<string name="a_desc">When you have a relationship with someone, you want to spend

time with them. Sometimes that means just being around them. Other times, it's
having a conversation with words. The relationship between people and God works
like this, too, and not just for adults. It's important to teach kids at an early
age that spending time with God should be a part of daily life. Prayer is a huge
component in our relationship with Him.

Defining Prayer

What is prayer? To put it as simply as possible, it just means talking to God. Even
very young children can get this concept. Parents and leaders begin talking to
kids, having conversations with them when they are babies. Even when they don't
understand it yet, they hear words and thoughts. Then at some point, they begin to
speak back. Communication happens.

You could explain it this way: when you are friends with someone, you might express
that friendship by talking and listening. If you don't ever talk to that friend,
you don't know what is going on in their life. The more you speak to that friend,
the more you understand them, and the closer you become. It's the same with God. If
you don't spend time talking with Him, you will not know much about Him. You won't
be very close. And the more time you spend apart, the harder it will be to have a
strong relationship.

Ask kids: who are the people you talk to every day. Their list most likely includes
family members, friends, and teachers. Bring up the importance of adding God to
their daily talk list. Conversing with Him helps keep the relationship going.

<string name="b_desc"> This miracle shows that not all religious leaders were
against Jesus.

Jairus, the official from the local synagogue, had heard about Jesus’ reputation as
a miracle worker and begged him to cure his sick daughter.

Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house when he was interrupted by a woman who
touched his cloak to cure her bleeding.

While Jesus and his disciples were once more on the way, they received a message
that the twelve year old girl had died. Jesus’ words are very important, "Don't be
afraid; just believe." Jesus is stressing that anything is possible when we have
faith.

When he got to Jarius’ house people had gathered in mourning and were preparing for
the child’s funeral. The crowd laughed when Jesus claimed that the child was only
sleeping and was not dead.

Jesus takes his closest disciples - Peter, James and John (the inner circle) - and
the child’s parents into the room.

Jesus heals by touch when he takes the little girl by the hand. He says “Talitha
cumi”, which means “Little girl, get up.”

He instructs her parents to give her something to eat. Today some people suggest
that the little girl was not dead but was in fact in a diabetic coma and this is
why Jesus gives this instruction.

Again Jesus gives strict orders not to tell anyone about this because of the
messianic secret.

<string name="c_desc">As the moon lit the treetops and the evening breeze cooled
her skin, Mary rested quietly, renewing her strength. She gazed in wonder at the
tiny, living gift in her arms. Any child, of course, is a miracle from heaven—a
firstborn in particular.

Even so, Mary understood that the child she held was set apart from any other that
had ever been born. She knew what the angel had told her and what her heart
confirmed: Here at my breast is the Son of God. Those were the very words, the very
designation, the angel had given: Son of God (see Luke 1:35).

Yet the question was, Why?

We can imagine Joseph standing proudly at his wife’s shoulder. He would be keeping
watch—standing guard, as fathers do. Joseph must have glanced at the moonlit clouds
and pondered his own mysteries. The information supplied to the engaged couple had
been very limited. Exactly what was the Lord doing in this small town, on this
quiet night, in this obscure province? When God invaded human affairs, the very
earth should tremble. But here was a scene one might find anywhere in the world: a
mother, a father, an infant.

A small stone nativity sits on a table in front of glittering lights in the

background. Jesus came to earth to save us!

Why was heaven so preoccupied with a scene so unremarkable?

Joseph did what we would have done. He returned again and again to what he himself
had experienced. He carefully sifted the words of his own angelic visitor. The
messenger had said, “You are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from
their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Why Did Jesus Come When He Did?

The words of angels are not likely to be forgotten. They are memorized, cherished,
inscribed upon the heart, and shared only with the most intimate friends. Mary and
Joseph each had their visit from an angel, and each held their piece of the puzzle.
Mary had been told who the baby was, while Joseph had been told what he would do.

As the child increased in wisdom and in stature, can we doubt that his parents
shared the angels’ words over and over?

You are the Son of God.

You will save your people from their sins.

A young man stands with his back to the camera, looking off towards the sun that
casts brilliant rays across the earth, piercing through low clouds. Jesus came to
earth and was taught by many, including God and Mary and Joseph.

How old was the child before such mysteries were entrusted to his reflection? The
God of heaven, the source of the messages, surely guided them at every crossroad.
His will came to Jesus by way of angels, then parents, then the young man’s own
encounters with his true Father.

It’s not surprising, then, that we find a young man in the Gospels who speaks
frequently of his mission. His very first recorded words were to tell his parents
they should have expected him to be involved in his Father’s business (see Luke
2:49).

