This quarter is all about God’s faithfulness. God keeps His word and desires to bless us. Often God blesses us simply because He is good. God’s faithfulness means He is loyal and trustworthy. Even when people do the wrong thing, God continues to reach out to them. But God also makes special promises called covenants that require people to do something to receive certain promises. What if your parents or caregivers told you that you would get a new toy or be taken somewhere special… if you kept your room clean for the month? You would only get the promise if you did as you were told—kept your room clean. Likewise some of God’s promises require actions on our parts. Read the Scriptures below. Write down what the promise is on the line. Then write what the condition, or action, is you have to take in order to receive that promise.
If you have failed to do your part in order to ensure that you receive God’s promises, write a prayer asking for His forgiveness and that He help you in the areas where you need to take action.
HIGH FIVE
This quarter’s High Five goes to...Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993).
The grandson of a slave, Marshall strived to achieve educational success. Though denied admission into the University of Maryland Law School because he was Black, Marshall did not quit pursuing his goal to further his education. Instead, he attended Harvard University Law School.
As a lawyer, Marshall fought for the constitutional rights of all people. During his time, Blacks and Whites were not allowed to attend school together. One of Marshall’s first successful cases was when he sued the University of Maryland, the law school that had denied him access, when the school would not admit another young African American male.
Winning the case against the University of Maryland opened other doors for Thurgood Marshall. He worked for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as helped people who were oppressed (not being treated fairly) in other countries, such as Ghana. His dedication, hard work, and ability to win cases and write documents ultimately led Thurgood Marshall to being appointed as a judge and later as a Supreme Court Justice.
As noted, Thurgood Marshall did not give up when the University of Maryland denied him entrance into the law school. He showed perseverance, which is an inner drive to keep trying at something and not give up. He had to work hard in law school and throughout his career.
The word “endurance” is similar to perseverance. It means the ability to withstand or go through something without giving up. Sometimes achieving our goals in life will not come easy. We must persevere and endure during the hard times.
Below, write a goal that you want to achieve that might not be easy. Then, write a prayer asking God to help you persevere, endure, and work hard to do any and everything that He would have you to do.
The Beginning
What’s It All About?
“Come on, everyone,” Mr. Harold pleaded. “This song is about how great God is! I’m sure the writer didn’t intend for the audience to be bored when hearing it.” He was disappointed in the choir’s lackluster performance. “Practice is over. We’ll try again next week,” he said.
On the drive home, Mr. Harold prayed and asked God to help him reach the students. Suddenly, he had an idea. When he arrived home, he asked his wife if she would help him. They emailed invitations to the students in the choir to meet at church on Friday evening.
Andy, one of the students, was excited. When he arrived, Mrs. Harold tied a blindfold over his eyes and led him to a seat in the church van. “Don’t peek,” she said and laughed. He heard giggling from others already sitting in the van.
Soon, they began moving.
“This is South Street. We just crossed the speed bump,” Andy called out. Soon, everyone was announcing what they felt and guessing where they might be traveling. The ride became bumpier. Then, the van stopped. The Harolds led the students out of the van. Andy felt grass under his feet.
“Please leave your blindfolds on for a minute,” Mr. Harold instructed. “What are your senses telling you about this place?” After much chattering Mr. Harold said, “Without talking, take off your blindfolds. Look up.”
There was complete silence.
Andy stared in amazement. He was in awe of God’s handiwork. The dark sky shone with stars—more stars than he had ever seen before. The full moon was brilliant. Wisps of clouds could be seen in the distance.
Mr. Harold began softly singing the song from choir rehearsal. Others soon joined him. Andy and the other students found themselves singing their hearts out about God’s greatness.
How might thinking of God the Creator change the way the students sing? Describe a time when you have been in awe of God’s creation.
Learning From God
God’s plan was perfect. He created everything we can see and understand. He also created everything we can’t see and things we don’t understand.
It’s hard to imagine nothing, but that is what God started out with in the beginning. First, God created the heavens and the earth. Discover what else God created on days one through three.
Genesis 1:1–13, KJV—1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
[“Firmament” means the sky.]
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
What I Have Learned
4. God created the heavens and the ____________.
5. God caused herb and fruit tree to grow
6. God called the vault ____________.
Down
1. God called the darkness ____________.
2. God divided the light from the ____________.
3. God called the waters ____________.
Complete the sentence: God saw His creation and thought it was ____________.
