The House Built on a Rock

 

Jesus told a parable about a house that was built on a rock. He explained that when the water came, and wind blew that the house stood. 

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:45-49

The foundation of our house (lives) should be Jesus. He is the rock that all should be built upon. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 

However, for a house of have walls it also needs studs. The studs are what holds up the walls. The foundation helps to hold the studs in place. The walls are then nailed to the studs. Jesus gives us the studs (commandments). John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

In order to correctly build on the rock, we must listen to, obey, and follow Jesus. Notice that Jesus said, "whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock." 

He said come, hear, and do. Just hearing is not enough. Just coming is not enough. You must also do the sayings (commandments) of Jesus. 

In the book of James it says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:17-20. 

True faith in Jesus causes action. However, be careful works without faith in Jesus will get you nowhere. Jesus wants us to have true faith in Him. He wants us to build our lives on him so that when problems come (wind and waves), we will be able to stand firm in our faith in Him. 

Preschool Learning Ideas

 Preschool Learning Topics

Preschool learning Topics

Pick 3-5 areas per day. Try to combine any areas when possible.

 Here is an example of a plan covering 1 week: 

 Learn about the bee:

• Bees are yellow and black (math and art)
• The word “bee” starts with the letter B (language)
• Practice writing the letter b (fine motor)
• With chalk, paint, colors, pencil, or in playdoh
• Look at pictures of bees in a book (Language)
• Get book from library
• Count the bees you see in the book (math)
• Read about where bees live and what they make (language and science)
• Draw a bee (art and fine motor)
• Pretend to buzz around like a bee (imaginative play and P.E.)
• Eat honey (science)
• Notice that the honey is sweet

 Topics By Subject:

Math

• Numbers
• Recognize numbers 1-20
• Count to 20
• Shapes
• Recognize the shapes
• Draw simple shapes
• Colors
• Addition within 10
• adding various things such as toys, pinecones, pieces of snack foods
• Subtraction within 10
• subtracting various things such as toys, pinecones, pieces of snack foods
• Calendar math
• Days of the week
• Months of the year
• Yesterday
• Today
• Tomorrow
• Numbers 1-31
• How many days until ____?
• Holidays and other special days
• Seasons
• Pattens
• Be able to continue a simple ab pattern.
• Be able to continue a simple abc pattern.

Language

• Alphabet
• Recognize the letters
• Say the alphabet
• Write the alphabet
• Lower case letters
• Upper case letters
• Know several fairy tales or simple stories
• Listen to stories
• Put stories in order
• Put simple events in order
• Fact vs fiction
• Direction words (up, down, left, right)
• Print awareness
• How to hold a book
• Front of the book
• Back of the book
• Right side up
• Looking a pictures
• Noticing the words
• Turning the pages without tearing 
• Noticing words anywhere (signs, advertisements)
• word play
• rhyming words (cat, sat, mat) hear that the end sounds similar.

Social Studies

• Transportation
• Farm animals
• Wild animals
• Pets
• Jobs
• construction workers
• librarians
• storekeeper
• etc.
• Community helpers
• police
• nurses
• doctors
• firefighters
• teachers
• Simple history
• connect history with holidays such as 4th of July goes with birth of the USA, Columbus Day goes with Columbus sailing to the Americas, Thanksgiving goes with the pilgrims coming over on the Mayflower.
• Place around the neighborhood
• library
• grocery store
• parks
• churches
• other places

Science

• weather
• seasons
• summer- hot
• fall -cooling off
• winter -cold
• spring – warming up
• Float vs sink
• living vs non-living
• fish
• Birds
• hot vs cold
• Learn about your body (able to name parts of the body)
• Learn about the 5 senses
• taste
• touch
• smell
• hearing
• sight
• plants
• Anything that your children has expressed and interest in.

Life skills

• Get dressed
• Brush teeth
• Washing
• learn the body parts by washing them
• face
• neck
• chest
• hands
• feet
• knees
• toes
• Put on shoes
• Velcro
• shoelace tying
• Manners at the table
• sweep the floor
• Sort laundry (helps teach colors)
• Fold clothes (wash clothes, match socks, put shirts on hangers)
• Simple cooking (snack making)
• Set the table (spoons, forks, napkins)
• Clean up toys
• following directions

Physical Education

• Fine motor skills (helps with learning to write)
• cutting paper
• straight line
• zigzag line
• puzzles
• playdoh
• stringing beads
• coloring
• painting
• drawing with chalk
• mazes
• dot to dots
• building with blocks
• Gross motor skills
• jumping
• jump over a rope laid on the ground
• forwards
• backwards
• sideways
• running
• skipping
• balance beam walking (forwards, sideways, and backwards)
• draw a line on the ground then have the children walk the line
• lay a jump rope on the ground have the children walk it
• swinging
• bike riding

Bible (get a children’s story book bible)

• Creation
• Adam and Eve
• Noah’s ark
• Tower of Babel
• Daniel and the lion’s den
• Birth of Jesus
• Miricle's of Jesus
• any other simple Bible Stories

Music

• Sing nursey rhymes (helps develop literacy skills)
• Play with instruments (they sell these at the dollar store)
• Rhythm
• Listen to various instruments (YouTube has lots of videos)

 Art

•  Color (teaches the colors)
• Cut and pasta projects (teaches how to use scissors)

Free play

• Creativity
• Imaginative play
• Sharing
• Turning taking

More Homeschooling Resouces

Model Prayer

 

Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. The bold parts are the prayer. The other parts are just some explanations.

