MORNINGSIDE KIDS
Morningside Kids 1/22/23 - Zephaniah Warned God's People to Repent
ZEPHANIAH WARNED GOD’S PEOPLE TO REPENT (ZEPHANIAH)
The Book of Zephaniah serves as a stern rebuke of God’s people and a warning regarding a failure to return to Him faithfully. It also serves as a reminder of God’s expectation of holiness and a description of what that looks like when faithfully lived out among God’s people.
Zephaniah 2:3 offers a call to repentance and a promise of hope for this restoration of the faithful. “Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be concealed on the day of the LORD’s anger.” Through Zephaniah, the Lord provided a glimmer of hope amidst His stern rebuke and graphic warning. But He didn’t stop there. Zephaniah ended his prophecy with more than a glimmer of hope, a promise that likely warmed the weary souls of God’s people.
Beginning with Zephaniah 3:9, we find a beautiful picture of God’s fully-restored people. It’s a remarkable image of faithfulness, satisfaction, joy, and mutual benefit that ignites a desire for this reality. It may even ignite in the reader a desire for what could be called “a return to Eden.”
Zephaniah 3 describes an environment of pure speech where all are calling on the name of the Lord. There is also painted a picture of generosity, humility, meekness, joy, singing, celebration, healing, praise, and fortune. Zephaniah also describes an end to failures, arrogance, rebellion, dispersion, lies, wrongdoing, and fear. Following a terrifying warning for God’s people to repent, this wonderful image of restoration leaves the reader with great hope.
The Bible is full of stern reminders of God’s expectation of holiness among His people, but it is always chased by a beautiful and redemptive reminder of His promise to restore all things and the hope that this promise offers to those who repent of their wicked ways and hope in Christ.
Spend some time today asking God to work out the message of Zephaniah’s prophecy in your own heart, to confront you with His holiness and a rebuke of the sin in your life, and to follow that with a reminder of the hope that belongs to all who trust in Christ for the restoration of their soul—and ultimately, all things in the heavens and the earth.
Morningside Kids 1/15/23 - Isaiah Warned of God's Judgment
ISAIAH WARNED OF GOD’S JUDGMENT (ISAIAH 22, 48)
The judgment of God can be found all through the Bible among people who turned from God to their own ways and sought to make a name for themselves or, at the very least, to satisfy themselves at the cost of their disobedience.
In Isaiah 22, we find a warning from God regarding the selfish ambitions and pursuits of God’s people. Though many strong, knee-shaking statements are made by God in this rebuke, one statement captures the heart of the rebellion of God’s people: “You made a reservoir between the walls for the water of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the one who made it or consider the one who created it long ago” (v. 11).
God’s people had set their hope in themselves and forgotten the Maker and Sustainer of all the good that had come to them. God was reminding them that every ounce of provision, every victory won, and every bit of directional clarity had come from Him. God was rebuking them for neglecting to remember that He was the one behind it all.
We are easily blinded by pride. After all, when we experience great accomplishments, unlikely victories, and significant provisions, it is difficult to not assume our own great work. But, as God reminds in Isaiah 22:23-25, He is the one who raises up and tears down leaders. And in Isaiah 48:11, He will not share His glory with another. Finally, as Isaiah 48:17-18 reminds us, He teaches us the way we should go, if only we would listen.
God is the author of all that is good in our lives, God is the giver of all that is good in our lives, and God is the sustainer of all that we need. When we believe the lie that it is any other way, we deceive ourselves. But when we embrace the reality of God’s goodness and provision, we will find great rest and hope. We will walk more humbly and confidently through the mountains and the valleys of life, knowing from whom every good and every perfect gift comes.
Morningside Kids 1/8/23 - Joash Wanted to Obey God
joash wanted to obey god (2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 24)
Judah’s King Joash became king at age 7. He redirected all silver that was given at the temple to the workers rebuilding the temple rather than to the priests, and his servants conspired against him, ultimately killing him while traveling on a road trip. Over his 40-year reign, it seems that both Joash’s experiences and influence were significant.
People who do significant things are often remembered for their accomplishments, their victories over powerful enemies, and other prominent moments recorded when people likely stood in awe of their wisdom or greatness. But one incredible detail about King Joash is how he is described in 2 Kings 12:2: “Throughout the time the priest Jehoiada instructed him, Joash did what was right in the LORD’s sight.”
Of all of his great feats and brilliant decisions, Joash was faithful when he listened to the counsel that God had put in his life.
