Hey Nova Kids!
This month we’re learning about Discernment. Discernment is basically just knowing the differences between two things: black from white, right from wrong, God’s voice from other voices.
Lots of people helped write these reflections this month, and we all hope that you will learn a lot about what it means to follow Jesus. Be sure to ask your parents any questions you have as you read through this together each day.
Love, Amy Martin
Monday, October 30
James 1:5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
What are some of the ways you can talk about God with your friends? Sometimes it is tough to talk about God if you are with friends that might not believe in Him. Instead of thinking that you can never talk about God with that friend, pray for the Lord to give you the wisdom to know when it is the right time to talk about Jesus. Look for ways you can invite your friend to a church event; ask them if they need prayer; tell them why you believe in Jesus. Ask for wisdom to know how to spread the gospel to your non-believing friends, and the Lord will surely give you the insights you need because He knows your heart and loves it when we fully rely on Him.
Jesus, I need your wisdom each and every day so that I can act according to your word and be a great disciple for You. Give me the wisdom I need to glorify you. Amen
--Lance Capel
Tuesday, October 31
Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Sometimes life gets scary when you hear about terrible things happening in the world or when unhappy things happen in your personal life. It’s hard to make sense out of it all. It bothers you inside a lot and sometimes even makes you angry. In Proverbs 3:5-6, God gives us some very practical advice in living a peaceful and calm life even though everything seems in turmoil. His advice has sure helped me in staying calm even when everything else is just the opposite. In fact, I’ve made it my life’s verse.
Here’s the advice:
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart”--bet your life on God’s truth and wisdom.
- “Lean not on your own understanding”--give up trying to figure out everything on your own.
- “In all your ways acknowledge him”--make God a vital part of everything you do.
Maybe you’re like me: I get car sick when someone drives too fast
on winding mountain roads; no problem on straight ones.
Following God’s advice and living on His “straight road” is living a
wonderful life. We have to decide which road we are going to
travel: God’s straight road or the world’s crooked road. When we
take God’s advice seriously, we can have a peaceful and calm life
even though everything seems to be falling apart around us.
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to have this life that is beyond amazing. Help me to resist the pressures I feel to walk the crooked road of the world. Help me to follow Your advice even when it is unpopular. Take me, Jesus and mold me after Your way. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
--Ron Graff
Wednesday, November 1
Hebrews 5:11-14. We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Raise your hand if you want to only drink milk for the rest of your life. No! Who would want to do that?!? Think of all the delicious foods you would be missing out on. The same is true with understanding what God says in your bible. God wants us to grow and mature from reading and understanding what is written in the bible. When we do this, we can learn what is good and what is evil in our lives.
Your bible is a fantastic way to learn about God. What are you doing to understand what God says in your bible? Are you okay with being happy only drinking milk or basically doing nothing to learn? Or are you trying your best to eat solid foods to grow and understand what God says.
Imagine if a big NFL football player decided he was only going to drink milk all the time and eat nothing else. I don’t think he would be strong enough to last one football game. Do you? It’s the same with you and understanding God’s Word. Stop being okay with only drinking milk and move on to solid food. Do everything you can to understand what God says in your bible. Learn about God and go share what you know with your friends.
Dear God, thank you for my bible and how inside it you help me understand what is good and what is evil. Help me to understand more about you and share who you are to my friends. Amen.
--Jackie Austel
Thursday, November 2
Ephesians 5:15-17.Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
It’s difficult to not be distracted by the things and beliefs of this world, particularly in a society that tells you to do “whatever feels good” and whatever is “best for you”. Sometimes good and evil can become blurry to us, but God’s Word can help us tell good from evil as clearly as we can distinguish between black and white.
Jesus invites us to come to him in any and every situation. When you are trying to understand God’s will or you are faced with life’s problems and choices, no matter how big or small, seek God through prayer and the bible. His Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and true. It does not change, just as He Himself does not change. Although we are not able to see the bigger picture the way God does, He has given us access to His will through scripture and the Holy Spirit. We need to make the most of every opportunity given to us to check that our thoughts, actions, words, and desires match up with His.
Father, help me to look to your Word and to trust in Your Spirit to guide me. Protect me from accepting everything that the world around me values and believes. Help me to use the tools you have given me to discern and follow Your will.
--Natalie Pitman
Friday, November 3
Galatians 5:22-23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
If you make the decision to start following Jesus, you will soon have to make some choices. What should I do with my money? Who should I be friends with? How should I treat my brother or sister? These are all choices you had to make before, but now you will want to know what Jesus wants you to do. How can you know?! Jesus gives us his Word, and he also gives us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit promises to remind you what you learned from the Bible, and he also promises to produce his “fruit” inside of you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you make choices that will please Jesus--ones that are loving, patient, kind, and good; choices done with peace and joy even when you are doing something that is hard for you; actions done with faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that you know is only in you because the Holy Spirit is living in you.