Our Father (God has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us)

Which Art in Heaven (God watches over us from heaven, but at the same time He is with us wherever we go.)

Hallowed be Thy Name (His name is Holy, and we must keep His Name Holy)

Thy Kingdom Come (Our God is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Just as a king rules over his subjects, God rules over the whole world. He wants to be the Lord of our lives. We must give ourselves to God so that His kingdom can live in our hearts.)

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven (God made the earth and all its many people. He knows what is best for this world. We need to let go of our selfishness and let God do His will in everything.)

Give us this day our daily bread (This is the part where we bring our specific needs to God and believe His promises that He will hear and answer.)

Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors (We must grant forgiveness to others so that we can receive forgiveness from God)

Lead us not into temptation (If we yield to temptation, it will lead us into sin. The Bible tells us the wages of sin is death. We need to pray everyday that God will put his armor of protection around us to fight against temptation.)

But deliver us from Evil (If we have yielded to sin, there is deliverance from Sin through Jesus. Jesus shed His blood when He died on the cross.)

For thine is the Kingdom, and the power (God has never-ending power to do all we ask of Him in prayer, if we trust him and obey him.)

And the glory for ever (God's glory will last forever and ever)

10 Commandments

 

Exodus 20:1-17 

• And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
• Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 
• Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 
• Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 
• Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
• Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
• Thou shalt not steal. 
• Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 
• Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 

The Ten Commandments in the New Testament

• Have no other gods before me                                        Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

• Do not make idols or images                                             First John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.

• Do not take the name of the Lord in vain             First Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

• Remember the Sabbath Day                                                 Acts 13:42-44  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

• Honor your father and mother                                             Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

• Do not Kill                                                                              Romans 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

• Do not Commit Adultery                                                       Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

• Do not Steal                                                                              Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

• Do not bear false witness                                                     Romans 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

• Do not Covet                                                                         Colossians 3:5-6 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

It is clear that the commandments are still valid today. The key to obeying them is to love God. When you truly love God, you will have a desire to obey His commandments. 

Erasing of Women

 In Afghanistan women are being erased from public life, The Taliban are creating 1 law after another that is causing the disappearance of women from public areas. Everyone can plainly see that this is wrong. 

In many other places women are being erased in a different more progressive way. Women are being replaced by men who say that they are women. We no longer have women's sports. It is amazing to me that in the name of equality we are taking away from women the very thing that women fought so hard to achieve. Even the understanding of the meaning of the word woman causes many problems. It was not so very long ago that women were proud to be women. They were proud of their achievements. They knew who they were. 

The erasing of women can happen in many ways. Some are obviously cruel and inhuman like in Afghanistan. Others are disguised and the damaging effects will take longer to come to light. 

The questions to ask are why doesn't the world like women and what can be done about it. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. However, without women none of us would be here today. 

Women are important. Women everywhere need love, understanding, respect, and appreciation. Women need safe spaces that are only for women. Women need the right to choose the life that they want. Whatever the choose may be, that choose should be respect and honored. Women need to be heard. The opinions and thoughts of women are worthy of consideration.  

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House of Prayer

  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Isaiah 56:7

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bough in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Matthew 21:13-13. 

The house of God is supposed to be a place of prayer. However, a quick look at the current state of affairs makes it clear that most churches are anything but a house of prayer. There are so many churches that seem to put on a show. Other churches seem to emphasize programs. Programs are not bad or good. It depends on the program. However, anything that replaces prayer as the main event is a problem. 

The apostles prayed about everything. 

 

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

Philippians 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

Philippians 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Notice that prayer was essential to the development of the early church. Prayer should be essential to our lives as well. 

Preacher Qualifications

 

This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:1-7

These scriptures explain the qualifications of someone who wants to be a pastor. Unfortunately, not all preachers understand the implications of these scriptures.

• Blameless 
• husband of 1 wife
• vigilant
• sober
• good Behavior
• given to hospitality
• a teacher
• not a drunker
• not greedy
• patient
• not a fighter
• not covetous
• if he has children, they are well behaved 
• not a new Christian

Many years ago, my dad was beginning to attend church regularly. That is until one fatefully Sunday. This Sunday my parents arrived to see the pastor and another man having a fist fight in the parking lot. My dad saw, exclaimed how bad that was, and left. He stopped going to church. He did not regularly attend church after that for many years. Thankfully, he did come back before passing. 

Please, if you see a man, who claims to be a pastor, behaving badly don’t give up on God. God gave the rules on how to select a pastor. It is people who choose not to listen and obey. God gave these rules for a reason. The preacher, in my dad’s case, had chosen to settle a disagreement by brawling. He completely ignored the part about not being a brawler. In addition, his behavior on that day was bad, not good.

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