Isn’t this true of all of us? When we listen to the wisdom of the people God has strategically placed in our lives, we are equipped to make better decisions. When God gives us opportunities to lead, though there may be a temptation to lean on our own insight or abilities alone, we will be far better equipped when we use the peripheral resources that God knows we need and thus has provided.
Often, the only thing that would prevent us from listening to and receiving the counsel of those wise people that God has put around us is our own pride. It can be a real shot to our self-reliance to listen to the insight of others as we are navigating different situations in our lives. Especially those that we are seen as the leader. But God has placed those people in our lives for a particular purpose.
God doesn’t ever put us in situations without the resources to walk through them. And often the form that those resources take is the wise counsel of those around us. So, look up, see the people whom God has placed around you, and seek their wisdom, trusting that God often speaks to us through other people.
Morningside Kids 11/27/22 - Elisha Performed Miracles
ELISHA PERFORMED MIRACLES (2 KINGS 4-6)
Miracles are often found in Scripture as a means of God doing what nature cannot explain to show His own power and authority over all things. This portion of 2 Kings 4–6 is no different. But these miracles don’t just teach us about God; they also demonstrate our human nature—to doubt when circumstances appear to leave us with little to no control.
Many of the miracles performed by Elisha in 2 Kings 4–6 come in moments when the human dilemmas of sin, death, fear, worry, and lack are realized and people are overtaken with doubt.
Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt as if your back was against the wall, your limits had been reached, and there was no way and no reason for hope in a particular situation? If so, you’re not alone. We all have moments when it seems as if we’re done and there’s no way out.
The reason we all experience these things is because we are humans. Our limitedness leaves us lacking and in moments where that lack prevents us from saving ourselves, we cannot help but feel doubtful.
But God.
It is often in these moments that we are reminded of just how self-reliant we tend to be and just how God-dependent we truly are.
God in these moments of doubt becomes our only hope, our beacon, our help. And though we ought to have some sense of confidence in this all the time, the reality is that we often lose sight of how deeply we need the Lord until He is our only way out.
What if we lived dependent on God to this degree all the time? What if we lived knowing that our only hope was God’s provision, even when it doesn’t feel like we need it? What if we saw that even our own ability to find a way out of a dire situation was a gift from Him?
The mystery that God wants to make known to those around us is this: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Is your confidence so firm in the Lord as provider and sustainer that it demonstrates the hope of Christ to those around you? If not, be reminded today that He isn’t just your help from time to time, but your only hope time and time again.
Christmas for Morningside Kids
Christmas is a special time for kids at Morningside. Our churchwide celebrations are kid-friendly, but we also have several kid-specific celebrations too!
KIDS Christmas party (12/3, 5-8 pm)
Hey Morningside Kids! Are you ready to have some Color-Filled Christmas fun? You're invited to our annual Christmas party on Saturday, Dec 3 from 5-8pm. Register here to enjoy food, games, crafts, playtime and videos! Cost: $5 per child
KIDS cHRISTMAS sPECIALS (12/18, 11 am)
Sunday, December 18 at 11 a.m. we feature our kids' Christmas specials. Sign up by Dec. 4 to join us.
Kids Choir christmas program (12/18, 5 PM)
On December 18 at 5 PM, our kids choir presents “Sing a Song of Christmas.” Afterwards we'll celebrate with a Christmas cookie fellowship.
Morningside Kids 11/20/22 - Elisha Served as a Prophet
ELISHA SERVED AS A PROPHET (2 KINGS 2)
Elisha’s incredible loyalty to the prophet Elijah is recorded in 2 Kings 2. He followed Elijah wherever he went. He committed to Elijah even when others told him that Elijah would soon die. And he stayed by his side to the very end.
Elisha saw something in Elijah that he himself wanted: his spirit. In fact, Elisha told Elijah that what he wanted from him most was “two shares of your spirit.” Why on earth would Elisha desire this? Was it because he wanted God’s Spirit to be accessible to him? Was it because he wanted the authority that Elijah carried? Was it because he knew the remainder of his life would be hard and he thought he could use some extra strength? We may not be certain of this; however, it is obvious that Elisha saw something in Elijah that he wanted.
Have you ever observed the gifts of the people around you and desired them for yourself? Maybe you’ve been amazed by someone’s ability to articulate the gospel with great clarity in a compelling way with thousands listening on and desired that gift. Perhaps you saw someone serving with great joy as they opened their home and pulled out every stop to make their guests feel loved and welcomed. Do you long for their gift of hospitality?
