Revision

This week we will be revising the most recent unit of our curriculum, "A Time for Heroes," which focused on some personal qualities that we need in order to be heroes, which included loyalty, purity, sincerity and courage. Each of these qualities are becoming rare in a society which has neglected Godly values. Without God, we will not know the success that He has created us for. As the year draws to an end, we would like to see these young people empowered and equipped with the Word of God to carry them over the school holidays and if we can impress upon them the importance of at least these four qualities, than we will feel like we have had a part in God's handiwork.

Next week will be our last week of Sunday school and, as such, we would like to have a party to celebrate another wonderful year together.

God bless you and please feel free to come and talk to us at any time,

Dave and Heather

Family First

Today we will be looking at the family structure as God has intended with particular attention to the story of Ruth and Boaz.

There are many advantages to being in a family. While it may seem obvious that children need someone to take care of them, there are advantages for adults, too. Would you believe people are healthier? After decades of studies, married men have been found to have fewer heart attacks. Married men live longer and have more emotionally healthy lives. Not only that, but according to a book which draws on a 20 year US Department of Labor survey of 6,000 men, married men get better jobs than single men.

According to an Australian study, the death rate figures reveal single people, especially men, have death rates between two and four times higher than married people. This study found that the death rate for married men aged 35 to 39 is 0.9 for each 100,000 but for unmarried men in the same age group the rate jumps to 3.6.

Numerous advantages exist for a country with strong healthy families. Families have been called the building blocks of a stable society. When families are damaged and disintegrating, society suffers. Children do best being raised by a father and a mother who provide for their needs. When the child is neglected or abused by their family, they can grow up to be menaces to society. Evidence is overwhelming that the majority of criminals come from dysfunctional, hurting families. Children from God-centred families are likely to grow up to be responsible contributors to society.

A healthy family is important to the church. Healthy families can be said to be the building blocks for God's kingdom. The famous preacher of the 18th century, Jonathan Edwards, said "But the due regulation of your families is of no less, in my mind, and in most respects, of much greater importance. Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church consecrated to Christ and wholly influenced and governed by God's rules. And the family education and order are some of the chief means of God's grace. If these fail all other means are likely to prove ineffectual."

In modern English, Jonathan Edwards was saying that when the Christian family is not what it should be, the work of the church is weakened. What we are as a family is what we are as a church. The church is a family made up of families, and a household made up of households.

The family is the most basic social unit in building a Kingdom for God because from the family, values are taught and institutions are perpetuated. That was true in the old covenant with Israel, and it is true with the new covenant and the church. The family in the mind of God is a kingdom matter.

Please feel free to come and talk to us at any time,

Dave and Heather

It Takes Courage

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point" (Clive Staples Lewis)

This week we are exploring different Bible figures and the way they displayed courage, with particular focus on the apostle, Paul. Paul displayed courage physically inasmuch as he was prepared to die for the sake of the gospel. He also demonstrated spiritual courage when he witnessed to the officials at the risk of his life. Paul heard the voice of God on the road to Damascus and he had the courage to obey and thereafter, he lived a life in total obedience to his Lord and Saviour.

Listening to God's voice is of little value if those called are not will to act on God's instruction. It takes courage to act on God's instructions. Simply hearing the voice of God is not enough; action is necessary to please God and to remain in His will. God may ask for change in lives and hearts. He may request more than we are willing to give. It takes courage to act on God's instructions, but God comes through when we obey and submit our lives to Him.

Christians who have been covered by the blood of Christ and have applied His name to their lives are different than others they see in their schools, in their families, and around the town. Young people who do not let their friends pressure them to be involved in illegal, dishonest, and immoral activities will be derided. A true commitment to Christ shows because changes take place as you move toward being more like Him.

Please feel free to talk to us at any time,

Dave and Heather

Seeking Sincerety

Today, we are exploring the concept of sincerety. Sadly, we do not always detect the phoniness in our own lives until we fall short in some situation. Warren Wiersbe tells of a pious church member who thought of himself as a great Christian. During a visit to the junior department of the Sunday school, he was asked to say a few words to the pupils. As he pompously stood before them, he asked, "Why do you think people call me a Christian?" After a long embarrassing silence, a young voice timidly ventured, "Because they don't know you."

Can those who really know us say that we are "real?" Are we really what we profess to be? If God were to remove our facade, what would the world see?

