most of all that we have and treasuring ever bit of it. It’s a time of looking back at where we were… and how far we have come… and knowing we have so much unknown ahead… but we can’t help but be excited as we look forward to it.

A few years ago our church went through a change… we called it Shiloh Reborn. This was a step of faith and obedience for our church… and I believe God has shown us in many ways that it was the right step.

As I pondered nesting, I also pondered another event that the Lord laid on the heart and mind of our Pastor… The Calling.

This will be at our church on Sunday, August 25th beginning with a community breakfast at 9am… it’s an open house of sorts.

One thing that you do before an open house is, yep that’s right, you clean… you fix what is broken, restore what is rusted, recover what is worn, find a new purpose for an old thing…  you make the most of all that you have and you invite others to come in and celebrate it all with you.

I don’t know what God is up to… but I can’t help but have a sneaking suspicion that He most definitely is up to something… Curiosity in itself has me looking forward to August 25th… and the days that will follow it.

There is just too much nesting going on for nothing to be up!

All I know is that God is able to make beautiful things out of the dust… out of us… He is the God of rebirth and His house is open to us… and He wants us to come on in and celebrate all that He is and that He was and all that He forever will be!

 

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Skeered of the Eye Doctor!

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There are few things more comforting than to have a conversation with someone about something that you feel makes you appear a little ehhh not normal and they actually listen to you without this oh bless your heart look in their eyes. Then they actually take action according to what you just shared with them. It’s like a breath of fresh air!

I have not been to the eye doctor in about 12 years… now I have desperately needed to go… but visit after visit of eye doctors and eye nurses talking to me like I was an idiot who had no clue about the ability of my own eyes… just led me to just walk away and say… I will see what I can see and that’s all that I will see.

I don’t know how my brain connects my mind and eyes to make them do what they do, but it does. I don’t always have to know why something does what it does too know fully that it is indeed doing it.

I do not know how the sound of my voice travels through this little hand held device, through the air, attached to no cords, and right into the right hand held device, according to what numbers or letters I pushed. The thought of it can be really mind blowing if I choose to just dwell on it… even knowing the mechanics of it all, the correct technical terms and such, it’s still crazy that it works. So even if I don’t know exactly how something does what it does, it doesn’t mean that I am not aware that its doing it.

Twelve years ago at my final straw eye doctor appointment, I tried to explain how my eyes worked.

Before dilation the eye doctor would say, well its not that bad… then after dilation, he would say, oh, I see.

Then it would be at least three days before the dilation would wear off, then another couple before my glasses came in, and then when I would put my glasses on, I could not see with them on… or off.

I would return to the eye doctor and explain, to no avail, so I would just quit wearing them

Then I tried contacts. To which I had a reaction to the solution. To which the eye nurse, got irritated and told me there was nothing in the solutions to give me a reaction… even though I sat right there before her with burning watering eyes… so I quit wearing the contacts. I would see what I could see and that’s all that I would see.

Twelve years and multiple bruises later from running into walls, doors, shoes, tables, etc. I returned to the eye doctor.

So what do my eyes and my brain do?

Well, if my brain knows what something is supposed to say… I can see it. The latest example of what I am talking about… Sunday we were on our way to the bowling alley after church. I am driving looking for the sign, but it had been a while since I had been the way we were going and signs and buildings had changed. I had already slowed to a little below the speed limit as I searched for the familiar sign, but I was afraid I would not see it soon enough to be able to safely make the stop to turn in… then my excited nine year old says, Oh look there it is! The moment my brain became aware of it I could see the sign plain as day.

My eyes have worked very hard over the years to cooperate with my mind. Their muscles are quite strong and overworked, which causes me a many a headache. Which is also why they trip up the eye exam so bad, but I had never had an eye doctor who would take the time to listen to me and work with me until Monday (Of course I am sure the fact that I had a few sisters in Christ praying over the visit had something to do with that).

1) He believed me when I told him that I could not see for at least three days after eye dilation.

2) He believed me when I told him about my eye muscles and how if I knew what something was supposed to say I could see it.

3) He did not laugh at me when I told him that I had a underlining concern that if he dilated my eyes I feared that once those muscles were relaxed like that, they would never be able to return and I would be blind.

He took the time to develop a plan that would work for me and my situation. By the look on the face of the young girl who was helping me pick out my frames and order my prescription… I could tell my situation was a first for them.

As I thought of the relationship between my eyes and my brain… I thought of the relationship between faith and the gospel.

