All posts by admin

The Boy who Never Quit Eating

There once lived a boy who never quit eating,

His name was Franklin Johnson Keating.

He ate all his veggies.

He ate all his greens.

He ate up his broccoli,

And then ate his beans.

Then went the potatoes,

With butter on top.

There goes the tomatoes,

With a gulp and a pop.

He gobbled up a steak,

And then went a roll.

Then he slurped up his soup.

Then he ate his bowl!

There goes his spoon.

There goes his plate.

Then with a smile,

The tablecloth he ate.

This may seem unreal,

Kind of like a fable,

But next he ate–believe it or not,

His own kitchen table.

Then the curtains went,

In a big, sloppy slurp.

There goes the sink,

With a belch and a burp.

Wait! Here comes his dad,

Carrying a big box.

Full of his sister’s,

Old, dirty socks.

Franklin opens wide,

And, swoosh, there it goes,

Down to his belly,

Before the smell hits his nose.

Then Franklin freezes,

And gives a little moan.

“I think I’m done now,”

He says with a groan.

“I feel kind of green.

I don’t feel right.

I think I’ve lost,

My appetite.”


Moderation

Moderation means that you know when to stop. So just because you can eat twelve candy bars, doesn’t mean that you should eat twelve candy bars. Moderation draws a line that says, “Even though I can do something, too much of it, even if it’s good, can be bad for me.” Some people have trouble eating too much, watching too much TV, or playing too many video games. These are just a few examples of where some people might need to show more moderation.

In the Bible 1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of anything.”

Through Christ – Philippians 4:13

Memorize Philippians 4:13 this week. Below is a game where you will try to guess a phrase from this verse:

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

After the game, continue reading below…


The key to this verse isn’t that YOU can do all thing but that Christ gives you the strength to do anything and everything that He calls you to do. This verse isn’t about you–It’s all about Him and what He can do in and through you!

Light Please

You Will Need: 


GET STARTED

Choose an item to hide in your child’s room. Show it to them, then go in their room, close the door and hide it. When you come out, ask them how quickly they think they can find it. Then tell them that you’re going to turn the lights out and they’ll have to search in the dark. Let them search for a minute and then give them a flashlight. If you have more than one child, let them search one at a time. 

After the searching is done and the item is found, sit down as a family with the flashlight in the dark room.

SAY—The Bible says the world is full of darkness (bad things) but that Jesus is the light of the world. Just like I helped you when I brought you the flashlight, you can help others by telling them about Jesus. You found what you were looking because I gave you the light. Jesus, who is the light of the world, is what everyone is looking for in life and they can find Him when you show them the way.

BIG QUESTIONS

What’s one way you can show Jesus to others? (Talk about Him, live for Him, invite others to church, tell people Jesus loves them, pray with people who are hurt or sad, etc.)

Who is someone with whom you can share Jesus’ love? (Grandparents, a teacher, a friend, etc.)

SAY—Jesus sent His disciples to tell others the “Good News,” but He never sent them alone. Today, even if you’re by yourself, you’re never alone when you’re telling someone about Jesus. The Lord is right there with you and He’ll always give you the strength to do anything He wants you to do.

Read Philippians 4:13 from your Bible.

PRAY—List prayer requests and thank God that He will always give you the strength to do everything He’ll ever ask you to do.

Creativity

Read 

We have all heard that curiosity killed that cat but being curious or creative is not a bad trait to have. Creativity can be a crucial ingredient to opening a door for an exciting new opportunity. For centuries hikers have had burs in their socks. But it wasn’t until 1948 that Swiss mountaineer and Chemist George de Mestral got an idea; while peeling burs from his socks on a hike he realized that nature had provided us with a natural fastener. He turned that observation into a marvelous product with a million uses: Velcro (which means “velvet hooks” in French), the world’s first manmade burrs.

Reflect 

Mark 2:22—“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” 

If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. (James 1:5 GWT) 

Respond 

Have you ever considered that of all the creations of God only man creates? Animals don’t create. Insects don’t create. Only man has the ability to take an idea and resources and make something original, not out of instinct, but out of desire. Why? Because the Lord is creative and we are made in His image. How can God use your creativity this week to serve others and glorify Christ? Are you facing a burdensome task in your life? How can you be creative in this matter to add a new energy and freshness to it? 

Curiosity is also valuable to a person. Curiosity fuels growth. What are you curious about? If you could ask God one question, what would it be? 

Your thoughts?

1Charles Panati, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Thing, (Harper and Row 1987), p. 156. 

What If

If there was no gravity,

Your dog could fly.

He’d need no wings,

To jump to the sky.

There he goes, up real high.

Wait! He’s going too far.

Time to say Good-bye.

If there was no night,

You’d never have to go to bed.

You’d never see the moon, all right,

And never lay down your head.

Wait! It would always be light, you say?

And no dreaming would be creepy?

Suddenly, I think I’ll take a nap.

I’m feeling kind of sleepy.

What if dogs could talk,

And frogs taught school?

What if a dragon lived,

In your swimming pool?

What if the sky was green,

And we all ate trees?

What if we had twelve legs,

And twenty-four knees?

What if people lived,

under the ground?

And could dig as fast,

As the speed of sound?

What if people lived,

A million years?

And we never cried,

Cause we had no tears?

What if we could fly to the sky,

And on a cloud, build a town?

What if, instead of growing up,

People grew down?

If all this were true,

It would cause a big fuss.

But what if God,

Didn’t love us?

That would scare me more,

Than the world’s biggest rat.

But I’m so glad,

I don’t have to worry about that.


Certainty

There are a lot of “what ifs” and questions in life, but there are some things that you never have to question such as: God will always love you. The Bible will always be true. Jesus will never let you down. And when bad things happen, here’s a promise to which you can cling. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” So, have no fear, Jesus is near.

Encouragement

Read 

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers thrown all around the front yard. The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house. Proceeding into the entry, he found even a bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was littered with toys and various clothing items. In the kitchen the dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over the toys and more clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, “What happened here today?” She again smiled and answered, “You know everday when you come home from work and ask me what in the world I did today?” “Yes,” was his incredulous reply. “Well, today,” she said, “I didn’t do it.”1 

Reflect 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV) 

1 Thess. 5:11—“Therefore, encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” 

Respond 

We all need affirmation. How has the Lord affirmed and encouraged you in your ministry position this past week? How have you affirmed and encouraged others? Do you feel like anything is lacking right now in your relationship with God? In your ministry to others? How would you like for someone right now to encourage or affirm you? 

Your thoughts?

Remember 

“Definition of an arch: Two weaknesses leaning against each other to make a strength.” —Leonardo Da Vinci2 

1A Children’s Leader Devotion, (Lake Forest, CA: Saddleback Church), Week 10. 

2Quote taken from Saddleback Community Church’s Children’s Ministry Values. 

One Way – Acts 4:12

Use key words from Acts 4:12 in the find-it game below:

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved

(See if you can notice one key word that is not included in this game…Scroll below to discover what it is.)


The word “no.” There is no one else who can save us. There is no other name by which we must be saved.

Only Jesus Saves!