What Does "Christ-Like" Mean? - Psalms 103:8

Psalms 103:8 -- "The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love."

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We talk about the term "Christ-like often. But what does it mean? Simply it means to act like Christ, to strive to walk in God's will and live a sinless life. We know, being imperfect humans, that is impossible. However, that does not mean we can't strive to be better today than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than we were today.

To become "Christ-like" it is important to know who Christ is and what God's character is like. This is accomplished through bible study, prayer and fellowship with other Christians, who in theory are also trying to be Christ-like, to help you in your journey.

Psalms 103:8 says that the Lord is compassionate, merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 repeat many of these qualities.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 -- "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

These are what we have come to call the "Be Attitudes" which describe "agape," unconditional love. It is what we strive for. It is what God has for us. Becoming "Christ-like" has to do with keeping God as the focus of our life. It also has a lot to do with how we treat others. God calls us to life others up, not tear them down. 

Are you compassionate? Merciful? Slow to get angry? Filled with unfailing love? If you are like me some days the answer is yes and other days give a resounding no. Thankfully, the Lord is all of those things everyday and He is not done working with me yet.

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Homeschool Preschool: Week 5

Homeschool Preschool 4-K

Week 5

We divide our homeschool curriculum into 4 basic parts: Bible, Letters and Numbers, Book of the Week and Other Skills. It is geared toward age 4, though many of the activities are good for children of all ages. I write this to give an overview of lessons and projects that we do to give you ideas to teach and do crafts with kids. We have a very casual preschool approach, but it is always fun to be creative and learn together!

Bible

Our Bible story this week comes from Genesis. We are learning about the story of Cain and Abel. This story is actually not found in The Beginner's Bible, which is our primary Bible reading source. However, you will see we found some creative ways to learn the story nonetheless. We are working on the character trait of peace which means being quiet at appropriate times and to be able to be still. From this story we learn how God will help us stay calm, even when we get upset. The story of Cain and Abel can be found in Genesis 4.

Bible Stories For Children -- The Old Testament: Cain and Abel

By: Allegro Media Movies

[External Link]

This video is one way we learned the story of Cain and Abel. Visually seeing the story come to life is a great way to get the message across.

Cain and Abel Coloring Sheet [Printable]

This is a good story to teach the importance of giving with a happy heart. An activity we did to go along with this concept was to make a bank to keep change to give to others including the church.

This is a great story to discuss emotions. [Suggested Teaching]

Our Memory Verse:

Romans 12:21 -- "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Letters and Numbers

Our letter this week is X.

X Poster [Printable]

X Writing Worksheet [Printable]

Coloring Sheet [Printable]

X is for Xylophone Craft

Book of the Week

Harry The Dirty Dog

By Gene Zion

Read it Online!

Read by Betty White

Coloring sheet [Printable] 

Other Skills

Learning how to use scissors. [Teaching Suggestions]

Spiral Snake Scissor Practice [Printable]

We also periodically do visual worksheet, which help identify and draw lines, shapes and other prewriting skills. [View Here]

Thank you to ABC Jesus Love Me for so many of the ideas and the confidence to teach my child biblical and developmental ideas.

There are lots more ideas where these came from,

click to enjoy more of our homeschooling adventures!

  

Watch Out! - Matthew 6:1

Matthew 6:1 -- "Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven."

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This verse is all about motive. What are your motives, especially when doing the Lord's work? Are you giving donations just so you can tell everyone you gave it, or do you really want to help others? Are you volunteering in ministry to socialize or because everyone else is doing it, or are you honestly trying to advance God's kingdom? This same question can go for any work, action, or thought.

Once in a while we need to stop and check out motives. After time, is our heart still in our work, or are we just going through the motions? That is just as faulty as if we are boasting about our deeds. Even good deeds and good intentions can lead to sin if we lose focus of why we are doing them.

The devil doesn't always attack us head on, often he skews the good we are tying to do to be ineffective and manifest sin. Pride is a big one in this subject. We want to share with the world what we do and forget to give credit to He who makes it possible. God provides the funds, the time, and the opportunity. Without God we would be nothing - we would not even exist. All the glory should go to God, keeping none for ourselves.

Even just going through the motions leads to pride because we can do it, so we should. This exerts a sense of duty, but not love. The Lord wants us to love others because He loved us first, to help others because He helped us first. When we lose sight of God in our work, it is just that - work. It becomes ineffective and a place for sin and resentment to breed.

There are more Devotionals where this one came from!

Study God's Word and be Blessed!

Seek Praise From God, Not From People - Romans 2:29

Romans 2:29 -- "No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."

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Do you seek approval from the people around you: a boss, co-worker, spouse, parent, child, friend or any or all of the above? Answer honestly to yourself. I do. Often, I don't even realize it until I begin to feel less somehow, like I'm not able to measure up.

It is at this point of feeling lost that I realized what has happened. I somehow began to measure myself against the wrong ruler.  We get lost, I know I do, in the day to day trying to please others. In getting the house clean, the dishes and laundry done, and getting food on the table. In trying to prepare for everything before it happens. In trying to accommodate everyone else schedules to the point that I was completely stressed out. Trying to be everywhere at once. When I worked as a journalist, it was always trying to get the best story or the best pictures, getting the best interviews or writing the most interesting piece so I would be on top and get noticed by my editor. It never ends, trying to please everyone around you. And as soon as the laundry gets backed up, or your child falls when you don't have a band-aid, or that amazing opportunity just passes you by -- you feel less, worthless, like you can't do anything right. Maybe that's just me.

However, and this is a BIG however, the thing that matters most in this life is that your heart is right with God. If you are keeping Him in focus, doing best you can and caring for others along the way, there is no greater honor. We need to look at God's standards, He wants us to work with a joyful heart, to enjoy helping others and to shine light and love into the world around us.

We will never measure up to people's standards. One reason is because they are always changing. We will often fall, but God is there to catch us and put us on our feet again.

When we do fall, or feel like we fail, we can not bring light in the world because our own self consciousness has dimmed it. There is no need to feel less because God has made you more. He wants you to walk in the confidence of His love and know that He is always guarding and guiding your path.

There are more Devotionals where this one came from!

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God Lives Among You - Zephaniah 3:17

Zephaniah 3:17 -- "For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

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Many people, including some Christians, have this idea that God is this being who is up in the clouds somewhere sitting on his throne looking down on the little people walking the earth. However, this is a very short-sighted view of God.

 "For the Lord your God is living among you."

God is not some distant deity that needs praise to boost his ego. God loves you, just for being you because that is how he made you, unique and extraordinary. He delights in your joy, calms your fears and rejoices with you in song.

The Almighty God I serve doesn't spend his time up in the clouds, instead, he lives among us. He is beside the women in labor, behind the solider in combat and lifting up the bullied child. He doesn't just watch over us as our lives pass us by, he is there with us guarding and guiding us through the obstacles life throws our way.

There are more Devotionals where this one came from!

Study God's Word and be Blessed!