Though at times there is a selfish desire that drives our interest in someone else’s gifts, we see in 2 Kings 2 that Elijah lived a life worthy of emulation. This thought brings to mind Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11, ‘Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.’
Are you living the type of life that others see and long to follow? Is your use of the gifts God has given you one that draws attention and causes questions or where this gifting comes from? Does your faithfulness to the Lord stir an interest on the part of others around you?
When we run faithfully after the Lord, there is no doubt going to be others who see and desire to know more. And as the opportunity arises, take hold of those opportunities to bring others along to see what it looks like to remain faithful to the Lord and ultimately to show them that He is both your motivation and the source of all that is good in you.
Morningside Kids 11/13/22 - Elijah Served as a Prophet
Even a dim light is visible in the darkness. There’s no denying that the world today can be described as a dark place where sin is endorsed and idolized, mistreatment of others for any reason may be viewed as a necessary part of life, and some of the most egregious dismissals of God’s standards are championed in many pockets of culture and have taken root at younger and younger ages.
But darkness isn’t new. In fact, the Bible reminds us that darkness has been a reality since the fall of man. And though the darkness often seems the darkest in our current reality, history tends to repeat itself.
First Kings 16 is one of many places in the Bible where the depth of darkness in the world is painted vividly: leaders who sought their own satisfaction at the expense of others, people who sought power and were willing to kill to gain it, pleasure and fulfillment as justifiable reasons for any decision. These were only some of the markers of the culture of the day.
But, as God often does, He enabled and equipped a voice of light to pierce the darkness. Elijah, a prophet sent from God to speak truth, lived with boldness in the midst of a desperate and depraved generation.
In the past, God communicated through the prophets. He sent fire from heaven and multiplied flour and oil. Today, He commissions His people to proclaim His message in the midst of a dark world.
This is actually part of our purpose in the world: to make visible the power of God, to be a light in the darkness, to shine bright—breaking through the sickness of sin so prominently on display in our culture and offering the hope of a God who never sleeps or slumbers and always finds a way to make Himself known.
It’s easy to grow weary when looking at our world, but take heart, for Christ has overcome the world and given us the ministry of making Him known. In the midst of the darkness, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God.
Morningside Kids 11/6/22 - Jeroboam Disobeyed God
Jeroboam Disobeyed God (I Kings 12-13)
The entire Bible is true, without error, authoritative, and clear; however, there are times—perhaps when trying to discern about a new job opportunity or other circumstances when there is seemingly more than one good option—when we may ask, “What does God want of me?”
The Bible contains some very clear directives about what we should and should not do. It is abundantly clear that we are to honor our father and mother and that we should avoid immorality. What happens when we go against God’s directions?
In 1 Kings 13, we see a prophet from Judah who had clear direction from God about what not to do, but King Jeroboam did not fully adhere to this instruction. The results were devastating.
The prophet expressed that he was, “Commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat food or drink water or go back the way you came.” On two occasions he explained that admonition to those inviting him to do otherwise.
But, in a moment of temptation, he dismissed that instruction at the deceptive advice of an old prophet. The prophet from Judah returned to where he came from, ate, and drank water with them—ultimately disregarding the clear instruction of the Lord. The prophet’s disobedience led to death by lion.
The intent of this encounter is not to scare us into obedience but to remind us of the seriousness of sin, the consequences of sin, and the grace of God under which we live in Christ.
So often we spend hours deliberating things God has not made crystal clear to us while simultaneously disregarding those things that He has made known to us through His Word. It may serve us well, as Jesus’ followers, to give ourselves fully to those things that God has made clear. When we become more aware of what God commands of us and as we grow in faithfulness to those things, it is likely that our discernment will grow as well. We ought to live as graciously obedient people seeking to know and obey God’s ways, with God’s help.
Christmas Boxes for Miracle Hill Foster Care
Donate Christmas gifts for Miracle Hill foster children during the month of November. Our children's ministry will be boxing the donations on Sunday, December 4 at 11am. We will then deliver the Christmas boxes to Miracle Hill for foster families to pick up during the holidays. See the donation list below. Donations can be dropped off in the lobby. We look forward to being a blessing to many foster children and their families this Christmas!
Morningside Kids 10/23/22 - Solomon Sinned
SOLOMON’S SIN DIVIDED THE KINGDOM (I KINGS 10-12
When you read the description of Solomon’s wealth in 1 Kings 10, it is hard not to have some sense of jealousy about the amount of money and power he had amassed. Solomon is described as having 25 tons of gold come into his possession every year as only a portion of his annual increase of wealth.
