February 2019 - princetown church
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February 2019
LOVE Jesus
LOVE One Another
LIVE with Purpose
Delight in God’s Loving Laws
The words “love” and “law” are heart and with all your soul and with all
rarely used in the same sentence your strength and with all your mind”
these days. Yet the Old Testament and “Love your neighbor as yourself”
POWERSOURCE psalmists express great delight in (Luke 10:27). The golden rule—“Do to
God’s commands: “Oh, how I love others as you would like them to do to
ASK JESUS:
your law! I meditate on it all day you.” (Luke 6:31)—also is based on
1. To give you hearts willing to long” (Psalm 119:97) and “See how love.
obey God and his commands. I love your command-ments, Lord.
Give back my life because of your As with any rule or law, we humans
2. To show your family that unfailing love” (verse 159). repeatedly fall short when it comes to
obedience brings blessings, not obedience. That’s why it’s important to
burdens. In the New Testament, Jesus also emphasize the forgiveness that Jesus
connects the concepts of love and freely offers to us—and that we are to
3. To help you lovingly obey other obedience to the law. In John 14:15, freely offer to other people.
authority figures. he tells his followers, “If you love
me, obey my commands.” Throughout the Bible, it’s clear that
disobedience is serious and has big
Love is at the “heart” of all God’s consequences. Yet our loving God
laws, from the Ten Commandments longs to forgive us, restore us, and
in Exodus 20 to the two great reconcile us to himself. Continue
commandments Jesus gives: “Love reading for high-impact ways to share
the Lord your God with all your these messages with your kids.
Commandments for Kids
The Ten Commandments can seem intimidating—not just because they set
a high standard but because they include some archaic language. Bring the
law to children’s level with these age-appropriate adaptations: #1: God is
the one true God. #2: Worship only God. #3 Be careful with God’s name.
#4: Set aside a day for God and for rest. #5: Respect your mom and dad.
#6: Don’t kill or hurt anyone. #7: Keep your marriage promises. #8: Don’t
steal or take what isn’t yours. #9: Don’t tell lies. #10: Don’t feel jealous of
other people and what they have.
In Synch Give each person two to do the task. Switch roles so
paper plates. Practice “skating” everyone gets a turn. Ask: “How
around a room on them. Then form did you know what your partner
pairs and have partners try to do wanted you to do? How do you
the same moves. Switch partners know what God wants you to do?”
for more synchronized fun. Then Read aloud 1 Thessalonians 4:11.
TEACHABLE ask: “As you skated, how did you
get to know your partner?” Read
Ask: “How does living a quiet life
help us focus on following God?”
MOMENTS aloud 1 Corinthians 8:3. Ask: “How
does knowing and following God’s Transformed Hearts Say:
#1 in Our Hearts laws and rules help us stay in sync “Because of sin, no one can
with him?” perfectly obey God’s law. Sin
Tape a red heart shape onto a pitcher. makes holes in our hearts, but
Gather cups of water, small rocks, and No More Hard Hearts Hand out God’s Holy Spirit fills our hearts
markers. hardboiled eggs. Decorate them and covers sin.” Cut brown craft
with markers as you discuss how foam into a large person shape
the outside of the eggs feel. Read and write “sin” across the chest.
Say: This pitcher is like a heart. Let’s
aloud Psalm 95:6-9. Say: “God Cut a red foam heart and staple a
fill it with God. Take turns pouring in
wants our hearts to be soft toward heart to the chest. Punch out a
water and saying why God deserves
him so we obey out of love, but large hole in the heart so “sin”
first place in your heart; for example,
sometimes our hearts get hard and shows through. Bunch together
“God deserves first place in my heart
are closed to God.” Ask: “What strips of orange and yellow tissue
because he made me.”