Please feel free to come and chat with us at any time,

Dave and Heather

Points of Purity

Paul admonished the church in Ephesus to live pure lives. Paul had good reason to be concerned for the people in Ephesus, because, like us, they struggled to separate themselves from the accepted behaviour of their society. Ephesus held one of the ancient wonders of the world, the temple to the goddess Diana. This was a shrine where immoral and perverse acts including prostitution were conducted. Paul feared that the morals of the people of God would gradually bedegraded by the immorality that surrounded them, and so he warned them:

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints (Ephesians 5:3)

Our generation still struggles with this issue. Society presents every kind of perversion as an acceptable alternate lifestyle. The pressure from our surroundings can influence us to lower our morals. We can begin to compare ourselves to the immoral society around us and consider ourselves righteous. However, instead of comparing ourselves to our society, as children of God, we are commanded to compare our morals to His Word. It is not good enough to live a step above the wickedness that surrounds us. Our challenge is to ascend to the standard that God's Word has set for us.

Please feel free to come and chat with us anytime,

Dave and Heather

Loyalty on the Line

Loyalty is a quality that is best displayed when it is returned. Loyalty involves relationship. Throughout time, men and women in relationships, both with God and with others, have exhibited loyalty.

The benefits of loyalty include:

• Dependable friends
• Security in relationships
• Rewarding relationships
• Reliable support system
• Greater depth of love experienced
• Fidelity in marriage
• Stability and maturity in church

Today, we will be exploring the relationship between David and Jonathan as set out in 1 Samuel 18:1-4. Even during King Saul's persecution of David, Jonathan stood by his friend and pledged his allegiance to the man whom God had anointed to be Israel's future king.

Jesus, of course, showed the epitome of loyalty to us. He took upon Himself all of our sins, suffered indignity, abuse, and brutal beatings, and allowed Himself to be crucified as our sacrifice. But He did not stop there! In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promised that He would be with us always, even unto the end of the world. His loyalty to us endures even to the end of the world.

We will be discussing three aspects of loyalty: loyalty in the workplace; loyalty in friendship; loyalty in our relationship with God.

Please feel free to discuss any concerns you have.

God bless you,

Dave and Heather

Heroine of God

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

(Judges 4:4 )

Deborah is a prime example of how God uses women to lead people. Deborah was a judge over Israel during a time when the Canaanites were harshly oppressing the Israelites. Deborah's ability to hear from God, her faith in God's Word, and her cunning leadership ability led Israel to victory over its enemies and also to a time of peace for God's people.

God's mode of operation throughout the Bible is to choose the very weakest and small things of our world to show His great strength. Though this logic is hard for the human mind to comprehend, God does not limit Himself to work within our finite frames of reference. He does not conform Himself to our thinking; He transforms our minds to coincide with His thinking.

In the story of Deborah's victory over the Canaanites, we see God intervene on Israel's behalf in a very similar manner. He used the weakness of several key factors to bring victory to Israel. One of those factors was a woman named Jael.

In this day, women do not like to be called weak. In fact, nobody does. To people, being called weak is an insult. But to God, weakness is a vehicle for tremendous strength. The apostle Paul said that when he was weak, then he was strong, because God's strength could work through him. And in comparison to men, the Bible says that women are the weaker vessel. Is that an insult? No. It is a physiological reality. Does that weakness mean that God cannot use a woman to accomplish His purpose or that women are of lesser value to God than men? No! It means that God gets great glory from using women to fulfill His will.

Deborah's role as judge and prophetess was significant to Israel during a time of severe oppression. Deborah's willingness to fill God's purpose for her life resulted in the liberation of the people of Israel and the destruction of their enemy.

God will use anyone who makes themselves available.

God bless you and we pray you have a safe and happy holiday,

Robin, Dave and Heather

A Reluctant Hero

This week we are learning about Gideon and his walk with God. Gideon was born at a time when Israel was under the oppression of the Midianites. In Israel, the judges were military leaders whom God raised up at specific times to deliver Israel from the oppression of their neighbours. These judges also served an administrative function in settling disputes amonth the people. At this time in Israel's history, God's people were a fairly loosely connected group of tribes with no central monarch to govern them. This was the time period when the tribes had entered into Canaan and were settled in the land after the death of Joshua. The period of the judges ended when the last judge, Samuel, anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.