Solomon made everything imaginable out of gold and ivory. In fact, he had so much gold that silver lost its value in his kingdom because it was so accessible to the people. He was a man who had anything and everything that one could ever want.
Who wouldn’t want all that Solomon had? Solomon had anything a person could ever want in terms of both possessions and wisdom. But after his reign of 40 years came to an end, Solomon’s life ended too. He was buried alongside his ancestors and carried none of his riches with him.
Psalm 50:10 says, “Every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” The currency of the days of Asaph, writer of Psalm 50, was animals. And for God to describe Himself as the owner of the livestock roaming on the earth was for God to say that He owns it all. In the same way that the cattle on a thousand hills represents unimaginable wealth, we could never calculate the wealth and richness of God.
When we consider the desirable wealth of Solomon, we ought to be reminded of the unimaginable wealth of God. He is a good God who doesn’t gather for Himself and leave the leftovers to His children; rather, God gives to His children out of His abundance that we too might enjoy His wealth of grace and mercy both now and in eternity.
If you’re looking for wealth, look no further than the cross. The cross is where we find the evidence of God’s gracious hand providing for His children and where we look to find access to His generous heart for eternity.
Volume 5 - From Rebellion to Exile
VOLUME 5: FROM REBELLION TO EXILE
In this volume of the Gospel Project for Kids, the story of the divided kingdom reveals the many warnings God’s people received—warnings to seek repentance from their sinful, idolatrous ways and turn to God. As we repent of sin, we are filled with the truth that we were made in the image of God.
Unit 13: The People Disobey: Solomon’s sin of idolatry had led to the kingdom splitting in two. Just as the people were divided against each other, so were they divided against God as they continued to try to worship the one true God along with the false gods around them. As a result, God raised up prophets to speak on His behalf and warn the people to worship Him alone.
BIG TRUTH & ANSWER: What is idolatry? Idolatry is a sin of the heart in which we love and value something else above God.
KEY PASSAGE: Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Nov 6 - Jeroboam Disobeyed God (1 Kings 12–13)
Nov 13 - Elijah Served as a Prophet (1 Kings 16–18)
Nov 20 - Elisha Served as a Prophet (2 Kings 2)
Nov 27 - Elisha Performed Miracles (2 Kings 4–6)
Dec 4 - Special Kids Day
Dec 11 - Christmas Lesson
Dec 18 - Christmas Lesson
Dec 25 - Christmas Lesson
Jan 1 - Christmas Lesson
Unit 14: Warnings to the People: As God’s people continued to rebel against Him, He continued to pursue them. God sent warnings to the people through a series of prophets who pleaded with them to turn from idolatry and turn back to God. God was ready to accept their repentance. But should they continue in their sin, God was ready to judge their rebellion.
BIG TRUTH & ANSWER: What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.
KEY PASSAGE: Acts 3:19
Jan 8 - Joash Wanted to Obey God (2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 24)
Jan 15 - Isaiah Warned of God’s Judgment (Isaiah 22; 48)
Jan 22 - Zephaniah Warned God’s People to Repent (Zephaniah)
Jan 29 - We Are to Repent of Sin (Matthew 3)
Unit 15: Into Captivity: Despite God’s warnings, His people continued to rebel. When God warned Israel’s enemies, they repented. In this we see God’s heart for all people and also His justice in what He would do next: discipline His people by sending them into captivity in a foreign land.
BIG TRUTH & ANSWER: What makes people special? People are special because we are made in God’s image, as male and female, to know Him.
KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 139:13-14
Feb 5 - Jonah Warned of God’s Judgment (Jonah)
Feb 12 - Nahum Warned of God’s Judgment (Nahum)
Feb 19 - God’s People Were Taken Captive (2 Chronicles 36)
Feb 26 - Every Person Matters (Psalm 139)
The Gospel Plan
One of the most important events in a child’s journey of life is for them to acknowledge God as the ruler of their life, repent of sin and turn in faith towards Jesus their Savior. As parents, we pray for our children and plant seeds by exposing them to God’s Truth. Here’s is one resource you can share with your child that clearly explains the Gospel and continued growth in his or her life.
Morningside Kids 10/16/22 - Solomon Built the Temple
SOLOMON BUILT A TEMPLE (1 KINGS 6-9)
Moments of distress or pain and moments of rebellion or wandering often function as God’s classroom for His children to learn to trust Him. These experiences force us to either lean in to God or to leave—to turn from God or to trust in God. These moments are not obstacles to our faith but opportunities that God provides to grow our faith like no other.
