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Zipatso Zazikulu - Gawo #4

(To be translated into Chichewa)

DOWNLOAD Gawo #4

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - PEACE This week we’re going to learn about the third fruit, peace. True peace comes when we remember that God is on our team.

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 like we did our Moringa seed 3 months ago, cultivate it with love and joy. Amen

MATERIALS:
Photocopy NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR fliers, the Bible Verse Card. Photocopy and cut out the Peace Badge one for each child. Crayons of marking pens. Avocado and Super Fruit handout one for each family. Photocopy Take Home Truths and Activity Booklets one for each child.

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

1. GAMES: (10 minutes)

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 God is on our team.

5. TEACHING

a. Review
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.

What robs you of peace? 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)

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.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
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 peace in our country and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all Israel-a cry that will find its ultimate fulfilment in the  Sar Shalom -The Prince of Peace, Yeshua Himself. We pray these thing in His name our soon coming King. Amen

SUPER FRUIT:

CLICK to view Session 5

A DROP OF HOPE

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