Splink
» Perseverance
New Year Goals
Have a contest to see which “pair” can bat a balloon back and forth the longest without it touching the floor. (Let the rest watch and count as the balloon hits each person’s hand.)
Ask:
What was the hardest part of doing this? (Concentrating, getting tired, not knowing where the balloon was going, etc.)
Loving and serving God requires concentration and staying power.
Let each person tell one goal (related to their spiritual life) that they would like to do during the coming year. (read Bible every day, obey the first time asked, help someone each week, etc.) Write them down and bring them out on the first day of each month to see if you’re still staying with it.
Keep Going!
Have a contest to see who can stand on one foot the longest (including mom and dad). You can do it one at a time or all together. Clap for the winner.
On May 25, 1997, Arulanantham Suresh Joachim of Sri Lanka balanced on one foot for 76 hours and 40 minutes. During this time, Suresh did not rest on any object and was not even allowed to rest one leg against the other!
Read Ephesians 6:18 aloud. (Let one of the kids look it up in the Bible for more practice.)
Ask:
What does perseverance mean? (It means to keep on, to keep going and not quit)
What does this verse tell us to keep on doing? (Praying)
It may be hard to keep praying if you don’t see God answer your prayer (like you want), but you must never give up praying. God hears and will answer your prayers.
Fizzling Out
Items needed: 2 liter bottle of diet soda (Pepsi or Coke)
5 regular flavored Mentos
2 pieces of paper
WARNING: Do this outside or you will be cleaning up a big mess! Dads and sons will love this.
Take one sheet of the paper and roll it so it is about the diameter of a Mentos and then tape it. (Put about 5 Mentos in this–it will hold them so they can all be dropped into the bottle at once.)
Fold the other piece of paper in half (this will be put over the mouth of the bottle until you’re ready to drop them in.)
Go outside and set the soda bottle on the grass.
Take the lid off.
Put the folded paper directly above the opening of the bottle.
Slide the folded paper away and drop the Mentos into the soda bottle all at once.
Back up quickly!
(Go to www.stevespanglerscience.com to watch it.)
Asa was a good king of Judah. The Bible says that Asa and the people “entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul” (2 Chronicles 15:12). But many years later, Asa didn’t keep that promise. Instead of going to God for help, he went to another king. He did not “seek the Lord with all his heart.” He fizzled out! His desire to seek God was gone (like the carbon dioxide flew from the soda bottle).
What are some ways to keep from “fizzling out?” (Read your Bible, pray, go to church, think about God, listen to good music, etc.)
Why do you think that has happened?
How did Derek show perseverance? (He kept going even though he was hurt)
