Devotions

God Is I Am - Exodus 3:1–4:17

Here’s what happens…

God appears to Moses in a burning bush. God tells Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, where they’re slaves. Moses doesn’t want to and has a lot of excuses. But God assures him, “I Am Who I Am.” God doesn’t change; he’s the same God today!

Through the Week

Play this fun game to explore changing.

- Choose one person to leave the room.

- Everyone else will change one thing about his or her appearance—for example, removing glasses or jewelry, rolling up shirt sleeves, or changing a hairdo.

- The person who left the room will return and try to guess what changed about each person.

- Play several rounds, sending a new family member out of the room each time.

- After the game, talk about what it was like trying to keep up with all the changes. What made it easy or hard?

- Pray together and thank God that he never changes. You never need to play guessing games about who God is!

Talk About This…

- What is something about God that you’re glad won’t change?

Watch and Discuss

Today we’re learning that God doesn’t change, so we trust him when we’re unsure.

- Tell about a time you weren’t confident you could do something well.

Let’s watch a video about how Moses learned God could do big things through him…even though he didn’t feel confident.

Watch “The Burning Bush.”

- Put yourself in Moses' place. How do you think you'd feel about what God asked you to do?

- What did the signs show you about who God is?

- What evidence or signs have you seen that show you God doesn’t change and you can trust him?

God doesn’t change. If he could do big things through Moses, even though Moses didn’t think he was right for the job, God can still do big things through people—even us. God gave Moses signs to help Moses trust him, and God shows us all the time that we, too, can trust him.

Grow paper snakes.

Supplies

- paper-wrapped straws

- eyedropper

- cup of water

In Exodus 3, God caused Moses’ staff to change into a moving snake. Did you know that there’s a way to make lifeless straw paper move like a snake, too?

- First, carefully tear off one end of the paper wrapper from the straw.

- Then scrunch the wrapper down toward the other end of the straw, as if you were going to remove it but keeping it on the straw until the whole wrapper is fully compact at one end. Once you start scrunching the paper down, don’t pull it back up, and make sure the paper doesn’t get wet.

- Once it’s fully compact, push or pull the paper off the straw, keeping it scrunched and avoiding wet surfaces.

At the moment the straw papers appear lifeless. What do you think will happen when we add some drops of water?

- Use an eyedropper or straw to drop only one drop of water onto the end of the straw paper. It will move and “grow.”

- Continue slowly adding drops along the straw paper until it stops growing. The water causes the paper to “unscrunch,” making it look like it’s growing or slithering like a snake.

- How did the straw paper change throughout this experiment?

The straw paper changed its form several times. At first it was long, then it was short, and then it moved like a snake! Moses talked with God at the burning bush a long time ago, and God surprised Moses like the moving straw paper might have surprised us. God doesn’t change. The same God who was with Moses at the burning bush is still with us today.

- How does it help you to know that God, who helped Moses, still helps you today?

God doesn’t change. He did amazing things to prepare Moses to lead the Israelites, and God will do amazing things to help us as we live for him today.

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Abram Gives Lot the Best Land - Genesis 13

Here’s what happens…

Abram is Lot’s uncle, and the two live and travel together. But because God has given them so many animals, they need to split up. Abram lets Lot choose which land he wants, and Lot chooses the better side. God is giving, and we can reflect God’s generosity.

Watch and Discuss

- What’s your favorite way to spend a Saturday?

There are so many fun things to do on the weekend that it’s easy to focus on what’s the most fun for us. We’re going to see a video where kids gave up some of their weekend time to help other people.

Watch “Slammin’ Famine.”

- What difference did the girls in the video make by giving their time?

- Tell about when you gave your time to volunteer or help someone.

- How does it make you feel when you give your time to help others? Why do you think that is?

In the Bible, God gave to Abram, and Abram gave to Lot. Even if we don’t have a lot of money or stuff to give, we can be giving because we can give our time to help others! That’s a great way to reflect God’s giving heart.

Through the Week

Give up what you want and instead collect the money to give away this week.

- Find ways to cut costs this week. Here are some examples.

- If you normally have take-away for dinner, eat in instead.

- If you normally buy lunch, take some from home this week.

- If you usually buy coffee, skip it for the week, or have one at home instead.

