Take action on God's plans

Kids4God.org | home

back to Old Stories, Studies and Games

Take action on God's plans

Bible Study

Click here to go back to the newest Story page.

Click here to go back to the newest Game page.

If you don't know the characters, go to the Characters page

Bible Study for March 20 - 26, 2000

This week's scriptures:

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”

I Samuel 16:12

Main point: God's plans require us to take action.

This week's Bible study is sort of a two part deal. I guess you noticed that we have two verses at the top. The one from James is to put scripture to my main point, so we'll start there.

Most of the big Bible teachers think that the James that wrote this book was the brother of Jesus. I t doesn't really matter but I thought that it is a cool fact. In this part of the book of James he is talking about faith and actions. The story he uses as an example basically comes down to this, if another kid is hungry do you have faith that he won't be hungry anymore, or do you buy him a Happy Meal? You buy him some food, dude!

See, if God wants something done, no matter how much faith we have, he usually requires us to take some action to accomplish it. It might be healing, and the action is our prayers. It might be getting a good grade in school, and the action is studying (yuk!). It might be getting Betty Sue down the street to church, the action is inviting her. You get my point. Usually if we are begging God for something, or He has a plan for us, He is just waiting on us to take some action. Do something. Sometimes anything!

Let's talk about David in I Samuel 16. You really need to read that chapter in the Bible, but here's my break down of it.

In a few chapters before this one we find out that King Saul has disobeyed God. Although God chose Saul to be king, when Saul disobeyed him God took his Spirit away and sent an evil spirit to torment (give him a hard time) Saul.

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse. He was supposed to ID the new king. Sammy was scared to go. If Saul found out what he was up to, it was dead city. But God gave Samuel an excuse and he went to Jesse's house. Samuel told Jesse to bring out his sons because God wanted one of them anointed.

Back in those days the oldest son usually got all the good stuff. So when Jesse brought out Eliab, Samuel thought he had found the new king. He was the oldest. He was big, strong, and good looking. Eliab looked like king material.

God said no.

Jesse brought out son #2. His name was Abinadab. God said he wasn't the new king. Jesse brought out Shammah, God said NEXT! Jesse brought out 7 of his sons, and God said no to all of them. When Samuel asked if there were any more kids, Jesse told him the only one left was David. David was the youngest and was out in the fields with the sheep. Samuel told Jesse to get David in the house. In fact, he said they wouldn't even sit down until David got there. Jesse sent someone to get David.

When David arrived God said "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." Samuel anointed David with oil. Then the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power. The new king had been chosen! But he wasn't the new king, yet. God had more plans to be worked out first.

Since King Saul had this evil spirit bugging him, his advisors told him to get a harp player in the house. They thought the music would calm Saul down. They ended up getting this kid named David (Yep. The same one!) to play the harp. Well, David had the Spirit of God in him, so when he would hang around Saul the evil spirit would run away like crazy. King Saul felt better with David around. He liked him so much that he gave him a promotion to armor bearer.

That put David to be in the position that he was in when Goliath was giving the Israelites a hard time. If he had not been an armor bearer for the king, Saul might never have let him knock out old Goliath. David might never have been king. He wouldn't have been the great forefather of our Lord, Jesus!

So what was God's plan? To make David king of Israel. He could have just knocked old Saul off and put David in there. Why didn't he? Jonathan was Saul's son and he would have been the next king. Plus, he wanted some lowly humans to take some action.

What are some of the actions people had to do?

Saul had to go to Jesse's house.

Jesse had to send someone into the fields to get David.

David had to come out of the fields.

Saul had to anoint David.

David had to practice the harp. And I thought piano lessons were tough!

The advisors had to convince Saul to let David be his harp player.

David had to play the harp well.

David had to accept the job as an armor bearer.

So, although it was God's plan for David to be king, all those people had to take action.

God has a plan for you. Are you taking action?

Are you reading your Bible to prepare your spiritual and moral life? Are you talking to God every day so that you will know what his plan is for you? Are you studying hard in school so that you'll be prepared for any job he has for you? David did!

This weeks prayer:

Lord,

Help me prepare to be what you want me to be. Show me the plan that you have for me. Give me the wisdom to take action when I need to, and I will do it.