The period of the judges was a dark period in the history of Israel. Israel continually turned from the Lord to serve the Canaanite gods of the neighbouring peoples. Even after the miraculous signs at the Red Sea, in the wilderness, and at Jericho the Israelites continued to rebel against God. Throughout the Book of Judges the children of Israel repeat a cycle of sin.

Then God raised up a man, Gideon, to deliver His people. Gideon was threshing wheat when an angel of the Lord appeared unto him and announced that the Lord was with him "thou mighty man of valour." Gideon's response to this was that he was from a poor family in Manessah and he was the least of his family.

God went on to use Gideon, in spite of Gideon's initial objections, and the result was the deliverance of Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. Throughout the book of Judges we see a recurring theme - God using the foolish and weak things of the world to topple powerful oppressors. Within the cycle of sin, God raised a deliverer up but used small, powerless objects to grant victory to His people. The Lord explained to Gideon that this mode of operation would assure that the proper One received the glory for victory - God.

Sometimes, we get discouraged and think that we do not have enough strength or ability to fight our battles. But the battle belongs to the Lord. Gideon proved that the winning formula for victory was this:

God's Power + an Obedient Attitude = Peace and Victory

Please feel free to come and speak to any of us at any time.

God bless you,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Who, What, When and Where?

We will be continuing our lesson on the last days.

Sometimes things look good on the outside, but their real contents are disappointing. At the final judgement, the real contents of people's hearts will be revealed. No matter how good we may try to make ourself appear on the outside, at the judgement, every wrong deed, every sin, and every wicked thought will be put on display before everyone's eyes. How much better it is to judge ourselves now, empty our hearts of the ugliness of sin, and be filled with God's Holy Spirit, so we will not have to endure that terrible judgement.

We will be looking at the lake of fire and the new Jerusalem and we will be appealing to the young people to examine their hearts and to draw close to God.

Our memory verse this week is taken from Revelation 21:6

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Please feel free to come and chat with any of us.

Robin, Dave and Heather

Who, What, When, and Where?

Over the next two weeks we will be looking at what will happen after the rapture has taken place. We hope to impress upon the young people in our class their need to be prepared for eternity. We will be looking at the White Throne Judgement and the Lake of Fire and pointing out to the young people that they don't need to experience these things for themselves; by obeying the Word of God now, they can make certain that they observe these events from a safe place.

More specific to this week, we will be taking a look at the book of Revelation. In John's vision, God reveals to us the winning side in the final battle between good and evil. As much as we think everyone likes to be on the winning side, most people today are ignoring God's warning and are lining themselves up with the side that will lose.

We don't have to look too far to see the signs of the end times - floods, earthquakes, wars and rumours of wars. It is important that we are ready for the return of the Lord.

It could be any day!!

Our memory verse for the next two weeks is found in Revelation 21:6 -

And he said unto me, it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely

Please feel free to come and see us at any time,

Robin, Dave and Heather

The End is Near

We are continuing our lesson on the end times from last week in the light of being a hero.

The Bible has this to say about the people who live and work for God in the end times: "But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

We may not think of ourselves as being physical giants, but God says we can be heroes. By sharing the good news of the gospel with the lost and helping them to be ready for the day the Lord arrives to take us to be with Him, we become mighty in the eyes of God. In fact, the Bible describes the end time soulwinners as wise: "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3).

Our desire is that each of the young people would be ready for the return of the Lord and that they would, in turn, help to make ready their friends and family.

Our memory verse is the same is last week and it's taken from Mark 13:35 -

"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning."

Please feel free to come and see us at any time,

Robin, Dave and Heather

A time for Heroes

Welcome to a new term of Sunday School. This term we will be exploring the concept of heroes and what it means to be a Christian living in the last days.

Our first four lessons will be looking at the end times and how important it is to be ready when Jesus comes to take His church. In later lessons, we will be looking at Old Testament heroes, characteristics of a hero, and the family.

The end times are at once a highly fascinating and extremely controversial study. While the Bible makes it obvious that God wishes us to have an understanding of the events and sequence of the end times, the chronology of those events has long been a subject of discussion. Therefore, we will not be launching theological discussions about timing (pre-tribulation versus mid-tribulation versus post-tribulation, etc), and instead focus on the reality that Jesus is coming again, and that we must be ready for whatever moment He chooses to do so.

Our memory verse for this week is taken from Mark 13:35 -

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.

Please feel free to discuss any concerns or ideas you might have with any one of us.

