MATERIALS:
Rope. Photocopy NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR fliers, the Bible Verse Card. Photocopy and cut out the Peace Badge one for each child. Crayons or marking pens. Print Music Song Sheets. Avocado if in season.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON:
Get all the child to color the Bible Card, flier and Peach Badges prior to the lesson.

1. GUESSING GAMES: (10 minutes)
a. Guess how many Peace Badges I have in my left hand.
b. Guess which hand I am holding a Peace Badge, all those who think it is in my left hand come and stand on my left side, all those who think it is in my right hand come and stand on my right side. Eliminate the incorrect side, and repeat the game.

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
Organize kids into two teams for an unfair game of Tug of War. Place all the bigger and stronger kids on one side and the younger children on the other side. Who do you think will win? Why? [Then join the younger, weaker team, get other adults to help and make sure they win!] Did the game turn out the way you expected? Why not? Sometimes we get worried when a problem seems too big. We may panic if we forget that God is on our side.

3. ACTIVE PRAISE CHORUS: (10 minutes)
(See Music song sheet in Visual Aid Manual)

Peace like a river

I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul,
Repeat

I’ve got joy like a fountain, I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul,
Repeat

I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul,
Repeat

4. INTIMATE WORSHIP (5 minutes)
Let The Peace Of God Reign (See Music video and lyrics in Visual Aid Manual)

Prayer: Father, teach us how to grow that seed of peace that You placed in our hearts the day we asked You to be Lord of our lives. Help us to nurture that seed of peace cultivate it with love and joy. Amen

5. TEACHING
a. “Back Track” (5 minutes)
Last week we learnt there is a difference between joy and happiness. What is happiness based on? (“happenings,”) Joy is a deep inner experience not determined by circumstance. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Can you give me examples of:
1. Fleeting happiness (Blowing bubbles, playing ball, skipping etc)
2. Lasting joy (Praising God even in hard times, when we are unpopular, being called names)
Do you think that money will bring you happiness? (No) Once you spend it, it is gone, and you still don't have happiness. Remember many people who are laughing on the outside are crying on the inside.

Optional: Review Song - Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart.

b. Sword Play (5minutes)
Ready…Swords up… John 14:27 … CHARGE!

My peace I leave with you; (Give out a peace badge) my peace I give you. (Give out a peace badge) I do not give to you as the world gives. (Snatch the badge back) Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (Hold your heart and tremble like you are afraid) (John 14:27)

(Use the Bible Verse Cards as visual aids.)

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

When we think of peace, we usually think of no more fighting or war. That is right, but the peace of the Spirit is a bit different. Peace is the quietness that Jesus gives you deep in your heart even when you’re in the middle of a trial. This is the peace we get when we get to know God really well (by reading the Bible, praying, asking questions, etc). If we have this peace we will feel a calmness inside relaxed or unruffled no matter what happens. We know that all our sins are confessed and that God forgives us and loves us and has given us the free gift of eternal life. God’s gift of peace is not a feeling anymore than love or joy is simply a feeling.

What robs you of peace? (Worry) Remember how worried the weaker tug of war team was in our game?

Yes worry is one of the biggest peace robbers of all times! Knowing that your parents don’t have enough money to pay for food can make us worry. Worry robs of us our peace. When we’re worried we’re thinking about ourselves and the problem we’re having. To stop worrying, we need to get our eyes off ourselves and to remember that God has everything under control. Having true inner peace with God helps us remember that He is bigger than our problems. He can handle every situation. Knowing God and believing and trusting in His love and care for you, will give you peace on the inside.

Fear is another big peace robber. Storms may scare us. Hearing our parents fighting or argue can make us afraid. I must confess that when I was a child, I was afraid of the dark. I wanted to know that I was not alone in the darkness. That is where my Teddy Bear and Dolly came to the rescue. The darkness was not so frightening with "Teddy" in the bed with me. Now I have Jesus no need to fear.

Can you tell me some of the things you are afraid of? (Dark, bugs, bees, snakes, heights, fire, dogs, mice, witch doctors, bullies at school, sickness)

Object Lesson: Let children work together in small groups on a NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR flier - naming things they are afraid off.

When Jesus told his disciples that he was going to return to his Father, they were afraid. What would happen to them? Would the enemies recognize them as his followers and try to harm them?

Isaiah 26:3 promises that God will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all whose thoughts or minds are fixed on Him! So when you are worried or afraid, instead of thinking about your problems, keep your mind on God—His love, His power, and the fact that He is always with you.

When Jesus returned to his Father heaven, He asked the Father to send the Holy Spirit to comfort his disciples until the day when he returned. That includes you and me! What a wonderful gift Jesus has given us -- peace of mind and heart. We no longer have anything to fear. Whenever we find ourselves in the dark or in the storms of life, Jesus is with us.

When we have a disagreement with someone, it is our natural human nature to want to come out on top, to be right, rather than to come to a peaceful settlement, isn’t it?

Often, we are quick to stir up an argument rather than to help make peace, right? But peace is a fruit of God’s Holy Spirit living in us. As we remember that God has made peace with us because of what Jesus did on the cross, His Spirit brings peace within us. Having that true inner peace with God is essential to having peace with others. Peace is such an amazing result of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives! The devil would like our days filled with worry and stress and fear. Biblical peace is completely opposite of all of these feelings! It is the absence of stress, worry, fear, and chaos. It is the resting and quieting of our souls before God as we remember who He is and trust in Him completely.

SUPER FRUIT: ZABOKA (AVOCADO) TEACHING
Teach, using the ‘Zaboka Handout’ photocopy a copy for each family. A sapling, God willing will be supplied to each school, church or orphanage utilizing this curriculum.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD: Refer to our Encountering God Handbook for ideas for this important section of the session. Experience the Holy Spirit Learning Centers creating a Spiritual atmosphere.

Let the children come with their Peace Badges to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

CLOSING PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides us and calms our fears. Thank You for what You did for us on the cross so that we can have peace with You. Now encourage us to do all we can to live in peace with everyone. Help us to put others first. And, when worrisome fear come into our lives, help us to always remember that You are on our team! We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, in Jesus’ name. Amen

TAKE HOME PAGE:
Give one copy of the ‘Take Home Truth’ to each child at the end of the class.
Optional: Give the children the Take Home Quiz activity booklet.

NEXT WEEK: We will learn in detail more of the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ we will learn about PATIENCE modeled by our God, patience is made possible through Christ, and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Super Fruit for next week is a Guava, try and bring some for the next session.