Nature Corner: Bats Bats are amazing flying creatures that eat lots of bugs. They are active at night. Bats make sounds and listen to how the sounds echo back to them to figure out where they are and what's around them. Because bats are such good listeners, they are able to catch lots of bugs. This reminds me of Psalm 81:13, which says, "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!" God really wants us to be good listeners, too. He wants us to listen to His commandments and obey them. Our Bible story today is about a little boy who listened carefully to God. Memory Mastery: God's Special Book We are now memorizing important facts about God's special book, the Bible. You can listen right here to learn more about the Bible. Children who are able to answer questions about God's Special Book will receive a sample of sheep's wool to add to their Bible artifact collection. We are also learning the first verse and refrain to the hymn, Standing on the Promises. Mission Mail: Something to Hope For Dear Patterson Kids, My name is Coca, and I am 7 years old. I live in Romania. My mother was very sad because we didn't have the money to stay at our apartment. One day, she saw a poster that said, "Hope for the Next Generation." She needed hope, so she decided to take us all to some special meetings. At one meeting, the speaker asked for people to come forward if they wanted special prayer. I begged mother to go up and get special prayer, so mother agreed. The next day, God answered our prayers through a letter in the mail that said we could stay in our apartment. What special request do you need prayer for? Sincerely, Coca Bible Story: Samuel Hears God's Call References: 1 Samuel 2:12-3:21; PP 575-582 It was now time for God to call Israel's last judge to serve His people. As God looked around over Israel, He was sad. Priest Eli's sons were leading God's people astray with their careless service for God. In the little boy Samuel, God saw a leader who would serve Him and be an example to everyone. It was time for little Samuel to learn God's voice. One night as the boy Samuel lay sleeping, God called to him - "Samuel, Samuel." Samuel sat up and hurried to Priest Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" Samuel asked. "No, I didn't call you. Go back to bed," said sleepy Priest Eli. Samuel went back to bed. Again, Samuel heard a voice, "Samuel, Samuel." Samuel sat up and hurried to Priest Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" Samuel asked. "No, I didn't call you. Go back to bed," said Priest Eli. Samuel went back to bed. Again, the voice called out, "Samuel, Samuel." Samuel sat up and hurried to Priest Eli. "Here I am. Did you call me?" Samuel asked. Priest Eli sat up this time and grabbed Samuel's shoulder. "The Lord must be calling you. The next time He calls, just say, 'Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.'" Samuel went back to bed, but it was hard to sleep. Could God really be speaking to me? he thought. Sure enough, the Lord called out, "Samuel, Samuel." Samuel sat up and replied, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." And God gave Samuel a special message to tell Priest Eli about his naughty sons. Samuel was scared to tell Priest Eli, but when Priest Eli insisted, "Tell me what God said to you." Samuel told him the message. "It is the Lord," Priest Eli said.
From then on, Samuel recognized God's voice. He listened when God called him. He obeyed everything God told him to do. He was a prophet and the last judge to govern Israel. Our prayer verse is Jeremiah 1:7, which says, "But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’ You must go everywhere that I send you. You must say everything I tell you to say." God is still looking for little leaders, like Samuel, to be good examples for His people and to show the world how much He loves them. Will you answer God when He calls? Dear Father God, Help me speak up for You, like Samuel, and share Jesus' love with others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Nature Corner: Cranberries Cranberries are in some of our favorite holiday sweet dishes. But, did you know that cranberries are actually very sour? You have to add a lot of sugar to cranberries to make them taste good. The Bible says in Psalm 34:17-19, "The Lord hears good people when they cry out to him. He saves them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He saves those whose spirits have been crushed. People who do what is right may have many problems. But the Lord will solve them all." Sometimes, we have bitter trials in life, but prayer sweetens them up and makes them easier to bear. Memory Mastery: God's Special Book We are now working on learning about God's Special Book, the Bible. Children who can answer questions correctly about the Bible will receive a sample of sheep's wool to add to their Bible artifact collection. Mission Mail: Listening to God Dear Patterson Kids, My name is Raluca, and I live in Romania. One day while walking home from school I saw a poster about Bible meetings. Then, I heard about them on the TV. I told my mom that we needed to go to those meetings, so mother agreed to take me. When the day of the meetings came, mother said she had too much housework to do. I wanted to go to the meetings so badly that I helped mother with all her housework. We finished just in time to leave to go to the meetings. At the meetings, mother and I learned lots of wonderful things about the Bible and our new friend, Jesus. Even father came and liked it. Do you like to learn more about the Bible? Sincerely, Raluca Bible Story: Hannah's Prayer Answered References: 1 Samuel 1; 2:1-11, 18-21; PP 569-574 During the time of the Judges, Elkanah of the tribe of Ephraim took his wife Hannah up to the house of God every year to worship God. On one visit, Hannah prayed fervently to the Lord - "Oh Lord, You know I have no children. Please give me a son, and I will dedicate him to your service all the days of his life." When Hannah told Priest Eli that she was asking the Lord for something very special to her, Priest Eli said, "The Lord grant you what you asked of Him." Hannah went home happy because she knew that God would answer her prayer. God did answer her prayer. She finally had a baby boy. She named her baby Samuel, which means, God listens to my prayers. When Elkanah invited Hannah to go to the house of God to worship, Hannah said, "I will not go until I finish nursing my son. Then, I will take him to God's house to live there forever." When Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to the house of God along with a special offering. She went straight to Priest Eli and said, "Here is the child that I asked of God. I am giving him to you to be your helper in God's house." Priest Eli thanked Hannah for giving him a little helper. Every year, when Hannah went to God's house to worship and visit her son, Samuel, she brought him a new robe that she made for him. God blessed Hannah with more children after that. And little Samuel was a blessing to God serving in His house. Our prayer verse is Proverbs 20:11, which says, "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right" (NKJV). Hannah raised Samuel to love and obey God. He did what was pure and right. He was a good helper. Do your actions show that you love to do what is pure and right? Dear Father God, Help me love to do what is pure and right, so that I may be a good helper, like Samuel. In Jesus' Name, Amen Table Time: Samuel Coloring Page
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