- Put all the money you would’ve spent in a jar. (If you don’t have cash, just write IOUs.)

- At the end of the week, give the money to church or charity.

- Talk about what good things God gave you as you showed generosity. For example, maybe you got a nice note in your lunch from a parent, or you had fun cooking your Friday night meal together.

Talk About This…

- What’s a gift you were really excited to give? Why were you excited?

Something to try at Home

Supplies

- coins

- eyedropper

- paper towel

- small cup of water

God is giving. He fills our lives with good things—even more than we might expect. Let’s see how much water we can give to a coin. We’ll count to see how many water drops the coin will hold without the water spilling over.

- How many drops do you think a coin will hold? Let’s find out!

Place the eyedropper into the cup of water and draw up some water. Then carefully add drops of water to the top of the coin counting how many drops the coin will hold before it spills over the side. Repeat the experiment to see if the result is always the same.

- What did you notice about the water on top of the coin?

As the water reached the edge of the coin, the water molecules clung to each other and made a dome or bubble shape on top of the coin. Each new water drop formed a hydrogen bond until it all finally spilled over the side of the coin.

- How are water drops on a coin like the good things God gives?

God is giving. Sometimes he blesses us in more ways than we expected. He gives us more and more blessings until they spill over from our lives and affect the world around us as we reflect his giving heart.

Digging Into the Heart of God. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Builders Try to Build a Great Tower - Genesis 11:1-9

Here’s what happens…

Everyone lives in the same area and speaks the same language. They decide to build a great city with a tall tower that will make them famous. God sees their hearts; he confuses their language and then scatters them all over the world. God is the greatest!

Through the Week

Make a God Sightings tower that points to God’s greatness!

- Set out sticky notes and pens.

- Look for great things God does during the week; they can be big or small. You might include things like a beautiful sunset or the fact that your dog gave you extra snuggles. These are called God Sightings.

- Write each God Sighting on a sticky note, and stick the notes one above the other on the wall to create a “tower.”

- When the tower gets really tall, parents will need to help little ones attach their notes.

- Try to make your sticky-note tower reach all the way to the ceiling by the end of the week!

Talk About This…

- How have you seen God’s greatness in your family members?

Watch and Discuss

Today we’re learning that God is the greatest, and we don’t need to be.

- If you could be the best in the world at something, what would you want it to be?

Let’s watch a video about a kid who’s getting ready to be the best super quadcopter racer in the world.

Watch “Super Quadcopter World Racing Champion.”

- What did you think about how Carter was acting?

- Who is someone you noticed that Carter hurt? Explain.

It’s not bad to be great at something, but we don’t want to think we’re better than other people. And we do want to remember that God is the greatest. He’s more amazing than anyone or anything. The people we’re reading about in the Bible today tried to build the tallest tower so they would be the greatest. They found out, like Carter did in our video, that we don’t need to be the greatest. Because God is the greatest we can put him first.

God Creates Us in His Image - Genesis 1

Here’s what happens…

God makes the world. God is creative, making all different kinds of plants and animals, birds and fish, land and sea. Finally, he creates the pinnacle of his creation: humans! He makes people in his own image, so we can be creative, too!

Through the Week

Be creative by doing things differently this week. Here are some ideas…but be creative and come up with more!

- Wear two mismatched shoes.

- Eat with an unusual utensil.

- Try a new recipe.

- Wear clothes you’ve never worn together.

- Make up a new game.

- Switch places at the dinner table.

- Use unusual supplies to make a craft.

Talk About This…

- What’s the most creative thing you’ve ever made?

Watch and Discuss

Today we’re learning that God is creative. God made us, and he did a great job of it! God made us to be creative, too. That means we can make great and exciting things.

Share about something you make that you think is great or exciting.

- What’s something you like to make that you think is great?

Let’s meet a boy who loves making things, and he likes to use his talents to share about God’s love.

Watch “Dominic’s Story.”

- What was the coolest thing you saw Dominic make?

- Dominic liked to use his creativity, or ability to make things, to share about God’s love. What can you make to share God’s love?

Dominic loves using his creativity. Whenever Dominic creates something, it shows that he was made by God because God is so creative. We can be creative, too, because God made us that way!

