I will never know the love of God until you show it

Remember, I used to say that "I will never know the love of God until you show it."

I guess the only way for others to know God and God's love is through us. I know it sounds common, but it is really really deep. Think about the opposite- if we don't show that we love others, they will never ever know what God is like or His love. You never know what ice cream taste like until you actually eat it. There is no way to describe the taste to an extend where it is able to replace the taste itself- no way. Similarly, a kid who has never tasted love before, will never know God- it is humanly impossible.

You know, all this while , I always wished that people will come to know God and the love of God, and I tried to many times to describe it to my friends. I tried all kinds of ways- through the way I lived my life and all. I thought that if they saw how much I loved God, or if they saw how much God loves me and blessed me, that they will be able to understand the love of God- no. No matter how much I describe to them the feeling of eating ice cream of chocolate, they will never be able to grasp the idea until they try it for themselves. No matter how much I try to show them that I love ice cream and how many miles I walk to get it, it will only develop curiosity but it can never give them the taste. How then will they ever experience the taste? There is only one way- through me. Why is that so?

John 14:7-11

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Okay, I know you might say- oh, that's because Jesus is God, and the only way to know God is through Jesus. True, but remember Jesus said in Verse 10 - "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?" This is what makes Jesus able to extend the love of God and the person of God to them- because God is in Jesus and Jesus in God. Now let's go to Verse 20:

20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Therefore, I understand that God is in us too. And therefore, Verse 7 applies to us too:

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

If they had known us, they would have known God also, and from now on they know Him and have seen Him - paraphrased by Anna

Sunday School Lesson 4

The F Language
10-12 yrs old
6 weeks long

Method : Basic interaction- group discussion; Q&A session; problem solving.

Relationship building : Teacher-to-students; Students-to-students

Purpose : To prepare them for the journey through life with the Lord.

Emphasis :

1. Group discussion : Critical analysis and response filled arguments
• support the least supported one - if they are wrong, try not to hurt his/her feelings. Instead, compliment his/her courage to speak up in front of the whole class and show your admiration towards his/her critical thinking skills.
  
• look out for the quiet ones by asking them for their opinion- bear in mind that everyone has an opinion, whether or not they are on the fence.
• discourage discouragement from other students, especially those that hurt, e.g 'stupid', 'lousy', 'bad', etc. by regulations.
• By regulations, disallow students to get personal in the arguments, e.g 'that's why your parents don't love you' or 'that's because you stink'.
  
2. Q&A : Answers to unanswered questions
• if you don't know the answer, just say, "I don't know, but we can find out together." Do not assume you know an answer. And if you don't, assure yourself that it is not due to your incompetence that you don't have an answer to all of life's questions. Neither is it your responsibility to answer them all. And most of the time, the simplest questions are the hardest to answer.
• it will help if you prepare students beforehand that you may not know all the answers to the questions they throw at you, but you will try your best to guide them.
• keep to your words; if you say that you will find out together with them, do it. If necessary, ask someone spiritually senior.
• if in any way you get shaken up by their questions and the fact that you can't answer them, always pray. The devil may be using this to test you. Thus the reason why many teachers avoid Q&A sessions. God honors you for choosing to take up such an important challenge for the sake of the young ones. If they can think it, God can answer it. If God can answer it, the devil can't. But if you don't answer it, answers will come to them from somewhere else.
  
3. Problem solving : Practical Solutions to real life problems
• one of the most important sessions during their childhood life. This is where true relationship building takes place between teachers and students and sometimes, students among themselves. The most important thing is to Love them. And if you love them, encourage them. Respect them. Go through it with them, pray with them. And follow up the matter.
• if necessary, have private counseling sessions for those who are going through extremely personal problems. Discernment is important. Ask God to show you who are the ones that need personal time with you. Sometimes the happiest ones have the biggest issues. And sometimes the ones with the best behavior are going through the most. It's hard to tell.
• Follow up is very important. Most of this takes place during the week. Make sure you chat with them, e-mail them or pray with them during the week.
• Remember : Even if you fail in every other aspect of being a teacher, but is close to them, you have succeeded beautifully. It is through your relationship with them, not your lessons, that they are shaped.

Topics:

• Family
• Friends

• Future
• Focus

• Fortune
• Fame

• Failure
• Feelings

• Fun
• Freedom

• Fear
• Faith

Week 1 : Family and Friends


Week 2 : Future and Focus


Week 3 : Fortune and Fame


Week 4 : Failure and Feelings


Week 5 : Fun and Freedom


Week 6 : Fear and Faith

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Who is the Holy Spirit?
Gen 1:2
Matt 3:16
John 4:24
Psalms 143:10
1 Cor 2:4,9-13
1 Cor 3:16-17
1 Cor 6:11
1 Cor 7:40
1 Cor 12:3-13
2 Cor 3:3, 6, 7-8 16-18
2 Cor 5:1-8
2 Cor 6:6-8
2 Cor 13:14
Eph 1:13
John 14:15-18, 25-27
John 15:26
John 16:7-15

Let me ask you a question- In the beginning, before God created the earth, God was there, right? Right.
Then, He created men. He created men, in His own image, right? Right.
But then, God realized that it was not good for man to be alone. May I ask,- why? Why wasn't it good for men to be alone? Because man was created in His image, and He was not alone.