But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?

Romans 10:14

We share the Gospel with everyone… even those that are appear to be blind as a bat to it… because how in the world can they ever see it if we never point it out to them.

I once was blind, but now I see…

We study the Word of God so that God can grow us and show us things about Himself that we have never seen before… but how can we see them, if we don’t know they are there? And how can you know that they are there if you never open His Word to discover them?

How can God take you down a new journey into His glorious majesty if you only travel down the same familiar roads… yes the Romans Road gets you to salvation… and John 3:16 is the big flashing sign that says Start Here, but have you been down the paths of Habakkuk and Micah and Nahum and Leviticus and Numbers and Ezra and Amos…

Oh my! God has so much to open our eyes to!

Trust me, our God believes us when we say we don’t understand… and He patiently works with us as He brings us into understanding…

He also knows when our faith muscles are working hard and growing stronger as we strive to focus on what we begin to learn about Him in His Word… He also understands that sometimes faith gets “overworked” and we feel like our heads are going to explode as we try to take all of Him in… and He knows when to slow us for a moment so we can rub it all in.

He also does not laugh at us when we explain our fears of His hand upon us… it can be scary thing as we place our lives in the path of obedience before our God… that’s why faith is a mandatory requirement. Sometimes we can even be scared to open His Word… scared to learn about ourselves through the eyes of a knowing God. It can be scary to open up His Word and as you read it to discover things about your God and the history of His hand that doesn’t seem to make sense to us… especially when we begin to see that it is different than what we have been taught all our life and we have to choose to take God at His Word or to remain in the shadow of what we have always been told… We want to say, I will see what I can see and that’s all that I will see.

However, the fact just simply is that, some things we just can’t see until someone shows us they are there. So go ahead and take the plunge, open the Word, and let God have His way with you. Sit before Him, and let Him shine His Light right into the eyes of your soul… He has a plan, just for you, just for your situation, He will take the time to listen and He will take you one step at a time into His glory… He wants you to see.

So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.

Revelation 3:18

Sometimes the scariest and most stubborn obstacle to overcome is just to admit that we are blind (John 9:39-41). But oh, once we admit, and once we see, how amazing the freedom of truth and sight can be… seeing as we are seen… knowing as we are known… how beautiful grace becomes! Amazing!

 

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

Church and Christian School Initiative

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 Church and Christian School Initiative

Churches and Christian schools can now get easy access to training classes. A site license for your church or school is only $100 for a whole year and teachers get access to four 30-minute classroom management classes for free. In addition, your parents get 75% off the tuition for the four-hour parent classes so they pay just $25 per class.

Click here to learn more.

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Please help us spread the word to the appropriate leaders in your church. This is a great resource to equip teachers with classroom management skills and help parents learn to parent the heart of their children.

Learn more and get more training tools at the National Center for Biblical Parenting.

My church will be offering this to our teachers and parents… will yours?

It’s a great online training tool… and we know how hard it is to fit in a conference. This is a training opportunity our teachers can do at home… at their own convenience… in their pajamas… no make-up… they don’t even have to shower or brush their teeth!

And it’s affordable!

Proven Path Ministries

Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

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Help me spread the word about my book series Devotions From the Torah! You can find out what others are saying about this series right here: About the Series

Anyone who pre-orders a paperback copy of “Devotions From Exodus Part One, Learning to Live in Freedom” or purchases the ebook version, that is available now…

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will receive a free PDF copy (ebook) of Devotions From Genesis, It’s Not Just Ancient History

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Just email your confirmation of purchase to nicolelhvaughn@yahoo.com and I will reply with the PDF form of Devotions From Genesis.

 

Also if you “Like” Proven Path Ministries and share this blog post and information on your page you will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

Drawing will be held on Saturday, Aug 3rd!

Just put your entries below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Proven Path Ministries

Superman, Kryptonite, and the Dark Side of the Moon

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This month I am taking the children of Shiloh Baptist through Romans 6 – 8 while our Pastor does the same with their parents. I always come home and listen to his message to see how he taught the Scriptures to the adults. I do this for confirmation on my lesson, and also to see what verses he emphasized and how.

Last week as he took the parents through the final verses in Romans 7 he used the illustration of the new movie, Man of Steel… He pointed out how as great as Superman was… the one thing that could weaken him was kryptonite.

He shared how as Spirit-filled born again believers, we are indeed new creatures in Christ, and we are given by God the grace to stand, but sin can still weaken us.

