Sparks Highlights 9.23.15

  Again, after the flood, the people on the earth began to sin and do what was right in their own eyes.  Yet, again, one man named Abraham and his wife Sarah, were found to be faithful to God.  God promised great things to Abraham as he was obedient to God – including the fact that Abraham would be the father of a great nation.  This would seem impossible because Abraham and Sarah were very old without any children.  God fulfilled that promise in the birth of Isaac.  When Isaac was young, as a test of Abraham’s faith, God told Abraham to sacrifice his own son.  This seemed so improbable to Abraham, because after all, he was old and God promised him to be a great nation.   Out of great faith and obedience to God, though, Abraham obeyed.  He believed God’s promise to him even though the situation seemed improbable.  He took his son to the place God commanded and began to prepare Isaac as a sacrifice.  How puzzling it must have been to Isaac, but Isaac trusted his father and was obedient – obedient to the point of understanding his own father would sacrifice him.  He did not struggle, but obeyed even unto the point of death.  When God saw Abraham’s obedience, God halted the sacrifice and provided a substitute for Isaac. A ram was caught in the thicket and Abraham sacrificed the ram in place of Isaac, a substitute  – so Isaac wouldn’t have to die.  God provides us today the substitute for our own eternal death – that in his own Son Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ willingly laid down his life on the alter as a sacrifice for our sins.  The Bible states, like Isaac, he didn’t struggle – he willingly layed down.  Jesus Christ was like the ram who died in Isaac’s place.  Jesus Christ died for our sins so we wouldn’t have to.  He didn’t stay dead, as the ram stayed dead, because He conquered the power of death when He rose from the grave.  In order to enjoy that freedom from eternal death, we must have faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins and be obedient to God, trying to live for Him by being repentant of our sins and turning away from them.  This can be found recorded in Genesis 17-21.  Tonight their decorated photo albums are to remind them of how God is faithful to all generations.  You are welcome to join us anytime at Sparks!   You can also check out the AWANA program at www.fbc.littletonil.org .    

Mrs. Jennifer Schroeder, Mrs. Barb Stein.

Sparks Highlights 11-12-14

   Veteran’s Day is observed on November 11^th and it is just not a day to take off, but a day we should also be thanking God for our freedoms in this country and thanking any man or woman that has served in the United States military.  This day is also known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day as it was the signing of the treaty to end World War 1 – the war that was to end all wars as it was said in those days.  The treaty was signed the 11^th hour, the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918.   In this country we have many freedoms that are only still alive because of the sacrifices of many brave men and women over the last two hundred-some years.  We have many brave men and women who still sacrifice themselves for our freedom today serving all over the world and in our borders.   One of the symbols of our freedom is our flag of which your Sparkie designed a flag star tonight.  Make sure your Sparkie tells you about the colors and what our flag symbolizes.  The Bible says in John 15:13 ‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’.  Jesus was referring to Himself and the life He laid down for us to pay the penalty of our sins – and to believe also in that that He calls us His friends!  We can say also say that of our veterans as they have and continue to lay their lives down for our freedoms.  If you know a veteran, tell him/her thank you for his/her service and his/her love for America and our freedom.  And, if you don’t know a veteran, go find one! 

You are welcome to join us anytime at Sparks!    You can also check out the AWANA program at www.fbc.littletonil.org.     

Mrs. Jennifer Schroeder, Mrs Carol Sheley, Mrs. Barb Stein.

Sparks Highlights 4.30.14

After Jesus resurrected from death, He appeared to multitudes of people to prove His resurrection.  Everything He ever said was true – including His resurrection from the dead.    His time on earth was then done and it was time for him to ascend back to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father.  Before ascending back to Heaven, Jesus instructed His followers to teach all the world His gospel.   After we are born again, as we discussed last week, our responsibility is to spread the gospel as Jesus commanded.  We are to spread the gospel to all those in the world – and we start right here in our own neighborhoods.  So how do we do that?  We tell others about everything we have learned about thus far in Sparks - how Jesus came to the earth, a perfect sacrifice for the penalty of our sin, how He rose again, and thus is our Savior as he saves us from the sure punishment of our sins.   This enables others to believe and understand that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and thus believe on Him and have eternal life.   John 3:16 our Sparkie key verse is an easy verse to share that wraps up the gospel in just a few words – these are God’s words to us.  God’s Word is the Bible and that is where we should point others to reading the gospel and hearing it from us.  

This is our last Sparks regular meeting for the year.  Next Wednesday is the AWANA Banquet where each club participant will be recognized.  This is for parents, grandparents and whoever else might want to come!  A yummy meal will be provided for you.

It has been a joy to have your Sparkie in club!    You can check out the AWANA program at           www.fbc.littletonil.org.    

Mrs. Jennifer Schroeder, Mrs. Carol Sheley, Mrs. Barb Stein.