God bless you,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Integrity

As we conclude another term, we will be integrating three lessons on integrity to conclude our curriculum. We will be having an activity-based lesson this week, involving mainly role-plays, both scripted and improvised, and discussion of potential situations involving a choice to be honest or not be to honest, and the consequences both choices offer.

We will be finishing the lesson, and hence, the term, with a little party to celebrate the achievements of each of these young people. It really is a pleasure to teach them (in collaboration with the youth leaders); it is encouraging to watch them flourish as they give themselves to Jesus; and, it is plain, pure fun to interact with them and to get their insights into life.

Have a wonderful break and enjoy your young people. We look forward to returning to you in three weeks time with a new curriculum.

God bless you,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Private Integrity

Integrity is a characteristic thought to be superfluous in today's world. Success is about money or power of popularity or celebrity. Whatever the individual is when the cameras stop clicking, how he acts when the glare of the spotlight snaps off, and where he is when (almost) nobody is looking is thought not to matter. It is only if he is hurting others or breaking the worst of laws that his private life is considered important.

Of course, the entire Bible proclaims differently. Living for God is more than simply how we act in public. Indeed, in many ways it has everything to do with the private interactions of human to God, or woman to man, or adults to children. Christian character is the antithesis of magazine covers and award shows for the sake of the hurting, the sick, and the poor. It is the celebration of reality despite the hardship. It is about Christ, not headlines.

Through many examples in the Bible, we can witness the consequences of both honesty and dishonesty. Through honesty, people are free from the fear of being caught in a lie and any fear of future repercussions.

However, with unrepented dishonesty comes eternal death. Revelation 21:8 proclaims that all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire.

It is interesting that the honest men suffered immediately - they were beaten - while the liars got off easily - at first! But they suffered greater consequences later. There is hope for those who have lied. We can ask God to create in us a clean heart and a steadfast spirit (Psalm 52:10) for the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8). Through consistent daily prayer, Bible reading, and submission to God's Word, we can have a pure heart and a steadfast spirit.

Please feel free to comment on our blog or, alternatively, come and speak to any one of us.

God bless you,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Where is your heart? Chris Endsley

To continue our theme of "dating", we will be watching a DVD over the next two lessons. Bro Chris Endsley, from the USA, is a young man with a wife and two children. He pastors a church and he was recently in Australia to minister to the young people at a youth camp.

The DVD we are watching presents a very positive and powerful message on setting boundaries and determining God's best for us in this area.

God bless you. Please feel free to talk to us at any time,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

The last time we met as a Sunday School class (two weeks ago), we talked about the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. This passage of scripture starts with the words "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers ..." and goes on to explain why Holy Ghost filled Christians shouldn't bind themselves together with unbelievers. This is a principle that applies to marriage, business partnerships and any relationship that requires a legally binding contract.

This week we will be dealing with another fruit of the flesh, fornication. Because of the variance in ages, we will only be dealing with the surface of this very heavy subject. It is important for young people to understand what God requires and the blessings involved if we submit ourselves to Him. And in this day and age where young people are believing that anything is good if it feels good, we desire them to know the Word of God and to apply the principles found within. We will be focusing on a deeper intimacy with God, emphasising that our relationship with Him comes out of our love for Him. And our love for God will have flow-on effects in our relationships with others.

If you have any concerns or questions, or anything you would like to discuss with us, please do not hesitate to come and talk to us.

God bless you,

Robin, Dave and Heather

The Imposter of Success

For a teenager, life is all about the moment. He does not think too much about the future. The only ideas most teens have are about temporal enjoyment and friends. Some may have thoughts of college because it is in their near future, but aside from college, and possibly thoughts of career, things like home buying or grandparenthood are far away. So to a normal high school student, his goals in life look something like: "In my future I would like money, fame, power, greate dates, etc. But I'll think about it tomorrow."

The way success is measured in our world today is many times misdirected. Instead of looking at the size of a person's home, bank account, car, or job, we should consider the thngs at which God looks! Such as:

• Is real success a strong relationship with God?


• Is real success a loving home and family?


• Is real success peace in a person's heart, knowing he is living a good life?

Success based on the temporal (non-eternal) things is empty. God made us to yearn and long for a deeper relationship with Him. When we are walking with Him, we are successful even though we may be in a situation that is unfair. When He is our focus, we cannot focus on where we are not.

Because Joseph's focus was on God and His plan for his life, he had principles that kept him on the straight path in difficult and challenging times:

1. To help others and remain unselfish;
2. To always keep a humble spirit;
3. To be forgiving and generous;
4. To remember who he was and how he got where he was.

