A New Years Resolution: Remember God's Mercy

Kindergarten 2 - Primary - Coloring Activity - Teen Lesson

2021 Is Gone

I asked my daughter to do a 10-minute object lesson for our class.  She brought last year’s calendar.  She had each day marked with an X which marked that day for her daily devotion.  She shared with our class how she had completed her devotion goals each day all year except for one week in the whole year.  She continued to teach them how important it is to do devotions with God each day.  She was able to teach them that the calendar that they were looking at was now in the past.   She showed each of them their birthdays.  She explained that their birthdays for 2021 were now in the past and now we look forward to a new year.

She said everything she did wrong in 2021 is now in the past.  When we know Jesus as our Saviour, confess our sins to him, then our sins are forgiven and are in the past.  She ripped up the 2021 calendar suddenly.  The class reacted to it.  They had mixed emotions like “Why did you do that?" My daughter threw the 2021 calendar into the trash can.   When we are forgiven God forgets those sins and they are gone.  Just like 2021 is gone and in the past.  We can not change what we did or didn’t do in 2021, but we can make plans to make changes in our lives in 2022. 

A New Years' resolution is being determined with God’s help to make life-changing goals that will change our lives for the better.  You can make a New Year's resolution yourself.   What kind of goals would you like to make for 2022?  If you do not know Christ Jesus as your Saviour today would be a perfect day to make that decision. 

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When we are God's child, He is perfecting us in Jesus.

He's always working on us.  He wants us to be more like him

in how we behave and the choices we make.  

Follow Here:

https://coloringhome.com/hidden-objects-coloring-pages

For the review game, find a free hidden picture coloring page.

Ask a review question.  When the question gets answered correctly the child gets

a turn finding a hidden picture.   They make one hundred points for each correct response.

Plus 50 extra points for finding a hidden picture.

If you have time you can use this picture again by placing points in random places.

Cover their eyes and have them put a sticker on the page without looking.

The points they are closest to are the points they earn.

Everyone gets a prize for participation.  

 Not only are they learning the bible but they are learning to participate.

A New Years Resolution 

Remember God's Mercy

The one thing that makes the New Year very special is that it encourages people to make choices that will better their lives.  It’s a day to say to yourself.  “I will go on, I will go forward, I will be better.”  

Do not allow circumstances to make us feel fearful.  God is real and God is in control.   With every New Year, there is a new beginning, a new renewed hope for the future.  A time to let God lead you into some important decisions.  How can I be a better person this new year?   Ask God what it is that you need to change?  

Maybe God wants us to be more obedient to those that God has put over us.  God does not want us to have a rebellious spirit.  We should repent of anything we are doing that God does not want us to do.  When we become willing to become what God wants us to be we become happier and more joyful. 

If there is anything in our hearts such as unforgiveness towards other people, then God will not forgive us.  God wants us to give that to him and show mercy as he has shown mercy.  We must be humble enough to say we are sorry.  If we are harboring bitterness in our hearts then God says he will not hear our prayers. We also must be humble enough to forgive as he has forgiven us.

We can make a promise to God to do better with our eating habits and exercising regularly.  Make a goal of eating less junk food.  

Maybe we need to be kinder to our brother or sister.  

Let’s make a commitment to follow God in God’s way and start our new year with a clean slate.

A New Year can bring new life to anyone who wants to make a commitment to God.  Maybe we have turned away from God, in some way, in some attitude.  God will gladly take your hand if you reach out to him.  He will not refuse us if we are truly repentant.  “His mercy endureth forever” is repeatedly said in the Psalms – mostly in Psalms 136 over and over and over.  It must be something we need to hear again and again.  God will not hold back his mercy if we turn back to him. The question is will you believe what he says?  His mercy sent Jesus for me and for you.  The Bible teaches us God’s motive.  His motive is because he loves us. 

Vain repetition is when there is no heart behind what you say or what you sing over and over again.  

Sometimes people need to hear things repeatedly before they sink into our hearts.  Remember Peter, God asked Peter three times “do you love me?”   I know one thing God loves you… do you love him?

If we love God we will do what he commands us to do.  Like reading our Bible's, confessing our sins in prayer, and living our lives in a way that pleases him.  

Some people ask how can God forgive me?   God is merciful and God's Word says it repeatedly. It also says "Give thanks unto the Lord, repeatedly.  3X at the beginning and also at the end of Psalms 136.  

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With God's Help Let Us

Be Bold, Not Cold;

Be True, Not Blue; (Discontented)

Be Clay God's Way;

Have Cheer Be Dear; 

Be Meek and Sweet;

Not Sneak or Peek;

Don't Steal, Be Real;

Be Right, Polite;

To Pray Each Day;

To Love And Live;

With Joy Forgive;

Believe, Receive;

And Show We Care;

With Godly Fear;

This Brand New Year.

Susan Y Nikitenko 2022©

I'm going to briefly talk about some of the verses from Psalm 136 as time allows.

Psalms 136:1- 26 and 138: 8

1. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever

 3. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 4. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 5. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 6. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

7. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

8. The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 

9. The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

10. To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

11. And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

12. With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

13. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Ps 136:14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Ps 15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. 

 Ps 136:16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Ps 136:17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Ps 136:23 ¶ Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

 Ps 136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Ps 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Ps 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Psalms 138:8 

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

If we love God, He will not forsake the works of our hands.  He will not forget our labor of love. God will not abandon us as we ask his direction and also work to live out his purpose for our lives. 

We are not saved by what we do.  Though God wants us most definitely to do good works, we are called, to do good works.  We will do good works because we are saved and love God.  He will perfect us and lead us into his will when we are committed to following him.  Make Him the most important goal of your life and of this new year.

Let us remember his mercy towards us, let us repent and turn back to God.  Let us renew our confidence in God and believe he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Let's not forget to start this new year with God and continue to include God in everything every day and all year.  We do this by keeping our hearts where they need to be.

 Memory Verse:  

Psalms 138:8 a The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Dear Father, I pray in the name of your dear Son, Jesus.  Be with each one here today and help them see you are the most important thing in their lives.  Help each one of us know what we need to change in our lives to be better people and healthier people for you.  Lead us in those decisions for the New Year.  If anyone here does not know you as Saviour and needs to be saved.  I pray you will speak to their hearts today and open their understanding.  Thank -you Lord for your goodness and mercy towards us.   Amen

Susan Y Nikitenko

New Year’s Devotional ©

January 2022

 Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

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