Even so, Luke tells us that his parents didn’t understand his words. What was his
Father’s business? Who was this young boy with a twelve-year-old body and an
ageless wisdom? We can imagine the whispered conversations between Mary and Joseph
late at night. Why did Jesus come to earth? And when the time arrived—as inevitably
it must—where would he go? What would he do? Would the world finally understand
the incredible secret held only between heaven and one small family?

A from a hill view, we see a snowy seaside town, lit by a colorful sunset. Why did
Jesus come to earth? HE came to offer us all a hope in eternal life with His Father
in heaven.

When the day of fulfillment came, some three decades after his birth, Jesus had
been given many years to wrestle with the identity told to Mary and the mission
told to Joseph. We can imagine that he spoke often with those two. He discoursed
with the local teachers. He pored over the words of the prophets until they were
part of his very being. I am the one Isaiah described so long ago (see Isaiah 53).

There must have been moments when he mourned the loss of the simple life, the -
common life—the life of marriage and children and grandchildren—that he knew he
must not choose. But his heart was true. When he knew the time was right, he
journeyed deep into the wilderness alone, denying himself food and water. There, in
solitude, identity and mission came together for him. There Jesus himself
confronted the temptations of the devil, and he mastered them.

Why Did Jesus Come as a Baby?

And when he emerged, we find that Jesus was constantly answering the great question
—why had he come? On thirteen occasions in the short Gospel records, he used the
phrase, “I have come . . .”.

I have come to call . . . sinners. (Matthew 9:13)

I have come . . . in my Father’s name. (John 5:43)

I have come . . . to do the will of God. (John 6:38)

I come from him, and he sent me to you.

(John 7:29)

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world. (John 12:46)

A statue depicts the crucifiction of Jesus. Why would Jesus come to earth knowing
that He would have to suffer for us?

If the written record is any clue, no sense of mission has ever burned brighter.
Ordinary people never speak of “coming” to this world; this world is home. Jesus
employed the language of a guest. He spoke in the parlance of an ambassador on a
short but urgent assignment.

Perhaps his most moving purpose statement came on the day when he encountered a
strange little man named Zacchaeus. The latter was a man of wealth and distinction.
Yet when Jesus passed through town, the little man ran ahead of the crowd and
climbed into the branches of a tree. His lack of dignity was appalling, but people
tended to avert their eyes from Zacchaeus anyway. After all, he had made his
fortune by tapping into the corruption of Roman taxation. Conventional wisdom said
that a noble teacher of godly truth should ignore such a public parasite.

A young man, seen from behind, walks through a dimly lit but pretty wood. Jesus
came to rescue all of us, especially those extremely lost.

But imagine—Jesus called the little man by name, then suggested the two should
share a meal at the tax collector’s home. In the eyes of the crowd, it was a
serious misstep for Jesus, and they made their opinions known. Jesus said, “I, the
Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost” (see Luke
19:10).

To seek and to save the lost. There is music and majesty in that statement. One
focus: the lost. Two actions: seek and save. The ambassador’s urgent business,
then, is a rescue mission.

Why Did God Become a Man?

Seek and save. We think of pictures of sailors clinging to the wreckage of a ship.
Helicopters hover in the night sky, shining their beacons on the sea in search of
the living who must be saved. We think of a collapsed mine, where workers are
trapped far beneath the earth. Their oxygen runs low, and the men crouch in
darkness, wondering if they dare hope for salvation. We think of a little girl at
the bottom of a well, or even the favorite word picture of a single stray sheep
trapped on a perilous outcropping. One animal in a flock of hundreds, and who would
miss it? The shepherd would. He will leave the many to find the one, at any cost.

A life preserver ring hangs ona fence next to a wooden bench on the seas-front.
Jesus came to earth to perform a rescue mission for us all.

The coast guard will find those three or four bobbing sailors, and no taxpayer will
complain about the expense. The miners will not be abandoned, and the little girl
must see the sunshine once more. These situations are urgent, and when they come
across our television screens, everyone stops and prays and waits.

When those New York Fire Department workers rushed into the rubble of the World
Trade Center, they never stopped to ask about the risks. They pushed forward, fully
willing to pay the highest price life can demand. The idea of rescue is at the core
of our being; it stops us in our tracks.

But the true tragedy transcends the occasional current event. Now, as ever, the
world lies in its own rubble, its own self-inflicted darkness and pain. The
greatest enemy of all is the irresistible force within us, the thing known in the
Bible as sin. We are all too aware of its grip upon us. We know that its only work
is that of our destruction. And yet we enslave ourselves to it in every way. No one
has the power to rise above the tendrils of sin. Therefore the ruin of our fallen
state is all around us. The debris is all-pervasive. Our world’s inhabitants,
billions of them, long for their rescue, often without even realizing what that
longing is for.

Then a light shines in the darkness. A beacon slashes through our despair.
It is Jesus. He stands among us and says, “I have come to seek and to save the lost
—to find you and to restore you.”

A lighthouse shines its beam of light through a dark sky. Jesus came to earth as
our beacon of light!