In 1 Kings 8:22-53, King Solomon was praying at the dedication of the temple. God had fulfilled His promise to King David, and the people had a tangible reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision.
In Solomon’s prayer, we see several things that He believed about God. Among those, we learn that Solomon believed the only right response to feeling far from God is to turn the direction of our focus from ourselves to God as our only hope and to turn the direction of our lives from rebellion toward obedience to the Lord.
The temptation for believers when we feel far from God is not to move toward Him but rather to sit at a distance or move further away, in fear that what has caused our sense of distance prevents Him from wanting us near. But this is simply not true.
Solomon’s prayer reveals that God wants His people near. Even amid rebellion or trial, the Lord is the only way to turn.
When you hit moments of distress, pain, rebellion, or wandering, is your tendency to move away from God or remain at a distance? Or do you find yourself turning your focus away from yourself and toward Him? If there is any rebellious way in you, turn toward God’s gracious hand of forgiveness. “LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below, who keeps the gracious covenant with your servants who walk before you with all their heart” (1 Kings 8:23).
This is the God who wants you near when you wander and wants your heart when you are hurting. Do not doubt Him, for He longs for us to draw near to Him as He has drawn near to us through Christ. Because of the work of Jesus, who drew near to us by humbling Himself, taking on the form of a man and enduring death on a cross, we too can humbly draw near to God.
Upstate Backpack Blessings
Upstate Backpack Blessings is a volunteer-based, donation-driven organization that now provides bags of food to 300+ students each week in 16 area elementary, middle and high schools. Between 30-40 children at Pelham Road Elementary School receive food bags each week. We have the opportunity to be a blessing to these children by donating food this fall. Food donations can be dropped off at the Welcome Center:
canned pasta (i.e. spaghetti & meatballs)
microwavable macaroni & cheese
peanut butter crackers
applesauce cups
Thank you for giving!
Good News Club
You can be a part of our Good News Club at Pelham Road Elementary School each week! To learn more about Good News Club and Child Evangelism Fellowship, click the button below. To get involved as a weekly volunteer, contact Pastor Ontoy or Lara Cropsey.
If you can’t join us each Tuesday from 2:30-4:00, you can still get involved by providing snacks for 25 kids at our Good News Club each week!
Would you like some suggestions? So glad you asked!
fruit snacks
mini pretzels
cookies
chewy granola bars
Rice Krispie Treats
Make sure what you’re donating is prepackaged and free of peanuts. You can bring donations to the Welcome Center.
Morningside Kids 10/9/22 - God Gave Solomon Wisdom
God Gave Solomon Wisdom (1 Kings 2-3)
What exactly do you pray for the next generation? When you ask God to move and work in the coming generations, what is it that you are asking Him to do? You may hope for them to be good and productive citizens. It may be that you hope to see them make good decisions, marry the right person, and raise a beautiful family. It may be that you hope they will become committed to the local church and even show evidence of their love for God in how they serve others.
In 1 Kings 2, we see an incredible example of how to pray for the next generation. Whether your own kids, your future kids, the kids you are investing in through your church, or others that you influence, consider David’s desire. David’s hope for his son demonstrates what we ought to hope and pray for the next generation.
The first four verses of 1 Kings 2 contain David’s dying words to his son Solomon. David knew his days were few, and he took the opportunity to call Solomon to what he knew would be best. Ultimately, David told Solomon to grow into a godly man who is faithful to the Lord in every way. Specifically, David called Solomon “to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees.”
When you think about the way you pray for the next generation, does it sound like this? Does it sound like the words of a dying father who knows his child’s only hope is to trust in God and follow Him faithfully? Or does it sound more like a hopeful fan who wants a good, moral societal participant that they will be associated with and maybe even reap the benefits of their success?
We ought to want what God wants for our own lives and the lives of the next generation that we are investing in. It shouldn’t matter if they are our biological kids, adoptive kids, foster kids, or church kids. Our hope should be that they would faithfully follow God as they grow into godly people who are faithful to the Lord in every way.
Morningside Kids 10/2/22 - God is Good to Give Grace
GOD IS GOOD TO GIVE GRACE (PSALM 51)
One of the most glorious ways God shows us His grace is through salvation. Though there are many common graces that apply to everyone—life, breath, relationships, and more; salvation is a gift of God’s grace experienced by only some.
In Psalm 51, David recalled the holiness of God, repenting of his sin and ultimately seeking to enjoy the nearness of His gracious God once again. Amid this confession, David asked God for many things, one of which was to restore to him the joy of salvation.