Thank you to those who learnt their memory verses last week. It really encourages us when the young people take the time to learn their memory verses.

Please feel free to talk to us at any time ... or to leave a comment on this blog.

God bless you

Robin, Dave and Heather

Setback to Success to Setback

Late in the nineteenth century, a boy was born. He was not from high society or a great family lineage. To be honest, his father had two families, each secret from the other, who lived in two different locations.

But this boy had the desire to make something of himself. He worked hard, began giving to his local church, and was faithful in paying his tithes throughout his life. He raised his family in a humble manner - never extravagant. But he applied basic principles to his life - hard work, marital fidelity, faith, and giving. By the time he was forty, he was among America's twenty richest; within another twenty years, he was the wealthiest person int he world. He was John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

What made him special? His business sense, ambition, and opportunities, as well as paying tithes, were all important. Yet others have those qualities without the riches. There is no key factor that proves that a person will be a success with untold wealth - even when he lives whole-heartedly for God. However, it is proven that when we apply God's principles, He will bless us. Joseph's faithfulness provided blessings for his entire family. Consistency, faithfulness and determination to do what is right in every circumstance provide a foundation for success.

We will be continuing our exploration of Joseph's life today, probing deeper into his trials and how he overcame the negative emotions to become the success that he was.

The memory verse for this week is found in Genesis 39:4

And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Congratulations to Joel who learnt the memory verse last week. Thank you for hiding the Word of God in your heart.

Please feel free to talk to us at any time,

Robin, Dave and Heather

More Talent than Wisdom

We are starting a new unit in our curriculum and over the next few weeks we will be looking at Joseph. He is one of the most popular characters in the Bible. Today, babies are still named after him. His life is one never-ending example of attitude in action. Early on, it was the perfectly wrong attitude in action; however, immediately after his brothers dealt him a setback that would have shattered most of us, Joseph rebounded to become the master of an excellent spirit.

This section does not just skim across the headlines of Joseph's life, but rather investigates the details of the spoiled teenager becoming the spiritual paragon. We can learn from his life and apply its lessons.

Joseph was not about ruling the world but about allowing God to rule his heart. It is no different for us today.

The story of Joseph is one of the Bible's great success stories. The underdog becomes great! The last guy finishes first! The boy who did not stand a chance comes out on top! We always focus on the adult Joseph's success as the great leader who saves and forgives his wayward family, the family who once almost killed him but instead sold him into slaver. Yet often we overlook or underplay his indiscretions as a teen. What made the older brothers so jealous? What would cause them to be so filled with anger that they wanted to kill him? Was it simply their father's favouritism toward Joseph? We will take a deeper look at key characteristics in Joseph's story.

The memory verse for today is found in Proverbs 16:18 -

Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall

Congratulations to all those that learnt their memory verse last week.

Please feel free to talk to us at any time. Also, if you would like to leave a comment on this blog at any time, you are more then welcome to do so.

Robin, Dave and Heather

Escaping Hopeless Ruts

Many times in life we get stuck in ruts and feel like it is impossible to escape them. However, we need not despair. We can escape ruts of hopelessness. Just as a large wrecker must occasionally pull an eighteen-wheeler out of ruts, we sometimes need a refreshing touch of the Holy Ghost to pull us from the ruts in which we find ourselves. Sometimes, with despair, we find ourselves stuck in the ruts that weave their way between the Orchard of the Flesh and the Orchard of the Spirit.

It is easy to get caught up in the mundane routines of everyday life, and we often do the same in our spiritual lives. This week we will explore some of the spiritual ruts in which we might find ourselves. More specifically, we will talk about some very human ruts - the works of the flesh.

The works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are incompatible. Because of our inherited nature, the works of the flesh are natural. According to Scripture however, as believers, we can be overcomers, as expressed by the fruit of the Spirit active in our lives

Within ourselves we can do little to escape hopeless ruts because the works of the flesh are a part of our fleshly nature. We will never be truly victorious in our Christian lives as long as the works of the flesh reign as ruthless dictators. However, when we choose to focus on our inward relationship with Jesus Christ and allow His Spirit to bear its fruit in our hearts, we can begin climbing out of the ruts of the flesh. We can break free and live victorious lives.

The memory verse for this week is found in Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would"

Congratulations to Nathan for learning the memory verse last week. It's great to see our young people hiding the word of God in their hearts.

