Prayer And Gratefulness
Prayer And Gratefulness
(Bible Overview #21 of 54)
One Main Truth: God answers persistent prayers and rewards promise keepers
New to GameLife 123 Bible Discovery? Click here to see lesson essentials & how to use the “Three Thirds Method.”
1 GAME: Simon Sez
Game / Bible / Life Connection: In the Game Game Simon Always Did Right / In the Bible God Rewards Hannah’s Prayer and Answered Promise / In your Life God will Reward You when You Keep Your Promises
This is Step 1
- One Coach is “Simon.” Simon makes request like “touch your toes” children are only to respond if Simon says “Simon Sez touch your toes.” Children are out if they do something that Simon does not tell them to do.
2. [Note: All the requests Simon asks the children to do should be easy to follow. Such us touch your ear, do 5 jumping jacks. Lie on your tummy, sit down, stand up]
3. [Later in the game, switch roles, the children will be the ones asking Simon to do something for them like “give us 500 monies” have Simon Say “I Can Not Do That” or do 5 pushups, Simon would do the pushup, have some of the requests things Simon can do, and even have some of the coaches ask Simon to do some things that Simon will not do because it is not good to do it, such as, throw trash on the floor].
2 BIBLE DISCOVERIES: Gospel & Truth - 1 Samuel 1
Game / Bible / Life Connection: In the Game Game Simon Always Did Right / In the Bible God Rewards Hannah’s Prayer and Answered Promise / In your Life God will Reward You when You Keep Your Promises
Puppy: Praveen loved puppies. Who doesn’t? They’re fluffy and cute. You can hold them and love them. Every time Praveen saw a puppy on the street, he would ask his
mother, “Can I please have a puppy, mummy, please!” “I will look after it. I will feed it. I will give it a bath. I will do everything for it!” Mummy warned Praveen, “Beta, having a
puppy means being committed to it for its entire life! Will you be able to do that?” Praveen thought for a while and replied, “Mummy, you and daddy have me to love, I too want to love and take care of a puppy in the same way.” Mummy hugged her son. Then, on his tenth birthday, they got him a puppy! Praveen was overjoyed and thanked his parents a hundred times!
Baby: Hannah and her husband Elkanah loved God. They went to the temple regularly to worship Him. Elkanah loved Hannah a lot but she was very sad all the time because she had no children.
Ask and You Shall Receive: Hannah went into the temple and prayed ceaselessly. She prayed so hard that her lips moved but no words came out. She promised God that if she had a son, he would be dedicated for the service of the Lord. Eli, the priest told her that God would surely answer her prayers because she was praying so honestly. God answered her prayer and in due time she gave birth to a baby boy! She named him Samuel, meaning ‘Heard by God.’ Hannah kept her word to God. When Samuel was old
enough she brought him to the temple, dedicated him for God’s service and put him under the care of priest Eli to work in the temple. She thanked God for answering her prayers.
Young Samuel learnt and grew up in the temple under the guidance of priest Eli. One night, God called “Samuel! Samuel” And Samuel ran to Eli and said, “You called me.”? Then Eli said, “I did not call you. Go back and sleep.” There was a call again and again and the fourth time when God called him, Samuel said, “Speak to me Lord, your
servant is listening.” That night God told Samuel about the coming punishment upon priest Eli’s household because of his sons’ wickedness. Samuel saw how God brought destruction upon Israel. The Philistines badly defeated them and killed many soldiers including Eli’s sons. Hearing the news Eli fell from his chair and died there. After Eli’s death, Samuel became the Judge and prophet over Israel who faithfully served God for 80 years. And he was one of the most successful prophets and the last judge who ruled upon Israelites effectively.
Pray ceaselessly. Thank God, every time. Keep your word to God. Remain truthful and dedicated. Remember, only God can make our lives meaningful.
3 LIFE CONNECTIONS
Game / Bible / Life Connection: In the Game Game Simon Always Did Right / In the Bible God Rewards Hannah’s Prayer and Answered Promise / In your Life God will Reward You when You Keep Your Promises
Memory Verse: “The Lord has given me what I asked Him for.” I Samuel. 1:27
Leader, ask God to connect to the children’s minds, the children’s hearts, and in the prayer to connect to the children’s soul.
1. Game
Where you able to do all the things that Simon asked you to do? (yes)
Why? (easy)
Was Simon able to do all the things you asked him to do? (no)
Why? (Some of the things were not right)
2. Bible
What was Hannah’s request to the Lord?
How did God answer her prayer?
What did she do when God answered her prayer in a positive way?
Does God always answer our prayers, or only sometimes?
What are the three ways God answers prayers? Sometimes He says, “no.” Sometimes He says, “wait.” And sometimes He says, “yes.”
3. Life
Repeat after me: “God thank you for answering my prayers, God I know you answer
prayers: Yes, No, Wait. Holy Spirit show me a promise I need to keep *pause*. Jesus please give me courage to obey and share this truth.”
4. Worship Song
Ask the children what is their favorite worship song and then sing several worship songs with hand-motions
(click here for worship songs “GameLife Strong & Powerful Worship Motions”)
5. Reinforcement
Use local resources and common objects.
(Optional)
Activity: Let children sit in groups and pray for each other’s concerns. Guide the children and make (help) them learn how to pray. Also make them write Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6: 9-14 on a chart to hang it in the classroom.