Digging Into Discipleship. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Jesus, the Light of the World, Is Born Luke 2:8-20

Today at Holiday Club we continued to Dig into the Christmas story from the book of Luke. we learned that on the night Jesus was born, light broke through the darkness. It was a dark time for Israel and a dark night in the shepherds’ fields, but angels light up the night sky proclaiming God’s glory and that Jesus is the light of the world.

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14)

When Darkness Reigns

- Gather your family to play a game.

- When the lights go off, people will act silly.

- When the lights come back on, they’ll try to freeze before they’re seen moving.

- Play several times.

- Talk about these questions:

- What are some things people try to get away with when no one else is looking?

- How is that like the way you acted in the dark?

- If you want to shine God’s light, how would you act?

Family Discussion

- What are some ways Jesus is like light?

- Share about ways you showed God’s light this week.

- God thinks we’re special! What are some things you think are special about each other?

Watch and Discuss

Today we watched a video about a guy who got confused about something that was said at church and there are times when we don’t understand. Share about a time you got confused about something someone said (at church or anywhere).

Watch “Karl, Light of the World.”

Karl was confused about what the pastor at his church said. He thought the pastor said that Karl should be the light of the world, and Karl thought that meant wearing a funny sunshine costume.

Discuss these questions:

- What did Karl get wrong when he thought he was the light of the world?

- We know that Jesus is the light of the world, not us. But how can we show Jesus’ light in the world?

Jesus is the light of the world! We have the great opportunity to reflect the light and love of Jesus to others so they can experience that light and love, too.

Digging Into the Life of Jesus. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Jesus is the Best Gift Ever Luke 2:1-7

Today at Holiday Club we Dug into the Christmas Story in Luke and learned that God gives the greatest gift of all time—Jesus. He doesn’t come wrapped in wrapping paper, but in snuggly cloths and lying in a manger. Mary gives birth to Jesus when she and Joseph are in Bethlehem for a census.

“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born” (Luke 2:6).

The Best Gift Ever

Jesus is the best gift ever! Show that Jesus always comes out on top with this fun science experiment. Your child may have already done this in class. If so, let him or her lead!

- Get some honey or corn syrup, milk, dish soap, and vegetable oil.

- Make a guess about what will happen when you pour all the liquids into a glass.

- Try it! See what happens.

- Try it again, pouring the liquids into the cup in a different order. See what happens if you add other liquids, such as water, maple syrup, or rubbing alcohol.

- What happens if you put in small objects, like a bolt, a grain of rice, or a bead?

- Talk about why the liquids separated and why the vegetable oil stayed on top.

- Talk about why Jesus is on the top of the “best gifts” list.

Through the Week

Thank Jesus for his amazing gift through the week.

- Set up an extra stocking for Jesus. It could be an old sock or a real stocking.

- Throughout the week, family members can write or draw short thank-you notes and put them in Jesus’ stocking.

- On Christmas, open Jesus’ stocking and read all the thank-you gifts aloud.

Family Discussion

- What have your favorite Christmas gifts been in the past?

- Why is Jesus an even better gift?

Watch and Discuss

It’s a lot of fun to go out at this time of year and see the Christmas lights, sing carols, or just be with friends. Let’s see what happens when some friends go out at Christmastime and interview people they meet on the street.

Watch “Showing Love.”

These kids asked people a lot of questions about Christmas. Let’s answer some of the questions they asked!

- What do you love about Christmastime?

- What do you think about dogs wearing antlers?

- What’s the best Christmas present you ever got?

It’s fun to share our own Christmas stories and memories and to hear what other people think about Christmas. We can all think of a Christmas present that was fun to get or that really made us happy, but the very best gift of all is Jesus.

At Christmas we remember that Jesus is the best gift ever, because God gave us Jesus so that we can know God as our friend. That’s a great gift!

Digging Into the Life of Jesus. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

The Great Commission - Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:6-11

Jesus goes back to heaven as his disciples watch. Just before he goes up into the clouds, he tells his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations and that he’ll always be with them. Even though we can’t see Jesus anymore, Jesus is always with us.

Through the Week

Travel with Jesus this week because he’s always with you.

- Fold some half-sheets of paper and staple the fold to make passports. Make one for each family member.

- Each person can color and decorate his or her passport.

- At the top of each page, write places you may go this week. These might be different for each family member.

- Whenever you go to one of those places, draw a cross on that page of your passport as a reminder that Jesus went with you.

