Lesson 10, Servants of God

Judges 6-8

Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Nelson...

Because of school responsibilities, Danielle Castleman could not be at our Thursday CBS daytime class in person, buts she blessed us with her "Gideon Moment" (as she called it) by writing out her story.

Mrs. Nelson summarizes Danielle's story for us...
"Basically in a nutshell, what she wrote out was how she had felt God calling her to use her singing ability to serve Him, but she thought that she was too young to lead in worship.  She finally accepted the call and began singing for the youth at her church.  Then she was invited to sing during the adult worship services where she continues to serve.  She felt privileged to be able to lead people of all ages in worship before the Lord.  She encouraged the kids to never feel like they were too young to accept a calling by God.  We were so blessed by her words."

Mrs. Nelson then told the students about her own Gideon Story which was her calling into CBS leadership.  She shares...

"At first when I stepped up to serve, my intention was to be a core group leader (not teaching in the children's dept.).  When the Teaching Director called me and told me that they wanted me to serve in children's ministry, I actually put her off for a month or two.  I was waiting on some type of confirmation (because I thought -certainly God's plans were for me to be a core group leader and NOT a children's teacher.)  Finally, I agreed.  Looking back, now I can see how that it was totally God's plan for me to lead in the Chrildren's Department after all (funny how that works ).  Now I am privileged to get to be in the Primary and Junior Deptartment and teaching some amazing students as well as serving alongside some amazing fellow teachers."

Mrs. Nelson asked the class if anyone felt like they had a Gideon story they would like to share with the class.  A young lady in Mrs. Nelson's class said that she felt like God was calling her to be a missionary.  She shared that she was still waiting on confirmation of this calling because being a missionary has never been "on her radar."  A young girl in Mrs. Gettelfinger's class shared that she felt God calling her to be friends with someone who was not the easiest person to get along with.

Mrs. Nelson also explained to the classes "that if God calls us to do something, He will equip us for it and will be faithful in seeing us through... just like Gideon."

Wynne's Easiest Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

My family has a really fun tradition

when it comes to cooking new recipes.

If everyone in the family REALLY

enjoys the new recipe,

we decide who likes it the best by

how much they go on and on about it....

by how much they thank the one who cooked the dish...

and by how much they ask for it again.

Then, whoever likes it the most,

we name it AFTER that person!

What a fun way to honor

each member in the family!

So these cookies were discovered by

my super sweet and very talented-in-the-kitchen, Wynne!

We ALL love these cookies!

And since Wynne discovered the recipe

and she bakes these cookies

ALL... THE... TIME,

We decided to name them after her.

Wynne's Easiest Ever Peanut Butter Cookies!

2 eggs

2 Cups sugar

2 Cups peanut butter

(smooth or chunky... it's up to you)

Mix all together.  Scoop into about a tablespoon sized ball and place on baking sheet 1" apart.  Press with the flat side of a fork.  With the same fork, cross the previous marks and press again.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or golden (longer for crunchy crunchy.)

Lesson 9, Servants of God

Judges 4-5

Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Gettelfinger...

Once again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord by serving Baal, and suffered as a result by having to serve their ungodly oppressors.

Deborah, an obviously godly woman, prophesies to Barak that God is telling him to “Go and defend your people!” God’s words through Deborah promise to “lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands” (Judges 4:6-7.)

Barak refuses to pursue the enemy without having Deborah with him. We don’t really know Barak’s reasons for his request of her accompaniment. Perhaps because of her being one of God’s judges, he knew her faith was greater than anyone else's. It sure is nice to have someone of great faith with us when we experience trouble in our lives. Perhaps he lacked confidence in himself and needed Deborah’s encouragement by saying, “You got this, dude! You can do this!” OR perhaps he lacked faith in HOW God would accomplish this task. Think about it... at this point in history, after Ehud had died, the Israelites had been in oppression under king Jaben for TWENTY YEARS.

And what are we to say of Jael? “Way to go, girlfriend!” Sometimes people read about the women of the Bible and see them as being “property” of their husbands or at the least, submissive to their husband’s rules. Jael shows the perfect example of knowing who the One True God is and how we are to be submissive to Him FIRST. Her husband probably would not have suggested Sisera be killed. Jael’s people and Sisera’s people were at peace with each other. But Jael doesn’t stop to consult her husband. We know from Deborah’s prophecy that Jael is called by God when He said, “for the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman” (Judges 4:9.)

Before our Core Group time, the students were given homemade hot cocoa to enjoy while getting started in sharing their lesson with each other.  Some students didn't like the flavor.  Some complained about it being too hot.  Most seem to like it.  But ALL agreed about how RECEIVING it made them FEEL.  Some of the ways they described how they felt were... warm inside (without having even drank it,) happy, surprised, special.  These were the exact feelings Jael intended to create for Sisera when she brought him milk instead of water.  And although the purpose for her intentions were to carry out a Godly mission in battle, the point is that what she did caused Sisera to TRUST her.

The Bible tells us of many different people in many different situations. At times, the people seem to have done everything just right. At other times, things are not so perfect.

Barak was willing to follow God’s orders, IF... if Deborah would go with him. This is similar to Moses’ reaction at the burning bush. Moses would go confront Pharaoh, IF... if his brother Aaron could do all the talking (Exodus 3:10-14.)