Our Pastor shared how Superman knew that kryptonite weakened him… so therefore he did not go out looking for it. However… try as he might to avoid it… the kryptonite would find him. He would come in contact with it and have to deal with it, have to fight it, he would have to flee.

In Romans 7 God uses Paul to point out to us the struggle we will face as justified, but non-glorified believers…

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. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 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. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 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. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

Romans 7:18-24

Now as I listened to my Pastor’s comparison of sin and kryptonite, my mind went to a song that used to be one of my favorites in my pre-Christ days…

 

As believers we have to be very careful in this flesh. We have to remain awake and alert and astute to truth… because sin can still deceive us. Especially if that sin was or is an addiction.

In this song I think of a Christian who thinks, that because they are a Christian, and have the Spirit of God in them, and the power of His might, and they are free from sin’s power over them… they think… I can handle this. Whether it be relationships with those still caught in that addiction or the actual addiction itself.

As the song says they think, “I‘ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might, Kryptonite”

You see the kryptonite will deceive us… the kryptonite will tell us that no one will ever find out… it will keep our secret… no one will ever know… it’s just a little…

The kryptonite will say that you are too weak to be without it, yet you are strong enough to control how much of it you partake in…

But it lies.

It deceives.

If we have been to that dark side of the moon, that place of darkness and running and hiding from the Light… we can even allow this krytponite to convince us that because our flesh still craves it, we must not even really be saved… and God must hate us… and would never forgive us… and we are in a place of silent desperation and internal turmoil.

We can even sit back and look at the world and wonder how on earth we can fight this when the whole world seems to be floating to this dark side of the moon… some struggles can be in our face almost constantly… only one mouse click away.

Inside we feel the struggle… we worry if anyone finds out about this kryptonite will they still call us “superman”?  Will they still see us the same… or will we be belittled before them? Will they still call us a Spirit-filled born again believer… will they still love us… will they hold our hand through the this… or will they condemn us?

Even worse will God condemn us? Will He forsake us? Will He deny us?

Can I really trust Him with this secret…

Can I trust them with this kryptonite?

Will they think I am crazy and completely shun me and leave me alone… or will they be there to hold our hand?

Precious one, there is only one way to find out. Step away from the kyptonite that kills and let it go… and put your hand in the hands of God and know that…

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

Romans 8:1

And know that any true born again believer understands this struggle, for they recognize their own… there are indeed those who will be some Jesus with skin on… and will hold your hand as you learn to use your superhuman might in Christ to forsake the kryptonite… instead of keeping it by your side.

To quote my Pastor again, “Paul is our example. The only sin Paul hated was his own… we are to preach the gospel“

This kryptonite might not even be a personal struggle of your own… but the struggle you experience while living through the struggles of another… a wayward child, an abusive spouse, even a child with internal struggles or disabilities that you fear will cause them to be shunned if anyone knows… so you hide it… and try to deal with it in your own superhuman might…

You don’t have to.

Proven Path Ministries

Good Luck Charm God

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Our Cross Guard Kids at Shiloh just finished up Unit 10 of the Gospel Project. We begin Unit 11 in the morning… I began this post the morning that we were to teach on 1 Samuel 5… 

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Now the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories. When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.”

So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” 

(1 Samuel 5:2-8)

 

“What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” I have always found this passage of Scripture quite fascinating. As the Philistines watched the ark of God visibly lay flat their god… it never once even occurred to them to choose to worship the God of Israel and denounce the impotent god, Dagon. Instead they chose to get the ark as far away from the as possible.

What is sad… is that it is not much different today.

The question now, “What shall we do with this man, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God?”

Many can see the mighty act of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people. They can see the evidence of changed lives, they can see the evidence of answered prayers, and they can see the evidence of His Word ringing true as they suffer under the consequences of disobedience to Him…

Yet just like the Philistines instead of choosing to submit to His Lordship, they instead want to get as far away from Him as possible.

Before we criticize them to much, let us remember how the ark of God ended up in the Philistine camp to begin with…

The people of Israel were using the ark of God as a good luck charm… they were getting beat in the battle… and instead of going to God and humbling themselves and asking Him what they were doing wrong… well they just thought they would go in grab the ark and botta-bing-botta-boom victory wold happen.

God doesn’t play that way. He didn’t with Israel and He doesn’t with us.

 

If we are not careful we will fall into the same trap…

Our God is not a good luck charm. He is GOD.

The writing and teachings of Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn