Contentment not resentment

1 Timothy 6:6 KJV

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

   This verse convicted me in my soul yesterday because I am often discontent when trying to serve my Lord  😞. I pray, "dearest Jesus, help me to live for you and do good" yet when I am working and he is answering my prayer by giving me opportunity to serve Him, I find myself grumbling within. The flesh is constantly fighting the spirit doing its best to rob me of all JOY in serving Him, all that CONTENTMENT vanishes and I'm left with a tired, complaint-ridden soul and I lose out on the beauty of serving my Lord 😔. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto the Lord" heartily (sincerely, genuinely, profoundly, thoroughly,completely...in an enthusiastic manner) well, folks, when I look at that, I begin to realize that if I'm serving Him THAT way, my attitude will change. If I'm feeling burdened and worn out, I need to check where my priorities are because, I know HIS burden is light and HIS yoke is easy...oh how I desire to just live in Him with contentment, for a life lived with it is great gain!!  😊

O be careful little minds...final week's lesson...PRAISE

O Be Careful Little Minds…

Phil. 4:8 Sunday School Series

 

Well guys, here we are at the final week in our lessons from Philippians 4:8.  I can’t believe it!!  It has been such a wonderful journey for Ms. Misty and I to learn right along side of you kiddos about the things we should always think upon… Whatsoever things are  TRUE, HONEST, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT, if there be any VIRTUE, and of course this week’s lesson rounding them out…if there be any PRAISE…think on these things!!  

 

This week, we are going to talk about the passage of scripture in the bible, Psalm 100. But first, let’s rewind a bit to the past few weeks…Do you guys remember Noah, a man of truth? Or Samuel the honest prophet, what about the just Queen Esther?  Stephen was a man who thought on things which were pure, to the point of his wonderful forgiveness of others…remember him?   I loved the Lovely friendship of David and Jonathan, what a joy.  And David who had a good report because he trusted God and fought the giant…and last week, we spoke of Ruth, a woman of virtue…wow, look at all the people we have learned about each week and how they ALL were children of God who loved Him and praised him with their actions and thoughts, how we, when we get our HEARTS and MINDS fixed upon these things Philippians 4:8 talks about, then we will be praising Him all the time.  He is good kiddos…really really good!!

 

What a wonderful joy it is to PRAISE THE LORD!!  Let us take a look at our passage for this week …

 

In verse 1 of psalm 100, David is talking about how we ALL should be praising him…shout for joy the bible says.  He created everything and everyone.  Genesis 1:1 tells us that!  

In verse 2, he talks about serving the Lord with all of our heart… what kind of heart? A HAPPY heart, thankful and so “Whatsoever ye (we) do, do it heartily as unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23)

In verse 3, we can be assured that we are His FOREVER and He is in control.  He made us and He will keep us always…”My beloved is mine and I am His. He feedeth his flock amond the lilies” (Song of Sol. 2:16a)  We can count on Him!!

In verse 4, when we have a heart filled up with thankfulness when we greet the world each day, that shows how grateful we are to Him for being so good to us!  It honors God!  “Oh give thanks to the Lord; for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever..” (Psalm 107:1)

In verse 5, the psalmist makes sure to sing the truth of how God is forever faithful, His mercy is everlasting… do you guys remember how long everlasting is?  YEP, for always and always it never ends…kinda like the infinity symbol you are gonna glue on your heart today in your craft.  God is good forever and ever!  “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever, his faithfulness continues…” (Psalm 100:5)

 

Can you guys see how all the ones we have talked about the past few weeks are all people of PRAISE?  They “fixed” their hearts upon the Lord and praised him with their thoughts and actions!! Today, I pray that each one of us will walk away with our hearts and minds fixed upon God’s truth and love…for He truly is good and His mercy definitely is everlasting!!  

 

Activity/Craft:  My HEART of Praise!

 

 

 

O be Careful Little Minds ... Philippians 4:8 Series

O Be Careful Little Minds…Phil 4:8 Series week 6

My goodness how time flies when you are learning about the goodness of the Lord.  I am so excited to be here in our sixth week of our Philippians 4:8 bible series lesson.  Last week, Mrs. Misty taught you guys about whatsoever things are of good report and I hear that you made an awesome “report card” where you could think about the things you guys have done that are good things for the Lord.  What a blessing that is!

Well, this week we are going to be talking about Virtue and what that means to the Lord.  Virtue means to be filled with goodness and right-living.  Basically to be doing what the Lord tells us to be doing.  So all those things we have been learning about are a part of this.  When we are keeping our minds are the truth of God’s word, honest things, behaving justly, keeping pure thoughts and making sure to have all A’s on our “report card” by living all these “virtues” out then we are pleasing to God.  I am so excited to share with you kiddos today about one of MY favorite women in the Bible, Ruth!  The Bible says in Ruth 3:11 that she was a “virtuous woman”.  

Ruth was a Moabite woman who had married into a family but early in her marriage her husband died.  But, Ruth, although she was not a Jew, loved her Mother-in-law, Naomi, so when Naomi was left all alone and decided to go back to her hometown where her family was, Ruth wanted to go with her.  This surprised Naomi because she knew that Ruth would have to leave her way of life and more than likely as a Moabite she would be treated as an outcast when she was among the Jewish people.  But, Ruth loved her and wanted to serve the same Lord that Naomi did which was our God.  What a blessing to know Ruth loved the Lord.  Ruth showed such virtue (right-living) that she had made an impression on Boaz who owned the fields where she worked.  She took care of her ailing Mother-in-law and always was respectful and grateful for having the chance to be with her.  This impressed Boaz so much that he had his men leave handfuls of the good wheat on purpose for Ruth.   When Naomi guided her in what to say to Boaz, the bible says Ruth said unto her, “all that thou sayest unto me I will do.”  She showed obedience and wisdom by listening to Naomi when she spoke of how to talk to Boaz.  Kids, Ruth is very special in the fact she was a person who stayed true to her word and wanted to do what was right “virtuous”.  She didn’t complain when she worked in the fields or when things may have seemed difficult.  Instead she was thankful and worked hard to take care of herself and Naomi, serving the Lord with virtuous living.  And, in the end, Boaz took her as his wife and cared for her and all of her family from that day forward.  And guess what?  God had a plan; he used Ruth to bring our Savior to the world…she was King David’s great-grandmother.  

God will always have a much better plan than we can imagine; so let us keep our mind fixed on the right kind of things in life….Whatsoever things are True, Honest, Just, Pure, Lovely, of Good Report, Virtuous and Praise-worthy!!

"O be careful little minds" Week four - Pure

 

O Be Careful Little Minds What You Think…  Phil. 4:8 Sunday School Lesson (week 4)

Whatsoever things are…Pure  Phil. 4:8a

This week marks our fourth week studying in the book of Philippians chapter 4 verse 8.  I hope you guys are having as much fun as I am learning about all the different people in the bible who had their minds fixed on the Lord.   Remember last week when we talked about Queen Esther and how when we have “just thoughts” we are good and right and fair??  Well this week we are going to build an even firmer foundation when we talk about what it means to have pure thoughts and I am so excited to share with you guys about Stephen.  He was a great man who loved the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.   First let’s talk about what it means to keep our minds on those things that are pure.

 

Can anyone tell me what they think Pure means?  I know the first thing that came to my mind was that it might mean “clean” and sure enough that is one of the descriptions the dictionary gave me; but it also means something else:  “not harmful in any way”  and so you know guys, when I read and see that the Lord wants us to keep our minds on whatsoever things are pure, I thought about when I get upset and I am angry or hurt, God doesn’t want me to sit a dwell upon those things, He wants me to stay focused on Him, the clean thoughts of love and goodness, to not let our thoughts be overcome with negative words and feelings.  I know it is hard sometimes to concentrate on all the good, when so much bad happens around us, so that is why I want to share Stephen’s story with you today.  So listen close and we will learn all learn how pure thoughts help us see Jesus…

 

In Acts chapter 6-7 we read about a man named Stephen, a man the bible says was “full of faith and power” and “did great wonders and miracles among the people “.   He had wisdom from the Lord that people could not deny when he spoke to them about Jesus.  Many rulers didn’t like that Stephen spoke the truth and eventually those men told lies on Stephen, saying he was speaking bad things about the temple of God. When he began to retell all that the Lord had done for the children of Israel, reminding them of Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses and David, the people were saddened in their hearts because they knew they had forgotten all the goodness of the Lord.  They had NOT been thinking upon the pure things of God.  They had allowed the nastiness of the world and its sin to harden their own hearts.  When Stephen told them the truth about this though they didn’t repent, nope, they grew angry! Do you think they were trying to focus on what God wanted them to…True, Honest, Just and Pure thoughts?? They sure weren’t, they had harmful thoughts, which is the opposite of pure.  Do you remember one of our definitions for Pure was “not harmful in any way”?   Well, kids, they set out to destroy Stephen, the people bit at him and drug him into the street to stone him.  Yet, Stephen, well, he was thinking pure thoughts…when he was facing death do you know what the bible says he saw and did??  In verse 56 of chapter 7 in Acts it say he saw Jesus standing with God.  His mind was so fixed on the truth of God’s word to never leave him nor forsake him and the honesty of the work the Lord had called him to do, which was to tell about God’s goodness that when there was so much hatred around him, he was able to not be filled with anything but the light of Christ…his thoughts weren’t mixed with anger or hurt, they were clean, they were pure… he even said, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” He wanted God to forgive the very people that were stoning him… now kids, that is definitely NOT a harmful thing… it was an awesome example of a keeping your mind on Pure things.  

 

You see, we live in a world full of bad things just like Stephen did.  People can hurt our feelings, and sometimes bad things happen, but, when we are careful with the thoughts we let stay in our mind and we fix them on whatsoever things are what??  TRUE, HONEST, JUST and PURE, we can serve the Lord with all our hearts our souls our strength and our minds just like Stephen!!

 

 

Activity/ Craft:  Ollie Oyster and the Pure Pearls

Phil. 4:8 Sunday School Lesson series..."oh be careful little minds..." Week 3

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, …hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly, he isjust, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 18:5, 9)

 

Well kiddos, we are on our third lesson this week from our “Oh be careful little minds what you think” series in Philippians 4:8; and boy am I excited to share with you about a pretty awesome lady in the Bible.  Her name was Esther and she was a Queen.  But first let’s talk a little bit about WHY I want to share her story. ..

 

We have been talking about what our minds should think upon …can anyone tell me what two things we have learned so far we are to thinkupon? Whatsoever things are … TRUE, YES! And whatsoever things are… HONEST…yaaay, you got it right!  We have gotten to know Noah and Samuel, two men who loved God with all their hearts, souls, and strength and …YES, their MINDS.  Well this week we are gonna talk about what it means when the Bible says we are to think upon “whatsoever things are JUST” and get to know beautiful Queen Esther.

 

The Bible says that the just shall live by faith and that when we live justly we have the promise from the Lord that we shall surely live.  But what exactly does it mean to be “Just”?  Well, it means that we are to live right and good, following what the Lord and His word tell us to do. We are off to a great start because when we are thinking about True and Honest things; then good, fair and right (Just) things are right around the corner …

 

Now let me introduce you to Esther, or Hadassah, as her family called her.  She was a young Jewish girl who had been raised by her Uncle Mordecai. He was a good man who loved the Lord and who loved Esther.  He had raised her when her parents died.  The Bible says that Estherwas “fair and beautiful” and when King Ahasuerus was looking for a new Queen, he found Esther to very pleasing and he took her as his wife but he did NOT know she was a Jew (one of God’s chosen people)!   Mordecai had told her not to tell anyone she was a Jewess.  Little did Esther know God was working behind the scene, putting her where He could use her most.  There was a prince in the kingdom the King had promoted and he wasn’t a very nice man, his name was Haman.  He wanted everyone to bow down to him and he particularly didn’t like the Jews.  But, Mordecai was NOT going to bow to Haman nor show him reverence.  Only to God would Mordecai show reverence… when Haman found out Mordecai was a Jew, well, he devised a plan to kill the Jews and Mordecai.  And the king without knowing his beloved Esther was a Jew, sent out a decree to kill all the Jews.  When Esther heard this she was very sad and afraid.  She knew that she would have to tell the king, but in those days, to enter in to where the King was sitting without being invited was sure to mean death.  But she was a just woman of God …she thought on the truth of God’s word and was honest about who she was, she was fair and good and did what she knew was right.  She trusted the Lord…she told Mordecai to gather all her people and fast and pray…pray HARD for her because she was going to see the king, even if it meant her death.  

 

And kids, the Lord protected her…she found favor in the sight of her husband the King.  She had a banquet planned for King Ahasuerus and Haman to attend where she would reveal that Haman had planned to kill her and her people… (By the decree the King had signed).  Queen Estherhad asked the King to protect her and her people and because he loved her he said he would without even asking her where she was from or who her people were.  And in the end, the Lord delivered Esther, Mordecai and all the Jews under King Ahasueres reign.    God says in His word that the just that live by faith shall surely live and Queen Esther was a perfect example of that promise coming true… she was thinking upon those just things that which is good and fair and right…she lived by faith in God and His word of truth and He protected her and that promise is for us too!! So when you put your “Thinking Crowns” on today, and you see all those Just Jewels, remember to think upon them and live for the Lord and love Him with all your what??? YES, all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength!!

 

Activity/craft:  “Thinking Crown” with Just Jewels…

Lovest thou me?

John 21:17 KJV

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

How many times has the Lord asked me this same question??  And how has my life,  not my words,  answered Him back?  I do love the Lord but I haven't been all that great at showing it.  This morning when I read that verse,  it definitely pricked my heart.  Jesus wanted action behind Peter's declared love.  Peter had surely been active when he ran away from knowing Christ in his denial of the Savior... Why is it so easy to give our whole heart,  mind,  soul and strength to another human being and not to the almighty God who loved us with the Cross?  I,  for one,  am thankful He lovingly forgives and is active in his love toward me when he asks me the question "Tonya,  lovest thou me?... " and he gives me another chance to show Him.  He's so awesome...

Phil 4:8 Sunday School series (week two)

“Whatsoever things are HONEST…” 

This is week number two in the Phil 4:8 series “oh be careful little mind what you think” and boy am I excited to share with you kids about honesty.  Do you remember last week when we talked about the Truth of God’s word? …about how Noah believed it with all his heart? What happened when Noah thought on the True things of God and trusted in them?  Yep, that’s right; God saved Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the earth.  

Well this week we are going to talk about another man named Samuel.   He was a prophet of the Lord who always spoke the truth, even when it wasn’t popular and even when someone he loved might not like it.  He followed God …and HIS word says  “thou shalt not bear false witness”; it is one of the Lord’s commandments to us as His children.  

The story about Samuel I want to share with you today is from 1 Samuel chapter 3.  Remember Hannah, Samuel’s mom?… she had prayed hard for a son and the Lord blessed her with Samuel; she too was an honest woman because the promise to the Lord she made to dedicate her son’s life to Him was kept.  Samuel had lived with the priest Eli from the time he was two years old until now.   He had grown up serving the Lord and this night was no different.  

Although Samuel had never heard directly from God, he knew he was real and he honored Him.  But on this particular night, the Lord has something He wanted to say to Samuel yet when God called to him, Samuel thought it was the priest Eli calling for him.  When Samuel heard the Lord's voice he would run to Eli and say, “here I am for thou callest me” but Elli hadn’t called Home. Nite. him so he told him to go lie back down.  But, kiddos, after Samuel came to him the second time, Eli knew something was up.  He believed it was the Lord God speaking to Samuel so he told Samuel to go lie back down and if he heard the voice for the third time to say, “Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth.”  And Samuel did just that.  In verse 10 it says that the Lord came and stood, and called as at other times “Samuel, Samuel” then Samuel answered, “Speak for thy servant heareth.”  And guess what guys?? God DID have something to tell him but it wasn’t easy for him to share with his friend Eli.  Eli was like a father to Samuel.

The Lord had told Samuel He wasn’t pleased with the way Eli’s sons had behaved AND with Eli; Eli knew their sin yet never corrected them. He tried to just let them be even though God had warned him about not straightening things out and making his sons does right.  So, the Lord had told Samuel that no longer would he let their sins go unpunished. He was going to bring an end to their sins and wickedness.   Now can you imagine how Samuel felt when Eli asked him to be honest when he told him what the Lord had said?? I am sure it wasn’t easy for Samuel to tell his friend that the Lord was displeased, that he was going to be punishing them; God was bringing judgment to Eli’s household. That wouldn’t be easy for ME to tell a friend, how about you?  But, you know what guys? Samuel DID…Eli was a good friend in encouraging him to tell the truth too.  We all need godly friends like that.  Samuel went on to serve the Lord and be a great prophet of God who was honest and the people around him knew it and they believed in God’s power because of it.  

You see, when we are people who are honest and trust the Lord to do what he says, we bring HIM glory and honor.  That’s why the bible says, “Whatsoever things are honest…. Think on these things!” 

 

Activity/craft

Honest Harriet the Honey Bee