God bless you and please remember to come and talk to us if you have any concerns,

Robin, Dave and Heather

Attitudes Come, Attitudes Stay

This week we will continue to look at the Gifts of the Spirit and the works of the flesh and how they affect our attitudes and, conversely, we will be looking at how our attitudes the gifts of the Spirit.

Many times our attitudes are driven and condoned by society rather than corrected by the principles taught in the Bible. Meekness, longsuffering, joy, and love are the attitudes that replace hatred, variance/disagreements, emulation, wrath, strife and envy. We must learn to curb our desires and do what the Scripture teaches.

One reason God's children do not bear all the fruit is that attitudes and actions affect everything. Attitudes create actions. While the gifts of the Spirit are external, the fruit, comprised of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance are internal (Galatians 5:22-23)

How will the attitudes we carry affect the moving of the Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit that we bear every day affects how much we allow God's Spirit to move and minister through us. The fruit of the Spirit is different from the gifts because how much we allow the fruit to work in our lives will determine the gift's ability to work in us.

Our memory verse this week is found in Galatians 5:16 -

This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh

Congratulations to Clare, Jamilla and Mosa who rolled last weeks memory verse off their tongues as if they had known it all their lives!! Well done!!!

If you wish to talk to any one of us, please do not hesitate to do so.

God bless,

Dave, Robin, Heather

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

This week ... and over the next two to three weeks ... we will be looking at the scripture from Galatians 5:19-23. Too often, we allow Paul's famous lists of human attributes (both positive and negative) to become blurs of outdated words. Too often, it is easy to skip through the polysyllables and decide, "that's not me," or "I do most of that just fine." These two lists are essential - perhaps the most essential lists he ever wrote.

The fruit of the Spirit are the key attributes we must master to live a conqueror's life. The works of the flesh are the easiest and most deadly traps we can fall into, leaving us scarred and weak from the experience (assuming we escape at all). Each cancels the other out. It is only when we choose one list or the other that we can learn which side will win in us, for the works can negate the fruit, but the fruit can overpower the works. The choice should be easier than it is, but thanks to this study, at least we will understand them both better.

Many Christians confuse the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the way in which the gifts of the Spirit are to be used by those who have been given them. Christians should use the gifts of the Spirit with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. As Paul told the Galatians, "Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:23). These traits of the Spirit certainly make for a better world and a greater moving of God.

The memory verse for this week is found in Galatians 5:24 -

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts"

Please, please, please encourage your child to learn their memory verse. To know the word of God is such a vital part of overcoming sin and living a victorious life.

God bless you abundantly in all you do to help your child live for Him.

Robin, Dave and Heather

Welcome to Sunday School for 2010

A happy new year to you and our prayer is that this year will be exciting for you and your children as we all look to God for greater things in our lives ... greater ways to love Him, greater ways to serve Him, greater ways to worship Him, to seek Him, to draw near to Him ... and the list could go on and on!! As your child's Sunday School teachers, our fervant desire and prayer is that your child would grow close to the Saviour and would become confident to serve Him in these last days, in spite of their youthfulness.

Welcome to Dave Moss who is joining the High School teaching team this year. We look forward to seeing his creativity in the class room in a variety of ways. Michael is joining Pamela Cutting in teaching a younger group and we are sure that Michael will do well.

Pastor Downs has outlined his vision and goals for the church and it came to our attention, recently, that some of our young people may feel that this vision is only for adults. We want to assure our young people that God wants to use anyone who will make themselves available using the gifts that He has given. We will be starting this year talking about those gifts and how God can use them in mighty ways.

The memory verse this week is from 1 Timothy 4:12 -

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

At the moment, we are reading a wonderful book recommended by Jonathan Downs titled "Do Hard Things." It is a book written by teenaged twin brothers, Brett and Alex Harris, for teenagers. It is highly recommended to every teen ... and anyone on the edge of their teen years ... and their parents. It is a book that will inspire teens to get out of their comfort zones to accomplish wonderful things for God. There is one account after another of teens facing their fears, moving out of their comfort zone and achieving great things. The book is about how teenagers can rebel against the low expectations that society and culture has set for them. You can go to their website to find out more.

We are looking forward to teaching the High School class this year. Actually, we're excited about the things we believe God has planned for this class and we pray that you will be too.

God bless you and we look forward to working with you this year,

Dave, Robin and Heather