The word gospel means “good news,” and that is surely the understatement of the
cosmos. The news is so good, so outrageously wonderful, that the world finds it
difficult to believe. A cure has been discovered for the common sin. Death itself
now has an alternative—and the alternative will be so good that on the day we
experience it our feeble minds could never contain the joy involved.

But it only gets better.

Jesus made another “I come” statement. The primary reason he came to earth was to
perform a rescue mission. Jesus also mentioned a secondary goal. He said, “My
purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). When he said
those words, he was talking about sheep again. He said that a false shepherd simply
uses the sheep; a true shepherd loves them enough to give his life for them. “I
have come not only to rescue you,” he was saying, “but to help you see all the
wonderful possibilities that life can hold for you. I want you to squeeze every
single drop of joy out of this life. And if I didn’t come to show you, you would
never know how.”

Great Gifts for New Believers.

Mary was told that her child would be the Son of God. Joseph was told that this
child would save his people from their sins. These were the two greatest imaginable
statements concerning the infant. But how could the angels possibly have explained
all that those two ideas entailed? How can you explain a rainbow to those who have
lived in a world of gray?

A neon rainbow lights up a dark wall.

Perhaps the angels themselves couldn’t have anticipated the miracle of Jesus—the
sheer wonder of the light that was about to break forth upon the earth like a
heavenly sunrise after thousands of years of night. We are more fortunate, for we
have his words. We have the testament of his life. Best of all, we have the
experience of knowing what life can be in all its fullness—as wonderful as Jesus
promised it would be.
<string name="d_desc">The Bible’s True Story of Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark is one of the few stories most people recognize. The beloved child’s
tale of an overstuffed bathtub toy filled with all sorts of lovable creatures has
been a favorite of many. But how does this story compare with the historical
account recorded for us in the Bible?

A WICKED WORLD
The Lord saw how utterly wicked people on earth had become; every thought was only
evil all the time. So God said, “I will destroy from the earth the people I have
created. And with them, the animals, birds, and creeping things” (Genesis 6:5–7).

Noah Pleases God

But Noah found favor with God for he alone was righteous among the people of his
day. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And God said to him, “I will
establish My covenant with you; you will go into the ark with your wife, your sons,
and their wives” (Genesis 6:8–10, 18).
NOAH BUILDS AN ARK
God said to Noah, “I am going to destroy all flesh because the world is full of
violence. Build an ark of gopherwood, with rooms inside, three decks, and a door.
Cover it inside and out with pitch.” And Noah did exactly as God commanded him
(Genesis 6:13–22).

THE ANIMALS COME TO NOAH

God also told Noah, “Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and
his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and
seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their
offspring alive on the face of all the earth” (Genesis 7:2–3, ESV).

Noah and Family Enter the Ark

So Noah and his family went into the Ark because of the coming Flood. And every
land animal after its kind went with them, two by two, male and female, just as God
had commanded. And the Lord shut the door (Genesis 7:7–16).

A FLOOD COVERS THE EARTH

Then the Flood began. The fountains of the deep broke open, and the windows of
heaven were opened. Rain poured for forty days and forty nights. The waters rose
until every high hill on the earth was covered. Everything that lived on land
perished in the raging floodwaters (Genesis 7:17–24).

Noah Sends Out a Dove

After sending out a raven, Noah sent out a dove to see if there was dry ground. But
it came back having found nowhere to perch. After seven days, Noah sent it back out
and it came back with a fresh olive leaf in its mouth. And Noah knew the ground was
drying (Genesis 8:6–12).

NOAH LEAVES THE ARK

Then God told Noah, “Come out of the ark. And bring the animals with you so they
can be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” So Noah and his family came out
with all the animals (Genesis 8:13–19).
God’s Promise Not to Flood the Earth Again
Then Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings to the Lord on it. And God
said, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man or send a flood to
destroy all living things, even though mankind’s heart is evil from childhood.” And
God blessed Noah and his family saying, “Be fruitful and increase in number and
fill the earth” (Genesis 8:20–22).

<string name="e_desc">Story of Moses

Here we explain the story of Moses, who he was and what he did. You’ll also find
some handy links to resources that will help you teach your children all about
Moses, assisting you in introducing them to the Moses story.
Who was Moses?
Moses is considered one of the most important religious leaders in world history.
Islam, Judaism and Christianity all believe Moses to be an important prophet of God
and the founder of monotheistic beliefs (the belief in only one God).

What is the Story of Moses?

The story of Moses began in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. The Hebrew descendants
of Joseph (the Israelites) had begun to increase in the land of Egypt and the
Pharaoh of the time was worried they would try to take power so he enslaved them.

When Moses was born the Pharaoh had decided all male children must be killed so
they cannot grow up to fight him. Moses’ mother was terrified and attempted to hide
her male baby for three months. Fearing she wouldn't be able to hide him much
longer she set him adrift in a basket along the river Nile, hoping the power of God
would save him.

