August – Some Assembly Required – Trusting the Maker and Building Something Great

To let you know what we will be covering this month in 4:12 Ministries, here is a quick glance at the month. If you have any questions about the lesson, send me an email below, I would love to hear from you.
Thanks,
Steve Blackston
4:12 Ministries Children’s Church Director

From the very beginning, God set up leaders on earth. We see in Genesis 1, God instructed Adam to rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, and the livestock that moves on the ground. Much later in the Old Testament, God called out prophets, judges, kings, and priests to lead His people. Each of these leaders, although different in many ways, had one main thing in common. Their job was to follow God. An interesting pattern can be seen when they trusted and obeyed God—the people under their leadership prospered.

Obedience is trusting those who lead you by doing what you’re asked to do. God asks us to trust Him by giving us specific things to do to accomplish His work around us. He may even ask us to do something that seems too hard or too uncomfortable. But we can choose to trust that He’ll work out the details and take care of our needs. Then it’s easier for us to choose to obey and act on what we know, because we trust our ultimate Leader.

The monthly memory verse is: “Obey your leaders. Put yourselves under their authority. They keep watch over you. They know they are accountable to God for everything they do. Obey them so that their work will be a joy. If you make their work a heavy load, it won’t do you any good.” (Hebrews 13:17, NIrV) Often, it’s hardest to obey when God asks us to trust another person that He has chosen to lead us. But, as long as their instructions line up with God’s commands, do what they ask of us.

• In Week One’s Bible story, God places Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden with just one command (Genesis 1, 2, 3:1-24). When they make their own plan and disobey God, it has profound and lasting affects. Our Bottom Line is: I should trust and obey even when I think my way is better. Our leaders see the bigger picture and understand the greater consequences.

• In Week Two’s Bible story, Noah had a history of trusting God, and continued to obey God to the smallest detail while building the ark (Genesis 6–8). Even when everyone else disobeyed, Noah followed God. Our Bottom Line is: I should trust and obey even when others don’t. Developing a pattern of obedience might prepare us for trusting God in a moment when the stakes are even higher.

• In Week Three’s Bible story, God makes a big promise to Abraham, and then asks Abraham to move to a new place (Genesis 12:1-5; 13:2-18; 15:1-6). Abraham doesn’t know where or how God will keep His promises. But he trusts God. Our Bottom Line is: I should trust and obey even if I don’t know how it will all work out. We always know we can trust God, so we can confidently obey.

• In Week Four’s Bible story, God asks Abraham to do something shocking (Genesis 15, 18, 21, 22). When Abraham is willing to obey and sacrifice what he loves, he demonstrates his unwavering trust in God to keep His promises. Our Bottom Line is: I should trust and obey even if it costs me something. We can trust that God wants what’s best for us.

By Jessica McKee ©2013 The reThink Group. All rights reserved. http://www.ThinkOrange.com *Used by permission.