Gen 1:2

2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Gen 1:26

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So, God wasn't alone. The Holy Spirit was there since the beginning of time. Then, God created the woman. How did God come up with that? Are woman created in the image of God? Yes. Then how is it that men and women are different?- very different, in fact? And why did God say "Our" and not "My" image?

Gen 1:26-28

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God created the female as a 'helper'. And the Greek word for it is Ezer, which is the same meaning as Holy Spirit.

Gen 1:18

18 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone;
I will make him a ezer comparable to him.”

So does that answer your question? God created them in His likeness and the likeness of His Spirit. He created them male and female. God the Spirit is very much female. Now, before you start throwing stones at me, let's explore further..

Gen 2:21-24

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept;
and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman,
and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said:
“This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.

Now, where did God get that idea from? I know that most of the animals, not all, had this; but men and women were created in His image, right?

1 Cor 2:9-12
9 But as it is written:

“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,
that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Gen 2:24

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.

International Finance

David W. Conklin

Uncertainty

can't be eliminated

from the business environment,

but it can be managed

by transforming it into

Planned Uncertainty.

*Hedging - to avoid a rigid commitment by qualifying or modifying a position so as to permit withdrawal: He felt that he was speaking too boldly and began to hedge before they could contradict him.

*Contingency - dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition; uncertainty; fortuitousness: Nothing was left to contingency.

*Expropriation - to dispossess (a person) of ownership: The revolutionary government expropriated the landowners from their estates.

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Sunday schools, schools, VBS (Vacation Bible School), missions, homeschool, youth groups, kid clubs and Bible studies

CHILDREN'S BIBLE LESSONS

Educate The Children Lesson Plans
EDUCATE THE CHILDREN LESSON PLANS provides a resource for Teachers and Parents of 5-11 year olds. Lesson plans cover a broad range of topics including English (over 200), Math (more than 100), Art, History, Geography, Music and Science.

Sunday School Lesson 3

God is everywhere
Elementary School

Introduction:
How many of you talk to God everyday? How about all the time? (show of hands)

Short game:
Everybody hold your breath - see who can hold it the longest.

Can you live without breathing? No.

Praying is like breathing. The Bible asks us to pray without ceasing. How do we pray without ceasing? Does it mean that we have to keep our mouths moving all the time? (do a funny action with your mouth) No. Praying is talking to God in your heart. How can we talk to God? Because God is everywhere. He is like the air we breathe- He is everywhere.

Interaction:
How many of you don't need to drink water at all? (just kidding)
How many of you drink only about 1 cup of water everyday? 1 medium bottle? 1 big bottle? More than 1 big bottle? (applause) Good.
Hard question - how many percent of our body is made out of water? 70%
What happens when you don't drink enough water? You get thirsty, dehydrated, go crazy and ultimately die.
So what do you do when you are thirsty? Drink water.
So how do you feel after drinking water? Refreshed, satisfied, happy.

Worship is like the water we drink. Can we live without it? No. After worship, we are supposed to feel good and happy. But that is just the effect of worship. What is the purpose of worship? Because He deserves our worship and also because we enjoy it.

Interaction:
How many of you ate your breakfast this morning? Who is hungry? (show of hands)
(if possible, give them something to munch)
What will you do if, after church, your parents told you that everyone in the family has to pray and fast for one month? (funny face of jaw dropping)
Who is the tallest person in class?
Let's interview him/her : How much do you normally eat in a meal?

Reading the Bible is just like eating. We can't live without it. The more we eat, the more we grow. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

So, prayer is like? Breathing. Worship is like? Drinking. And reading the Bible is like? Eating.

Class activity:
Play song on lap top - "Everything to me" by Avalon.

Lyrics

I grew up in Sunday School
I memorized the Golden Rule
And how Jesus came to set the sinner free
I know the story inside out, and I can tell you all about the path that led Him up to Calvary
But ask me why He loves me, and I don't know what to say
But I'll never be the same because He changed my life when He became...

(CHORUS)
Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He is the air that I breathe, the water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
Oh He's everything, everything to me

We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that I'm aware of just how fragile life can be
I wanna tell the world I've found, a love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm prayin' just to give my heart away
I wanna live for Jesus, so that someone else might see that He is...

(CHORUS)

And lookin' back over my life at the end, I wanna meet you, sayin you've been..

(CHORUS) 2x
Lord you're everything to me, Jesus

Sunday School Lesson 2

Trinity - God the Holy Spirit
Elementary School


Introduction :

Art and Craft : Draw a ship/boat on water.
Draw lines symbolizing the wind blowing the boat.

Question :
1. The wind
What is the wind like? Can you see it? Can you feel it? What can it do?
Answers : It is invisible, but I can feel it. It can move things from one place to another, etc.

