Click here to see more resources to teach the Noah Story.

God Keeps His Promises

 Wouldn't it be wonderful if there really were a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and we could find it. But that old tale is only a fable with no leprechauns to back up the fascinating story.

There is another story, an old story of the rainbow, but this one is true. A story of a man standing before an altar giving thanks to Almighty God for preserving his life and the lives of his family. Maybe his face is wet with tears as he offered a burnt offering to the Lord. God responded to his servant with a promise that He would never again cut off all flesh with a flood. God said " I want to give you a token of my covenant." That token was the rainbow. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. I have a Precious Moments figurine on my dresser with a rainbow and and inscription, "God Keeps His Promises." Every time I look at it, I thank God that He really does keep His promises. I want to remind you today, no matter what you're going through no matter what the circumstances look like, God keeps His promises. God is not just a promise maker, He is a promise keeper.

Find the promise. 2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." The Holy Scriptures are filled with precious promises, promises for you. The promises were God's idea. He didn't inspire men to write them to fill a daily quota of pages. He gave the promises so you would know the vast resources available. So often we try to live a Christian life in our strength, doing the things God has told us to do the best way we know how, when God has a better way. God has placed provisions, promises that will bring victory and peace into your life. But you've got to dig in the pages of your Bible to find those promises. God has a promise for the situation you are facing. God has a promise that will help you be victorious in every area of your life. Dig in the scriptures. What does God say? What does He promise He will do? Noah received the promise as he pursued God. Search for the promise like you would a diamond in a diamond mine.

Is there a condition to the promise? The promise that God gave Noah did not have any conditions. God simply promised, I'll never again destroy all living creatures with a flood." End of story. Yet many of the promises in the Bible have conditions that must be met before you can receive the promise. Pay your tithes, I'll open the windows of Heaven and bless you. Mal 3:10 Your obedience is often a simple act like a farmer plants seed in the ground. You can't have a harvest if you don't plant the seed. Act on the promise. Obey God. Don't make excuses, just do it! 

Mix with faith. The promises of God do not benefit you until you mix the promise with faith. If you have ever made a cake from a mix you understand adding liquid changes the dry cake mix to a batter that can be baked to produce a cake. The mix will never make a cake until it is mixed with some form of liquid. It has all the ingredients--just add liquid. God's promises are like that, they are in the book for you to obey the condition and mix with faith.  Hebrews 4:2 "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." 

I know that sounds simple, some of the things we are believing God for look so hard. How do we believe God when everything around us says, "It will NEVER, EVER happen!"? 

Lift Your Eyes God told Noah, "I'm going to put my token in the cloud." That says to me...Alright Noah, when you see a cloud, you can get all scared that it's gonna flood again OR you can look at the rainbow-the token of my promise. What are you going to look a--t Jesus or your problem? Fix your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. Don't let go.  The rainbow is a reminder--God always keeps His promises.

 

Seeing and Seizing Opportunity

  I was frantic to get the copying done. The books still had to be punched and packed for the seminar and there were still other vital tasks on my “To Do” list. She had watched me scurrying around like an ant on an anthill, yet she stopped in the middle of loading the copier. “Look a rainbow,” she drawled as she moved to the glass for a closer look. There she stood. I couldn’t get a thing done without paper in the copier. I smiled sweetly, but inside I was anxious and fretful while she looked at a stupid rainbow.

   Then I moved closer to the glass that enclosed the front of the copy shop. It was a glorious rainbow. The sun peeked from behind a cloud making the colors of the rainbow bright and clear.  My husband came into the store and we stood like excited children looking at the rainbow. We could see both ends of the rainbow. It was the largest I have ever seen. Then we saw a second one, almost as glorious as the first. It was incredible. What a delight! We stood there enjoying the rainbow until a black cloud crept into the place where the rainbow once glistened. Only a dark, foreboding sky remained. It was gone so quickly. My husband hurried off to finish his errands, and the clerk filled the machine with paper.

  I resumed my frantic pace with a warm glow from the spectacular display of God’s handiwork. But what if the clerk hadn’t stopped? I would have missed that opportunity to enjoy the rainbow. The opportunity passed by so quickly if I had been somewhere else I would have missed it. I would not have even seen the rainbow.

  Opportunity like rainbows don't linger. Opportunity that is not seen is worse than no opportunity at all. Those children God has entrusted you with are opportunities for you to mold and shape. And like a fleeting rainbow your window of real influence passes so quickly. Recognize the opportunity you have. Value the opportunity. See the opportunity and seize it.

  Potters understand opportunity. They understand they must find clay, not rock to shape into vessels. They understand rock can be chiseled, but clay is pliable. The potter doesn’t lay the clay in the hot sun to harden then try to cast it on the wheel. The potter works with clay. Churches often put their monies into trying to shape rocks, adults that have already formed their mindset and personalities, but God has given children’s ministry leaders the opportunity to be the shapers. It saddens me to realize how few people recognize the opportunity that comes with shaping children. Our society just doesn’t seem to get it. Because there is no instant gratification or instant results we sometimes devalue it. But children’s ministry is opportunity in its purest form.

  Often we miss some of our greatest opportunities because they begin with a dark sky. I understand children’s ministry isn’t all fun and games especially for the teacher. It can be lots of hard work. And sometimes instead of smiling sweetly, you want to scream loudly. Yes, there are some challenges, some dark clouds that can cloud your opportunity to be a destiny shaper. Stay faithful. Keep investing in children. Be committed even when it is difficult. It really does pay off. It pays off in the lives of the children.