Cain vs. Abel

Genesis 4:8
Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

The tragedy that took place in the very first family illustrates powerfully the awfulness of our sin. This story showed several things - including how important it is to come to God on His terms with a heart of faith in Him.

For extra insight into the Cain and Abel connection look at the verses below and write down their connection to our lesson in Genesis 4.

1. From Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."

How should we be like Abel if we are to be "acceptable" to God? (hint: look for a word that starts with an "f")


2. from I John 3 "For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

Part A Why does John talk about love and then bring up "Cain?"
Part B Is verse 15 really true? Are you aware of how God looks at "hate?"
Does this verse remind you of something Jesus said? (hint:Matt. 5:21)

3. Jude 10-11 "But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion."

How is Cain like an "animal?"

4. What things can I do to please God from this weeks lesson? Make a list of
six things.....

Reminder: We need to have faith in God and be increasing in our faith and love of
God. How do you do that? The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! When we saturate ourselves in the Word of God by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, praying over it and listening to it being taught at church we will have our minds renewed (made new) by it and as it changes our heart we will become more like Jesus and act like and talk like Him! Now that sounds a whole lot better than taking the way of Cain - right?

God bless you and God's grace be poured out on you as you commit yourselves to obey His Word this week,

Mr. Page

Intelligent Design Video - Unlocking the Mystery of Life

Beginnings....

Here is the first installment in the Summer Challenge '09!

Here are some questions to work on this week to review last weeks lesson
in Genesis 1.

Fact Questions....
1. What existed “in the beginning”?
2. If God existed before the creation, where did He come from? When was
God created?
3. How long did God take to complete the creation?
4. What did God make on each day of the week?

Thinking Questions...
1. Why is it important to know that the God we worship is the creator?
2. Is it important to know that Genesis is a literal account? Why or why not?
3. How does a literal view of Genesis differ than the worldly one?

Bonus Question:
1. According to Colossians 1:14-17 Who created everything?

Note to parents: The first four questions are fairly easy for all grades. The
last four will require some more help especially in grades one through three.

Either email the answers you and your child come up with or print them out
and answer them and bring them on Sunday for a special prize.

The Summer Challenge 2009!

I am re-activating this blog for Calvary Chapel Redding's Children's Ministry for 1st through 6th grades. It is also now for boys and girls and our new articles for the summer will have to do with the Summer Challenge 2009!

What is the summer challenge all about? Let me count the ways....

1. A little extra motivation to use the summer months wisely as parents and students.

2. Bring in interesting articles that will spur us on to deeper study and investigation!

3. To work together to bring our children first to saving faith in Christ and then, to equip them together towards maturity!

Very basic I know - but you might find it interesting over the course of these next couple of months to be made aware just how many churches (who are well intentioned) are not assisting in this endeavor but actually are part of the problem.

Triumph in humility...

The amazing account of Jesus' life and ultimate goal takes a big turn this week as He enters Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey. In great humility, the King of Kings comes to Jerusalem to triumph over the powers of darkness by taking away the means that Satan has to condemn us - the debt we I owe for our sins. In Colossians 2 the Bible says that our "record of debt" was nailed to the Lord's cross. It then says that this was how Jesus triumphed over the forces of darkness. The Lord Jesus disarmed the devil by taking our place and paying off the debt we owe.

This is the reason we praise Him - this is the reason we love Him - this is the reason we live for Him!

So do all of that and you too will be a part of the true parade of praise that many throughout history have joined in with. The amazing power of God shown in the most amazingly humble means of our precious Savior coming on a lowly donkey...coming to give His life as a ransom for me and for you....praise Him....He deserves it!

The world usually sees humility as a weakness - however a humble slave of Christ can be used in mighty powerful way by our God. We are to live our lives humbly serving Christ and leaving the results to Him- He will do mighty things with someone totally in submission to Him!

Have a great week!
Rod Page

here is a link to the notes from Sunday's lesson... http://rod.page.googlepages.com/ssnotes

No Jealousy - No Prejudice - No Attitude

Today's lesson in Sunday School is one that may seem easy to take for granted. It is one however, that we should not take lightly. It is a great warning to have a godly attitude if our goal is to become a Man of God - someone who fully pleases the Lord.

God is the author of Salvation. God is the author of Grace and Mercy and Rewards and Order - All of these things are from and to Him. What do I mean by that?

He is the source of all of the benefits of salvation and of salvation itself. All of it and even the exact execution of it is meant to lead to God being glorified and worshiped! It is from Him and to Him! He is the great "decider" - the Judge who is perfectly right to make decisions that are perfectly right and we do not have the right to argue with Him! Our idea that we have any rights comes from the flesh that we still deal with everyday. It comes from the evil that is in the worldly thinking. It also comes from the enemy who shouts to us from the broad road daily to think like he does. But God's Word is true! God is the one who does all things right and our job is to be His slave and crucify the flesh and the world and resist the devil with the strength He provides by the Holy Spirit that lives inside us. Everything good we get from God is from Him and it is for His glory and praise.

That is the point of the lesson. We are not to look at others and begrudge God's mercy being given to them. In other words we are not to be jealous of how God blesses other Christians in any way. We are all (real believers, that is) headed to eternity in heaven together. Praise the Lord for that. Thank God for saving you and don't worry about how others get there or how God blesses them now or later. God will reward correctly because only He knows our hearts and why we do the thing we do!

So, have your heart right with God. Agree to let Him be God - it won't matter if you argue or not anyway - He will be God and that is all there is to it! God wants our attitudes though, to be in line with the idea that He is to be submitted to. As one of my sons prayed one night at the tender age of three..."God Is Da Boss". It is not for us to decide who will get saved or in what order or who will be rewarded at all. It is according to His great Grace that any of us are saved at all - so our job is to thank Him for our salvation and maintain lives that are fully submitted to Him and finding our great joy and satisfaction and reason for living fully in Him!

Think on these things - go over the passage - including the part in chapter 19 leading up to chapter 20. Pray and ask God for a thankful heart and serve Him gladly this week!
Pray and read your Bible everyday without fail! Live a life of simple love and hope - thankfulness and praise and be submissive and obedient to your parents. Work hard in school and at home and at play!

Love in Christ
Rod Page

Below is the link to the notes from Sunday's lesson!

http://rod.page.googlepages.com/ssnotes

True Salvation

Are you really saved?  That is the question for this week!  If we rely on any possession we have instead of on the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, our foundation is like quick sand.  Our salvation is based on repentance that is granted by God in His mercy.  He is the one to open the blind eyes we are born with to the truth of our sin and the Salvation that is in Christ through the sacrifice of His life for ours on the Cross!  Our "accepting" of Him, is because of His mercy alone - because He has drawn us and given us a heart to seek Him in the first place.  

Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith....II Corinthians 13:5!

Without this being settled in your mind and heart - there is simply nothing else to talk about!

With it being settled - the door to the kingdom of God is wide open and every good promise of the Book is available to you!

Study over the notes at the link below - to study just means you need to go over something many times until you really "know" it inside and out!  Chew the nourishment out of the Word and this will feed your faith! Have a great week in Christ!

http://rod.page.googlepages.com/ssnotes