Holy Spirit, when I am in a situation and am tempted to do the wrong thing or don’t know what the right thing is, will you please remind me what the Bible teaches? Grow your fruit inside of me so that it becomes easier and easier to do the things that please Jesus.
--Amy Martin
Monday, November 6
James 3:13-17. If you are wise, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about them, then you will be truly wise! And by all means don’t brag about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst sort of lie. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, inspired by the devil. For wherever there is jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every other kind of evil. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere.
Do you find it difficult to know the right thing to do? Who do you go to for advice? What or who is your source of knowledge?
James teaches us that there are four places to get wisdom:
From the world around us (people/books/movies/etc)
From ourselves(decisions based on our feelings and opinions)
From the devil, who is our enemy. He tricks us into disobeying God.
From God, who has all knowledge and always does what is right.
When we need to know what to do or how to do something, we can ask others for their advice orfind information on the internet; we learn from stories we read and movies we watch. Sometimes this can be helpful. But sometimes it can lead us in the wrong direction. Even our own emotions can cause us to make the wrong choices.When we read God’s word in the Bible, He promises to teach us the right way to think and the right things to do (Rom 12:2).Before we do or say anything, we should always ask ourselves, “Does the Bible agree with this? Does this please God?” Jesus said the greatest commandments are to Love God and Love Others. Are our decisions selfish or do our words and actions show that we love God and others?
Oh Mighty God, you have promised in your word to give me wisdom when I ask for it. You have promised to give me a new heart and a new mind so that I can make decisions that please you. Help me to understand your word so that I will not be tricked by the world or the devil. I only want to do what is right in your eyes.
--Laurie Griffin
Tuesday, November 7
Matthew 19:16-22. Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Have you ever heard the word eternity before? Do you know what it means? It’s another way of saying forever, or never-ending. God promises us that if we believe in Him we can have eternal life, which means we can live with Him forever!
Eternity is a very long time, so how do you think we should be spending our time now here on the Earth. In the story we just read Jesus actually tells the man how we should be living our lives! He first tells the man that we should obey God always. But not only that, we should also help other people whenever we can. He basically tells the man that it is better to not have that much stuff and help people than to have a whole bunch of stuff and not help anyone. It’s definitely OK to have stuff, like toys, games, and other things, but Jesus tells us that it isn’t good if all we care about is our stuff rather than obeying God and helping people.
God, thank you for all the great things you have given to me. But God, help me to be generous with these things and help me to do what matters the most: obeying You and helping other people. Amen.
--Garrett Koch
Wednesday, November 8
Malachi 3:7-12. “Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
What are you keeping from God that was meant for him to have? How might that stop you from seeing the goodness of God in big ways?
The Israelites were keeping the money that was meant to be given to God as a gift. They saw God as a God of who had little to offer them, instead of seeing God as the God of big things and generosity. They had forgotten the promises God had already given them. God was not satisfied with that because it meant they weren’t trusting God and his promises. God desires to give us good gifts and bless us with more than what we can dream of. But when we don’t let God have access our lives and our belongings, we miss out on the blessings he wants to bring to us, our families, and our friends.
What are you keeping that is meant to be given to God? Is there an area in your life where you have more control than God? What stops you from seeing the generosity of God for you?
Father God, help me to remember and trust in your promises. Forgive me for keeping parts of myself from you. Show me what it looks like to live in the generosity of your love for me.
--Coral Taluban
Thursday, November 9
“Let the man who would hear God speak, read the Holy Scriptures… The Holy Spirit himself, Christ Jesus our Savior, and God the Creator of all things, is the Author of this book.”
“The Bible is the proper book for all people. There, the truth is distinguished from error far more clearly than anywhere else. For some 28 years now, I have read through the Bible twice each year and preached constantly from God’s Word. Yet, I have not exhausted it, but find something new in it every day.”
Martin Luther, circa 1517-1547
When I was ten years old, I could run and play all day! Now, 55 years later, I tire out more easily, I can’t hear as well, and I need glasses to see clearly. It’s frustrating, but it’s normal for our physical bodies to wear out. However, as I child of God, that process is reversed! Our hearing of God’s voice, our vision and understanding, and our spiritual energy can improve as we age! How? Practice these three exercises every day:
1. Draw close to our God through reading His Word.
2. Take time to pray.
3. Obey--that means doing what God tells you to do!
You’ll hear His voice and see clearly what His will is for you! Then, just do it! He will supply the wisdom, the words, and the power to get His will done! When you walk with Jesus, you can go anywhere!
Lord, open my heart to receive your Word today.
-- Rick D’Amico
Friday, November 10
Isaiah 11:2-3. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.