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    • Today's Theme:
    God wants us to trust Him to protect us.

     

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    Today's Story:

    		Joshua explores the Promised Land
    Numbers: 12 & 14
    Optional Memory verse:  Psalm 62:8

    "People, trust God all the time. 
    Tell him all your problems. God is our protection."    
     International Children's Bible, New Century Version
    • Materials Needed:
    		Promised Land mat,
    Moses figure,
    Joshua figure,
    blocks
    5 Index cards with the following things on:
    		On one draw 2 stick figures: 
    		One of a giant man and one of a small man next to him.  
    On the back of the card write, "Giants".
    On the second draw purple circles. 
    		On the back of the card write, "Huge grapes".
    On the third draw a brown circle on one side. 
    		On the back write, "Figs.
    On the fourth draw a red circle 
    		on the back write, "Pomegranates"
    On the fifth draw a brick wall. 
    		On the back write, "Strong cities".
    8 or 9 Fisher Price or similar type figures to represent God's people,

     

    • Action Game: Spies in the Promised Land
    		Before class designate one area of the room to be the Promised Land.
    Hide the 5 index cards in different places in the "Promised Land" section of the room.
    When the kids arrive show them the  Promised Land section of the room.
    Tell them that in today's story they are going to hear a story about some spies who explored the Promised Land.
    Send them into the Promised Land as spies to find:
    		Something with a red circle,
    Something with a brown circle,
    Something with some people on,
    Something with some purple circles on,
    Something with a picture of a brick wall.
    When the kids find the cards, read what each card says to them.
    Save the cards to use during the story.

     

    Illustration of Story Set Up

     

     

    • Closing Discussion:

    • Close in Prayer:  thanking God that there is nothing stronger than He is. And ask Him to help us trust Him to protect us.

    Telling the Story:
    		Lay out the Promised Land mat next to the story circle,
    What have God's people been doing in the desert?
    		Learning God's important rules.
    What is the most important rule that God gave them?
    		Never make your own gods.
    Where is God going to lead his people?
    		To the Promised Land
    God told Moses to send some men to the Promised Land as spies to explore the land.
    		Place Moses and the Fisher Price type people in an area next to the Promised Land.
    One of the people Moses sent was a man named Joshua
    		Add Joshua figure.
    Have the children move several figures with Joshua into the Promised Land. 
    Leave Moses and a few Fisher Price type people behind.
    Why do you think Moses sent spies into the Promised Land?
    		To see what the land was like,
    To learn how hard it would be for all God's people to move there.
    Joshua and the other spies explored all over the Promised Land.
    		Move the figures around the Promised land mat adding the following items as you tell the story:
    They found cities with strong walls.
    		Build 1 or 2 walls of blocks in several places to represent cities.
    The people who lived in some of the cities were giants.
    		Lean the "giants" index card against one of the block walls.
    They saw that the land was good farmland. Good food grew there.
    They saw a kind of fruit called pomegranates.
    		Add pomegranate index card.
    They saw huge grapes and figs.
    		Add grapes and figs index cards.
    Joshua and the other spies gathered some of the pomegranates, grapes and figs and returned to Moses and their people.
    		Gather up the food index cards and place them next to the spies.
    Have the children walk Joshua and the other spies with their "food" back off the Promised land mat to Moses.
    Moses and the people gathered around Joshua and the spies.
    		Put Moses and the Fisher Price type people in a semi-circle around Joshua and the spies.
    The spies told them about the good farmland.
    They told them about the wonderful food.
    They showed everyone the good food that they brought back.
    But then some of the spies told the people:
    "We can never go there."
    "It's too scary!"
    "Giants live there!"
    "And their cities have strong walls around them."
    When God's people heard about the giants and the strong walled cities they started to grumble and complain,
    "It would have been better to stay in Egypt."
    "We'll get killed if we go to the Promised Land."
    "Let's find someone to lead us back to Egypt."
    Joshua knew God would protect them. Joshua trusted God. He told the people,
    "Don't be afraid of the giants."
    "The Lord will give us the land."
    Can you be Joshua and tell the people: "Trust God. The Lord will protect us."
    		Lead the children in being Joshua's voice.
    Do you think the people believed Joshua that God was strong enough to give them the Promised Land?
    No, the people did not believe Joshua.
    They did not want to go to the Promised Land.
    They did not believe that God could protect them from the giants and the people who lived in the strong cities.
    God is stronger than giants. 
    God could protect His people from the giants who lived in the strong cities.
    Joshua trusted God to protect them.
    God wants us to trust him to protect us, too.
    Can you think of a time when you were really scared and it was hard to trust God?
    Can you think of anything that might be stronger than God?
    There is nothing stronger than God.
    God wants us to trust Him to protect us.

     

    • Optional Snack:
    		Grapes,
    Optional: bring in figs or a pomegranate for the kids to try.

    Supplemental Bible Readings:
    (Suggested daily readings)

    • Materials Needed for Next Week:
    		Promised Land mat,
    Moses figure,
    Joshua figure,
    priest figure
    5 or 6 Fisher Price or similar type figures to represent God's people,
    small, empty, match box,
    masking tape
    Optional Snack:
    		Licorice laces
    Small candy (like "m and m's", skittles, or gum drops)

    © 1999 Linda Lawler.  
    Permission granted to copy for personal use only.  Not for resale.

    Home  Sower 13    Lesson 14    Home Sower 14     Lesson 15    

    Home Sower 15     Lesson 16     Home Sower 16    Lesson 17    

    The Home Sower 17    Lesson 18    Home Sower 18    Lesson 19    

    Home Sower 19    Lesson 20        Home Sower 20     Lesson 21    

    Home Sower 21    Lesson 22    Home Sower 22    Lesson 23    

    Home Sower 23    Lesson 24    Home Sower 24    Lesson 25     

    Home Sower 25    Lesson 26    Home Sower 26    Lesson 27     

    Home Sower 27

    Hit Counter     

    Lessons 1-12    Lessons 13-27      Lessons 28-33    

    Lessons 34-40    Lessons 41-46    Lessons 47-52