Kids of the King, Arise!

Do you remember the prayer picture that Cole recieved that we shared a short while ago? (March 2nd post)

Now he was not the only one that had prayer pictures about “Joseph” and his rainbow coat that evening. God was really highlighting something. He was pointing out the importance of “the church”, (not the building really, but the people that make up the church) to reach out.

Jesus didn’t send the Helper so that we can get our prayer needs met, or to help us get rid of our bad habits, although He does help us with those, but His TOP priority was that we witness to the world out there,(that is still held captive in the Kingdom of darkness) in LOVING SERVICE. He asks us to draw close to him in prayer, so we know what is on is heart…after all he sees the whole world… and then obey His promtings to reach out.

As we thought about it we decided to explore the meanings behind the colors, and use them as a springboard to ‘carry’ God’s glory out into the streets. So we designed a simple booklet and linked the various colors to a key of the Kingdom. From there we wrote a simple prayer and a scripture fleshing out the principle.

We went over the booklet with the kids and suggested that for the next month they choose one of the colors each day as a reminder to bring that ‘key of the kingdom’ into their world with God’s help.

The kids were instructed to make a necklace out of the rainbow colored beads, or place a single bead on a fine wire, that they could tie onto a necklace or bracelet they were wearing already. Another option was to encourage them to wear an item of clothing reflecting the color that they were going to choose for the day.

So this D.P.G. lesson is to help us walk that out.

Goal
To help kids intentionally carry kingdom principles into the world.
Setting
Room large enough to do crafts and a parachute game
Materials:
-Colorful Beads
-Elastic, wire or fishing line to string beads on.
-Color booklet printed out, one per child (use material below)
-Pencil crayons
Optional
-Rainbow parachute
- Cookies with colored Smarties for snack

Red

Key of the Kingdom: Love

“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Lord, help me to know how much you love me. Help me to show your love to someone today, in simple acts of kindness. Open my eyes to see the need in the people you bring across my path today. Give me Your love for them and the strategy that would touch their hearts.

Orange
Key of the Kingdom: Courage
(The fire of the Holy Spirit)
Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NAS

Lord, I need courage today. You know how I face temptations to do wrong every day. Help me to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who stood up for You, and didn’t follow the crowd, even when it was very hard. Help me to resist temptation. Thank you that You promise to be with me everywhere I go. (Daniel3:28)

Yellow / Gold
Key of the Kingdom: Truth
(Jesus; the light of the world!)
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light Exodus 13:20-22 (NIV)

Show me that you are with me today. Be my guide, and help me know your truth in the circumstances I face during the day. Help me to be a child of Light and bring Your light into my world.

Green
Keys of the Kingdom: Life, hope, healing, and new beginnings
…I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10 (Amplified)

Lord, open my eyes to someone who needs a word of life or hope today. Give me Your words or acts to bring healing into his/her life.

Light Blue
Key of the Kingdom: Peace
(The water of the Holy Spirit)
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness (GOD’ S PEACE), everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. Philippians 4:5-7 (The Message)

Today when I am worried, help me to remember that You are in control. When I run into situations today where there is there is conflict or hurting. Help me to bring your peace into the problem.

Indigo / Dark Blue
Key of the Kingdom: Obedience
(Hearing God’s Voice)
… mark each corner tassel (of your prayer shawl) with a blue thread. When you look at these tassels you’ll remember and keep all the commandments of God, and not get distracted by everything you feel or see… Numbers 15:38-41 (The Message)

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Luke 11:1-3 NIV

Lord, help me listen to your still small voice and obey. Help me to obey your still small voice, even when it doesn’t make sense. Use me today to do your will on Earth as it is in Heaven. Use my hand, my mouth and my feet, to bring your compassion, kindness and truth into my world.

Violet / Purple
Key of the Kingdom: Authority
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20 (NIV)

Thank You that You have authority over the kingdom of darkness and that You have given that authority to me. Jesus, use my voice to speak out the words of truth and blessing that You would want to say. Use me to draw someone to You today.

Pink
Key of the Kingdom: Good relationships, Unity
I (Jesus) pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21(NIV)

The goal is for all of us to become one heart and mind!!

Jesus, help me today to be like You. Show me how to get along with________ so that others will know that You are in me and believe in You.

White
Key of the Kingdom: Purity
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

…become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)

If I am in a situation where I am tempted today, help me to choose to think about the things that will bring joy to Your heart. Help me to walk as a child of Light. Help me to think about things that bring joy tom your heart.

Black
Key of the Kingdom: Humility
(Death to self & sin)
The lifestyle of the wicked is like total darkness, and they will never know what makes them stumble. Proverbs 4:19 (CEV)
… If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to Me, you’ll find both yourself and Me. Matthew 10:38 -39 (The Message)

Help me to see others through Your eyes, Jesus. Help me to remember that Your ways are better than my ways, and not insist on having my way. When I feel like being selfish, help me to remember that You gave Yourself for us.

2) Parachute game:
Purpose. -Visualize a canopy, like Gods’ glory over a person or a nation.
Pray for a person or nation, using the color principles.

1. Review of basic guidelines re: using a parachute. See websites listed below.
2. Place a map of your nation on the floor, or chose one of the participants to sit in the middle of the floor.
3. Cover the map, or person with the parachute, and instruct the rest of the kids to hold the edges of the parachute by the handles

a. Play Cathedral/Canopy
• Canopy Players lower the parachute and then on the count of three raise their arms high once the parachute is quite high. Everyone then quickly takes 3-4 giant steps toward the center and pulls the parachute behind them and sit down with their bottoms on the edge of the parachute.
• Being in the Canopy brings a sense of peace, calm and wonder. Discuss: being in the ‘canopy’ is like being in a safe peaceful “God Place” together.
• Encourage prayer for the nation or person under the canopy, using the thoughts that were learned from the colors booklet.
• E.g., Help ___________to show God’s love today. Give the leaders in our nation of __________ to have the courage to speak the truth… and so on.

b. Putting on the rainbow coat.

-Have one of the children sit in the middle of the parachute and the rest hold the handles.
-All together pray that “Johnny’ will be a carrier of God’s glory this week.
-Slowly walk in the same direction, “wrapping” the parachute around the child. (make sure it dosn’t go as far as their neck)
-When they are ‘wrapped’ in the coat, have the kids holding the handles on a count of three, pull and take a large step back wards.
-The child in the center will spin…

For information re: parachute activities:
http://www.funandgames.org/parachute_games.html