Pirates: A Heroes Adventure!

Ohoy there! We have had four fantastic nights of Vacation Bible School with over 500 children attending! We learned about God's plan for each of us to be heroes and how He helps us to do that.

Don't miss Kids Church this next Sunday morning as we do our last lesson from "Pirates: A Heroes Adventure." See you there, mateys!

Good News Shoes

Ephesians 6: 14,15 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

Shoes are very important, they protect our feet and not only keep them from getting dirty, but also from getting hurt. It is also imported to carry the good news, or the gospel of Jesus in our hearts. The gospel protects us spiritually, very much like our shoes do.

"Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:26, 27

In Rome there used to be spiky pits in the roads covered with leaves to hid them, so that when armies came to attack they would injure their feet and not be able to fight. On the road of our lives sometimes we go through hard times that are hidden so that we could not see that they where coming. This is why it is important to wear your Gospel Shoes! They keep your safe when you go though hard times.

Righteousness

A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:16

God wants us to have a clean heart, in fact when God created man there was nothing evil or wicked in him at all. But, when Adam and Eve sinned they because unrighteous. Being unrighteous means that you are no longer in right standing with God. This makes our hearts feel guilty and sad. Often times people try to fix there guilt by attempting to cover up the problem. But no matter how hard we try, there is only one way to have a clean heart again. And that way is Jesus. God send his Son Jesus to die for us so that the punishment for our sins would be paid and we would be righteous is God's eyes again. So when we accept what Jesus did for us on the cross we are made right before God.

Fourth of July

"One nation, under God."

That's what we say in the pledge of allegiance. We understand that our country is here because it started out being led by a group of folks who tried to do what was pleasing to God.

Pastor Keith mentioned a quote that says, "America is great, because America is good. When America ceases (stops) being good, it will stop being great."

Our country needs to continue to do what is good!

James 4:17 says, "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do, but doesn't do it, sins."

Are there good things we could do, and should do, as citizens of the United States of America?

What are some of those things we, as Christians, should do?

Are there things we can do to help take care of our country?

What things should we pray about that will help our country be good and do good?

Be thankful today, for this great country that you may live in! ...and look for ways to do what is good as a Christian and as an American!