Lesson Four - “How To Pray God’s Word”

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For so long kids have thought of the Bible as just a book of really good stories. Although there are many won- derful stories in the Bible, it is more than just a storybook. It is a promise book.

Throughout the Bible, God gives us promises that He will heal us, help us, be with us, guide us, protect us, and much much more. These promises are what we can lean on in times of trouble.

When we pray, we can speak these promises back to God, reminding Him (and us) that He has promised to take care of His children. By reading what God has done in the past, we build our faith for what God will do both now and in the future.

Countdown Video #3

Lesson Intro Video #5

“Praying God’s Word”

Puppet SkitWhat good is the Bible?

Skittles Video #7POWER VERSE—“Heaven and Earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.”

Matthew 24:35

Game Time“Sword Drill!”

Worship Songs

Illustrated Message“The B-I-B-L-E!”

Review Questions

Wrap it Up #

“I Can Pray God’s Word!”

“Heaven and Earth will disappear,but my words will remain forever.”

Matthew 24:35

The Bible gives us many promiseswe can believe!

Lesson Four - “How To Pray God’s Word”

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Lesson Intro Video“Praying God’s Word”

Puppet SkitWhat good is the Bible?

Offering Time

Praise Songs

Skittles VideoPOWER VERSE—“Heaven and Earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.”

Matthew 24:35

Game Time“Sword Drill!”

Worship Songs

Illustrated Message“The B-I-B-L-E!”

Review Questions

1. by 2. by 3. by 4. by 5. by 6. by 7. by 8. by 9. by 10. by 11. by 12. by 13. by 14. by 15. by 16. by 17. by

“I Can Pray God’s

“Heaven and Earth will disappear,

but my words will

The Bible gives us many promises

Lesson Four - “How To Pray God’s Word”

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Puppet SkitCharacter: Mr. Crabbe is a grouchy old man puppet that struggles with his attitude.

(You can use any puppet your kids are familiar with.)

Leader: The Bible is such a cool book that can help us to pray! It’s the greatest book in the world!

Mr. Crabbe: (pops up) What’s that?

Leader: Oh, Hi, Mr. Crabbe. We were just talking about the greatest book in the world.

Mr. Crabbe: Oh, I have that book. It’s amazing. It helps me with my everyday problems. It helps me understand the world around me. It gives me direction when I am lost. It’s a great book.

Leader: It sure is. So, you have one, I guess?

Mr. Crabbe: Well, of course I have one. I wouldn’t go anywhere without my favorite book, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes .

Leader: What? Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes? That’s not the greatest book ever written.

Mr. Crabbe: Oh, yes it is. Anytime I am in trouble, I just open up the book and read me a rhyme. It helps me with my everyday problems. Like the other day, I was really thirsty, so I opened up the Mother Goose book, and I read, “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.” Then, I realized I needed some water. So, I got a drink and I felt better.

Leader: What? That’s silly! You already knew you needed water. You were thirsty.

Mr. Crabbe: Oh, but then there was the next day when I was about to run in that race. I opened up the book and read, “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack jump over the candlestick.” Then, I knew I had to run really quickly in the race. Of course, I never did see any candle- sticks along the way. Hmmmm.

Leader: Mr. Crabbe. Don’t you know that Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes may teach you some great lessons and tell you some great stories, but it’s not the greatest book in the world.

Mr. Crabbe: Really? Then, what is?

Leader: The Bible.

Mr. Crabbe: The Bible? What good is the Bible?

Leader: It’s an amazing book that is not just full of great stories, but it is full of God’s words; God’s promises to us that we can remember when we pray!

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Lesson Four - “How To Pray God’s Word”

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Puppet Skit (continued)Mr. Crabbe: But, it’s such an old book. How can it help me when I pray today?

Leader: When we read about how God did such great things a long time ago, we can remember that those same promises are for us today. All we have to do is pray those promises out loud to God and we help our faith in God get stronger and stronger as we pray.

Mr. Crabbe: So, then I don’t need my nursery rhymes?

Leader: Well, those are great for bedtime, but for a LIFEtime I choose the Bible. It’s the one book that will last forever!

Mr. Crabbe: WOW! Well, I guess I better get to reading my Bible so I can pray God’s promises!

Leader: Good idea. See ya later, Mr. Crabbe.

Mr. Crabbe: See ya later!

Lesson four - “How To Pray god’s word”

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Game Time“Sword Drill!”

