Author: Elaine Briefman

Flashbacks of Bullwinkle & Rocky the Squirrel

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

God wants us to follow the Bible.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn that we should listen and obey God’s Word.

KEY PASSAGE:

Numbers 22:21-38, Balaam’s Donkey

MEMORY VERSE:

“The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV)

SUMMARY:

It might get lonely for a cowboy in the Old West, just him and his horse. He might even start talking to his horse. While Balaam traveled by donkey, the donkey started talking to him. And what he said showed Balaam that he had been disobedient and gone his own way.

Craft

Have the kids make talking donkey puppets using brown paper bags and brown construction paper. Draw, cut out, and color the top half of the head of the donkey with the construction paper, and glue it to the bottom of the paper bag to make the puppet.

You can find an example of a craft like this here

https://arrowskidsclub.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/donkey-paper-bag-puppet.jpg

Puppet Song

Based on Joshua 10:1-15

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

God can make the impossible possible.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn that God can do what seems impossible to us.

KEY PASSAGE:

Joshua 10:1-15, The Sun Stands Still

MEMORY VERSE:

“The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV)

SUMMARY:

In the Old West, the final shootout often took place at “high noon” when the sun was highest in the sky. When the five kings of the Amorites came against the Israelites, it would take a miracle for the people of God to defeat them before the sun went down. So God provided a miracle and stopped the sun in the sky until Joshua and his men had the victory.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

A cell phone or tablet

In 1860 if you wanted to send a letter quickly, there was no UPS, no FedEx. The only way to move mail quickly was by Pony Express. The Pony Express was a network of young men on very, very fast horses who would hand off those letters from one rider to another, galloping as fast as they could through the blazing desert and hostile territory. It was a very dangerous job, riding for the Pony Express, but the Pony Express could carry mail faster than ever before – from Missouri to California, 1800 miles, in only 10 days!

I can only imagine what a Pony Express rider would think about a modern phone. If you asked a Pony Express rider if it was possible to send a letter from Missouri to California the same day, they probably would have said it was impossible, but we do the impossible to them every day. You open the mail app, type your message, and send it. From Missouri to California in a fraction of a second.

We worship a God who specializes in doing the impossible. God can heal the sick, bring hope to the hopeless, and even make the sun stand still. Our God spoke the world into existence, and there’s nothing he cannot do for those who love Him.

If God tells you to do the impossible, expect the impossible to happen. Nothing is impossible for God.

Test Your Knowledge

Craft Activity

Using orange, yellow, and blue construction paper, have the kids cut the papers into small squares and glue the squares to another piece of black construction paper to make a sun mosaic like the one shown here

https://www.ehow.com/how_7761919_make-roman-mosaics-kids.html

Move & Freeze

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

Listen to God, and do as He says.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn that there are consequences for not living God’s way.

KEY PASSAGE:

Exodus 8, The Plagues of Frogs, Gnats, and Flies

MEMORY VERSE:

“The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV)

SUMMARY:

When lawlessness ran amok, a new sheriff would ride in to clean up the Wild West town. The Pharaoh of Egypt mistreated and abused the Israelites who lived there, so God sent in Moses and Aaron to set things right. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not acknowledge the awesome power of God.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:

A small chair

How many of you have a time out chair at home? When was the last time you had to do time out? In the old west, most towns had a sheriff’s office with a tiny jail cell where ruffians and outlaws would often get a “time out” in the hopes that they would cool down and start following the law. If people didn’t get the message and caused more trouble, they could find themselves shipped off to prison or worse, depending on what their crime was.

God gave us the Bible so we’d know how to live right. He also let us know that there are consequences for not obeying His word. Some consequences are earthly – like sitting in time out or in the sheriff’s jail. Some consequences can be eternal.

God wants us all to choose to live His way. He wants us to follow Christ, so He can spare us from the eternal consequence of sin. Don’t ignore the warning signs when you start to stray from God’s way. Listen to God, and He will make your path straight.

Moses gives Pharaoh a Time Out!

Sing & Act

Craft Activity

Kids can decorate the included sheriff’s badge coloring page to remind themselves of today’s lesson.

Lesson Snapshot

BOTTOM LINE:

God wants us to be honest at all times.

OBJECTIVE:

Kids will learn that dishonesty can destroy the good things God has given us.

KEY PASSAGE:

Genesis 27:1-35, 41-45, Jacob Gets Isaac’s Blessing

MEMORY VERSE:

“The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground. But what our God says will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NIrV)

SUMMARY:

In the Old West, two bad guys might team up or be “in cahoots” together. When Jacob wanted his father’s blessings, he teamed up with his mother to trick the blessing out of Isaac. Jacob’s trickery ended up tearing his family apart and forcing Jacob to run away to save his life.

Object Lesson

ITEMS NEEDED:
A frozen TV dinner with corn and a brownie

Frozen TV dinners can be quick and convenient. They can also be frustrating for people who don’t like their food to touch. The photos on the package make this TV dinner appear to be perfect for such picky eaters. The meat, veggies, and dessert all have their own individual pocket. No problem, right? Then you open the box and see that contents have shifted in transit. That corn tends to go everywhere, and it only takes one piece of corn to RUIN that sweet, chocolatey brownie.

It only takes one lie, one time being in cahoots with someone who is being deceptive, to ruin your good reputation. It may be tempting in the moment to be dishonest to avoid trouble or to try and get ahead, but it’s not worth the risk to your reputation and to your relationships, especially your family.

God wants us to be honest with Him and with others, no matter what it may cost us, because God knows the price we will pay for dishonesty. Don’t let one little lie ruin your reputation. Do the right thing, and tell the truth!

Trivia Pursuit

Craft

Have the kids make fake beards, like the one Jacob used to trick his father, out of craft materials – cotton balls glued to paper cut in the shape of a beard works well.
You could also glue or tape long pieces of yarn to a piece of paper cut out in the shape of a beard. These beards are a reminder that there are consequences when we lie and when we deceive others.

Sing and Dance