KidzPort February 7 – ABBA

February 9, 2010

Not the band.  No “Dancing Queen” here.

It’s pretty common in our culture to give people nicknames.   We do it all the time, even if the “nickname” is just adding an ending to someone’s name.   We even give our parents “nicknames” of sorts; we call mothers “mom, mommy, mamma, ma.”    We call fathers “dad, daddy, dadda, pappa, pop…”   Technically, these are called diminutives. That’s an unfortunate word.  Because when we give someone a personalized name, it means that we have a special, personal, intimate relationship with that person.   After all, it would be weird if a total stranger came up to a woman and started calling her “Mommy.”  Wouldn’t it?

Can we have this kind of familiar, casual relationship with God?  Of course!!  In fact, the Bible shows us we can.  The Aramaic work abba is the equivalent to something like “Daddy.”   Jesus used this word when praying in the garden.  (Mark 14:36)

For Parents:

• Ask your child if they have any nicknames for their friends, or talk about any “family” names that your family might have.  Are there stories behind them?
• Read Romans 8 and Galatians 4 together.  Can you find where “Abba” is used, and why.  What does it say to you?
• Pray together, trying to be more personal and less formal in our conversations with our heavenly “Daddy.”

KidzPort January 10 – A New Year

January 11, 2010

In our first KidzPort session of the new year we talked about – the new year!  (Stunning, I know.)

New Year’s are a traditional time for beginning.  Marking from one year to another is a convenient way to evaluate our lives and choices.  So it is natural that we look at the past year with (constructive) criticism and look to the new one with hope and determination.

People make resolutions on New Years.  That means that they resolve to change something in their lives.  It’s not always that what they are doing is bad – it usually means that they can simply do better.

One thing we resolved to do better is to promote respect:

• Respect for God
• Respect for one’s self
• Respect for those in authority
• Respect for others

For Parents:

• Talk to your child about the promise of the new year – what areas can they do better in?  Remember to be honest about what areas you can do better in.
• Pray with you child about this time of change, and that you will make the most out of what God has planned for you in 2010.

KidzPort March 15 – Tears

March 24, 2009

So sad. 

Hezekiah was very sad.  After all, Isaiah, the prophet of the Lord, had just told him “Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.” (2 Kings 20:1) 

I mean, if a prophet of God told me that I was about to die, I’d probably freak out.  I would certainly do what Hezekiah did – he cried.  The Word doesn’t say he “cried out to the Lord” or anything like that.  It simply says that Hezekiah “wept bitterly.” (v.3)

Somtimes we simply cry.  We’re sad, we’re frustrated, we’re tired and feel like giving up.  But God tells us not to give up.  God tells us that he knows when we cry.  Our memory verse, verse 5, surely gives us as much hope as it gave Hezekiah:

“Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”

Tears tell a lot about us, and are a special language all their own.  And God knows this language.  Don’t be afraid to cry – it’s like speaking to God.

For Parents:

• Work with your children to discover the reasons that they cry.  Talk to them about why they think they cry.
• If your child has reason to cry at all this week (I hope not!), encourage them to pray during whatever the crisis is, or afterwards.
• Read the memory verse (2Kings 20:5) with your child and help them memorize it.

Easter update!

There will be a special event for the kids on Easter Saturday.  We will be having an Easter Egg Hunt and picnic.  The location is planned for Beardlsy Park (weather permitting.)   Keep watching the GLCCKidz website for more detailed information.

Also, the KidzPort kids will be singing on Easter Sunday during the regular worship service.  So be sure to INVITE family and friends!

KidzPort March 1 – Family

March 2, 2009

Interesting topic of conversation today – the family.  Specifically, the relationship that a familty has to each other, and how that relates to the Gospel and to salvation.

We read today the story of Paul and Silas, as they found themselves in jail.  They had been in Phillippi, and drove a spirit out of a girl.  For this “crime” they were beated and imprisioned.  While in jail, they were singing and praying to God, and a great earthquake shook the building and damged the door.  The jailor feared that they had escaped, but instead, found them sitting there, being obedient to the law. 

The jailor asked them what he must do to be saved.  Paul replied “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved – you and your whole family.”

It is often the case that faith comes to a household through one member.  Rarely does a whole family receive Christ at once.  But that one person can have such a profound imact on the others, that eventually they will come to a place of faith in Christ as well.  In fact, we often claim that promise – that our whole household will be saved.  

For Parents:

• Discuss with your child how your household came to faith in Christ.  Who was first?  A parent? The child?
• Reread the story of Paul and Silas in jail.  (Acts 16:25-34)  Relive what happened so they can understand it.
• Discuss how important it was that Paul and Silas obeyed the civil authorities and did not try to escape.  If they had escaped, would the jailor’s household have been saved?

Kidzport – November 23. – Asking God for Good Things

November 24, 2008

First, let me thank our three volunteers for helping out this week, freeing Jill and myself for some needed family time.  Marisol, Celia and Ashley – thank you! 

This week the topic was asking God for things.  The key verse was Psalm 4:6.

There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?”  LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

Often, we turn to all kinds of people when we are asking for things, and we fail to turn to the Father of Blessings!   Imagine that!  The one person who has the ability to give all things, and we neglect to ask Him.   Marisol took the time to work through praying with the children, talking about how we can effectively pray to God, and why God is the one we should turn to.

For Parents:

• Pray with your children.  The most effective way to teach a child is to show them.  The bible says that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov 22:6)
• Ask your child if they remember Psalm 4:6, and help them to recall it and recite it. 
• Encourage your child to put their wants and needs before God.  This is especially important at this time of year.  Be sure they are asking God, not Santa Clause!