Keep In Mind
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1–2, KJV).
Choosing What’s Best
In our story, seeing the awesome sky prompted the students to appreciate God. What aspects of God’s creation causes you to appreciate Him more?
On the lines below, list three aspects of God’s creation for which you are thankful and why.
3. How do you express your appreciation?
Doing My Part
This week you are challenged to go outside three times to look at God’s creation and praise Him. You can go out in the morning to see the sun or at night to see the stars. You can look at how animals interact with one another. Tell someone about the marvelous things you see. Say a prayer of praise, thanking God for His handiwork. Be ready to share next week.
So Many Rules!
What’s It All About?
“Look at this!” Viv said, snatching a sheet of paper that was taped to the refrigerator and handing it to her cousin, Trina.
“What is it?” Trina asked as she read the paper.
“It’s a bunch of rules that Mom and Dad left for us to follow while they’re on vacation,” Viv responded. “They can’t be serious. I should hide them before Grandma sees them.”
Trina laughed. “It’s not that bad, and besides, if you really think about it, these rules are for our benefit. Plus, Grandma probably knows the rules by heart. Hiding them won’t do any good.”
Viv sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I just sometimes wonder why I have to follow so many rules. Why do we need rules in the first place?”
Answer Viv’s question. Why do you think people need rules to live by? What are the rules called that God gave His children? How many can you recite from memory?
Learning From God
In this passage, the Children of Israel are given some of God’s rules to live by, which are called commandments. There are 10 commandments. The Ten Commandments teach us how to relate with God and with each other. The first four commandments follow.
Exodus 20:1–11, KJV— And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Did you notice that the first four commandments instruct you how to relate to God? What does that tell you about God? How important is your relationship with Him?
What I Have Learned
The following words are from today’s Scripture passage. Can you find them all in the word search?
blessed God jealous rested work commandments holy love Sabbath seventh
B M S M O S A S E V E N T H
O T D E A T O R E S T E D S
C O E H H G H S S A A O E Y
O E V L O L H M T L O A R N
M O U N H L H K T D S T D E
M O O N E E Y R E E O E V J
A E E E T A O O T R S O N E
N T S G O D S W E S L D D A
D T U O T G E A E R R A S L
M S T M M T S L M M H B E O
E O A Y Y D B M J D M M E U
N H S E A E E R E L E L E S
T E A K E N M S A A E R B O
S A E L N S S S A B B A T H
Keep In Mind
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2–3, KJV).
Choosing What’s Best
Of the commandments listed in today’s lesson, which one do you find hardest to obey?
Briefly create a plan of action that you can take to better obey the commandments listed above or any of the commandments in today’s lesson.
Doing My Part
Your challenge this week is to put God first. The very first commandment tells you to have “no other gods before me.” This is God’s instruction to you. Do you know that TV, video games, money, clothes, popularity, or anything you concentrate too much on or give all of your time to can become a god in your life? If you love God and desire to obey Him, then put Him first.
That’s Love
What’s It All About?
Mom packed a lunch for Jerome and his dad to take on their Saturday trip to the big city. They were going to stop by a big research library so Dad could get some books he needed for a class he was taking. Then they were going to picnic in the park before visiting some museums.
Jerome was very happy when it was time for lunch; he had worked up quite an appetite. However, as Jerome pulled out his sandwich, he saw a young boy sitting on a bench, watching him as he took a bite. He heard the boy say to the woman sitting next to him, “I’m hungry.”
Jerome sat for a minute and then asked his dad if he could offer the little boy one of the extra sandwiches Mom packed. Dad smiled. “That’s very kind, Jerome,” he said. “Perhaps they’re both hungry and would like to share what we have.” They both stood and headed toward the bench.
What is your attitude about sharing what you have with others? Some Juniors may not have much to give when it comes to food or money. What other ways can someone your age show compassion and kindness? How is compassion related to justice?
Learning From God
Some people may think that justice only means punishing others and making them suffer the consequences of their behavior. They may not realize that God’s justice calls for compassion toward others. Today’s verses outline some ways you can treat others in a caring and compassionate way.