2. The Holy Spirit
What is the Holy Spirit like? Can you see Him? Can you feel Him? What can He do?
Wrong answer : The Holy Spirit is the wind.
Correct answer:
The Holy Spirit is just like the wind in many ways. We might not be able to see Him but we can feel Him. It can guide us from one place to another, etc.

3. Give an example of the Holy Spirit working in a situation in your life.
Example : I was complaining to myself about my teacher in school when suddenly the Holy Spirit convicted me that it was wrong.


Who is the Holy Spirit?
Gen 1:2
Matt 3:16
John 4:24
Psalms 143:10
1 Cor 3:16
Eph 1:13
John 14:15-18, 25-27
John 15:26
John 16:7-15

Sunday School Lesson 1

Trinity - God the Father
Elementary School


Who loves you most in this world?
They may answer - God, my parents, my best friend, my sister/brother, etc.

Who loves you more- God or your parents?
Correct answer - God loves you more.

How do you know God loves you?
The Father sent His beloved Son to die for you on the cross. (John 3:16)

Who is God the Father?
Scriptures:

John 14:7-11 (New King James Version)

The Father Revealed

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.


Paraphrased by Anna:

vs 7 - Jesus said, '(1) If you know Me, you know God the Father, because you know Me, you know Him and see Him.
vs 8 - "Yo, why not show us the Father, then." said Philip.
vs 9 - Jesus replied, "Are you kidding me, Phil? You have been with me 24-7 for goodness knows how long, and you don't have a single clue of who I am? Well, check this out- (2) if you can see me, you can see the Father! It's as simple as that, dude!"
vs 10 - Guys, look- if you don't believe that '(3) He is in me and I am in Him', then just say so.
Y' see, (4) every single thing I say to you is exactly what God wants me to say- exactly.
vs 11 - So, (5) believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me.


Who is God the Father?

A. God is in Jesus.
(1) If you know Me, you know God the Father
(2) if you can see me, you can see the Father
(3) He is in me and I am in Him
(5) believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me

(1, 2, 3, 5) - God the Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in God the Father - they are one (trinity).
**Application : The same applies to us - we are one with God the Father and Jesus. God is in us and we are in God.
(John 14:20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.)

B. God speaks through Jesus.
(4) every single thing I say to you is exactly what God wants me to say

(4) - That is why God can speak through Jesus.
**Application : Secondly, we must let God speak through us. Everything we do or say must be in God. We must be sensitive to hear what God wants to say or do. Let Him take control of our lives.




John 14:19-21, 23-24, 31 (NKJV)

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

John 14:19-21
19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

Paraphrased :
vs 19 - Afterwards, other people cannot see Me anymore, but you still can see me. Because I am alive, you are also alive.


20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Paraphrased :
vs 20 - That is when you will understand that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you.


21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.
And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Paraphrased :
If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
If you love me, My Father will love you.
then I will love you and show you who I am.

Theory:
If you obey God, He will show Himself to you.

John 14:23-24
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

Paraphrase :
vs 23- If you love Me, you will keep my words, and My Father will love you. Then we will come and make our home with you.
vs 24 - If you don't love me, you will not keep my words. These words are is the Father's words, not mine.

Theory :
Keep His words and God will make His home with you.


John 14:31
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

Paraphrase :
Jesus said, "I died on the cross so that the world will know that I love the Father, and as He commanded Me, so I do."


John 8:29
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

Theory :
1. God is always with you.
2. You must always please God.
3. When you always please God, God will always be with you.


Characteristics of God the Father :


John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Theory : He is our Shepard.

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Theory : He is our source of life.

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
Theory : He is almighty.

30 I and My Father are one.”
Theory : He is one with us.

Revelations 4:11
11 “ You are worthy, O Lord,^[a]
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist^[b] and were created.”

Theory : He is our creator.

Question : Why did God create us?
Wrong answers : to worship Him, serve Him, to preach the gospel, to save the world, etc.
Correct answer : He created us so that He can have a relationship with us. He wants to partner with us. He created us in His image. He treat us as His children, as joint-heirs to His throne.

God is love
John 3:16
John 15:9-17
John 16:25
John 17:20-22 (we are one)
John 17:23
John 17:24-26


Application of the day: 'Daddy's Happy Thought'
What is your happy thought?
Think of the one thing or person that you love and makes you most happy and makes you smile every time you think of it or that person. (1 minute)
Example: Your bicycle, your parents, your best friend, your favorite teddy bear, etc.

Do you know what is God's happy thought?
Answer : You~! =) You are Daddy's Happy Thought~!

The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning - Henry Mintzberg

The most successful strategies are visions, not plans.

The only way to come up with a good strategy is to have a good vision. For example, my vision is to build a school. From there, strategies just come. I don't have to brainstorm like other people. Once I have the vision, strategy will be a piece of cake.

Secondly, vision comes from God. Well, at least mine does. The best visions come from God.

Soft data :: eg. insights from experiences
Hard data :: eg. data collected from research



Articulation :: the act of jointing
Disenchant :: undeceive
Synthesis :: combining saperate entities into a unified entity