Amen.

Story for week March 20 - 26, 2000

Fred Red Grows Tomatoes

This story includes Fred Red, Elder Everett, Tex and his trusty horse Alpo.

Fred Red is enjoying the weather. Spring is on its way in. He has never had a spring on earth. He is enjoying the green grass, birds singing, even the smell of rain. Elder Everett is walking nearby and sees Fred Red. They approach each other...

"Hello human Elder Everett!"

"Hello Fred Red. How are you today?"

Fred Red tells Elder Everett that he is fine and enjoying the beautiful earth.

" Yes, I know what you mean. I have my crops all planted," Elder Everett said.

Fred Red was a little puzzled and said, "I do not understand 'crops planted'.”

" What did you say the cops planted?" asked Elder Everett.

"Not cops planted, what did you mean by crops planted? Turn up your hearing aid Elder Everett."

"Oh. Me and my wife Gladys have a little garden."

"What is a garden?" asked Fred Red.

"That is where we plant and grow food. Here on earth most of our food comes from the ground." replied Elder Everett.

"Tell me, human Elder Everett, what kind of food do you grow?"

Elder Everett answered with, "We grow watermelons, peas, okra and tomatoes."

Fred Red got excited! "I love tomatoes! I think I will grow tomatoes myself."

As he said this, they could hear Tex and Alpo coming towards them.

"Howdy pardners!"

"Hello human Tex! Hello animal Alpo!"

Next Tex said, "Elder Everett, ole buddy, Your lovely wife Gladys is looking for you."

"I guess I better go home then. Bye boys." Elder Everett said as he walked away waving good bye to them.

Tex stood there a little puzzled as Fred Red just stared at the ground.

"Whatcha lookin at thar Fred Red?"

"I am growing tomatoes. I am waiting for them to come out of the ground, human Tex."

"You a growin maters right thar?" asked Tex.

"Yes, I am. I love tomatoes. I am going to stay here and watch them grow from the earth."

"Well now, cow poke. Thar’s grass down thar." Alpo smiled.

"Yes, and it is beautiful grass." Fred Red agreed.

"Didn't ya plow up the ground fer the seeds?"

"What do you mean seeds, human Tex?"

"Ya planted seeds, didn't ya?" asked Tex.

"I wish for tomatoes to come from the earth, and God sends tomatoes from the earth. Is there something else to do?"

"Of course there is city slicker. You've got to plow tha ground, plant them thar little seeds, water ‘em and stuff." explained Tex.

"But it is Gods will for the tomatoes to grow." Fred Red said with a confused look.

"You be right about that. But ya gotta take a little action, too. God gives ya all tha tools, like rain, and sun, and seeds. But ya gotta take action and do some of the work, too. That's the way it is fer our whole lives. That thar James chapter 2 verse 17 says “faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

"It sounds like growing tomatoes is a lot of work, human Tex."

"It is," replied Tex.

At that, Fred Red starts walking away.

"Whar ya goin thar pardner?"

"To Food World to purchase tomatoes." said Fred Red.

"That thar is a good idea. Come on trusty horse, Alpo. Let's go."

So they went to Food World to buy tomatoes, and left the planting to someone else!

God's plans require us to take action. Sometimes it's hard work!

How about you? Are you taking action to carry out God's plan in your life? Or are you just waiting on something to happen?

Print this out and then circle the hidden words (or just do them in your head).

Word game for March 20 - 26, 2000.

A X R W E A T H E R B D

T D E W A D T A D R S R

B X L R R Z S J W A I C

F E A N T K E Y S Q O H

H A D O H S O J A M E S

L W I I P C T I M M Z A

E J L T G X A J U T A I

Y R V C H M M I E H N Z

D I V A D Y O Y L T O R

A N N A T O T E X R I Z

P L A N R I E L P D N T

H S S L E V E R E T T A

These are the hidden words:

DAVID JAMES

SAMUEL ACTION

PLAN TEX

FAITH TOMATOES

EARTH EVERETT

WEATHER ANOINT

Answers to the game above

The letters in this color blue are not part of the answers!