Leviticus 19:9–18, 33–37, KJV— And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God. 11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the LORD. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Verses 33–37— And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
If you are striving to live justly and reflect the justice of God, then you will show compassion, love, and kindness toward others. It may be easy to do if you think how compassionate, loving, and kind God is toward you.
What I Have Learned
Several actions are listed. Are they acceptable or not acceptable to God?
1. Stealing
Acceptable Not acceptable
2. Being honest
Acceptable Not acceptable
3. Sharing with others
Acceptable Not acceptable
4. Spreading rumors
Acceptable Not acceptable
5. Feeling hatred toward someone
Acceptable Not acceptable
6. Loving others
Acceptable Not acceptable
Keep In Mind
“But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:34, KJV).
Choosing What’s Best
Here are some people to whom God wants you to be kind. How can you show compassion to each one?
1. The poor _____________________________________
2. Those who are physically disabled ____________
3. Your neighbor ________________________________
4. Someone you hold a grudge against ____________
Doing My Part
One of the greatest ways you can treat people with compassion is to pray for them. Your challenge this week is to create a prayer that: 1) asks God to help you live a life of justice and compassion, and 2) asks God to show compassion to others.
Hear Our Cry
What’s It All About?
Jimmy’s father gave clear instructions: “Have a good time at the hangout but stay away from the older kids you know. They don’t mean well.”
“But they are my friends,” Jimmy complained.
“You have other friends. The older ones are troublemakers. And remember, if you get in trouble, your coach will kick you off the team.”
Jimmy huffed. “Fine.”
Once Jimmy and his older sister arrived at the hangout, they mingled and spoke with kids they knew. Jimmy soon saw the older group of kids he recognized from school. They called him over, so he went. As Jimmy pondered their invitation to stay and talk, his father’s words rang in his ear. Ultimately, Jimmy decided to distance himself from the group.
“Good seeing you guys, but I need to go keep an eye on my sister,” he said.
Soon after Jimmy had left them, a group of students from a rival school came, and the older guys started picking on them. Moments later, things turned chaotic. Several of the older kids had caused serious trouble and would face consequences at home and school.
When Jimmy returned home, he told his dad what happened.
“I’m proud of you, son. When you left, I prayed that you would be obedient. Because of your actions, you are safe at home.”
“But you are the one who told me not to hang with the older guys,” Jimmy stated.
“But who do you think told me?” Jimmy’s father smiled.
In what ways did Jimmy pass the test that was set before him?
Learning From God
God told Moses to scout the land of Canaan and prepare to take it over for His people. Inhabited by giants, their appearance and stalwart fortifications caused those to hear about it and doubt the idea of invasion. Yet, the Lord said He has already given it to them and to just believe.
Numbers 13:1–2, 17, 25–28; 14:1–2, 5–10, KJV—And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely
it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
What I Have Learned
Read each statement and decide if it is True or False
1. Moses gathered ten men to spy on the land of Canaan. ____________
2. The Israelites were afraid of the Canaanites because they were a race of dwarves. ____________
3. Joshua was the only spy who believed what God said. ____________
4. The Israelites did not want the land of Canaan because it did not offer enough provisions.
7. The two spies who did not waver from God’s word were Caleb and Joshua. ____________
Keep In Mind
“If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey” (Numbers 14:8, KJV).
Choosing What’s Best
In what areas of your life have you stopped believing God? Why? Repent and ask God to forgive you for giving up on His promise. Then, on the line below, write down the promise.
5.The spies were gone for 40 days. ____________
6. God punished the Israelites for speaking against Him. ____________
Pray and ask God to help you keep the faith regardless of how you might feel or the obstacles you see standing in your way.
Doing My Part
In today’s printed scriptural passage, the Israelites (except Caleb and Joshua) began to doubt that possession of Canaan was possible. In today’s story, Jimmy could have found himself in big trouble if he had doubted his father’s words of wisdom. The Israelites had to trust God; Jimmy needed to trust his father and God. You, too, must trust your parents and guardians when they say they have your best interest at heart. This week, you are to demonstrate your faith by doing the things you are supposed to do. Do you sneak in calls on your cell phone after you’ve been told not to? Do you watch shows that you’ve been told not to watch? There are reasons why you have guidelines. You might not understand them, but don’t complain about things. Be obedient and trust that there is a reason why.