Moses floated down the river to where the Pharaoh’s daughter was bathing. She
rescued him and named him ‘Moses’. It was believed that the word ‘Moses’ meant to
‘draw out’. She raised him as a son and he grew up in the Egyptian palace.

One day he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave so badly that he lost his temper
and killed the Egyptian. This meant he had to flee the country as people knew what
he had done.

He fled to Midian where he rescued the daughters of a high priest. As a token of

gratitude, he was gifted one of the daughters, Zipporah, as a wife. He lived
happily as a shepherd in Midian for forty years.

One day he saw a burning bush that didn't seem to be consumed by the fire. He heard
the voice of God with a message asking him to save the people who were enslaved in
Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land.

At first, Moses refused God and asked him to send someone else but God insisted and
said he would have his brother Aaron with him, as well as supernatural powers to
help him convince the Pharaoh that he speaks for God.

Moses returned back to Egypt and asked the Pharaoh to free the slaves. He was not
happy with this request and didn’t want to lose all of his slaves so he said no.
This made God very angry and so he sent ten plagues to the land of Egypt.

It was the tenth plague, the one that killed all firstborn sons (including the
pharaoh’s) that made him eventually give up the slaves. The Israelites all left
Egypt and took lots of jewels and treasure with them. This angered the Pharaoh and
he sent an army after them.

As the Israelites met the Red Sea they realised they were trapped. God told Moses
to lift up his staff, and when he did the Red Sea parted to let them through. The
sea closed on and killed the Egyptian army that had been following them.

The Israelites were free but had nowhere to live and no food, so God made sure when
they woke up they found white food that tasted like honey on the floor. When they
needed water, Moses could strike his staff on the rocks to make it flow.

It took three months of travelling for them to reach the foot of Mount Sinai. God
asked Moses to meet him at the top. Moses climbed up in a thunderstorm and waited
for God.

God gave Moses 10 important laws known as the Ten Commandments that would tell his
people how to live.

What were the Ten Plagues in the Moses Story?

Before the Pharaoh would free the slaves, the Egyptian people suffered ten plagues
sent down to Earth by God.

They were;

Turning water into blood

Frogs
Lice

Flies

Death of livestock

Hail

Locusts

Boils

Death of firstborn sons

What are the Main Themes of the Moses Story?

There are lots of different themes within the story of Moses. Here we look at a few
in detail.

Freedom and Confinement

The first half of the story of Moses shows his struggle to free the Israelites from
slavery in Egypt. Slavery was much more common in the days of the Old Testament,
but it is still present in some forms today as people fight for their freedom in
other ways.

Family and Community

Life was much more difficult in Moses’ time. It was more violent and generally less
easy to survive than it is today. A big concern for the people of that time was
having a lasting legacy in terms of their own ideas and in their family’s DNA. They
often had lots of children to make sure their lineage would continue and to prove
they were in with God. It is important to note that in the story of Moses both God
and the pharaoh attack the idea of children through the order of the death of the
male babies, and the plague on the firstborn sons.

The Rise of Civilisation

Civilisation gave people access to wealth and goods as well as opportunities they
wouldn’t have had before but that made the cities targets for armies that wanted
wealth and power. This lead to enslavement becoming the norm as in the story of
Moses.

Reputation
The whole Book of Exodus appears to be a story of struggle for most of the
individuals to find their place in a very hostile world. In order to feel like they
are accepted, they have to gain power and prove themselves to others.

Stubbornness
There are plenty of references in the Moses story to the stubbornness of human
nature. The pharaoh will not give in to the demands of Moses - but it is God’s
influence that is making him act that way, so doesn’t that make God the stubborn
one? Moses even attempts to refuse God’s wishes at the beginning but luckily for
the Israelites, he gives in.

What are the Ten Commandments in the Story of Moses?

Thou shalt have no other gods before me
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
Honour thy father and thy mother
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
Thou shalt not covet anything that is thy neighbour's
Facts About the Story of Moses for Kids
The Moses story is told in the Biblical Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy,
and Numbers but is referenced a great deal in the Bible.
Moses is the prophet most mentioned in the New Testament.
In the Quran, he is mentioned 115 times as opposed to Muhammad who is only
mentioned by name 4 times.
The story of Moses is only referred to in the first five books of the Bible and the
Quran. No other ancient texts corroborate the story, meaning he is believed to be a
legendary figure and a cultural myth.
The Israelites painted lamb’s blood on their doorways so their firstborn sons would
be safe and their homes would be passed over by the Angel of Death. This is why the
celebration of ‘Passover’ exists.
According to the Bible, Moses lived for 120 years.
He died in the land of Moab.
Moses transcribed the Torah, the foundational text of Judaism.