Items Needed For Game:Four Bibles

How To Play: Choose two boys and two girls to compete. They each get a Bible (“the sword of the Spirit”).

There will be five rounds of this game. Each round the children will be racing to look up a scripture that contains a promise that we can use when we pray. Whoever finds the most scriptures quickest wins!

Round 1 - Isaiah 53:5

Round 2 - Matthew 7:7

Round 3 - 1 John 1:9

Round 4 - Romans 8:28

Round 5 - Jeremiah 33:3

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Illustrated Message“The B-i-b-l-e”

Materials Needed: The Data CD; a large Bible; a map; a set of blueprints

Preparation: Open the PowerPoint presentation on the Data CD titled “Lesson Four,” begin with the slide titled “The B-I-B-L-E.” There is a slide foreach point in the message.

The Message: (title slide)

We have learned today that the Bible is more than just a storybook. It is God’s word for our lives. We can use the promises that God has made in the Bible when we pray by quoting those scrip- tures out loud. When we do that, it reminds us of what God has promised, and it builds our faith.

Remember the song we used to sing a lot in the nursery? “The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me. I stand upon the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E. BIBLE!” Remember that? Well, there is a rea- son we can “stand” on the Word of God. As a matter of fact there are several reasons. Here are a few:

1. The Bible Is Our Road Map (slide)

(hold up the road map) The Bible is our road map. What does a road map do? (allow re- sponse) It helps know where to go and how to get there, right? The Bible does the same for us. Have you ever been in a situation where you just didn’t know what to do? You wonder what kind of decision you should make, so you just look up to Heaven and yell, “HELP!”

A lot of people in the Bible found themselves in that same situation. We can look at the Bible and pray several of the promises that God has given us to receive guidance and direction from God. God says in James 1:5, “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of the Lord who gives generously…” If you don’t know where to go, the Bible is your road map. Just pray and ask God to show you where in the word of God He has given you the answer for direction in your life!

2. The Bible Is Our Blue Print (slide)

Have you ever watched construction crews build a house? You watch the guy in charge and you see him constantly looking at one of these (hold up the blue prints). Do you know why? Because this tells him how to build the house. If he didn’t follow these blue prints, who knows what kind of house he would end up with, if it even ended up being a house at all.

The Bible is our blue print. If you want to know how to build strong character in your life, you look at the Bible. The Bible contains thousands of scriptures that give us direction on how to build our

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Illustrated Message

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(CONTINUED)

lives into incredible works of art.

Don’t try to build your life based on what others think. If the construction crew just did what everybody walking by the construction site thought, what kind of building would they end up with? Probably a pretty messed up building, huh?

That’s why we must use the Bible as our only blue print for life. We read in the Bible exactly what God wants our lives to look like. He is the creator of each of us, so He is the one who knows ex- actly what He wants us to become.

3. The Bible Is 100% True (slide)

Every word contained in the Bible is true. God cannot lie. When He speaks, it is the truth.That’s why we can trust Him. When He says in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and you will receive…” we can be- lieve it. When He says in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good for them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose,” we can believe it.

God never made a promise He had to make. God never made a promise that He had to break. If He makes a promise, it is 100% true, and He WILL come through on that promise.

Sometimes we may find ourselves wondering if God really does want to do all the things He says in His word. Does He really want to bless us? Does He really want to protect us? Does He really want to comfort us? Does He really want to heal us? Well, 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “All of God’s promises are Yes and Amen…” That means that all of God’s promises are true and can be trusted. When we pray, we can pray the promises of God out loud to help remind us that God is 100% faithful.

Altar Response: (play soft music)

Pray with kids that have a hard time trusting God. Pray that each child will remember that every promise in the Bible is for them and their family. God never goes back on His promises. Pray the promises out loud to remind your group that God is faithful.

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Review Questions

1. What was today’s Big Idea? Answer: I Can Pray God’s Word!

2. What was Mr. Crabbe’s favorite book? Answer: Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

3. Can the Bible be trusted? Answer: Yes

4. How long will God’s word remain? Answer: forever

5. According to our lesson, the Bible is our road ? Answer: map

6. According to our lesson, the Bible is our blue ? Answer: print

7. According to our lesson, the Bible is 100% ? Answer: true

8. What was this week’s power verse?Answer: “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will remain

forever.” Matthew 24:35

9. How many of God’s promises has He had to make? Answer: none, He chose to make them

10. How many of God’s promises has He had to break? Answer: none

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