"Do not just hear the Word of God and think hearing is enough. DO what it says!" James 1:22

Monday, November 28, 2011

Ruth 1:16

Lesson 14

"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God."  Ruth 1:16

Thursday, November 24, 2011



Blessings to ALL of the
CBS Primary/Junior
students and their fabulous families!

Here is a little blessing we like to bake up at
Thanksgiving
(and all year long!)


Clean and Dirty Cookies
1 box of cake mix (any flavor... you choose)
1 egg
4oz frozen whipped topping

Mix all together and form 1" sized balls
by rolling each in powdered sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes
(shorter time for chewier cookies,
longer time for crunchier cookies.)

We use a chocolate cake mix and call them
"Dirty Cookies"
because they look "dirty" after baking.
We use a white cake mix or yellow cake mix
and call them "Clean Cookies"
for the same reason.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Lesson 13, Servants of God

Ruth 1


Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Gettelfinger...

What “life lessons” have you learned from the book of Ruth? Do you see a lesson on friendship? How about loyalty? Is there possibly a lesson on finding joy in spite of difficulties? What about a lesson in workmanship and dedication? Perhaps you see a lesson in romance?

I wish we had time to talk about all the life lessons God has packed for us in the Book of Ruth. For now, let’s focus on loyalty and redemption.

I googled “reasons for loyalty” as I put my Wrap Up together and found four very interesting aspects of loyalty. People are loyal for Psychological reasons. This means “it just makes sense” for them to be loyal. For example, if everyone goes to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving, it’s because it makes sense. Everyone knows how to get to Grandma’s. We’ve been meeting at Grandma’s for years. Grandma is getting older and it just doesn’t make sense for her to travel. So let’s all go to Grandma’s for Thanksgiving. People are loyal for Economic reasons. I do most of my grocery shopping at a particular store because I know I will save money there. You could say I am loyal to that particular store. People are loyal for Functional reasons. If the weather is below freezing outside, we will all be wearing coats to CBS. We are loyal to wear our coats in the winter time because it is functional. And lastly, people are loyal for Mutual Agreement reasons. Your dad goes to work because he made an agreement with his employer to work in return for a paycheck. Your dad is loyal to his job. When I accepted the position of being a CBS leader, I made an agreement with the Lord to study His Word like I’ve never studied before. I want to remain loyal to studying His word because I made an agreement with Him.

Here’s what is interesting about Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi... it does not fit in with any of the four aspects for loyalty I just mentioned. Psychologically (remember, that’s when something just makes sense,) it made more sense for Ruth to return to her family and her homeland. She was more likely to find a husband amongst her own people who would know her and care for her. Economically, Ruth chose to go to a land where there was little hope of her finding much food if any. Functionally, Ruth had no way to function within a society that was most likely going to shun her for being a foreigner. And what mutual agreement had Ruth made with Naomi... none. The mutual agreement Ruth made with Naomi’s son had no meaning with his death. Yet Ruth remained loyal. She stayed with Naomi even though she had nothing to gain and even more to lose. I know each of you love God. Are you loyal because it just makes sense to be loyal to the one true God? Or can you even understand the kind of loyalty Ruth showed when it made no sense at all to be loyal?

Sometimes God doesn’t make sense. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1. That verse doesn’t make much sense if you really think about it. How can we be sure of something we can’t even see?! Yet God doesn’t tell us everything will make sense when we trust Him. He tells us His plan is the only one which makes sense when we have nothing else to trust. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ Jeremiah 29:11. God’s loyalty to us doesn’t make sense. Even after we put our trust in Him, we still sin against Him. Yet He remains ever faithful... LOYAL.

Many Old Testament heroes show us a picture of Jesus and His redemption. Boaz is one of these heroes. Ancient Israelite law stated that if a man became poor and had to sell his land, it was the responsibility of the poor man’s relative to “redeem” the land or purchase it back for the poor man. Boaz eventually did this for Naomi through his marriage to Ruth. Boaz cared for Ruth even though she was not an Israelite woman. Jesus saves us even though we are not God’s chosen people. Boaz lifted Ruth from her poverty and through his care for her, she was rewarded for her loyalty. Jesus lifts us from our sins and through His love for us, we are rewarded with eternal life.

Ruth made a change that sets an example for all believers today. Ruth believed in the one true God. She left her home, her family, and her friends. And she never returned. She left her old life and took on a new one. Have you been redeemed by Jesus? Are you as loyal to Jesus as Ruth was to the one true God? “when you heard about Christ and were taught about the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught to stop living the way you’ve always lived because it really is bad for you. You were taught to be made new in how you think and behave.” Ephesians 4:21-23.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Psalm 46:1

Lesson 13

"God is our refuge and strength, an everpresent help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Shoebox Autobiographies for November 17


Rachel Miller and
Olivia Mouser
will be sharing their
Shoebox Autobiographies
with us this week!

Thanks, Ethan and Eden!
We look forward to getting to know you better!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Lesson 11, Servants of God

Judges 9-12


Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Hamilton...

"I have a problem all I have is lima bean seeds, but I really want some strawberries. Strawberries are my favorite! I will just plant the seeds I have and hope for strawberries. Will I get strawberries if I plant these seeds? Why not? The Bible talks about sowing and reaping as well. Gal 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. We have studied 2 men this week one who sowed to his flesh and one who sowed to the Spirit. The first man Abimelech wants to become king of Shechem and he doesn’t want anyone to stand in his way. What does he do? Kills off every living heir except for Jotham. What are some attitudes he sowed? Greed, hate, selfishness. Job 4:8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.



Did Abimelech get what he wanted a nice peaceful kingdom? No it tells us in Judges 9 :23 God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers. So the same people that helped him do evil are now turning against him. Why because you reap what you sow. In the end we see that Abimelech kills the people of Shechem and then is killed himself. Not the ending he was expecting. He sowed lima beans hoping for strawberries!


On the other hand we see Jephthah a man who had plenty to be angry about his half brothers kicked him out of the family so they wouldn’t have to share their inheritance with him. Did he get mad and kill all of his brothers? No. Judges 11:3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him. Then when the elders of his hometown come to him what do they ask? Will you fight the Ammonites for us and we will make you our leader? I might have been a bit perturbed at this point. I might have thought, "You kick me out and now want me come and save you?!" But Jephthah once again did the right thing and agreed to help out the people of God. We see in verses 19-27 that Jephthah knew the history of Israel and knew God and relied on Him to win this battle. So what kinds of attitudes do we see Jephthah sowing? Self control, trusting in God, wisdom. Hsa 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. So then we see in verses 29&32 that the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and the Lord gave the enemy into his hands. Why because he reaped what he had sown. He planted strawberries and got strawberries!



We too, have to sow seeds in our lives. Every action and word, we say or do is seed. We have to choose what fruit we want to reap in our love. Are we going to be like Abimelech and so greed, hate, anger, and selfishness or like Jephthah and sow self control, wisdom, and trust in God. You will reap what you sow it is a fact choose to sow the right things in your life. Remember you can’t plant lima beans and get strawberries!


Rom 12:9-19 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. [fn] Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," [fn] says the Lord.