Stay healthy and happy during this time of social distancing.
You are always in our thoughts and prayers!
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Fruits of the Spirit
~LOVE~
The first fruit that we’ll be diving into is love. Love is patient, kind, rejoices over truth. Always trusts, hopes, and perseveres. It is NOT jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t proud, rude, selfish, angry, and it takes no pleasure in evil.
Many people talk about the things they think they love. A little boy might say he loves his new video game. A little girl might say she loves her new doll house. A grown man might say he loves his car or a grown woman might say she loves her new hairdo. But is all of this really love? Can a person really love things?
Let's take a moment to think about love....
What is love? ...
How can we show love?
Love means caring for another person as much as you care for yourself. Love means to treat another person the way you want to be treated. We show our love through our actions. If you would not want to be hurt, or pinched, or kicked, or teased, or bullied, then you should never do those things to someone else. On the other hand, if you would like to be treated kindly, then you should be kind to others.
The Bible, in 1 Corinthians 13, tells us how we show our love:
By being patient. This means waiting a long time without whining or complaining.
By being kind, even when someone is not kind to you.
By not being envious. That means being happy when good things happen to someone else and not being upset that it didn't happen to you.
By being well behaved.
By sharing and not being selfish.
By staying calm and not being quick to become angry.
By telling the truth.
The Bible also tells us that:
Love never ends. Love lasts forever.
Now let's take another look at the things people think they love. The little boy will eventually become bored with playing the same video game over and over. It will be left on the shelf and forgotten. Is that really love?
The little girl will get older and find new interests, and stop playing with the doll house. Is that really love?
Even adults don't always know what love is. The car will someday break down, and the man will have to dispose of it and get a new one. The woman's hair will grow; she will not like it and will get a new hairstyle. All of these things are only with us for a little while. We cannot and should not love things, because they come to an end and then love would have to end.
But real love never ends. We should love people and we should love God so that our love will last forever.
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One day, Jesus and his friends were walking along the beautiful coast of Judea. As they were walking and talking, and discussing the news of the day, other people saw Jesus and wanted to hear what He was saying. Soon there was a very large crowd of people following Jesus. Some of them were sick, and Jesus touched them and made them well. Others had questions they wanted to ask and listened carefully as Jesus answered them.
There was a group of people called "Pharisees," who were leaders in the temple. They liked to have long discussions and especially enjoyed arguing and trying to trick one another. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus was nearby, they left their work and rushed to join the crowd. They were having a good time asking questions and trying to trick Jesus but, of course, Jesus knew what they were trying to do, and He gave them perfect answers every time. They could not trick Jesus!
While the Pharisees were having their discussion with Jesus, some mothers joined the crowd. They knew Jesus was a very important man, and they wanted their children to have a chance to see Him. Holding the hands of their children, they pushed through the crowd, trying to get closer.
When Jesus' friends saw the mothers and children trying to get to the front to see Jesus, they scowled and spoke to them roughly to them. "Go away! Don't you know that Jesus is an important man? Can't you see that He is busy talking with the leaders of the temple? Take your children and go home!" Sad and dejected, the mothers turned to guide their children back the way they had come and away from the crowd.
However, Jesus loved children very much and had a different idea about the situation. He turned to his friends and kindly said, "No, don't send them away. Let the children come to me." Jesus' friends quickly worked to make a path through the crowd so the mothers and children could get up close to Jesus. The mothers were full of joy and excitement as Jesus reached out his arms toward their children!
One by one, He scooped up the younger children into his loving Arms, held them close, and prayed a special prayer of blessing. He gave each of the older children a tender hug and also prayed a blessing for them. He spoke gently to the mothers and gave them a smile of approval. After each one had seen Jesus and been blessed, Jesus spoke to his friends, the Pharisees, and the rest of the crowd, saying, "Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God as a child does, will not be able to enter into it." He was trying to help them all understand that loving God is easy enough for a child to do, and all their long discussions and arguing were unnecessary.
THINK!
1. What is love?
2. Can we really love things?
3. Who were the Pharisees?
4. What did Jesus do when his friends wanted to send the children away?
5. Which fruit of the Spirit did you learn about today?
REMEMBER:
Jesus loves you and love lasts forever.
LET US PRAY:
Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me.
Help me remember to love people
and show my love by being kind.
In your Name I pray. Amen.
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Fruit of the Spirit Love Clips: Click Here: Video
Fruit of the Spirit Song! Click Here: Video
- Love_Coloring_Sheet.pdf
- Love_Coloring_Page.docx
- Love_Coloring_Page_2.docx
- Fruit-cover_Coloring_Page.jpg
- Fruit_of_the_Spirit_Coloring.png
- Fruit_of_the_Spirit_Cut_Glue_Activity.png
- Fruit_of_the_Spirit_Word_Find.jpg
- Fruit_of_the_Spirit_Activity.jpg
- Fruit_of_the_Spirit_Maze.jpg
***2020 Praise Dance Challenge***
Learn the Praise Dance - Video yourself dancing (alone or with friends & family)
Send your video to Joanne at youthfpcwhippany@gmail.com
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**A Special Thank You to Children's Chapel for help with this weeks lesson.
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ABC Bible Verses
https://media.focusonthefamily.com/fotf/pdf/magazine/abc-bible-verses-color.pdf
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FAMILY DEVOTIONS - Helping Families Grow Together in Faith
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YOUTH GROUP
Our church Youth Group is always on the move--reaching out in love to serve our community, forming their faith and friendships, planning fun fundraisers (like the yummy spaghetti dinners), and getting ready for summer mission trips. Youth Group meets on Sunday nights, with a program for middle schoolers and high schoolers, and on Sunday mornings during church school. But, you can spot them doing service around town any day of the week. Youth Group is open to all youth--no matter your background or church affiliation.
Click here to learn more on the exclusive FPC Whippany Youth Group Website!