Talk About This…

- What’s hard about telling others about Jesus? How could Jesus help you?

Watch and Discuss

Jesus is always with us. He helps us do things we’d never imagine. When something seems impossible, we know Jesus is always with us, helping us out.

Let’s watch a video about a kid named Joshua who must do something hard but gets help from a friend.

Watch “Corn Maze Master.”

- How was Abigail like Jesus in our lives? How was she different?

- What’s your “corn maze”—something you need to do while remembering Jesus is always with you?

Joshua had tried the corn maze on his own before, and he failed. When we try to do things for Jesus in our own strength, we’ll fail, too. But we don’t have to do it that way! Jesus is always with us. Like Abigail showed Joshua what to do, Jesus can show us how to do hard things for him.

Digging Into the Life of Jesus. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Jesus Talks With Peter - John 13:31-38; 18:15-18, 25-27; 21:15-25

Before Jesus dies, he tells Peter that Peter will deny knowing him. Then Peter denies Jesus three times! When Jesus comes back to life, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Jesus. Jesus gives Peter a second chance to do big things for him, because Jesus believes in us.

Through the Week

Jesus believes in us. Make a “You Can Do It!” board to believe in each other this week.

- Pick a spot to make your board—it could be sticky notes on a wall or poster board people can write on directly.

- Write or draw encouraging notes to each other that say what you believe in your family members to do. For example, “Amanda, I believe in you to do well on your test today!” or “Jacob, I believe in you to stand up for Jesus!”

- Surprise your friends and family with additional encouraging notes hidden in unexpected places.

- Pray for each other throughout the week, based on the notes you wrote.

Talk About This…

- What do you think Jesus believes in you to do?

Watch and Discuss

We’re learning that Jesus believes in us. Even though Peter messed up and denied knowing Jesus three times, Jesus still believed in him. He gave Peter a second chance to do great big things. Let’s see what happens when our dog friends, Peanut and Biscuit, find themselves in a similar situation.

Watch “Shoe Chew.”

- Peanut lied three times when Biscuit asked if he chewed the shoes. Tell about a time you didn’t tell the truth. Share your own age-appropriate example first.

- Why do you think Peanut’s owner gave him another chance with a new pair of shoes?

- Do you think Peanut deserved another chance? Why or why not?

It might not seem like a good idea to leave out a new pair of shoes with a shoe-chewing dog. But that’s just the kind of thing Jesus does for us. Jesus believes in us, even if we’ve messed up. Jesus gives us second chances, just like he did for Peter.

Digging Into the Life of Jesus. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.

Jesus Appears to Disciples - John 20:19-31; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43

Jesus’ disciples are hiding in a locked room, when Jesus appears! Thomas isn’t there, so he doubts whether they really saw Jesus. He needs to see Jesus and touch his wounds. Jesus appears again and Thomas sees and believes. Jesus helps us believe in him, too.

Through the Week

Take fun family pictures that make things look unbelievable! Try these examples:

- Use “forced perspective” (where one person is close and one is far away) to make it look like one family member is a tiny figure standing in another’s han

- Use forced perspective to make it look like someone is picking up your house or apartment building between his or her fingers.

- Use forced perspective to make it look like one family member is about to step on the others.

- Take a picture with a toy close to the camera and a family member far away, so they look the same size.

- Take a picture where it looks like your family is holding up the moon.

- Talk about how we can know that Jesus being alive is no photography trick, because Jesus helps us believe in him!

Talk About This…

- What do you believe about Jesus?

Watch and Discuss

We’ve been learning that Jesus helps us believe in him. Because we can’t see Jesus, not everyone believes in him. But there are a lot of things we can’t see and yet still believe in…like gravity! Let’s watch a video about a guy who doesn’t believe in gravity.

Watch “Anti-Gravity.”

- What did you think about Andrew’s reasons for not believing in gravity?

- Do you think Andrew changed his mind at the end? If so, what do you think convinced him?

- What are some things that convince you that Jesus is real?

Thomas had doubts about Jesus, just as Andrew had doubts about gravity. But Jesus helped Thomas with his doubts, just like Cammie tried to help Andrew. And Jesus helps us believe in him, even though we can’t see him.

Digging Into the Life of Jesus. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to reproduce granted for local church use.