Why, in the middle of this moment of confession and repentance, did David ask God to bring back the joy of salvation? If you’ve ever felt the true weight of your sin, you know that these moments can bring the temptation to lose all joy. Sin can take you to a place that brings misery and heartache more than a sense of nearness and happiness.
In David’s lowest moment, he knew what he needed was not just forgiveness for a sin, but a reminder that through faith in the Lord, he had total forgiveness.
David had come to know the depth of his own sin. He understood the implications of the thoughts and actions derived from his wicked heart. And as he discerned these things, he couldn’t help but realize that he needed God’s full forgiveness. And so David asked the Lord to take him back to the elementary principles of God’s salvation.
In moments of failure, it is good for us to return to the cross. It is good for us to return to the salvation that God has given us. When we do, we can recall the fullness of God’s forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ—the shed blood of our Savior who has provided what we need for every moment.
Would you pray today for God to restore the joy of His salvation to you? Ask God to help you remember with gladness the blood of Jesus shed to pay for your sin. Jesus takes our sin and completely frees us to live for Him. God is good to give grace, and He is worthy of all praise.
Morningside Kids 9/25/22 - David Sinned and Was Restored
DAVID SINNED AND WAS RESTORED (2 SAMUEL 12)
Why is it that we can be so quick to see the sins of others, but have such a hard time seeing our own? In 2 Samuel 12, after David had grievously sinned against Bathsheba, Uriah, and ultimately the Lord, he was confronted by Nathan and forced to see the disgust of his own failure.
Nathan came to David with a word from the Lord intended to help him see the significance of his own sin, but David’s response suggests that he wished judgment on another for the very same thing he had done himself.
David’s sin had snowballed as he tried to cover it up. Ultimately, David’s sin escalated to the point of murder. David quickly moved on to the next phase of his cover-up operation and seemed to have satisfactorily dealt with his failure, keeping the circle of those who knew the truth as small as possible. But Nathan was able to confront David in his sin. Nathan helped David see the sickness of his own heart and actions, and he shared with David what he could expect as a consequence of his sin.
David needed what each of us needs as well: someone else to help us walk with the Lord and show us what we are sometimes unwilling to see about ourselves. What Nathan did for David was painful but powerful. Nathan helped David see sin in his life that needed to be dealt with.
Who in your life has the Lord used or could the Lord use to help you see the dark places in you that no one else knows? Who in your life that the Lord might use to help bring about true repentance?
Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” Iron is sharpened by one surface rubbing against another so that the imperfections can be broken away. As we follow Jesus, we need one another to walk in the light and find forgiveness in the Lord.
Good News Club - Jesus Cares Week 1
GOOD NEWS CLUB - JESUS CARES
We had a great start to our Good News Club with Pelham Road All-Stars! Today we encouraged kids to believe that Jesus is our Creator, Almighty God and Redeemer! Jesus is the God who cares for people!
Thank you to all of our team members who helped today! To get involved with Good News Club reach out to Pastor Ontoy or Lara Cropsey.
Morningside Kids 9/18/22 - God Made a Covenant with David
GOD MADE A COVENANT WITH DAVID (2 SAMUEL 6-7)
David is described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam. 13:14) Though at times David showed the depth of his depravity, he also demonstrated a love for God that was radical. In 2 Samuel 6, we see this take the form of David dancing with all his might before the Lord.
There was much external evidence of David’s love for God, including his praising and rejoicing, dancing, and playing instruments. We also see in David’s life a depth of love for God as evidenced in the way that he prayed.
In 2 Samuel 7:18, after David heard from the Lord through Nathan, we find the beginning of an incredibly humble prayer of thanksgiving to God. David’s first response to the great things that God had promised Him was to say, “Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?”
David didn’t stand up taller or display an attitude that suggested he deserved God’s blessing. He did just the opposite of that. David recognized that he simply didn’t deserve the good things that God had done and had promised to do.
When you think about God’s great work in your life or when you read His Word and recall His precious and very great promises, what is your response? Do you find yourself believing you deserve it and wishing there was more, or do you rightfully understand that God alone has brought you this far, leading you to respond in praise and thanksgiving?
This week, take the time to remember some of the great things that God has done in your life, how He saved you and others in your life. Remember how He has given you victory over sin. Remember the things you’ve seen God do in the lives of friends and family members.
Humbly thank God for what He’s done, and boldly ask Him to continue to work—not because you deserve it but because you desire to see, know, and love God more.