In both cases God had promised a wonderful outcome. (Here we go again... talking about God’s promises.) God promised in both situations that HE would do the work. Still both men were very hesitant to obey. Each man lacked enough faith to do things 100% God’s way. Yet despite their lack of faith, both Moses and Barak were certainly used by God. Surely each man DID have SOME faith. The Bible says we can do great things with faith as small as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20.)

Few people in the Bible practice perfect faith. And those who had great faith, usually did not practice it all the time. (Compare Genesis 12:4 to Genesis 12:12. Remember this was when God told Abram to “Go! Go from your family and live in a land I am promising to you and your descendants.” And then at some point on the journey, Abram lied to the Egyptians about Sarai being his wife.)

We should be encouraged by the words spoken by a desperate father in Mark 9:24, “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!” This is a prayer that every person can and should pray. Faith is not something we can just pick up and set down. Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8)

“God’s Grace has been GIVEN to me... keep in mind the amount of FAITH God has GIVEN to you.” -Romans 12:3

When you find yourself with questions or worries, will you ask God to strengthen your faith? Ask God to “highlight” examples of great faith for you to follow. Ask for these examples to be "highlighted" in God's Word as well as real people in your own life.  Will you ask God to make you like these examples... like the example of Abraham. “He was absolutely sure that God had the power to do what He had promised.” -Romans 4:21

Remember, God’s promises are trustworthy... and powerful.


reference: Bible Lessons for Kidz

Judges 5:3

 Lesson 9

"I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel."  Judges 5:3 

BBQ Baskets... and Birds in a Blanket

We LOVE these at the Gettelfinger home!

BBQ Baskets

1 pkg refridgerated biscuit dough

1 pkg beef bar-B-que (or homemade)

1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese

Push each biscuit dough into a regular sized muffin tin so that there is a small "well" in the middle of the biscuit.  Bake biscuits for 1/2 the time directed on the package.  Using a teeny tiny glass or jar, push each bubbled-up biscuit down directly in the center.  Fill each "well" with BBQ.  Top with a heaping TBsp of cheddar cheese.  Return to oven and continue baking for remainder of time directed on the package.

I like to save some of the BBQ back to add to my basket once it is finished baking.  Mmmmm...

Birds in a Blanket

1 pkg refridgerated crescent rolls

1 pkg precooked turkey sausage links

Wrap each sausage link in a crescent roll triangle.  Bake as directed.  How easy is that?!  YUM!!!

Lesson 8, Servants of God

Judges 1-3

Our Wrap Up from Mrs. Hamilton...

Mrs. Hamilton began our Wrap Up today by showing us a hat that belongs to her husband.  This wasn't just ANY hat... it was HIS FAVORITE hat.  She told us he REALLY REALLY loved this hat.  She said she knew she had to take really good care of it so that she was sure to get it back home to him.  She said he'd be SO SAD if anything happened to the hat.  Then... Mrs. Hamilton "tossed" the hat behind her and it fell to the floor.  Hm.

God gave the Israelites His commands and it was His desire that they followed and took good care of those commands.  Joshua 23:6

Then Mrs. Hamilton remembered she "tossed" the hat somewhere but didn't realized where it went.  A bit panicked, she knew she needed to find that hat!  Afterall, it was her husband's FAVORITE hat!  So this time, she "tossed" it to the ground in front of her.  At least there, she told us, she would know where it was.

Last week we witnessed Israel do good while Joshua and the elders were alive... Joshua 24:31.  But then we witnessed something very sad.  We learned in Judges 2:10 "...after that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors (after they died,) another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD not what He had done for Israel."  An entire generation was not being taught about the Lord and now we begin to see the consequences of not following God.  Judges 2:11

The Lord's commands were no longer important to Israel because the very commands cherished by Joshua's generation were no longer being TAUGHT to Israel.

Mrs. Hamilton asked the students to name some things that were very important to them.  Some answers were... pets, posters, rare items, musical instruments...  Mrs. Hamilton reminded the students of the hat which she had carelessly "tossed" to the ground.  She had said this hat was really IMPORTANT to her husband.  She asked the students if they thought the hat was "important" to HER?  Of course not!  If the hat had been important to her (like it was important to her husband,) she would never have just tossed it to the floor like she did.  Mrs. Hamilton made it clear that when we value something or when something is IMPORTANT to us, we TAKE GREAT CARE of these things.

Mrs. Hamilton told the students she had decided that even though the hat doesn't mean much to her, her husband is VERY IMPORTANT to her.  Therefore, she CHOOSES to take great care of the hat because she knows it is important to her husband.

There were consequences for Israel forgetting about God and His commands.  We're told in Judge 3:8 that "The anger of the LORD burned against Israel..." and even more.  But our kind and compassionate God doesn't turn away from Israel.  Judges 3:9  This shows us a "pattern" of forgettful people and a faithful God.

Mrs. Hamilton challenges us to not be a forgettful people but to make AND KEEP God our first and foremost Priority of our lives.  Ephesians 1:3

By choosing to keep God most important in our lives, we will avoid our own destruction.  1 John 1:9

No matter what... will you choose to make God truly #1 in your life?  Psalm 103:1-13

Psalm 22:28

Lesson 8

"Dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations."  Psalm 22:28

Shoebox Autobiographies for October 6

Ethan Schreiber

and

Eden

will be sharing their

Shoebox Autobiographies

with us this week!

Thanks, Ethan and Eden!

We look forward to getting to know you better!