might make people’s hearts hard?” paper, pinch the tip, and push it
Crack the eggs, peel the shells, through the hole so the “flame”
When the pitcher is full, say: Our and discuss how the inside of the bursts through the heart. Display
hearts are full of God’s goodness, eggs feel. Say: “When our hearts your creation where your family
but sometimes other things try to are hard, God can crack away the can see it as a reminder.
crowd into our hearts. Have family outer shell to reveal something soft
members each draw on a rock one on the inside.” Ask: “What helps Stay on Track Hide a Bible and
thing that takes up their time and make your heart soft toward God?” give family members an easy map
attention. One at a time, add rocks to End with prayer—and eat the eggs. to find it. Then say: “The Bible
the pitcher until water starts to overflow.
contains God’s laws and shows us
Focused Followers Have family how to stay on track and follow
Ask: How is this like what happens in members form pairs. Whisper a them.” Read some “directions” and
our hearts? How can we keep our strange instruction to one person in have family members tell you if
hearts full of God so he has first each pair; for example, put socks they’re from the Bible or not. For
place? Read Exodus 20:3. Say: God on your hands or sit on your head. example, “Love your enemies”
tells us not to have any idols. An idol Each instruction recipient must (yes!); “Lie only if you have to”
is anything that crowds God out. then silently get his or her partner (no!).
God wants and deserves first place
in our heart!
Love means doing what God has commanded us,
and he has commanded us to love another, just as
you heard from the beginning.
—2 John 1:6
MEDIA MADNESS
CULTURE
MOVIE & TRENDS
Title: The Lego Movie 2 Flip Phones Make a Comeback For
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure their children’s first phones, more
Rating: Not yet rated (likely PG) parents are choosing flip phones.
Cast: Margot Robbie, Chris Pratt, Not only are the devices much
Elizabeth Banks, Channing Tatum cheaper than “smart” phones, but
Synopsis: Five years after the original they don’t come with internet access
blockbuster hit theaters, everything is or social media. Parents say it’s an
not awesome. Bricksburg has become ideal way to keep in touch with kids
a post-apocalyptic wasteland because without exposing them to dangers.
of destructive space invaders (i.e., (abc13.com)
Lego Duplo characters). Emmet’s
building skills are put to the test when “Humanizing” Homelessness To
Lucy is kidnapped by a villain (who, impact people’s perceptions of the
interestingly, is female). issue, Sesame Street added a
Our Take: Like the original, expect this homelessness storyline for pink
movie to offer nonstop action and fun. puppet Lily. Previously, she was
The violence and peril are cartoonish, described as having food-security
with lots of humor to entertain viewers issues. About one in 20 kids under
of all ages. Of course, the movie also age 6 experiences homelessness
contains a built-in marketing plug. each year. (cnn.com)
Games, Podcasts & Apps QUICK STATS
Pricey Preschools American
Kingdom Hearts 3 Ear Snacks GooseChase
parents spend an average of $5,008
Set in a variety of Pixar This free musical podcast Send family members on
on preschool tuition for their children.
and Disney worlds, this features Andrew & Polly, virtual (or actual)
In Washington, D.C., the average is
game features Sora, winners of two Parents’ scavenger hunts with
almost $17,000. (nieer.org)
who doesn’t know he’s Choice Awards. With this app. During setup,
inherited great power. young helpers, they you decide if participants
Fluency Deadline By age 10,
Cartoon characters explore science, art, and need to check in at
research shows, a child’s chances of
such as Donald Duck culture. Topics range certain locations or
becoming fluent in a second
and Goofy help Sora from getting glasses and submit photos, videos, or
language plummet. (Cognition)
battle against the dark, caring for teeth to silly text responses. Use the
evil force known as subjects such as talking missions to encourage
Heartless. The game, like pirates. Kids of all self-directed learning.
rated E10+, also ages—and parents—will Best for ages 8+. Free
involves magical spells. enjoy listening. for recreational use only.
This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant
to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that
you’ll make informed decisions about what your children
watch, read, listen to, and play.
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